VR-Zone Tech News for the Geeks Aug 2011 Issue

August 4th, 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.

Interesting mSATA adapter launches in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/interesting-msata-adapter-launches-injapan/13213.html August 4th, 2011

Want to use an mSATA SSD for some SSD caching action, but don't have the right motherboard? Well, even if you just want to use an SSD for caching and don't have the right motherboard, this can be a hassle. An adaptor has appeared in Japan that allows for an easy solution for those inclined to get SSD caching on their system and it's a rather peculiar looking setup.

Want to use an mSATA SSD for some SSD caching action, but don't have the right motherboard? Well, even if you just want to use an SSD for caching and don't have the right motherboard, this can be a hassle. An adaptor has appeared in Japan that allows for an easy solution for those inclined to get SSD caching on their system and it's a rather peculiar looking setup.

The company behind the adaptor is called Kuroutoshikou and it's a company that tend to come up with all sorts of unusual bits of hardware. In this case we're looking at a fairly standard size PCI Express x1 card with a Marvell 9130 SATA 6Gbps controller on it. It features what Marvell calls HyperDuo technology which allows for easy setup of SSD caching. This chip is already available on a few RAID cards, but this is where things get interesting.

Kuroutoshikou's card has an mSATA slot for the SSD and a SATA 6Gbps connector to which the hard drive is attached.

For most users this is just an extravagant way of setting up SSD caching, as using a 2.5-inch SSD would most likely cost less. However, if you have a compact case, or a low profile case with limited drive space, then this card would very well come in handy. At 3,980 Yen (S$61) it's not the cheapest route to go either, but it's at least reasonably competitively priced compared to a similar RAID card.

Gigabyte's G1.Sniper2 features PCI Express Gen 3 support Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-s-g1.sniper2-features-pciexpress-gen-3-support/13212.html August 4th, 2011

One feature that so far has been a bit of a secret with regards to Gigabyte's just launched G1.Sniper2 motherboard is that it features PCI Express Gen 3 support, or rather, it has a set of digital switches that should support PCI Express 3.0 unless something is drastically changing by now and the introduction of Intel's Ivy Bridge processors. We also scored some exclusive hands on pictures of the board, so click on through for those.

One feature that so far has been a bit of a secret with regards to Gigabyte's just launched G1.Sniper2 motherboard is that it 1

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Published by: VR-Zone

features PCI Express Gen 3 support, or rather, it has a set of digital switches that should support PCI Express 3.0 unless something is drastically changing by now and the introduction of Intel's Ivy Bridge processors. We also scored some exclusive hands on pictures of the board, so click on through for those.

The G1.Sniper2 is only the first of many motherboards to come from Gigabyte that will feature digital switches with PCI Express Gen 3 support. Over time the company will transition all of its dual x8 PCI Express slot motherboards to these switches. So in other words, expect new revisions of your favourite Gigabyte motherboards in the next few months.

So what about the G1.Sniper2? Well, we've already reported about it and even posted a few pictures of the board and now we have a few hands on pictures as well as one of the packaging. The board comes in a fancy display box, as it rightly should as this is a premium product.

Nothing has really changed since the board first made an appearance, but it's officially up on Gigabyte's website as of today. One feature we like is the bundled front panel that not only adds a pair of USB 3.0 ports to the front of your case, but also a powered eSATA port and the somewhat slightly less useful Quck Boost button that automagically overclocks the system. Another feature we weren't aware of and that has been long coming is the fact that all of the fan headers on the board are of the 4-pin type, or in other words, all the fan headers support PWM fans.

As a side note with regards to PCI Express 3.0 support, in theory every 6-series chipset motherboard should support PCI Express 3.0 if the board in question only has a single slot connected straight to the CPU. That said, even boards with PCI Express 2.0 switches will allow the top slot to operate at Gen 3 speeds, although at reduced bandwidth. Then again, none of this is any good until Intel launches Ivy Bridge in March or April next year and that's when we'll find out how compatible things really are, as currently no-one can say if it'll all work as intended.

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LG unveils Optimus 3D and white Optimus 2X in Taiwan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-unveils-optimus-3d-and-whiteoptimus-2x-in-taiwan/13210.html August 4th, 2011

LG Electronics has announced the availability of two new additions to its Optimus line of Android-powered smartphones in Taiwan today, the Optimus 3D and a white variant of the Optimus 2X smartphone which was recently introduced to the market this year. According to the company, the new Optimus 3D smartphone is capable of bringing the 3D cinema experience to users, a feat made possible by the technology used to power it. More details after the break...

LG has also claimed that the Optimus 3D smartphone will feature dual-rear-facing cameras which can be used to capture videos or still images in either stereoscopic 3D or conventional 2D, while the captured content can then be outputted to a larger external display such as television sets via the builtin HDMI-out port, or by streaming the content via a local network, an option made possible due to the Optimus 3D boasting support for DLNA.

LG Electronics has announced the availability of two new additions to its Optimus line of Android-powered smartphones in Taiwan today, the Optimus 3D and a white variant of the Optimus 2X smartphone which was recently introduced to the market this year.

Touted as the world's first smartphone to make use of what it calls its "naked eye 3D technology", LG claims that the Optimus 3D smartphone does away with the need to make use of specialized 3D glasses, thus allowing for the "immediate appreciation" and sharing of 3D content, such as video files or still images. This is made possible by the smartphone's use of a 4.3-inch glassless 3D display that is capable of displaying content at WVGA resolutions (800 x 480).

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Oh, and one more thing; the smartphone is reportedly capable with Google's 3D YouTube video streaming service as well.

Here are a few more pictures of the press event that took place in Taipei today: The Optimus 3D will initially ship with version 2.2.2. of the Android operating system preloaded into it, although LG has announced that it intends to provide users with an upgrade path to Gingerbread some time in the future. The phone will also reportedly be pre-loaded with three 3D games, namely NOVA, Asphalt 6 and Let's Golf 2, while up to seven more 3D titles will be made available for download at no charge.

The hardware specifications for the LG Optimus 3D smartphone are as follow:

Last but definitely not least, LG also unveiled a white variant of its Optimus 2X smartphone in Taipei:

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Published by: VR-Zone August 4th, 2011

Sapphire has released the HD 6950 TOXIC Edition, which at 880MHz core clock is supposedly the fastest factory overclocked HD 6950 in the world.

Sapphire has released the HD 6950 TOXIC Edition, which it claims to be the world's fastest HD 6950. As far as we can tell, this claim is true at the moment.

The core clock on this card has been pushed all the way to 880MHz, which is on par with reference HD 6970 speed.

Memory clock is a decent, if not outstanding, 1300MHz. AMD Radeon HD Sapphire HD 6950 6950 TOXIC Edition Core Clock 800MHz 880MHz Memory Clock 1250MHz 1300MHz The HD 6950 TOXIC Edition's heatsink looks rather similar to the reference AMD design, which also uses a vapor chamber and a blower fan.

Sapphire has also retained the dual BIOS feature, which is good news for BIOS modders. This feature was implemented in the reference design but taken out by some other vendors, presumably to cut costs. Sapphire also includes a custom overclocking utility.

No information about pricing and global availability has been announced for either smartphone.

Sapphire Releases World's Fastest HD 6950 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sapphire-releases-world-s-fastesthd-6950/13209.html

View the original press release below: SAPPHIRE TOXIC model is fastest HD 6950 yet!

SAPPHIRE Technology - the world leading supplier of graphics solutions, mainboards and other PC 5

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products - has just announced the SAPPHIRE HD 6950 TOXIC Edition, the fastest production card in its class. The SAPPHIRE HD 6950 TOXIC Edition ships with clock speeds of 880MHz for the core and 1300Mhz (5.2 Gb/sec effective) for the memory making it the fastest production HD 6950 on the market. This has been achieved by building the card on a high specification PCB with digital VRMs for excellent power regulation and 8 + 6 pin power connectors. It has a high performance cooler featuring a Vapor Chamber, blower fan and a new perforated backplate to increase airflow out of the system case. Like the standard HD 6950, the SAPPHIRE HD 6950 TOXIC Edition boasts true DX 11 capability and the powerful configuration of 1408 stream processors and 88 texture processing units. A Dual BIOS feature allows enthusiasts to experiment with alternative BIOS profiles and settings. Performance can be further enhanced with SAPPHIRE TriXX - the company's dedicated overclocking tool which allows memory and core clock speeds and voltages to be modified and monitored and is available free to download.

With its two DVI, one HDMI and two miniDisplayPort outputs, the SAPPHIRE HD 6950 TOXIC Edition supports a wide range of monitor configurations, including AMD Eyefinity with up to four screens. The SAPPHIRE HD 6950 TOXIC Edition has the latest Gen3 on-board hardware UVD (Unified Video decoder), considerably reducing CPU load and delivering smooth decoding of Blu-ray(tm) and other video content for both VC-1 and H.264 codecs, as well as Mpeg files. The UVD can decode two 1080p HD video streams simultaneously and display HD video in high quality with Windows Aero mode enabled. The card has HDMI 1.4a which also supports Stereoscopic 3D output. The SAPPHIRE HD 6950 family is supported by AMD's DirectX 11 WHQL certified graphics driver which delivers support for all of the key DirectX 11 level features required for new gaming experiences and acceleration of the latest generation of browsers, transcoding and other high performance applications (AMD APP acceleration).

For more details please visit www.sapphiretech.com

Skype 2.1 for Android gives video call for more Android devices Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/skype-2.1-for-android-gives-video-callfor-more-android-devices/13207.html August 4th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Good news for Skype users on Android waiting patently for video call support. An additional 17 devices were supported on their latest Skype 2.1 for Android.

Good news for Skype users on Android waiting patently for video call support on their mobile device. An additional 17 devices were supported on their latest Skype 2.1 for Android.

For folks who are using Android devices not listed above but you are on Android 2.2, you could try some luck with enabling video calling in your Skype settings by going to "Skype settings" after launching the app and select "enable video calling".

Of course, if you do not see the settings, you are out of luck and do not meet the minimum requirements set by Skype

Next generation Apple iPhone is said to be 4G-capable Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/next-generation-apple-iphone-is-saidto-be-4g-capable/13206.html August 4th, 2011

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Looks like the next generation iPhone is surely arriving, with many rumors about the phone brewing almost every week.

Well, this time, it seems that China Mobile has "confirmed" the new iPhone is going to be 4G-capable. Now, the question is, will the new phone be an entirely new iPhone 5, or an improved iPhone 4 (such as iPhone 4S or 4G)?

According to GizChina, China Mobile was reported to have reached an agreement with Apple to bring its 4th generation TD-LTE mobile data connection to the next generation iPhone.

Although the news isn't exactly new, it could hint that the next generation iPhone would be an iPhone 4S type device, with 4G capabilities, rather than a brand new iPhone 5 design.

This would make sense with some of the rumors that the next generation iPhone, which could be the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, (or iPhone 4G) has actually started carry network testing.

Regardless of whether it would be a new designed iPhone 5 or just a rehashed, improved version of the iPhone 4, many users are waiting for the phone's arrival.

Avatar Kinect is a new social entertainment experience that brings your avatar to life. Avatar Kinect can capture your facial expressions and voice so that when you smile, nod or speak, your avatar will do the same. You can invite up to seven friends to join you in 24 imaginative virtual stages – discuss the latest celebrity gossip or news on the Talk Show Stage, try out your hysterical comedy routine on the Performance Stage, or wager who will win the big game in the Sports Party Stage. On top of that, you can share the fun by capturing animated videos you can post online for your family, friends or fans to enjoy. The Kinect sensor can record your session with a producer’s editorial eye, following your performance, zooming and panning, just like a real TV production. Share your video recording with friends by uploading it to KinectShare.com and downloading it to your computer. You can also post it to your favorite social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Avatar Kinect is available for free to all Xbox LIVE Gold members, but to celebrate its release, Avatar Kinect has been unlocked for all Xbox LIVE members (Free or Gold) to enjoy from 25 July to 8 September.

Avatar Kinect and Kinect Sparkler promise more fun on Xbox Kinect Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/avatar-kinect-and-kinect-sparklerpromise-more-fun-on-xbox-kinect/13205.html August 4th, 2011

Aside from dancing and motion-gaming on the Xbox Kinect, you can have more fun with the new additions of Avatar Kinect and Kinect Sparkler in Kinect Fun Labs. Avatar Kinect captures your facial expression so that your avatar will do the same, and you can have talk shows with friends with your avatar. Kinect Sparkler lets you do finger drawing onscreen with sparkler, and you can even draw in 3-D.

Kinect Sparkler was launched in Kinect Fun Labs on 28 July and it transforms simple finger painting into an aerial light show, using brand new Kinect tech such as background removal and detailed finger tracking. Use your body as a stencil and your fingers to paint with light or write with sparklers, turning your room into a canvas. You can also draw in 3-D, moving the sparklers in front of and behind your foreground image, and then view your creation from multiple angels by moving your head. Share your masterpiece with friends and family by uploading it to KinectShare.com. Kinect

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Sparkler will be available in Kinect Fun Labs for 240 Microsoft Points.

Randi Zuckerberg Leaves Facebook Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/randi-zuckerberg-leavesfacebook/13204.html August 4th, 2011

Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of founder Mark Zuckerberg, has decided to leave Facebook to start her own company. In an interview with Mashable, Randi quoted that her resignation is a “natural extension” and had been considering the move “for a really long time" No news on who will be succeeding her position but Randi was the director of marketing in Facebook, a major role in this top social media company. Her new company, RtoZ Media, will be focusing as the role to help companies to become more "social"

HTC to unlock bootloaders with a trade-off Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-to-unlock-bootloaders-with-atrade-off/13203.html August 4th, 2011

Remember how HTC's locked bootloaders could be such a pain? Everyone was pleased when HTC announced that they are going to unlock bootloaders on their mobile devices. Well here is a update from the company on their facebook.

Remember how HTC's locked bootloaders could be such a pain? Everyone was pleased when HTC announced that they are going to unlock bootloaders on their mobile devices.

Published by: VR-Zone

Since our last update, many of you have asked how the bootloader unlocking process will actually work, and in particular why HTC's most recently released devices still have a locked bootloader. Rest assured we're making progress toward our goal to roll out the first software updates in August to support unlocking for the global HTC Sensation, followed soon by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. Because unlocking the bootloader provides extensive control over the device and modifications may cause operation, security and experience issues, new devices will continue to ship locked but will support userinitiated unlocking using a new Web-based tool.

So how will this work? The Web tool, which will launch this month, requires that you register an account with a valid email address and accept legal disclaimers that unlocking may void all or parts of your warranty. Then plug in your phone to a computer with the Android SDK loaded to retrieve a device identifier token, which you can then enter into the Web tool to receive a unique unlock key via e-mail. Finally, apply the key to your device and unlocking will be initiated on your phone.

We're excited to bring bootloader unlocking to developers and enthusiasts, and we feel this new Web tool will meet your needs and continue to provide customers with the best experience. Thanks to the community for supporting these efforts!

That's right, HTC will be giving you the freedom to unlock your bootloader, only after you accept a disclaimer notifying that "all or parts" of your warranty may be null and void. Freedom comes at a price, what do you think of this HTC's take on unlocked bootloaders ?

Ultrabooks too expensive according to Taiwan notebook makers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ultrabooks-too-expensive-accordingto-taiwan-notebook-makers/13201.html August 4th, 2011

Apple's recently launched MacBook Air starts at US$999 and the Taiwanese notebook makers are very concerned about Apple's pricing and claim that unless Intel lowers its CPU prices for its ULV models, Ultrabooks will end up way past Intel's suggested US$1,000 starting price point. We're having a feeling of déjà vu here with the failed CULV platform which wasn't quite as big as a failure as it's been made up to be, but it was another platform that was simply too expensive.

Well here is a update from the company on their facebook.

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Apple's recently launched MacBook Air starts at US$999 and the Taiwanese notebook makers are very concerned about Apple's pricing and claim that unless Intel lowers its CPU prices for its ULV models, Ultrabooks will end up way past Intel's suggested US$1,000 starting price point. We're having a feeling of dĂŠjĂ vu here with the failed CULV platform which wasn't quite as big as a failure as it's been made up to be, but it was another platform that was simply too expensive.

It's easy to point fingers at Apple, but in this case we can't but wonder if some of the notebook manufacturers have overreached in terms of what they thought they could produce at a certain price point. The notebook makers are now putting pressure on Intel to lower its CPU prices for them to be able to hit the target pricing for Ultrabooks.

Part of the problem is said to be changes in the production process as most, if not all components will be soldered onto the main PCB of the Ultrabooks to help reduce weight and thickness. SSDs are also required to meet the slim profile alongside li-polymer batteries and several other changes. Even so, Intel's CPUs are said to bear about one third of the total cost of an Ultrabook, which sounds a bit steep.

Intel has a fairly limited range of ULV processors, but even so Intel's ULV Core i5 models have a list price of US$250 which is only a quarter of the US$1,000 price point. In all fairness Intel is hoping to get machines in the market for less than this, but there's the OEM Core i3-2357M which we sadly don't know what Intel is charging for, but it'll be substantially less than US$250 and if we'd make an educated guess this CPU should end up somewhere around the US$200 mark. Intel also has a couple of budget friendly dual core ULV Celeron models at US$134 and although they're not very attractive in terms of performance, the cost is comparatively low.

Published by: VR-Zone August 4th, 2011

VR-Zone was one of the regional media invited to Bangkok, Thailand to witness the launch of Philips new consumer C, E and V-Line, and the business P, B and S-Line monitors by MMD. At the event, MMD also showcased Philips' new ErgoSensor technology that claims to help correct a user's posture, as well as their 27-inch 3D monitor.

For those who do not know, MMD (Multimedia Displays) is a wholly-owned company of TPV which claims to be the largest manufacturer of PC monitors and LCD TVs in the world.

And MMD markets Philips monitors under the global brand license agreement with Philips. Today, MMD announces the launch of their new C-Line (which is the premium range), ELine (Essential range) and V-Line (Value range) consumer monitors; B-Line (Business), S-Line (Standard or Small Business) and P-Line (Professional) business monitors. The PLine, B-Line and S-Line business monitors are available now at all MMD distributors.

The question is if the notebook makers are willing to make this kind of a trade-off, especially after the low-end CULV notebooks failing to gather any kind of momentum and in the end even the high-end models ended up being sold at close to cost. A repeat of this situation would be a disaster for the notebook makers and this seems to be the main reason why they're being so cautious about the Ultrabook market segment.

That said, some innovation would go a long way to convince consumers to go for an Ultrabook over a regular notebook, despite the slightly higher price. We have a feeling that one reason why Apple's 13.3-inch MacBook Air is so popular is because of the higher resolution screen, an option that's rare to see on Windows notebooks and it's not exactly a super innovative feature.

Philips launches new consumer and business monitors Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/philips-launches-new-consumer-andbusiness-monitors/13194.html

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The Philips Moda is a 23.6-inch LCD monitor, under the CLine of premium consumer monitors, has a two-tone elegant finish with a die-cast pure aluminium stand. The Moda has backlit controls with two HDMI input and a VGA connector.

According to the company, there is no DVI input as it is phasing out and did not catch on consumers.

MMD also introduced a pure white version of the Philips Moda (right picture) as well as one with the proprietary Lightframe technology. The Philips Moda is scheduled to be available next week; the white version in October and the one with Lightframe in December (just before Christmas). At press time, the 23.6-inch Philips Moda (model: 248C3LHSB) will be retailing at an S$349; the 21.5-inch Eline (model: 227E3LPHSU) at S$229, and the 27-inch (model: 273E3LHSB) at S$489.

Also showcased at the event was the prototype Philips ErgoSensor technology which MMD claims to be the first in the world to offer a true optimized ergonomic viewing experience on their display. With an integrated camera above the display, the monitor uses advanced detection technology to measure a user's interpupillary distance; whether their head is in an inclined position; detects how long the user has been sitting in front of the display etc, and gives appropriate advice to the user. At the rear of the monitor are USB, DVI and VGA connectors.

Philips ErgoSensor monitor

The ErgoSensor can only detect a single user at any one time, and thus if there are few users crowding in front of the monitor, the display will not be able to provide accurate advice.

According to a MMD executive, the ErgoSensor monitor takes approximately less than two minutes to detect and monitor the user and an attention prompt will popup at the bottom right of the screen to inform the user. The Philips ErgoSensor monitor is scheduled to launch from December this year. No pricing information is available at press time.

More to come..

Motorola publishes specifications of upcoming DROID Bionic smartphone on website Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/motorola-publishes-specifications-ofupcoming-droid-bionic-smartphone-on-website/13200.html

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Now this has got to be one of those classic "Oh no they didn't!" cases in action, although most people would probably have not expected Motorola, of all companies, to have made such as slip-up. Apparently, the company has somehow managed to leak some precious information about an upcoming DROID Bionic smartphone on its own website. Needless to say, the mistake was discovered and the website's content modified to appear as if the information never existed, but not before its screenshots have started circulating around the depths of cyberspace.

Have you been lusting for more information about Motorola's upcoming Bionic smartphone? Well, the good news is that users do not have to wait any longer in order to find out what kind of specifications Motorola's upcoming DROID Bionic smartphone will sport when it is finally released, for it seems that Motorola has somehow managed to accidently post up the complete specifications for the aforementioned smartphone on its developer page, well ahead of schedule.

Nice.

Published by: VR-Zone

has pointed out that the original Bionic only had 512MB of memory and utilized a Tegra 2 system-on-a-chip (SoC) for its processing needs, whereas the phone that was listed on Motorola's developer homepage boasted a 1GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 dual-core processor and 1GB of memory.

In addition, the leaked specifications from Motorola has also revealed that the upcoming Bionic will be a CDMA-only mobile phone which boasts built-in support for 4G mobile broadband connectivity via LTE, HDMI 1.4, along with 4GB of secure storage and 9GB of non-removable shared storage. Lastly, the smartphone will also feature a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display that sports a native resolution of 960 x 540 (qHD), an eight-megapixel rear-facing camera, a VGA camera for the front and most importantly, will be preloaded with version 2.3.4 of the Android operating system. Now, all we need is for Motorola to conveniently "leak" out some information about an expected release date, along with pricing details, for the upcoming Bionic smartphone and everything will be just right.

Oh, and just one more thing; Motorola has already pulled the information about the DROID Bionic smartphone from its developer page, as we would have expected. But thanks to the power of screenshots and the Internet, a copy of the full specifications sheet has been published by Droid-Life, which you can access from this link if you are interested in finding out more about the upcoming smartphone.

Strontium Gamma 115GB & Matrix 120GB SSD Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/strontium-gamma-115gb-matrix-120gb-ssd-review/12848.html August 4th, 2011

Just about every memory manufacturer has jumped on the solid state drive bandwagon - and Singapore-based Strontium is no exception. We take a look at two SSDs from Strontium's Matrix and Gamma product lines.

Singapore-based memory manufacturer Strontium is one of the more recent entrants to the consumer SSD market. They currently have two SSD product lines: the Gamma series, which uses the SandForce SF-1222 controller, and the Matrix series, which uses the Marvell 88SS9174-BLD2 controller.

Today, we'll be looking at the Strontium Gamma 115GB and Strontium Matrix 120GB. Both drives are backed by a three year warranty.

According to a report published by Droid-Life, the model number for the Bionic that was listed on Motorola's specification page may be referencing the older XT865 which is already available for sale on the market, but that is more of a typographical error on Motorola's part, as the XT865 sports specifications which are vastly different from those that were listed out on the site. For example, Droid-Life 11

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Power Consumption Warranty Temperature

Controller Interface

Strontium Strontium Gamma 115GB Matrix 120GB SandForce SF-1222 Marvell 88SS9174BLD2 Supports Supports 1.5/3.0Gbps SATA 6/3.0Gbps SATA I/II interface III/II interface Supports SATA Fully Compliant 3.0Gb/s NCQ and with ATA/ATAPI-7 AHCI commands Standard Fully Compliant Supports SMART with ATA/ATAPI-7 (Self-Monitor Standard Analysis and Reporting Supports SMART Technology) (Self-Monitor Analysis and TRIM support (O/S Reporting support required) Technology) Supports Secure TRIM support (O/S Erase and Write support required) Protect function Supports Secure Erase and Write Protect function

Supports Dynamic and Static Wear Levelling

Supports Dynamic Data integrity and Static Wear under powerLevelling cycling ( > 6,000 times) Data integrity under powercycling ( > 6,000 times)

Flash Performance

Supports F/W upgrade function 25nm MLC Maximum sequential read speed 280 Mbps Maximum sequential write speed 270 Mbps

25nm MLC Maximum sequential read speed 415 Mbps Maximum sequential write speed 175 Mbps

Humidity Operating Shock

Vibration

MTBF Form Factor Compliance

Random 4K write performance of 50,000 IOPS (4K aligned) Active < 2.0W Idle < 0.5W 3 years Operating Temperature: 0°C~ +70°C Storage Temperature: -20°C ~+85°C 0°C~55°C / 95% RH, 10cycles 1,500G, duration 0.5ms, half sine wave 20G peak, 10~2KHz with 3axis >1,000,000 Hours 2.5" Fully Compliant with RoHS directive CE and FCC compatibility

Random 4K write performance of 50,000 IOPS (4K aligned) Active < 150mW 3 years Operating Temperature: 0°C~ +70°C Storage Temperature: -20°C ~+85°C

1,500G, duration 0.5ms, half sine wave 2 –500 Hz at 3.1G

>1,200,000 Hours 2.5" Fully Compliant with RoHS directive CE and FCC compatibility

LG unveils two new Cinema 3D TVs in Korea Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-unveils-two-new-cinema-3d-tvs-inkorea/13199.html August 4th, 2011

LG Electronics has announced the availability of its new Cinema 3D-capable, LED-backlit high-definition television sets (HDTVs), the 47-inch 47LW9800 and 55-inch 55LW9800. Touted as the "crown-jewel" of 3D-capable television sets, the Korean electronics company has claimed that the new LW9800 series of HDTVs boast the most advanced technologies and features ever developed by it. More details after the break...

LG has announced the availability of its new Cinema 3Dcapable, LED-backlit high-definition television sets (HDTVs), the 47-inch 47LW9800 and 55-inch 55LW9800. The new HTDVs have been claimed by LG to be the "crown-jewels" of 3D-capable television sets, and that they both feature the most advanced technologies and features ever developed by the company.

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Published by: VR-Zone August 4th, 2011

According to the official press release issued by LG, the new 47-inch 47LW9800 and 55-inch 55LW9800 3D-capable LCD TVs sport what the company calls its NANO FULL LED and TruMotion 480Hz technology. LG claims that its NANO FULL LED lighting technogy makes use of an extremely thin film printed with minuscule dots to disperse light more evenly across the screen, with the result being brighter, clearer and smoother pictures, while TruMotion 400Hz ensures that images displayed by the telvision "stay silky smooth, no matter how fast the action".

In addition, LG has also claimed that the 47LW9800 and 55LW9800 will make use of the company's passive "Cinema 3D" display technology which is reportedly capable of eliminating common symptoms of discomfort experienced by users who own television sets which make use of the conventional active 3D technology, such as dizziness or disorientation. This has made it possible for the Korean electronics company to deliver affordable and comfortable 3D glasses which are affordable, lightweight and battery free, thus ensuring that user comfort is not affected.

Last but definitely not least, LG has added that the new 47-inch 47LW9800 and 55-inch 55LW9800 3D-capable LCD TVs will come bundled with various Smart TV features, such as support for online connectivity, multi-screen display and the inclusion of a built-in web browser to allow it to access the Internet, along with a Smart Motion Remote Control for operating the TV set.

The Logitech Revue may have made the headlines recently over its drastic price drop from US$249 to US$99 , but that does not mean that all is not going well for the Google TV set-top box, at least where end-users and the hacker comunity are concerned. Apparently, some enterprising developers have managed to successfully flash the Revue with version 3.1 of the Android operating system (Honeycomb), well before Logitech plans to roll out its own official Android 3.1 firmware update come summer this year.

So Logitech has slashed the price of its Revue Google TV set-top box by almost 60% from US$249 to US$99. While that might sound like a typical response for any company whose product is not doing very well on the market, it would seem that the latest bit of news regarding the Revue might be just the kind of information that could potentially help renew consumer interest in Logitech's Google TV set-top box.

Apparently, a group of enterprising hackers have somehow managed to flash the Revue with a custom Android 3.1 ROM (aka Honeycomb), and details on how to do so have somehow managed to leak onto the Internet, complete with pictorial evidence.

And yes, this custom ROM apparently comes preloaded with the Android Market app.

No information about pricing and global availability for the aforementioned television sets has been released at this point of time, although LG claims that the products were first launched in Korea two days ago.

Hackers successfully flash Logitech Revue with Honeycomb 3.1 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hackers-successfully-flash-logitechrevue-with-honeycomb-3.1/13198.html

If you will remember our earlier article, we mentioned that Logitech has already planned to roll out a software update that will see existing Revue set-top boxes gain access to both the Android 3.1 (Honeycomb) operating system and the Android 13

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Published by: VR-Zone

Market at once. However, with the Revue now going for as low as US$99, we really would not be surprised to hear of consumers actually purchasing one of those Revues just to satisfy their curiosity by trying to see if they can flash the device's stock firmware with a custom build of the Honeycomb operating system

Toshiba unveils new standardheight, 1TB hard disks for notebooks Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-unveils-new-standardheight-1tb-hard-disks-for-notebooks/13197.html August 4th, 2011

Well, that sure didn't take very long. In less than two weeks after we published the news of Western Digital's success in rolling out what was probably the world's first standardheight, 1TB-touting mobile hard disks for notebooks, out comes Toshiba with its own variant of such a hard disk, the MQ01ABD100, which the Japanese company has claimed is specially designed for devices such as high-performance notebooks and hard disk-based media recorders.

Remember the news we posted some time back about Western Digital unveiling what was probably the world's first standardheight mobile hard disk that boasted as astronomical storage capacity of 1TB? Well, the good news is that users who are in need of a new high-capacity hard disk but want more options to choose from will probably have much to look forward to. This is because Western Digital's Scorpio Blue hard disk has found itself a new competitor in the market for standard-height mobile hard disks boasting 1TB of storage space, and it comes in the form of Toshiba's latest product, the MQ01ABD100.

According to Toshiba, the new MQ01ABD100 hard disk sports an areal density of 744Gb/in2 and boasts a power consumption of no more than 0.55 watts when idle, along with a 25% improvement in energy efficiency over its moreconventional hard disk models such as the MK7559GSXP. In addition, Toshiba claims that the new MQ01ABD100 hard disk produces lesser noise as well, peaking at 24dB during seek operations, and features standard specifications such as 8MB of cache, a platter speed of 5,400rpm, support for version 2.6 of the SATA specification and a maximum shock tolerance of up to 8,820 m / s2 when non-operational (3,920 m / s2 when operational).

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No details about pricing and availability for the new MQ01ABD100 hard disk has been announced by Toshiba at this point of time, although Akihabara News is claiming that the device is expected to debut in Japan come mid-August this year.

Japan to start selling Microsoft's new Touch Mouse next month Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/japan-to-start-selling-microsoft-s-newtouch-mouse-next-month/13196.html August 4th, 2011

Remember the Microsoft Touch Mouse that was first unveiled at CES this year? You know, the one that reportedly supports three-finger gestures, is supposed to be available for sale only in the second half of the year and is said to be the direct competitor to Apple's Magic Mouse? Well, it seems like the wait for the mouse to finally reach our shores may soon be at an end, now that Microsoft has announced the availability of the new Touch Mouse in Japan.

Approximately seven months ago, we ran a story describing what was essentially Microsoft's answer to Apple's multitouchcapable Magic Mouse, the Microsoft Touch Mouse, which first debuted at CES, and was touted to be capable of supporting gestures made by up to a maximum of three fingers. Unfortunately, Microsoft did not release any concrete details about the mouse's release date at that point of time, preferring to simply claim that consumers could expect to see the device hit retail shelves starting from the second half of the year.

Published by: VR-Zone

The specifications of the mouse have remained mostly unchanged since its initial debut way back at CES this year; it makes use of Microsoft's signature BlueTrack technology, which is reportedly capable of allowing users to utilize the Touch Mouse on virtually any surface, while a nano receiver serves as the link which connects the mouse to one's PC. In addition, the touch sensors on the Microsoft Touch Mouse are also said to be capable of recognizing different finger sizes, a trait which could potentially allows users to map various flicks and gestures to different fingers.

Last but definitely not least, ITmedia has claimed that the Microsoft Touch Mouse draws power from two AA batteries and is reportedly capable of providing up to three months of uptime on a fresh set of batteries. Oh, and it is available in any colour you want, as long as it is black.

Old Twitter users to be upgraded to New Twitter this week Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/old-twitter-users-to-be-upgraded-tonew-twitter-this-week/13195.html August 4th, 2011

Are you still using the old Twitter interface which has now been dubbed by many as 'Old Twitter'? Well, if you are, you might want to actually start getting used to the new interface which the popular microblogging service has rolled out way back last year; the company has confirmed that it plans to upgrade all existing Old Twiiter users to the new interface by this week.

Well, change is never easy, right?

Well, looks like Twitter has finally decided to get serious about its plans for upgrading the user interface for its popular online social networking and microblogging service. Apparently, we have just received word from the company itself that the new Twitter user interface, which was first unveiled to users way back in September last year, will soon take over as the default interface when users access Twitter, and that the Old Twitter interface will be going the way of the dinosaur when that happens "this week".

And if you thought we were making this up, this official tweet from the company itself that was seemingly made only a should dispel all remaining doubt that the UI change due to take place within this week, although Twitter has seemingly decided to not provide an exact date for the global rollout of the New Twitter interface.

Fast forward to the present, and it seems that the long wait for Microsoft's new Touch Mouse might soon be at an end, especially if this latest announcement made by the the Redmond giant's Japan office is of any indication. Apparently, the Touch Mouse is expected to be made available for sale in Japan come September this year, and that it will reportedly be retailing at the price of 7980 yen, or approximately US$103.

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Published by: VR-Zone August 4th, 2011

That being said, Twitter's latest move will probably irk many users who have grown accustomed to the Old Twitter interface, although one really cannot fault the popular microblogging platform for 'forcing' the New Twitter interface down on its user base. For one, Twitter has been taking pains to remind people since June this year that the switch to the new interface was imminent by adding a browser-top alert informing them that the upgrade to New Twitter was expected to take place "very, very soon".

Well, at the very least, Twitter had the decency to make the eventual switch as gradual and low-key as possible by allowing users to hold on to Old Twitter up till now, even though New Twitter was officially unveiled way back in September last year. This, along with the use of constant browser-top reminders informing users that New Twitter will eventually take its place as the default user interface for the popular microblogging platform means that critics cannot blame Twitter for pulling a "Facebook" on its user base and suddenly making an abrupt UI change without any notification.

More images of ASUS MARS II Dual-GTX 580 Graphics Card Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-images-of-asus-mars-ii-dualgtx-580-graphics-card/13192.html

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Published by: VR-Zone

OEMs today and a good percentage of the high performance power supplies currently available are based on their designs and manufactured by them. Some weeks ago we had a look at one of their very high output products, the Direct12 BR 1kW power supply; today we are going to test and review the Performance Pro series 750W unit and see how well High Power can deliver in the mainstream market.

• 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified - Offer 85% minimum efficiency at 50% load • Single +12V Output Rail - Offers maximum compatibility with latest components.

• Dual Case Fan Connectors - Two Additional connectors dedicated for 8cm, 9cm, 12cm, or 14cm fans. AI Temperature control unit manage fan speed accordingly to keep temperature and acoustic level at optimal.

• Golf-Surfaced Fan - Whisper quiet 13.5cm golf- surfaced fan brings more airflow volume with less noise than convention.

• Japan- made Main Capacitors - Longer lifespan than electrolytic capacitors • Honey Comb Structure with the Best Ventilation Optimum design structure made to maximize air flow to minimize thermal increase, air resistance, and noise level.

The ASUS MARS II is a dual-GTX 580 graphics card. It will feature a core frequency of 816MHz, shader frequency of 1632MHz, a memory frequency of 4008MHz, 3GB of GDDR5 memory and 1024 CUDA cores. The ASUS MARS II graphics card is reported to have a limited quantity of 1000 units with a price tag of €1,000 (S$1,714) each.

High Power Performance Pro 750W PSU review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/high-power-performance-pro-750wpsu-review/13193.html August 4th, 2011

Today we bring you the review of another high quality power supply from High Power, the subsidiary company of Sirfa. For those unaware of it, Sirfa is one of the most reputable PSU OEMs today and a good percentage of the high performance power supplies currently available are based on their designs and manufactured by them. Some weeks ago we had a look at one of their very high output products, the Direct12 BR 1kW power supply; today we are going to test and review the Performance Pro series 750W unit and see how well High Power can deliver in the mainstream market.

• 24 Pin connector with Nylon Sleeve - The cable is sleeved for an improved airflow and help create a neat and easy installation.

• PCI-Express Power Connectors - Provide dedicated +12V for high end dual graphic SLI or Crossfire Connection.

• Patented Easy Swap Connector - Quick and Easy installation.

• EuP 2010 Lot 6 Compliant (System Idle power usage less than 1W) • RoHS Compliant - made with hazardous - free components RoHS is the Restriction Of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment. This has been a standard in Europe and is now becoming a standard in the world. Not only lead, but cadium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants are limited as well.

• What you see is what you get. NO Tweaks! - True Wattage Rating is the industry's way of designating a power supply model's wattage capacity. It is based on the total DC output wattages that a power supply can continuously provide.

Kingston To Ship HyperX SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kingston-to-ship-hyperxssd/13190.html

Today we bring you the review of another high quality power supply from High Power, the subsidiary company of Sirfa. For those unaware of it, Sirfa is one of the most reputable PSU 17

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Kingston is shipping their HyperX SSD which will feature the SandForce SD-2281 controller, SATA 3 interface allowing a read speed of 555MB/s and write speed of 510MB/s. It also has a random 4k read of 95,000 IOPs and a random 4k write of 70,000 IOPs. The HyperX SSD will be available in 120GB, 240GB capacities which will retail for US$270 (S$325) and US $520 (S$626) respectively.

Zotac launches DisplayPort to dual HDMI adapters Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zotac-launches-displayport-to-dualhdmi-adapters/13191.html August 4th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Considering that DisplayPort isn't directly compatible with DVI and HDMI (both of which are very similar to each other), adapters like these will be needed. There are already plenty of adapters available in the market, but none quite like these.

Each of the new adaptors plug into either a mini DisplayPort or a standard size DisplayPort connector and then give you a pair of HDMI ports in the other end. This in itself might not sound all that special, until you realise that you can run a pair of HDMI screens of a single DisplayPort connector. This is potentially very useful for someone with a motherboard with integrated graphics that wants to run three screens, something that isn't possible without adding a graphics card in most cases. Plug in one of Zotac's new adapters and you can, at least as long as your motherboard has one DisplayPort and at least one other display interface.

If there's one market where things moves slowly, as in slower than paint drying, then it's the display interface industry as it's the year 2011 and we're still using a display connector that first came out in 1987, namely the good old D-sub. This was meant to be replaced by the DVI port and more recently both ports were said to be replaced by the DisplayPort connector by 2015 or there abouts. So what does this have to do with anything?

Well, Zotac has come up with a pair of nifty adapters for anyone that happens to own a pair of HDMI equipped displays and a graphics card with only a DisplayPort connector.

If there's one market where things moves slowly, as in slower than paint drying, then it's the display interface industry as it's the year 2011 and we're still using a display connector that first came out in 1987, namely the good old D-sub. This was meant to be replaced by the DVI port and more recently both ports were said to be replaced by the DisplayPort connector by 2015 or there abouts. So what does this have to do with anything?

Well, Zotac has come up with a pair of nifty adapters for anyone that happens to own a pair of HDMI equipped displays and a graphics card with only a DisplayPort connector.

So ok, it's hugely unlikely that this will ever be the case, but it's good to see a company that's willing to move forward.

There is a drawback though, Zotac's adapters are limited to 1920x1080 resolution per screen, but at least there's support for spanning so 3840x1080 is doable. The adapters also work with notebooks and we can see quite a few notebook users being interested in these, as you don't tend to have a wealth of display interfaces on notebooks and this makes it tricky to run more than one display. It might not be the perfect solution, but it's still a much better one than what's currently available. No word on pricing as yet, but we'd expect the new adapters to be more expensive than current single port adapters.

Update: The price for either adapter is US$50 which seems a bit on the steep side.

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Published by: VR-Zone

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-to-launch-z-drive-r4-ssd-withcapacity-of-over-3tb/13187.html August 4th, 2011

It appears that we have a lot to look forward to from Sony's digital camera division later this month, as the company is expected to launch no less than four new cameras of which two are Alpha models and two are NEX models. Pictures of both of the NEX models have now appeared, alongside pictures of several new lenses and details of some new accessories.

OCZ is going to launch its Z-Drive R4 SSD soon which was first seen at the Computex 2011. The SSD will be available in various capacities from 480GB to 3.84TB.

The announcement is expected to take place around the 23 or 24 of August, but the new cameras are said to not be available until October at the earliest with Asia apparently getting first dibs. The big news in today's leak is the first, if albeit tiny picture of Sony's upcoming NEX-5N and although it looks very similar to the current NEX-5 it has a slight angle on the top and the pixel count has gone up from 14.2 Megapixels to 16.1 Megapixels.

OCZ to launch Z-Drive R4 SSD with capacity of over 3TB

The other big news is a front view of the NEX-7 which is a larger camera than the NEX-5N by a fair amount which can easily be seen by the large amount of camera that is still surrounding the lens. In all fairness it's not going to be a huge camera, but we can see Sony swinging things around and calling this the â&#x20AC;&#x153;world's smallestâ&#x20AC;? exchangeable lens camera with a built in viewfinder.

OCZ will be launching its latest PCIe SSD, Z-Drive R4, which allows up to 2,900MB/s read speed, 2700MB/s write speed and 350,000 IOPS for 4K random write. In one of the demonstration shown at the Computex 2011, multiple Z-Drive R4 in Raid 0 configuration was able to churn out more than one million IOPS for the Iometer 4KB random read test.

The OCZ Z-Drive R4 uses eight SandForce SF-2281 controllers which are internally configured for Raid 0, runs on a PCIe x8 card and will be available in two variants, the C series (480GB to 3.84TB) and R series (800GB to 3.2TB).

Sony's next gen NEX cameras and more unveiled ahead of the launch Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-s-next-gen-nex-cameras-andmore-unveiled-ahead-of-the-launch/13188.html August 4th, 2011

It appears that we have a lot to look forward to from Sony's digital camera division later this month, as the company is expected to launch no less than four new cameras of which two are Alpha models and two are NEX models. Pictures of both of the NEX models have now appeared, alongside pictures of several new lenses and details of some new accessories.

Several new lenses are also expected for the NEX compatible E-mount. We're fairly certain a lot of consumers have been waiting for a zoom lens for the NEX range and Sony is set to deliver this with a new 55-210mm f/4-6.3 lens with OSS. Then we have a 50mm f/1.8 lens again with OSS and finally a Zeiss branded 24mm f/1.8 lens. The NEX-5N is also said to get an external XGA resolution OLED viewfinder which is sadly not backwards compatible with the older NEX models.

Another interesting development is something called the LAEA2 which is a translucent mirror adapter for some of the NEX cameras that accepts Alpha mount lenses and pretty much turns the NEX cameras into one of Sony's SLT cameras. It's said to add much faster auto focus, although at the cost of battery life.

As for Sony's Alpha models, the A77 is expected to sport 24 Megapixels, very fast auto focus and 11 cross type AF points. The new electronic viewfinder is meant to be a huge improvement over the current SLT cameras from Sony and the A77 is said to be offered bundled with a new 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM lens. The more affordable A65 model is said to feature the same sensor as the A77, but it won't have the same high speed frame capture capability. The A77 is expected to cost

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around US$1200-1300 without the kit lens which adds about US$200-300 to the price tag.

ViewSonic announces availability of 24-inch, 3Dcapable V3D245 monitor in the US Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/viewsonic-announces-availabilityof-24-inch-3d-capable-v3d245-monitor-in-the-us/13183.html August 4th, 2011

ViewSonic has announced the availability of its new 24-inch, 3D-capable V3D245 monitors in the US. The monitors, which boast support for NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology, have been touted by the company to be capable of delivering "great color accuracy and picture detail for unsurpassed 3D image quality" and is designed to appeal to "gamers, movie buffs and photo enthusiasts".

ViewSonic has announced the availability of the new LEDbacklit V3D245 monitor which boasts a 24-inch display, along with support for 3D display via the use of NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology.

Published by: VR-Zone

To top off the package, ViewSonic has also claimed that the V3D243's built-un support for NVIDIA 3D Vision technology allows users "to play more than 550 3D games in full 1080p, 60 fps resolution, view 3D videos and photos, and stream 3D web content" when the monitor is hooked up to a PC which utilizes a supported GeForce graphics card. Alternatively, users can also make use of the built-in HDMI-in port to connect various media devices such as the "latest Blu-ray 3D players" or video game consoles. Last but definitely not least, the company has confirmed that the monitor will also feature an "integrated two-watt SRS Premium Sound audio speakers provides consumers the ultimate multimedia entertainment display".

No information about global availability has been announced at this point of time, although ViewSonic has confirmed that the V3D245 3D monitor, along with the bundled pair of NVIDIA 3D Vision active stereo 3D glasses, will be available for sale in North America come mid-to-late August at the estimated retail price of US$499.

More Symbian "Belle" screenshots surface online Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-symbian-belle-screenshotssurface-online/13180.html August 4th, 2011

Nokia may have already committed itself to transitioning towards Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system, but if you thought that the Finnish communication corporation's desicion would result in the quick and decisive death of its existing Symbian operating system, well, you could not have been further from the truth. Apparently, word has it that Nokia is already hard at work on the next iteration of the Symbian OS, which has been dubbed as Symbian Belle, and the latest leaked screenshots of the operating system are suggesting that "Belle" might offer a much more flexible user experience over "Anna".

According to the official press release issued by the company, the new V3D243 3D-capable monitor makes use of a combination of "world-leading LED technology with extraordinary power-saving performance" and is capable of offering a refresh rate of 120Hz, along with an "ultra-fast 2ms video response time", thus "making it ideal for delivering a truly immersive 2D and 3D entertainment and gaming experience". In addition, ViewSonic claims that video-input is achieved via a HDMI port which supports version 1.4 of the HDMI standard, while the 1920x1080 full HD display panel used in the assembly of the V3D243 is capable of achieveing a 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and up to 300 nits of brightness for "great color accuracy and picture detail for unsurpassed 3D image quality".

Have you heard about Symbian "Belle"? Well, for those who are not aware, "Belle" is reportedly the codename for Nokia's upcoming successor to the Symbian operating system, of which "Anna" is the version that is currently in use on many of the Finnish telecommunications corporation's flagship smartphone models. And from the looks of it, it would seem that Symbian "Belle" is Nokia's best attempt to restore the Symbian operating system to relevancy in today's highly competitive mobile operating system market, especially if the various leaked screenshots of "Belle" that have started showing up online are of any indication.

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According to a report published by My Nokia Blog, the leaked screenshots that made it out onto the Internet this time were centered around the operating system's user inteface. For example, My Nokia Blog has pointed out that Symbian "Belle" now sports what appears to be the introduction of a universal toolbar which is permanently positioned at the bottom of the screen. More importantly, the icons and options present on the aforementioned toolbar seem to change dynamically whenever a different app is launched; this is very similar to how the toolbar in Apple's Mac OS X operating system works.

Published by: VR-Zone

In addition, a screenshot of what appears to be the multitab view for Symbian "Belle"'s built-in web browser was also found on The Nokia Blog, with the wesite claiming that Nokia's implementation of the feature in Symbian "Belle" seems to bear some similarities to a similar feature that is already present in Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 operating system.

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Published by: VR-Zone

The patent dispute between Apple and Samsung rages on, and it looks like the Cupertino company has brought the Korean to the Federal Court of Australia. Well, Apple has won an agreement and this means that Samsung is not allowed to sell their new Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the country. At least not until the dispute has been resolved.

That being said, no details about a possible release date for Symbian "Belle" has been leaked out to the wild yet, so it is very possible that the various screenshots that are currently making their rounds in cyberspace could be nothing more than just a bunch of pre-release UI designs that are likely to undergo significant changes as Nokia progresses further with the development of their new operating system. However, we cannot help but admit that these screenshots have definitely captured our attention, if only because they seem to hint that Nokia might finally be getting its mojo back where userinterface design is concerned. After all, one must never forget that this is the company which was once highly regarded by many for its knack in delivering mobile phones that sported user interfaces which were both attractive and extremely easy to use.

Since April, Apple has issued a lawsuit against Korean manufacturer Samsung for copying the looks and feel of its iPhone, iPod Touch and even the iPad tablet device.

And Apple has seek an injunction on the latest Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in countries including USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Australia, and it has won the agreement that stops Samsung from selling the tablet device in Australia. Well, that is until the dispute between both companies have been resolved.

Samsung has agreed to stop advertising the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia, and that the tablet will not be sold in the country, while Apple has agreed to compensate the Korean company for the lost sales if it loses the case. According to reports, Samsung has offered three Australian models of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to Apple for examination.

Are you waiting for the new iPhone 5?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/are-you-waiting-for-the-newiphone-5-/13177.html August 4th, 2011

Samsung not allowed to sell Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-not-allowed-to-sell-galaxytab-10.1-in-australia/13179.html August 4th, 2011

With rumors of the upcoming iPhone 5 launching in September or October, it is interesting to know that there are many consumers who are waiting for the Apple smartphone. According to analyst from Piper Jaffray, it looks like 74% of Verizon users whom were polled, are waiting for the iPhone 5.

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Published by: VR-Zone August 4th, 2011

With speculations of the fifth generation Apple iPhone coming in either September or October this year, it is no wonder many consumers are waiting patiently to see if the new phone is worth getting. And according to analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray, who have polled 216 mobile phone users about their phones, the results showed that 74% of users who are Verizon subscribers and do not have an iPhone, are waiting for the new iPhone 5. The percentage is a lot higer compared to 53% of AT&T customers who plan to buy an iPhone said they are waiting for the new phone. Looks like Apple's share of the smartphone market will grow steadily once the iPhone 5 has been launched.

Do you remember the stories we have published on VR-Zone regarding the status of an upcoming Gingrebread update for HTC's old but still popular Desire smartphone? Well, it seems that this is where we got the classic "good news bad news" situation going right now, with the good news being that HTC has just pushed out an official Gingerbread ROM for the Desire. And the bad news? Well, let's just say that this official ROM is definitely going to cause a lot of issues on your Desire if you attempt to install it.

So you are a proud owner of the old but reliable HTC Desire smartphone and have been patiently waiting for the day where you will be able to finally download and install an official Gingerbread ROM from the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer, right? Well, you might want to hold your horses, especially if the latest announcement from HTC regarding this particular issue is of any indication. Apparently, this is yet another of those classic "good news bad news" situations in action, with the good news being that, after months of waiting, users finally have access to an official Gingerbread ROM which they can use to update the Desire with.

HTC releases developer Gingerbread ROM for Desire

So what's so bad about this? Well, the unfortunate truth is that you are almost guaranteed to run into issues with your Desire upon installation of HTC's new ROM, as the company has announced on its Facebook page that the particular ROM that has been made available for download is nothing more than a development version. Yes, you read that right: it seems that there is still no 'finalized' version of the Gingerbread ROM that has deemed stable enough by HTC to be released for mass deployment.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-releases-developer-gingerbreadrom-for-desire/13176.html

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Published by: VR-Zone

However, if that disclaimer is not about to deter you from getting a copy of of the development Gingerbread ROM and installing it into your Desire, HTC has also pointed out that you can expect to see all your customizations, messages, emails and contacts being erased from the phone during the upgrade process, so performing a backup prior to flashing the Desire's firmware is definitely a must.

In addition, HTC has also claimed that, due to the lack of memory in the Desire, users can expect to lose access to a variety of features that typically come preloaded on a HTCbranded smartphone, such as Facebook. Rather, these apps will now be made available for download either off HTC's developer website, or through the Android Market.

StarHub has unveiled their new FooD.I.Y Apple iPad application that features a huge library of recipes, in both text and demo video formats, from well-known international chefs on StarHub TV’s food channels and well-known local culinary school, enhanced with customised user-friendly functions adapted for Singapore users.

The FooD.I.Y application is an initiative presented by Hubalicious – StarHub’s experiential food and lifestyle platform - and is currently available on the Apple iPhone.

It claims to be the first locally-produced application that integrates an extensive database of recipes from popular chefs and TV hosts, culled from programmes on StarHub’s popular food channels such as BBC Lifestyle, Food Network Asia and TLC, as well as Palate Sensations culinary studio.

Some of the key features:-

In other words, this is a "download at your own risk" Gingerbread release which is clearly not ready for general public use. Still, if you are dead set on going ahead with the update, the developer ROM can be obtained from HTC's developer site at http://developer.htc.com.

StarHub introduces FooD.I.Y iPad application for those who love cooking Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/starhub-introduces-food.i.y-ipadapplication-for-those-who-love-cooking/13174.html August 4th, 2011

Wide selection of recipes - FooD.I.Y includes recipes from celebrity chefs such as Bobby Chinn, Bobby Flay, Jamie Oliver, Paula Deen, Rachel Allen, Rachael Ray and more. New recipes will be updated monthly.

Selected video tutorials - Step-by-step video tutorials are demonstrated by the celebrity chefs for selected recipes.

Detailed ingredients and tools glossary - This highlyinformative and educational feature is excellent for budding home chefs as there is a description and picture of every ingredient listed, as well as recommended substitutions for less commonly-available items. Suggestions on where ingredients and tools can be purchased in Singapore are also provided.

Easy-to-navigate platform - FooD.I.Y for iPad offers hasslefree browsing of its recipes of myriad cuisines via multiple ‘search’ options, be it by a chef’s name, meal category (starter, main course or dessert) and even by occasion.

If you enjoy cooking and owns an Apple iPad, you must get this app for your tablet. Telco operator StarHub has recently introduced FooD.I.Y, iPad application with an easily accessible library of recipes from international chefs featured on StarHub's food channels and well-known local culinary school.

Handy shopping list - This feature allows users to consolidate ingredient requirements from different recipes.

The completed shopping list can then be emailed for easy reference.

Conversion chart - This function provides quick and easy conversion across all recipes.

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Promotions - New and exclusive promotions with special deals and discounts with F&B outlets and food purveyors will be offered each month. Specially for Singapore.

My favourites - Add recipes to a list of favourites for easy reference.

Share - Share enables emailing of favourite recipes to contacts and also sharing with friends on FaceBook.

FooD.I.Y is available free from the App Store and is compatible with iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.

FooD.I.Y is now available on StarHubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eTV (enhanced TV).

StarHub viewers can enjoy selected content from the FooD.I.Y iPad and iPhone application during specific programmes on food channels BBC Lifestyle, Food Network Asia and TLC. This includes recipes, chef profiles and a recipe search function by names of chefs and dish types. Interactivity is also encouraged through a viewer voting exercise for favourite recipes and weekly rankings will be showcased. Viewers can access FooD.I.Y on eTV by pressing the green button on their remote control when the green spot shows at the top right corner of their television screens during relevant programs.

The Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 portable HDD gets refreshed with two new colors, pink and blue. The portable HDD packs a 500GB capacity, USB 3.0 interface which is backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports, softwares to backup data and a seven years warranty. It is set to retail at US$100 (S $120).

Verbatim USB 3.0 Portable HDD Available in Black, Pink and Blue Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/verbatim-usb-3.0-portable-hddavailable-in-black-pink-and-blue/13189.html August 4th, 2011

The Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 portable HDD is now available in pink and blue aside from the black version.

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VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!

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

SteelSeries announces its third WoW mouse Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steelseries-announces-its-third-wow-

The WoW MMO Mouse Legendary Edition seems to share its basic design philosophy with the SteelSeries Ikari , but it's clear it's not the same mouse with a new paint job. We're looking at 11 buttons that apparently have a 130 pre-set game commands, a CPI of 800 to 3,200 by the means of an optical sensor, adjustable polling rate and a rather large backlit WoW logo with 16.8 million colour options with four level of pulsation.

mouse/13250.html August 8th, 2011

Apparently the way forward for many of the PC peripheral makers are game tie-in products and SteelSeries has announced its third World of Warcraft mouse, the MMO Mouse Legendary Edition. This time around we're looking at something a little bit less gaudy compared to the previous two models, even though it's far from bling free.

Apparently the way forward for many of the PC peripheral makers are game tie-in products and SteelSeries has announced its third World of Warcraft mouse, the MMO Mouse Legendary Edition. This time around we're looking at something a little bit less gaudy compared to the previous two models, even though it's far from bling free.

Apparently the WoW MMO Mouse Legendary Edition was developed with input from Blizzard and it was designed to be a "smaller, less complex gaming mouse that delivers the same impressive functionality found in the original and Cataclysm versions." With an MSRP of US79.99 (S$97) it's still a fairly expensive mouse, but on part with other gaming mice. It should hit retail sometime in September and it works with both PCs and Macs.

TRENDnet TEW-692GR 450Mbps Dual-Band Wireless Router Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/trendnet-tew-692gr-450mbps-dualband-wireless-router-review/13226.html August 8th, 2011

The TEW-692GW is the first router to support 450Mbps speeds on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously.

This router's raw horsepower redefines wireless networking as we know it, to easily stream HD videos throughout your home and much more.

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Earlier on, TRENDnet announced that their 3-stream dualband wireless-N routers will be making their way to stores some time this year. The TEW-692GR was on-track, shipping out to retailers in mid-summer. TRENDnet's 450Mbps concurrent dual-band wireless-N Router is the first router to support 450Mbps speeds on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously.

The TEW-692, like its predecessors comes in the usual plastic enclosure with a piano black finish. Its antennas however, are located on the sides instead of the rear, giving the router a uniquely squarish look. On the top right corner of the router is the Greennet label. Greennet energy saving is a feature that is provides up to 70 percent energy efficiency compared to those without.

Published by: VR-Zone

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 providing easy access to power cycle the router.

AMD launches Radeon Memory for Systems Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-launches-radeon-memory-forsystems/13249.html August 8th, 2011

This is a peculiar one, AMD has started selling desktop PC memory under its Radeon brand and although that in itself is strange, we can't but wonder about the timing, as it's not exactly as if memory costs much these days. AMD is offering three types of memory as well, targeting entertainment, ultra pro gaming and enterprise market segments.

This is a peculiar one, AMD has started selling desktop PC memory under its Radeon brand and although that in itself is strange, we can't but wonder about the timing, as it's not exactly as if memory costs much these days. AMD is offering three types of memory as well, targeting entertainment, ultra pro gaming and enterprise market segments.

The WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) button is located on top of the router. WPS allows devices to connect to the router securely with ease. On the right side, there are three 3dBi 5GHz fixed antennas.

So far the memory appears to have gone on sale only in Japan and we're not talking about stuff that'll blow your socks off either. AMD appears to only offer 1.5V 2GB single pack DIMMs for one, although they're at least single rank modules (single sided), so there should be zero compatibility issues. The entertainment modules are clocked at 1333MHz with a latency of 9-9-9 whereas the ultra pro gaming modules are clocked at 1600MHz with a comparably slow latency of 11-11-11. The enterprise module has as yet not received any speed ratings on AMD's website.

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What we're looking at is a new standard that will cater for both Bluetooth and IR glasses and apparently the four companies are taking into account current standards that all four are using. Apparently one the bonuses will be that you can bring your home glasses to the cinema as well, or at least as long as your local cinema uses Xpand 3D technology.

We're also not quite sure why AMD has gone through the trouble to have the memory chips branded with an AMD logo, but I guess they don't want to reveal who their partner is. We don't know what the ultra pro gamer modules look like, but the entertainment ones are fairly plain with a typical AMD Radeon sticker on side, albeit instead of having a graphics card model name, it simply says memory instead. In Japan a 2GB stick of the entertainment grade memory will set you back 1,570 Yen (S$25) which isn't terrible considering that computer components are usually more expensive in Japan than elsewhere.

Picture source: Akiba PC Hotline

Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative to bring unified 3D glasses standard

With any luck the new standard will also be backwards compatible with current solutions, or at least what's already on offer from Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. Panasonic and Xpand 3D are already working together and have created a joint standard, but with Samsung and Sony on board we might actually have a chance to get an industry wide standard for 3D glasses. This should surely make life easier for anyone either upgrading their 3D TV after a couple of years or more so for those wanting to have a few friends over for a movie night.

Sony unveils commercial ESSP-2000 industrial battery with 10-year shelf life Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-unveils-commercial-essp-2000industrial-battery-with-10-year-shelf-life/13245.html August 8th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/full-hd-3d-glasses-initiative-to-bringunified-3d-glasses-standard/13248.html August 8th, 2011

One of the most frustrating things with 3D video is that there's no standard for the glasses, well, or at least there wasn't until now. Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Xpand 3D have teamed up work on what's currently known as the "Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative" which is set to create a standard for 3D glasses. In fact, the four companies seem to be in a really hurry, as they're targeting to being work on the new standard itself next month, although products aren't expected until next year.

Sony has unveiled its new commercial-grade ESSP-2000 industrial battery, which boasts the capability to provide business users with up to at least 10 years of reliable power output without experiencing significant cell deterioration.

According to the Japanese electronics giant, the ESSP-2000 is designed to meet the energy needs of data centres and server farms in unlikely event that a massive power outage takes place. More details after the break.

One of the most frustrating things with 3D video is that there's no standard for the glasses, well, or at least there wasn't until now. Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Xpand 3D have teamed up work on what's currently known as the "Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative" which is set to create a standard for 3D glasses. In fact, the four companies seem to be in a really hurry, as they're targeting to being work on the new standard itself next month, although products aren't expected until next year.

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Sony has unveiled the ESSP-2000, an industrial battery which has been claimed to be capable of providing commercial users with up to at least 10 years of reliable power output.

Designed to meet the needs of data centres and server farms, the ESSP-2000 reportedly makes use of lithium-ion iron phosphate cells to achieve its long shelf life and high power output.

Published by: VR-Zone

Research in Motion has announced the new BlackBerry App World 3.0 which claims to offer improved BlackBerry app experience for the users. The App World 3.0 is now available in the BlackBerry Beta Zone for all BlackBerry smartphone users.

According to Sony, the ESSP-2000 can be used in three different modes, namely UPS mode, Discharge Timer mode and Backup mode. UPS mode allows users to charge the battery while it provides electrical power to connected equipment, much like how one would charge a notebook or mobile phone while its bundled battery pack is still actively supplying power to the device.

Discharge Timer mode, on the other hand, supposedly allows users to set specific times for the ESSP-2000 to charge and discharge itself, while Backup mode is designed so that the ESSP-2000 will automatically trigger itself in the event a power failure takes place. Sony claims that the ESSP-2000 is capable of making the switch from main to backup power in a mere 20 miliseconds to minimize the likelihood of connected devices unexpectedly shutting down from the sudden power loss.

No mention about the ESSP-2000's pricing has been revealed

by Sony at this point of time, although the company has claimed that the device should be made available for sale in Japan come September this year.

Official specifications for the ESSP-2000 industrial battery are as follow:

The newly announced BlackBerry App World 3.0 offers a new user interface and store front that make discovering and downloading apps, games, and themes easier than before.

BlackBerry users can now personalize their smartphones, find the latest games and entertainment and get apps to stay connected with their friends and family.

The new features include:Sleek new design – The BlackBerry App World experience has been enhanced to help users discover the latest and greatest apps and content. At the right on the BlackBerry App World home screen are rotating spotlight banners that show off the latest and exciting apps.

New channels – Whether it is apps, games or themes, each of them have their own channel such that users can easily access and get what they want faster.

My Account - My Account is a new addition to the BlackBerry App World 3.0 which makes managing BlackBerry ID and payment options easy with direct access to all account information from the home screen.

BlackBerry App World 3.0 now available on BlackBerry Beta Zone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/blackberry-app-world-3.0-nowavailable-on-blackberry-beta-zone/13243.html August 8th, 2011

My World - My World provides users with a streamlined view of their apps and status in a glance. On top of that, users can also see which apps are installed and uninstalled, as well as manage subscription content and services. When new updates or subscription renewals are available for apps, users will be notified using push technology.

App social sharing – When a user finds an app that he or she enjoys a lot, the user can share it directly from the app details screen through BBM, Facebook, Twitter, email and SMS. Evolved app details screen – Users can get a quick summary, check out reviews and star ratings, take a look at screenshots and more.

More search options – You can quickly find apps with a Search Bar that appeas on the storefront home screen and with search results presented across channels as well as My World. The Search Bars are also within each channel and users can choose 4

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to filter by app name, price, rating, newest, best match, or popularity.

OCZ Agility 3 240GB Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-agility-3-240gb-review/12898.html August 8th, 2011

Enter the Agility 3 - the low-cost offshoot of OCZ's Vertex 3.

With the same SandForce controller but slower NAND flash, is the Agility 3 a good deal for those seeking an economical 6Gbps SSD? Top-notch solid state drives make for interesting stories - the question is, do you really need that much performance? The jump from a hard drive to an SSD is immediately noticeable.

However, the difference between a good SSD and an excellent one can be hard to tell in actual usage. If you are working within a tight budget, or would rather trade off performance for greater capacity, it would be prudent to look for a more economical model.

Under the Hood Our particular drives uses Micron 25nm asynchronous NAND compliant to ONFI 1.0. This looks to be a double whammy for performance: firstly, asynchronous NAND is slower than the synchronous NAND found on the Vertex 3. Secondly, ONFI 1.0 is only specified for 50MB/s per die, compared to 133MB/s for the ONFI 2.0 flash used in the Vertex 3.

OCZ has launched the Agility 3 and Solid 3 series, targeted at the mainstream and value market respectively. Both drives use the same SandForce SF-2281 6Gbps controller as the flagship Vertex 3, but OCZ has managed to lower prices by using cheaper flash memory. This can lead to significantly lower prices as the biggest share of a SSD's cost comes from the flash memory, even though performance is in large part determined by the controller.

OCZ has sent us their Agility 3 240GB. While we would prefer to test the far more affordable 120GB part, this drive should suffice as a barometer for the difference between the two series.

Specifications OCZ's specifications, however, are far more optimistic. Across the board, there is not much difference between the Vertex 3 and Agility 3.

Inside the box we have a 3.5" tray adapter, an installation guide, a sticker and mounting screws for the adapter.

OCZ OCZ OCZ OCZ OCZ OCZ Agility Vertex Agility Vertex Agility Vertex 3 3 3 3 3 60GB 3 60GB 240GB 240GB 120GB 120GB Max 525MB/ 550MB/ 525MB/ 550MB/ 525MB/ 535MB/ Read s s s s s s Max 500MB/ 520MB/ 500MB/ 500MB/ 475Mb/ 480MB/ Write s s s s s s Random 45,000 60,000 50,000 60,000 50,000 60,000 Write IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS 4KB Maximum 85,000 85,000 85,000 85,000 80,000 80,000 4K IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS Random Write 5

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The Agility 3 is available in 60GB, 120GB and 240GB capacities.

Usable Capacity The Agility 3 240GB uses 16 x 128Gbit NAND dies for a total of 256GB raw capacity. As SandForce controllers reserve a single die's worth of area for error correction data and OCZ further allocates some area for overprovisioning, the usable capacity in Windows is only 223.6GB. Advertised Capacity OCZ Agility 3 Intel SSD 510 Test Setup

240GB 250GB

Usable Capacity (before formatting) 223.6GB 232.9GB

Motherboard Processor

Intel DH67BL Intel Core i3-2100 (SpeedStep, C-State disabled) Memory 2 x 4GB DDR3-1333 Graphics Intel HD Graphics 2000 Storage Western Digital WD3200AAKS Power Supply Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit Drivers Intel Chipset Drivers 9.2.0.1030 Intel Rapid Storage Technology 10.5.0.1027 The following solid state drives were tested: • Corsair X128 128GB (Indilinx Barefoot, Samsung 50nm MLC) • Kingston SSDNow V+ 96GB (Toshiba T6UG1XBG, Toshiba • OCZ Vertex 3 240GB (SandForce SF-2281, Intel 25nm MLC) • OCZ Agility 3 240GB (SandForce SF-2281, Micron 25nm MLC) • OCZ Vertex 2 120GB (SandForce SF-1222, Intel 34nm MLC) • Intel SSD 320 300GB (Intel PC29AS21BA0, Intel 25nm MLC) • Intel SSD 320 120GB (Intel PC29AS21BA0, Intel 25nm MLC)

FBI launches Child ID app for iPhones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fbi-launches-child-id-app-foriphones/13244.html August 8th, 2011

If there is something weird in your neighbourhood and you do not know what it is, you give the ghostbusters a call, right?

So what happens when your kids go missing and you don't know what to do? Why, you download the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) recently-launched Child ID app, input the personal particulars of your missing kids into the app and send that information to the authorities, of course. Oh, and don't forget to call the cops, too.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the availability of a new iPhone app which “allows parents to be able to electronically store photos and vital information about their children” so that they have ready access to this information in the event that it is required. According to the FBI, this app has been designed specifically to assist parents in alerting the authorities in the event that they lose sight of their children.

So how does it work? Well, according to the announcement made by the FBI, the Child ID app allows users to document important details about their children. Such details include photographs, as well as more private details such as their ethnicity, name, address and even their date of birth, ostensibly to assist parents in ensuring that they give the relevant authorities a comprehensive list of information to help accelerate the search for their missing children.

• Intel SSD 510 250GB (Marvell 88SS9174-BKK2, Intel 34nm MLC) • Strontium Matrix 120GB (Marvell 88SS9174-BLD2, Micron 25nm MLC) • Strontium Gamma 115GB (SandForce SF-1222, Micron 25nm MLC)

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In the unlikely event where a parent's child does indeed go missing, the app will allow users to email the information stored within to the authorities, such as the FBI. However, herein lies the catch; the Child ID app does not come preloaded with any email addresses, so the onus is on parents to actually populate the app with a list of important email addresses well before the unthinkable happens. Of course, this is no substitute for actually calling to the authorities to make an official report, a fact which the FBI has clearly taken pains to point out by including a “Call 911” button into the app, as shown in the image above.

its Facebook app. When that is done, you will have to head back to your Android smartphone, log in, and check the “Notifications” box. And watch in joy as the notifications start coming in as soon as they are published on Facebook. How neat can that be?

Last but definitely not least, the FBI has confirmed that neither it nor iTunes will collect any information that has been stored on the Child ID apps. And while the app is currently only available for the iPhone, the FBI has also claimed that it has plans to port the app to other platforms as well.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/os-x-lion-upgrade-breaks-graphicsdrivers-for-2010-macbook-pros/13241.html August 8th, 2011

Facebook for Android gets push notifications, thanks to BlackBerry Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/facebook-for-android-gets-pushnotifications-thanks-to-blackberry/13242.html August 8th, 2011

OS X Lion upgrade breaks graphics drivers for 2010 Macbook Pros

A Mac just works as soon as you flick the power switch right?

Apparently, this does not apply if you happen to be a user of a 2010-model Macbook Pro which features an NVIDIA graphics card and have recently made the switch to OS X Lion on such a machine. This is because we have gotten word that users are reporting issues with blank screens and kernel panics on their new OS shortly after making the upgrade, with broken graphics drivers being said to be the main cause of such problems.

Now this has got to be an interesting little “feature” of sorts for Facebook, if there ever was one. Apparently, it is now possible for Android users to receive push notifications from Facebook on their smartphones even though the feature has yet to make its way down to the official Facebook app for Android. And the trick to get it working? Well, here is a hint: it has got something to do with Research In Motion's BlackBerry OS. Push notifications for Facebook is a feature which every Android Facebook user has been lusting for ever since Google's mobile operating system first saw the light of day on the market, right? Well, the good news is that the wait for such a feature to eventually make its way down into the official Facebook app for Android might now be at an end, thanks to an unexpected discovery made by a certain girl who was a former BlackBerryOS user.

According to the report published by AndroidCentral, one of its forum members, who goes by the handle ccw1134, found out about the undocumented feature in the Facebook app when his daughter, who recently switched from a BlackBerry Curve to a Motorola XPRT smartphone, was able to consistently receive push notifications on her Android phone without any issues.

Apparently, this led ccw1134 to compare settings between both his and his daughter's Facebook accounts, and they found out that the daughter's account in Facebook had an additional entry in the form of a “Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones” appearing under Facebook's list of authorized apps.

So what does this mean? Well, if you are really desperate to gain push notification functionality on your Android smartphone, you will first have to get your hands on a working BlackBerry smartphone and log into Facebook using

Apple might love to claim that its computers and OS X operating system are stable, robust and pack enough features to “just work”, but it seems that the Cupertino giant might soon want to think of another tagline to promote its products, especially if this latest issue is of any indication. Apparently, word has it that certain users of the 2010 Macbook Pro models are suffering from various graphics related issues in OS X Lion that causes the OS to trigger kernel panics and blank out the display completely, even when not under heavy processing loads.

According to reports posted by both Ars Technica and Slashdot, Lion was shipped with faulty drivers for the NVIDIA graphics cards that are being used by the 2010-model Macbook Pros, and that these faulty drivers are the cause of countless complains that have been posted on Apple's support forums. Specifically, it seems that models which make use of the NVIDIA GT330M graphics card that is bundled in the 15inch and 17-inch Macbook Pros are the most susceptible to this issue.

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machine to prevent such issues from occurring for the time being.

The catch? Well, users who often find themselves connecting their Macbook Pros to external displays will have to perform this fix on a regular basis, as the aforementioned files are reportedly recreated upon doing so.

LG Optimus Pad gets Android 3.1 update in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-optimus-pad-gets-android-3.1update-in-japan/13240.html August 8th, 2011

In addition, Slashdot has claimed in its report that NVIDIA is unable to offer technical support for users who are affected by this issue, as the OS X drivers for its graphics card are reportedly written by Apple themselves, and as such are the latter's responsibility. This might hold some truth, considering how NVIDIA does not have any drivers for the Lion version of its GT550M graphics card available for download on its driver page.

Ars also claims that some users have reported limited success in working around the broken drivers by making use of an open-source tool known as gfxCardStatus to forcibly run their notebooks using the integrated Intel graphics processing core, although one's mileage with the tool may vary, to say the least.

Furthermore, both Ars Technica and Slashdot have claimed that this issue was reportedly present in the beta builds of OS X Lion. This has caused some degree of frustration among Mac users, considering how the same bug was able to show up in the retail version of Lion without being fixed.

That being said, while there is no permanent fix in sight for the problem at this point of time, it would seem that Apple has offered users a solution which is reportedly capable of resolving the problem temporarily, at least until Apple manages to deliver a working driver for affected systems.

Apparently, Ars has claimed that users need to access the hidden ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost folder in Lion, delete any files that reference a â&#x20AC;&#x153;windowserverâ&#x20AC;? and reboot the

When the LG Optimus Pad was launched in Japan, it incorporated Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb mobile operating system. Well, for the owners of the Android tablet (on NTT DoCoMo) in the land of the rising sun, the Android 3.1 update will be available soon on 10 August.

NTT DoCoMo will be offering software upgrade for the LG Optimus Pad L-06C from August 10. When the 8.9-inch Android tablet was first launched in Japan, it adopted the Android 3.0 Honeycomb mobile operating system. And in two days' time, owners can upgrade their software to Android 3.1.

The upgrade claims to offer improvements for the widgets which allow users to freely change the size, as well as scroll through your recently opened applications. On top of that, you can connect a USB keyboard, mouse, joystick or even a camera to transfer images. Applications including Rakuten Auction, Twonky Mobile Special, Adobe Flash Player 10.3, Catalyst Mobiler Reader, Movie Studio and LG World will also be added with the software upgrade.

The software update can be performed over a wireless LAN and you can go to the tablet's settings menu and select 8

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Published by: VR-Zone

"System Update". Unfortunately, no word as to whether the LG Optimus Pad will made available in Singapore.

Motorola's DROID Bionic gets a GSM radio, is now a world phone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/motorola-s-droid-bionic-gets-a-gsmradio-is-now-a-world-phone/13239.html August 8th, 2011

So you have read our story of Motorola 'accidentally' leaking information about its upcoming DROID Bionic smartphone on its developer page, only to quickly pull the information as soon as the mistake was realized, right? Well, the good news is that all that secrecy over that smartphone is at an end, for the good guys over at the FCC have officially released documentation and pictures about the DROID Bionic, complete with information about the hardware that have been used in its assembly.

When we first brought you information about Motorola's upcoming DROID Bionic smartphone, first impressions about the phone might not have been favorable for some, if only because we mentioned that the Bionic only sports a single radio which is designed to work with the CDMA network.

This meant that, regardless of its hardware specifications and design, most people in countries that make use of the more conventional GSM network will never be able to get their hands on the Bionic because of such a network incompatibility.

In addition, a website known as WirelessGoodness has managed to identify various hardware components that have been used in the assembly of the DROID Bionic smartphone.

According to the website's report, the Bionic will reportedly make use off memory from companies such as Elpida, SanDisk, Hynix and Toshiba, while the smartphone's builtin modem is supplied by Qualcomm's MDM5500. However, the report also mentions that there is no sign of the Texas Instruments 1GHz OMAP 4300 processor that Motorola claims will provide the Bionic with its processing power.

However, it seems that Motorola might have had a sudden change of heart after all, for the latest information that the good guys over that the FCC have released now reveal that the the DROID Bionic will sport radios for LTE, CDMA, UTMS and GSM as well. This makes the upcoming DROID Bionic a world phone which will be supported by more than 220 countries all over the world. And we all know what this means; there now exists a possibility that this particular smartphone might just eventually find its way over to our shores some time in the near future.

Last but definitely not least, reports from both Engadget and WirelessGoodness have confirmed that the DROID Bionic sports what appears to be an inductive charging back fixed onto the smartphone, although it appears that such a charger will not be bundled into the standard retail SKU, but will be sold instead as a separate accessory. Oh well.

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Huawei announces availability of new Vision smartphone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/huawei-announces-availability-of-newvision-smartphone/13238.html August 8th, 2011

Huawei has announced the availability of its new Androidpowered Vision smartphone for consumers. Sporting what the company calls a new “3D carousel user-interface, the Vision is touted as a smartphone which is capable of offering consumers the “perfect combination of technology and style” in a single package. More details, after the break...

Published by: VR-Zone

According to the official press release issued by Huawei, the new Vision smartphone sports a uni-body design which is crafted out of an aluminum alloy, and will be available in three different colours for consumers to choose from, namely “rose gold, silver or charcoal”. The smartphone will also reportedly boast a thickness of only 9.9mm (from its thinnest point) and weights approximately 121 grams. Which, in Huawei's words, is lighter than a bottle of perfume or aftershave.

That being said, the Vision is anything but lacking on the hardware side of things. According to the company, the Vision sports a five-megapixel camera which is capable of recording videos at 720p resolutions, while a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255-1 system-on-a-chip featuring a CPU core clocked at 1GHz provides the Vision with its data crunching capabilities.

Also provided in the package are built-in support for wireless connectivity via Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi. Last but definitely not least, Huawei has claimed that the Vision makes use of a unique 3D interface which makess iit easier for users to navigate through their apps, and that a variety of popular games such as Angry Birds, Asphalt 6, Adrenaline, Order & Chaos Online and Guerrilla Bob HD will be preloaded onto the device.

No specific details about the Vision's pricing and availability has been released by Huawei, although the company has confirmed that the smartphone will be rolled out to selected markets come September this year.

Specifications for the Huawei Vision are as follow:

Are you thinking of replacing your current mobile phone with a new Android-powered smartphone to keep yourself up to date with the Android ecosystem, but are also feeling adventurous enough to try out a product that is not produced by the likes of typical big-name players such as Samsung, LG or Sony Ericsson? If so, you might probably be interested with Huawei's upcoming Vision smartphone, which has been touted to be capable of providing consumers the “perfect combination of technology and style” in a single package.

i-Connect ViewX Laser Pico Projector Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/i-connect-viewx-laser-pico-projectorreview/13237.html

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• Battery Life: 90 minutes Connectivity Options: • VGA Dock - PC, Notebooks.

• Apple Connectivity Cable - iPod, iPhone, iPad.

Ever wanted to harness the power of a projector and be able to display your snaps and flicks anywhere you are, but without the hassle of the weight, power and price issues that conventional projector has? In this feature, we'll take a look at a projector that is designed with the aforementioned in mind.

Sporting the same size as your smartphone, how practical is this portable projector? Read on to find out.

• Composite Cable - Mobile Phone, Camera.

Zotac Introduces GeForce GTX 580 Infinity Edition Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zotac-introduces-geforce-gtx-580infinity-edition/13236.html August 8th, 2011

The trend in the mobile technology universe a while back seemed to be placing camera lens that is able to record videos and snap photographs on almost everything; handphones, MP3 players, tablets etc. However, the up-and-coming trend appear to be infusing a mini-projector in your gadget, and Samsung and LG have a few phones with such option. But for those of us who do not have a smartphone that has this mobile built-in function, what can we do? i-Connect ViewX might just be the answer for you. The iConnect ViewX touts itself as one of the world's first to incorporate PicoP technology from Microvision which uses blue, green and red lasers to project and recreate images, instead of conventional LED bulbs. The result is sharper images and suprisingly, without the need to focus and refocus the unit; just simple plug-and-play.

You must be thinking, there must be something wrong, right?

Everything just sound too good to be true from a product matching the size of your smartphone. Well, you're right. But before we go any further, here are the technical specification:• Resolution: WVGA (848×480) • Brightness: 15 Lumens • Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen • Contrast Ratio: >5000: 1 • Throw Ratio: 1:1 • Image Size: 150mm-2500mm • Charging port: microUSB

The Zotac GeForce GTX 580 Infiinity Edition uses a watercooling kit from CooIT which allows up to 25% decrease in temperature. The Infinity Edition GTX 580 has an 11

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overclocked core frequency of 815MHz and memory frequency of 4100MHz. Other features include 512 stream processors, 1.5GB memory size, 384-bit memory interface, 1 x mini HDMI output and 2 x DVI outputs.

See more specifications at the Zotac website.

Silicon Power Releases Touch 835 Flash Drive Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/silicon-power-releases-touch-835flash-drive/13235.html August 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

See more specifications at the Silicon Power website.

Super Talent to ship USB 3.0 Flash Drive Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/super-talent-to-ship-usb-3.0-flashdrive/13234.html August 8th, 2011

Super Talent has introduced their USB 3.0 ST2 flash drive which offers read speed of up to 67MB/s and write speed of 24MB/s.

Silicon Power releases the Touch 835 Flash Drive which will be available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities.

The Super Talent ST2 USB 3.0 flash drive is able to achieve a read speed of 67MB/s, write speed of 24MB/s and will be available in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB capacities. The ST2 measures 70 x 18 x 8mm, uses an aluminium enclosure and comes with a lifetime warranty. The 8GB ST2 flash drive will be retailing forUS$20 (S$24).

See more specifications of the ST2 flash drive at the Super Talent website.

Apacer Revealed Pro II AS203 SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apacer-revealed-pro-ii-as203ssd/13231.html August 8th, 2011

Apacer has come out with the Pro II AS203 SSD which uses the SATA 3.0Gbps interface and is available in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities.

The Touch 835 flash drive measures 35.5 x 12.3 x 4.5mm, weighs 4.5g and is capable of lasting up to 10,000 insertions to a USB port. Other features include COB (chip on board) packaging technology allowing the flash drive to be water proof, shock proof and dust proof.

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Apacer's Pro II AS203 SSD uses the SATA 3.0Gbps interface and has a read speed of 250MB/s for the 256GB, 128GB and 64GB models, read speed of 200MB/s for the 32GB model. The write speed reaches 230MB/s for the 256GB and 128GB variants, 180MB/s for the 64GB model and 100MB/ s for the 32GB mdoel. Other features include a mean time between failure (MTBF) of 1 million hours, 128MB cache, TRIM support, two years warranty and 2.5-inch to 3.5-inch adapter.

Team Group Releases Xtreem S3 SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/team-group-releases-xtreem-s3ssd/13230.html August 8th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Similar to the Xtreem S2 SSD, Xtreem S3 also offers a maximum read speed of 550MB/s and maximum write speed of 480MB/s for the 60GB model, 500MB/s for the 120GB model and 520MB/s for the 240GB model. However, compared to the S2, Xtreem S3 SSD offers a higher IOPS for the 120GB and 240GB variants. In the maximum 4k random write, the 120GB model offers 80,000 IOPS while the 240GB offers 90,000 IOPS. The Xtreem S3 SSD is also available in the 480GB capacity but specifications were not stated. Other features include a standard three years warranty and a MTBF of 1.5 million hours.

See more specifications at the Team Group website.

Team Group Releases Xtreem S2 SSD In addition to the release of Xtreem S2 SSD, Team Group has also launched the Xtreem S3 SSD targeted at users looking for more performance.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/team-group-releases-xtreem-s2ssd/13229.html August 8th, 2011

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The Team Group Xtreem S2 SSD comes in 60GB, 120GB and 240GB capacities. It uses the SATA 6Gbps interface, allowing a read speed of 550MB/s. 50,000 IOPS for 4k random write and write speed of 480MB/s for the 60GB SSD, 500MB/s for the 120GB SSD, 520MB/s for the 240GB SSD. Other features include a mean time between failure (MTBF) of 1.5 million hours and three years warranty.

See more specifications at the Team Group website.

EVGA releases Z68 FTW, Z68 SLI and Z68 SLI Micro Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/evga-releases-z68-ftw-z68-sli-and-z68sli-micro/13227.html August 8th, 2011

EVGA has released three new motherboards based on the Intel Z68 Express chipset, namely the Z68 FTW, Z68 SLI and Z68 SLI Micro. The flagship Z68 FTW features processor socket pins with higher gold content, a 12-phase power design, NVIDIA NF200, voltage read points, multiple BIOS backup and more.

Published by: VR-Zone

To provide extremely clean power to the processor, the EVGA Z68 FTW flagship features a processor socket with 300% more gold content, a 12-phase voltage regulation module (VRM) and even a low-ESR, high current capacity Prodalizer film capacitor. There are two upright 8-pin ATX12V connectors for CPU power and an angled ATX 24-pin connector, possibly done so for the sake of better cable management.

While all three Z68 boards are capable of NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX, NVIDIA's NF200 PCI Express switch chip on the Z68 FTW enables support for 3-way NVIDIA SLI plus PhysX. The internal SATA 6Gbps (two) and SATA 3Gbps (four) storage ports are all routed to the Intel Z68 Express chipset, while the two eSATA ports at the rear are handled by Marvell's 88SE6121. The dual Gigabit Ethernet ports are also handled by another Marvell controller, the 88E8057. There is no lack of connectivity options on this board, with a total of ten USB 2.0 ports, four USB 3.0 ports and Firewire. The VRM and chipset heatsinks are huge, which should provide more than adequate cooling.

Common to all of EVGA's Z68 boards is the red and black color scheme, support for Intel's Socket LGA 1155 processors, SATA 6Gbps, USB 3.0, voltage read points and even dual cooler mounting holes to fit both today's LGA 1155 / 1156 heat sinks and the older LGA 775 ones.

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The EVGA Z68 FTW retails for US$264.99. Adding the EVGauge and ECP V4 overclocking tools to the FTW will set you back another US$35. The EVGA Z68 SLI retails for US $209.99, and the Z68 SLI Micro for US$159.99.

Patriot To Release Pyro-Series SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/patriot-to-release-pyro-seriesssd/13224.html August 8th, 2011

The slightly watered-down EVGA Z68 SLI features an 8-phase VRM and three PCI Express x16 slots. The board drops the NF200 chip, thus suporting only 2-way SLI plus PhysX. There are five internal SATA ports (two SATA 6Gbps and three SATA 3Gbps) and the last SATA 3Gbps going to the rear panel as eSATA. Two less USB 3.0 ports on the Z68 SLI as well.

The Pyro-series SSD will feature the SandForce SF-2281 controller, multi level cell NAND flash memory and SATA 6Gbps interface. The SSD will be available in 60GB, 120GB and 240GB capacities.

The 120GB and 240GB models will allow a maximum sequential read speed of 550MB/s, write speed of 515MB/s and 85,000 IOPS. The 60GB SSD will only offer a maximum sequential read speed of 520MB/s, write speed of 490MB/s and 80,000 IOPS.

CTL launches LED backlit monitors Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ctl-launches-led-backlitmonitors/13223.html

Being smaller doesn't mean cost-cutting; the microATX form factor EVGA Z68 SLI Micro retains most of the features found on its older SLI sibling, such as dual BIOS support, USB 3.0 and Firewire.

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Published by: VR-Zone

August 8th, 2011

CTL has three LED backlit models in place, the LP2151 which has a screen size of 21.5", LP2361 - 23.6" and LP2701 - 27".

They have a resolution of 1920 x 1080, contrast ratio of 5,000,000 to 1, brightness of 300 cd/m2, 2ms response time, VGA input, DVI input, HDMI input and built in speakers.

ZAWARD Introduces Golf Fan G3 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zaward-introduces-golf-fang3/13221.html August 8th, 2011

ZAWARD introduced its latest addition, the Golf Fan G3, which uses the patented dimple surface design on the impeller.

More details inside.

The patented dimple surface design refers to the numerous hexagonal dimples on the blades of the fan. The Golf Fan G3 allows 10% more airflow, 22% more static pressure and 8% less noise when compared to other case fan. The Golf Fan G3 will be available in 80mm, 120mm and 140mm sizes.

AMD 2012 Notebook Roadmap Leaked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-2012-notebook-roadmapleaked/13225.html August 8th, 2011

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Following shortly after leaks for AMD's 2012 desktop roadmap, DonanimHaber has revealed AMD's Notebook roadmap for 2012. 2012 will bring AMD's 2nd generation Fusion APUs. Llano/A-Series will give way to Trinity based APUs while E-Series will be updated to Wichita, and C-Series to Krishna.

New to the 2012 product segmentation will be a high performance quad-core 60W Trinity APU. Trinity will update the currently archaic CPU part of Fusion with latest Bulldozer/Piledriver cores and the GPU part with the VLIW-4 architecture currently only used in Radeon HD 6900 series.

While 60W may sound like an extreme TDP for a notebook processor, it is only 5W more than Intel's current flagship - Core i7 2920XM. Of course, Trinity is also expected to integrate a far more powerful GPU than Intel's 2012 contender - Ivy Bridge.

The rest of the A-Series line-up will be direct updates to the current product segmentation of A8, A6 and A4 series. All three classes will feature 35W and 45W SKUs. The first A8 tier will feature 4-core Trinity APU with the top GPU line. The A6 tier will be 4-core Weatherford APU - presumably Trinity with cut down GPU parts and lower clock speed. Finally, the A4 tier will be dual-core Richland APU, presumably a dualcore version of Trinity. Unlike the current E2 Series, the nextgen replacement will not be based on the mainstream Fusion part (Trinity in 2012). Instead, it will be based on the Bobcat replacement - Wichita. The E2 tier will be covered by a 20W quad-core APU, while the 18W E-Series APUs will be replaced by a dual-core Wichita APU. Finally, the C-Series will updated with a 8W dual-core Krishna APU, most probably a lower clocked version of Wichita 2-core.

It is possible that the current branding A, C and E series will move forward to the next-generation, with A-series moving to Ax-4000. Indeed, the product segmentation is remarkably similar, with the addition of a 60W flagship SKU. 2012 is still a long way away and a very ambiguous timeline for release. With such leaks, it is standard procedure to take everything with a bag of salt.

Published by: VR-Zone

Xigmatek Elysium Case Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/xigmatek-elysium-casereview/13222.html August 8th, 2011

Air-cooling Front Fan : Pre-installed 120mm white LED with black blades x2 (On the 4 in 3 HDD cages.)

Rear Fan : Pre-installed 140mm white LED with black blades x1 (120mm fan is available) Side Fan : Pre-installed 200mm white LED with black blades x1 CPU Fan : 80/120mm fan x 1 available Bottom Fan : *If PSU was installed on bottom space: 120/140mm fan x2 or 200mm fan x 1n **If PSU was installed on top space: 120/140mm fan x3 or 200mm fan x 2n Top Fan : *If PSU was installed on bottom space: 120/140mm fan x3 or 200mm fan x 2n **If PSU was installed on top space: 120/140mm fan x2 or 200mm fan x 1n

Exclusive: Intel SSD 710 Gets Priced, to Land in Mid-August Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-intel-ssd-710-gets-priced-toland-in-mid-august/13211.html August 8th, 2011

A little bird has all but confirmed that Intel's enterprise-class SSD 710 (Lyndonville) will launch in mid-August. The 100GB model will be priced in the region of ~US$650, which is nearly half of the X25-E's per-gigabyte cost.

A little bird has all but confirmed that Intel's enterpriseclass SSD 710 (Lyndonville) will launch in mid-August. The 100GB model will be priced in the region of ~US$650, which is nearly half of the X25-E's per-gigabyte cost. 200GB and 300GB flavours are also available and priced similarly.

Estimated Price and Price/GB Intel X25-E 32GB Intel X25-E 64GB Intel SSD 710 100GB Intel SSD 710 200GB

Price US$370 (retail) US$730 (retail) ~US$650

Price/GB 11.6 11.4 ~6.5

~US$1250

~6.3

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Intel SSD 710 ~US$1900 ~6.3 300GB Performance is not top priority for the SSD 710. Instead, Intel is aiming to provide SLC-level endurance at a reasonable price by using cheaper eMLC HET NAND. The SSD 710 also supports user-configurable overprovisioning (20%), which increases drive endurance significantly.

The SSD 710's warranty is 3 years or until a wear indicator reaches a certain level, whichever comes first. This is the first time we've seen SSD warranty limited in this manner.

Oddly enough, the consumer-level SSD 320 has a longer 5-year warranty without any such limitations.

We've compiled a specifications table for those of you interested in the nitty-gritty: Intel Intel SSD Intel SSD SandForceIndilinx X25-E 710 720 SF-2500/2600 Everest Capacities32/64GB 100/200/300GB 200/400GB Up to Up to 512GB 1TB Interface SATA SATA PCIe SATA SATA 3Gbps 3Gbps 6Gbps 6Gbps Flash 50nm 25nm 34nm (e)MLC/ (e)MLC/ Type SLC eMLC SLC SLC SLC HET Cache 16MB 64MB 512MB Up to 512MB DDR3 Sustained 250MB/s 270MB/s 2200MB/ 500MB/s 520MB/s Read s Sustained 170MB/s 210MB/s 1800MB/ 500MB/s 410MB/s Write s 4KB 35,000 38,500 180,000 60,000 ?

Random IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS Read 4KB 3,300 2,400 56,000 60,000 20,000 Random IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS IOPS Write Endurance32GB: 100GB: 200GB: ? ? (with 1.0PB 500TB 18PB 20% 64GB: (900TB) 400GB: 2.0PB 200GB: 36PB over1.0PB provisioning) (1.5PB)

MTBF

300GB: 1.1PB (1.5PB) 2 million 2 million ? hours hours

Warranty 3 years

3 years ? or when wear level indicator E9 hits 1,

varies

varies

whichever comes first The performance-oriented SSD 720 (Ramsdale) is expected to launch not long after, followed by Cherryville (successor to SSD 510) and Paint Creek (successor to SSD 310) in Q4.

Picture Source: Engadget

PLAY AND WIN! - $1000 of Razer Gaming Peripherals on Gamers.com.sg Game Servers!

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/play-and-win---1000-of-razer-gamingperipherals-on-gamers.com.sg-game-servers-/13219.html August 8th, 2011

In the first of many contests to reward gamers on our servers, Gamers.com.sg will be giving away $1000 worth of Razer gaming peripherals (Keyboards, Mice, Headsets, Mousepads)!

10 million hours varies

?

Form 2.5" 2.5" PCIe varies Factor Power 0.06W/2.6W 0.095W/4W 8W/25W varies ? (idle/ active) Security ATA AES-128 AES-256 AES-256, ? password TCG

Gamers.com.sg is the re-launched gaming project from VRZone, targeting the casual gamer in the South East Asia region. Over the last 2 weeks, we have built many powerful machines and installed Gamers.com.sg branded public online game servers in popular games like Battlefield Bad Company 2, Counter-Strike 1.6/Source, Team Fortress 2, Call of Duty 4, (future hot titles with "3" in them) and a STEAM content server. We will also be bringing our readers a proper gaming news portal (no more obscure MMORPG rubbish) and doing objective reviews on interesting upcoming games and equipment.

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Published by: VR-Zone

3. Upload the screenshots and post them in this forum thread (http://forums.vr-zone.com/pc-gameshaven/1606365-play-win-1000-razer-gaming-peripheralsgamers-com-sg-game-servers.html) 1. Add Gamers.com.sg servers (at least 10, ip addresses in the screenshot below) to your STEAM/bfbc2 favourites list and take a screenshot

4. Join the VRZ Steam Group (http://steamcommunity.com/ groups/VRZ?action=join) The contest will run from 5th August to 19th August 2011.

8 Lucky Winners will be notified by Forums Private Message to come to VR-Zone Office (Singapore) to collect the prizes

Sony Ericsson launches Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro in Singapore, throws in Smurf plushie for good measure Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-launches-xperia-miniand-xperia-mini-pro-in-singapore-throws-in-smurf-plushie-for-goodmeasure/13218.html August 8th, 2011

2. Go into 1 of the gamers.com.sg bfbc2/tf2/css servers and take a screenshot of the scoreboard Sony Ericsson has announced the availability of two new additions to its Xperia family of Android-powered smartphones, the Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro. According to the comapny, both the Xperia mini and the Xperia mini pro have been designed to offer consumes a full multimedia entertainment experience, and are available in twocolours, namely black or white, with an additional back cover. More details coming up after the break...

Sony Ericsson has announced the availability of two new additions to its Xperia line of smartphones, the Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro, for sale in Singapore. According to the company, both the Xperia pro and the Xperia mini pro, which are reportedly designed to offer users a "full multimedia entertainment experience", are backed up by a Qualcomm Snapdragon system-on-a-chip (SoC) which features a CPU clocked at 1GHz for providing their data 19

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Published by: VR-Zone

crunching prowess, and have been preloaded with version 2.3 of the Android operating system (aka Gingerbread).

In addition, Sony Ericsson has confirmed that both the Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro will feature the use of a threeinch "scratch-resistant, multi-touch glass screen" that boasts a native resolution of 320 x 480, and will support the company's Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine technology, a new user interface that reportedly allows for up to 16 apps to be displayed on the home screen, and integration with Facebook via the new Facebook Inside Xperia feature.

That being said, the new Xperia mini pro boasts features which are not present on the Xperia mini, such as the inclusion of a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Type & Send functionality which is reportedly capable of eliminating the need to open a dedicated app for each type of message, along with Smart Keyboard, which triggers predictive messaging actions automatically when the user slides out the keyboard.

In addition, Sony Ericsson has also confirmed that the Xperia mini pro will be pre-loaded with Office Suite and McAfee antivirus to let consumers "manage documents and e-mails instantly and securely while on the move".

The Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro will be available locally from August 5 (which is today) at the recommended retail price of S$458, while its larger counterpart will only hit retail shelves come August 19 at the recommended retail price of S $398.

Last but definitely not least, Sony Ericsson has announced that a special promotion will be held at the Sony Ericsson concept stores from August 19, where consumers who purchase an Xperia mini or Xperia mini pro will be given a free12-inch Smurf plushie.

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Published by: VR-Zone

Motorola unveils new entrylevel smartphone for the masses Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/motorola-unveils-new-entry-levelsmartphone-for-the-masses/13217.html August 8th, 2011

Smartphones are products that only the rich can afford, right?

Well, not if Motorola has got anything to say about it, for word has it that the American-based telecommunications company has just announced the availability for an entry-level ANdroidpowered smartphone that has been reportedly designed to appeal to budget-conscious users who favor a smartphone that sports a compact build and decent specifications. More details coming right up.

Have you ever found yourself staring longingly at the vast array of smartphones that have been put up on display at various mobile phone stores, only to walk away sadly because the price tags attached to those mobile phones have enough digits to break your bank book? Well, it seems that Motorola is keen to break the perception that smartphones are expensive products meant to be used only by consumers with huge spending power, and that the company plans to do so with the introduction of an entry-level Android smartphone which it calls the XT531.

According to Motorola, the new XT531 smartphone will be preloaded with version 2.3 of the Android operating system (aka Gingerbread), and boasts a "perfect balance of sleek design, affordability and intuitive functionality". The smartphone will also make use of Motorola's Moto Switch interface, which allows users to switch the XT531's user 21

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interface into one that is optimized for either productivity or entertainment on the fly to ensure that users have the best UI available to suit their varying needs.

The official press release has also revealed at the XT531 is no slouch where hardware spcifications are concerned, a trait which is not very common on most so-called "entry-level" smartphones. Backing up the XT531's data crunching power is an 800MHz processor, along with a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display that is capable of displaying content at HVGA resolutions. In addition, Motorola has confirmed that the XT531 will ship with support for HSDPA and EDGE, along with a variety of other standard features such as support for microSD cards with capacities of up to 32GB, 512MB of internal flash memory, rear and front-facing cameras capable of capturing 5-megapixels and VGA resolutions respectively, radios for GPS and WiFi connectivity, as well as a 1540mAh battery which is reportedly capable of providing "up to 8 hours of talk time and 28 days in standby in 3G mode".

No mention about pricing has been made by Motorola, but the company claims that the XT531 will be made available in either single-SIM or dual-SIM configurations, and that it will be first available in China come early August this year (which is now).

Hong Kong, Taiwan and select countries in Europe and Latin America will get their own versions of the XT531 this Fall.

Ricoh announces availability of Leica M mount module for the GXR Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ricoh-announces-availability-of-leicam-mount-module-for-the-gxr/13216.html August 8th, 2011

Ricoh has announced the availability of a new interchangeable module for its GXR line of compact digital cameras. Known as the GXR MOUNT A12, it claims to be compatible with a wide variety of lenses that have been made to conform to Leica's M mount specifications.

Do you remember Ricoh's unique GXR compact camera? You know, the one that actually makes use of interchangeable modules complete with different sensor sizes, instead of just lenses like those found in DSLRs and mirrorless cameras featuring interchangeable lenses? Well, the good news is that the GXR has just received yet another new module for photography enthusaists to play with, and it comes in the form of the new GXR MOUNT A12 which is reportedly compatible with lenses made for...Leica's M mount. Yes, you read that right.

According to the official press release from Ricoh Japan, the new GXR MOUNT A12 module bears the distinction of being the GXR's first module which features an interchangeable lens mount. Few details about the GXR MOUNT A12's hardware specifications have been announced, although users hoping to receieve the same full-frame sensor used by Leica's own Mseries digital cameras will probably be disappointed, as Ricoh has confirmed that the the GXR MOUNT A12 will make use of an APS-C CMOS sensor instead.

Still, if it is of any consolation, the ability to fit those M mountcompatible lenses onto the Ricoh GXR upon installation of the GXR MOUNT A12 camera module probably more than makes up for the lack of a full-frame image sensor. Just remember to take note of the change in crop factor if you decide to do so, though.

Oh, and one more thing; no pricing for the M mountcompatible GXR MOUNT A12 camera module has been announced by Ricoh yet, although the company has confirmed that the module should be made available for sale in Japan come September 9 this year.

Apple to issue free OS X Lion USB sticks to certain consumers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-to-issue-free-os-x-lion-usbsticks-to-certain-consumers/13215.html August 8th, 2011

Has your shiny Mac that was only recently upgraded to OS X Lion suffered from a hard disk failure, thus making it impossible for the machine to access the recovery partition in the hard disk for use in restoring Lion to its factory state? If so, we got some good news for you. Apparently, the Cupertino 22

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giant is all ready to issue USB sticks that have been preloaded with a rescue image for OS X Lion to such users at no cost, as long as they meet certain requirements set out by the company.

As most people would have probably found out by now, Apple's new digital distribution method for OS X Lion now allows users to download a copy of the installer onto their Macs for a nominal fee, and that the installer automatically deletes itself as soon as the operating system is successfully installed. This has resulted in many users attempting to hold on to their downloaded installers by making use of OS X 's built-in tools to create a bootable DVD or flash disk of OS X Lion, thus ensuring that they have something to fall back on if their Macs suddenly suffer a catastrophic hard disk failure, thus making it impossible for them to access the recovery partition that Lion creates during the installation process.

But what if you are unlucky enough to suffer from such a hard disk failure and have no usable backup copies of Lion to make use of for the reinstallation of your operating system? Well, the good news is that help may be at hand, for word has it that Apple has got plans to issue such users with a free USB recovery stick containing the rescue partition for OS X Lion, but only if they meet certain requirements, as shown in an internal Apple memo which 9to5mac has somehow managed to get its hands on.

According to 9to5mac, a Mac user is only eligible to receive the USB recovery media for free after he or she has failed to make use of Lion's built-in recovery tools (especially Internet Recovery) to restore the operating system. And even then, the request must be cleared by a Tier 2 tech support personnel before Apple will agree to ship a USB recovery flash drive to the affected consumer. Otherwise, they will still have to pay the handsome sum of US$69 for the recovery media, which is more than double the price Apple is charging for a fresh download of Mac OS X Lion (US$29) off the Mac App Store.

Published by: VR-Zone

Have the initial reports of Nokia's upcoming N9 smartphone reignited your interest in obtaining a MeeGo-powered smartphone from the Finnish telecommunications company?

If your answer to that question is a "yes", this might just be a good time to start saving, for Nokia has just published a countdown page of sorts for what is allegedly the N9's upcoming launch date. More details, after the break.

Nokia's smartphones and its Symbian operating system have have been steadily losing its favor by most consumers today, but it seems that the recent reports that have been published by various online media about its upcoming Meegopowered N9 smartphone might have just given the Finnish telecommunication company the much needed boost it needs in consumer interest.

And apparently, Nokia is also fully aware of the fact that it might just have a potential candidate on its hands to seize back some of the market share which it has lost to the likes of competitiors such as Apple and Google, for the company has seen it fit to tease consumers with the publication of a new site which has a counter that has started ticking down to what is supposedly the N9's launch date that is slated to take place some 48 days later.

Doing some simple mathematics has left us with the conclusion that the Nokia N9 Meego-powered smartphone might just see the light of day on Swedish soil come September 23 this year. Unfortunately, the countdown page does not provide any information about global availability or pricing, so if you simply have to get yourself on of those new N9s on the very day they are launched, now would probably be a good time to start booking those air tickets.

Nokia publishes countdown page for N9 smartphone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nokia-publishes-countdown-page-forn9-smartphone/13214.html August 8th, 2011

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VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!

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

Intel Capital puts US$300 million into Ultrabook fund Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-capital-puts-us-300-million-intoultrabook-fund/13287.html August 11th, 2011

At a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, Intel Capital announced that they’ve put aside US$300 million for an Ultrabook fund that was set up to help drive innovation for Intel’s new category of notebooks. It might seem like a lot of money at first, but considering that Intel Capital hasn’t really put any limitations in place, some companies applying for money from the fund might get more than others.

At a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, Intel Capital announced that they’ve put aside US$300 million for an Ultrabook fund that was set up to help drive innovation for Intel’s new category of notebooks. It might seem like a lot of money at first, but considering that Intel Capital hasn’t really put any limitations in place, some companies applying for money from the fund might get more than others.

Also at the press conference was David P. Flanagan, MD of Intel Capital’s Mobile Communications and Infrastructure Group which is heading up the new fund. He mentioned that any size company can apply and if their ideas and projects are approved, they can get a slice of the action. It’s worth pointing out that none of this money will go towards promoting the platform itself, as it’s intended solely for the purpose of bringing to market new technologies for the Ultrabook platform.

The money is to be used towards development of new technologies for the platform, from basic things like improving battery life or creating a new type of low weight chassis.

However, at the press conference Erik Reid, GM of Mobile Client Platforms at Intel also mentioned that Intel is hoping to see new develops going into the platform and he was specifically mentioning various type of sensors, much like the kind you find a smartphones these days.

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The accompanying press release also talks about USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt finding a home in the new platform, although as always when it comes to Intel, it’s down to its partners to implement whatever technology they see fit. Intel is also looking at getting the Ultrabooks into the enterprise market space, but the company didn’t expect this to take place until next year at the earliest. As for pricing, Intel wouldn’t mention anything beyond the sub US$1,000 price point, but the company expects the cost to come down with economies of scale, so even though the very first Ultrabooks won’t be low cost machines, we might be seeing some more affordable options during next year. The platform is expected to launch next month and we’d expect IDF to be the time and place.

Research in Motion introduces Music Store app for BlackBerry PlayBook Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/research-in-motion-introduces-musicstore-app-for-blackberry-playbook/13286.html August 11th, 2011

During the Q&A session a few questions about Intel’s previous attempt at a thin and light notebook – Intel’s CULV platform – came up and Erik Reid suggested that the Ultrabooks shouldn’t suffer the same fate due to a wide range of hardware improvements. He was also keen to promote Intel’s Rapid Storage technology as well as the addition of anti-theft and identity protection technology that’s been added to the platform.

Research in Motion, maker of the popular BlackBerry devices, has announced a new music store app for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The company has collaborated with 7digitalto bring over nine million tracks to BlackBerry PlayBook users in Singapore.

There wasn’t too much talk about the platform itself, although it was mentioned that 13-inch notebooks should end up being 18mm or thinner while larger size screens will bring this up to about 21mm. It’s also very clear that Intel is very keen on pushing SSD’s into this market space, be it via Rapid Storage or just by replacing the mechanical drive altogether, as there was a lot of talk about the responsiveness of the platform and this is what an SSD brings. As for battery life we can expect 5h or there abouts from the slimmer machines with 8h plus from larger machines.

Research In Motion (RIM) have announced its collaboration with 7digital to bring over nine million tracks to BlackBerry PlayBook users in Singapore through a new Music Store app.

The app is part of the latest software update for the BlackBerry Tablet OS (v 1.0.7) and it allows music fans to search for songs, albums and artists as well as preview tracks before making a purchase. According to RIM, the price could range from S$8 to S$12 per music album, depending on the album. However, at the evening, we did not manage to find Lady Gaga original albums from the Music Store app.

Customers can also discover and download new music through 7digital’s recommendation feature that highlights tracks from the eclectic catalogue of high-quality (320kbps) MP3s. The new Music Store app for the BlackBerry PlayBook is part of the 2

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free software update that is now available for all BlackBerry PlayBook users in Singapore to download.

To update the OS, simply select ‘Check for Updates’ from the Software Updates screen on their BlackBerry PlayBook and follow the instructions.

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memory) architecture. The LG Optimus 3D claims to offer a full 3D experience without the need for special 3D glasses. Its Tri-Dual configuration provides improved performance for multi-tasking, viewing graphics-intensive websites, movie playback or playing 3D games. Besides viewing content in 3D, you can also capture videos and images in 3D with the LG smartphone.

The LG Optimus 3D will be available in Singapore at the end of August at a recommended retail price of S$938 inclusive of GST.

Future HTC products to ship with Beats audio technology?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/future-htc-products-to-ship-withbeats-audio-technology-/13284.html August 11th, 2011

LG Singapore launches Optimus 3D smartphone that offers full 3D experience Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-singapore-launches-optimus-3dsmartphone-that-offers-full-3d-experience/13285.html August 11th, 2011

Today, LG Singapore has announced the new Optimus 3D Android smartphone which claims to incorporate "Tri-Dual" architecture and offers superb full 3D experience. The best thing is, you do not need to rely on 3D glasses to view 3D. The LG Optimus 3D is scheduled to be available at end of August, this month.

It is a known fact that HP's Beats audio technology which is found on the company's range of notebooks, desktop PCs and tablets can potentially work wonders in restoring detail that is inevitably lost when digital audio files are compressed into lossy, more portable formats for everyday use. But can that technology be successfully ported to smartphones?

Apparently, HTC seems to think so, especially if a recent statement made by HTC's chief is of any indication.

Have you heard of Beats Audio ? Well, to put it simply, Beats Audio is both a headphone lineup and a piece of technology which are designed to deliver enhanced, highend audio quality to consumers, and is especially useful for allegedly restoring the finer details in an audio file that have been inevitably lost due to compression when it is converted into more portable but lossy formats such as MP3. And if you own a HP-branded notebook or desktop PC, chances are you would have already gotten your first experience with both the Beats line of headphones and the software techology that is bundled into HP's computers.

While that is good and all, most people also tend to forget that most of their everyday music playback is not done on desktop or notebook PCs (unless you are a career musician, that is). Rather, it is the humble smartphone which tends to see much heavier audio playback action, simply because most smartphones can effectively double up as a portable media player. And from the looks of it, it seems that HTC is aiming to bring Beats-quality audio to its line of smartphones, especially if an interview conducted by AllThingD with HTC's chief Peter Chou is of any indicatiion.

LG has launched the Optimus 3d Android smartphone that is powered by second-generation dual core technology and advanced “Tri-Dual” (dual-core, dual-channel and dual-

According to AllThingsD, Chou has confirmed that HTC has invested US$300 million to secure a majority stake in Beats Electronics, and is currently working on incorporating the company's Beats Audio technology into its smartphone lineup. This was reportedly done because of HTC's belief that the introduction of mobile devices has made music more 3

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accessible, but much of its advantages are lot on sub-standard audio quality.

AllThingsD has also claimed in its interview that Chou had revealed his intentions to release a product that has been furnished with Beats Audio technology some time in the later part of the year, while adding that the HTC chief "declined to offer any details" about the upcoming product.

The website was also reportedly able to score an interview with Beats Electronics's CEO Jimmy Iovine, who described the partnership with HTC as "the latest piece of his crusade to improve the sound in modern electronics", while adding that the so-called MP3 revolution has led to "an entire generation lost to bad-sounding musicâ&#x20AC;?.

Samsung unveils high-capacity SATA 3 SSD with 512GB of storage Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-unveils-high-capacity-sata-3ssd-with-512gb-of-storage/13283.html August 11th, 2011

Solid-state drives or SSDs are favoured by enthusiasts because of the massive boosts in data read/write performance they are capable of offering over their mechanical-based counterparts, but the biggest issue most people usually have with SSDs is that their maximum storage capacities are much more limitted than those of the conventional hard disk. That is about to change though, for Samsung has just announced the availability of its new high-capacitiy SATA3 SSD which boasts a maximum storage capacity of 512GB. Samsung has announced the availability of its new highcapacity SATA 3 SSD which boasts a maximum storage capacity of 512GB. According to the Korean electronics giant, it has already commenced mass production of the new SSDs, and that the devices are expected to make their way into high-performance notebooks by the end of the year, although Samsung did not provide a more specific release schedule for the SSD.

That being said, Samsung did confirm (via a machine translation) that its new SSD will make use of Multi-Level Cell

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or MLC NAND flash technology, and will also sport its own dedicated controller. In addition, Samsung has also touted the new SSD as being capable of achieving read speeds of up to 500MB/s, while write speeds are a little slower at 350MB/s.

Samsung has not released any pricing details for the new SSD, although we'd wager that it would be fair to expect that users can expect to find themselves breaking both their wallets and bank books if they intend to get their hands on one of these on launch day.

Hitachi unleashes six new HDTVs under the WOOO branding in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hitachi-unleashes-six-new-hdtvsunder-the-wooo-branding-in-japan/13282.html August 11th, 2011

Do the technology used in today's generation of highdefinition television sets make you want to go all 'WOOO~' in envy? Well, now there is a better reason for you to do so, especially if you are currently living in Japan; Hitachi has just announced the availability of six new high-definition television sets under its WOOO banner, with three of them making use of LCD technology, while the other three will sport plasma display technology. More details coming right up.

Hitachi has announced the availability of six new highdefinition television sets which will be marketed under the WOOO branding. Consisting of 3 new additions to both the GP-08 and XP-08 series of high-definition television sets, Hitachi claims that the new products have been designed to meet the needs of consumers who desire a more integrated solution for their television viewing needs, especially now that Japan has already dropped the use of analog broadcasting domestically.

According to Hitachi, the new television sets will sport a variety of features common along them, such as the inclusion of a 500GB hard disk for use in recording television programs, as well as support for remote operation of the units via mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.

However, the Japanese electronics company did not provide any information as to whether this feature is limited to specific mobile platforms, or if it is compatible with a wide range of competing mobile platforms.

That being said, Hitachi has claimed that the plasma-based GP-08 series of high-definition television sets will boast support for sequential 3D display via the use of its "Pixel Manager ED" technology, In addition, the GP-08 series of plasma television sets will also ship with occupancy sensors 4

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which are reportedly smart enough to automatically turn off the TV's display as soon as it detects the lack of an audience.

On the other hand, the LCD-based XP-08 series of highdefinition television sets will ship with IPS display panels that are illiminated by LEDs in order to provide viewers with a much wider viewing angle as opposed to displays that use TN panels. Furthermore, Hitachi has also confirmed in its announcement that the XP-08 series of television sets will feature an "auto sensor" which will automaticaly reduce the backlight's intensity when bright images are displayed, thus resulting in a lower energy consumption.

The GP-08 series of plasma television sets are expected to be released for sale in Japan come August 27 this year, while the LCD-based XP-08 series are only expected to hit retail within mid September. No prices, along with information for global availability (if at all) for any of the six television sets have been released by Hitachi at this point of time,

Meizu MX to get quad-core processor?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/meizu-mx-to-get-quad-core-

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era of handsets powered by quad-core processors has arrived, and for good reason. Apparently, word has it that Meizu's very own CEO, Jack Wong, has leaked out some key details about his company's upcoming MX, and that one of his posts in the company's public online bulletin board (otherwise known as BBS) made explicit mention of a quad-core processor being used as the main muscle for a particular MX variant.

According to Jack Wong, the Meizu MX smartphone will be available in two different configurations, with one sporting 16GB of internal flash storage, and the other boasting double that amount. Wong also claimed in his BBS posts that the Meizu MX will feature interchangeable rear covers, and has been designed to "look very beautiful", although he provided no details about any specific design elements the MX might sport. As for the quad-core processor...well, Wong did confirm that the MX will feature such a processor, although this is exclusive only to the 32GB variant. The 16GB version, on the other hand, will make use of a more conventional dualcore processor. And just as we had expected, Wong did not disclose any information about the nature of the "quad-core processor" that will be used to power the 32GB version of the MX, although some posters have speculated that Meizu would opt for either NVIDIA's Tegra 3 system-on-a-chip or an ARM Cortex A9-based processor.

processor-/13280.html August 11th, 2011

Do you still remember Meizu's smartphones? You know, the ones that first started off as nothing more than elaborate clones of Apple's iPhone, only to slowly gain its own distinctive design and features in time? Well, if you happen to be a fan of Meizu's smartphones, this latest bit of information is definitely for you. Apparently, the Chinese company's upcoming smartphone, the Meizu MX, will reportedly be the world's first smartphone to sport a quad-core processor when it is released for sale.

If Meizu's upcoming MX smartphone was able to talk, we'd wager that the first thing it would say would probably be something along the lines of how smartphone's featuring 'ancient' dual-core technology are now dinoasurs, and that the 5

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information from their source about Google's Ice Cream Sandwich plans, and that Ice Cream Sandwich devices would appear in the market as early as October.Currently, many Android device manufacturers are preparing for the October timeline to launch the devices with the new OS, especially when Apple iPhone 5 is also said to be launched around the same time. Whether iPhone 5 will remain undefeated would depend on the experience Android Ice Cream Sandwich brings to the users.

Some of the improvements about the Android Ice Cream Sandwich is that it will work across all Google devices, including tablets and smartphones, API level promoted to 13, supports SD memory cards and improved compatibility for USB and TV output.

If you ask us, we'd say that the ARM Cortex A9 processor looks like the most possible solution Meizu will go with, if only because Wong has confirmed that the Meizu MX will be made available for sale come end August this year, and NVIDIA's Tegra 3 system-on-a-chip is only slated to be available for use on smartphones by the first quarter of 2012.

Google Android "Ice Cream Sandwich" Arriving in October?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-android-ice-cream-sandwicharriving-in-october-/13281.html August 11th, 2011

Android users rejoice. If recent news are true, it may not be long that we would see the release of the upcoming and highly anticipated Android operating system (codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich). And that could day would be in October this year.

Sony unveils new three-inch "WhiteMagic" LCD panel with RGBW pixels Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-unveils-new-three-inchwhitemagic-lcd-panel-with-rgbw-pixels/13279.html August 11th, 2011

With the demand for LCD panels reaching fever pitch and the call for small displays to further reduce their energy consumption and increase their maximum native resolution without adversely affecting image quality, one might be tempted to think that consumers today are an unreasonable bunch of people. However, leave it to Sony to come up with a novel solution to such demands with the introduction of its new “WhiteMagic”LCD panel which is reportedly capable of delivering on those requests, and then some.

If you have attempted to use your smartphone or compact camera while outdoors at midday, you should be fully aware of how the sun's sheer brightness at that time renders most LCD displays unviewable, even if the display's brightness has already been cranked to the max. This has naturally led to requests for LCD panels which are capable of greater brightness levels, while still retaining a low power consumption rating, Sounds impossible to achieve? Well, not if you happen to be part of the staff working over at Sony. Apparently, the Japanese electronics giant has announced its success in commercializing its new “WhiteMagic” LCD display which is reportedly capable of fulfilling the aforementioned needs, thanks to its use of RGBW pixels.

After a long wait, we finally heard some news about Google's upcoming Android OS, under the codename "Ice Cream Sandwich". BGR has reported that they have gotten 6

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will be sold to OEMs at the price of 5,000 yen or approximately US$64.

Sprint resumes rollout of Gingerbread update for Kyocera Echo Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sprint-resumes-rollout-of-gingerbreadupdate-for-kyocera-echo/13278.html August 11th, 2011

According to Sony, the addition of a white (W) subpixel into an LCD panel has allowed it to achieve approximately “double the brightness” of conventional LCD panels which make use of RGB pixels, while still being able to lower the power consumption of the panel's backlighting by “around 50%”. In addition, to ensure that the additional white subpixel does not result in the deterioration of image quality, Sony claims that it has furnished its “WhiteMagic” LCD panel to make use of a new processing algorithm which “analyzes the input picture data and performs suitable signal processing” to produce a deterioration-free display.

Specs-wise, Sony has confirmed that the “WhiteMagic” LCD panel will sport a three-inch 1.23M-dot full VGA resolution, and will make use of transmissive technology. The display also boasts a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a viewing angle of 160 degress (horizontal and vertical), along with the ability to reproduce up to 60% of the NTSC colour gamut.

Lastly, Sony has announced that its new “WhiteMagic” LCD panel will boast at least two different operating modes. The first one, which is known as “low power mode” , which allows for users to take advantage of the company's claims of being able to reduce the power consumption of the panel's backlighting by half. The other mode, which Sony has dubbed “outdoors mode”, is centered on boosting the panel's brightness levels by approximately double to make it easy for users to view the contents displayed on it under bright sunlight.

Sample shipments for the “WhiteMagic” LCD panel will commence in the early parts of October this year, where they

“If you don't succeed at first, try and try again” is the kind of saying most people often live by when it comes to pursuing a goal, and it seems that even a huge telecommunications operator like Sprint is no exception to the rule. In just nine days after the company pulled its faulty Android 2.3.4 update for Kyocera's dual-screen Echo smartphone, Sprint has resumed rolling out the update after working with Kyocera to address the issue. And guess what? It actually works this time.

Nine days ago, Sprint found itself in quite an unfortunate situation when it officially rolled out a highly anticipated update to users of Kyocera's dual-screen Echo smartphone.

According to Sprint, the upgrade was supposed to provide such users with access to version 2.3.4 of the Android operating system, which boasts a whole bunch of performance and power-related enhancements.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Murphey's Law suddenly came into play, and the result was that users who were expected to score a free performance boost walked away with a dual-screen brick of a smartphone, thus forcing Sprint to pull the upgrade until further notice. Well, the good news is that Sprint has apparently gotten its act together this time, for the company has claimed that it has worked with Kyocera to resolve an issue which was reportedly causing the update to turn the Echos into digital breaks, as can be seen from the latest updates made on Sprint's community forum. And the good news is that it actually works this time: 7

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NVIDIA and Samsung Electronics have announced the latest GALAXY R smartphone which features a 4.19-inch touchscreen display, NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor and runs Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread mobile operating system. It claims to allow consumers to enjoy superb multimedia experiences, including fast Web browsing with hardware-accelerated Adobe Flash Player support, full high definition (HD) video and console-quality gaming. Users can also access Tegra-optimised games through the Tegra Zone app on Android Market.

That being said, Engadget has suggested that Sprint might be attempting to tread a little more carefully this time its disastrous experience with the first Gingerbread rollout for the Kyocera Echo. According to the popular gadget site, it is likely that Sprint will initially limit the rollout to â&#x20AC;&#x153;a small number of handsetsâ&#x20AC;?, ostensibly to ensure that the update is indeed working properly before initiating a full-scale deployment of the update. Well, better late than never, right?

The GALAXY R is available in Sweden, and is coming to other regions, including north and eastern Europe, south east and west Asia, Middle East Asia, and China.

BitFenix launches the Merc Alpha and Beta Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/bitfenix-launches-the-merc-alpha-andbeta/13276.html August 11th, 2011

Samsung and Nvidia announced GALAXY R smartphone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-and-nvidia-announcedgalaxy-r-smartphone/13277.html August 11th, 2011

Samsung and Nvidia have jointly announced the new member of the GALAXY line of smartphones, the Galaxy R. The Galaxy R sports a 4.19-inch touchscreen display, incorporates Nvidia Tegra 2 mobile dual-core processor and runs Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.

BitFenix started at the top and has worked its way down the ladder so to say and its latest model, the Merc is something close to a real budget case, albeit without cutting too many corners or going for a really cheap look. In fact, the Merc looks rather pleasant for a budget case and it's even available in two slightly different versions, the Alpha and the Beta.

BitFenix started at the top and has worked its way down the ladder so to say and its latest model, the Merc is something close to a real budget case, albeit without cutting too many corners or going for a really cheap look. In fact, the Merc looks rather pleasant for a budget case and it's even available in two slightly different versions, the Alpha and the Beta.

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At the top of the plastic front you'll find the power and reset buttons as well as a pair of audio jacks and four USB 2.0 ports.

Other things worth of note include holes for water cooling pipes, albeit without rubber grommets, what appears to be ample space for cables behind the motherboard plate, a fairly large opening for rear access to the CPU cooler and although it's not a screw-less case, BitFenix includes thumb screws for all the drive bays.

Being a budget case the Merc is not unsurprisingly made out of steel and plastic, although it's at least painted black inside out. The Merc measures 439x190x490 (HxWxD) and it sports three 5.25-inch drive bays as well as even 3.5-inch bays of which one is front accessible and one 2.5-inch drive bay. There's a standard seven rear slots and there's space for five 120mm fans in the Beta, whereas the Alpha has space for a total of seven 120mm as it adds an additional two at the top. Only a single rear 120mm fan is included for both models though.

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With an MSRP of US$39 (S$48) it's really hard to knock the Merc, although it doesn't really stand out in terms of features, it's at least good value for money. According to the press release the Merc Alpha and Beta should be available later this month.

Gigabyte quietly launches its H61 mini-ITX motherboard Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-quietly-launches-its-h61mini-itx-motherboard/13275.html August 11th, 2011

If you're on the hunt for a cheap mini-ITX board for Intel's Sandy Bridge processors then it looks like Gigabyte might have the solution for you with its new GA-H61N-USB3 motherboard. It's the more affordable version of Gigabyte's H67N-USB3 and even though it's using Intel's budget chipset, it's far from a budget board when it comes to features.

If you're on the hunt for a cheap mini-ITX board for Intel's Sandy Bridge processors then it looks like Gigabyte might have the solution for you with its new GA-H61N-USB3 motherboard. It's the more affordable version of Gigabyte's H67N-USB3 and even though it's using Intel's budget chipset, it's far from a budget board when it comes to features.

Gigabyte isn't the first company to make a mini-ITX H61 motherboard though, in fact, Gigabyte is the last of the big board makers to launch a H61 mini-ITX board. The good news is that it's a pretty compromise free motherboard, although there's one or two little niggles, but then again this seems to be a common theme among all of the H61 mini-ITX boards. Most of this is likely down to the board makers not wanting them to compete with their more expensive H67/Z68 boards.

The PCB layout is more or less identical to the H67N-USB3, with a few minor changes. The most disappointing one is that there are only two SATA ports, as the H61 chipset is limited to only four SATA ports and one of the four ports has been given eSATA duty. In lieu of the missing two SATA connectors is a pretty pointless TPM connector. We'd much rather had another fan header, or even that third SATA port. This is also one of only three mini-ITX boards which has a x16 PCI Express slot which might just come in handy.

The PCB itself has also changed as the H61N-USB3 is part of Gigabyte's Super4 series of motherboards, which despite the name is a category below the Ultra Durable 3 series in which the H67N-USB3 belongs. Another minor change is in the USB 3.0 host controller and although we expected a move away from NEC/Renesas, we didn't expect to see a Fresco Logic FL1009 chip, as Gigabyte has so far been in favour of Etron. That said, the Etron chips are quite big and this is a tiny motherboard, so it's possible that Gigabyte went for Fresco Logic because of the smaller chip size.

Around the back things have only changed slightly and to some the changes might even be an improvement over the H67NUSB3. What we're looking at is a set of four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an eSATA port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, 5.1channel analogue audio with optical and coaxial S/PDIF out and finally a D-sub, DVI and HDMI port. As such the changes include swapping one of the two HDMI ports of the H67NUSB3 for a DVI port on the H61N-USB3 and losing three of the analogue audio jacks.

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The H61N-USB3 is already on sale in Taiwan for NT$3090 (S$130) which compares quite favourable to the H67N-USB3 which retails for NT$4300 (S$180) and if you don't need RAID support or care about SATA 6Gbps speeds, then this looks like a pretty decent alternative for an affordable HTPC or any other kind of tiny PC.

The USB-IF is working on a new power delivery specification Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-usb-if-is-working-on-a-new-powerdelivery-specification/13271.html August 11th, 2011

Beyond being a data interface, one of the best and possibly most well used features of the USB interface these days is as a charging standard for a wide range of devices, least not for phones. The USB-IF has already provisioned a couple of USB charging standards under the USB Battery Charging specification which is currently at versions 1.2, but is now looking at providing something a with a little bit more power.

Beyond being a data interface, one of the best and possibly most well used features of the USB interface these days is as a charging standard for a wide range of devices, least not for phones. The USB-IF has already provisioned a couple of USB charging standards under the USB Battery Charging specification which is currently at versions 1.2, but is now looking at providing something a with a little bit more power.

Weäre not quite sure how the new "power delivery standard" is going to be implemented and as yet it doesnät have a name.

Itäs said to be able to co-exist with the current USB Battery Charging standards for both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, although weäre no longer looking at a mere 2.5 to 4.5W, instead weäre talking 100W. Thatäs quite a jump, especially considering that the USB-IF is saying that the new standard will be compatible with all current cables and connectors.

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power source that it needs xV and yA and the power source will then respond either by delivering the requested power, or if it canät deliver the requested power it should still be possible for the device to trickle charge.

Intel was penning on something similar during IDF last year, but at the time Intel suggested a 35W specification at 42V/1.8A, with the possibility of reaching 200-300W in the future by using new connectors and cables. That said, the USBIF standard seems more sensible even if itäs dangerously close to the cable specifications and this really has to be pointed out, as if youäre using sub-par cables and start putting too much power through them, they will literally melt because they canät handle the current.

Weäll have to see how things play out, but itäs an interesting development, especially as USB has already become a predominant standard for charging a wealth of gadgets from.

The standard should be reviewed in Q4 this year by the industry in general and the USB-IF is expecting it to be ratified by early 2012, although donät expect to see any products until much later next year.

Source: USB-IF (PDF link)

ASUS Mars II Sneak Preview Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-mars-ii-sneakpreview/13268.html August 11th, 2011

We've gotten our hands on ASUS' godzilla of a graphics card, the dual-GTX 580 Mars II. Check inside for a photo tour and some numbers!

ASUS is known for taking the fastest graphics cards and making them even bigger and badder. Their last headlinegrabbing attempt with a Nvidia GPU was back in 2009, when they released the dual-GTX 285 Mars.

If you have any kind of background in electronics or electrical engineering youäll most likely have noticed that there are some issues here. Cables normally have various AWG (American Wire Gauge) ratings on them which contain the specifications of the cable itself. The best AWG rating we found on some USB cables we had lying around was AWG24 which is fairly thin cables and they are limited to about 3.5A. On top of that the cables are rated at 30V and adding things up we end up with 105W. The USB-IF obviously cutting things very close here with a 100W standard as the cables in question were high-quality USB cables and not necessarily representative if the kind of cables everyoneäs using.

One of the nice features of the new power delivery standard is that the Voltage and current draw of the connected device will be auto negotiated. What this means is that whatever device you plug in thatäs compatible with the standard will tell the 11

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Three 8-pin PCIe connectors are required, and ASUS has also thrown in a 100% fan speed button. If you have too much money, you can even buy two of these and run them in quadSLI.

This time round, ASUS has shoehorned two GTX 580s onto a single PCB to create the Mars II. Each GPU is clocked at 782MHz, making the Mars II even faster than the (already discontinued) GTX 590.

GTX 580 GTX 590 Mars II Core Clock 772MHz 607MHz 782MHz Shader Clock 1544MHz 1215MHz 1564MHz Memory Clock 1002MHz 854MHz 1002MHz (effective) (4008MHz) (3416MHz) (4008MHz) Memory 1.5GB 2 x 1.5GB 2 x 1.5GB ASUS has spared no expense here: the Mars II sports a sturdy metal shroud with two 120mm fans, and a metal backplate covers the entire rear.

However, the Mars II is considerably wider than usual, in addition to taking up three slots. Its dimensions are 13" x 6.2" x 2.5", so chances are that it will only fit into the very largest casings out there.

One NEC Proadlizer is used for each GPU.

Each GPU gets an 8-phase power delivery system, and each set of memory 2 phases, making for a total of 20 phases on a single PCB. 12

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Published by: VR-Zone

To help cool this beast, each heatsink has four copper heatpipes.

Unlike conventional mice with prominent left and right buttons and the obligatory scroll wheel, the new Microsoft Touch Mouse looks extremely sleek. In fact, the manufacturer claims that the mouse has multi-touch gesture features which allow users to click, flick, scroll and swipe. You can use one finger to manage documents or web pages by flicking to scroll, pan and tilt, one thumb to move back or forward through a web browser; two fingers to maximize, minimize, snap and restore your programs and applications; three-finger to navigate to your desktop etc. However, the Touch Mouse is designed exclusively only for Windows 7 operating system, so if you are using Windows Vista or Windows XP, you can only use it like a normal mouse, but without the multi-touch functionality.

Word has it that the Mars II will retail for a wallet-blowing S $2499 starting from late August. This is a limited edition card so only 999 units will be sold worldwide.

Stay tuned for our full review of the ASUS Mars II !

Microsoft Singapore introduces new Touch Mouse and Explorer Touch Mouse Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-singapore-introduces-newtouch-mouse-and-explorer-touch-mouse/13272.html August 11th, 2011

Microsoft Singapore today announced the latest additions to their line of Touch mice - Touch Mouse and Explorer Touch Mouse. Both the Touch and Explorer Touch are equipped with BlueTrack technology that allow users to use it on virtually any surface, and come with a Nano transceiver which can be plugged to your PC easily.

Like the Touch Mouse, the Explorer Touch Mouse also does not have the scroll wheel. Instead, in its place is the advanced scroll strip which lets you do vertical and horizontal navigation on your PC or Mac, as well as side-to-side swipes and five customizable buttons on five different parts of the strip.

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Published by: VR-Zone

story and it looks like it will be an industry wide move as the new SATA Express standard will require it for optimal performance. Click on through for a detailed look at what to expect from this new standard.

The Microsoft Touch Mouse will be available at a suggested retail price of S$99, while the Explorer Touch Mouse that comes in Rust Red, Sangria Red, Storm Grey and Black flavors, will be selling at S$59. The Touch Mouse and Explorer Touch Mouse will be available at end August, and at the upcoming COMEX Show 2011.

SATA Express is part of the SATA 3.2 specification and it's backwards compatible with standard SATA 6Gbps. In fact, the physical connector has been designed to cater for a pair of SATA ports. The new connector is currently available in two versions, although the final design hasn't been decided upon as yet, but there's currently one version that's exclusively for PCI Express. The new connector caters for both one and two lanes of PCI Express bandwidth, but it's not clear if it'll carry power or not.

To go with the new board level connector is of course a new cable and matching connector. As the interface can transmit both PCI Express and SATA signals the SATA-IO has come up with a connector that can handle both. The downside is a wider cable than for SATA, but considering that the bandwidth has been boosted from 6Gbit/s to 8 or 16Gbit/s, this is something we'll simply have to live with.

Ian Tan, marketing manager for Microsoft Hardware, was at the event and introduced the new mice products. Tan also demonstrated the multi-touch gesture of the Touch Mouse which allows user to scroll, minimize, dock their applications easily. On top of that, the marketing manager also mentioned that the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse which was available early this year had taken the world by storm and is currently the best-seller in the market.

So far the SATA-IO is still working on options on the device end, but we'd expect to see a similar connector to the board level one on at least SSDs. Another benefit of SATA Express is less cable clutter when using a backplane, although this can be easily solved using a mini-SAS connector today. That said, SAS connectors aren't commonly found on consumer level hardware and SATA Express is at least in part targeting the consumer market space.

SATA-IO announces SATA Express Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sata-io-announces-sataexpress/13270.html August 11th, 2011

Remember that story we wrote a couple of weeks ago about Intel considering doing a PCI Express x2 interface?

Well, today's announcement by the SATA-IO confirms this

It's pretty clear that SATA Express was designed to allow the SATA standard to take advantage of the performance on offer 14

August 11th, 2011

by the latest SSDs as we're quickly approaching the point in time where the SATA interface just doesn't cut it anymore. It's still very early days though and the specification isn't expected to be ready until the end of this year which means that we won't see implementations until sometime in 2012. It's pretty clear that we need a faster interface than SATA 6Gbps and this is the interim solution we're left with as SATA 4.0 is still a long way from being ratified, although if it goes down the same route as SAS, we can expect speeds of 12Gbit/s per port.

HTC unleashes EVO 3D Android smartphone in Singapore

Published by: VR-Zone

The HTC EVO 3D features qHD 3D 4.3-inch display, 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, microSD slot to support up to 32GB memory card, 802.11b/ g/n Wi-Fi connectivity, stereo Bluetooth, integrated GPS and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread mobile operating system with latest HTC Sense 3.0 user interface. It can capture videos and images in 3D, as well as support 3D gaming and video viewing, though that depends on the videos and the games. Like the Spiderman game, the game itself is developed in 3D. You can find some of these games on the Android Market, though there is no option for 2D-to-3D up-conversion though.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-unleashes-evo-3d-androidsmartphone-in-singapore/13269.html August 11th, 2011

This morning, HTC unveiled their latest Android smartphone, the EVO 3D, which promises 3D multimedia features and experience for users, without the need of 3D glasses. The EVO 3D sports a 4.3-inch display, uses 1.2GHz dual-core processor and is preloaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

On the right of the EVO 3D are the camera shutter button, 3D and 2D camera mode switch and the volume controls (which also doubles up as the zoom buttons). The power button and 3.5mm audio jack are on the top, while the dual 5-megapixel cameras with dual LED flash are on the rear can capture high quality 3D images and videos. There is also a 1.3-megapixel front camera for video chat.

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Published by: VR-Zone August 11th, 2011

Fancy getting your hands on an ultrathin notebook? LG might have just the notebook you are looking for: the Korean electronics company has just announced the availability of its new Xnote P220 series of ultrathin notebooks, which will reportedly be released for sale in Korea starting today.

Putting the LG Optimus 3D side-by-side with the HTC EVO 3D, you can see that the latter may be slightly smaller than the Optimus 3D in terms of form factor, but both have the same 4.3-inch screen size and roughly the same thickness.

Do you remember LG'x Xnote P220 ultrathin notebook? You know, the one that was first shown off during the Computex 2011 exhibition that took place in early June this year? Well, it turns out that LG is now finally ready to release the aforementioned notebook for sale, with the Korean electronics company officially announcing the availabiliy of the Xnote P220 for its domestic market.

Not much detail about the Xnote P220 has been publicly revealed by LG, although the Korean electronics company has claimed in its press release that notebook, which is reportedly designed to be the successor to the Xnote P210 series of ultrathin notebooks, will make use of a 12.5-inch LED-illuminated IPS LCD display, although it did not provide any details about the display's native resolution.

Wayne Tang, product manager of HTC Singapore, talks about the world being in 3D and that we should all capture the things around us in 3D, though it is impossible to do that with current breed of smartphones. Tang also introduces the various features of the HTC EVO 3D and said that the smartphone will come bundled with 3D content including The Green Hornet 3D movie, Spider-Man: Total Mayhem HD, Need for Speed SHIFT and The Sims 3. For 3D video capture, the files are saved in either JPS or MPO file format; according to Tang, you can select the file format to record in.

The HTC EVO 3D is scheduled to go on retail by end of August at all mobile operators and authrozied retailers at a suggested retail price of S$895.

In addition, the machine translation of LG's press release has indicated that the Xnote P220 will be bundled with Intel's second generation Intel Core i5 processor, and that the notebook's graphics crunching muscle will be provided by the Intel HD Graphics 3000 GPU that is built into Intel's processor. Once again, LG has apparently not released any details about the processor, such as its clock speed and model number, that was used in the assembly of the Xnote P220 ultrathin notebook, although it has stated that the notebook will make use of a 128GB solid-state drive in order to achieve faster data read/write speeds, and will sport various standard features such as a HDMI port and a dedicated USB charging port.

LG to release new Xnote P220 ultrathin notebooks in Korea today Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-to-release-new-xnote-p220ultrathin-notebooks-in-korea-today/13267.html

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Last but defintely not least, LG has claimed that it was able to further reduce the notebook's display bezel to a width of no more than 9.5mm, while its maximum thickness and weight have been trimmed down to 20.9mm and 1.3kg respectively.

No information about the Xnote P220's pricing has been released by LG yet.

Samsung barred from selling Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-barred-from-selling-galaxytab-10.1-in-europe/13266.html August 11th, 2011

Seems like Samsung's woes over the whole trademark catfight between itself and Apple has just taken yet another turn for the worse, with the Korean electronics giant suffering yet another blow in the form of a court-ordered injunction against the sales of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet device. This time, it is a German district court which handed down the injunction, thus effectively banning the sale of the Tab 10.1 in most of the countries that make up the European Union. Needless to say, Samsung is not very pleased with the decision.

Seems like things are definitely not going very well for Samsung recently, especially where the whole trademark hoo-ha it has gotten itself caught up with against Apple is concerned. Apparently, we have received word from all over the web that a German distract court has handed the Korean electronics giant an injuction which effectively bans the company from selling its Galaxy Tab 10,1 tablet device in most of Europe.

Published by: VR-Zone

According to what we have read, the injunction against Samsung is effectively immediately. However, if it is of any consolation for Samsung, it seems that Apple will still have to go through the neccessary paperwork in order to ensure that the injunction is acted upon and enforced in the European Union's member countries. This should give Samsung enough time to get some units of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 device out on sale before the it is forced to cease all sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 until the whole catfight between Apple and Samsung is concluded by the courts. In addition, it seems that the Netherlands is bound by a different set of laws, so Samsung is apparently free to continue selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 there, for Apple will have to file a seperate case if it wants to apply for an injunction there as well.

In addition, ThisIsMyNext has reported that Apple has also filed for an injunction against Samsung in the US, but this particular case will be fought on an entirely different level. This is because Apple has demanded for a ban on sales of Samsung's entire product lineup, and not just the Galaxy Tab 10.1, and the case is reportedly scheduled to be heard in October this year.

That being said, we are speculating that Apple's outragrous demands for an injunction on Samsung's entire product lineup does not have much of a chance on holding up in court, but that is just us.

Needless to say, Samsung is not very pleased with the results, especially if the response it has sent out to ThisIsMyNext is of any indication: Samsung is disappointed with the courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision and we intend to act immediately to defend our intellectual property rights through the ongoing legal proceedings in Germany and will continue to actively defend these rights throughout the world.

The request for injunction was filed with no notice to Samsung, and the order was issued without any hearing or presentation of evidence from Samsung.

We will take all necessary measures to ensure Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative mobile communications devices are available to customers in Europe and around the world.

This decision by the court in Germany in no way influences other legal proceedings filed with the courts in Europe and elsewhere.

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New LG microwave oven allows for remote control via smartphones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-lg-microwave-oven-allows-forremote-control-via-smartphones/13265.html August 11th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

a smartphone, but to also set certain options to ensure that food gets heated up and cooked properly with minimal loss of nutrients.

Sounds good? Well, the bad news LG has not released any details about the oven's global availability, if at all. However, if it is of any consolation, the oven can be bought in Korea at the price of 599,000 won, or approximately US$553.

Sony Ericsson's Xperia ray shows up in Japan Have you ever found yourself wishing that there was a way to operate a microwave oven remotely, so that you can easily warm up your food and drinks without having to waste precious time walking over to the kitchen to do so? Well, the good news is that such a wish is now one step closer to reality, for LG has announced the availability of a new microwave oven which allows you to...wait for it...control it remotely via a smartphone. No, really.

Picture this situation; you are rushing a deadline for work (or school), and there is some frozen, processed food sitting in the microwave oven waiting to thaw out so that you can heat it up. But therein lies the problem; you are so busy that you do not even have time to visit the restroom, much less make the trip to the kitchen to push some buttons needed to operate the microwave oven. As a result, the food never gets warmed up, and you pass the rest of the day with an empty stomach and a grouchy mood.

Sounds familiar? Well, leave it to LG to solve that problem with its novel solution of allowing one to remotely operate the microwave oven. Not with a remote control, though, but rather, with that very smartphone that you have in your pocket right now.

According to LG, the new microwave oven, which is slated to be released some time in the later part of August, will make use of WiFi technology to allow for such remote operation between itself and an Android-powered smartphone. Details about how the Korean company intends to do this is scarce, but the machine translation seems to suggest that LG will release a smartphone app known as “LG Lightwave Oven Studios” to facilitate the remote access between an Android smartphone and the aforementioned microwave oven. In addition, the app will reportedly allow users to not only operate the oven via

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-s-xperia-ray-shows-upin-japan/13264.html August 11th, 2011

Seems like Sony Ericsson has certainly been rolling out all those drool-worthy smartphones recently. If you would remember, it was just five days since we last posted the information about Sony Ericsson launching its Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro smartphones here in Singapore, and the company is once again making headlines. Except that this time, it has got something to do with the release of the Xperia ray, a thin and lightweight Android-powered smartphone, for Japan. More details about this smartphone coming right up.

Does Sony Ericsson's Xperia ray smartphone ring a bell? We really will not be surprised if it does; after all, information about this particular smartphone was first announced by the company way back in June this year, although details about its eventual release date, operating system and specifications were kept tightly guarded. That is all set to change though, for Japan's NTT DOCOMO has just announced the launch of the Xperia ray in Japan, where it is expected to hit the country's retail shelves come August 27.

According to NTT DOCOMO, the new Xperia ray smartphone sports a thin and lightweight aluminum body, a trait which we believe will greatly appeal to fashion-conscious consumers.

In addition, NTT DOCOMO has confirmed that the Xperia ray will be shipped with version 2.3 of the Android operating system preloaded into it, while its main processing muscle will be provided by a “fast 1GHz CPU”, although the company has conveniently chosen not to provide any details about the aforementioned processor.

Additional information about the Xperia ray provided by NTT DOCOMO reveals that that the smartphone will incorporate several well-known Sony technologies, such as the implementation of xLOUD audio technology for enhanced sound quality and an EXMOR R camera capable of capturing still images at a maximum resolution of 8.1 megapixels. Last but definitely not least, NTT DOCOMO has also confirmed 18

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that the Xperia ray will sport a â&#x20AC;&#x153;high-resolution, 3.3-inch touchscreen Reality Display utilizing the Mobile BRAVIA engineâ&#x20AC;?, as well as Sony's POBox Touch 4.3 predictive textinput system which reportedly allows for quicker and easier text input in either English or Japanese.

And contrary to earlier rumours, it seems that the Xperia ray is not designed to be waterproof, so users might want to ensure that they do not accidentally give their new smartphone a shower of sorts under any circumstances.

No information about the Xperia ray's pricing or contract plans has been revealed by NTT DOCOMO, although the company has claimed that it will be accepting preorders for the phone from as early as August 12, 15 days before the smartphone officially goes up on sale in Japan.

Panasonic unveils six new 3D Blu-ray recorders in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/panasonic-unveils-six-new-3d-blu-rayrecorders-in-japan/13263.html August 11th, 2011

Panasonic has announced the availability of six new 3D Bluray recorders under the DIGA brand in Japan. The new recorders, which bear the model numbers BZT9000, BZT910.

BZT810, BZT710, BWT510 and BRT210, will sport various unique features such as multi-show simultaneous recording and wireless connectivity, among many others.

According to Panasonic, the BZT9000 and BZT910 DIGI 3D Blu-ray recorders make up the company's flagship offerings and are reportedly capable of delivering extremely high image and sound quality. The company claims that this was made possible by assembling the BZT9000 and BZT910 in such a way that the recorders boast an extremely low center of gravity and a rigid body which is capable of resisting resonance. In addition, the BZT9000 and BZT910 will also sport an internal 3TB and 2TB hard disk respectively for storage purposes, as well as improved codecs for video and audio playback, and support for DLNA and video recording via USB.

The BZT810, BZT710, BWT510 and BRT210, on the other hand, will feature an internal hard disk with storage capacities of 1TB (BZT810 only) and 500GB, as well as a new ECO Power Management mode which is reportedly capable of reducing power consumption down to as low as 0.03W when the recorders are operating in standby mode. Last but definitely not least, all six 3D Blu-ray recorders will reportedly ship with support for Skype, thus allowing users to engage in conversations via the aforementioned recorders, as well as multi-show simultaneous recording, which allows for up to four shows to be recorded concurrently.

Panasonic has announced the availability of six new 3D Bluray recorders under the DIGA brand in Japan. The new recorders, which bear the model numbers BZT9000, BZT910.

BZT810, BZT710, BWT510 and BRT210, will sport various unique features such as multi-show simultaneous recording and wireless connectivity, among many others.

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No details about pricing and availability for the aforementioned devices have been released by Panasonic at this point of time.

Published by: VR-Zone

lists. All users have to do is to simply enter the recipient's name into the app and it will return a list of possible contacts, as shown in the screenshot below.

Facebook introduces Messenger app for Android and iOS Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/facebook-introduces-messenger-appfor-android-and-ios/13262.html August 11th, 2011

Are you a heavy user of the SMS feature on your mobile phone?

If so, Facebook's recent announcement might be just the thing you need to keep those fingers of yours even busier while on the move. Apparently, the world's most popular online social networking service has just unveiled its new Messenger standalone app which claims to be capable of allowing users to keep in touch with all their buddies in a much easier way.

The mobile phone may have been originally conceived as a means to allow people the luxury of making and receiving phone calls while on the move, but thanks to the power of technology, it seems that its main use today is more on sending text messages, emails and posting updates on popular online social networking services. And if you happen to be one of those cellphone users whose fingers see more action on an alphanumeric or QWERTY keyboard rather than the 'Call' button, you will probably have much to like about Facebook's latest announcement. The popular online social networking service has just announced the availability of Messenger, a new mobile app for smartphones which is reportedly capable of simplifying the way users send messages to others on their smartphone.

In addition, Zhang added that the Messenger app can also be used to initiate group conversations to allow for easier coordination between a bunch of people, and that Messenger also supports the attachment of digital content such as photos and location information. Lastly, Zhang has also confirmed that Messenger is basically an extension of Facebook messages; this means that all the conversations made through Messenger, be it text messages, chat logs or emails, will be stored in a central location which a user can access as long as there are online, regardless of the device they are using.

According to a posting made by Facebook engineer Lucy Zhang on the official Facebook blog, the new Messenger app is designed to allow users the capability of sending messages to their friends on Facebook on or their mobile phone contact 20

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The Messenger app is already available for download at the respective app repositories for both iOS and Android, although Zhang has not released any details as to whether Facebook plans to port the app to other popular mobile platforms such as Symbian, Windows Phone or Meego.

Transcend Introduces JetFlash T3S USB Flash Drive Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/transcend-introduces-jetflash-t3s-usbflash-drive/13202.html August 11th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone August 11th, 2011

Delkin has released a high performance extended temperature CompactFlash which is capable of operating at a temperature range of -40 to 85 degrees Celsius.

Delkin high performance extended temperature CompactFlash features single level cell (SLC) NAND flash, read speed of up to 105MB/s, write speed of 95MB/s and a stated operating temperature of -40 to 85 degrees Celsius. It comes with a seven years warranty and will be available in 32GB and 64GB capacities. The 32GB model is reported to retail at US$550 (S$670).

Samsung Hercules Pictured Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-herculespictured/13258.html August 11th, 2011

Transcend JetFlash T3S uses the USB 2.0 interface allowing a read speed of 15-18MB/s and a write speed of 4-5MB/s. Other features include the COB (chip on board), capless zinc alloy body and measures 29.35 x 12.3 x 3.05mm. The 4GB, 8GB, 16GB models will be retailing at €9.90 (S$12), €14.90 (S$18) and €24.90 (S$30) respectively.

Delkin Releases High Performance CompactFlash Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/delkin-releases-high-performancecompactflash/13259.html

Samsung Hercules is expected to substitute as a Galaxy S II variant. It runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, equipped with a 1GB RAM and 16GB of internal 21

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storage capacity. Other features include a 4.5-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen, 8-megapixel camera and is scheduled to launch on 26th of September.

Hitachi launches Ultrastar SSD400M MLC SSD Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hitachi-launches-ultrastar-ssd400mmlc-ssd/13256.html August 11th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

It's been very quiet from Acer's mobile division for quite some time now, but it looks like the company is finally getting ready to launch its Iconia Smart next month. If you've forgotten about it, the Icona Smart is Acer's crazy 21:9 aspect ratio 4.8inch screen touting smartphone with 1024x480 resolution.

The massive handset is set to go on sale in Europe next month according to a press release sent to German media, although it's still unclear when Acer will launch the Iconia Smart in other parts of the world. Sadly this isn't as an impressive device as it was back in January when it was first unveiled at CES, mostly because the hardware is already at close to mainstream level.

Hitachi has launched its enterprise MLC SSD, Ultrastar SSD400M. It uses Intel's 25nm NAND and SSD technology.

More details inside.

That said the massive screen is likely to appeal to those wanting something a bit more pocketable than a tablet, especially as it offers near tablet resolution in a device measuring 141.7x64.5x13.6mm (HxWxD) and weighing in at a reasonably pocket friendly 185g. So ok, it might not fit in a pair of skinny jeans, but it's unlikely that Acer had this in mind when designing it.

Hitachi Ultrastar SSD400M SSD make use of the SAS 6Gbps interface allowing up to 495MB/s read speed (sequential 64k) and 385MB/s write speed (sequential 64k). Other features include 56,000 IOPS (random 4k read), 24,000 IOPS (random 4k write), 2 million hours in mean time between failure (MTBF) and 5.5W in typical power consumption. The Hitachi Ultrastar SSD400M SSD measures 100.6 x 70.1 x 15mm, weighs 187g and will be available in 200GB and 400GB capacities.

What's going to hold the Iconia Smart back is the 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 SoC as not only is this a single core chip, but only recently Sony Ericsson put this same processor in one of its affordable handsets, the Xperia mini. 512MB RAM and ROM isn't going to impress either, as this is pretty much standard on any Android handset today, but the extra 8GB of built in storage is at least a bonus. Even the 8 Megapixel camera with 720p video recording, auto focus and an LED flash is standard fare.

Acer's Iconia Smart to launch in September Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-s-iconia-smart-to-launch-inseptember/13261.html August 11th, 2011

It's been very quiet from Acer's mobile division for quite some time now, but it looks like the company is finally getting ready to launch its Iconia Smart next month. If you've forgotten about it, the Icona Smart is Acer's crazy 21:9 aspect ratio 4.8inch screen touting smartphone with 1024x480 resolution.

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Published by: VR-Zone

As we approach the month where the next generation iPhone (iPhone 4S or iPhone 5) is supposed to be launched, there are increasing number of rumours flooding the internet. More details inside.

In terms of data connectivity the Iconia Smart does at least offer support for 14.4Mbit/s HSDPA which is at least competitive, albeit not cutting edge. HSUPA speeds are rated at the by now standard 5.76Mbit/s. Acer has also thrown in support for 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, UPnP and DLNA as well as Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR. Other bits of interest includes A-GPS, a micro HDMI port, a micro SD card slot and Dolby mobile audio. On the software side we're looking at Acer clear.fi support, Flash 10.1 and some pre-loaded games including Asphalt, Spiderman and Nova.

Price wise you can expect to pony up â&#x201A;Ź499 if you live in Europe, or the equivalent of about S$720 in round figures. That's more than a Samsung Galaxy S II goes for at the moment which is going to make the Iconia Smart a though sell for Acer despite the impressive screen.

Images of Apple iPhone 5 leaked?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/images-of-apple-iphone-5leaked-/13254.html August 11th, 2011

The iPhone 5 website appears to be leaked in one of the YouTube videos uploaded by user "iPhone5Website" on 8th of August 2011. Features such as Dual-Core A5 chip, 8-megapixel camera, iOS5, 4.2" touchscreen 960 x 640 display, 6.2mm thickness and weight of 112g were shown in the video. Several images were also spotted in the iPhone 5's gallery. The website does look quite convincing but with so much rumours going on, it is best to take them as a pinch of salt and awaits patiently for the launch day.

Excited fans might want to look out for this (quoted from InfoWorld), "One clue you can use reliably is to watch the inventory levels at the Apple Store. When a product's availability starts to move from 24 hours or a few days to several weeks, that's a safe bet that Apple is letting its inventory run out to make room for a new model. In fact, this is the only repeatably accurate signal of a new version's imminent release."

YouTube video v=jxYnuHX3LCI

link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

*Updated 10th August 2011, 4am* LG Nilsson has pointed out that this video is a fake. At time 0:00 "file:///users/peter/

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desktop/iphonek205/websitek20pictures/home.html" seen in the browser.

Published by: VR-Zone

was

NVIDIA releases GeForce 280.26 driver

• Adds support for new 3D Vision projectors: Acer X1111, BenQ W710ST, and NEC NP-V300W • Added the following 3D Vision game profiles: o

Alice Madness Returns

o

Back to the Future (Episodes 1-5)

o

Call of Juarez: The Cartel

o

Chuang Shi Xi You

o

Dao Jian 2

o

The Darkness 2

o

Dead Island

o

Deep Black

o

Dou Zhan Shen

o

Dragon Ball Online

o

Dungeons and Dragons: Online

o

Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising

o

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

o

L.A. Noire

o

League of Legends

o

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

o

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar

o

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

o

Mars

o

Might & Magic Heroes VI

o

Mount & Blade: Warband

o

Mount & Blade: With Fire and Blade

New in Release 280.26

o

PROUN

NVIDIA SLI

o

RAGE

o

Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad

o

Rise of the Immortals

o

Rusty Hearts

o

Serious Sam 3: BFE

o

Virtua Tennis 4

o

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-releases-geforce-280.26driver/13255.html August 11th, 2011

GeForce 280.26 WHQL driver is now available for download and will support GeForce 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500-series desktop GPUs as well as ION desktop GPUs.

The NVIDIA GeForce 280.26 is the first WHQL-certified driver to be released for the 280 family of drivers. Features are as follow:

• Enables SLI technology on SLI-certified motherboards with AMD chipsets: 990FX, 990X, and 970.

NVIDIA 3D Vision • With Release 280 drivers, the 3D Vision Controller driver is now included with all GPU driver installations.

Users are no longer required to install a separate 3D Vision Controller driver or CD driver. This driver includes the 280.19 3D Vision Controller driver. For more information, please view this knowledgebase article for more information.

• Update the following 3D Vision game profiles

• Adds support for viewing 3DVisionLive.com and YouTube 3D with NVIDIA SLI PCs. Please view this knowledgebase article for more information on 3D Vision Window Mode.

• Adds support for Window mode for 3D Vision Video Player. This requires v1.7.2 or higher of the player.

• Adds support for new 3D Vision monitors: ViewSonic V3D245

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Crysis 2 – rating changed to Excellent. NVIDIA recommends using the v1.9 game patch.

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Deep Black – rating change to 3D Vision Ready

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Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition – convergence changes and rating changed to 3D Vision Ready

Other • Installs HD Audio driver version 1.2.23.3 • Installs PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0514

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• 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 Creative Suite 5 including Photoshop CS5.

• Supports GPU-acceleration for smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash.

• Supports OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.

Published by: VR-Zone

the C-60 processor core and variable graphics clock for both models.

The E-450 has received a 50MHz CPU core clock boost over the E-350 from 1.6 to 1.65GHz by a simple half multiplier increase. The biggest change is the graphics core which is now known as the Radeon HD 6320 and although it remains the same low shader count, the clock speed has increased to a minim clock of 508MHz, although this can be dynamically overclocked to 600MHz. Another new feature is native support for DDR3 1333MHz memory which should further help improve the graphics performance. The TDP remains the same at 18W.

• 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.

• Users without US English operating systems can select their language and download the International driver here.

Download the GeForce 280.26 WHQL Driver (64-bit Windows 7/Vista) now.

Download the GeForce 280.26 WHQL Driver (32-bit Windows 7/Vista) now.

Dell first with AMD's E-450 and C-60 APUs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dell-first-with-amd-s-e-450-and-c-60apus/13257.html August 11th, 2011

Look at that, Dell has updated its Inspiron M102z notebook with AMD's yet to be announced E-450 and C-60 APUs which comes with a small performance bump compared to the E-350 and C-50 APUs. These are of course AMD's entry level APUs, but this time around it seems like AMD has paid more attention to the mobility aspect with a Turbo mode for the C-60 processor core and variable graphics clock for both models.

Look at that, Dell has updated its Inspiron M102z notebook with AMD's yet to be announced E-450 and C-60 APUs which comes with a small performance bump compared to the E-350 and C-50 APUs. These are of course AMD's entry level APUs, but this time around it seems like AMD has paid more attention to the mobility aspect with a Turbo mode for

The C-60 is actually the more interesting part of the two as although it remains at the same 1GHz core clock speed as the C-50, it now features a turbo mode which will take it to 1.33GHz when needed. It too has received a bump in graphics performance and AMD decided to go with Radeon HD 6290 in this case. Although the base graphics clock is once again anything but news, we're looking at a dynamic overclocking setup here too so although the base clock is a mere 276MHz, it will go all the way to 400MHz when needed.

Dell's C-60 version of the Inspiron M102z comes with a single 2GB DIMM, a 320GB 7,200rpm hard drive and Dell's own 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi solution with Bluetooth 3.0+HS as standard. The E-450 version comes with a single 4GB DIMM and a 500GB hard drive on top of that. Both models have an 11.6-inch screen with 1366x768 resolution and a 56Whr 6cell battery pack. Dell Singapore wants S$629 for the C-60 model and S$699 for the E-450 model and the only hardware customization options include four different colours on the lid and a larger 90Whr 9-cell battery option.

Images of Acer's Ultrabook leak Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/images-of-acer-s-ultrabookleak/13253.html August 11th, 2011

Although we're still a couple of months away from the expect launch of Intel's so called Ultrabook platform, we've already seen Asus' take back at Computex and now the first pictures 25

August 11th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

of what should be Acer's first entry into the Ultrabook market space have made an appearance. Apparently Acer's Ultrabook will be called the Aspire 3951, although we're really hoping that Acer will come up with a slightly more interesting brand name before the launch, as it really says nothing about what at least on paper looks like a really neat little machine.

Although we're still a couple of months away from the expect launch of Intel's so called Ultrabook platform, we've already seen Asus' take back at Computex and now the first pictures of what should be Acer's first entry into the Ultrabook market space have made an appearance. Apparently Acer's Ultrabook will be called the Aspire 3951, although we're really hoping that Acer will come up with a slightly more interesting brand name before the launch, as it really says nothing about what at least on paper looks like a really neat little machine.

The Aspire 3951 is said to be a mere 13mm thin and weighing in at 1.4kg which isn't half bad for a 13-inch notebook. The design is borrow quite a bit from Apple's MacBook Air, although it's by no means a blatant copy. The core specifications are still missing, but it will without a doubt sport one of Intel's ULV Core i processors and matching small form factor chipset, the QS67 which measures 22x22mm compared to 25x25mm for Intel's standard mobile chipsets.

What struck us as a bit odd is that the source points out that SSD is optional and that it will come with a standard hard drive instead, although the choice will be between a 250 and 500GB drive. Currently there are no 500GB 1.8-inch drives to our knowledge, so judging by that Acer has managed to find room for a 2.5-inch drive inside the Aspire 3951, even though it's likely to be a 7mm tall drive. As far as SSD options are concerned, there's only one and that's a 160GB model.

The only side mounted ports appear to be a memory card slot and a single 3.5mm audio jack while the remaining ports are all located around the back. From what we can tell from the pictures we're looking at a DisplayPort, or more like an HDMI port and a pair if USB 3.0 ports, hopefully of the 3.0 variety and that's it. The only other known inclusion is low-power Bluetooth 4.0 support, but good luck finding any compatible peripherals at the moment.

The keyboard is similar in design to that used in Acer's most recent TimeLineX models, although the touch pad has grown significantly and it doesn't appear to have any buttons. Acer is also said to have implemented a feature which allows the notebook to resume from sleep in a mere 1.7 seconds, although we presume this is part of what Intel has done to make the Ultrabook platform appealing. The Aspire 3951 is said to offer 6h battery life with an interesting 30 days' worth of standby power, something unheard of so far when it comes to notebooks.

If this is a sign of what's to come, then we can't wait to see what Acer's competitors will be showing off. Compared to Intel's unsuccessful CULV platform it looks like we've finally reached a point in time where a thin and light Windows powered notebook with decent battery life and performance is about to become reality. Head over to the source link for plenty more pictures.

ASUS ET2410INTS AIO review: all about Inspiring, Innovation, Persistent and Perfection?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-et2410ints-aio-review-all-aboutinspiring-innovation-persistent-and-perfection-/13125.html August 11th, 2011

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"Inspiring, Innovation, Persistent and Perfection". Those were the four words which ASUS has used to describe its latest all-in-one (AIO) desktop PC, the touchscreen-totting ET2410INTS that has been reportedly designed to serve as a "multimedia enjoyment PC" for the masses. And while we certainly can appreciate how "Persistent" perfectly describes the tenacity of the desktop PC market now that "post PC" devices are the rage, we could not help but feel compelled to put the other three words to the test in this review.

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Graphics Card Operating System Display

Memory Hard Disk capacity Wireless Connectivity Weight

1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT540M Windows 7 Premium (x64 version) 23.6-inch (59.9cm) Full HD (1920x1080) LED-backlit multitouch-capable LCD display 6GB DDR3 SDRAM (1 x 4GB + 1 x 2GB SODIMM) 1TB AzureWave AW-NE785H 10.8kg

"The desktop is dead! Long live the desktop!" sounds like the kind of victory cry fans of highly portable computing devices such as smartphones and tablets would love to yell in today's day and age, and for good reason. After all, with most people's concept of a PC being simply nothing more than a tool to get them connected to the wonderful world of cyberspace, it would make sense that the humble desktop which had always been a "must have" item for every household is quickly being replaced by smaller and more portable devices which boast just enough processing power to deliver upon such needs.

However, most people also tend to forget that general purpose computing is much more than just about viewing online content. And the last time we checked, it is still not exactly possible to churn out a full 10-page report, watch a high definition movie, or indulge in some serious resourceintensive task on a "post-PC" device without sacrificing much in terms of performance or personal comfort. That is why desktops, be it a typical tower PC, or even the more modern All-In-One PCs by extension, which boast a proper keyboard and a huge display sporting dimensions greater than 21 inches are considered to be the best tools for such purposes...right?

Well, that is what we are about to find out with ASUS's new allin-one desktop PC, the ET2410INTS. ASUS ET2410INTS Touchscreen All-In-One PC Specifications Processor Intel Core i5-2400S 2.5GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache) Chipset Intel H61 Chipset 27

August 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!

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

VLI finally gains USB-IF certification Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vli-finally-gains-usb-ifcertification/13316.html August 16th, 2011

This one has been a long time coming, but VLI (VIA Labs Inc.) has finally gained the much needed certification from the USB-IF for its VL800 and VL801 USB 3.0 host controllers. The good news for consumers are that finally you can buy any USB 3.0 host controller and know that it has received the stamp of approval from the USB-IF, although what does that mean?

This one has been a long time coming, but VLI (VIA Labs Inc.) has finally gained the much needed certification from the USBIF for its VL800 and VL801 USB 3.0 host controllers. The good news for consumers are that finally you can buy any USB 3.0 host controller and know that it has received the stamp of approval from the USB-IF, although what does that mean?

Well, it means that the host controller has passed a bunch of compliance test that means that it meets all sorts of electrical, interoperable and backwards compatibility tests. However, what it doesn't mean is that the host controller will perform to a certain level. We'll come back to this hopefully later this week, as we're in the middle of finishing off a major USB 3.0 host controller group test.

As for VLI, the company can finally start hitting the market, although in all fairness there are already quite a few products already sold featuring VIA's VL800 4-port host controller, as so far it's the only commercially available 4-port solution. On the other hand, several companies have held off using VLI's solution due to lack of USB-IF certification, so overall this should be great news for the company.

VLI is the last of the Taiwanese host controller makers to gain USB-IF certification, although this is far the last USB 3.0 host controller. Despite Intel putting USB 3.0 support into its chipsets by next year and AMD adding native support to more of its chipsets, we'll still be seeing new host controllers.

Of course, one interesting development is when the x2 PCI Express interface is introduced, as this should help boost the performance of USB 3.0 host controllers among many other peripheral chipsets such as SATA 6Gbps controllers.

Limited edition Minecraftinspired Xperia Play smartphone shows up on eBay Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/limited-edition-minecraft-inspiredxperia-play-smartphone-shows-up-on-ebay/13315.html August 16th, 2011

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Do you love Minecraft? If you, this will probably be the kind of smartphone that you would love to own to complement your obsession over the game. Apparently, Mojang, the company behind the game, has released a special, limited edition version of Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play smartphone that comes with a custom skin for the body that comprises of the game's logo and graphics. And it is now available for sale on eBay. Minecraft fans, now will probably be a very good time to start smashing those piggy banks and digging out whatever spare cash you can squeeze out for your latest Minecraft-related acquisition. This is because Mojang, the company behind the popular game, has announced the availability of a special limited edition run of Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play smartphone which comes decked out with a custom skin that features the Minecraft logo and game graphics.

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Netherlands), you'd think the Cupertino giant's legal team are now chilling out in La-la land over drinks, right? Well, that might not be the case for long, especially if the recent report we have seen which alleges that Apple had resorted to the tampering of evidence to win its injunction is of any indication.

Not too long ago, we posted news about the result of Apple's complain against Samsung and its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet, where the latter was ordered by the courts to cease the sale of its tablets in Europe. Apparently, the ruling was made on the grounds that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 borrows a little too heavily from Apple's designs for it to be considered as a unique, seperate product in its own right.

However, rumours have since surfaced that Apple might have actually resorted to the digital manipulation of its comparison shots in order to strengthen its case against the Korean electronics giant. This alleged act was first unearthed by a website known as Webwereld (and subsequently republished

by Engadget), which was somehow able to get a hold of Apple's court filing in Europe. Apparently, one of the comparison shots in the filing shows both Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 stacked side-by-side, where, at first glance, the latter appears cosmetically identical to the iPad where size and thickness is concerned.

Specifications-wise, this limited edition, Minecraft-inspired smartphone is essentially identical to the current versions of the Xperia Play which are being sold on the market right now. This means that users who purchase the limited edition version from Mojang will immediately gain access to a same features they would find on a typical Xperia Play. As for why Mojang is deciding to put the phone up on sale on eBay...well, the official response from the company is that it intends to beat its fan to the chase, after finding out that many of the various Minecraft collectibles they had given away in the past usually ended up there. Nice.

The current bid for the limited edition Minecraft-inspired Xperia Play is standing at US$1,325, although this number is expected to rise in the coming days when the auction officially closes on August 21.

Rumour: did Apple tamper with evidence to win injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Tab?

This is where things start to get interesting. While it is a wellknown fact that the iPad uses a display with an aspect ratio of 4:3, Engadget claims that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 actually utilizes a 16:10 display, thus making up the first such discrepancy in Apple's filing. In addition, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is also thinner than Apple's iPad, and not of the same thickness as implied

by Apple's court filling. To back up its claims, Engadget has released its own comparison shot of the iPad and the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which clearly shows the latter sporting some obvious differences against the iPad in dimensions.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-did-apple-tamper-withevidence-to-win-injunction-against-samsung-s-galaxy-tab-/13314.html August 16th, 2011

Now that Apple has successfully blocked the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet device in Europe (save for the 2

August 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

yesterday in its domestic market will be thumbing its nose at Apple in response's to the Cupertino giant's demands to have the company's entire telecommunications lineup blocked in the US. This is because Samsung has just announced the availability of a white variant of its bestselling Galaxy SII smartphone in Korea, thus officially confirming the rumours about such a smartphone that have been circulating around online in recent months.

So what does this mean? Did Apple really resort to the alteration of its images to strengthen its case against Samsung?

Well, the truth of it is that no one really knows the answer except for Apple themselves. In all fairness, it is entirely possible that Apple's image could merely be some form of exhibit to showcase the similarities between both tablets when shrunken down to similar dimensions, and that we are all making a huge issue out of something innocuous. Either way, it will be extremely interesting to see how this turns out.

Samsung officially unveils white Galaxy SII smartphone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-officially-unveils-whitegalaxy-sii-smartphone/13313.html August 16th, 2011

Apple may have set the stage for a showdown with its successful demand for an injunction on the Korean electronics giant's Galaxy Tab 10.1 and an ongoing demand for a ban on all of Samsung's telecommunications lineup in the US, but it is clear that the company is not about to let the obstacle that is Apple stand in the way of new product releases. And apparently, the rumours of a white Galaxy SII smartphone were indeed true, for Samsung has unveiled the existence of such a phone in Korea yesterday, proclaiming it as the result of its goal in striving to meet the needs of consumers.

If Samsung's phones could act like humans, we'd wager that the Korean electronics giant's latest smartphone to be released

According to Samsung, the white Galaxy SII is designed to place emphasis on a smartphone's â&#x20AC;&#x153;sophistication and beautyâ&#x20AC;?; thus resulting in the decision to encase the smartphone in a completely white body with a white screen bezel. As it is essentially still the same Galaxy SII smartphone under the hood, users who purchase a white Galaxy SII will immediately gain access to every single feature that is already present on the current black Galaxy SII, such as its use of AMOLED screens and high performance processors.

No information about the white Galaxy SII's global availability or pricing has been announced by Samsung at this point of time, although the Korean electronics giant has mentioned that the smartphone should start popping up on its domestic retail shelves today.

Another 7-inch, dual-core tablet shows up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/another-7-inch-dual-core-tablet-showsup-in-china/13312.html August 16th, 2011

Getting a tablet computing device which boasts the use of dualcore processors is often one of the fastest way to breaking one's piggy bank, but when you are in China, such luxuries are often available to just about anybody thanks the wide variety of lowcost tablets which actually boast rather decent performance for their price. And the latest such tablet to show up in China comes in the form of the seven-inch LY-F526, which is produced by an OEM known as Shenzhen Lingyunxianfeng.

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Published by: VR-Zone

So you have been bitten by the tablet bug and are now looking for a reasonably-sized device which boasts a decent dualcore processor to assist you in your mobile computing needs.

That is great and all, except that you are on a tight budget, and getting a dual-core tablet from any big name OEM is definitely going to break the piggy bank. Unless you happen to be in China, where dual-core tablets such as Shenzhen Lingyunxianfeng's LY-F526 are readily available to the masses at extremely low prices.

According to the specifications sheet we were able to pull off the popular Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba.com, the LY-F526 reportedly makes use of a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, although this is somewhat mismatched with a paltry 512MB of onboard memory on the LY-F526. The seven-inch screen is also anything but impressive, being capable of a relatively low maximum resolution of 800 x 480, while the onboard camera is probably the least attractive of the package with its 1.3 megapixel resolution.

However, if it is of any consolation, the LY-F526 makes up for that by boasting up to 4GB of internal flash storage, along with support for a variety of standard features such as wireless Internet connectivity via WiFi and 3G along with 720p video playback. In addition, the tablet will also sport what appears to be a HDMI-out port, and is reportedly bundled with a 4500mAh battery pack which is provides up to nine hours of uptime on a single charge. Oh, and it will also be bundled with the relatively ancient v2.2 Android operating system, but this is to be expected, considering how the LY-F526 is selling for a mere US$140-150 apiece.

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Huawei to sell Blaze smartphone under own brand in UK Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/huawei-to-sell-blaze-smartphoneunder-own-brand-in-uk/13311.html August 16th, 2011

Huawei is known for making mid-range and entry-level smartphones for carriers to rebrand, but it seems that the Chinese smartphone OEM's ambitions for its products has gone beyond that of merely supplying phones to its partners.

Apparently, word has it that Huawei plans to release a new budget Android smartphone under its own brand in the UK soon, where it will be called the Huawei Blaze. More details coming right up.

If you are looking for a budget, entry-level Android smartphone to pamper yourself with in the next few months, don't be surprised to see a Huawei-branded smartphone popping up on retail shelves on the day you decided to go shopping for one. This is because the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has announced that it plans to start selling its mobile phones under its own brand in the UK, and the upcoming Huawei Blaze, which is slated to hit retail some time in September, will reportedly be the company's first such ownbrand smartphone to be sold in Europe.

Published by: VR-Zone

Details about the Huawei Blaze smartphone are scarce, but according to a report published by CNET UK, the smartphone, which will be aimed at budget-conscious consumers, will most likely sport a £100 pricetag. This makes sense, considering how Huawei is usually known for producing low-cost, entrylevel smartphones, such as its Ideos line of handsets which were released some time last year. In addition, CNET UK has also claimed that the Huawei Blaze will be preloaded with version 2.3 of the Android operating system (aka Gingerbread) and will sport a 3.2inch display, although no information about the screen's resolution or hardware specifications such as processor speed, memory and flash storage capacity were published.

And from the looks of it, it seems that Huawei is going to have its work cut out for them, especially if one takes into account how the market for Android-powered smartphones is already as saturated as it can get. For one, Huawei will have to deal with big-name players such as Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and Motorola (which itself was acquired by Google less than 24 hours ago). If that was not enough, the fact that other familiar Chinese OEMs such as ZTE and Meizu are also keen to enter the fray in Europe with their own lineup of low-cost, entry-level smartphones means that the the odds are stacked very heavily against Huawei in its attempt to break into the European markets under its own banner. As Huawei's UK executive vice president, Mark Mitchinson, aptly puts it, the company is essentially competing with “anyone involved in Android”.

Intel expands its software upgradable OEM CPU lineup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-expands-its-software-upgradableoem-cpu-lineup/13310.html August 16th, 2011

We can't say that we're big fans of where Intel is heading with its software upgradable CPUs, although currently only available for its OEM partners, it's clearly a sign of things to come. It almost seems like Intel is run by its accountants these days, as the company is clearly looking at ways of charging for its CPUs more than once.

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We can't say that we're big fans of where Intel is heading with its software upgradable CPUs, although currently only available for its OEM partners, it's clearly a sign of things to come. It almost seems like Intel is run by its accountants these days, as the company is clearly looking at ways of charging for its CPUs more than once.

At the moment Intel is only enabling the software upgrades for three fairly entry level CPUs, two desktop models and one mobile, but imagine where things could go. Late last year the first model appeared in the shape of the Pentium G6951 which gained Hyper Threading and 1MB of extra cache as it morphed into the Pentium G6952, a seemingly small change, but this time around Intel has taken things to the next level.

First up we have the Pentium G622 which is a dual core 2.6GHz part with 3MB of L3 cache, throw in a scratch card and you have a Pentium G693 which is a 3.2GHz CPU. That's a pretty hefty performance boost and Intel claims an improvement of between 15 to 23 percent depending on the benchmark metric. The Pentium G622 is priced at around US$65 (similar the Pentium G620 pricing) according to Anandtech and if the price for the scratch card remains the same as for the good old Pentium G6951, then you're looking at US$50, but we have a feeling that Intel might've considered a tiered cost for the new scratch cards to keep things interesting.

That said, the Pentium G693 looks set to outperform the Pentium G800 models with the most expensive model coming in at US$86, so we have a feeling that the scratch card will be reassuringly expensive.

Next up we have the Core i3-2102, a 3.1GHz dual core model with Hyper Threading and 3MB L3 cache. Once again we see a significant clock speed increase to 3.6GHz when it's unlocked to become the Core i3-2153. This time around we're apparently only looking at a 12 to 15 percent performance increase, according to Intel's own tests. With the Core i3-2100 being priced at US$117, the pricing for the Core i3-2102 should end up in about the same region.

Finally we have something new, an upgradable notebook CPU in the shape of the Core i3-2312M, another dual core 2.1GHz CPU with 3MB of L3 cache and Hyper Threading. This time around the Mega Hertz increase is smaller; as it's transformed into the Core i3-2393 it only gains 400MHz. However, this model has another trick up its sleeve, just like the good old Pentium G6951, the Core i3-2312M gains an extra 1MB of L3 cache. As such we're looking at a 10 to 19 percent performance increase according to Intel.

This is an interesting way for Intel to get paid twice for each of its CPUs, especially as we're talking fairly low cost models here. Of course, until we know how much the scratch cards will cost this time around, it's a little bit too early to have a go at Intel for charging consumers over the top for a fairly minor upgrade. We can't but wonder if Intel will expand this sort of

Published by: VR-Zone

thing across its entire range of CPUs sooner or later, with a selection of options for you to unlock depending on your needs.

Imagine a scratch card for extra cache, one for better graphics, another one for unlocked multipliers and so on. It's a scary thought, but it's something Intel could make a reality. As for the current models, well, they're intended for systems from the big box shifters and as far as upsides to this setup is concerned, well, it's an easy way to get some extra performance out of your CPU with any of the hassle otherwise involved. We just wish Intel would see the error in its way and stop chipping away at the features, as there are many of us out there that are sick and tired of getting a CPU that's missing one or two features, just because.

Thermaltake Commander MS-I case review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-commander-ms-i-casereview/13308.html August 16th, 2011

Thermaltake is probably the manufacturer with the largest selection of computer cases available at the time of this review.

Not a week ago we reviewed the unique and pricey Level 10 GT case. Today we are going to examine a much different product, the Commander MS-I case. The Commander MS-I is the exact opposite of the Level 10 GT we have reviewed before; it is a very aggressively priced product aiming at the lowest segments of the market. We will find out what the Commander MS-I can do for gamers and enthusiasts on a budget in this review.

Thermaltake is probably the manufacturer with the largest selection of computer cases available at the time of this review.

Not a week ago we reviewed the unique and pricey Level 10 GT case. Today we are going to examine a much different product, the Commander MS-I case. The Commander MS-I is the exact opposite of the Level 10 GT we have reviewed before; it is a very aggressively priced product aiming at the lowest segments of the market. We will find out what the Commander MS-I can do for gamers and enthusiasts on a budget in this review.

Manufacturer’s features and specifications • Full black coating with metal mesh appearance • eSPORTS look front bezel • Bottom-placed PSU design for easy installation • Supports high-end graphic cards up to 12.5”/32cm • Rear 120mm silent fan with blue LED • Built-in latest USB3.0 SuperSpeed connector (for VN400A1W2N only) P/N

VN40001W2N / VN400A1W2N 6

August 16th, 2011

Case Type Side Panel Net Weight Dimension Cooling System

Published by: VR-Zone

Middle Tower Transparent Window 4.5 kg / 9.9 lb 484.0 x 202.0 x 426.0 mm (19.1 x 8.0 x 16.8 inch) Front (Intake) : 120 x 120 x 25 mm (optional) Rear (Exhaust) : 120 x 120 x 25 mm Blue LED fan, 1000rpm, 16dBA Top (Exhaust) : 120 x 120 x 25 mm (optional)

Drive Bays Material Color Expansion Slots Motherboards I/O Ports PSU Other

Bottom (Intake) : 120 x 120 x 25 mm (optional) - Accessible: 3 x 5.25’’, 1 x 3.5’’ - Hidden: 5 x 3.5’’, 1 x 2.5 SECC Exterior & Interior: Black 7 Support Micro ATX , Standard ATX USB2.0 x 2, MIC & Speaker (support AC’97 & HD Audio) Standard PS2 PSU (optional) CPU cooler height limitation: 170mm VGA length limitation: 320mm

Google spends a cool US$12.5 billion on Motorola Mobility Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-spends-a-cool-us-12.5-billionon-motorola-mobility/13307.html August 16th, 2011

Google might've lost out on the US$4.5 billion bid on Nortel's patents, but the company has gone out and got itself a consolation prize for a mere US$12.5 billion, a prize known as Motorola Mobility. For those sitting on shares in Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc, the official name for Motorola's phone division, this is fantastic news as the shares have jumped by over 55 percent, although Google's shares are actually down so far, albeit by a mere percent or so.

Google might've lost out on the US$4.5 billion bid on Nortel's patents, but the company has gone out and got itself a consolation prize for a mere US$12.5 billion, a prize known as Motorola Mobility. For those sitting on shares in Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc, the official name for Motorola's phone

division, this is fantastic news as the shares have jumped by over 55 percent, although Google's shares are actually down so far, albeit by a mere percent or so.

The shareholders of both companies have voted in favour for acquisition, although it still needs to pass the scrutiny of the SEC and some other instances. It's an interesting move by Google, especially as the company still has several other major handset vendors that may or may not turn elsewhere for their device OS needs in the future, all depending on how Google handles things.

We should be quick to point out that Motorola Mobility will remain a separate entity from Google and it won't be part of the Google branded companies. However, we can't but wonder what benefits Motorola Mobile will see from this close relationship with Google and if Google wants to keep its other Android partners happy, it's going to have to make sure that Motorola Mobility doesn't get any special treatment, something that doesn't sound very likely.

On the other hand, there are only so many options when it comes to alternative smartphone operating systems that consumers would deem acceptable over Android. It's clear that both Microsoft and HP have an opportunity here and as far as Samsung goes, the company already has its own platform in the shape of Bada. It will be interesting to follow how things unfold, but at the moment HTC, LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson are all still behind Android and have commented that Google's purchase of Motorola Mobility is a positive thing for Android in general.

One of the key reasons for Google to buy Motorola Mobility is the stack of patents the company has, as Motorola was one of the companies behind the very first cell phones and much of that technology is what today's handsets are building upon.

It's also important to remember that Motorola Mobility makes a range of other products such as optical networking solutions for digital cable TV and internet, something else which ties in nicely with Google's overall businesses. It's no doubt that this will have some interesting developments for consumers as well and if nothing else, we'll hopefully be seeing better support for Motorola's Android handsets when it comes to version upgrades of Android.

[e27.sg] Get Slosht for cheap drinks Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-e27.sg-get-slosht-for-cheapdrinks/13305.html August 16th, 2011

Group-buying deal sites may come by the dozen in the Asian region, but instead of offering the usual spa/manicure/ restaurant deals, Malaysia-based startup Slosht is aiming to focus on one aspect: deep discounts for alcoholic beverages.

The site, which was launched in early August, works like any other group-buying deal…

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Group-buying deal sites may come by the dozen in the Asian region, but instead of offering the usual spa/manicure/ restaurant deals, Malaysia-based startup Slosht is aiming to focus on one aspect: deep discounts for alcoholic beverages.

The site, which was launched in early August, works like any other group-buying deal site: you sign up, bid on a deal, and if enough people buy into it, boom – you’ll be getting your drink on like a rap star with a maxed out credit limit. Right now, there’s only one deal on offer – a bottle of Glen Grant 16 year old Single Malt Whiskey at half off for the beta launch party on August 18. Another twist are that the deals offered are one-night deals, where buyers have to redeem their deals on a particular date, so you’ll be in the company of other Slosht users on the night.

Top spenders of certain outlets or beverages would also get some extra privileges to the deal such as free parking, limited edition bottles, and other premiums thrown in. Slosht is run

by Lau Chak Onn, who is also the founder of online greeting card service Foldees. We e-mailed Chak to get his thoughts on where we could see Slosht headed to in the near future.

How many users have signed up for Slosht?

We’re just at a few hundred users at the moment, which was a bit higher than our targeted group of friends and family.

(Heheh.). The response has been pretty crazy so far since we’ve sold more than 50 bottles of single malt whisky, amounting to some RM15,000 in savings. Of course, the proof is in the punch, which is what happens after we expand beyond our loving and supportive friends and family.

Published by: VR-Zone

We’re limiting the number of deals for now simply because we’re at an experimental stage. Before we go and sell a whole bunch of deals, we want to know what works and what doesn’t.

You can ask some outlets, we’ve actually told them to hold off till after Septermber, where we expect four to five deals, all trying different things to see what appeals most to consumers.

ASUS N43SL Jay Chou Edition review: Not perfect, but almost "Incredible" Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-n43sl-jay-chou-edition-reviewnot-perfect-but-almost-incredible-/13247.html August 16th, 2011

In late June, ASUS and Taiwanese celebrity Jay Chou announced the new N-series laptop, N43SL, which claims to incorporate the latest second generation Intel processor as well as SonicMaster audio technology to offer superb multimedia performance for the users. VR-Zone managed to get our hands on the special edition notebook PC and see how "incredible" it is.

Is Slosht going to expand outside Malaysia? If so, are you going to ramp up the sales staff to canvas separate markets?

Yes and yes! The concept is the only one of its kind in the world, in particular with the one-night concept. Malaysia’s a testing ground for us, and we definitely plan to fly it to many other countries in the near future once we’ve gotten Malaysia up and running.

So what does Slosht get out of the deal here? Does it involve taking a percentage cut, as with other group deal-buying sites?

At the moment, we’re taking a lower commission to reduce prices even more, but will eventually target around the same commission as other group-buying sites. Everything is negotiable at this point because we also want the outlet to put in budgets to make these events good; there’s no point of just taking all the money and leaving the outlet and our users high and dry (literally). For instance, in the pipeline, we’ve got absinthe flea markets and stout pong lined up. Our sell is that people enjoy themselves and associate that with outlets and booze brands.

You also mentioned about plans to make Slosht a more social experience compared to conventional group-buying sites, where it’s just about discounts. Would that mean more parties and drinking get-togethers?

Everything will be an on-the-ground party and drinking get together. And yes, we want it to become a community. We want you guys to talk to each other, outdrink each other, or pat each other on the back when one of you just got awarded Golden Elf status for consuming 1000 pints of Irish stout. Aside from that, let’s just keep it hush for now.

When will we start seeing some new deals coming along?

Celebrity-endorsed products aren't new; like the Monster Heartbeats by Lady Gaga headphones, Korean girl group SSND (also known as Girls' Generation) for Intel processor, and Ken Watanabe for Canon cameras etc. And it isn't surprising when ASUS and popular Taiwanese celebrity, Jay Chou, jointly launched the ASUS N43SL Jay Chou special edition laptop in late June this year. Well, the interesting thing about the collaboration is that it is unlike other celebrityendorsed products whereby (we assumed) you just need to have the celebrity put his or her name on the product and pose with it in the advertisements. In fact, Chou was actually "employed" as a chief designer since beginning this year and was involved in the design of the laptop with the ASUS design team. So one cannot say that this ASUS N43SL is just like any other celebrity-endorsed product.

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Published by: VR-Zone

So how good is the ASUS N43SL Jay Chou Special Edition laptop? Before we proceed, let's take a look at its hardware specifications:-

CPU Chipset Memory Hard disk Graphics Screen Display resolution Camera Audio

Connectivity

Card Reader OS Battery Dimension Weight

ASUS N43SL Jay Chou Special Edition 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M Intel HM65 Express Chipset 4GB DDR3 RAM (Up to 8192MB) 640GB SATA Nvidia GeForce GT540M 14-inch 16:9 HD LED backlight 1366x768 2-megapixel fixed web camera Built-in speakers and microphone Bang & Olufsen ICEpower Integrated 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, 3x USB2.0, 1x USB3.0, HDMI out, VGA out LAN, mic-in, headphone out 3-in-1 card reader (SD/MS/ MMC) Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 6-cell : 5200mAh 56Whrs 35.0 x 24.3 x 3.3 ~3.7 cm 2.4kg (with 6-cell battery)

Hello Kitty-touting Baby-G watch shows up for sale in Japan

For years, the cute little cat known as Hello Kitty have charmed both children and adults alive with her antics, and the sheer number of Hello Kitty merchandise that have been made available for sale throughout these years only serve as an indicator of her growing popularity both within and outside of Japan. And if you happen to be one such Hello Kitty fan, here's hoping that you have some good friends over in Japan who are willing to help you out with a request at a moment's notice, for word has it that a limited-edition Hello Kitty Baby-G watch is currently up for grabs in the Land of the Rising Sun.

According to a report published by Japanese website Charamono, the limited edition Hello Kitty Baby-G watch will be based off the G-5600 model, while its strap will be decorated with an array of pink hearts, ostensibly to tell the world that you are just as lovable as the cute little cat who is currently endorsing your timepiece of choice.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hello-kitty-touting-baby-g-watchshows-up-for-sale-in-japan/13304.html August 16th, 2011

Love that cute little anthropomorphic cat without a mouth that is known by many all around the world as Hello Kitty?

If so, today will probably be a good day to ask for help from some friends who are currently taking up residence in Japan.

Apparently, Casio has entered into a partnership of sorts with the SoftBank Hawks baseball team and Sanrio that will see a limited edition Hello Kitty Baby-G watch go up for sale in Japan.

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In addition, activating the watch's electronic illuminator will result in Hello Kitty's head, complete with a SoftBanks Hawks baseball cap, appearing on its liquid crystal display. And to top off the package, the same design can also be found of the watch's battery cover, as shown in the picture above.

Interested? Well, you might want to move fast, for it seems that only 300 units of these Hello Kitty Baby-G watches will be produced by Casio (well, it's called a 'limited edition' run for a reason), and that they will cost you 14,700 yen apiece, or approximately US$191.

ASUS will ship Padfone with Ice Cream Sandwich preloaded Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-will-ship-padfone-with-ice-creamsandwich-preloaded/13303.html August 16th, 2011

It is widely accepted by many that ASUS's upcoming Padfone, which we first covered in Computex 2011 some months back, has the potential to take tablet and smartphone computing in a direction which no other OEM has ever attempted to do so, save for Motorola and its Atrix smartphone. And like the gift that keeps on giving, it seems that users who are keen to keep themselves on the bleeding edge of mobile technology will probably have something extra to look forward to, for ASUS has reportedly announced that the Padfone will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich preloaded in it.

Published by: VR-Zone

Remember our coverage about ASUS's upcoming smartphone-tablet hybrid mobile computing device that was eventually revealed to be the Padfone in Computex this year? Well, if you happen to be interested in getting your hands on one of these Padfones on launch day, wee have got an additional bit of good news for youu. Apparently, the Taiwanese OEM has announced that it plans to ship the Padfone with Google's upcoming version of the Android operating system, which has been dubbed "Ice Cream Sandwich", preloaded into the device.

As most people will undoubtedly know by now, hopes and expectations forr Ice Cream Sandwich are high, as it is with this particular version of the Android operating system that Google is aiming to merge both the smartphone-centric and the tablet-optimized branches of Android back into a single unified release. This makes sense, considering how the Padfone's biggest selling point is its ability to switch between 'smartphone mode' and 'tablet mode' in an instant as soon as the smartphone component of the Padfone is locked into its tablet-sized cradle. As such, a unified version of Android which is capable of working well on both form factors is integral to the Padfone's success; this might explain why ASUS has chosen to hold out on the Padfone's official launch until such an operating system is made available for it to run off on.

Lastly, there has also been some whispers of what appears to be a Padfone successor currently in the works over at ASUS's labs, along with some unverfied claims that the next-gen Padfone might certain additional technologies such as support for mobile broadband connectivity via 4G and glassless 3D display. However, considering how the firstgeneration Padfone has yet to even see the light of day on retail shelves, let's just say that we will cross that particular bridge when we actually come to it.

Details of HTC's new Ruby and Holiday smartphones leaked online?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/details-of-htc-s-new-ruby-and-holidaysmartphones-leaked-online-/13302.html

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August 16th, 2011

Another day, another piece of news about information and images of unreleased smartphones getting leaked out into the depths of cyberspance. And unsurprisingly, today's highlight hails once again from the likes of well-known Taiwanese mobile phone manufacturer HTC, where details of two of its unreleased mobile phones have somehow managed to find their way into the hands of eager individuals who are only too keen to share their findings online with the rest of the world.

Well well well, check out what the rumour mill has managed to churn out over the weekend. Apparently, HTC has been doing quite a poor job of keeping its prototype units for its upcoming smartphones tightly under lock and key, for it seems that photographs and information about two upcoming models, namely the HTC Ruby and the HTC Holiday, have been spotted floating around the depths of cyberspace recently.

That being said, most of our attention is on the HTC Holiday, if only because the circumstances that led to the relevation of its details online seem a little too close to the little prerelease fiasco Apple experienced with its iPhone 4 for comfort.

According to a report published by Engadget, the person who was responsible for the publication of all the photographs and details about the HTC Holiday first noticed that the prototype device was being put up on sale at Craiglist. Needless to say, this mystery person immediately purchased the phone and proceeded to upload all the images about it as evidence of his newfound acquisition.

Specs-wise, it would seem that HTC is planning to position the Holiday as a premium phone, for Engadget has claimed that the smartphone will make use of a 1.2GHz dual-core processor to provide its data crunching muscle, along with a healthy 1GB of RAM. In addition, the report also claims that the HTC Holiday sports a 4.5-inch qHD screen which is capable of a native resolution of 960 x 540, and will sport dual facing cameras, with the rear camera capable of capturing stills at the resolution of up to eight megapixels, while the front-facing camera boasts a maximum resolution of 1.3 megapixels.

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Last but definitely not least, the HTC Ruby will also feature dual-facing cameras, with the rear camera unit being capable of the same eight-megapixel resolution found on the aforementioned Holiday, although its front-facing camera will boast a maximum resolution of two megapixels instead of the Holiday's 1.3-megapixel resolution.

Lastly, the leaked photographs have also confirmed that the Holiday will be preloaded with version 2.3.4 of the Android operating system, which suggests that HTC might plan to release the Holiday well before Google is ready with Ice Cream Sandwich.

On the other hand, details about HTC's other upcoming smartphone, the HTC Ruby, are more scarce. However, what we do know is that the Ruby will reportedly feature set of hardware specifications that are slightly superior to the HTC Holiday, for a report published by TmoNews has indicated that the Ruby will feature a 1.5GHz dual-core processor as its main computing muscle, although it still packs the same 1GB of RAM and 4.5-inch qHD display that is present on the HTC Holiday.

Chromebooks can now run Windows...sort of Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chromebooks-can-now-runwindows...sort-of/13301.html August 16th, 2011

Google may have explicitly declared that their Chromebooks will not allow a user to install anything to the local storage, much less replace the stock Chrome OS operating system with an alternative OS such as Windows 7 or a Linux distribution.

However, the good news is that Chromebook owners who simply cannot do without Windows for their daily computing needs now have a workaround of sorts to get Windows on their machines, and it comes in the form of Citrix's new technical preview for its Receiver virtualization tool.

When Google first released its Chromebooks, there was excitement all around over what was potentially a serious competitor to Windows and OS X. Unfortunately, much of that excitement died when it was revealed that the notebooks were shipped with an extremely locked-down BIOS which disables access to most of the machine's hardware, making it impossible for a user to install anything onto a Chromebook, much less a new operating system such as Windows 7 or a 12

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Linux distro. However, if you simply need to run Windows on a Chromebook, the good news is that there now exists a workaround of sorts to do so, thanks to the introduction of Citrix's new technical preview for its Citrix Receiver virtualization tool.

Published by: VR-Zone

Of course, we are assuming that you still have a job to go to tomorrow if you attempt to pull this one off.

More "official" online Apple stores pop up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-official-online-apple-stores-popup-in-china/13300.html August 16th, 2011

According to a blog post made by Chrome's technical program manager Alberto Martin, businesses who already have access to a working Cytrix infrastructure can now make use of the technical preview of Citrix Receiver for Chrome OS to “access desktop software such as Adobe Photoshop” directly from the Chromebook itself, as shown in the screenshot below. Citrix has also pointed out that the Receiver app for Chrome OS will not only allow users to access their Windows-based desktop and applications, but also to keep their information stored on their provider's secure servers, and to move seamlessly from desktop to tablet smartphones.

If you thought that the recent headlines about Chinese businessmen copying the designs, look and style of products and retail stores are the best examples of how enterprising the Chinese can be when it comes to selling their wares, you really have not seen everything yet. Apparently not satisfied with imitating Apple's consumer electronic products and retail store, it seems that some sellers are now going hi-tech by cloning Apple's online store as passing it off as the real deal.

The next time you happen to find yourself in China and are thinking of purchasing an Apple-branded products online to avoid getting tricked into either walking into an elaborate imitation Apple store or buying a low-cost clone, you might want to take our advice and squint really hard at your web browser window. And while you are at it, be doubly sure to ascertain that it is the official online Apple store that you are really visiting.

Why, you may ask? Well, we've got news for you; apparently, some enterprising Chinese are now moving to take the whole clone Apple business up another level by leveraging the power of the Internet to create their own “official” Apple stores.

Which, at first glance, might look good enough to fool an unsuspecting customer, if the screenshots of such an online store captured below is of any indication.

Needless to say, Citrix's new app for Chrome OS will have a huge impact in making Google's online operating system more attractive to certain business users, if only because Receiver will help to ensure that the IT department does not have to worry about answering phone calls on how to get their Windows apps working on a Chromebook. This also means that the excuse of not being able to get any serious work done on a Chromebook due to the inability to access Photoshop or Microsoft Office is no longer valid. However, there is a major loophole for you to exploit if you are really feeling lazy; Receiver relies very heaviliy on network connectivity, so all you have to do is to get yourself to an area that is completely void of any form of Internet connectivity, and your excuse might still work.

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with your account, This is because Facebook have somehow managed to publish a whole chunk of its subscribers' mobile phone numbers onto its online platform, a move which has had many users understandably irked.

While most of us discerning viewers may be able to have a good laugh at how the “official Apple store” looks nothing like Apple's, we cannot help but point out that the introduction of such imitation online stores can potentially hide a more sinister purpose. At the very least, with a traditional brickand-mortar retail store, users have the opportunity to actually physically inspect the goods before they decide to commit themselves to any purchase. This is not possible in an online store, thus there is a possibility that unscrupulous sellers may abuse this aspect of online purchasing to con people into paying the full Apple price for a low-quality knockoff that might look and feel like the real deal, but performs nothing like it.

That being said, it will be interesting to see how China is going to even attempt to crack down on such “official Apple online stores”, considering how the act of policing the Internet is never an easy task for even the most reputable law enforcement agencies.

Facebook publishes subscribers' mobile phone numbers for all to see?

According to various reports that have been posted online, the latest privacy breach allegedly occurred some time last weekend, where many users were understandably shocked to see contact details such as their full names and mobile phone numbers appear on Facebook's online platform. This has resulted in many taking the initiative to warn friends about the latest privacy breach by urging users to log in to their accounts and change their privacy settings as soon as possible.

Apparently, the hoo-ha over the alleged privacy breach was so intense that Facebook had to issue an official response of sorts on its fan page, where it claimed that the rumours about phone contacts being published on its online platform were false. Facebook has also gone on to claim that this feature has been present in its online platform for the longest time already, and that such contact details are only visible to users who have made use of its mobile sync service to synchronize those numbers. However, it would seem that Facebook's response has done little to stem the outpouring of negative feedback, especially how some users are claiming that their numbers were still showing up on Facebook even after explicitly disabling mobile sync.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/facebook-publishes-subscribersmobile-phone-numbers-for-all-to-see-/13299.html August 16th, 2011

If you have not been keeping up with the controversies that have been surrounding Facebook over the past few days, today might just be a good time to log in to your account to see if you have been the victim of yet another alleged privacy breach. Apparently, it seems that the popular online social networking service has managed to publish its subscribers and their friends' mobile phone numbers on its platform for all to see, and needless to say many are not exactly pleased with the service's latest move.

Intel's Sandy Bridge-E priced, don't expect any surprises Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-sandy-bridge-e-priced-don-texpect-any-surprises/13298.html August 16th, 2011

If you are the kind of person who values privacy on Facebook and do not want people to gain access to more intimate details about you and your friends, such as their cell phone numbers, you might want to log in to the popular online social networking service pronto to check if everything is still fine 14

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When it comes to pricing, Intel is a very predictable company and although we're not quite sure why the company is sticking to the exact same prices over and over again, it's just how it is. One of our very reliable sources have come through with the pricing for Intel's upcoming Sandy Bridge-E processor and although there were whispers of a price point over US$1,000, well, let's just say that there aren't any big surprises in store.

When it comes to pricing, Intel is a very predictable company and although we're not quite sure why the company is sticking to the exact same prices over and over again, it's just how it is. One of our very reliable sources have come through with the pricing for Intel's upcoming Sandy Bridge-E processor and although there were whispers of a price point over US$1,000, well, let's just say that there aren't any big surprises in store.

In fact, Intel has stuck with its regular tiered pricing, so in other words, the Core i7-3960X will be priced at US$999, just as pretty much every other Extreme Edition desktop CPU since back in the Pentium 4 days. That said, as you're not getting a CPU cooler thrown in this time around, you're actually paying a bit more than you do for the current Core i7-990X, at least if you use the stock cooler.

The Core i7-3930K will end up replacing the Core i7-980 and it'll also end up with the same price, US$583. Finally the Core i7-3820 should be replacing the lower-end Core i7's and as such we're looking at US$294 price point. As such the Core i7-3820 will be cheaper than the Core i7-2600K, the question is how it will perform in comparison to Intel's top of the line LGA-1155 CPU. On a related note, if you look at recent Intel roadmap leaks, you'll notice a little symbol that looks like this â&#x2030;Ľ and it's suggesting that Intel is about to replace, or at least add a faster Core i7 K-SKU sometime this quarter which happens to corroborate some whispers we've been hearing. As to why Intel would be doing this is anyone's guess, but it's possible that the new model will have additional multipliers unlocked compared to the Core i7-2600K. We'll just have to wait and see how things develop, but right not it's not looking good for Intel's Core i7-3820, unless it can really outperform the LGA-1155 by some margin.

Exclusive: Sandy Bridge-E to ship without cooler Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-sandy-bridge-e-to-shipwithout-cooler/13296.html August 16th, 2011

How many of you rely on aftermarket coolers for your CPU? We don't know anyone that thinks Intel's stock coolers are great and when details reached us of Intel not shipping coolers with its upcoming Sandy Bridge-E processors we were at first

Published by: VR-Zone

surprised, but considering the target market it makes a lot of sense.

How many of you rely on aftermarket coolers for your CPU? We don't know anyone that thinks Intel's stock coolers are great and when details reached us of Intel not shipping coolers with its upcoming Sandy Bridge-E processors we were at first surprised, but considering the target market it makes a lot of sense.

The upcoming Core i7 processor from Intel, the 3820, 3930K and the 3960X will all ship without a cooler in the box. That said, Intel has decided to offer own brand coolers for the platform, it's just that they won't come in the box with the CPU. We can't really see why anyone would buy an Intel cooler over a third party cooler as not even Intel's high-end heatpipe cooler for its current and past Extreme Edition models were all that great. Some of the third party cooler makers will have products ready at launch, but worst case scenario, we might be looking at a cooler shortage at launch.

On top of this, we're hearing that although the rated TDP is 130W these beasts are consuming closer to 180W and that's without even overclocking them. In fact, according to PSU design guidance we've seen, Intel is telling power supply makers to make sure their Sandy Bridge-E PSUs can cope with a peak current of 23A on the 12V2 rail and based on an 80 percent or better efficiency rating of the PSU. As such it might be a very good idea to invest in a water cooling kit if you're planning on going Sandy Bridge-E, especially if you're planning on pushing the boat out and overclock. The bad news for LN2 crowd is that at least early samples of Sandy Bridge-E is suffering from the dreaded cold bug, although this might have been fixed in later revisions of the processor.

On top of all that it looks like the quad core 3820 model has been delayed and will arrive later than the 3930K and 3960X, although we don't know exactly when Intel intends to release it to the market. Intel is currently working on the C1 stepping and this should be what ships in the end unless there are any unforeseen issues with the latest stepping. So in other words, good news all aroundâ&#x20AC;Ś

HP launches webOS TouchPad tablet device in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-launches-webos-touchpad-tabletdevice-in-singapore/13100.html August 16th, 2011

When HP acquired Palm earlier this year, it was a matter of time we would see webOS devices coming to market. And even though the company has launched the TouchPad tablet and smartphones in US, Canada and some countries in Europe, there had not been any news whether the webOS devices will come to Singapore. Well, the wait is over. This evening, HP 15

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announces the launch the webOS TouchPad in Singapore.

Update: HP unveils new launch price for the HP TouchPad.

In landscape orientation, the volume controls are at the top, while on the right is the power button and the 3.5mm audio port to connect to your headphones or earphones. HP is also selling the Beats Solo headphones for use with the TouchPad.

Update: The HP TouchPad will be available from retailers, resellers and direct from HP (www.hp.com.sg/touchpaddeals) at S$599 for the 16GB and S$699 for the 32GB models.

For the month of August, in celebration of Singapore's National Day, both the 16GB and 32GB HP TouchPad will be selling at S$699 and S$799 respectively and come with free HP TouchPad Case and HP TouchPad Wireless Keyboard.

The HP TouchPad comes in 16GB and 32GB flavours, and going into the device information page shows that the tablet is running webOS 3.0.2 and user is required to register a HP webOS account for the TouchPad. The TouchPad sports a 9.7-inch flush capacitive multi-touch display, supports Adobe Flash, has virtual keyboard and access to thousands of webOS applications.

On the right of the display is the back button to bring you back to the main home screen, while the right edge holds the microUSB connector. The TouchPad also features HP Synergy that lets you sync your contacts, emails, messages, photos automatically from up to 16 sources such as Facebook, Google, Yahoo!, Skype and Microsoft Exchange. The tablet is also capable of multi-task and you can easily close the application by flicking your finger at the application upward.

One interesting feature of the HP TouchPad is the built-in HP Touchstone technology for easy wireless charging. Simply place the tablet on the HP Touchstone dock (sold separately) and you can charge the tablet's battery even without removing 16

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the HP TouchPad case. Other accessories include the wireless keyboard and TouchPad Case.

According to HP, for the month of August, there will be a special promotion in conjunction with National Day - the TouchPad with 16GB will come with a HP TouchPad Case, while the 32GB will come with the TouchPad Case and Wireless Keyboard. Preorders will start on 27 July, while the HP TouchPad will be availabile in Singapore from 12 August.

The HP Touchstone Charging Dock will be selling at S$109.90; the HP TouchPad Wireless Keyboard - S$79.90; the HP TouchPad Case has a price tag of S$49.90; the TouchPad International power adapter is selling at S$39.90; and the Beats Solo headphones is retailing at S$420.

According to Equest International, distributor of InCase in Singapore, the accessories manufacturer have collaborated with renowned designer Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to develop a distinct collection whereby the artwork is applied to select cases, sleeves and bags for the Apple iPhone, iPad and MacBook. The accessories are adorned with Warholâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s late-era Camouflage and the Banana screen print created in 1966, while some of the iPhone cases have the 1964 Flowers print, Dollar Signs (1982), and colorful cow portrait artwork. The Camo and Banana snap designed iPhone 4 cases are retailing at S$79 each; the protective cases at S$99 each; and the shoulder bags at S$239 each.

Serena Yong, general manager for HP Personal Systems Group, Singapore says that the HP TouchPad is a highly anticipated and first webOS tablet device that will mark the beginning of how HP is going to scale webOS across their devices.

InCase new Andy Warhol collection of products

The Andy Warhol collection of products will be available for sale at A Curious Teepee (at Scape) exclusively for a limited time. A wide range of Incase products are currently already available at Apple Premium Resellers such as NuBox, EpiCentre and iStudio. Incase Audio and designer collections will be available at selected lifestyle and electronic stores in the coming weeks.

Here are some of the other InCase offerings that we spotted at yesterday's event.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/incase-new-andy-warhol-collection-ofproducts/13294.html August 16th, 2011

Equest International, distributor of InCase in Singapore, showcased the various line of InCase accessories designed for Apple products including iPhone, iPad and MacBook. Among them is the Andy Warhol designer collection of products which include the iPhone 4 cases, protective cases and shoulder bags.

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August 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone August 16th, 2011

Fujifilm has announced the release of three new additions to its lineup of compact digital cameras for casual shutterbugs.

Known as the JX420, JX370 and the F600 EXR, the new cameras boast various enhanced features such as better image quality, support for geolocation data and easier photo sharing, among many others. More details coming right up after the break.

There is no denying that DSLRs, Micro Four Thirds, mirrorless cameras featuring interchangeable lenses and superzoom bridge cameras are the tools of choice for more savvy photographers who seek greater control over their camera in order to bring out the best possible images their cameras are capable of. However, it does not change the fact that the vast majority of camera users are your typical Joe Average whose only idea of a good camera is to point it at something, press the shutter button and expect a good-looking image to appear.

And if that sounds like the kind of thing you expect from your camera, you are in link, for Fujifilm has just announced the availability of three new cameras that are designed to make photo-taking both quick and easy for such users.

Fujifilm F600 EXR First up on the list is Fujifilm's new F600 EXR compact camera, which the Japanese company claims is designed for users who want some degree of control over their camera settings, but in the form of a pocketable camera which is capable of producing high-quality stills.

Fujifilm announces new additions to J and F series of compact cameras Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujifilm-announces-new-additions-to-jand-f-series-of-compact-cameras/13293.html

According to Fujifilm, the new F600 EXR makes use of a 1/2-inch, 16-megapixel back side illuminated EXR-CMOS image sensor which sports a variety of Fujifilm's proprietary technologies, such as EXR Auto and Motion Detection to further enhance low light results. In addition, the F600 EXR sports a 15x optical zoom range, which can be further boosted to 30x via the use of Fujifilm's intelligent digital zoom, which â&#x20AC;&#x153;assesses areas of contrast within an image and applies selective processing to the sections of the image where sharpness can be boosted without lowering image qualityâ&#x20AC;?.

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Lastly, Fujifilm has confirmed that the F600 EXR will debut a new feature known as Landmark Navigator, which makes use of the camera's built-in GPS module to â&#x20AC;&#x153;automatically locates places of interest from its on-board database of around one million locations before displaying these points on the camera's LCD, showing their relative positionâ&#x20AC;?. In addition, users can also use the Photo Navigation feature to find their way back to a previously photographed location.

Fujifilm JX420 and JX370 Unlike the aforementioned F600 EXR digital compact camera, Fujifilm's new JX420 and JX370 digital cameras are designed to greatly simplify the way users share photographs among friends and loved ones with minimal fuss.

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making its way around the Chinese grey market as we bring you this little report.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 5 may be the talk of town at this very point of time, but it seems that consumers who just simply cannot stand waiting for another day to get their hands on the Cupertino giant's spanking new smartphone might want to turn to the Chinese grey market to get their much-needed Apple fix. This is because word has it that an unannounced 'Apple-product' is currently making its rounds there, and it comes in the form of an 'iPhone 4 GS'.

According to Fujitsu, the JX420 and JX370 will sport a 5x zoom lens which boasts the equivalent of a 28-140mm lens on a typical 35mm camera, and makes use of a 2.7-inch rear LCD screen to make the composition and viewing of images simple.

However, the JX420 and JX370 will differ slightly where image resolution as concerned; while the JX420 will feature a 1/2.3-inch 16-megapixel CCD image sensor, the JX370's image sensor, while physically identical, will feature a slightly lower maximum resolution of 14-megapixels.

That being said, we mentioned that the JX420 and JX370 are designed to greatly simplify the process of sharing images online, and this is accomplished via Fujifilm's Easy Web Upload feature. This allows users to pre-select the images that they wish to share on the camera first, and then immediately start uploading them via the MyFinePix Studio software as soon as the camera is connected to one's PC. No details about pricing or availability for the three cameras was released by Fujifilm.

'iPhone 4GS' shows up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-iphone-4gs-shows-up-inchina/13292.html August 16th, 2011

Details about this unannounced 'iPhone 4 GS' are scarce, but based on what we can see on the packaging, it seems that the smartphone will be a 'world phone' of sorts, considering how it is capable of supporting both the CDMA and GSM mobile networks. Also, like the iPhone 3GS before it, the 'iPhone 4GS' looks every bit like the original iPhone 4, although no specifications about the '4GS''s processor or cameras have been released.

No prices for the 'iPhone 4GS' has been released at this point of time though. Oh, and one last thing; if it was not obvious enough, it is clear that we are not buying any claims that this smartphone from China is the real deal in any way.

Google+: Now shipping with bundled games Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google--now-shipping-with-bundledgames/13291.html

Would you like to get your hands on an 'iPhone 4 GS' well before Apple officially announces its availability on the market? If so, you might want to start searching around your contact lists for friends who are currently taking up residence in China, for word has it that an 'iPhone 4GS' has started 19

August 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

August 16th, 2011

If Facebook claims that you don't get to befriend more than a million people out there without potentially making a few enemies, we'd wager that a similar line for Google+ online social networking service will probably be something along the lines of “You don't get to become a credible online social networking service without throwing some games into the mix”. Indeed, the search giant has just announced that it has rolled out a variety of casual games for its new Google+ service, and it seems that some very popular titles have been roped into the fray.

So, you love playing Farmvile on Facebook, and have recently jumped over to Google's new Google+ online social networking service to see what the whole fuzz was. That is great and all, but if there is one aspect of Google+ which most online social veterans would pick a bone with, it will be the fact that Google has seemingly decided to opt for the 'boring' approach to social networking by not providing any games for its user base to entertain themselves with. Well, that is all set to change soon, now that the search giant has just rolled out its new Games page for Google+.

But there is more to Google+'s new Games service. Apparently, it seems that Google, in its typical “Don't be Evil” philosophy, is attempting to cater to both social gamers and the honestto-goodness social networkers by allowing users to customize how Games work on Google+. Gamers can play all the games and share all the achievement they want to their hearts' content, while others who actually prefer to keep their streams free from unnecessary clutter such as updates on who got the highest score on Angry Birds can opt to ignore the service entirely. In the end, both sides win. Nice.

Screenshots of Ice Cream Sandwich's user interface leaked?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/screenshots-of-ice-cream-sandwich-s-

According to a blog post made by Vic Gundotra, who serves as Google's senior vice president for engineering, the decision to include games in Google+ was made because they serve as a “great way for users to spend quality time with each other”, and that it was also good to have a little “friendly competition” sometimes. Currently available on the new Games page in Google+ are well-known titles such as Sudoku, Bejeweled Blitz and yes, that famous avian-bovine catfight game we call Angry Birds.

user-interface-leaked-/13290.html August 16th, 2011

If there is one thing most smartphone users expect from every new Android release, it would probably be that of an updated and more polished graphical user interface to replace the old one found in the previous versions. And as it turns out, it seems that Android fans who are anxiously awaiting the release of Ice Cream Sandwich will probably have much to look forward to, if this purported leak of the new OS's user interface is of any indication.

Do you remember the news we posted about Google's upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich release for the Android Operating system yesterday? In it, we mentioned that devices preloaded with this spanking new OS can be expected to see the light of day on retail shelves from as early as October this 20

August 16th, 2011

year. If that was not enough to get you all fired up about the upcoming OS release, perhaps this leaked screenshot of what appears to be Ice Cream Sandwich's new user interface will, as published by a website known as RootzWiki.

Published by: VR-Zone

it suitable for use on older devices. Also of interest is the presence of an icon located at the bottom right of the second screenshot we have posted, which resembles some sort of 'onestop station" to access multiple apps that are currently running in the background.

Last but definitely not least, RootzWiki has claimed that this release, appears to be a very early build of the new UI, so expect things to change drastically over the next couple of months while Google and its developers work to tidy up Ice Cream Sandwich for mass deployment.

Dell announces availability of three new mobile computers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dell-announces-availability-of-threenew-mobile-computers/13289.html August 16th, 2011

Dell has announced the availability of three new additions to its lineup of portable computing devices, the Latitude XT3 convertible tablet PC, the Inspiron13z notebook PC, and the Vostro V131 business notebook PC. According to Dell, all three products have been designed to cater to the needs of professionals who crave “thin and powerful computing” solutions that allows them to work without boundaries.

The “post-PC era” craze may be likened to a tidal wave that doesn't appear to show signs of slowing down any time soon, but it appears that the tenacity of more traditional computing systems such as notebooks and convertible tablet PCs are not about to go the way of the dinosaur in the near future, especially if Dell has got anything to say about it. Apparently, the popular computer OEM still believes in the value of such devices enough to justify the release two new additions to its line of portable computing devices; the Latitude XT3 convertible tablet PC and the Inspiron13z notebook PC. Dell Latitude XT3 As RootzWiki was only able to acquire two screenshots of the alleged new user interface, we are not able to ascertain if this is the actual 'vanilla' user interface for Ice Cream Sandwich, or if it is just a very sophisticated third-party skin that has been layered over the stock UI. However, if we were to work with the assumption that the aforementioned screenshots are the real deal, it would seem that Google is keen on bringing some of Honeycomb's UI elements into Ice Cream Sandwich.

This will mesh well with Google's earlier claims that the two branches of Android will eventually merge together to become a single unified OS that will play nice with both tablets and smartphones.

Touted as a versatile machine designed for mobile professionals, the Latitude XT3 is furnished with hardware which Dell claims is capable of providing “all the productivity, power and functionality of a standard laptop”, but with the added flexibility of a touch-screen tablet. This reportedly allows XT3 users to work from almost anywhere.

In addition, RootzWiki has also claimed that some of the major UI changes which are not exhibited in the above screenshots include a completely new theme for Gmail, and that Ice Cream Sandwich is not expected to differ too drastically from Gingerbread aside from UI changes, ostensibly to make 21

August 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

Backing the Latitude XT3's processing power is Intel's new Core i-series processors, of which users can choose between an i7-2620M, i5-2520M or an i3-2310M to suit their data crunching and general-purpose needs. On the storage side, the XT3 will be offered with either a standard mechanical hard disk with capacities of up to 320GB, or opt for a highperformance SSD with capacities of up to 256GB. In addition, Dell claims that the right combination of hardware will allow the XT3's battery to provide over eight hours of uptime on a single charge, and that the XT3 will be compatible with most accessories used by other Latitude E-series laptops.

The new Latitude XT3 is already available for purchase from Dell's online store at the starting price of S$2,145.

Dell Inspiron13z If it is a notebook you are looking for, fret not, for Dell also has got something new to offer to such consumers. The newly-released Dell Inspiron13z notebook, which Dell claims is its most powerful ultra-thin Inspiron offering, sports a 13inch display which features a native resolution of 1366 x 768, and comes bundled with various bells and whistles such as SRS Premium Sound HD and Intel WiDi support, making it suitable for use as a multimedia entertainment notebook.

The new Dell Vostro V131 will sport a 13-inch display that boasts a native resolution of 1366 x 768. In addition, Dell will also offer users a choice between Intel's Core i5-2410M and Core i3-2330M processors, although Dell has claimed that a third processor option is also available, and that it comes in the form of Intel's low-power ULV Celeron 847, although this option is not displayed on Dell's online store.

Last but definitely not least, Dell has confirmed that the new Dell Vostro V131 notebook is capable of achieving a maximum battery uptine of up to 9.5 hours on a single charge under the right hardware configurations, making it possible for users to “work virtually anytime, anywhere”.

The Core i3 variant of the Vostro V131 is already available for purchase from Dell's online store at the starting price of S $999, while the Core i5 version is slated to be made available “in the upcoming weeks”.

Thermaltake Level 10 GT review In addition, Dell has confirmed that the new Inspiron13z notebook will be powered by Intel's new Core i3 and i5 processors, although the i3 variant is only available at this point of time. Last but not least, Dell has confirmed that it also offers users the option of upgrading the memory to 8GB, along with choices for mechanical hard disks with capacities ranging from 320GB to 500GB, or to go for a 128GB SSD. The Core i3-variant of the new Dell Inspiron13z notebook is already available for sale on Del's online sotr at the price of S $899, with the Core i5 variant slated to be made available “in the coming weeks”.

Dell Vostro V131 Claimed by Dell to the “one of the lightest and thinnest products in its Vostro portfolio”, the new Dell Vostro V131 business notebook is said to be engineered to maximize productivity by delivering fast, uninterrupted multitasking for today's business challenges.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-level-10-gtreview/13288.html August 16th, 2011

Most enthusiasts would remember the astonishing “Level 10” case which Thermaltake co-designed with BMW Group Design Works USA and released a couple of years ago. Whoever remembers the (otherwise remarkable) Level 10 case also remember the ludicrous price tag which kept the sales of the product very, very low. Thermaltake claims to have fixed that with their release of the newly released Level 10 GT case, a product sharing a similar design but much more functional and far more sensibly priced and which already won the reddot design award for 2011. Today we are having a thorough look at it.

Most enthusiasts would remember the astonishing “Level 10” case which Thermaltake co-designed with BMW Group Design Works USA and released a couple of years ago. Whoever remembers the (otherwise remarkable) Level 10 case also remember the ludicrous price tag which kept the sales of the product very, very low. Thermaltake claims to have fixed that with their release of the newly released Level 10 GT case, a product sharing a similar design but much more functional 22

August 16th, 2011

Published by: VR-Zone

and far more sensibly priced and which already won the reddot design award for 2011. Today we are having a thorough look at it.

• VGA TripleMax 37: Ready for extra-long graphics card up to 14.2”/36 cm (eg., ATI Radeon HD 6870 & NVIDIA GTX 580) P/N Case Type Dimension (H x W x D) Net Weight Side Panel Color Material Cooling System

VN10001W2N Full Tower 584 x 282 x 590 mm (23 x 11.1 x 23.2 inch) 12.7Kg / 28lb Window Exterior & Interior : Black SECC Front (intake) : 200 x 200 x 20 mm Colorshift fan x 1 (600~800rpm, 13~15dBA) Rear (exhaust) : 140 x 140 x 25 mm Turbo fan (1000rpm,16dBA) Top (exhaust) : 200 x 200 x 30 mm Colorshift fan (600~800rpm, 13~15dBA) Side (intake) : Plug&Play 200 x 200 x 30 mm Colorshift fan (600~800rpm, 13~15dBA)

Drive Bays

Expansion Slots Motherboards

I/O Ports PSU LCS Upgradable Other

Bottom (Intake) : 120 x 120 x 25 mm (optional) - Accessible 4 x 5.25’’ ’’, 1 x 3.5’’ - HDD Easy swap 5 x 3.5’’ or 2.5’’ 8 9.6” x 9.6” (Micro ATX), 12” x 9.6” (ATX) , 12” x 13” (Extend ATX) USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 4, eSATA x 1, HD Audio x 1 Standard PS2 PSU Supports 1/2”?3/8”?1/4” water tube CPU cooler height limitation: 190mm VGA length limitation: 360mm

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VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!

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

Intel Atom graphics troubles are DirectX related Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-atom-graphics-troubles-aredirectx-related/13342.html August 19th, 2011

If you remember, yesterday we wrote about Intel delaying its Cedar Trail Atom processors to November, well Intel got in touch with us saying that it had only officially said it would launch Cedar Trail in the second half of this year, so technically it's not late. This might be true as far as the official company lines go, but considering the processors had already been priced and listed for a September launch, we'll stick to our guns and say they're late and now we know the reason why.

If you remember, yesterday we wrote about Intel delaying its Cedar Trail Atom processors to November, well Intel got in touch with us saying that it had only officially said it would launch Cedar Trail in the second half of this year, so technically it's not late. This might be true as far as the official company lines go, but considering the processors had already been priced and listed for a September launch, we'll stick to our guns and say they're late and now we know the reason why.

Intel is having major driver problems, in fact the company has run into some DirectX related hurdles with Microsoft, rather than video decoding issues as we initially suspected. As such Intel is only expecting to ship 32-bit DX9 drivers come November. Yes, you read that correctly, DX9, it's not a typo.

But hang on; doesn't Cedar Trail feature DX10.1 graphics?

Well, yes, the graphics core is indeed DX10.1 compatible, but Intel's driver team is not going to have those drivers ready at launch.

If you want to run a 64-bit OS on your shiny new Atom machine come November you'll be disappointed as well, as Intel isn't expecting to have 64-bit DX9 drivers done until sometime near the end of the year. It seems like the driver problems don't quite end there though, as in as much as Intel will have initial Wireless Display drivers ready for launch, these drivers won't support the latest features of Intel's Wireless Display technology and new drivers aren't expected

until Q1 next year. Also not available until Q1 2012 is support for Intel's Smart Connect technology, a kind of data push solution which means that even if your netbook in this case is in sleep mode, it'll receive emails etc. which is a neat trick Intel seems to have learnt from the smartphone market.

We also asked Intel as to why the company doesn't rely on reference drivers from Imagination Technologies, as the company behind the graphics core in Intel's new Atom processors – and many of its current Atom processors – have fully functional and Microsoft approved drivers that are ready to go. We're still waiting for a reply, but we'll be following up on that as soon as we hear back from Intel.

Cheaper Renesas USB 3.0 host controllers coming next year Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cheaper-renesas-usb-3.0-hostcontrollers-coming-next-year/13341.html August 19th, 2011

Renesas has gone from being the sole USB 3.0 host controller maker to a company that's in a very competitive market with a handful of competitors, most of which offer far more affordable solutions. As such the company is now looking at lowering its pricing, but apparently this won't come into effect until early next year.

Renesas has gone from being the sole USB 3.0 host controller maker to a company that's in a very competitive market with a handful of competitors, most of which offer far more affordable solutions. As such the company is now looking at lowering its pricing, but apparently this won't come into effect until early next year.

Renesas is busy putting the finishing touches on its µPD720202 and µPD720201 USB 3.0 host controllers with two and four ports respectively and the company is expecting to have them out come October. Although no official pricing has been announced, Digitimes is now saying that we can expect the µPD720202 to drop in price to US$1.20 in early 2012, undercutting the competition by quite a fair margin.

Currently there's something of a shortage of the original µPD720200 which Renesas has replaced with the µPD720200A, but these are costly FPBGA chips, whereas the µPD720202 and µPD720201 will be much more affordable QFN chips. This could be part of why Renesas is able to lower the cost so radically, although this is also an economy of 1

August 19th, 2011

scales, so if you can churn out more chips, it gets cheaper. If nothing else, this is good news for consumers, as it means that we should get a blanket market penetration of USB 3.0 host controllers in even the most affordable computers.

PowerColor: Next-gen AMD GPUs in Q1 2012 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/powercolor-next-gen-amd-gpus-inq1-2012/13340.html August 19th, 2011

In an interview with DonanimHaber, PowerColor Sales Director Elaine Liao revealed the release date for AMD's nextgen GPUs. The first Radeon HD 7000 series cards are now expected to release in Q1 2012, according to Liao. This is contrary to previous reports suggesting a release in Q4 2011.

In an interview with DonanimHaber, PowerColor Sales Director Elaine Liao revealed the release date for AMD's nextgen GPUs. The first Radeon HD 7000 series cards are now expected to release in Q1 2012, according to Liao. This is contrary to previous reports suggesting a release in Q4 2011.

However, a late Q4 2011 release is still possible and should not be ruled out.

Interestingly, Liao also mentions that the next-gen GPUs will likely be fabricated at TSMC's 40nm process. This is once again completely in contrary to the well known asumption that both NVIDIA and AMD are prepared to finally move away from 40nm to 28nm and also AMD's official communication, so this might be a result of miscommunication.

The interview also goes into details of upcoming PowerColor products such as HD 6870 X2, HD 6970 X2 and HD 6870 Eyefinity as well as the future of AMD's Fusion initiative.

The full interview is viewable at DonanimHaber.

Details of Samsung's upcoming gaming notebook leaked?

Published by: VR-Zone

released machines, if the rumours prove true, will supposedly feature some extremely potent hardware specifications, along with some degree of visual flair to help them appeal to gamers.

Samsung may be a well-known name in just about every single consumer electronics segment one can think of, but the latest information that has been circulating online seems to suggest that the Korean electronics giant is not contented with just that. Apparently, word has it that Samsung has got plans to make its entry into the market for gaming-grade notebooks, especially if the latest leak about what appears to be the company's unreleased gaming notebooks are of any indication.

Not much has been revealed about the company's new gaming-grade notebooks, although the leaks have claimed that Samsung's offering will be known as the 700G7A, and will reportedly boast some potent hardware specifications not typically found in an everyday notebook. This includes the use of what appears to be a design which appears slimmer than most commercially available gaming-grade notebooks today, along with a 17.3-inch display which is capable of 1080p resolutions, an AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics card (like the one used in our Alienware M17x review), a 2GHz Core i7 processor and a hulking 16GB of memory.

But the most “convincing sign” that Samsung intends to sell this notebook to gamers? Well, according to reports by Engadget and Akihabara News, it will probably have to be the fact that the backlit keyboard has had the all-important W, A, S and D keys highlighted in an eye-catching red, while the rest of the keyboard is coloured blue.

The leak did not include any details about the notebook's global availability (if at all), although it is said that Samsung might officially release these devices for sale come September this year at the approximate price of €1,800, or US$2,578.

Aishuo releases A820 tablet PC in China

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/details-of-samsung-s-upcominggaming-notebook-leaked-/13339.html August 19th, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/aishuo-releases-a820-tablet-pc-inchina/13338.html August 19th, 2011

As far as notebooks are concerned, Samsung is known for producing a wide variety of such portable computing machines, but the latest leak of information that has seemingly surfaced on the Internet has suggested that the Korean electronics giant might be just intending to make an entry into the market for gaming-grade notebooks. The yet-to-be-

We have covered a few Aishuo-branded products from China in the past, and from the looks of it, it seems that the Chinese OEM's lineup of low-cost, entry-level tablet computing devices has been doing relatively well in the market. After all, it has to 2

August 19th, 2011

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be, considering how the company has announced the release of what appears to be yet another such entry-level tablet for sale in its domestic market.

Sleek-looking and high-performance tablets may be all the rage today, but it does not change the fact that such devices, which are often known for their equally sleek pricetags, are usually way to expensive for the average Joe to afford in thes form of an impulse purchase. However, the good news is that if you ever happen to find yourself in China, low-cost entrylevel tablets, such as Aishuo's new A820 tablet here, are readily available for most people to purchase without breaking the piggy bank.

That being said, a quick search on Aishuo's product page reveals that the A820 tablet as described by M.I.C Digi does not exist in the company's product lineup at all. However, we were able to find an A816 which, interestingly, boasts nearidentical specifications as the ones M.I.C Digi has listed for the aforementioned “A820” tablet device, but with a slightly different design. Interesting.

According to a report posted by M.I.C Digi, the new Aishuo A820 tablet makes use of a somewhat unconventional eightinch display which utilizes resistive touch technology and sports the relatively low maximum resolution of 800 x 600 pixels. In addition, the A820 also features a paltry 512MB of onboard memory, although the 4GB of internal flash storage available on the machine is somewhat more substantial than some of the other entry-level tablets that are being sold in China.

In addition, M.I.C Digi has also claimed that the A820 will feature a Samsung S5PV210 processor clocked at 1.2GHz as its main muscle, and will boast support for wireless Internet connectivity via WiFi only. However, if it is of any consolation, M.I.C Digi claims that the A820 sports an upgraded WiFi module produced by Samsung which is capable of receiving wireless signals from as far as 50m away. And from the looks of it, it seems that the A820 also features a variety of I/O ports such as a single full-sized USB port, a micro-USB port as well as what appears to be a mini-USB port, along with a microSD card reader and audio output jacks.

Forget Google phones; SoftBank unveils "Yahoo Phone" in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/forget-google-phones-softbank-unveilsyahoo-phone-in-japan/13337.html August 19th, 2011

So the Android operating system is a hit and even Google wants to get in to the game by releasing the occasional 'Google phone' that boasts premium hardware and access to the latest firmware version of Android. But for a smartphone OEM to churn out a “Yahoo Phone”? Don't be surprised, but that is exactly what SoftBank in Japan has done with its new smartphone that is every bit the Yahoo-equivalent of those Google phones we have been reading all about.

When it comes to Japan, one is almost always assured of an announcement or launch of an unconventional product every 3

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so often, especially where consumer electronics products such as smartphones are concerned. And true enough, this latest announcement from SoftBank only serves to reinforce that claim, for thhe country;s third largest mobile network carrier has announced the availability of what is probably the first ever “Yahoo Phone” for its domestic smartphone market.

Published by: VR-Zone

competition. According to SoftBank, this comes in the form of 13 preloaded apps and services for Yahoo Japan, such as Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Calendar and Yahoo Weather, among many others. In addition, SoftBank has also claimed that subscribers who purchase the 009SH Y can expect to score two years of free membership to Yahoo Premium, as well as obtain additional points with every purchase made on Yahoo Shopping throughout that time frame.

Oh, and one last thing; the Yahoo Phone runs of version 2.3 (aka Gingerbread) of the Android operating system. But you probably know that already, no?

Epson announces availability of five new LED printers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/epson-announces-availability-of-fivenew-led-printers/13336.html August 19th, 2011

The machine translation of SoftBank's press release throws up some funky interpretations, but from what we have managed to gather, it seems that SoftBank's new Yahoo phone, which is manufactured by Sharp, is known domestically as the AQUOS PHONE THE PREMIUM SoftBank 009SH Y. This makes it a rebranded variant of the original 3D-capable AQUOS PHONE THE PREMIUM SoftBank 009SH, which we first spoke about last month and was slated to be released for sale in Japan in mid-August this year.

Specs-wise, it appears that the 009SH Y is virtually identical to the original 009SH in that it sports a four-inch QHD display capable of a maximum resolution of 960 x 540, along with an eight-megapixel rear-facing camera. However, it seems that the 009SH Y might have a chance of seeing life outside of Japan, for the specifications sheet released by SoftBank indicates that the smartphone features both CDMA and GSM radios, thus making it a world phone of sorts.

Of course, with the 009SH Y being a “Yahoo phone”, it would only make sense that the smartphone comes preloaded with various Yahoo-centric features to distinguish itself from the

Epson has announced the availability of five new highperformance LED printers which have been reportedly designed to cater to both home and small business users.

According to Epson, the new LED printers, which are known as the AcuLaser M1400, MX14, MX14NF, C1700 and CX17NF, will be replacing the company's entry-level laser printer lineup.

Need a new printer? If so, you are in luck, for Epson has just announced the availability of ive new high-performance LED printers which have been reportedly designed to cater to both home and small business users. According to the company, the new line of LED printers, which consists of three monochrome models (AcuLaser M1400, MX14 and MX14NF) and two colour printers (AcuLaser C1700 and CX17NF), will be replacing the company's entry-level laser printer lineup.

Epson claims that its new line of LED printers will be capable of a maximum printing speed of 24ppm for the monochrome models, while its colour printers will feature a slightly lower speed of 12ppm. In addition, features common among all five printers include high monthly cycles of up to 20,000 pages a month, along with built-in memory capacities of up to 128MB for what the company claims amounts to "better workload management". In addition, all five printers will also sport lower energy consumption because of their use of LEDs over conventional laser technology.

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That being said, the monochrome models will feature a maximum print resolution of up to 1200 x 1200 dpi, while the colour models sports slightly higher print resolutions which top out at 1200 x 2400 dpi. More information about each individual printer's specification can be viewed in the table shown below:

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titles that have been optimised for use on its smartphone, and then some.

Sony Ericsson has announced the availability of what it claims is an “ever-growing ecosystem” of over 150 games that have been optimized for use on its Xperia PLAY smartphone at the Gamescom event that is currently taking place in Cologne.

According to the company, its ability to offer such a healthy selection of titles was made possible due to its expanding partnerships with top publishers and leading independent studios.

The printers will be made available for sale locally starting from August 19 (which happens to be today) at the following prices: • AcuLaser M1400 – S$138.00 • AcuLaser MX14 – S$218.00 • AcuLaser MX14NF – S$298.00 • AcuLaser C1700 – S$300.00 • AcuLaser CX17NF – S$545.00

Sony Ericsson announces availability of new content for Xperia PLAY at Gamescom 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-announces-availabilityof-new-content-for-xperia-play-at-gamescom-2011/13335.html August 19th, 2011

Some of the new titles include smartphone ports of wellknown console and PC titles, such as EA's Need For Speed Hot Pursuit and Dead Space. In addition, the company has also claimed that that the Android premiere of Polarbit's driving game, Reckless Getaway, was featured at Gamescom.

An incomplete list of the Xperia PLAY Android titles that were announced and showcased at Gamescon this week are as follow: • Dead Space, Need For Speed Hot Pursuit and FIFA12 by EA • Reckless Getaway, Reckless Racing 2 and Tanks by Polarbit • Let's Golf 3 by Gameloft • Townsmen 6, Guns & Glory WW2 and Clouds and Sheep

by HandyGame • They Need To Be Fed by YoYo Games

If a certain smartphone is going to be marketed and sold as a portable gaming device in its own right, it would make sense that such a phone will need to boast a strong selection of popular game titles to ensure that interest in its product remains high, no? That is exactly what Sony Ericsson has done with with its first ever Playstation-certified smartphone, the Xperia PLAY, where it has announced the availability of new

• Lame Castle by Be-Rad Entertainment • Hyperlight by Catfishblues Games • Diversion and Crazy Snowboard by Ezone PTY LTD • Gibs & Gore Micronytes • Protoxide and Battle Boats 3D by Herocraft 5

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• EVAC HD and Radient HD by Hexage • PewPew 2 by Jean-Francois Geyelin • Stellar Escape by Orange Agenda • Jumpy, INC and Meganoid by Orange Pixel • Death Worm by PlayCreek LLC • No Gravity by Real Tech VR • Crusade of Destiny by Divide Arts • Desert Winds by Southend Interactive Lastly, Sony Ericsson has also announced the availability of new smartphone features for the Xperia PLAY. This includes plans for a new Facebook app which will allow users to recommend their favourite games in their Xperia PLAY smartphone on Facebook, as well as upload screenshots to share their high scores or memorable gaming moments with other users. Sony has also confirmed that the Xperia PLAY now supports Skype video calling via the official Skype app that is currently available for download off the Android Market.

No details pertaining to availability and exclusivity of the aforementioned game titles has been released by Sony Ericsson yet, although the company has claimed that the games “will be released in the coming months”, and that such information will follow in due course.

Samsung releases Galaxy Tab 10.1 for sale in Singapore

For those who are wondering about the Galaxy Tab 10.1's specifications, the tablet runs off version 3.1 of the Android operating system (aka Honeycomb) and is touted to measure a mere 8.6mm in thickness, thus making it the world;s thinnest tablet. On the hardware side, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be powered by a 1GHz “dual-core application processor”, while the built-in 3G modem is reportedly capable of achieving network speeds of up to 21Mbps.

Last but definitely not least, Samsung has also claimed that the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 will boast “surround sound stereo speakers”, dual-facing cameras and support for 1080p video playback, thus allowing for users to enjoy a “rich entertainment experience”.

Full specifications of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet are as follow:

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-releases-galaxy-tab-10.1-forsale-in-singapore/13334.html August 19th, 2011

Samsung's woes with the current injunctions Apple has won against its new Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany may have just started, but the good news is that local fans of the Korean electronics giant's mobile computing devices will not have to worry about a potential ban over here. This is because the company has just confirmed that its highly anticipated Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computing device has just been launched for sale in Singapore.

So Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computing device has just been officially shown the door in Germany. Now, that is definitely not going to be good for German fans of the Korean electronics giant's mobile computing products, but the good news is that local fans will not have to fret about the possibility of a ban over in Singapore. This is because Samsung has just announced that it has officially released the Tab 10.1 for retail in Singapore, where it will be sold at the price of S$848 (GST included) without a contract from a carrier.

Intel delays new Atom's to November Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-delays-new-atom-s-tonovember/13333.html

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By the look of things November is going to be a busy month for Intel, at least with all the delays that the rumour mill is currently churning out. The latest rumour is that Intel's upcoming Cedar Trail Atom processors have now been delayed from an expected September launch to November, alongside the Sandy Bridge-E processors.

By the look of things November is going to be a busy month for Intel, at least with all the delays that the rumour mill is currently churning out. The latest rumour is that Intel's upcoming Cedar Trail Atom processors have now been delayed from an expected September launch to November, alongside the Sandy Bridge-E processors.

The new Atom processors are the mobile N2600 (1.6GHz) and N2800 (1.86GHz) and the desktop D2500 (1.86GHz) and D2700 (2.13GHz). All four models are said to have been delayed, although the reason behind the delay is quite unusual.

According to Digitimes, Intel has run into problems with the graphics driver and as such failed to pass Windows 7 certification. This means that Intel is going to have to resubmit its drivers to Microsoft for re-certification, something that doesn't happen overnight with complex drivers like the ones for graphics.

The Cedar Trail Atom processors sports PowerVR graphics as we exclusively reported back in May and we're looking at a PowerVR SGX545 graphics core. We're not quite sure what kind of snag Intel has run into here, but it's obviously something fairly crucial since Microsoft has deemed the drivers unsuitable for Windows 7. If we'd have a guess we'd be leaning towards something to do with media decoding, as Intel has struggled with past PowerVR implementations when it has come to just that part of its drivers. Hopefully we should find out more from IDF in September.

HP calls it quits on webOS devices Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-calls-it-quits-on-webosdevices/13332.html August 19th, 2011

Only a few days ago HP dropped the price of its webOS powered TouchPad tablets by $100 in the US and it's less than a week since the TouchPad launched in Singapore, but the company has now announced that it's going to discontinue all its webOS devices. That means no more TouchPad and no more Pre phones.

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Only a few days ago HP dropped the price of its webOS powered TouchPad tablets by $100 in the US and it's less than a week since the TouchPad launched in Singapore, but the company has now announced that it's going to discontinue all its webOS devices. That means no more TouchPad and no more Pre phones.

We're not quite sure what's going on at HP, but the company has issued a press release where it's talking about its intent to join forces with Autonomy Corporation plc., alongside its preliminary third quarter fiscal results and a three line statement that simply states "[HP] will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones." It wasn't long ago that the company announced that it had appointed a new executive to lead the development of webOS. To call this surprising news is being modest, as although HP's webOS products haven't been a roaring success, its Pre 3 handset only launched in Europe less than 48h ago. HP only took over Palm just over a year ago and has so far only launched three webOS devices, the TouchPad, the Pre 3 and the Veer. However, the company did indicate that from next year, all of its PCs were to ship with webOS alongside Windows.

The very short statement goes on to say "HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward." We're not quite sure what this means, but maybe HP is still considering to put webOS on its PCs, but it seems a bit moot if there are no handheld devices to go with the OS. The idea as we understood it was that you'd be able to run the same apps on your desktop or notebook as you could on your handheld device. We'll see how things develop, but it's not looking good for fans of the webOS. In related news, there's also a rumour going around that HP is considering spin-off its PC business. The potential reason behind this is that HP wants to become a software and service company, somewhat in line with what IBM is doing.

Apparently there's no longer any value in hardware, but we'll just have to wait and see how things develop.

ASUS ROG Mars II 3GB - A Mini Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-rog-mars-ii-3gb--a-minireview/13306.html August 19th, 2011

Back in 2009, ASUS launched their 1000-piece limited edition mammoth "Mars" (2 x GTX285 on a single card) and took the performance crown over then GPU leaders NVIDIA GTX295 and AMD HD5970, albeit at a significant price premium. Two years later today, we do a mini review on the world's fastest single graphics card equipped with two GTX580 Fermi cores the ASUS Republic of Gamers Mars II 3GB. 7

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Introduction

(effective) Memory Stream Processors TDP

(4008MHz) 1.5GB 512 243W

(3416MHz) 2 x 1.5GB 1024 365W

(4008MHz) 2 x 1.5GB 1024 ?

From the specifications table above, we see that the Mars II is clocked marginally higher (1.3%) than the reference GTX 580 core clock, and 28% over the similar dual chip GTX 590.

To sustain the higher frequencies, the ROG team at ASUS designed a custom PCB and power circruitry on the Mars II, allowing the 2 GF110 Fermi cores to perform at their full potential on a single card.

A very big box

On the triple slot I/O shield, we have two DVI-D ports, a HDMI and a Display Port interface on the card allowing for up to 4 display outputs.

Like its predecessor, the ASUS ROG Mars II has limited production run of 999 pieces (ours was the "529th").

GTX 580 Core Clock 772MHz Shader Clock 1544MHz Memory Clock 1002MHz

GTX 590 (2 x GTX 580) 607MHz 1215MHz 854MHz

Mars II 782MHz 1564MHz 1002MHz

At the side of the card, there are 3 x 8 pin PCIE power connectors delivering up to 450W of additional power. There is also a red-backlit button to override and trigger 100% fan speeds on the two huge 120mm fans in the cooling system.

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Accesories

ASUS has thoughtfully bundled a "PCI-E sustainer" to protect the motherboard and to aid mounting in obtuse cases.

Sony Ericsson shares insight on design, concept and engineering of upcoming Xperia Ray

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The upcoming Xperia Ray took about one and a half year to develop from product conceptualization to launch, though along the way, changes and adjustments have to be made to meet users' requirements. You must be thinking, with so many phone manufacturers coming up with display of 4inch and larger, Sony Ericsson is going to launch one with a smaller 3.3-inch screen. Well, apparently, the Xperia Ray is designed for youths (with the majority at females) and it promises something unique and stands out with good quality design, features and is easy to use. Another reason is also because it is more of a Japan and Asian-focused phone.

Weighing a mere 100g, the 9.4mm slim Android phone is available in four colors - black, white, gold and pink - and Sony Ericsson design team explained the color choices. Black is Xperia's signature color with a matte soft exterior which adds to the solidity of the product, while white gives a modern fresh look with emphasis on the metal part of the phone. Gold is a premium color that gives a sophisticated elegance though it is toned down to be less striking to the eyes, and pink is expressive, young and vivid. However, the black flavour is not available in Japan and it is the only one with matte exterior while the other trendy colors are high gloss.

So how did the company come up with the name Xperia Ray? The name is taken from the Japanese "rei", of the word Ki-rei which means beauty, elegant.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-shares-insight-ondesign-concept-and-engineering-of-upcoming-xperia-ray/13325.html August 19th, 2011

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray was first unveiled at a global event in Singapore, in June (same time as CommunicAsia 2011) and is scheduled to launch in Q3 this year. Find out in the next pages on the design, concept and engineering of the Android smartphone as we bring the coverage from Tokyo, Japan.

Here we see the Xperia Ray (left pic) placed side-by-side with the Xperia Arc. The circuitry and PCB area on the Xperia Ray is significantly reduced compared to the Arc, and 9

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even the battery for the Ray is smaller but slightly thicker. Note that even though the battery for Xperia Ray is smaller, it has the same 1500mAh rating to that of the one used in the Arc.

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contract. Availability and pricing details have yet to be released for other countries.

Samsung unveils high-capacity 32GB DRAM module for servers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-unveils-high-capacity-32gbdram-module-for-servers/13331.html August 19th, 2011

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 on the left has a display with defined edges when the power is off. But for the Xperia Ray, the display is true black and looks more seamless. According to the company, the Xperia Ray has an 25% increased brightness to the Xperia Arc, even though both feature Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine technology. Unfortunately, for its small footprint, the Xperia Ray does not have the HDMI output or camera shutter button which are found on the Xperia Arc.

At the event (from left) were Tetsuya Okuchi, mechanical design leader; Linda Lissola, color and material senior designer; Shigeaki Suzuki, design manager, industrial design; Kozue Tanaka, product planner; Tatsu Nishimura, product manager; Yoshio Kawahara, electronics design leader; and Ryuichi Arai, radio design leader of Sony Ericsson Japan.

According to Tanaka, the most important point for the Xperia Ray's design is the metal part which can be seen on the sides of the Xperia Ray, which not only gives a premium feel to the phone but also gives the slim form factor; the thickness is just 9.4mm. In order to appeal to feature phone users, high specifications is necessary. Thus, it was decided to re-use all of the new technologies for viewing and capturing - the Mobile BRAVIA engine for viewing quality images and Exmor R for imaging sensor from the flagship Xperia Arc. So it can be said that all the high-end features of the Xperia Arc are integrated into the smaller, compact Xperia Ray. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray will be available in Japan on 27 August at 37,000 yen (approximately US$482) with two year

Samsung has announced the availability of its new RDIMM DRAM module for servers, which boasts a maximum capacity of 32GB and makes use of 3D-TSV technology. According to the Korean electronics giant, the new high-capacity RDIMM DRAM module was designed to meet the needs of highperformance next-generation server platforms.

Samsung has announced the availability of its new RDIMM DRAM module for servers, which boasts a maximum capacity of 32GB. According to the Korean electronics giant, the new high-capacity RDIMM DRAM module was designed to meet the needs of high-performance next-generation server platforms.

Touted as the industry's first such high-capacity RDIMM DRAM module to be built with 3D-TSV technology, Samsung claims that the new 32GB memory stick, which is fabricated via a 30nm process, consumes a mere 4.5w of energy per hour, or almost 30% lower than what LRDIMMs of the same capacity typically draw. Samsung has also added that its new RDIMMS are able to achieve transfer speeds of up to 1,333Mbits/s, as opposed to the 800Mbits/s speed found on older RDIMM memory.

Samsung has not released any details pertaining to global availability of its new 32GB RDIMM DRAM modules, although it has confirmed that engineering samples of the modules have already been released for evaluation purposes, and that it will continue to produce memory modules based off 3D-TSV

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technology while working to help shrink down the fabrication process to as low as 20nm.

Nubox issues "The Ultimate Mac Challenge" to Apple fans Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nubox-issues-the-ultimate-macchallenge-to-apple-fans/13329.html August 19th, 2011

What processors do Apple's Mac computers run on? Which specific gesture activates a certain feature in OS X? If you know the answers to such questions, perhaps the time has come for you to walk the talk and show off your in-depth knowledge about Apple's line of consumer electronics devices in exchange for prizes. This is because Nubox has just announced the launch of its “The Ultimate Mac Challenge” quiz, which will be held from August 15 to September 24 this year. More details about the quiz inside.

If you are a loyal Apple user who can rattle off any information that is related to the Cupertino giant's line of software titles or consumer electronic devices, now is your chance to actually take all of that knowledge of yours and turn it into a money spinner of sorts. This is because Nubox has just announced the launch of its “The Ultimate Mac Challenge” quiz, which will be held from August 15 to September 24 this year.

Published by: VR-Zone

of Macbooks. To qualify for the quiz, participants will have to compete in a 'fastest finger first' round of sorts, where they will be tasked with answering 10 Apple-related questions correctly in the shortest amount of time. The top 10 participants from the qualifying round will then compete in the finals “live” at Nubox's Raffles City branch on September 24, where the top two scorers will win for themselves Nubox vouchers worth S $1,300 and S$300 respectively.

The online qualifying quiz, which is already open to the public, can be accessed via http://www.nubox.com.sg/umc/ and will run till August 31. Results of the qualifying round will be announced on September 12, while the top 10 participants will be notified of their selection via email,, so mmake sure that you enter the correct email address when attempting the quiz!

Monster announces availability of limited edition Detox Beats Pro professional headphones Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/monster-announces-availability-oflimited-edition-detox-beats-pro-professional-headphones/13330.html August 19th, 2011

Are you a fan of Monster-branded products? If so, this latest announcement from the Californian-based company might be just be of interest to you. Apparently, Monster has decided to celebrate the release of Dr. Dre's latest album, which is known as Detox, by announcing the availability of its new limited edition headphones, Monster Beats Pro Special Edition Detox Professional Headphones, which the company claims is a 'must-have' product for any audiophile or Dr. Dre fan.

Monster has announced the availability of its new limited edition headphones, Monster Beats Pro Special Edition Detox Professional Headphones. Said to be uniquely designed by Dr. Dre himself, the company claims that its new limited edition headphones are a 'must-have' product for any audiophile or Dr. Dre fan.

According to Nubox, the quiz, which is the first of its kind in Singapore and is designed to help the company engage with the local Apple community, will be centred around Apple's new range of products, namely OS X Lion, iLife and the new series 11

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Internet Explorer 9 tops browser security test once again Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/internet-explorer-9-tops-browsersecurity-test-once-again/13328.html August 19th, 2011

Remember the news we posted some time back about how Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) web browser topped the charts for browser security in Europe?It turns out that NSS Labs has released the results of yet another browser security test that pits IE9 against other popular browsers, except that this time the test consists of socially engineered malware data generated worldwide. And the results? Well, let's just say IE9 came in first yet again.

According to Monster, the new Detox Pro headphones are constructed out of strong and lightweight aluminium in order to ensure that the headphones is able to stand up to heavy duty use and rough treatment. In addition, the lightweight aluminium is also said to be capable of resisting vibrations, thus allowing the Detox Pro to deliver what Monster claims is “pure, clean sound” that is free from any form of artefacts.

Topping of the package are “large, plush ear cushions” which, according to Monster, is designed to provide both passive noise isolation and user comfort from extended usage, while the use of the company's proprietary driver technology and materials reportedly allows the Detox Pro to deliver procalibre sound with a deep bass response. Lastly, Monster has also confirmed that the Detox Pro headphones will sport dual input/output cable ports that allows users to share their music with other listeners by daisy-chaining other headphones together.

A month ago, we published a story describing how a research company known as NSSS Labs has released the results of its study on browser security in Europe, where Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 9 web browser topped the charts with its 100% success rate in blocking socially engineered malware.

However, if those results were not enough to convince you to actually start considering IE9 as a suitable web browser for use on your Windows-based PC, the latest results released

by NSS Labs might just do the trick. This is because the research company has released yet another report claiming that Internet Explorer 9 has once again beaten its competitors to retain its top position in actively blocking malware from entering a user's PC. Unlike the previous study, which was centered around the effectiveness of a web browser's protection against sociallyengineered malware targeting European users, the new test was expanded upon to include users from all over the world.

And just as it was in the previous test, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 came through as the undisputed winner, if the results below are of any indication.

The limited edition Monster Beats Pro Detox Edition headphones by Dr. Dre are currently available for sale at the retail price of S$999 and can be purchased from Audio House, Alpha Audio, Best Denki, Courts, DG Lifestyle Store, Epicentre, Farle Innovation, Harvey Norman, HMV, iP Case, i Studio, Macshop, Stereo and Nubox outlets

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LinkedIn introduces new mobile platform for smartphones and web browsers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/linkedin-introduces-new-mobileplatform-for-smartphones-and-web-browsers/13327.html August 19th, 2011

Once again, Internet Explorer 9's stellar performance in browser security was credited to Microsoft's strategy of implementing a dual-pronged approach of actively filtering out malware via a combination of URL and applicationbased reputation scans. NSS Labs claims that Microsoft's URL filtering system was capable of nabbing as much as 96% of live threats, while the added protection offered by Application Reputation bumped the filter's success rate up to 99.2%.

On the other hand, Chrome managed to block a total of 13.5% of the live threats it was exposed to, a figure which NSS Labs claims is significantly higher than the 3% it was able to manage in last year's test, while Safari 5 and Firefox 4 are both tied for third place with a successful block rate of 7.6%.

In addition, the report also credits Internet Explorer 9 with having the shortest response time in blocking suspicious sites that might be hosting malware, although this is largely due to the browser's Application Reputation feature playing a huge part in helping it achieve such a low response time, as shown in the graph below.

LinkedIn has announced the availability of a new, faster mobile experience for LinkedIn members on the iPhone, Android and mobile web platform. According to the businessfocused online social networking outfit, the new platform has been completely rebuilt from the ground up and is intended to offer members a richer, simpler, and faster way to get the information they need to help them be even more productive.

If you are a business user who makes use of LinkedIn to socialize with your colleagues and to network with industry experts, this latest announcement by the popular businessfocused online social networking service ought to be of great interest to you. This is because LinkedIn has announced the availability of updated mobile apps for LinkedIn members who access the service via their Android-powered smartphones and iPhones.

According to a blog posting made by Chad Whitney of LinkedIn's mobile team, the new mobile apps that it has released for both the Android and iOS operating systems are capable of improving performance by up to 10 times across all features, including search and updates streaming. Whitney also points out that the new apps sport a more simpler user interface which makes it easier for members to not only accomplish tasks easily, but also makes it more intuitive to find what they are looking for when they download the app for the first time.

With results as definitive as this, it seems that Microsoft is well and truly on its way to banishing the previously held stereotype that it can never make a browser which is secure enough to actively protect users from a variety of online treats that lurk in cyberspace. So, the next time Microsoft Update issues a notice recommending that you upgrade your copy of Internet Explorer to the latest version available, you might want to do yourself and your PC a favor by actually accepting it.

The full report can be obtained from NSS Labs's website here.

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AMD launches its first triple core APU, brings a friend along Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-launches-its-first-triple-core-apubrings-a-friend-along/13326.html August 19th, 2011

If the current quad core APU's from AMD are a bit on the expensive side for you, then we have good news, AMD has launched a triple core APU today called the A6-3500. The interesting thing tough is the other CPU AMD launched today, the Athlon II X4 631, as this is AMD's first socket FM1 Athlon branded CPU. If the current quad core APU's from AMD are a bit on the expensive side for you, then we have good news, AMD has launched a triple core APU today called the A6-3500. The interesting thing tough is the other CPU AMD launched today, the Athlon II X4 631, as this is AMD's first socket FM1 Athlon branded CPU. The A6-3500 doesn't hold any real surprises as the specs leaked quite some time ago, but this triple-core model is clocked at 2.1GHz with a 2.4GHz turbo frequency, which just happens to be the same as the A6-3600. Losing out on a core also means losing out on 1MB of L2 cache, so the A6-3500 has a total of 3MB L3 cache. The graphics core also remains the same, which is one of the better aspects of this APU as the Radeon HD 6530D should be more than sufficient for anyone that doesn't play demanding 3D games. The GPU core is clocked at 444MHz and has 320 shaders. The TDP also remains the same at 65W. The Athlon II X4 631 on the other hand is a curious beast and we have a feeling that it will cause a lot of consumer confusion.

It's comparatively slow to AMD's older Athlon II X4 modes at a mere 2.6GHz which coincidentally is the same CPU clock as the A6-3650 APU. In fact, the Athlon II X4 631 is pretty much identical, as it sports 4MB L2 cache and a 100W TDP, the only thing missing is the graphics found in the APUs. The problem is that it goes into a socket FM1 motherboard and currently every single FM1 board has display interfaces, something this CPU can't take advantage of and something we're not sure how AMD is going to highlight towards consumers.

Last but definitely not least, Whitney has announced the launch of a new mobile version of LinkedIn that is reportedly created with HTML5 and can be accessed via any modern mobile web browser.

The new mobile apps are now available for download off Apple's iTunes Store and the Android Market for your respective platform.

The A6-3500 is priced at US$95 in retail packaging or US$89 in quantities of 1,000 units, whereas the Athlon II X4 631 is priced at US$79 in quantities for 1,000 units. Both models are priced fairly competitive compared to AMD's current Athlon II CPUs, although both models also have the CPU core clocked a fair bit slower.

Source: AMD

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Fusion Garage rejoins mobile computing fray with new Grid 10 and Grid 4 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fusion-garage-rejoins-mobilecomputing-fray-with-new-grid-10-and-grid-4/13323.html August 19th, 2011

So the JooJoo tablet turned out to be nothing sort of a disaster for local startup company Fusion Garage. Usually, most startups would have abandoned ship after such a failure, but it seems that Fusion Garage is a big believer in the saying that one should always try again until they succeed. And what better way to get the world to take it seriously once again than to announce the availability of two new mobile computing devices for the masses, complete with their own unique operating system?

Remember the ill-fated JooJoo tablet that was essentially dead-on-arrival as soon as it was launched for sale globally, due to extremely fierce competition from the likes of Apple's iPad and the plethora of Android-powered tablets produced by various big-name OEMs such as Samsung, LG, Archos at that time? Well, it appears that Fusion Garage is all set to banish those bad memories of the JooJoo by once again attempting to claim a share of the mobile computing pie with not one, but two new devices. These take the form of the 10-inch Grid 10 tablet and the four-inch Grid 4 smartphone, both of which will be powered by Fusion Garage's brand new operating system known as Grid OS.

According to Fusion Garage, the Grid 10 will make use of a n LED-backlit, 10-inch display that is capable of outputting a maximum resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. In addition, the Grid 10 will feature an NVIDIA Tegra 2 system-on-a-chip (SoC) which boasts a dual-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz; Fusion Garage claims that the Tegra 2 will be capable of providing all the power the Grid 10 needs to run all of the eye candy in the tablet's bundled Grid OS. The Grid 10 will also reportedly feature a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera for use in video chats, along with 16GB of internal flash memory and a 5,800mAh battery pack, although the 512MB of system memory comes across as being somewhat limited.

The Grid 4 smartphone, on the other hand, sports a four-inch TFT LCD screen which boasts a native resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, and will be powered by a Qualcomm MSM8255 processor that is clocked at 1GHz. Like the aforementioned Grid 10 tablet, the Grid 4 will also be preloaded with Fusion Garage's own Grid OS and will feature 512MB of memory, along with a healthy 16GB of internal flash storage.

That being said, most of the focus is on the company's new Grid OS, which, according to its CEO, Chandra Rathakrishnan, is essentially an extremely customized version of Google's Android operating system. Rathakrishnan has also gone on to explain in interviews to various media outlets that what Fusion Garage did was to take Android's Linux-based kernel and build a completely new operating system over it. This is extremely similar to what Apple has done with Mac OS X, which consists of the Mach kernel which is reportedly based off FreeBSD, along with Apple's own proprietary APIs layered over it. This probably makes Grid OS the first true blue 'fork' of the Android operating system, much like how most popular Linux distributions are essentially forks of a single parent distribution.

More interestingly, it seems that Fusion Garage's move has allowed Grid OS to maintain some form of binary compatibility with the actual Android operating system, for the company's website has explicitly claimed that both the Grid 10 and Grid 4 will be shipped with Android applications preloaded into Grid OS. If this is true, Fusion Garage might well have an extremely potent differentiating factor from its competitors, as it provides a means for users to migrate over to Grid OS seamlessly without any fears of losing access to their favorite apps they have come to depend on in their Androidpowered smartphones. This is vital, especially if one takes into consideration the fact that it is the size of a mobile platform's application repository, and not its technical benefits, which will decide whether an operating system has any chance of surviving in the highly competitive mobile computing space.

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Foxconn's dual-core Xiaomi smartphone shows up in Beijing Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/foxconn-s-dual-core-xiaomismartphone-shows-up-in-beijing/13322.html August 19th, 2011

Most people will probably associate Foxconn with hardware components such as motherboards, but it seems that the Taiwan-based manufacturer has since decided to make a name for itself in the lucrative smartphone market by releasing a handset which will reportedly be sold under its own brand.

And the name of the company's first attempt at a smartphone that will soon be released for sale? Why, the Foxconn Xiaomi, of course.

Lastly, our first impressions of the various Grid OS screenshots that have shown up on Fusion Garage's product pages seems to suggest that the company might be taking a couple of pages out of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 book over its user interface, a suspicion which is also shared by popular technology website The Inquirer. But at the very least, it is quite hard to deny that Grid OS does look more polished that Android at this very point of time, although we can only wait and see how well the Grid 10 and the Grid 4 will perform on the market. Assuming that Fusion Garage gets everything right this time, of course.

We have heard of various Chinese brands such as Meizu, ZTE and and even Huawei making the leap and offering its smartphones up for sale globally under their very own brands, and this latest piece of news seems to confirm our suspicions that there is indeed a market for low-cost smartphones.

Apparently, Foxconn, a well-known supplier of computer hardware, has decided to branch out to selling smartphones under its own banner as well, and its first such product will be the Xiaomi, as shown below.

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Details about the Xiaomi are scarce, but according to a report published by GizChina, the smartphone will offer consumers a choice between two dual-core processors of differing clock speeds, namely 1.2GHz and 1.5GHz. While no information about the Xiaomi's support for 3G wireless connectivity, along with its memory and onboard flash storage capacity has been released at this point of time, what we do know from old reports is that the smartphone will reportedly make use of a four-inch Super LCD panel that sports a maximum resolution of 854x 480 pixels.

Last but definitely not least, GizChina has claimed that the Xiaomi is slated to be released for sale some time in October this year at the price of US$310. And yes, the fact that it is due for a release in October puts it in direct competition with the likes of Apple's iPhone 5, Huawei;s Blaze and Meizu's quadcore MX smartphone. *Update: It runs out that there has been an error in this report.

While the smartphone will indeed be produced by Foxconn, it will not be sold under the company's banner. Rather, the phone's actual name is the M1, and that it will be sold by a mobile apps vendor known as Xiaomi Tech. We apologize for the inaccuracy.

Can't wait for the iPhone 5?

Get the hiPhone 5 instead Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/can-t-wait-for-the-iphone-5-get-thehiphone-5-instead/13321.html August 19th, 2011

Sometimes, you just got to love China for coming out with gadgets such as this. Apparently, OEMs over there are fully aware of the fact that there are users out there who will pay good money for lookalikes of popular or upcoming products, and the iPhone 5 no exception. That being said, can we interest you in a very realistic-looking hiPhone 5 to satisfy your iOS urges?

If it looks and feels like the real thing, that it has got to be the real thing, no questions asked, right? Apparently, that was what the OEM of this interesting smartphone had in mind when it rolled out its hiPhone 5 smartphone, which reportedly has the dubious honour of being one of the more realistic iPhone 5 knockoffs, in spite of the latter having yet to see the light of day on retail shelves.

According to a report published by Shanzai.com, the new hiPhone 5, which is currently available for sale on Taobao at the retail price of 850 yuan (approximately US$133), is said to be built off dimensions and designs that have somehow managed to leak out from the Cupertino giant's iron-clad curtain of secrecy. And apparently, the OEM responsible for producing the hiPhone apparently did a decent job in the process, as reports have claimed that the hiPhone 5 does indeed appear thinner than an iPhone 4 and features less rounded edges. In addition, the hiPhone 5 is available in a variety of colours such as black, white, red and even pink.

Unfortunately, no information about the hiPhone 5's technical specifications have been released at this point of time, although the image above seems to suggest that the bundled operating system has been extensively skinned to mimic the iOS user interface.

That being said, the fact that the hiPhone 5 is nothing more than an elaborate Chinese clone means that it is not going to give out those 'HiHi' vibes that a real Apple product boasts, but hey, at least it is cheap.

Samsung hires CyanogenMod lead developer Steve Kondik Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-hires-cyanogenmod-leaddeveloper-steve-kondik/13320.html August 19th, 2011

If you have in your possession an Android-powered smartphone which has been rooted and flashed to run on a custom Android ROM, we'd bet that there is a very high chance that the ROM which you are currently using hails from what is probably the biggest name in the Android hacking scene, CyanogenMod. And for those who are into such modifications, this latest piece of news ought to be interesting, for we have just received word that CyanogenMod's lead developer Steve Kondik, aka â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cyanogenâ&#x20AC;?, has been hired by Samsung.

When we lasted posted a story about CyanogenMod, it was revealed that Samsung was taking an interest in the outfit, having sent the team some of its smartphones, along with a request that they get the custom ROM working on them.

However, it seems that Samsung's love for CyanogenMod has just gone up by another level, for we have received word that the Korean electronics giant's mobile division has started to absorb members of the outfit into its very own development 17

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team, with Steve Kondik (aka “Cyanogen” himself) being the first such hire.

According to an article posted by AndroidFC, Kondik has just recently updated his Facebook profile to reflect his new employment status as being that of a software engineer for Samsung Mobile. However, as Kondik has kept his Facebook page private, we are unable to show you any screenshots of his updated status.

That being said, Kondik's employment does raise a couple of questions. For one, what Samsung intends to do with Kondik's expertise in ROM hacking and customization remains to be seen, although AndroidFC is currently speculating that Samsung might task him to work on improving TouchWiz's user interface. This makes sense, considering how Samsung is currently engaged in a legal catfight with Apple over the “look and feel” of its GALAXY line of smartphones, which are said to sport interfaces that are too similar to those of iOS's.

Maybe it is because I was one playful kid back then, but when I was first introduced to the concept of universal remote controls my immediate thought was about how one could use such a device for mischief-making, such as turning off the neighbour's television set from a distance. However, those days are long gone, and today we cannot help but appreciate the convenience such remote controls bring to our lives, and Logitech's new Harmony 200 looks set to continue that trend.

And if you are wondering about CyanogenMod's fate now that its lead developer has already been snapped up by Samsung, fret not. Apparently, Kondik has assured his user base that his employment at Samsung and CyanogenMod are two completely unrelated issues, and that Samsung has apparently given him permission to proceed with the development of CyanogenMod. Last but definitely not least, Kondik has reportedly claimed that Samsung has got no plans to license CyanogenMod for use on its smartphones. Oh well.

Many thanks to Jacek for sending this in.

Logitech announces availability of Harmony 200 universal remote control Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-announces-availability-ofharmony-200-universal-remote-control/13319.html August 19th, 2011

Do you still remember those good old days where the act of turning on the television set to catch a few shows involved having to fiddle with no more than two remote controls? Well, the good news is that Logitech is attempting to bring back such simplicity to a user's home entertainment by introducing its new Harmony 200 universal remote control, which is reportedly capable of performing the functions of up to three remote controls in a single unit.

According to Logitech, the new Harmony 200 universal remote control is capable of controlling up to three devices.

Which, for most people, will probably be the television set, the pay-TV setup box and a surround sound speaker setup. The company also claims that the new Harmony 200 is designed to be easy to configure, as users merely need to register for an online Harmony account, enter the details of the devices they wish to control with the remote and Logitech's servers, which boast a hardware compatibility database of “over 5,000 brands and 225,000 devices”, will automatically handle the rest.

The new Logitech Harmony 200 universal remote control will be available for sale locally at the suggested retail price of S$39 come early September this year.

Samsung announces availability of GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-availability-ofgalaxy-s-wifi-4.0-in-singapore/13318.html

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Want a smartphone but do not wish to get involved with costly 3G mobile data plans? Don't worry, there is a smartphone for that, and it comes in the form of Samsung's new GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 smartphone, which has just been recently released in Singapore. According to Samsung, the new smartphone will allow users to enjoy what it claims is an â&#x20AC;&#x153;unrivalled entertainment experienceâ&#x20AC;? thanks to the variety of features it comes bundled with.

Mobile broadband connectivity may be ubiquitous in many parts of the the world today, but it does not change the fact that there will be users who will prefer to retain their existing nondata plan for various personal reasons, even as they make the migration from a low-end feature phone to a smartphone. And the good news for such users is that Samsung has announced the release of its new WiFi-only smartphone, the GALAXY S WiFi 4.0.

Published by: VR-Zone

According to Samsung, the new GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 will feature specifications that are similar to the 'Super Clear' variant of its GALAXY S smartphones. This means that users of a GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 will get to enjoy features such as a 1GHz processor and a four-inch WVGA Super Clear LCD screen which boasts a native resolution of 800 s 480, as well as support for 720p video playback and access to Samsung Social Hub. However, unlike the original GALAXY S, the new WiFi 4.0 variant will sport 8GB of internal flash memory instead of the 3GB found in the former, thus allowing users to store more data in the new GALAXY S WiFi 4.0's internal memory before resorting to the use of microSD cards.In addition, the GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 will also be preloaded with version 2.2.2 of the Android operating system.

The new Samsung GALAXY S WiFi 4.0 is now available for sale at all Samsung retail stores at the suggested retail price of S $328, inclusive of GST.

X79 to have 10 SATA ports after all Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/x79-to-have-10-sata-ports-afterall/13317.html August 19th, 2011

This is slightly embarrassing, but we have to start by apologizing here, as we got some information mixed up, but then again, no-one else spotted it either so there you go. It turns out that Intel's X79 chipset will have a total of 10 SATA ports after all, although there still won't be any SAS support.

This is slightly embarrassing, but we have to start by apologizing here, as we got some information mixed up, but then again, no-one else spotted it either so there you go. It turns out that Intel's X79 chipset will have a total of 10 SATA ports after all, although there still won't be any SAS support.

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The mistake came to light when looking at a couple of slides from an updated presentation detailing Intel's Patsburg chipset, as the -A version of chipset will have an additional four SATA ports via the SCU. This was an oversight on our side and if you remember the chipset diagram that we've already posted a couple of times, it's even listed as a feature on there.

So what we're looking at is four SATA 3Gbps ports and two SATA 6Gbps ports which are part of Intel's standard AHCI setup as per the current 6-series chipsets. The other four ports are added via the SCU, but unlike early details of the X79 chipset suggested, we're not getting any SAS support and we're still four ports short. One major difference between the X79 as well as the -A version of the Patsburg chipset compared to the higher-end versions (-B/-D/-T) is that there will be support for RAID 5 for the SCU ports, something that's an optional feature on the higher-end SKUs. Note that it's not possible to run a RAID between the SCU and AHCI ports at BIOS/UEFI level, although it should be possible to stripe drives across the controllers in the OS. Once again, apologies for this little snafu, especially as the information was right in front of us. To make up for things a little bit, we've also gotten word that Intel's will be bringing out a new stepping of the Patsburg chipset in late Q4, as there are still a few kinks to work out in the versions beyond the -A SKU. The company is also actively working on validating PCI Express 3.0 support in the platform, but there's no word as to when we'll see actual support. Once all of this has been done, we might, with a bit of luck, finally see a version of the X79 chipset that delivers everything that was promised, well, ok, it wasn't really promised, but it was part of what people expected to get from the X79 chipset based on various roadmap leaks.

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VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!

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

Wide range of new mobile processors coming from Intel this autumn Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/wide-range-of-new-mobile-processorscoming-from-intel-this-autumn/13370.html August 23rd, 2011

If you're at the verge of splashing out on a shiny new Sandy Bridge notebook, you might just want to gold on to that hard earned cash for just a little bit longer if you can, as Intel is getting ready to launch a few new consumer focused mobile Sandy Bridge processors which should arrive in early October, as well as a few business oriented models. It's a shame that the company is missing the school start by about a month, at least for those that need a new computer for school.

If you're at the verge of splashing out on a shiny new Sandy Bridge notebook, you might just want to gold on to that hard earned cash for just a little bit longer if you can, as Intel is getting ready to launch a few new consumer focused mobile Sandy Bridge processors which should arrive in early October, as well as a few business oriented models. It's a shame that the company is missing the school start by about a month, at least for those that need a new computer for school.

Intel is set to boost the performance of a couple of its consumer level Sandy Bridge processors, although we're not talking about any huge performance increases here, but considering the price points remain the same, it'd be madness not getting a notebook with one of the new processors if possible.

First up we have the Core i5-2430M which is a 2.4GHz model with 3MB of L3 cache which slots in above the Core i5-2410 which is 100MHz slower. The second new model is a quad core CPU which will be known as the Core i7-2670QM and it's clocked at 2.2GHz and has 6MB L3 cache. This is the big brother of the 2GHz Core i7-2630QM and it's important not to mix up the Core i7-2670QM with the much more expensive Core i7-2760QM which is a 2.4GHz model that is also set to launch later this year alongside three additional siblings.

The Core i7-2760QM sports 6MB L3 cache just like the Core i7-2670QM, but as it falls in the business category of CPUs it also has support for VT-d, TXT and vPro, features the consumer models have to make without. The other two business models consists of the dual core Core i7-2640M which is a 2.8GHz part with 4MB L3 cache, the Core i7-2860QM which is a 2.5GHz quad core with 8MB of L3 cache.

Finally we have the Core i7-2960XM which is the new Extreme Edition model which is clocked at 2.7GHz and it too sports 8MB L3 cache. We're not sure when Intel is expecting to have the last four models out, but the Core i5-2430M and Core i7-2670QM are both slated to arrive in notebooks come October with Asus, Dell and Fujitsu already having revealed models sporting the new CPUs. According to pricing from Fujtisu, the Core i5-2430M is priced the same as the Core i5-2410 and the Core i7-2670QM is priced the same as the Core i7-2630QM, although there's no official pricing for any of these models from Intel, as the company is considering them OEM models and as such doesn't provide pricing.

USB 3.0 Speed Tests: 7-Way Host Controllers Roundup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/usb-3.0-speed-tests--7-way-hostcontrollers-roundup/13358.html August 23rd, 2011

Believe us when we say that this is one of the most epic reviews we've ever put together. Not because it was the hardest roundup we've ever done, but it's by far the most time consuming one and it doesn't even have anything to do with the benchmarks we ran. We thought it'd be a good idea to do a comparative review of the various USB 3.0 host controllers out there, as by now we've finally reached a stage where there's some competition in the market with at least three major players and a couple of smaller ones. VR-Zone is also proud to have a world exclusive first review of the upcoming Renesas D720201 host controller which is launching later this year as part of this roundup.

To give a little bit of background information to the USB 3.0 standard we thought we'd do a quick rundown of the theoretical benefits over USB 2.0. As you most likely already know, USB 3.0 is promising over 10 times the bandwidth of USB 2.0 and although in reality USB 3.0 doesn't quite reach its theoretical bandwidth of 5Gbps. It is possible to reach speeds in excess of 400MB/s (3.2Gbps) and we've already seen this demoed, but and this is a big but, only if you use very specific 1

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hardware today. Currently we only know of one solution that can provide these kinds of speeds and it's a SATA to USB 3.0 RAID controller by Fujitsu, but to our knowledge it's only sold in one product made by a Japanese company.

Published by: VR-Zone August 23rd, 2011

If you are looking for some good deals on music players, sound card, headphones and speakers, do drop by the Creative Technology booth at Hall 602 (booth no: 6121) on level 6.

Offers include the ZiiSound D5x wireless speaker system, ZEN Style M300 portable media player and Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD audio card.

On that premise, let's take a closer look at the contestants.

The USB 3.0 host controllers we put through the paces are the AMD A75 chipset, the ASMedia ASM1042, the Etron EJ168A, the Fresco Logic FL1009, the NEC/Renesas µD720200, the Renesas µD720201 and the VLI VL800. Sadly we were unable to source a Texas Instruments host controller as the company requested to have an FAE present during the testing and this wasn't possible to arrange from their side.

Most of these host controllers can be found on a wide range of motherboards with the exception of the Fresco Logic FL1009 and the upcoming Renesas µD720201 which won't go into mass production until October. The integrated solution in AMD's A75 chipset was co-developed with Renesas and our understanding is that it's something of a hybrid between the older µD720200 and the upcoming µD720201.

The baseline for this test would have to be the NEC/Renesas µD720200 as it was the first USB 3.0 host controller on the market and it's become something of the de facto standard. As such we expected the other controllers to outperform it simply on the virtue of it having been developed so much earlier.

However, we were surprised to see the old NEC controller keep up with the competition in most of the test we threw at it, although it's clear that there are faster options out there. One thing that helps the µD720200 stay ahead of the pack in some tests is native UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) support in its drivers, which means that there's a performance boost to be had in specific tests thanks to the way the UASP drivers work compared to the standard BOT (Bulk Only Transfer) driver most of the controllers rely upon.

Creative ZiiSound D5x Wireless Speaker System The ZiiSound Dx series wireless speakers connect independently to stereo Bluetooth devices such as the Apple iPhone, Blackberry, Android smartphone, iPad or other tablet devices. You can also configure such that more speakers are connected wirelessly to form a multi-channel home audio system. It also allows link to ZiiSound DSx wireless subwoofer for deep bass capability or more ZiiSound D5x speakers for stereo or surround applications. Featuring renowned apt-X audio technology for superb sound quality, the D5x also offers precision volume control when used with the included BT-D5 Bluetooth transmitter.

Usual Suggested Retail Price - S$399 COMEX 2011 Promotional Price - S$349 (limited to 50 sets) Special bundles or extra goodies during COMEX 2011 Purchase second unit of Creative ZiiSound D5x Wireless Speaker System at S$249 or purchase Creative ZiiSound DSx Wireless Subwoofer at S$149 (Usual Price - S$199)

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Creative Technology Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionscreative-technology/13369.html

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COMEX 2011 Promotional Price - S$69 (limited to 50 sets) Creative ZEN Style M300 (8GB) Usual Price - S$89 COMEX 2011 Promotional Price - S$79 (Limited to 50 sets) Special bundles or extra goodies during COMEX 2011 purchase Creative WP-300 wireless headphones at S$59 (Usual Price: S$99), free USB Charger worth S$29

Creative D80 Wireless Speaker The stylish and compact Creative D80 Bluetooth wireless speaker claims to deliver high quality wireless music playback.

At an unbeatable price of S$49, it is the company's most affordable one-piece Bluetooth speaker yet. It can play wireless audio from compatible stereo Bluetooth devices including iPhone, Blackberry, Android phones and tablet devices such as the iPad. Available in white with pink, blue or green grille, or black with a black grille, the D80 comes with two 3-inch full range drivers for full, dynamic audio. It also has integrated AUX-In for connection to other audio devices and supports A2DP/AVRCP profile.

Creative D80 Wireless Speaker - S$49 Special bundles or extra goodies during COMEX 2011 - free EP-570 Earphones Bulk Pack Worth S$39 (whilst stocks last)

Creative WP-350 Wireless Headphones The Creative WP-350 wireless headphones is designed as an ideal wireless companion for the iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, Android phones and other devices. One unique feature is the "invisible microphone" which is built into the earpiece and users can make superb voice quality calls as well as enjoy the best audio playback quality for music. The "invisible microphone" also comes with noise suppression and speech enhancement processing to deliver clear audio calls even under noisy environment. The WP-350 has a flat-fold design for portable convenience, is lightweight and claims to provide extended music playback of up to 8 hours and talk time of up to 9 hours.

Usual Suggested Retail Price - S$139 COMEX 2011 Promotional Price - S$99 (limited to 50 sets per day)

Creative ZEN Style M300 Portable Media Player (4GB/8GB) The Creative ZEN Style M300 is a stylish media player that features Bluetooth wireless music playback, microSD card slot for expanded memory capacity and 1.45-inch display with touch-sensitive buttons. Users can enjoy music from the player wirelessly from all compatible stereo Bluetooth headphones and Bluetooth speakers. The M300 also comes with FM Radio The built-in FM Radio lets users add up to 32 preset stations.

Creative ZEN Style M300 (4GB) Usual Price - S$79

Creative Aurvana In-Ear3 Earphones

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Powered by dual balanced armature drivers for precise sonic performance, the Creative Aurvana In-Ear3 earphones bring studio quality audio enjoyment to audiophiles, musicians and critical listeners. it claims to produce clearer, smoother and more accurate sound reproduction and angled sound tube design that provides a more natural fit in the ear canal.

With the Intelligent AuraSeal in-ear design with comfortable silicone eartips, it can isolate noise up to 98%.

Published by: VR-Zone

Android smartphones, the SingPet app only works on Android 2.2 and newer.

Rumour: Samsung to purchase HP's PC business division?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-samsung-to-purchase-hp-s-pcbusiness-division-/13367.html August 23rd, 2011

Usual Suggested Retail Price - S$199 COMEX 2011 Promotional Price - S$169 (limited to 50 sets)

SingPet iPhone and Android app now available Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/singpet-iphone-and-android-app-nowavailable/13368.html August 23rd, 2011

So you have read the news that HP has not only discontinued development on webOS, but is also planning to spin off its entire PC business ala IBM style. While it is generally acknowledged by many that calling HP's drastic actions surprising is quite a bit of an understatement, it seems that there is one more surprise up in store for the PC industry, and it comes in the form of speculation that Samsung might just be interested in purchasing the very same PC business HP intends to spin off.

If you are pet owner, you probably would have heard of SingPet online pet centre which was started by a company of veterinarians and vet nurses, who wanted to bring great prices and convenience to pet owners. And recently, SingPet has launched the free-to-download app for iPhone and Android devices.

Now this has got to be interesting. In merely a handful of days after HP dropped its bombshell on the computing industry by announcing its plans to not only discontinue development on webOS but also to spin off its PC business unit, it seems that the company might have already found itself a customer for that same business unit. Apparently, a report posted by DIGITIMES have claimed that Samsung has gotten in touch with ODMs such as Quanta Computer, Compal Electronics and Pegatron Technology about the likelihood of outsourcing portions of its notebook orders, and sources who are privy to the happenings taking place in the upstream supply chain are claiming that the Korean electronics giant's actions have suggested that it is keen on taking up HP's PC business.

Developed by GreeneStep Technologies and launched earlier this month, the SingPet app is designed to allows users to browse and order with convenience from wherever they are through the use of their smartphone. For example, you can order a fresh bag of cat food from home, simply by scanning the barcode on the package, rather than making unnecessary trips to the store to look for the product. The app can also remember your preferences and past choices, which lets you place orders with one touch. The app also lists up to five recent invoices from your past records such that you can manage your monthly pet expenses.

The SingPet app allows you to login to your account, register for a new account, or you can directly browse and order without registering. To check out, you can do so via Paypal.

The app is available free on iPhone and Android devices. For

The justification given by DIGITIMES for this claim is rather simple; as HP ships â&#x20AC;&#x153;over 40 millionâ&#x20AC;? PCs annually, any company which intends to absorb HP's PC business division will need to be able to have the capacity to ensure that the production and shipment of such large volumes of PCs is not affected. The fact that Samsung, which is usually known for its integrated supply chain, would suddenly attempt to outsource its notebook orders to ODMs have suggested that the Korean electronics company is making plans for dealing with a sudden spike in PC orders that will see its own supply chain not being able to cope with the added demand. Logically speaking, such a sudden spike could only be brought about if Samsung suddenly experiences an huge growth in PC demands, or if it absorbs another company's PC division. This brings us back to the original speculation of the Korean electronics giant allegedly planning to purchase HP's PC business.

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Also adding a degree of credence to DIGITIMES' claim is a remark reportedly made by Quanta Computer, in which the ODM has theorized that in the event that Samsung does take up HP's PC business, the company will find itself having to ship around 50-60 million notebooks in a year. The ODM has also claimed that attempting to meet such a huge volume will definitely put Samsung's supply chain under sufficient pressure to justify the need for outsourcing the production of some of its computers to external partners.

and easy to wear over the ear. This provides comfort wear even over a long period of time. With the Jabra EASYGOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Multiuse capability, you can connect to two Bluetooth-enabled devices simultaneously for efficient call management. Equipped with Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology for noise and echo reduction, it ensures crystal clear conversation for every call. The Jabra EASYGO also features automatic volume adjustments which provides constant volume even when you move between different noise environments.

What do you think? Could Samsung's actions be an indication of its plans to purchase HP's PC business division?

The Jabra EASYGO is available in black, red and white, and retails in Singapore at Challenger, Apple premium resellers: EpiCentre, Nubox, Digi Lifestyle, Apple Shops at Best Denki, and other authorised Jabra retailers at S$88 (RRP). For the upcoming COMEX 2011 from 1 to 4 September at Suntec Convention Centre, it carries a special show price tag of S $75 with sure-win lucky dip.

Jabra EASYGO headset, now available in red and white Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/jabra-easygo-headset-now-available-inred-and-white/13366.html August 23rd, 2011

Key Specifications of Jabra EasyGo include: - Bluetooth 2.1, including EDR and eSCO - Great sound with Digital Signal Processing (DSP) - Multiuse - Connects to two devices at the same time

The Jabra EASYGO was launched late last year and now, the company has announced the Bluetooth headset which comes in a fashionable red and white flavors. It will be available in Challengers and other authorised Jabra retailers and also at the upcoming COMEX Show with a special price tag.

- Automatic Volume Adjustment - Jabra Status Display - Shows battery life and connectivity - Auto-pairing for no-nonsense setup - Earhooks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in 2 different sizes - are provided for individual comfort - Ultimate Comfort Eargels (2) are included to use without earhook - Talktime - 6 hours; standby time - 8 days - Dimensions - 53.7x15.8x9mm - Weight - 8g

The Jabra EASYGO is designed for smartphone and mobile users who want hands-free conversations while on the move.

And with additional colours of red and white, the company is set to deliver its intuitive, no-nonsense experience in a slimline design and expressive colors for headset users.

It claims to deliver the most easy-to-operate Bluetooth experience for users, be they seamless pairing and intuitive use, and you can have clear conversations while on the go. With Jabra Voice Guidance feature, you will be informed audibly when there's a need to recharge the headset, or when it gets disconnected from your phone. Other features include larger icons on the Status Display that lights up so that you can clearly see the battery level and connectivity status. An easy-to-locate slider on the back of the device also makes turning it on and off hassle-free.

The Jabra EASYGO weighs a mere 8g comes with an extra Ultimate Comfort Eargel that moulds according to ear size for perfect in-ear fit, as well as a ear hook shaped to fit securely

LG launches first 3D-capable notebook in Korea, calls it the A530 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-launches-first-3d-capable-notebookin-korea-calls-it-the-a530/13365.html August 23rd, 2011

Now that 3D technology is fast making inroads into our daily lives, have you ever once entertained the thought of investing in a 3D-capable notebook for your entertainment needs? If so, LG's latest announcement will probably be just the thing you need to perk up your Tuesday, for the Korean electronics

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company has just announced the launch of its first 3D-capable notebook which it calls the Xnote A530.

LG has announced the availability of its first 3D-capable notebook, the LG Xnote A530, for sale in its domestic market. According to the Korean electronics company, the new LG Xnote A530 is designed to encourage adoption of 3D technology among consumers in their entertainment and productivity needs.

Published by: VR-Zone

Affle announces upgrade for Pinch mobile messaging platform Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/affle-announces-upgrade-for-pinchmobile-messaging-platform/13364.html August 23rd, 2011

Mobile media company Affle has announced the upgrade for the popular Pinch mobile messaging platform which includes new user interface, strong cross platform capabilities and real time instant messaging services.

Not much about the new Xnote A530 series of 3D-capable notebooks have been revealed by LG, although a machine translation of LG's recent press release has claimed that the notebooks will feature a 15-inch display that is capable of resolutions of up to 1080p, and also sports two built-in webcams which users can utilize for capturing stills or videos in either 2D or 3D. The press release also claims that the new Xnote A530 notebooks will be powered by a combination of Intel's second generation Core i7 processors and NVIDIA's GT555M graphics card, although it did not mention which specific i7 processors will be used for the notebook.

Last but definitely not least, the machine translation of LG's announcement seems to suggest that the new Xnote A530 notebooks will reportedly come with what appears to be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;True 3D PTâ&#x20AC;? tool which allows users to create presentations that can be converted to 3D and subsequently displayed on 3Dcapable TVs and monitors.

No details about the Xnote A530's pricing and global availability (if at all) has been announced by LG at this point of time.

Mobile media company Affle has announced a massive upgrade for its Pinch mobile messaging platform. In addition to pure messaging, Pinch enables users to chat with friends, find new friends, access exciting locations services and participate in social contests, all on their data plans or WiFi without incurring any local or international SMS/MMS charges. The Pinch Version 2.0 upgrade claims to offer a completely new brand identity and a sleeker and unified user interface.

Pinch version 2.0 runs on all dominating mobile phone platforms including iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) Android, Symbian, Blackberry, Windows Phone, J2ME, Mobile Internet and SMS through local carrier partnerships. Through this multi-platform feature, Pinch bridges the gap between smart phone enthusiasts and users of feature phones to bring about freedom of communication with anyone on any mobile phone.

With the new navigation of Pinch, sending messages to friends will be faster and easier. Users will be able to send free text messages to a group of friends at once through the group messaging feature. Invite friends to join study groups, organize parties, connect with families and colleagues while planning for a get-together or reunions easily and conveniently with the instant Pinch group messaging.

Users of the new version of Pinch will now be able to see friends typing out a reply and be informed of the various delivery notifications including real time updates on the status of each individual message as either "S" for messages sent, "D" for messages delivered, and "R" for messages that has already been read. Pinch's Leaderboard has also been strengthened 6

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significantly with more ways to accumulate Pinch points using the additional user features.

In the coming months, Pinch will add 'Chat rooms' to its features. Chat rooms will allow users to explore and connect with people with similar interests, create or hang out on free online communities, discuss anything and everything under the sun. Users can enjoy Pinch by downloading the application from any of the popular app stores across platforms or from the Pinch website.

More details of Sony's upcoming A77 camera leaked Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-details-of-sony-s-upcoming-a77camera-leaked/13363.html August 23rd, 2011

We have posted a couple of stories pertaining to Sony's upcoming A77 DSLR, but it seems that the latest leak that is currently circulating around the depths of cyberspace has revealed all of the information any serious photographer will want to know about the new DSLR. And from the looks of it, the leak only serves to confirm what many may have guessed - that the A77 is a professional camera which only photographers with deep pockets need apply, if its specifications are of any indication.

When we last visited Sony's upcoming A77 DSLR, word has it that the camera will feature an articulating LCD screen and a translucent mirror box, while the sensor will reportedly boast a resolution of 24 megapixels and is capable of supporting a very wide range of ISO speeds, as well as shooting 1080p AVCHD videos. Unfortunately, little more about the camera was revealed, and thus interest in the upcoming camera started to wane after a while.

That being said, the latest leak has suggested that those earlier reports were right on the money, for a report published by SonyAlphaRumors has revealed what is possibly the complete specifications list of the A77, along with a few addtional images of the camera itself.

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PL-35STU3-25RZ and PL-35STU3-2VZ. According to Planex, the new external hard disks are designed to be used with a variety of devices such as audio-visual equipment and PCs, where the faster read/write speeds they offer over USB 2.0 will be great assets to users.

Planex PL-35STU3-25RZ The Planex PL-35STU3-25RZ can be used with a variety of devices such as PCs, television sets and even game consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 3, where it can be used as a program recorder of sorts, or simply as a typical storage device.

In addition, the PL-35STU3-25RZ features an array of LED indicators on its front which provides users with a means of gauging approximately how much space is left in the internal 2.5TB hard disk.

Specs-wise, the report published on SonyAlphaRumors claims that the A77 will feature an Exmor HD CMOS sensor which is capable of capturing stills at the maximum resolution of 24.3 megapixels at ISO speeds from 100 to 16,000 with an expandeable option for ISO 50, while the autofocus sensor boasts support for up to 19 AF points with 11 cross sensors. In addition, the A77 can allegedly record 1080p videos at speeds of either 60fps or 24fps.

On the hardware side, the A77 will also allegedly feature a burst speed of up to 12fps, shutter speeds of up to 1/8000, a TrueBlack 921k three-way tilting LCD screen, a three million dot OLED viewfinder, a completely new Bionz processor, support for SD cards only and an electronic first shutter curtain. And apparently, the body alone, which is expected to be made available for sale in Europe and the US come mid-October, will reportedly cost photographers anywhere between US$1,000 to US$1,200.

As a bonus, Planex has also confirmed that the PL-35STU3-25RZ is compatible with OS X's Time Machine backup utility, while it can also be used as a typical external storage device on versions of OS X dating back to 10.4 for both PowerPC and Intel Macs.

Planex introduces new USB 3.0-capable external HDDs in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/planex-introduces-new-usb-3.0capable-external-hdds-in-japan/13362.html August 23rd, 2011

Now that USB 3.0 has started making its way into mainstream consumer electronics devices such as notebooks and certain media players, it is only expected that peripherals utilizing the new high-speed interface will eventually start popping up all over the market. And from the looks of it, Planex is no exception in the migration to USB 3.0, for the company has just announced the availability of two new external HDDs which make use of the aforementioned interface; the PL-35STU3-25RZ and PL-35STU3-2VZ. Planex has announced the availability of two new USB 3.0-capable external hard disks in Japan, the the

The Planex PL-35STU3-25RZ is currently available for sale in Japan at the price of 15,000 yen excluding tax, or approximately US$195.

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Planex PL-35STU3-2VZ Essentially a more 'basic' version of the aforementioned PL-35STU3-25RZ, the Planex PL-35STU3-2VZ external HDD sports similar features to it, such as support for USB 3.0 and Time Machine compatibility. However, it lacks the LED indicator array that is present on the PL-35STU3-25RZ, and features a hard disk with a capcity of 2.0TB as opposed to the PL-35STU3-25RZ's 2.5TB.

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Sharp announces availability of new RW-T107 enterprise tablet Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharp-announces-availability-of-newrw-t107-enterprise-tablet/13361.html August 23rd, 2011

With more users attempting to blur the lines between enterprise and personal computing, it should be of little surprise that OEMs are starting to pitch typical personal computing devices like tablets as tools which are suitable for enterprise use after a few tweaks to its feature set. And it seems that Sharp is all set to capitalize on this new trend, especially if the introduction of its new enterprise-centric RW-T107 tablet in Japan is of any indication. More details about this tablet coming right up.

Full specifications for the Planex PL-35STU3-2VZ external HDD are as follow:

The Planex PL-35STU3-2VZ is currently available for sale in Japan at the price of 10,000 yen excluding tax, or approximately US$130.

Now that Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook tablet has been given the green light as having met the requirements to be considered for deployment in government offices and Apple is busy pitching its iPad as a device that is suitable for enterprise deployment, it would make sense that other tablet OEMs are keen to capitalize on the lucrative enterprise market by releasing their own ideas of what an enterprisecentric tablet should be. And it seems that the latest enterprise tablet offering hails from Sharp, where it comes in the form of the RW-T107.

Details about the new RW-T107 are scarce, but according to the machine translation of the Japanese company's latest announcement, the enterprise tablet will make use of a seveninch display, although no specifications about its resolution, memory, internal flash capacity and the processor has been released by the company. However, Sharp has confirmed that the RW-T107 will sport support for short-range wireless communication via NFC, while wireless network connectivity is achieved via the device's built-in support for WiFi under the a, b, g and n spectra. Topping off the package is the inclusion of a built-in high capacity 5,400mAh battery pack that Sharp 9

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claims is capable of proving the RW-T107 with up to eight hours of uptime on a single charge.

Last but definitely not least, Sharp has also confirmed that the RW-T107 will be preloaded with version 2.3 of the Android operating system, although it has not provided any information as to whether it will provide the tablet with an upgrade path to future versions of Android. Also, no details about the tablet's pricing has been revealed at this point of time, but what we do know is that Sharp intends to release the RW-T107 for sale in Japan come September 5 this year.

Sony Ericsson announces availability of new Live With Walkman smartphone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-announces-availabilityof-new-live-with-walkman-smartphone/13360.html August 23rd, 2011

Can't live without having those earphone plugged into a mobile phone or portable media player while on the move, even if the commute from one place to another is extremely short? If so, there will be much to look forward to, especially if you are a fan of Sony Ericsson's smartphones, for the company has just announced the availability of a new smartphone, the Live With Walkman, which claims to be capable of delivering a “unique social music experience” to consumers.

The ubiquitous smartphone may have replaced portable media players as the...uh...portable media player of choice for consumers who cannot live without their trusty earphones plugged into their ears at all times while commuting from once place to another, due to its capability to provide basic audio playback. However, users who crave more than just that basic functionality for their mobile music needs will probably have much to look forward to with Sony Ericsson's new Live With Walkman smartphone, which is reportedly capable of delivering a “unique social music experience”.

According to the company, the new Sony Ericsson Live With Walkman smartphone, which is powered by version 2.3 of the Android operating system (aka Gingerbread), will boast the use of Sony's proprietary xLOUD technology to enhance the audio output. In addition, the smartphone will also feature a dedicated Walkman button which provides instant access to its media player, while the “unique social music experience” is brought about by a combination of features such as deep Facebook integration with various commonly-used utilities such as the phonebook and media player and the inclusion of TrackID to identify and download music tracks that are currently being played on the smartphone's FM receiver or audio player.

Specs-wise, the smartphone's processing power is backed up by a CPU clocked at 1GHz, while its internal flash memory tops out at 320MB, although users can always make use of microSD cards to expand on the limited amount of storage present on the Live With Walkman. Lastly, the smartphone will also come bundled with a 1200mAh battery pack which is reportedly capable of delivering up to 600 hours of uptime on standby, or 14 hours and 15 minutes of talktime.

No details about pricing has been revealed by Sony Ericsson, although the company has confirmed that the Live With Walkman smartphone is expected to make its way onto retail shelves locally come Q4 this year.

Thermaltake Chaser MK-I Case Review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-chaser-mk-i-casereview/13359.html

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August 23rd, 2011

200 x 200 x 30 mm x 1 (optional) or 140 x 140 x 25 mm x 2 (optional) or Thermaltake’s products lineup feels almost endless; this month we admired the exotic design of the Level 10 GT case and we discovered the good value of the Commander MK-I case. Today we are having a look on yet another product from Thermaltake, the massive Chaser MK-I full tower case, with which Thermaltake hopes to attract hardcore enthusiasts and modders.

120 x 120 x 25 mm x 2 (optional) Bottom (Intake) : 120 x 120 x 25 mm x 1 (optional)

Thermaltake’s products lineup feels almost endless; this month we admired the exotic design of the Level 10 GT case and we discovered the good value of the Commander MK-I case. Today we are having a look on yet another product from Thermaltake, the massive Chaser MK-I full tower case, with which Thermaltake hopes to attract hardcore enthusiasts and modders.

Material I/O Ports

P/N Case Type Side Panel Net Weight Dimension (H x W x D)

PSU Others

Drive Bays

Color Expansion Slots Motherboards Cooling System

VN300M1W2N Full Tower Transparent Window 11.6 kg / 25.6 lb 567.9 x 237.0 x 581.6 mm (22.4 x 9.3 x 22.9 inch) - Accessible: 4 x 5.25’’, 1 x 3.5’’ (Converted from one 5.25” drive bay) - Hidden : 6 x 3.5’’or 6 x 2.5’’ - HDD Docking: 1 x 3.5’’or 1 x 2.5’’ Exterior & Interior : Black 8 9.6” x 9.6” (Micro ATX), 12” x 9.6” (ATX) Front (Intake) : 200 x 200 x 30 mm Colorshift fan x 1 (600~800rpm,13~15dBA) or 120 x 120 x 25 mm x 2 (optional) Rear (Exhaust) :

Side (Intake) : 200 x 200 x 30 mm x 1 (optional) SECC USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2, eSATA connector x 1, MIC & Speaker (support AC’97 & HD Audio) Standard ATX PS2 (optional) CPU cooler height limitation: 180mm VGA length limitation: 330mm

Symbian Anna updates arriving in Singapore for Nokia fans Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/symbian-anna-updates-arriving-insingapore-for-nokia-fans/13357.html August 23rd, 2011

Owners of Nokia N8, C7, C6-01, and E7 would love this piece of good news. The Finnish company has announced that the software update for the phones (codenamed Symbian Anna) will be available for download from 2 September next month.

More details inside.

140 x 140 x 25 mm TurboFan, 1000rpm, 16dBA or 120 x 120 x 25 mm x 1 (optional) Top (Exhaust) : 200 x 200 x 30 mm Colorshift fan x 1 (600~800rpm, 13~15dBA); 11

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COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Audio House Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-audiohouse/13356.html August 23rd, 2011

For those waiting for the software update to their Nokia N8, C7, C6-01, and E7, the wait is over. Symbian Anna is finally arriving and promises significant enhancement to your user experience. It offers a variety of new features including a fresh user interface, virtual QWERTY keypad in portrait mode, enhanced Nokia Maps, better web browsing and stronger security. Smartphone owners can download Symbian Anna using the latest version of Ovi Suite (version 3.1.1) on a PC or over-the-air directly to the smartphone.

Audio House will be at this year's COMEX Show 2011 that is going to be held at the Suntec Convention Centre from 1 - 4 September. Check out their great offers at their booths, located on Level 4, numbered 8410, 8117 and 8161.

Key features with Symbian Anna: - User interface: SymbianAnna brings a fresh new look and feel to the Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01, and Nokia E7 with crisp icons and multiple usability enhancements. Typing on the virtual QWERTY keypad is now available in portrait mode.

- Maps and navigation: Symbian Anna enhances Nokia Maps with better search functionality, new public transportation routes and the ability to check-in to favorite geo-social network sites like Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter - Browsing: A faster,easier-to-use browser, delivering quicker page loads and improved device navigation allowing people to connect more easily to their favorite sites onthe go.

- Better for business: Symbian Anna brings true businessgrade security with improved data encryption on Nokia smartphones. Business users with a Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01 or Nokia E7 can now easily and securely access their company intranet with IPSEC and SSL VPN enablers.

- NearField Communications (NFC): The Symbian Anna software update also activates the NFC hardware in the Nokia C7, so people can now simply tap their Nokia C7s together to share contacts, photos, videos and play games; easily pair with NFC-enabled accessories from Nokia and others; and read NFC tags to check-in and more.

Casio Exilim EX-Z2000 The Casio Exilim EX-Z2000 is a high-performance digital camera that iincorporates the company's newly developed EXILIM Engine 5.0 for improved image processing speed and the capability of producing beautiful images through advanced colour reproduction and rich tonal gradation while removing noise in high sensitivity mode. It is equipped with a Dynamic Photo function that allows for combining “moving images” by cutting moving subjects from the background in images taken with continuous shooting and combining those images on a different still image. With a Premium Auto function, it can take beautiful photos just by pressing the shutter button.

Enables the camera to automatically analyse the scene being photographed.

Specifications: - 14.1 megapixels - 5X optical zoom - 26mm wide-angle lens

= Symbian Anna software update in Singapore will be available for download via www.nokia.com.sg/anna. Symbian users are advised to check the website from 2 September 2011 for upgrade user guide and local variant availability. = Method of delivery of the software update differs from market to market and operator to operator.

- 3.0” LCD screen - Lithium-ion Rechargeable Normal Price: S$479 Comex Price: TBA

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including Pixel Plus HD, Active Control + Light Sensor, Colour Enhancement, 100Hz Clear LCD, Dynamic Contrast Enhancement, Luminance Transient Improver, MPEG Artifact Reduction and HD Natural Motion. It also comes with anti-reflection coated screen that looks to enhance the display.

Normal Price: S$1,499 Comex Price: TBA

Casio Exilim EX-Z33 The new Casio Exilim EX-Z33 sports a slim, stylish and lightweight body that is compact enough to slip into a shirt pocket. It has standard sidebar menu for quick access and face detection autofocus and a dedicated button for video recording. Video is captured at up to 848x480 pixel resolution at 30fps. The Best Shot system offers special scene programs with 22 scene settings that cover most situations. The EX-Z33 also comes bundled with software such as the "YouTube Uploader" which allows for YouTube mode for video recording.

Philips 5000 Series 46-inch Full HD LED TV

- 10.1 megapixels - 3x optical zoom

If you find the 40-inch TV a little small for your liking, check out the Philips 5000 series 46-inch Full HD LED TV. The 5000 series also promised similar features including direct LED backlight, 1920x1080p panel resolution, Pixel Plus HD, Active Control + Light Sensor, Color Enhancement and HD Natural Motion.

- 2.5inch 230k LCD screen

Normal Price: S$1,499 COMEX Price: TBA

Specifications:

- Lithium-ion Rechargeable Normal Price: S$299 Comex Price: TBA

Samsung 46-inch 3D Full HD LED TV (SMART TV) UA-46C7000

Philips 3000 Series 40-inch Full HD LED TV The Philips 3000 Series 40-inch Full high definition (HD) display features LED backlight, panel resolution of 1920x1080p and picture enhancement technologies

With the Samsung 46-inch 3D Full HD SMART TV, you can enjoy a true 3D viewing experience. Incorporating immersive HyperReal Engine, it features LED backlit display that amplified images with rich colors, smooth motion and mega contrast levels. The Samsung also comes with HDMI input,

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widescreen flat panel, Internet connectivity and 2D to 3D conversion.

Normal Price: S$3,499 COMEX Price: TBA

Samsung 55-inch 3D Full HD LED TV (SMART TV) UA-55C7000 For superb 3D viewing experience, a huge display like this Samsung 55-inch 3D Full HD SMART TV should suffice. It features HyperReal Engine, widescreen format LED backlit display, four HDMI and PC inputs, Internet connectivity and 2D to 3D conversion.

Samsung 40-inch Full HD LED TV (SMART TV) UA-40C6900 The Samsung 40-inch Full HD LED SMART TV (model: UA-40C6900) features 1920x1080 pixel resolution, HD Digital Tuner, LED Backlighting and Internet connectivity for those who want some Internet content.

Normal Price: S$1,599 COMEX Price: TBA

Normal Price: S$4,999 COMEX Price: TBA

HP Pavilion HPE h8 desktop PC review: long live the tower PC Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-pavilion-hpe-h8-desktop-pcreview-long-live-the-tower-pc/13297.html August 23rd, 2011

Samsung 46-inch Full HD LED TV (SMART TV) UA-46B7000 This Samsung 46-inch LED TV features claims to offer a widescreen Full HD 1920x1080 pixel resolution display. It has a HD Digital Tuner, USB port, full HD input, LED backlighting and Internet connectivity.

As far as most enthusiasts are concerned, when it comes to desktop tower PCs, the only proper solution they are willing to go with is to custom-build one with off-the-shelf parts to suit their individual needs. However, it seems that the huge interest in such Do-it-yourself (DIY) PCs have not adversely affected the overall demand for OEM-assembled PCs, most of which are typically designed to be sold to non hardware-savvy users. And currently in our labs is HP's new Pavilion PHE h8 desktop tower PC, which we shall put under the knife to see if it truly the versatile machine that is capable of getting the job done for the average user.

Normal Price: S$2,499 COMEX Price: TBA

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LG announces availability of new Optimus Sol smartphone Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-announces-availability-of-newoptimus-sol-smartphone/13355.html August 23rd, 2011

For most enthusiasts, the only desktop tower PC which they are willing to accept into their lives is one that has been specially built and assembled from ground up with nothing but off-the-shelf components to fit their individual needs.

However, for the vast majority of typical PC users out there, such a course of action, while appealing in its own right, is usually impractical in many ways as well, and this is especially so for those who have no idea about PC hardware, and whose only perception of a PC is one that allows a user to do thiings such as Microsoft Office and play some recent games on it.

That being said, it seems that the huge DIY scene has not adversely affected the overall demand for OEM-assembled desktop PCs, especially if one takes into consideration the fact that such machines are usually targeted at non hardwaresavvy PC users who just want a versatile machine to facilitate their daily work and entertainment needs. And in this review, we take a look at HP's new Pavilion HPE h8 desktop PC to find out just how well it fares in that regard.

HP Pavilion HPE h8 tower desktop PC specifications Processor Chipset Graphics Card Operating System Memory Hard Disk capacity Wireless Connectivity

PSU Rating

Intel Core i3-2120 clocked at 3.3GHz, 3MB L3 cache Intel H67 Chipset 1GB AMD Radeon HD 6570 Windows 7 Premium (x64 version) 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 2GB DIMM) SATA2 500GB Hitachi Deskstar Not bundled with review unit, HP-branded WiFi card on retail unit 300W max

Have you had enough of LG's Optimus One, Optimus 2X, Optimus Black and Optimus 3D smartphones that have been making headlines all over the Internet in recent months? Well, the good news is that the Korean electronics company has got yet another Optimus-branded smartphone up its sleeves which it reportedly plans to release for sale next year in various parts of the world, and it is called the LG Optimus Sol. Kind of makes you wonder if the Optimus Sol will have the soul of a premium smartphone befitting the Optimus product lineup, no?

Looking for a new Android-powered smartphone from a reputable Korean electronics company but don't want to get a Samsung Galaxy S II? Well, you are in luck, for LG Electronics has announced the availability of its upcoming smartphone, the LG Optimus Sol, which, from the looks of it, is designed to cater to consumers who desire an ultra-slim smartphone that does not compromise on performance in any way.

According to the machine translation of LG's latest announcement, it appears that the upcoming LG Optimus Sol smartphone, which is slated for a release in various parts of the world early next year, will sport what the company calls an Ultra AMOLED display that is reportedly more advanced than a typical AMOLED display. LG has claimed that the 3.8-inch Ultra AMOLED display is not only capable of consuming lesser energy than a standard AMOLED screen that can translate to up to a 30% increase in battery life, but also provide better visibility under bright lighting conditions.

Specifications-wise, LG has confirmed that the 9.8mm-slim Optimus Sol will be powered by a 1GHz processor, while the preloaded Android operating system will feature a new Optimus UI 2.0 user interface which is reportedly capable of further reducing energy consumption by minimizing the use of white in its colour scheme. Last but definitely not least, the Optimus Sol will ship with support for a variety of standard features such as support for DLNA and WiFi Direct.

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No information about the Optimus Sol's pricing has been released by LG at this point of time.

Samsung unveils solarrechargeable notebooks for Korean domestic market Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-unveils-solar-rechargeablenotebooks-for-korean-domestic-market/13354.html August 23rd, 2011

A notebook which is capable of recharging itself via solar power? This has got to be a joke, right? Well, if it is, suffice to say Samsung has gone ahead and turned that very joke into reality, for the Korean electronics giant has just announced the availability of its new 10.1-inch 'mini-notebook' which is reportedly capable of doing just that. Seems like humankind's dream of achieving all-day computing on a single battery charge just got one step closer to fruition.

Picture this situation; you are rushing an important report on your notebook, only to have the entire machine suddenly cut out and shut down due to the lack of power needed to run it because you conveniently forgot to charge the battery pack the day before. Sounds familiar? Well, the good news is that Samsung is seemingly aiming to eliminate such inconveniences permanently, for the Korean electronics giant has just announced the launch of its new Samsung Sense NC 215 series of notebooks, which are allegedly capable of recharging itself via solar power. And no, we are not making this up.

Published by: VR-Zone

to provide the Samsung Sense NC 215's battery with enough juice to deliver up to an hour of uptime. In addition, the Korean electronics giant has also claimed that the Samsung Sense NC 215's battery is capable of delivering up to 14 hours of uptime on a full charge, and can easilly support up to 1,000 charge cycles.

Furthermore, Samsung has also claimed that the Samsung Sense NC 215 has been designed to look sophisticated while still remaining portable and robust enough to handle the knocks of everyday life. This comes in the form of a total weight that is no greater than 1.32kg, along with a 17.5mm thin display bezel, while the entire notebook body reportedly features Samsung's Duracase technology to protect from scratches.

However, no information about the notebook's hardware specifications, such as its processor speed and make, display resolution, bundled operating system and storage capacities have been made public by Samsung at this point of time. In addition, we cannot help but wonder about the amount of heat users have to deal with on the Samsung Sense NC 215, especially when it is being operated under the hot midday sun to take advantage of the notebook's solar charging capabilities.

Sales of the Samsung Sense NC 215 notebook will commence in Korea on August 23 (which happens to be tomorrow), where they will be sold for the price of 599,000 won, or approximately US$553.

LG taunts Samsung and Sony with 3D TV advertisements Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-taunts-samsung-and-sony-with-3dtv-advertisements/13352.html August 23rd, 2011

According to a machine translation of Samsung's latest announcement, the new Samsung Sense NC 215 series of 'mini-notebooks', which feature a 10.1-inch display, will be capable of converting solar energy from the sun into electrical power via an array of solar panels affixed to the notebook's cover. Samsung claims that the solar panels, when placed under midday sunlight for a duration of two hours, will be able

LG has decided to go with the aggressive approach on marketing their 3D LCD TVs, and to the extend of taunting competitors including Samsung and Sony. In the latest advertisements, the company has provoked the two manufacturers about the use of active shutter glasses while LG uses the patented film patterned retarder (FPR) technology.

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Fans of Sanrio's popular anthropomorphic cat will probably have much to look forward to, especially if they happen to be currently taking up residence in Japan at this point of time, and for good reason. Apparently, SoftBank has announced the availability of a new Hello Kitty-endorsed smartphone which is powered by Google's Android operating system and is slated to be launched in the early parts of September this year.

Korean manufacturer LG is looking to establish itself as the leader in the 3D TV space as it mocks the competitors of archrival Samsung and even Sony. According to a news report from Korea Times, the company is going aggressive for its patented film patterned retarder (FPR) technology, which claims to offer sharper image quality than rival products while allowing viewers to wear less-clunky glasses. LG is also said to be increasing its advertising budget for their marketing campaigns.

Apparently, in an advertisement published in the latest edition of USA Today, LG asks, "Hey Sony and Samsung, remind us why people need those heavy, battery-burdened, left-right blinkety-sync 3D glasses?", while earlier ads in Wall Street Journal and New York Times, the company has advised Samsung and Sony to stick to 2D instead. Such move isn't new, seeing how Apple advertisements show the superiority of Macs to the PCs or even iPhones to other smartphones. Samsung and Sony have yet to comment on the LG advertisements at press time. Samsung and Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3D TVs are based on activeshutter 3D technology and claim to provide more vivid images, though the 3D glasses are more expensive, heavy and require battery to operate.

Android-powered Hello Kitty smartphone shows up in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/android-powered-hello-kittysmartphone-shows-up-in-japan/13353.html August 23rd, 2011

Another day, another interesting piece of consumer electronics-related news from the Land of the Rising Sun. And this time, the whole hoo-ha comes in the form of the world's most popular cat without a mouth from Sanrio endorsing a smartphone that is produced by Sharp and is powered by Google's Android operating system. Kind of makes you wonder if the fun will ever stop, no?

According to SoftBank, the new Hello Kitty smartphone, which is based off Sharp's clamshell 007SH smartphone, will feature support for a variety of standard features such as My Wallet, as well as wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and WiFi. That being said, the Hello Kitty variant of the 007SH, which goes by the model name 007SH KT (we are guessing KT stands for 'Kitty'), will feature radios that support both the GSM and CDMA network systems, so there is a slim chance that the 007SH KT might eventually see the light of day outside of Japan.

SoftBank has not provided any information about the processor and amount of internal flash memory present on the 007SH KT smartphone, although it has revealed that the smartphone will be preloaded with version 2.3 of the Android operating system (aka Gingerbread), and that its 3.4-inch LCD display is capable of delivering a maximum resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. However, the real deal about the 007SH KT has got to be the image of the popular cat without a mouth adorning the handset's front, along with what appears to be a built-in camera which is reportedly capable of capturing stills 17

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at the maximum resolution of 16 megapixels, if the machine translation is to be believed.

Last but definitely not least, no details about the smartphone's pricing has been announced by SoftBank at this point of time.

Iiyama announces availability of new widescreen LCD monitors in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iiyama-announces-availability-of-newwidescreen-lcd-monitors-in-japan/13351.html August 23rd, 2011

Iiyama, a well-known manufacturer of high-end computer monitors and television sets in Japan, has announced the availability of two new LCD monitors for its domestic Japanese market under the ProLite series; the 24-nch XB2472HD-B and the 27-inch X2775HDS-B. According to the company, the new monitors have been designed to offer users a high level of quality in colour reproduction.

Iiyama may not be a very familiar brand to many outside of Japan, but the fact remains that the company is an extremely well-known in its domestic market, especially where highend display equipment such as monitors and televisions are concerned. And apparently, users in Japan who want a highend monitor to use on their PC are in luck, for the company has just announced the availability of its new 24-inch XB2472HDB and the 27-inch X2775HDS-B monitors which will be sold under the ProLite banner.

According to Iiyama, both the new XB2472HD-B and X2775HDS-B make use of what the company describes as VA panel technology, which allows its monitors to achieve viewing angles that are significantly wider (up to 178 degrees horizontally and vertically) than what is typically possible on a typical LCD panel which utilizes TN technology. In addition, Iiyama also claims that both its new monitors boast an active contrast ratio of 5,000,000 : 1, although the actual contrast ratio is somewhat more modest at 3,000 : 1, while video input is achieved via VGA, DVI or HDMI. That being said, both the XB2472HD-B and X2775HDS-B also sport various features which differentiate them from each other. For one, the 24-inch XB2472HD-B utilizes a stand which is reportedly capable of allowing users to pivot, elevate or even rotate the screen, while the 27-inch X2775HDS-B sports four USB ports for the connection of various devices and peripherals.

No details about pricing and availability for either monitor has been announced by Iiyama yet, although a popular Japanese IT website known as Itmedia has claimed that both the XB2472HD-B and X2775HDS-B should be making its way onto retail shelves in Japan sometime in the later parts of August.

AMD announces new Brazos APUs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-announces-new-brazosapus/13349.html August 23rd, 2011

We have known about AMD's new Brazos APUs for a while now - E-450, E-300 and C-60. We have even seen notebooks based on the new APUs. AMD is finally officially announcing the three new APUs.

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BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone is now available for preorder from the likes of M1.

The refresh is headed by E-450, which features a minor 50 MHz boost over the E-350, to 1.65 GHz. However, it is the GPU part which receives a more significant upgrade. The HD 6310 in E-350 is replaced by HD 6320. A minor boost in base frequency to 508 MHz is enhanced by Turbo boost to 600 MHz for the GPU cores when the power usage is under the 18W TDP. In addition, the E-450 now supports DDR3-1333 RAM. Instead of a single-core APU under the top E-series part (like the E-240), the new refresh features a lower-clocked dual-core E-300. The E-300 is clocked at 1.3 GHz, but features the same HD 6310 GPU as the E-350, with no Turbo. In essence, it is an E-350 with a 300 MHz downclock on the CPU part.

Finally, the C-60 is a 9W APU which brings Turbo to both GPU and CPU. The base CPU clock speed is 1.0 GHz - the same as the C-50. However, it can Turbo all the way to 1.33 GHz - an impressive 33% boost. Even more impressive is the new HD 6290 GPU. The max speed is specified as 400 MHz, a whopping 45% boost over the base 276 MHz. In GPU bound games, the C-60 APU can bring significant performance improvements over the C-50.

In addition, the new APUs feature HDMI 1.4a support and DisplayPort++. DisplayPort++ can be particularly useful for ultrathin designs as it allows a single DisplayPort output to expand to HDMI and DVI out.

It is not known when notebooks based on the new APUs hit retail. However, considering designs have already been leaked, it shouldn't take long.

Intel's competitors to the new E/C Series APUs are now set to release in November.

Want to get your hands on Research In Motion's new BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone that has been making headlines online recently? If so, the good news is that the wait for RIM's elusive smartphone is close to an end, for the company has officially announced the launch of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone in Singapore, where it is due to go up on pre-order come September 1 this year from M1.

In addition to the announcing of the BlackBerry Bold 9900's pre-order date, RIM has also taken the opportunity to drop more information about its upcoming smartphone. According to the company, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will feature what it calls a 24-bit Liquid Graphics touchscreen which is reportedly capable of a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels at 287ppi. Backing up the BlackBerry Bold 9900's processing power is a QC 8655 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, along with 768MB of memory and 8GB of internal flash storage. A five-megapixel camera capable of recording videos at 720p resolutions, a 1230mAh battery pack, BlackBerry OS 7 and support for both NFC and standard wireless Internet connectivity completes the package.

RIM has not released any details pertaining to an actual retail date or pricing at this point of time, or if the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will be an M1 exclusive or not. More details about the smartphone and its specifications can be found at BlackBerry's product page here.

Monster.com unveils new BlackBerry Bold 9900 now Android app and revamped available for pre-order from M1 WAP portal for job seekers

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/blackberry-bold-9900-now-availablefor-pre-order-from-m1/13348.html August 23rd, 2011

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/monster.com-unveils-new-androidapp-and-revamped-wap-portal-for-job-seekers/13347.html August 23rd, 2011

We have posted a fair bit of news about RIM's then-upcoming BlackBerry smartphone, the BlackBerry Bold 9900, for some time ever since it made its debut in CommunicAsia this year, but the fact remains that the most important detail pertaining to pricing and local availability has been left unanswered all this while. This has changed somewhat though, for the company has finally broken its silence by announcing that the

Need to look for a job in a hurry? Well, don't worry, there is an app for that, and it comes in the form of Monster.com's new Android app which reportedly allows both employers and jobseekers to search got candidates and jobs respectively while on the move. According to Monster.com, the aim is to provide consumers with a flexible, on-the-go, 24X7 platform to scout and apply for job opportunities at their convenience.v

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Apple loves to claim that its iTunes App Store is capable of serving apps for just about every single need under the sun, it would seem that Google's Android Market is not too far off in making that claim as well, especially where job seeking is concerned. This is because online job portal Monster.com has announced the availability of a new Android app which allows both employers and jobseekers to access â&#x20AC;&#x153;a flexible, on-the-go, 24X7 platform to scout and apply for job opportunities at their convenienceâ&#x20AC;?,

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technology, it makes video calls to loved ones even at night or low-lighting possible.

In addition, Monster.com has also announced the launch of its revamped WAP portal with newer and enhanced features to cater to both jobseekers and employers as well, such as the use of a new employer/recruiter interface.

The respective Android apps are currently available for download from the Android Market, although you might want to take note of the fact that Monster.com has released two different versions of the app, namely one for jobseekers and employers respecitvely, so do make sure that you have selected the right version for download.

Microsoft LifeCam Studio Review: Video calls made easy Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-lifecam-studio-review-videocalls-made-easy/13228.html August 23rd, 2011

Design: Looking from the box, the Microsoft LifeCam Studio sports a mix of silver and black aluminium finish which looks fairly stylish. The 1080p sensor sits behind a high-precision glass which promises to capture high-quality images. The LifeCam Studio is the first webcam to use a lens hood, which is normally found on digital SLR cameras, to prevent glare and lens flare.

Microsoft's latest webcam, the LifeCam Studio, is equipped with a 1080p sensor with auto focus and a high fidelity microphone. Furthermore, with TrueColor and ClearFrame 20

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On the top, we find the high-fidelity microphone that is protected with a nicely designed mesh.

Microsoft has also included in the box, a rubber lens cover to protect the webcam from dust when not in use.

The Lifecam Studio has a four-way adjustable joint and a thread hole for tripod mount. Users can set up the webcam on the tripod to capture steady high definition videos. The LifeCam Studio can be adjusted 360-degree laterally and about 30-degree vertically.

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• Non-slip satin grip surface • True six degree-of-freedom magnetic motion tracking • Lightweight, anti-tangle braided cable (Base station) • Low-power magnetic field, low power consumption • Ultra precise sensor for 1mm and 1 degree tracking • No line of sight to controllers required • Low latency feedback

System Requirements PC with 35MB free disk space USB Port Windows XP/Vista/7 Package Bundle Valve's award winning Portal 2 PC Game with Sixense MotionPack DLC that features 6 TrueMotion levels that were specifically created for use with the Razer Hydra.

First Look: Razer Hydra PC Gaming Motion Sensing Controller Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-look-razer-hydra-pc-gamingmotion-sensing-controller/13344.html August 23rd, 2011

Game Compatibility Apart from Portal 2, Razer claims out of the box compatibility with 125 titles (see here for the full list).

More Test Subjects Wanted!

Leave a verbose comment below on why you think you will make a good test subject (we will then contact you and you will be videoed and made famous on youtube). And oh, there will be cake.

First Look

The Razer Hydra PC Gaming Motion Sensing Controller, much like the recent deluge of alternative input gadgets like Microsoft’s Kinect and Sony’s PlayStation Move, allow for immersive three-dimensional interaction in rich ingame virtual environments. We at the VR-Zone Enrichment Centre take a quick first look at this futuristic magnetic field powered contraption, and after intensive testing with expandable human test subjects of varying intelligence and dexterity in devious scenarios, present our findings later in a full review... for science!

The Box

Technical Specifications (Per controller) • Thumb-ergonomic analog stick for fluid control • 4 Hyperesponse action buttons • Rapid-fire trigger and bumper for faster in-game response 22

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FCC approved (so it probably won't cause cancer), made in China and saps USB power (500mA)

Two gamepad-like controllers tethered to the base station

Base station (on the left a proprietary USB connector to the PC, and on the right for the two controllers). This orb structure generates a magnetic field to map the exact location and orientation of the controllers in the user's hands

Analog Stick and Four Action Buttons on the two controllers.

A tad disappointed they were not wireless.

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Today Enermax is one of the largest PSU manufacturers on the planet and a favorite among enthusiasts. In this review we are having a look on a product all enthusiasts will drool over, the very pinnacle of all Enermax power supplies and one of the best power supplies money can buy, the MaxRevo series 1350W unit.

Razer Trademark SPAAAAACE!

Green

Glow

when

powered

on.

If you ask any enthusiast to name the five PSU manufacturers that comes to mind, Enermax is certainly going to be in the list. The company is one of the oldest in the field and started designing high performance power supplies 20 years ago.

Today Enermax is one of the largest PSU manufacturers on the planet and a favorite among enthusiasts. In this review we are having a look on a product all enthusiasts will drool over, the very pinnacle of all Enermax power supplies and one of the best power supplies money can buy, the MaxRevo series 1350W unit.

• FMQ Design - Fully utilize transformer’s quad magnetic quadrants energy to provide maximum switching efficiency and outstanding stability.

• 88PLUS ready! - World’s leading full modular cables PSU series with 88-94% efficiency @ 20-100% load. Compliant with 80 PLUS® GOLD standard (1200/1350W only).

• ErP Lot 6 ready! - Help system meet ErP Lot 6 2010 (< 1W at standby mode) with high efficiency +5Vsb circuitry. (With ErP Lot 6 enabled motherboard.)

• Copper-Bridge Array Transmission - Unique CopperBridge Array creating wider conduction path greatly helps reduce airflow resistance, voltage drop and energy loss.

• C6 & Hybrid ready! - Maximum compatibility with C6 & hybrid states of current and future CPU & GPU generations by ZERO LOAD Design.

• DXXI ready! - 100% 6+2P (8P) PCI-E connectors to support new generation DXXI graphic cards.

(Credit to budding architect Mervyn Chng for the pretty pictures)

• Future ready! - 12P modular design for possibly upcoming new CPU and GPU 10P and/or 12P connectors.

• Modular ready! - Full modular cable design for easy customized support for various peripheral settings.

Enermax MaxRevo 1350W PSU review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/enermax-maxrevo-1350w-psureview/13343.html August 23rd, 2011

• SERVER ready! - SSI PSDG support for latest Intel® Core™ Extreme/i7, Xeon™ and AMD® Opteron™ and SLI® or CrossFireX™ and downward compatible with EPS12V v2.92, v2.8.

• CordGuard - Fixing the AC cord tightly to avoid accidental shutdowns of your PC. • HeatGuard - Keeping PSU fan running for 30-60 seconds after shut down to dissipate the remaining system heat and prolong system lifetime.

If you ask any enthusiast to name the five PSU manufacturers that comes to mind, Enermax is certainly going to be in the list. The company is one of the oldest in the field and started designing high performance power supplies 20 years ago.

• SafeGuard - Industry-leading octuple protection circuitry of OCP, OVP, AC UVP, DC UVP, OPP, OTP, SCP & SIP.

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• SpeedGuard - The world’s leading patented fan control starting with unmatched 900RPM to a maximum of 2000RPM for optimal cooling and minimum noise.

• Twister fan inside! - 13.9cm Twister-bearing fan with low noise and long lifetime. (100,000 hours MTBF, Patented) • 100% 105? Japanese electrolytic capacitors - Highest components standards for maximum durability and stability.

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VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!

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

SanDisk revives its MP3 player range with the Sansa Clip Zip Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandisk-revives-its-mp3-player-rangewith-the-sansa-clip-zip/13397.html August 25th, 2011

It's been nearly a year since SanDisk's last MP3 player; the Fuze+ which turned out to be a bit of a flop with its touch sensitive controls. On the other hands, SanDisk's range of Clip branded MP3 players have proven to be one of the most popular, low-cost MP3 players every and now the company is back with a new model, the Clip Zip. It's been nearly a year since SanDisk's last MP3 player; the Fuze+ which turned out to be a bit of a flop with its touch sensitive controls. On the other hands, SanDisk's range of Clip branded MP3 players have proven to be one of the most popular, low-cost MP3 players every and now the company is back with a new model, the Clip Zip. Compared to the last Sansa Clip, the Clip Zip has gained an improved display which measures a massive 1.1-inches, ok, so it's tiny, but it's still big enough for checking the important stuff. SanDisk claims that it offers 83 percent more viewing area than the Clip+ and although this might be true, it's not quite a fair comparison as the old models featured basic OLED displays. It's not a fantastic screen by any measurement, but keep in mind that the Sansa Clip series of MP3 players are lowbudget models.

The control layout has also changed, albeit only very slightly and instead of a home button, there's now a back button.

The remaining controls remain unchanged, although the navigation pad has grown in size. SanDisk has also caught on that the world is moving towards micro USB and as such the Clip Zip features a micro USB port instead of a mini USB port found on the previous models. As SanDisk is a Flash memory maker, the Clip Zip does of course feature a micro SD card slot which accepts 32GB memory cards.

Other features include a built-in FM radio (might vary by regions) and a microphone. The Clip Zip supports DRM free AAC, MP3, WMA, secure WMA, OGG and FLAC audio files.

SanDisk is offering the Sansa Clip Zip in white, orange, red, purple, blue, grey and black, although the 8Gb model appears to only come in black and grey. The 4GB model retails for US $49.99 (S$61) while the 8GB model comes in at US$69.99 (S $85).

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Sony adds two new SLT cameras to its lineup Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-adds-two-new-slt-cameras-to-itslineup/13396.html August 25th, 2011

If Sony's pocket friendly NEX cameras aren't up your street, then maybe its new SLT cameras will prove to be more interesting. Sony has announced two new models, the A65 and the A77 and both are higher-end offerings than any of its previous SLT models.

If Sony's pocket friendly NEX cameras aren't up your street, then maybe its new SLT cameras will prove to be more interesting. Sony has announced two new models, the A65 and the A77 and both are higher-end offerings than any of its previous SLT models.

SLT stands for single lens translucent and Sony seems to believe its custom technology is the way forward for its range of DSLR's. The key advantage of using SLT technology over SLR technology is speed, as the translucent mirror doesn't have to flip up and down between shots as the mirror in an SRL camera. For many the downside is that instead of an optical viewfinder an EVF has to be used and to date EVF's haven't been able to compete with traditional optical viewfinders in terms of quality. With its new SLT models, Sony is aiming to correct this thanks to the inclusion of a new XGA (1,024x768) resolution OLED EVF.

The more affordable of the two new SLT models is the A65 which sports a 24.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor and Sony s new XGA (1024x768) resolution EVF. It also has a rear 3in LCD display that can be tilted and swiveled. It s also Sony s first SLT camera to support the AVCHD 2.0 standard, alongside its bigger brother, the A77. As such it has a built in stereo microphone, as well as a side input for an external mic.

On the photographic side of things we're looking at 15-point Auto Focus system, up to 10 fps in high-speed mode, face detection, sweep panorama (with a 3D option), an ISO range from 100-16000 and a wired range of picture effects for those interested in some creative photography beyond what you can do with a camera alone. The camera feels chunky in the hand; although in a good way as it feels like you're holding a solid piece of kit, despite being a relatively small camera.

The A65 is Sony's high-end consumer SLT model and it carries a reasonable price tag to match that target audience. In Taiwan the A65 is priced at NT26,980 (S$1,125), body only, while the 18-55mm kit lens brings the price up to NT$29,980 (S$1,249) and finally with the two lens kit (which adds the 55-200mm lens) you're looking at NT$35,980 (S$1,499).

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Moving on to Sony's new flagship SLT camera, the A77 we're looking at a semi-pro camera built around a magnesium alloy body. The A77 sports a larger body than the A65 and an optional battery grip is also available for it as seen on early pictures that leaked of the camera. It too does of course feature the new XGA resolution EVF, although as you can see from the pictures, the A77 features quite a different hinge for the screen, a unique design by Sony that none of its competitors come even close to. Again, we're looking at AVCHD 2.0 support, a built in microphone and a socket for an external mic. Sony has also added a top mounted status LCD display, something the A65 lacks.

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Sony DT lens which is also available on its own with a list price of US$700.

Lenovo Singapore unveils 3G version of K1 and ThinkPad Android tablets Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-singapore-unveils-3g-versionof-k1-and-thinkpad-android-tablets/13395.html August 25th, 2011

It was only last month when Lenovo launched the K1 Android tablet that comes with Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity in Singapore. Today, the company unveiled the 3G version of K1 and the highly anticipated ThinkPad Android tablets.

Sony has upped the game quite a bit when it comes to photographic features with a 19-point Auto Focus system that has no less than 11 cross type Auto Focus sensors. You can also manually fine tune the Auto Focus on the A77. Another interesting feature Sony added to the A77 is object tracking, which allows the camera to follow a moving target and keep it in focus. For those that like knobs and control dials, the A77 is littered with them and it also has a flash sync terminal for studio use. Sony has upgraded the continuous shooting mode to 12fps in high-speed mode and the A77 also has a faster shutter speed mode than the A65 at 1/8000th of a second compared to 1/4000th of a second.

Common features found on both models include a combined SD/Memory Stick card slot, a mini HDMI port, a USB port and a port for an external GPS unit. Price wise the A77 starts at NT $39,980 (S$1,666), body only in Taiwan, while you're looking at NT$42,980 (S$1,790) for a kit with the 18-55mm lens and finally NT$57,980 (S$2,415) with the new 16-50mm F2.8 SSM

The new ThinkPad Tablet features a 10.1-inch WXGA (1280x800) IPS display with 178-degree viewing angle and scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass, weighs 0.75 kg and comes with an optional Keyboard Folio Case with optical 3

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TrackPoint. The Keyboard Folio Case does not come with a battery pack or power adapter, and only provides users with the full-size keyboard for convenience of typing.

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notes. It fits neatly in the ThinkPad Tablet pen storage slot and claims to offer 256-degrees of sensitivity. Lenovo also said that the ThinkPad Tablet will come preloaded with Google Android 3.1 Honeycomb, instead of 3.2 at press time, but may get the upgrade in the near future.

The 32GB IdeaPad Tablet K1 Wi-Fi version is currently available from select business partners and retail stores for S $699 and will be showcased at the Lenovo booth at COMEX from 1 September. The 32GB IdeaPad Tablet K1 3G version is priced at S$799 and will be available end September.

The 32GB ThinkPad Tablet will be available end September, pricing to be advised at a later date.

The ThinkPad Tablet comes with 3-in-1 card reader (SD, SDHC, MMC), mini HDMI, USB 2.0, micro-USB, dock connector, microphone/headphone combo and a sim card slot.

Lee Chown How, country general manager of Lenovo Singapore, said that Lenovo is the fastest growing PC company in the world for the past nine quarters and has the great momentum to drive the business and officially entering the global tablet market with the launch of the IdeaPad K1 and the ThinkPad Tablet.

"For Lenovo, we looked at the tablet market not as an overall requirement for business and consumers. We see that one size doesn't fit all and that's the reason we have two exciting products: IdeaPad K1 in three colors for consumers looking for mobile entertainment, and business professionals who want productivity, security, durability and manageability features" said Lee.

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Fujitsu Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionsfujitsu/13394.html August 25th, 2011

Besides the Keyboard Folio Case, there is also an optional ThinkPad Digitizer Pen for users to write down

Laptops are one of the most popular products in any of such PC fairs, especially with attractive promotional pricing offered by various vendors. Fujitsu's star products for the COMEX 2011 include LIFEBOOK LH531, LIFEBOOK BH531 and 4

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LIFEBOOK PH521. Before you start asking where, Fujitsu's booth is handled by AsiaPac Distribution and they are on level 4, hall 401, booth 8241.

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK PH521

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK LH531 The Fujitsu LIFEBOOK LH531 is equipped with the latest second generation Intel Core processor technology with Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 to offer superb performance for everyday computing. It weighs 2.1 kg, and features a 14-inch screen with HDMI output, and Nvidia Optimus graphics that can automatic switch between discreet graphics and internal graphics for great performance and longer battery life.

Usual Price: S$899 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK BH531 Powered by NVIDIA Optimus technology with 1GB VRAM, the LIFEBOOK BH531 claims to offer a balance between mainstream features and portability with affordability.

Available in Shiny Black and Garnet Red, the BH631 can provide outstanding HD graphics performance whenever needed while extending battery life with its Power ECO button Usual Price: S$1,488 COMEX Show Price: TBA

If you prefer the AMD varient for system processor, this LIFEBOOK PH521 is equipped with the latest AMD Fusion Brazos platform. The notebook PC weighs less than 1.4kg and offers extended battery life.

Usual Price: S$899 COMEX Show Price: TBA

SoftBank announces availability of 009SH smartphone in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/softbank-announces-availabilityof-009sh-smartphone-in-japan/13393.html August 25th, 2011

Mobile phones produced by Japanese manufacturers seldom, if ever find themselves being put up for sale on retail shelves in other countries, but that does not mean that people from all over the world cannot drool about how the Japanese always seem to have a knack for producing some extremely well-designed handsets. That being said, fans of Japanese smartphones will probably have much to look forward to this week, as SoftBank has just announced the availability of Sharp's new 009SH smartphone in Japan.

Do you remember the couple of stories we ran about Sharp's 3D-capable smartphone, the 009SH, which is also known as the AQUOS PHONE THE PREMIUM? You know, the ones about Sharp first announcing the availability of the smartphone in Japan, and with a more recent article that revealed the existence of a Yahoo-optimized variant of the 009SH for SoftBank? Well, it seems that the time has arrived for the 009SH to come full circle, as SoftBank has just announced that it will begin to start selling the original 009SH in Japan come August 26, which happens to be tomorrow.

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No prices for the 009SH smartphone have been released by SoftBank at this point of time.

As the 009SH is 'original' smartphone that led to the creation of its Yahoo-topmized variant, the 009SH Y, it should be of little surprise that the 009SH sports hardware specifications that are identical to those of the latter. For example, it is powered by the same four-inch QHD display capable of a maximum resolution of 960 x 540, along with an eightmegapixel rear-facing camera, and sports radios for both the CDMA and GSM networks. Also, like the 009SH Y, the 009SH will be preloaded with version 2.3 of the Android operating system and will feature support for a variety of standard features such as wireless connectivity via WiFi and Bluetooth, bbut without the various Yahoo-optimized features and software, of course.

However, unlike the 009SH Y which is only available in white, the original 009SH will allow consumers to choose between four different colours, namely gold, black, white and pink.

Steve Jobs Resigns as Apple's Chief Executive Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steve-jobs-resigns-as-apple-s-chiefexecutive/13387.html August 25th, 2011

Amid longstanding health issues, tech luminary Steve Jobs has resigned on Wednesday as Apple's chief executive. In a letter to the board that was released by the company, Jobs wrote: "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come." Jobs will become the chairman of the board, while well-regarded chief operating officer Tim Cook will succeed him as the chief executive.

The co-founder of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs has been credited as a visionary and the driving force behind a string of products that revolutionized the consumer-electronics industry. This includes the iPod portable media player, the iPhone smartphone and the iPad tablet, all of which have become a household name around most parts of the world.

They have also spawned forth an inundation of i-copycats and created a burgeoning accessories market.

Indeed, Apple briefly passed ExxonMobil this month as the world's largest company in terms of stock value.

Jobs' departure has been hailed as by many, an end of an extraordinary run for the company. In reports and comments around the world, many have professed support for the 6

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company and the man, even as others mourned that Apple without Jobs will no longer be the same.

Jobs did not explicitly indicate his health as the reason, though it is widely known that he suffered from a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2004 and had received a liver transplant in 2009. This means that Jobs not only have to battle cancer but face life-long organ-rejection treatments. The relative dearth of patients with Job's condition, however, means that there simply isn't sufficient data about long-term survival rates, reports Mercury News.

"I believe Apple's brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role," Jobs wrote in his brief letter, concluding with. "I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you." \>

Sony announces two new NEX cameras Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-announces-two-new-nexcameras/13391.html August 25th, 2011

The accessory port has also been upgraded to version 2.0 and this adds support for a new external EVF which features an XGA (1024x768) resolution OLED display. Sadly the EVF is an optional accessory which is said to carry an MSRP of US $349.99 (no pricing was announced at the Taipei press event).

Sony seems to think it has enough of an install base already to offer owners of previous NEX models a cheaper upgrade path.

The starting price for the body only in Taiwan is NT$16,980 (S $706) and the basic 18-55mm kit lens bundle is NT$22,980 (S $956) whereas the 16mm and 18-55m bundle is NT$26,980 (S $1,122) and all three options will be available form sometime in September.

Much of Sony's NEX announcements had already leaked prior to its global launch, but there's no denying that its new NEX cameras are impressive products. We got a chance to get some hands on time with one of the new models earlier at the Taipei launch event, alongside some eyes on at the other model.

Much of Sony's NEX announcements had already leaked prior to its global launch, but there's no denying that its new NEX cameras are impressive products. We got a chance to get some hands on time with one of the new models earlier at the Taipei launch event, alongside some eyes on at the other model.

Starting with the new NEX-5N we're looking at a very affordable model, even compared to the current NEX-5 and this is also the first time Sony is offering one of its NEX models without a bundled kit lens. The design changes are fairly minor between the NEX-5 and NEX-5 and, as most of the chances have been made on the inside. For starters we're looking at a higher resolution sensor at 16.1 Megapixels (up from 14.2 Megapixels), but Sony has also added support for 1080p60 and 1080i60 video recording as per the updated AVCHD 2.0 spec, at up to 28Mbps at 60p. Other new features include a touch screen, improved ISO sensitivity, an electronic first curtain shutter, an increased maximum shooting rate to 10fps and lens aberration correction.

The NEX-7 is a camera that's been surrounded by rumours for quite some time and sadly we didn't get a change to go hands on with it at today's event, we have a feeling it's going to be a favourite second camera for a lot professional users, while many hobby photographers would consider it over a full-size DSLR, at least based on the spec. Sadly there were no hands on with the NEX-7 at the Taipei launch event, but we did get to snap a few shots of it.

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Published by: VR-Zone

options of these menus. The rear wheel is still in place and it will adjust settings from a menu on the right hand side of the LCD as well as any other menu options.

With a 24.3 Megapixel APS-C size sensor it's clear that Sony is aiming for a different market with this model, but the high resolution sensor isn't the key feature that sets this camera apart from the previous models in the NEX range. Instead Sony has created something of a hybrid between a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera and a traditional range finder in terms of the camera design. The rear of the camera houses the familiar 3in LCD screen (which can still be tilted up and down), but at the far left corner you'll also notice an EVF which is the same high-resolution XGA OLED EVF as the optional accessory for the NEX-5N.

The NEX-7 is bigger and heavier than its consumer focused siblings and it has quite a different feature set. Gone is the proprietary NEX accessory shoe in favour of a Sony Alpha hotshoe. Somehow Sony has also managed to squeeze in a built in pop-up flash, although this isn't a particularly powerful option, as it's slightly weaker than the original flash for the NEX cameras. Sony has also come up with an interesting control system for the menu, with a pair of extra rotary dials at the top of the camera. These dials are directly correlated to a pair of on-screen menus as the top of the display and there's a button next to the shutter that will cycle through the various

As with the NEX-5N, the NEX-7 does of course also support AVCHD 2.0 video recording at up to 1080p60. For those interested in using the NEX-7 as a video camera, the good news is that Sony has added a microphone input with plug in power support for a standard 3.5mm microphone, a feature sorely missing from the other NEX cameras. Sony didn't unveil the pricing in Taiwan at the event, but the NEX-7 is expected to retail for US$1,199, body only and for US$ 1,399 with the 18-55mm kit lens, although it should also be available with the new 24mm F1.8 Zeiss lens as a kit, for a yet unknown price.

The NEX-7 is expected to arrive sometime in November.

Sony also announced three new E-mount lenses, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* E 24mm F1.8 ZA, US$1,000, the E 50mm F1.8 OSS, US$300 and the E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS, US$350. The E 55-210mm will be available in October, with the other two models following in December. In addition to the new lenses, Sony also announced a new translucent mirror adapter for the NEX series of cameras which is meant to not only bring support for its Alpha lenses, but also SLT level phase-detection autofocus speeds to the NEX series, in fact the adapter sports 8

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the same 15-point AF sensor as the new SLT A65. The adapter is expected to retail for US$399 and it features a built in AF motor and its own tripod mount.

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Fuji Xerox Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-fujixerox/13389.html August 25th, 2011

If you are hunting for a printer or a multifunctional printer at COMEX 2011, you may want to drop by Fuji Xerox's booth on level 4, hall 401, booth number 8468. You can find the top three best selling printers - DocuPrint P205 b A4 monochrome printer, DocuPrint M205 fw A4 wireless monochrome multifunction printer, and DocuPrint CM205 fw A4 wireless colour multifunction printer - with the special show promotional price tags.

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint M205 fw A4 Wireless Monochrome Multifunction Printer If you require other functions including scanning and copying but don't need color printing, then you may want to consider this Fuji Xerox DocuPrint M205 fw wireless monochrome multifunction printer. Like the DocuPrint P205 b, this one is also equipped with the latest S-LED printing technology and features print, copy, scan and fax capabilities. The M205 fw offers a 24ppm print speed and mobile printing via Fuji Xerox Print Utility for iOS. It comes with 4-year on-site warranty and 1-hr Express Service guaranteed.

Usual Price: S$349 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint P205 b A4 Monochrome Printer Available in black, quartz and pink, the Fuji Xerox DocuPrint P205 b A4 monochrome printer incorporates the latest S-LED printing technology and claims 24ppm print speed. The toner is easy to replace and is affordably priced at S$55 for 1.1k yield.

The DocuPrint P205 b also comes with 1-hr Express Service guaranteed.

Usual Price: S$139 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 fw A4 Wireless Colour Multifunction Printer The Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 fw A4 wireless color multifunction printer uses S-LED Printing Technology and provides copy, scan, fax and color printing for users. It boasts print speeds of 12ppm for colour and 15ppm for monochrome, and supports mobile printing via Fuji Xerox Print Utility for iOS. Usual Price: S$649 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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More images of HTC's Bliss smartphone show up online Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-images-of-htc-s-blisssmartphone-show-up-online/13390.html August 25th, 2011

Remember the stories we had ran about HTC's upcoming ladies-centric Bliss smartphone for the ladies? Well, it seems like the trickle of information about that particular smartphone is not about to run dry any time soon, and the latest piece of news seems to confirm that fact, for some decent-looking (i.e, non-Blurrycam) images of the Bliss have finally appeared online, courtesy of XDA.cn.

We have posted two stories about HTC's upcoming Bliss smartphone for the ladies, but to date, not once had we been able to provide a proper image of the smartphone, if only because HTC appeared to be extremely determined in keeping the smartphone tightly under wraps until its eventual release.

However, the good news is that consumers who have been wanting to get a good look at the Bliss need not wait any longer, for XDA.cn has just published a handful of Bliss images that are of rather decent quality.

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smartphone will ship with version 3.5 of the HTC Sense UI, and that its design bears a great deal of similarity to HTC's Desire S smartphone. In fact, XDA.cn has also confirmed that the Bliss's screen size is identical to that of the Desire S. Nice.

ZTE shows off 4G-capable smartphone in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zte-shows-off-4g-capable-smartphonein-china/13388.html August 25th, 2011

4G-capable mobile networks are not expected to see mass deployment any time soon, but if anything, it is clear that smartphone manufacturers are already gunning up to ensure that their products will be capable of taking advantage of such wireless communication technology when 4G networks are eventually made available to consumers. And from the looks of it, ZTE has no plans in being left behind in the race to offer 4Gcapable handsets, for the Chinese smartphone OEM has just unveiled a new 4G-capable smartphone for China Mobile.

ZTE has unveiled its new 4G-capable smartphone in China for China Mobile. The new handset, was unveiled at the Universiade sporting event in Shenzhen and has yet to be named, is claimed to be designed to play nice with the 4G TDLTE network that is currently undergoing large-scale tests in China.

Once again, little is known about the HTC Bliss's specifications, although XDA.cn is claiming that the 10

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Not much about ZTE's new smartphone has been released at this point of time, but according to a report published by Shanzai.com, the device will feature a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, although other details about its hardware, such as the processor used to power it, along with the amount of memory and internal flash storage, remains a mystery. However, what we do know is that the smartphone will reportedly feature radios that are compatible with the TD-LTE 4G network, along with the 3G TD-SCDMA and GSM networks.

Lastly, Shanzai.com's report also claims that the unnamed smartphone from ZTE will be preloaded with version 2.3 of the Android operating system, although it is not known whether ZTE will provide an upgrade path for newer versions of Android.

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Epson TX121 All-in-one Inkjet Printer The Epson TX121 all-in-one inkjet printer lets you print, scan and copy documents easily. It boasts a print speed of 28ppm for monochrome and 15ppm for color, and water resistant prints even on plain paper. The ink cartridges are selling at an affordable S$10.30 each.

Usual Price: S$118 COMEX Show Price: TBA

No details about pricing and availability for ZTE's new smartphone has been announced at this point of time.

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Epson Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionsepson/13385.html August 25th, 2011

Epson will be at the upcoming COMEX Show and their star products include the TX121 All-in-one inkjet printer, ME960FWD All-in-one inkjet printer with fax/ wireless/ duplex printing, C1700 single-function LED printer and EB-1775W business projector. The Epson booth is located on level 4, hall 403/402, booth number 8015.

Epson ME960FWD All-in-one Inkjet Printer with Fax/ Wireless/ Duplex Printing The Epson ME960FWD all-in-one inkjet printer comes with fax, wireless and duplex (double-sided) printing capabilities. It has a print speed of 38ppm for both monnochrome and color, 30-sheet automatic document feeder, 2.5-inch LCD display and memory card slots. It supports both Wi-Fi and ethernet connectivity and claims to offer a low cost-per-page of S$0.025 per page for black ink.

Usual Price: S$478 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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Published by: VR-Zone August 25th, 2011

Remember Samsung's Bada platform for mobile phones?

Turns out that the Korean electronics giant is not about to let the Bada platform fade away into obscurity, even as big-name players such as Apple's iOS, Google's Android and Research In Motion's BlackBerry OS have cemented their places as the platforms to look out for in the mobile space. This is because Samsung has just announced the availability of its Bada 2.0 SDK for developers, which the company has claimed is designed to encourage the adoption of Bada and reflect the needs of developers.

Epson C1700 Single-function LED Printer If you looking for an affordable LED printer, check out the Epson C1700 single-function LED printer. The C1700 features print speeds of 15ppm monochrome and 12ppm color and comes with USB2.0 connectivity and high memory capacity.

Usual Price: S$300 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Samsung has announced the availability the SDK for the latest version of its mobile platform, Bada, for download. According to Samsung, the SDK for Bada 2.0 is designed to encourage the adoption of the Bada mobile platform by featuring support for a variety of new features, as well as making it easy for developers to write apps for the platform by providing them a comprehensive set of tools for them to make use of.

Epson EB-1775W Business Projector Weighing 1.71kg, the slim and sleek Epson EB-1775W business projector claims to be the world's slimmest 3LCD projector with 3,000 lumens white and color light output. It supports WXGA resolution (1280x800) and features 2000:1 contrast ratio, USB direct display, built-in HDMI terminal, wireless and automatic horizontal and vertical keystone correction with screen fit.

Usual Price: S$2,149 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Samsung releases Bada 2.0 SDK for developers Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-releases-bada-2.0-sdk-fordevelopers/13386.html

The machine translation of Samsung's latest announcement claims that the SDK for Bada 2.0, which currently available for download at Samsung's developer page, will feature support for WiFi Direct at data transfer speeds of up to 300Mbps, as well as short-range wireless connectivity via NFC. In addition, the announcement also confirms that Bada 2.0 will feature â&#x20AC;&#x153;superior multitaskingâ&#x20AC;? capabilities, along with support for voice commands, push emails, HTML5 and Flash.

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Developers, on the other hand, will get to play with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;more convenient development environmentâ&#x20AC;? with the release of the SDK for Bada 2.0; Samsung claims that the SDK will feature tools such as a performance profiler, and a Bada emulator which is reportedly capable of replicating a working Bada OS environment to allow for the testing of apps. Furthermore, Samsung has also confirmed that Bada 2.0 will allow the use of in-app advertising to help developers monetize their apps.

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S6200 features a Night Detection mode which automatically determines whether the camera is mounted on a tripod or handheld when shooting night scenes, and automatically adjusts the ISO speeds for optimum results.

The Bada 2.0 SDK can be downloaded off Samsung's Bada developer page here:

Lastly, the COOLPIX S6200 also boasts a variety of artistic filters for creative shooting, while AF and shutter lag timingsd have been improved; Nikon claims that the S6200 is capable of locking focus on 0.28 seconds, while shutter lag has been reduced to 0.42 seconds.

Nikon releases six new COOLPIX cameras in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-releases-six-new-coolpixcameras-in-japan/13383.html August 25th, 2011

Need a new compact camera? Don't worry, there is a Nikon for that, especially if the latest announcement from the Japanese camera manufacturer is of any indication. Apparently, Nikon has just released a total of six new COOLPIX compact cameras in Japan yesterday, the COOLPIX S6200, S8200, S100, S1200pj, AW100 and P7100, all of which are designed to cater to the ever-changing needs of photographs of varying skill levels.

Nikon has announced the availability of six new COOLPIX compact cameras in Japan yesterday. The new cameras, which consist of four new additions under the COOLPIX S series (S6200, S8200, S100, S1200pj) and one new addition for both the AW series (AW100) and P series of cameras (P7100), have been designed to cater to the needs of photographers of varying proficiency levels.

Nikon COOLPIX S6200, S8200, S100 and S1200pj The new Nikon COOLPIX S6200 boasts an image sensor which is capable of capturing still images at the maximum resolution of 16 megapixels at ISO speeds ranging from 100 to 3,200, while the high-quality NIKKOR lenses used in its assembly provides the S6200 with a maximum optical zoom range of up to 10x. In addition, Nikon has added that the

The Nikon COOLPIX S8200 (pictured above), which is positioned as the successor to the COOLPIX S8200, boasts a slightly smaller body as compared to its predecessor, along with an image sensor that is capable of capturing stills at the maximum resolution of 16 megapixels, as opposed to the S8100's 12 megapixel sensor. The maximum zoom range has also been bumped up from 10x to 14x in the S8200, although it retains the same 10fps high speed shooting capabilities found in its predecessor.

The Nikon COOLPIX S100, which succeeds the earlier COOLPIX S80 compact camera, comes bundled with a 16-megapixel BackSide-Illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor. In addition, the camera's 3.5-inch, touchscreen-capable OLED display is reportedly capable of display images at a resolution of 820,000 dots and a viewing angle of up 180 degrees.

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Lastly, Nikon has also claimed that the S100 is capable of captuing 3D images, which can then be viewed on 3D-capable television sets or displays.

The Nikon S1200pj, which is the successor to the S1100pj, is a projector-camera hybrid which allows users to beam their captured images onto any surface for easy viewing.

According to Nikon, the new S1200pj boasts a 40% increase in projection brightness over its predecessor, while the maximum projection distance it is capable of stands at 310 cm at sizes of up to 60-inches. In addition, the company has claimed that the COOLPIX S1200pj is capable of projecting images and videos from iOS devices via a special cable, or even from a PC or notebook.

The camera aspect, however, has not been forgotten; Nikon has confirmed that the COOLPIX S1200pj will sport an image sensor capable of capturing stills at the maximum resolution of 14.1 megapixels, along with a NIKKOR lens that is capable of up to 5x optical zoom.

No prices for the aforementioned cameras have been revealed yet, although Nikon has confirmed that the S6200, S8200 and S1200pj will be released for sale in Japan come September 22, while the S100 will hit retail at the earlier date of September 8 this year.

Full specifications for the aforementioned cameras are as follow:

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COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: TomTom Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionstomtom/13382.html August 25th, 2011

Looking for a GPS navigation system for your car? You may want to consider these products from renowned manufacturer, TomTom. The company will be at the COMEX Show in Suntec and their booth can be located on level 6, hall 603, booth 6711.

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Usual Price: S$299 COMEX Price: S$229 Promotional offer for TomTom XL 550: - Free TomTom USB Home Charger (worth S$45) - a universal power charger that plugs straight into the wall, with adaptors for various regions.

- Bonus international map of your choice worth up to S$115

TomTom XL 250 Sporting a 4.3-inch touchscreen display with easy two-button menu access, the TomTom XL 250 South East Asia comes with Advanced Lane Guidance and spoken street names that lets you navigate conveniently from place to place. It is preloaded with maps of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Hong Kong (new) & Macau (new) and you will never be lost with the "Help me! Emergency Menu".

TomTom also offers free daily map updates with TomTom Map Share and postcode search.

Usual Price: S$229 COMEX Price: S$169 Promotional offer for TomTom XL 250: - Free TomTom USB Home Charger (worth S$45) - a universal power charger that plugs straight into the wall, with adaptors for various regions.

- Bonus international map of your choice worth up to S$115

TomTom XL 550 The TomTom XL550 features a 5-inch touchscreen and expanded menu options, Advanced Lane Guidance and spoken street names, Preloaded with maps of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Hong Kong (new) & Macau (new), it claims to be the ideal companion for drivers or commuters who need high-end navigation features.

TomTom GO 750 Like its two siblings, the GO 750 features expanded menu options, Advanced Lane Guidance and spoken street names, Help me! Emergency Menu and TomTom Map Share and postcode search functions. The Go 750 has a 4.3-inch touch screen with maps of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Hong Kong (new) & Macau (new).

Usual Price: S$349 COMEX Price: S$289 Promotional offer for TomTom GO 750: - Free TomTom USB Home Charger (worth S$45) - a universal power charger that plugs straight into the wall, with adaptors for various regions.

- Free original TomTom GO Carry Case worth S$59 - Bonus international map of your choice worth up to S$115

TomTom Mounts TomTom presents a full range of mounts that bring your device within reach, within line of sight. The convenient mounts also allow simple docking and results in a safer, less stressful drive.

- TomTom Bean Bag Mount (Recommended retail price: S $49) 16

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- TomTom Dashboard Mount (Recommended Retail Price: S $45) - TomTom Air Vent Mount (Recommended Retail Price: S$45) - TomTom Gooseneck Mount (Recommended Retail Price: S $45) (All accessories sold separately, while stocks last) Each TomTom PND purchase will come with a free Bonus International Map of your choice (valued at up to S$115). DBS Credit Card members will also receive a TomTom Adhesive Dash Disk (worth S$13) for each TomTom purchase made through a DBS credit card. Attractive price offers will also be announced during the show, in addition to TomTom’s Exclusive COMEX 2011 promotional offers.

Nokia unveils three new smartphones on Symbian Belle Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nokia-unveils-three-new-smartphoneson-symbian-belle/13381.html August 25th, 2011

Weighing 96g and measuring 110 x 50.7 x 9.7mm, the Nokia 700 is the company's most compact smartphone in the Symbian range. It features single-tap NFC sharing and pairing capabilities, 1Ghz processor, 3.2-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display, 2GB internal memory (with the option of using a 32GB microSD card), high definition video capture and 5-megapixel full focus camera with LED flash.

Nokia has recently announced three new members to their smartphones lineup - Nokia 600, Nokia 700 and Nokia 701.

The three new smartphones claim to be feature-packed, mass market mobile devices that run the latest Symbian Belle.

The Nokia 600 smartphone is a music-lover’s dream. It features built-in FM radio antenna for listening to radio without headphones and FM transmitter that makes it easy to broadcast music from your phone to any FM radio. It claims to provide 60 hours of music playback time, has a powerful external loudspeaker and can stream music wirelessly to NFCenabled accessories. Specifications-wise, the Nokia 600 comes with 1GHz processor, 5-megapixel full focus camera with LED flash and HD video capture, and 2GB internal memory and expandable with a 32GB microSD card.

The Nokia 701 is a sleek and slim smartphone with the world’s brightest screen, based on a 3.5-inch ClearBlack display that makes it perfect for indoor and outdoor. It comes with active noise cancellation for the clear audio, and single-tap NFC pairing and sharing capabilities that allow content to be shared and streamed wirelessly to headphones and NFC-enabled speakers. Based on the popular Nokia C7 design, the Nokia 701 is equipped with 1GHz processor, 8-megapixel full focus camera with dual LED flash and 2x digital zoom, front-facing camera and high definition video capture. The smartphone also comes with 8GB internal memory and is expandable to 32GB microSD card.

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The new Nokia Essence Bluetooth Stereo Headset incorporates a special active noise cancellation technology that eliminates 99.8% of background noise, and delivers highfidelity audio regardless of noisy surroundings. Using NFC technology, the Bluetooth headset can be paired with any NFC-enabled smartphone simply by tapping the two devices together.

Local pricing and availability not announced at press time.

Availability of Symbian Belle on newly shipping versions of the Nokia N8, Nokia E6, Nokia E7, Nokia X7, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01 and Nokia Oro as well as by download will be announced closer to availability.

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: ASUS Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionsasus/13379.html August 25th, 2011

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ASUS All-in-One PC ET2410IUTS The ASUS ET2410 sports a 23.6-inch 16:9 widescreen Full high definition (HD) LED screen that claims to deliver more details of the HD content be it gaming or watching movies. It has an optical multi-touch screen which is said to be better than the resistive and capacitive ones available on the market today, in terms of better performance, image clarity and reliability. You can also pinch- zoom or rotate images as well as scroll through webpage easily. On top of that, the ET2410 also features the proprietary SonicMaster Technology for pure audio reproduction, the ET2410 series promises richer and more distinct vocals at a wider frequency range, with superb bass.

Usual price: S$1,799 COMEX Show price: TBA

Notebook PC and all-in-one hunters must definitely take a look at ASUS offerings at the upcoming COMEX 2011 show.

The Taiwanese company has a lot of great promotions for their range of products including laptops, wireless routers and LCD monitors. ASUS' booths can be located on level 4, booth number 8310, 8220; and level 6, hall 602, booth number 6261.

ASUS ML239H IPS+ LED Monitor If you are looking for a new monitor, check out the ASUS ML239H. It features a high glossy piano-black finish, sleek geometric design with an ultra-slim profile, 50,000,000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio that can achieve darkest black and brightest white to deliver lifelike images, and an ultra-

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wide 178-degree viewing angle. It has a ring stand and full HD 1080p (1920x1080) support with HDMI connector.

Usual price: S$379 COMEX Show price: TBA

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bandwidth simultaneously on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands with speeds of up to 300Mbps concurrently. While basic internet applications like browsing or file downloading can occur in 2.4GHz, wireless high definition (HD) content streaming can take place in the 5GHz band at the same time, such that users can enjoy smooth, buffer-free HD content streaming.

In addition, you can setup the router easier with ASUS EZ UI, and also do 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. The RT-N56U can also continue downloading FTTP, FTP and BitTorrent file to the USB disk all day even when your PC is turned off.

Usual price: S$219 COMEX Show price: TBA

ASUS PA246Q P-IPS Monitor The ASUS PA246Q is equipped with a P-IPS panel that claims to provide 98% of Adobe RGB coverage and 1.07 billion colors; 130% more color compared to conventional LCD monitor. It is pre-calibrated with a maximum Delta E of less than 5 and ensures precise reading of color input and guarantees excellent color fidelity. It has an ultra-wide 178-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles and comes with ASUS-exclusive QuickFit for real-size document, photo, and grid mode on top of the operating windows onscreen. Connectivity options include DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, D-sub, two USB 2.0 ports and 7-in-1 card reader to read your memory cards.

Usual price: S$769 COMEX Show price: TBA

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (16GB with Docking Station) The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is a 10.1-inch Android tablet that can "transform" between pad and notebook mode for mobile flexibility. It is preloaded with the latest Google Android 3.2 Honeycomb and claims up to 16 hours of battery life, and comes with full QWERTY keyboard with docking station. The Eee Pad Transformer has also won the VR-Zone editor's choice in June.

Usual price: S$899 (w/GST) COMEX Show price: TBA

ASUS RT-N56U Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router With this ASUS RT-N56U dual band wireless-N Gigabit router, you can increase your wireless performance and 19

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ASUS Eee Pad Slider The ASUS Eee Pad Slider is the latest tablet product that features an integrated QWERTY keyboard for special typing experience. It can also be expanded with MicroSD card slot.

USB and mini HDMI connectors.

Usual price: S$799 (w/GST) COMEX Show price: TBA

Samsung announces new additions to its Professional Series 3 series of monitors Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-new-additions-toits-professional-series-3-series-of-monitors/13380.html August 25th, 2011

Samsung has announced the availability of three new additions to the Professional Series 3 series of widescreen LCD monitors. Known as the S27A850, S24A650 and S24A350T, the Korean electronics giant has claimed that the new monitors are capable of meeting the needs of professionals, as well reduce energy consumption with various eco-friendly features.

Samsung has announced the availability of three new additions to its Professional Series 3 series of widescreen LCD monitors. According to Samsung, the new monitors, which are known as the S27A850, S24A650, S24A350T and feature LED backlighting and a variety of eco-friendly features, are designed to meet the needs of professionals while reducing their overall energy consumption.

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From the looks of it, the 27-inch S27A850 appears to be the main draw of Samsung's new lineup. According to a machine translation of the Korean electronics giant's press release, the S27A850 reportedly features a 27-inch PLS display which boasts a wide viewing angle of up to 178 degrees, as well as 100% coverage of the entire sRGB colour space. Samsung claims that this allows the S27A850 to achieve exceptional colour reproduction, while its native resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels tops off the premium S27A850's package.

On the other hand, Samsung has also announced that the new S24A650 and S24A350T monitors will feature displays that boast a viewing angle similar to that of the S27A850's, and are capable of a static contrast ratio of 3000 : 1. In addition, all three monitors will be bundled with Samsung's Eco Saving features that are reportedly capable of reducing their energy consumption by 25-50% under various circumstances.

The S27A850, S24A650 and S24A350T have reportedly been released for retail in Korea at the retail prices of 1.2 million won, 590,000 won and 300,000 won respectively. However, we'd suggest that users take this information with a pinch of salt, as these prices translate to approximately US$1109, US$545 and US$277 respectively; it is possible that there might be an error in the machine translation of Samsung's announcement.

Drumo launches Q&A service in Asia and Australia Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/drumo-launches-q-a-service-in-asiaand-australia/13375.html August 25th, 2011

Social networks like foursquare allows you to check-in to places and read about the reviews users have posted. Drumo claims to be the first local Question and Answer platform that is recently launched in Australia and Asia Pacific and

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allows the community to ask and answer questions about what is happening right now in their local area.

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mouse that features a built-in scanner. And no, we are not making this up.

Disruptions to one's workflow can be a real pain at times, especially when it involves leaving one's desk to head over to the printer room to scan a single document, walk back to the desk and retrieve the scanned file from the network drives before proceeding to work on it. Fortunately, workers who often find themselves dealing with such issues may now have something to look forward to, for LG has just announced the availability of a new concept device, the LSM-100, which reportedly allows a user to perform such scanning functions right off a computer mouse.

Combine Quora and Foursquare and you will get Drumo, a local Question and Answer platform that connects a community of users to ask and answer questions about what is happening right now in their local area. Drumo has launched the beta in private, in Asia and Australia and the platform will also utilize the various deals in location-based manner to everyone's advantage. It is set to first launch in Sydney and Singapore, followed by Tokyo, Melbourne and Hong Kong and other major Australian and Asian cities.

According to the company's website, there is a reward system that lets users earn points and virtual rewards on Drumo, build local reputation and unlock exclusive merchant offers at local businesses. On top of that, users can also earn points and badges by giving quality answers, reviews and checking into places using Facebook or Foursquare. Drumo is also available as a mobile application on the iPhone and the Android version is coming soon.

LG introduces new scannermouse device in Korea, calls it the LSM-100 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-introduces-new-scanner-mousedevice-in-korea-calls-it-the-lsm-100/13378.html August 25th, 2011

Picture this situation; you need to scan a copy of a certain document, but the blasted scanner is situated at the other end of the room, and you really do not want to leave your comfortable chair and walk over to the device just to scan one single document. Well, don't worry; LG has come up with a novel way to solve such needs, and it comes in the form of its concept device, the LSM-100, which consists of a computer

According to LG, the LSM-100 concept mouse-scanner hybrid features a built-in scanning device in its body which allows it to scan documents ranging from A4 to A3 sizes, while the use of OCR or Optical Character Recognition reportedly grants the device some degree of intelligence. For example, LG has claimed that OCR can be used to convert a scanned document into a text file immediately, thus allowing for much greater ease in editing the contents of the scanned file as opposed to doing so via photoediting software.

Last but definitely not least, LG has also confirmed that the LSM-100 features a laser sensor for more accurate tracking, while scans can also be shared online via social networks or email thanks to the bundled Smart Share software.

No details about pricing for the LSM-100 has been revealed

by LG yet, but the company has claimed that it intends to release the product for sale in North America, Europe and other â&#x20AC;&#x153;major foreign marketsâ&#x20AC;? in September.

Samsung launches new Sense Series 3 300V notebooks with five colour choices Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-launches-new-senseseries-3-300v-notebooks-with-five-colour-choices/13377.html August 25th, 2011

For the most part, notebooks are typically made available for sale to consumers in any colour they want, as long as it is black, 21

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blue, red, or white, but leave it to Samsung to raise the bar for colour variety with its new line of Samsung Sense Series 3 300V series of notebooks that have just been launched today.

According to the Korean electronics giant, the new notebooks have been designed with the needs of today's style-conscious youths in mind.

Notebooks are a must-have for most students and working adults today, but the fact remains that choosing an appropriately coloured notebook to one's liking is not always the easiest of tasks, and for good reason. After all, most OEMs will prefer to play it safe by offering their notebooks in only a variety of standard colours for sale, but leave it to Samsung to buckle that trend with the launch of its new Samsung Sense Series 3 300V series of notebooks, which are reportedly available in five different colour choices, namely pink, blue, silver, orange and black.

On the hardware side, Samsung has confirmed that the new Sense Series 3 300V series of notebooks will be powered by Intel's second generation Core i7 processors to ensure optimal performance for most daily computing tasks, while graphics is handled by NVIDIA's GT520MX GPU, along with Optimus switchable graphics technology to help maximize battery life.

Lastly, the notebooks will also reportedly be bundled with hard disks sporting capacities of up to 640GB and 4GB of memory.

Samsung has not provided any information pertaining to the availability of its new Sense Series 3 300V series of notebooks, although the Korean electronics giant has claimed that the 14-inch version of the notebooks will be sold at the price of 430,000 won (approx US$400), while the 15-inch variants will be priced between 890,000 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1,400,000 won (approx US$454 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; US$1,300).

NVIDIA's 28nm mobile line-up revealed According to Samsung, the new notebooks, which are reportedly designed to cater to the needs of younger and more fashion-conscious consumers, will be available in both 13-inch and 14-inch display sizes. In addition, the machine translation of Samsung's announcement claims that the new laptops will make use of non-reflective displays to help reduce the problem with screen glare.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-s-28nm-mobile-line-uprevealed/13376.html August 25th, 2011

SemiAccurate have leaked a tentative line-up for NVIDIA's 28nm mobile GPUs. The first 28nm mobile GPUs are set to be sampled in Early October, with mass production commencing in End December if everything goes to plan. Availability is scheduled for Q1 2012. Crucially, these 28nm parts are not based on the next-gen Kepler architecture, but are die shrinks 22

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of the current Fermi architecture powering GeForce 400/500 series.

The new 28nm chips are codenamed the N13 family, succeeding the N12 series - the current GeForce 500M Series.

The codenames follow a similar pattern to N12, with three categories - Performance (N13P), Mainstream (N13M) and Enthusiast (N13E). The first and only Mainstream part, the N13M-GS is most likely expected to be a GF119 shrink, replacing the GT 520M. The N13P-GV also appears to be based on GF119, but featuring GDDR5 memory, pushing it up to the P class. N13P-GL and N13P-LP appear to be GF108 shrinks, while N13P-GS, N13P-GT and N13E-GE could very well be based on GF116.

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designed for business users who desire a phone that is tough enough to withstand the everyday knocks of business life.

China might be well-known for its extensive lineup of low-cost, generic-looking smartphones and tablets that are currently flooding its domestic market, but it seems that some of its enterprising OEMs sure know how to make their products capture the attention of consumers in one way or the other, and this new smartphone looks to be one such example. World, meet the Coolpad N950 clamshell smartphone.

Finally, the two flagship parts - N13E-GS1 and N13E-GTX feature 256-bit memory and 2GB GDDR5 memory and certainly appear to be GF114 shrinks. The top N13E-GTX part is only expected to be in mass production in April/May 2012.

3DMark score estimates are also mentioned for the high performance parts, presumably 3DMark Vantage P scores.

The current fastest mobile GPU, Radeon HD 6990M, scores in the range of P15500, while the fastest NVIDIA GPU, the GTX 580M scores P14500. This puts the N13E-GS1 right between the GTX 580M and the HD 6990M. The N13EGTX, scheduled for Q2 2012, takes performance up a notch to P20000. It will also lower the TDP to 75W, down from GTX 580M's incredible 100W. However, major performance improvements will need to wait till the true next-gen GPUs in Southern Islands and Kepler.

Of course, this is only a tentative line-up, and many things could change. The question remains - if we get Fermi refreshes in Q1 2012, when can we expect to see Kepler based GPUs in the mobile arena? Also, could we see 28nm Fermi shrinks in the desktop market before Kepler releases?

Details about this 'cool' smartphone are scarce, but according to what we were able to piece together from a report published on a Chinese gadget website known as iMobile, the Coolpad N950, which is apparently designed with business users in mind, will be preloaded with version 2.2 of the Android operating system. On the hardware side, iMobile claims that the Coolpad will feature a paltry 256MB of ROM and RAM, along with 2GB of internal flash storage, although users can always turn to microSD cards should they ever run into any issues pertaining to insufficient storage, as demonstrated by the presence of a card reader.

Images of a Coolpad N950 smartphone show up in China Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/images-of-a-coolpad-n950smartphone-show-up-in-china/13374.html August 25th, 2011

Are you 'cool' enough to own a smartphone? Apparently not, especially if you have not heard about this new smartphone that is currently making its rounds in China. Known as the Coolpad N950, this new smartphone, which is apparently powered by Google's Android operating system, is reportedly

However, backing up the Coolpad N950's processing power is a reasonably powerful Texas Instruments OMAP 3630 processor clocked at 1024MHz, which should provide more than sufficient power for most typical smartphone processing needs. Oh, and did we mention that the Coolpad N950 makes use of the cool clamshell form factor?

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Last but not least, iMobile's report claims that the N950 will feature support for a variety of standard features found in any smartphone, such as wireless network connectivity via WiFi, Bluetooth, JAVA and access to both the mobile MSN and QQ instant messaging clients. Sounds (and looks) like a cool smartphone with a cool list of features for a cool business user. Now, if only there were more information about other cool details, such as the smartphone's pricing and availability.

Oh well.

Sony announces five new 3Dcapable Blu-ray players in Japan Additional details about the Coolpad N950 reveal the use of a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen which sports a native resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, along with a built-in threemegapixel camera. Interestingly, the text beneath the Coolpad N950's camera claims that it is capable of a maximum resolution of eight megapixels, and not three, as reported by iMobile.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-announces-five-new-3d-capableblu-ray-players-in-japan/13373.html August 25th, 2011

Sony has announced the availability of five new 3D-capable Blu-ray players, the BDZ-AX2700T, BDZ-AT970T, BDZAT950W, BDZ-SKP75 and the BDZ-AT770T, for sale in its domestic Japanese market. According to Sony, the new players will boast support for various features such as the ability to record broadcasted programs into its internal hard disk, as well as voice recognition commands to make it easier for consumers to operate the new devices.

Gone are the days where Blu-ray players are nothing more than 'dumb terminals' whose only role in a home theatre setup is to provide basic playback support for a variety of Blu-ray titles. Today, a Blu-ray player is expected to function like an intelligent media player of sorts, and leave it to Sony to deliver such a solution by releasing five new 3D-ready Blu-ray players, the DZ-AX2700T, BDZ-AT970T, BDZ-AT950W, BDZ-SKP75 and the BDZ-AT770T that are reportedly capable of fulfilling such needs.

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According to a machine translation of Sony's latest announcement, the new 3D-ready Blu-ray players are fitted with digital tuners which grant them the ability to record digital TV broadcasts at up to full high-definition (HD) resolutions. In addition, Sony has also claimed that four of the five new Blu-ray players (the AX2700T, BDZ-AT970T, BDZ-SKP75, BDZ-AT770T) boast support for simultaneous recording of up to three programs, while the BDZ-AT950W is capable of recording up to two programs simultaneously.

Furthermore, Sony has also confirmed that users can expand the storage capacity on the BDZ-AX2700T, BDZ-AT970T, BDZ-AT950W and BDZ-SKP75 Blu-ray players by connecting external USB hard disks to them.

Additional features include what Sony claims is the use of its Intelligent Encoder 3 chip, which reportedly allows for highquality recording by analysing video signals to optimize image quality for a variety of scenes. Last but definitely not least, the Japanese electronics giant has also confirmed all five Bluray players will be capable of wireless network connectivity via an optional wireless USB adaptor, along with support for voice-controlled search via the Koe-Kara app which is available for its Sony Ericsson Xperia line of Android-powered smartphones.

The BDZ-SKP75 is expected to be released for sale in Japan come October 22 this year, while the other four Blu-ray players will be making their way onto retail shelves at the much earlier date of October 8. The estimated prices for the respective players are as follow:

Full specifications for the Blu-ray players are as follow:

RIM launches BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rim-launches-blackberrycurve-9350-9360-and-9370/13372.html August 25th, 2011

Research in Motion (RIM) has announced three new additions to their line of BlackBerry smartphones - Curve 9350, Curve 9360 and Curve 9370. Preloaded with the latest BlackBerry 7 operating system, the three new smartphones feature stylish exterior design with performance upgrade to offer superb mobile social experience for the users.

Research in Motion (RIM) has announced three new BlackBerry smartphones that feature the latest BlackBerry 7 operating system - BlackBerry Curve 9350, BlackBerry Curve 9360 and BlackBerry Curve 9370. The three models are 25

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designed for users who are looking to upgrade their existing feature phone or existing BlackBerry Curve with an affordable, easy-to-use, full-featured and socially-connected smartphone.

Published by: VR-Zone

a premium product, especially if one takes into account its 800MHz processor speed and 150MB of internal flash storage.

Featuring a slim and stylish exterior, the new BlackBerry Curve smartphones are ergonomically designed with a comfortable and iconic keyboard for fast,accurate typing and an optical trackpad for easy, one-handed navigation. Other features include GPS, Wi-Fi support, 5-megapixel camera with flash and video recording, microSD/SDHC slot that supports up to 32GB memory cards for additional storage and built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications).

The new BlackBerry 7 OS includes a number of other preloaded applications and integrated functionality for increased productivity. The Premium version of Documents To Go is included free of charge, with powerful document editing features as well as a native PDF document viewer.

BlackBerry Protect offers users a peace of mind that personal data can be backed up and secured in the cloud. The latest release of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) also offers real-time experience to a range of other apps, such as Foursquare, allowing users to easily interact with each other from within the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;BBM connectedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; app.

Availability The BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones are expected to be available from carriers in Canada this month and from other carriers around the world beginning in September. Pricing details are not available at press time.

Images of LG's upcoming Enlighten smartphone show up online Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/images-of-lg-s-upcoming-enlightensmartphone-show-up-online/13371.html August 25th, 2011

That being said, have you ever wondered how the Enlighten would actually look like? Well, the good news is that you do not have to wonder anymore, for a website known as PocketNow has somehow managed to obtain pictures of the real deal, which it has since published.

Have you heard of an upcoming LG smartphone known as the Enlighten? Apparently, some details about this mystery phone was first leaked onto the Internet way back in the early parts of August, although that information was limited to little more than a solitary image and a specifications sheet. And today, it seems that the veil of secrecy over the Enlighten has finally been broken, now that more images of the upcoming smartphone have started making their way online.

If you have been combing around the Internet for news about upcoming smartphones in the early parts of August, chances are you might have come across some scattered reports of an LG Enlighten smartphone, which was supposed to be horizontal sliding phone with a full QWERTY keyboard. And if you were even luckier, you might have managed to get hold of the Enlighten's specifications sheet which essentially revealed that the mystery smartphone is not supposed to be 26

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tomorrow) at the price of US$100 with carrier subsidies, although PocketNow has speculated that it might soon be offered free with certain plans. With prices as low as this. we won't be surprised if the LG Enlighten is well receieved by enlightened mobile phone users who are thinking of taking the first step in migrating towards the use of smartphones.

A quick look at the Enlighten's rear reveals that the built-in 3.2-megapixel camera does not feature a flash unit, although this makes sense considering how the leaked specifications sheet never made any mention about such a feature to begin with. However, for what the Enlighten lacks on the camera front,it apparently more than makes up for it in other areas, such as being bundled with version 2.3 of the Android operating system, a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen which is capable of HVGA resolutions (320 x 480 pixels) and a 1,500mAh battery pack that boasts up to 360 minutes of talktime on a single charge.

Oh, and one more thing; word has it that the LG Enlighten will be released for sale in the US on August 25 (which is 27

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VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!

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

Western Digital's Hitachi buyout gets held up by EU Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/western-digital-s-hitachi-buyout-getsheld-up-by-eu/13428.html August 29th, 2011

Remember that deal where Western Digital was going to take over Hitachi Global Storage? Well, it seems like it has run into a huge amount of red tape, as EU regulators have filed an antitrust complaint against Western Digital over the purchase.

Remember that deal where Western Digital was going to take over Hitachi Global Storage? Well, it seems like it has run into a huge amount of red tape, as EU regulators have filed an antitrust complaint against Western Digital over the purchase.

The antitrust complaint is with regards to the combination of the two companies and its potential effect on the competition, i.e. Seagate and at least for now Samsung. What is interesting here as well is if we'll see a repeat event once Seagate's deal to buy Samsung's hard drive division will be meet by a similar complaint from the EU. According to Bloomberg, Seagate stated that it doesn't expect to run into similar problems, although it's still early days for its filing with the EU regulators.

Bloomberg is also quoting the EU's antitrust chief, Joaquin Almunia as saying "[the hard-drive industry] has already experienced significant consolidation and the proposed acquisitions will further reduce competition". Considering that we're moving down to a mere three hard drive makers once/if these deals are done, we can sort of see where the EU are coming from, especially as Western Digital will have about 50 percent market share with Seagate sitting on 40 percent.

Toshiba is the third player with a mere 10 percent and this is almost exclusively in the notebook market.

One small snag for Western Digital is that Seagate got in touch with the EU commission before Western Digital and as such has a bigger chance of getting its deal with Samsung to be approved. This brings the players in the market down from five to four and Western Digital end up in a situation where it'll be harder to have its merger with Hitachi Global Storage approved. That said, Western Digital hasn't been told that the deal is off the tablet, as so far it's only received a "statement of objections" and if the company can respond in the right manners to the objections the deal might still go through.

Beyond all of this, companies like TDK are being taken into account, as TDK is at least according to Bloomberg the only independent supplier that's left that makes read/write heads for mechanical hard drives. With fewer competitors in the market, TDK would most likely end up with less business and this is considered a bad move in terms of anticompetitive terms. Other suppliers of hard drive components would be in similar situations as although it's unlikely that overall demand of hard drives is set to decline because there are fewer manufacturers, what usually happens is that the consolidated total output after a merger is lower than from the two previous companies combined.

It's also worth remembering that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is still looking into both deals and no final conclusions have been drawn there either. As such, both deals are still far from being finalized and there's still plenty of red tape that has to be cleared before we'll see a potential change in the hard drive market.

Rumor: Native SkyDrive client for iOS, Android and Mac OS X Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumor-native-skydrive-client-for-iosandroid-and-mac-os-x/13426.html August 29th, 2011

A new report on enthusiast blog LiveSide has raised the intriguing possibility of Microsoft releasing a native Windows Live SkyDrive client not just for the company's own Windows platform, but also for non-Microsoft operating systems. For the uninitiated, Windows Live SkyDrive is essentially a file hosting service that lets users upload and share files on Microsoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cloud storage from a Web browser.

Though the original report attributed the tip as coming from a reader, a job posting by the Windows Live DRX Team earlier this month appears to lend credence to the rumors. The Windows Live DRX team is best known for developing Windows Live Mesh, an innovative technology that helps to keep files across multiple computers synchronized in real-time.

Below is an excerpt of the job posting (Note my emphasis in bold): The Windows Live DRX team produces the SkyDrive client applications that fuel our customers thirst for stable, secure and available online storage. DRX is building experiences to deliver all of your content from the cloud and your devices to any of your devices anywhere anytime. Our team develops clients for Windows, Windows Phone, iPhone, Mac and 1

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Android. We are looking for developers that are looking for their next challenge to build the highly distributed platform and multi-platform clients for the SkyDrive suite of products delivered through Windows Live and Windows.

While general reports are that Live Mesh storage works well, one disadvantage is that the service is capped at a rather puny 5GB, and is not really integrated with SkyDrive. On the other end, one weakness of SkyDrive is that despite the generous 25GB of free personal storage space, the usability of SkyDrive has been hampered by its Web-only implementation.

Hence combining both offerings into native clients - with the Windows Live DRX team helming the job, not only makes perfect sense, but offers enhanced usability that is sure to drive the masses to Microsoft's cloud storage service.

Finally, as further evidence of Microsoft's strategy of creating native SkyDrive clients, a TechEd attendee has also claimed to have seen a demonstration by Microsoft of an official SkyDrive App - music was apparently played from a folder within the SkyDrive App on a Windows Phone smartphone.

Taken together, it appears entirely plausible that Microsoft plans to unleash a ubiquitous online storage and sync service that can be accessed via native applications from the most popular desktop and smartphone operating systems. If that is true, then the top (non-Windows) platforms of choice today would surely be the iOS, Mac OS X and Android OS.

Asus R.O.G. Vulcan ANC review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-r.o.g.-vulcan-ancreview/13427.html August 29th, 2011

Build and Construction The Vulcan ANC is anything but a discrete headset in black, red and carbon fibre livery, although it's all rather tastefully blended into a design that looks very stylish as long as you don't mind the R.O.G. logo's on the sides. What struck us is how comfortable the Vulcan ANC was in use, as despite being a fairly large and heavy headset at 325g, even during extended periods of wear the headset felt comfortable. It should be pointed out that yours truly is wearing glasses and this is usually something that tends to cause ear pain after an hour or two, but not so in this case.

Ah, gaming headsets, the one thing where it's guaranteed that everyone has a different opinion of which model is the best.

Well, we're going to try to do our best to give you our thoughts on the Asus Republic of Gamer Vulcan ANC headset based on a couple of weeks of solid usage in various scenarios, of which not all of them are gaming related, as after all, it doesn't make sense buying a headset that's only good for one thing, as most, if not all of us use a headset for multiple things these days.

Introduction Ah, gaming headsets, the one thing where it's guaranteed that everyone has a different opinion of which model is the best.

Well, we're going to try to do our best to give you our thoughts on the Asus Republic of Gamer Vulcan ANC headset based on a couple of weeks of solid usage in various scenarios, of which not all of them are gaming related, as after all, it doesn't make sense buying a headset that's only good for one thing, as most, if not all of us use a headset for multiple things these days.

According to Asus, the ear pads are made out of memory foam covered with some form of leather and in all fairness we did get sweaty around the ears after an hour or so, this didn't cause any discomfort beyond feeling slightly wet. The ear pads covers the entire ear and provides some noise reduction on their due 2

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to the closed design of the ear cups. It should also be noted that the headband features a thick cushion made out of the same materials as well and it helps further improve the comfort of the headset.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc has a super-slim form factor, is lightweight with perfect ergonomics and is the flagship Android smartphone that was launched this year. It features an extra wide 4.2-inch multi-touch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, Sony Exmor R for lowlight photography and video capture, 8.1-Megapixel camera and high definition video recording capability, and you can hare pictures and videos on your HDTV via the HDMI connector.

Usual Price: S$888 COMEX Show Price: TBA Asus has also made sure that the headband offers enough adjustment even for those with fairly big heads, as some headphones and headsets can be quite tight around the head.

The ear cups are also mounted in a kind of pivot that allows them to further adjust to a comfortable position around your ears. Let's not forget that the headset is foldable which makes it easy to store and transport. There's no flimsy plastic to be seen in the hinge construction either, as Asus has gone for what appears to be really sturdy metal hinges which should hopefully make the Vulcan ANC's long lasting.

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Sony Ericsson Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-sonyericsson/13425.html August 29th, 2011

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

Sony Ericsson will be at the COMEX Show 2011 this week, with star products including the flagship Xperia Arc, Xperia Play, Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro and W8 Walkman phone.

The booth will be on level 6, hall 602, booth number 6341. In case you are wondering how you can get the Smurf plus toy (from the above pic), it comes as a free gift for every purchase of the Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play claims to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first PlayStation certified smartphone that offers immersive gaming experience with super fast graphics and dedicated slide-out gaming controls. It runs the latest version of Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Android platform Gingerbread (version 2.3) and is preloaded with six games to enhance gaming experience with your smartphone.

Usual Price: S$888 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman phone Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro If you want a smartphone with QWERTY keyboard, check out the Xperia Mini Pro. It features an ergonomic keyboard and smart functions for fast messaging, HD video and Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, and is equipped with a powerful 1GHz processor for an seamless experience. You can also sync your email and view office documents safely on the go.

Usual Price: S$458 COMEX Show Price: TBA

The W8 Walkman phone features Walkman designed hardware and UI and Walkman widget on home screen. It has a corner user interface for easy one hand use and one touch access to applications. With the proprietary Timescape, you can see all your communication in one place with great simplicity.

Usual Price: S$348 COMEX Show Price: TBA

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: SOUL by Ludacris Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-soul-byludacris/13423.html August 29th, 2011

Audiophiles would probably like the range of headphone and in-ear headphone products from SOUL by Ludacris. Carried by epiCentre on located on level 2 foyer (rooms 201/202) and Orange Communications (level 6, booth 6331), the star products at the COMEX Show include the SL300, SL150, SL100, SL99 and SL49.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini The Xperia Mini claims to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest Android smartphone with HD video recording. Powered by 1GHz processor, it also comes with Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine.

Usual Price: S$398 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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SOUL by Ludacris SL300 The SOUL by Ludacris SL300 features advanced driver and circuitry design for superb bass, clear mids and highs and high-precision audio balance, It also incorporates Active Noise cancelling technology to eliminates unwanted noise.

Compatible with iPhone 4G and 3GS, iPad and iPod, it has an over-ear design with full ear cup articulation to ensure the best comfort fit, as well as sleek folding design for easy storage.

A protective road case is also included for convenience and storage.

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SOUL by Ludacris SL100 Available in red and black, and blue and black flavors, the SL100 has a sleek folding design and claims to offer superior audio experience to the users. Compatible with iPhone 4G and 3GS, iPad and iPod, the SL100 features gold-plated connector for seamless signal transfer and comes with advanced breathable headband pad and ear cups.

Usual Price: S$349 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Usual Price: S$599 COMEX Show Price: TBA

SOUL by Ludacris SL99 SOUL by Ludacris SL150 The SL150 is a sleek and comfortable option for any professional or avid music lover looking for a powerful and precise audio mix experience on the go. It comes with with 3.5mm or 0.25-inch headphone input jack, straight audio cable with in-line remote control and standard straight audio cable, as well as tangle-resistant cable for easy cable management.

Usual Price: S$449 COMEX Show Price: TBA

The SL99 offers a superior quality, full-range listening experience in a state-of-the-art, in-ear design. Whether you are on the road or at home, the SL99 is expertly built to complement any lifestyle. It features an ultra-comfort, in-ear design that seals music In and noise out. The manufacturer also includes small, medium and large ear tips for an ideal fit regardless or your earsize.

Usual Price: S$249 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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According to Sony's press release, the new SRF-18 will make use of an analogue tuner knob for setting one's desired frequency, instead of the typical digital tuners which are found on most hi-fi systems. In addition, the company has also confirmed that the SRF-18 will support both the FM and AM broadcasting frequency bands, and that it can also be used as a stereo speaker for most devices thanks to the presence of an audio input jack. Last but definitely not least, Sony has also revealed that users can make use of the SRF-18 to record radio broadcasts into compatible devices such as its Walkman line of portable media players via the use of an audio output jack.

SOUL by Ludacris SL49 High precision sound comes in a very small package with the SL49. It is stylishly designed and perfect for the music lover. Comes with a protective road case for convenience and storage, the SL49 also includes small, medium and large Ear Tips for an ideal fit.

Usual Price: S$169 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Sony releases new portable stereo FM/AM radio in Japan Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-releases-new-portable-stereofmam-radio-in-japan/13424.html August 29th, 2011

Who needs radios now that most of our smartphones boast built-in FM receivers? Well, tell that to users who have to live in areas where natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes are common occurrences, and suddenly the idea of using a mobile phone for a radio quickly loses its appeal, especially when the electricity needed to charge the device has been cut off. However, if you cannot stand having to deal with ugly black radios any longer, the good news is that Sony has just announced the availability of its new portable radio which is available in any colour you want, as long as they are white, pink or black.

Sony has just announced the availability of its new portable FM/AM radio for Japan. The radio, which is known as the SRF-18, has been touted by the Japanese electronics giant to be designed with the needs of young consumers in mind, due to the growing popularity of various radio program broadcasts among such the younger generation today.

No prices for the SRF-18 have been released by Sony yet, although the company has confirmed that Japanese consumers can expect to see the portable radio on retail shelves come October 21 this year.

Samsung refreshes Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 8.9 with hardware support for 4G LTE Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-refreshes-galaxy-s-ii-andgalaxy-tab-8.9-with-hardware-support-for-4g-lte/13422.html August 29th, 2011

There is no denying that the Galaxy S II is one of the better smartphones on the market today, but leave it to Samsung to kick the S II's 'awesome' factor up by yet another notch with its recent announcement. Apparently, the Korean Electronics giant has revealed its plans to showcase a variant of its Galaxy S II smartphone at IFA 2011 in Berlin that will reportedly boast support for wireless mobile networking via 4G LTE. Seems like Samsung is taking no chances with the next generation of mobile broadband connectivity.

If you have been holding off the purchase of Samsung's Galaxy S II smartphone in the hopes that the Korean electronics giant might just eventually upgrade the device with new features of sorts, considering your prayers answered. Apparently, it seems that this is exactly what Samsung has done, for the company has recently announced in a press release that it intends 6

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to showcase a variant of its Galaxy S II smartphone in the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin consumer electronics trade fair (otherwise known as the IFA) that is due to take place from September 2 to September 7 this year.

Published by: VR-Zone

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Gami Light Concepts Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-gamilight-concepts/13421.html August 29th, 2011

Gami Light Concepts will be officially launching its full range of photography lighting modifier products at the COMEX Show 2011. Distributed by Schmidt Marketing in Singapore, the booth is located at the Red Dot Booth (booth 6701) on level 6 with attractive prices ranging from S$35 to S$75.

According to the machine translation of the aforementioned press release, the LTE-capable variant of the Galaxy S II smartphone, which will reportedly be dubbed the Galaxy S II LTE, has been touted by Samsung to be the world's first WCDMA/GSM multi-mode smartphone to support the 4G LTE network. While the company has not provided any details about the maximum data transfer speeds users can expect to receive on the new Galaxy S II smartphone, Samsung has confirmed that the LTE-capable version will boast enhanced features and specifications, such as the use of a more powerful dual-core processor that has been clocked at a speed of 1.5GHz, a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED+ display, an eight-megapixel camera, support for short range wireless communication via NFC and Bluetooth 3.0, as well as the use of a 1850mAh battery pack to provide users with â&#x20AC;&#x153;long hours of usageâ&#x20AC;?.

In addition, Samsung has also added that its Galaxy Tab 8.9 tablet will also be given the LTE upgrade some time in March next year. The upgraded tablet is said to feature an 8.9 WXGA screen (1280 x 800), and will sport a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a three-megapixel camera. On the OS side, the company has confirmed that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be preloaded with version 3.2 of the Android operating system (aka Honeycomb).

Gami Light SPOT 2 The Gami Light SPOT 2 comes with an adapter that is designed to produce two different spot sizes. It can provide a full studio honeycomb effect on off camera shooting and is ideal for highlighting gradual circle spots for portraits and product shots COMEX Show Price: S$35

No further details about availability, pricing and hardware specifications for the LTE-capable versions of the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Tab 8.9 have been released by Samsung at this point of time. That being said, we will be keeping track of any further notifications, so do check back for updates.

Gami Light EVENT PRO

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Published by: VR-Zone

The Gami Light EVENT PRO is designed for full event photography. It gives the freedom to adjust different degree of lighting controls and enables the transformation from bounce light to mini soft box in mere seconds.

COMEX Show Price: S$35

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Motorola Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionsmotorola/13419.html August 29th, 2011

Even though Google may have acquired Motorola, the phone maker will still be making an entrance to the COMEX Show 2011. This year, the company has launched the XOOM tablet and ATRIX smartphone, based on Google's Android mobile operating system. Both the XOOM and ATRIX are available at all three telco operators on level 2 and level 3 at the COMEX Show 2011.

Gami Light SQUARE 43 The Gami Light Square 43 is one of the largest diffusers that can mount directly onto a flash head without the use of any kind of bracket. It is a flash photography accessory for off camera lighting applications. Light is diffused and softened through the fabric diffuser to give your subject a richer tone and softer shadow.

COMEX Show Price: S$75

Motorola ATRIX The Motorola ATRIX claims to deliver both the power and performance of mobile computing like a computer. You can connect the ATRIX to an HDMI compatible monitor, high definition TV, Motorola Laptop Dock or HD Multimedia Dock accessories to surf the web and access your files easily via the webtop application. Powered by dual-core processor, the phone offers 16GB onboard memory with optional 32GB microSD card for expansion, and features qHD display.

Gami Light

BOX 21

Usual Price: StarHub offer - ATRIX bundle with Superdock - S $988 ; ATRIX bundle with Lapdock - S$1,288 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Unlike most soft boxes that are assembled in similar fashion to a tent or an umbrella, Box 21 packs flat and snaps into shape in seconds. Smaller soft box that can be used on board and off camera setting.

COMEX Show Price: S$39

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under the Walkman branding. Known as the Sony Walkman MWD-W263, the Walkmans are claimed to be suitable for use in activities such as exercises and sports because of their lightweight and waterproof designs.

Motorola XOOM The Motorola XOOM is said to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first device to run Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and comes with support for Adobe Flash Player that allows you to browse Flash sites, videos and games easily. It sports a 10.1-inch high definition widescreen display that lets you enjoy rich, clearer high definition video content.

Usual Price: Motorola XOOM 3G - S$988 ; Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi - S$888 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Sony releases new additions to Walkman W series of portable media players in Japan

According to Sony, the new MWD-W263 boasts a 25% weight reduction over its predecessors, while the lack of a headphone cord ensures that users do not have to worry about any potential distractions in the midst of their exercises. In addition, the MWD-W263 comes preloaded with various frills associated with the Walkman brand, such as Sony's Clear Audio Technology and Quick Charge feature, which allows users to enjoy up to 60 minutes of audio playback uptime with just a mere three minute charge.

Last but not least, Sony has confirmed that the MWD-W263 will feature 4GB of internal flash storage and will support a variety of common audio formats, namely MP3, WMA, ATRAC, Linear PCM and AAC. Unfortunately, it seems that FLAC support is still not present in the new NWD-W263 Walkman. Oh well.

Sony has not released any details about the new Walkman MWD-W263's pricing or global availability, although the Japanese electronics giant has confirmed that the media player is expected to be released for sale in Japan in four different colours (blue, pink, white and black) come September 10 this year,

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-releases-new-additions-towalkman-w-series-of-portable-media-players-in-japan/13420.html August 29th, 2011

Need a new portable media player that is rugged enough to withstand the knocks and perspiration involved when engaging in some serious exercise? If so, Sony has got the solution for you, and it comes in the form of its latest additions to its Walkman W series of rugged portable media players.

According to Sony, the new W series of Walkmans will boast various features which make them ideal for use in various physical activities such as sports.

Sony has announced the availability of its latest additions to its W series of rugged portable media players that are sold 9

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Images of upcoming HTC Vigor smartphone show up online Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/images-of-upcoming-htc-vigorsmartphone-show-up-online/13418.html August 29th, 2011

Just like how Darth Vader would say how the circle is now complete, it seems that the couple of years worth of speculation about the elusive HTC Vigor smartphone might now be close to an end, and for good reason. Apparently, leaked images of what appears to be the mysterious Vigor has finally showed up online, and from the looks of it, it appears that HTC might be intending to target consumers with a bold sense of fashion with the smartphone.

While HTC might not be be very good in keeping details of their upcoming smartphones under wraps for long, it sure managed to do so with its elusive HTC Vigor smartphone, which first surfaced as rumours from as far back as two years ago. Ever since then, interest in the smartphone has surged and waned, in part due to the rumour mill's failure to churn out a single picture that could prove its existence to the world. However, it seems that today is the day HTC fans from all over the world will get a chance to say hello to this mysterious smartphone, for images of what is allegedly the HTC Vigor have surfaced online in all of its glory.

According to a report published by Droid Life, the website which was responsible for getting its hands on what it claims is the HTC Vigor itself, the smartphone bears certain design elements similar to that of the older Incredible smartphone.

However, its capabilities are probably the key attraction of the Vigor, for Droid Life is claiming that the smartphone features a dual-core processor which is clocked at 1.5GHz, along with 1GB of memory and 16GB of internal flash storage.

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Lexmark Genesis S815 The Lexmark Genesis S815 boasts to be the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first A4 web-connected all-in-one inkjet printer with Flash Scan technology that can scan a document in just three seconds. It has a 4.3-inch touch screen that provides instant previews of documents loaded for scanning, and Wi-Fi N connectivity for fast transfer speeds.

Usual Price: S$499 COMEX Show Price: TBA

More importantly, Droid Life is also claiming that the Vigor, which sports a 4.3-inch HD screen, will be preloaded with the Beats by Dr. Dre audio enhancement technology, and that this feature will probably be software-based. This lends some credence to an earlier report about what was allegedly leaked benchmark results of the HTC Vigor, which claims that the smartphone sports a 720p screen and a Qualcomm Adreno 220 GPU. Oh, and it will reportedly come with builtin modems for 4G LTE data connectivity. Sweet.

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Lexmark Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionslexmark/13417.html August 29th, 2011

If you happen to drop by Lexmark's booth at the COMEX Show 2011, the company is having an attractive promotion for their Lexmark Genesis S815 and Lexmark E260dn, in addition to their other printer products. Their booth is located on level 4, hall 401, booth 8480.

Lexmark E260dn The Lexmark E260dn is a compact monochrome laser printer with network and duplex printing that boasts print speeds of up to 33 ppm. It is easy to set up and has a user-friendly operator panel for hassle-free printing. Backed with three-year LexExpress warranty, the E260dn comes with eco-conscious features like Eco-Mode and an instant warm-up fuser to help save paper and energy.

Usual Price: S$359 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Lenovo Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionslenovo/13414.html August 29th, 2011

If you have been following the news, Lenovo has recently launched their own version of the Android tablets which come in the form of IdeaPad K1 and ThnkPad Tablet. The company will be having some great promotions at the upcoming COMEX Show 2011, which will also include their ThinkPad and IdeaPad laptops and IdeaCentre desktop PCs. Lenovo's booth is on level 4, hall 401, booth number 8358.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420 The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420 sports a sleek and stylish midnight black finish with silver frame, comes with a 14-inch LED widescreen panel and spill-resistant keyboard. The E420 is equipped with second generation Intel Core processors with Turbo Boost Technology, and boasts faster startup and shutdown times with Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7. Other features include low-light sensitive 720p HD webcam, up to seven hours of battery life, Integrated fingerprint reader and ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery for restoring the system in the event of system crash.

Usual Price: From S$1,499 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1 (Wi-Fi) The Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1 (Wi-Fi) allows you to connect to your network of friends and social sites all in one place with the company's proprietary SocialTouch app. With its 1280px720p display screen, you can enjoy movies and videos in high definition. On top of that, you can also get access to hundreds of apps optimized for the IdeaPad Tablet at the Lenovo App Shop.

Usual Price: S$699 COMEX Show Price: TBA Lenovo IdeaCentre B320 The Lenovo IdeaCentre B320 features a space-saving allin-one design offers advanced cable management to avoid cluttering and VESA Mount allows flexible fitting anywhere in the home. Comes with wireless Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, the IdeaCentre B320 has a responsive multi-touch NatrualTouch panel and integrated High-Sense webcam for clear video chats.

Usual Price: From S$1,199 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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Upcoming Galaxy W smartphone shows off its (white) rear Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/upcoming-galaxy-w-smartphoneshows-off-its-white-rear/13416.html August 29th, 2011

Lenovo IdeaPad G470 The 14-inch IdeaPad G470 has a sleek exterior design with smooth top cover and single-piece brush-metal interior paneling around the keyboard that provides a cool-totouch surface. It comes with optional integrated Bluetooth, 802.11n Wi-Fi, OneKey Rescue System for data backup and system recovery, and DirectShare for file synchronization with another notebook PC. Usual Price: From S$1,149 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Samsung may have announced its plans to release a chunk of new additions to its bestselling Galaxy line of smartphones, but one aspect which the Korean electronics giant has seemingly kept mum on is about the availability of various colour choices for the new smartphones, if at all. And as luck would have it, it seems that at least one such product in Samsung's new lineup will come with additional colour choices, especially if the image of a white Galaxy W is of any indication.

Remember the news about Samsung reportedly planning to release a whole bunch of new additions to its Galaxy line of smartphones? Well, some details about a Galaxy W were also included in Samsung's plans, namely the fact that the upcoming smartphone will be powered by a processor that is clocked at 1.4GHz, and that it will be reportedly sport a HSDPA modem that is capable of transfer speeds of up to 14.4Mbps, but nothing about its design and colour were mentioned. That is set to change though, now that images of what appears to be a white Galaxy W have started circulating online.

Lenovo IdeaPad Z370 The Lenovo IdeaPad Z370 is designed with a brand new futuristic look, using metallic and transparent materials in multi-color offerings. It has an AccType keyboard with individual rounded keys for comfortable and accurate typing and multi-touch trackpad. The Z370 also comes with integrated Wi-Fi and WIMAX connectivity, think and light design for mobility and long battery life for extended use.

Usual Price: From S$999 COMEX Show Price: TBA

According to Engadget, the images of the white Galaxy W smartphone, which were retrieved from a website known as Mai Nguyen, shows off the smartphone's backside in remarkably decent detail (i.e. non Blurrycam). In addition, it seems that the white version of the Galaxy W will not feature any major changes from the original save for cosmetic details, and as such will retain the same processor and HSDPA 13

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modem, along with a five megapixel rear camera and a 3.7inch display capable of WVGA resolutions.

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Toshiba to release an 'iPadkiller' at IFA 2011?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-to-release-an-ipad-killer-atifa-2011-/13415.html August 29th, 2011

Even though it has already released a handful of tablets for sale, Toshiba remains relatively unknown in this particular market segment, although it seems that the Japanese electronics company about to make an attempt to change that situation. Apparently, word has it that Toshiba is planning to release an 'iPad-killer' of sorts come IFA 2011, and that its new tablet will compete against Apple's offerings in both the design and performance departments.

If there is one certainty in the ever-evolving world of consumer electronic devices, it is that the market for mobile computing devices such as smartphones and tablets is never silent, a fact that is backed up by the latest piece of news concerning Toshiba. Apparently, the Japanese electronics company plans to introduce an 'iPad-killer' of sorts in IFA 2011 this year, which will be held from September 2 to September 7.

Details about the new device are scarce, but according to a report published by Italian website NotebookItalia, Toshiba's yet-unnamed 'iPad-killer' tablet will sport a significant reduction in thickness from its previous models. The website also claims that this slimmed-down design was made possible due to Toshiba's decision to make use of micro-sized interfaces exclusively, although variety does not appear to be compromised, as essential ports such as a micro-USB, microHDMI and microSD card readers are still present on the new tablet.

No other details about the Gakaxy W have been released at this point of time.

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very affordable next gen Atom processors, its upcoming Cedar Trail processors might just be what the netbook market space needs to catch a second wind. VR-Zone can exclusively unveil the first benchmark figures for Intel's upcoming mobile Atom processors and although they're unlikely to blow anyone's mind, they're a huge improvement over the previous generation.

Look at graphics performance we can see that the Atom N2800 performs about three times as fast as the current Atom N570 which goes to show how much faster the new PowerVR graphics engine is compared to Intel's old GMA950 which was tweaked to become the equally poor performing GMA3150. In all fairness, we're looking at a GPU that's clocked over three times as fast as well, so we aren't exactly surprised here. The slower Atom N2600 doubles the graphics performance, or near enough at least, which makes sense as its GPU is only clocked twice as fast.

NotebookItalia also claims that the new tablet will sport a brushed metal finish, while the Toshiba branding appears to be embossed onto the cover itself, as shown. Unfortunately, no details about the tablet's hardware, such as its display resolution, battery life, processor speed and bundled operating system are forthcoming, although it is accepted that Toshiba will most likely spring for an updated version of the Honeycomb operating system.

Exclusive: First Intel Cedar Trail benchmarks Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-first-intel-cedar-trailbenchmarks/13413.html August 29th, 2011

We're not sure how much life there's left in the netbook market, but considering that Intel is looking to offer some very affordable next gen Atom processors, its upcoming Cedar Trail processors might just be what the netbook market space needs to catch a second wind. VR-Zone can exclusively unveil the first benchmark figures for Intel's upcoming mobile Atom processors and although they're unlikely to blow anyone's mind, they're a huge improvement over the previous generation.

The only graphics metric is 3DMark 06, an out-dated benchmark that doesn't really say much about real world performance and it shows that Intel doesn't care too much about the 3D performance in the first place. It should also be noted that this is unlikely to be with the DirectX 10.1 drivers, as Intel is having enough of a hard time getting its DirectX 9 drivers certified by Microsoft.

Moving on CPU performance the new models don't have as much of a gap compared to the Atom N570, although the higher core clock of the N2800 puts it in a comfortable lead in all of the CPU tests as you can see from the slide above.

Oddly enough, the Atom N2600 is falling behind in all but the 3DMark 06 CPU test, which is surprising as it's clocked at the same 1.66GHz as the Atom N570.

The question is if Intel's new Atom processors are good enough, as although Intel will have a more power efficient platform than AMD, Intel can't compete in terms of graphics performance so the company is now making the AMD play by saying its Atom processors are more power efficient than AMD's Bobcat based APUs. It's funny how quickly things can change, but then again this market space isn't exactly a huge money maker and Intel already has tie-ins with the embedded board makers and we can't see those guys jumping over to AMD overnight. Still, Intel has at least managed to add

We're not sure how much life there's left in the netbook market, but considering that Intel is looking to offer some 15

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HDMI support to the Cedar Trail Atom's which must count for something, right?

Crucial issues firmware upgrade for its m4 series of SSDs Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crucial-issues-firmware-upgrade-forits-m4-series-of-ssds/13412.html August 29th, 2011

Apparently there is such a thing as a free lunch, at least if you consider a free performance boost a free lunch. Crucial has issued a firmware update for its m4 series of SSDs and promises a range of performance improvements, beyond the usual fixes you'd expect to see.

Apparently there is such a thing as a free lunch, at least if you consider a free performance boost a free lunch. Crucial has issued a firmware update for its m4 series of SSDs and promises a range of performance improvements, beyond the usual fixes you'd expect to see.

SSDs are one of the few pieces of hardware that are currently so heavily dependent on the firmware version when it comes to performance and Crucial is far from the only company to offer performance increases via firmware upgrades, but the company is claiming a 20 percent boost in sequential read speeds which is no small feat to do with a simple firmware upgrade. We actually happen to be working on a review of the 256GB Crucial m4 and we'll be making sure we do some comparisons pre and post firmware upgrade.

comes in the shape of an ISO image that has to be burned onto a CD, not exactly the smoothest way of doing things, in fact, we're not even sure we got a blank disc lying aroundâ&#x20AC;Ś

Razer Blade 17-inch Gaming Laptop - Not Quite the Saviour of PC Gaming Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-blade-17-inch-gaming-laptop-not-quite-the-saviour-of-pc-gaming/13411.html August 29th, 2011

Looks like our grandiose next generation Intel UltraBook Platform prediction was wrong. Instead, the just announced Razer Blade is a slim 17-inch notebook equipped with an underwhelming Intel Sandy Bridge Dual Core Processor and Nvidia GT555M GPU, going for a not very competitive US $2799. Where is the salvo against "shoddy console ports and sub-par console graphics"?

Our Take: Disappointing. Where was the "stand against shoddy console ports and sub-par console graphics"?

For a US$2799.99 "console-killer" and in a not so mobilefriendly 17-inch form factor, we expected it to have at least a Intel Quad Core processor, 120Hz 3D screen, a decent SSD and a higher-end GPU (or even SLi/Crossfire dual graphics like some gaming laptops in the market today) for acceptable framerates during 1080p HD gaming. The 60Wh battery and 35W standard voltage CPU does not inspire much confidence about its battery life either.

At its price tag and specifications, the Razer Blade is hardly competitive against the following Quad Core 17-inch offerings: Apple's MacBook Pro 17-inch (US$2499, AMD Radeon 6750M) HP's Envy 17 3D series (US$2048, AMD Radeon 6850M, 1tB 5400RPM) Alienware's M17x-r3 (US$2809, 16GB of RAM, a beastly AMD Radeon 6990M and 750GB 7200RPM Hard Drive).

ASUS's G74 (US$1749, 12GB of RAM, Nvidia 560M, 1.5tB Hard Drive)

Other improvements in the firmware upgrade increased throughput performance, lower write improved chipset compatibility and it also fixes a were the drives have failed to cold boot in some There's one small downside though, the firmware

includes latency, problem systems. upgrade

Razer cultists might argue that we are overlooking the "revolutionary" SwitchBlade User Interface (10 adaptive tactile keys and multi-touch LCD), the much vaunted selling points thinness (0.88 inches) and "light" weight (6.97lbs, 3.13kg) - these are nothing a real gamer or mobile warrior would sacrifice for the essentials (being CPU/GPU horsepower or Battery Life/Portability).

To put things in perspective, my soon to be replaced 1-year old Acer Aspire TimelineX 3820TG (13-inch, Intel Dual Core 2.4ghz, AMD Radeon 6570M, 6 hours Battery Life, 1.8kg, aftermarket Intel X25-M G2 SSD) which cost just over US 16

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$1000 last year, has almost the same gaming performance as the Blade, is more road warrior friendly and still has better battery life. And I know for a fact it can only run Battlefield 3 with most graphical options turned down..

I guess there's still a reason why not every company can make a notebook - or should for that matter.

Specifications of the Razer Blade: 2.8GHz Intel® Core™ i7 2640M Processor 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory 17.3" LED Backlit Display (1920x1080) NVIDIA GeForce® GT 555M with NVIDIA® Optimus™ Technology 2GB Dedicated GDDR5 Video Memory Built-in HD Webcam Integrated 60Wh Battery 320GB 7200rpm SATA HDD Wireless Network 802.11 b/g/n Compatible 16.81" (Width) x 10.9" (Depth) x 0.88" (Height); 6.97lbs (Weight) Price: US$2799.99 Availability: North America Q4 2011 Pretty Pictures:

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Full Press Release: http://press.razerzone.com/press/detail/ press-releases/razer-unveils-the-worlds-first-true-gaminglaptop

Razer debuts Gaming LAPTOP at PAX Prime Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-debuts-gaming-laptop-at-paxprime/13409.html August 29th, 2011

In a photo teaser on their Facebook site, Razer has finally revealed to the world that their "PC Gaming IS NOT DEAD" viral campaign is actually a prelude to their new gaming laptop, which will be unveiled to gamers in just under an hour at Penny Arcade Expo. Will it be the newest incarnation of the previously showcased Intel Atom powered SwitchBlade or something more awesome?

Just prior to this article, Razer posted a picture with a mysterious code on their Facebook for their PC Gaming IS NOT DEAD Campaign:

Published by: VR-Zone

battery life, thin/light design and probably discreet graphics performance.

Philips releases new range of in-ear earphones for sale in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/philips-releases-new-range-of-in-earearphones-for-sale-in-singapore/13407.html August 29th, 2011

Philips have announced the availability of its new range of inear earphones, the SHE9000, SHE8000 and SHE7000, for sale in Sinagapore. According to Philips, the new earphones have been built with “efficient speakers” and “speciallydesigned ear buds” to deliver both comfort and precise sound in a single package.

Now that just about any mobile device under the sun boasts the capability to deliver basic audio playback support, it is hardly surprising to walk into a bus or train and see most of the commuters having their trusty earphones hooked up to their smartphones and tablets to indulge in some music while on the move. And if you happen to be looking for a new set of earphones to replace the one that has somehow managed to die mysteriously, you are in luck; Philips has announced the availability of three new in-ear earphones for sale in Singapore, the SHE9000, SHE8000 and SHE7000.

Philips SHE9000

This is a sea change for gaming peripherals-only maker Razer, putting them head to head with traditional notebook giants like Acer, ASUS and the (soon to be defunct) HP. The question is now what this alleged Razer Laptop will speced with - popular speculation points to the previous SwitchBlade concept device which had a Intel Atom Z670 Oaktrail Processor (which would really suck for serious gaming), but we have a hunch that it will be the first of many Sandy Bridge powered Intel UltraBooks (also co-incidentally going to be unveiled in September 2011) which would bring powerful ultra low voltage dual or quad core CPUs, long 18

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The SHE9000 In-Ear earphones features what Philips claims is a “vibration-absorbing, premium metal housing” that is reportedly capable of allowing users to enjoy their music the way it was meant to be listened to. The company has also added that the SHE9000 has been designed with comfort in mind, with its unique shape allowing for the “perfect in-ear fit” for users.

Philips SHE8000

The SHE8000 In-Ear Headphones features Philips' Angled Acoustic Pipes and soft sealing ear buds which are reportedly capable of significantly reducing background noise, while the use of “ultra-soft silicon ear caps” provides users with “perfect fit and comfort” in their audio playback experience.

Philips SHE7000

Last but definitely not least, Philips has also introduced the SHE7000, which like the aforementioned SHE9000 and SHE8000, features “super-soft ear caps for ultimate comfort and passive noise isolation”. The new SHE9000 and SHE8000 in-ear earphones are already available for sale locally at the retail price of S$49.90 and S$36.90 respectively, while the SHE7000 will only be available by the end of the year, where it will be sold for S$29.90.

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Huawei Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionshuawei/13405.html August 29th, 2011

Huawei may not extremely popular in this part of the world, but the company is known for their telecommunication products like the wireless 3G modem. This year, Huawei launched new smartphones including the IDEOS X3, X6 and the MediaPad. Well, you can check out their offerings at the upcoming COMEX Show 2011. Managed by AAAs Com, their booth is located on level 6, booth 6711.

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Huawei Media Pad (WiFi + 3G, 8GB)

Huawei IDEOS X3

The Huawei Media Pad claims to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Android Honeycomb 3.2 tablet and it is going to be available in Singapore. and you can be one of the first to own it at a special pre-order available only at COMEX 2011. Weighing at only 390g, it features 7-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, is equipped with Qualcomm 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1.3megapixel front and 5-megapixel rear cameras, supports Adobe Flash 10.3 and boasts over six hours of battery life.

The Huawei IDEOS X3 smartphone runs Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread that features a more intuitive and power efficient experience for users. In an ultra-slim uni body design, it can seamlessly sync your social communication channels; Facebook and Twitter contacts are integrated for the socially connected.

Usual Price: S$238 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Usual Price: S$628 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Huawei IDEOS X6 Huawei Sonic The Sonic is Huaweiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest Android smartphone with enhanced connectivity and voice features. It is preloaded with Google Android 2.3 operating system and sports a 3.5inch capacitive touchscreen for widescreen views. The Huawei Sonic also features Diversity RX which claims to improve signal reception sensitivity of handset, and superb voice quality with Double MIC noise reduction feature. You can also convert the phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot to connect other social devices easily.

Get connected anytime and anywhere with this Huawei IDEOS X6. It sports a 4.1-inch capacitive touchscreen and claims to offer superb high-definition multimedia performance for users on the go. The smartphone is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, runs Google Android 2.2 Froyo and supports Adobe Flash 10.1 and 720p video recording. You can also display your videos to the TV via the phone's HDMI port.

Usual Price: S$498 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Usual Price: S$268 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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users ensure that they can enjoy their favourite audio tracks wirelessly, without having to worry about missing a single voice call.

Huawei Mobile Wi-Fi Smart Pro Wireless Modem E586 The pocket-size Huawei Mobile Wi-Fi Smart Pro Wireless Modem E586 is all you need to connect your multiple devices. With Smart Media, it supports connections up to five concurrent users or devices and provides easy file sharing and media compatibility across various operating systems. It can also intelligently identifying and connecting the user to the Internet connection or WiFi hotspot with the best signal integrity, thanks to its Smart Down, Smart Switch and Smart Repeater. The E586 supports iOS, Android, Windows and Mac OS X. Usual Price: S$248 COMEX Show Price: TBA

Jabra announces availability of new STREET2 Bluetooth device in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/jabra-announces-availability-of-newstreet2-bluetooth-device-in-singapore/13406.html August 29th, 2011

In addition, Jabra has also claimed that the STREET2 will feature AM3D Power Bass & Virtual Surround technology which is reportedly capable of enhancing audio output by delivering “a clear and deep bass sound”, while a highperformance set of earphones complete with noise-blocking ear-buds will also be bundled into the package to help users get the most out of the STREET2. Last but definitely not least, Jabra has also confirmed that the STREET2 will feature multi-use capability, where the device can be used to provide “two hands-free connections simultaneously” with different devices, and that it will feature a built-in battery that is capable of delivering up to eight hours of talk time or audio playback, and up to 9.5 days of uptime when left in Standby mode.

The Jabra STREET2 will be released for sale in Singapore at Comex 2011, which will take place at the Suntec Convention Centre from 1-4 September this year. It can also be purchased from Challenger, EpiCentre, Nubox, Digi Lifestyle, Apple Shops at Best Denki, and other authorised Jabra retailers at the recommended retail price of S$108. And yes, there is a white version of the STREET2 up for sale as well.

If you are a heavy media consumer who have on many occasions wished for a device that not only allows you to operate your mobile phone via Bluetooth and still listen to music while you are at it? If so, Jabra's new device may be of interest to you, and it comes in the form of its new STREET2, which is designed to do exactly just that. Oh, and it reportedly boasts technology that is capable of enhancing your audio tracks at the same time, too.

Jabra has announced the availability of its new Jabra STREET2, a Bluetooth device which is capable of connecting to a mobile device such as a smartphone via Bluetooth, and can be used to both listen to music wirelessly, as well as serve as a means of remotely controlling the aforementioned mobile device. According to Jabra, the STREET2 is designed to help 21

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Bose SoundDock Portable Full specifications of the Jabra STREET2 Bluetooth device are as follow:

The Bose SoundDock Portable features a slim design and is re-engineered for portability. It incorporates a proprietary wavefuide speaker technology and powerful neodymium speakers which claim to deliver the performance of SoundDock digital music system with added portability.

With the rechargeable lithium-ion battery, it also provides longer playtime for hours of listening enjoyment.

Usual Price: S$749 COMEX Show Price: TBA

COMEX Show 2011 Promotions: Bose Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotionsbose/13401.html August 29th, 2011

Bose MIE2 mobile headset Atlas Sound & Vision, the distributor of Bose, has some nice COMEX promotions for the audiophiles such as Bose SoundDock Portable, MIE2 mobile headset and Companion 5.

While the distributor may not have a presence at the COMEX Show, you can find the Bose products at epiCentre on level 2, room 201 and 202.

The Bose MIE2 mobile headset is exclusively designed for select Apple products. It works with most smartphones and mobile phones that let you take calls with just a touch of a button. You can also enjoy high-quality music on your phone, and with the proprietary StayHear tips, it delivers comfort and greater stability on the go.

Usual Price: S$199 COMEX Show Price: TBA

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Bose Companion 5 Elegantly designed, the Bose Companion 5 claims to offer superb 5.1- channel surround sound experience be it sitting at the keyboard for gaming or enjoying music or movies. It connects to your PC easily via a single USB port and requires no sound card upgrade, adapters or complicated wiring. The Companion 5 also comes with a hideaway accoustimass module that offers deep, accurate lows.

Usual Price: S$749 COMEX Show Price: TBA

White Panasonic G3 and GF3 system cameras shows up in Japan

Published by: VR-Zone

According to the official report posted by Panasonic (in Japanese), the white versions of the G3 and GF3, being identical to their standard-coloured counterparts, will share the same features and specifications sported by the latter. For the GF3, this means having access to the same tiny body, operating modes and built-in flash, while the white G3 will gain access to the same 0.1 second AF lock timing, as well as its ability to record 1080p videos with full autofocus found in the black G3, among many others.

Panasonic has not released any details about pricing for the white G3 and GF3 cameras, although the company did confirm that the products will be made available for sale come October 13 this year.

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/white-panasonic-g3-and-gf3-systemcameras-shows-up-in-japan/13404.html August 29th, 2011

“When in doubt, make a white version of it” seems to be the credo many consumer electronics manufacturers abide by in recent months, and from the looks of it, Panasonic is the latest such player to have bought into the aforementioned saying.

Apparently, a quick visit to Panasonic's Japan site reveals that the company has officially unveiled its plans to introduce a white version of its G3 DSLR and GF3 micro Four Thirds system cameras.

Now that Apple has its white iPhone 4 and Samsung has its white Galaxy S, it seems that even camera manufacturers are starting to get into the practice of producing an additional white variant of their products to offer up for sale in the market. And from the the looks of it, Panasonic is all ready to jump onto the bandwagon, especially if the announcement of its plans to introduce white variants of its G3 and GF3 cameras are of any indication.

LG unveils new "Aurora" Xnote S series notebooks in Korea Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-unveils-new-aurora-xnote-s-seriesnotebooks-in-korea/13403.html August 29th, 2011

Seems like LG is all geared up to go up against the likes of Samsung, especially where classy notebooks sporting bright and funky colours are concerned. Apparently, in a bid to score some points with the back-to-school crowd, the Korean electronics company has launched its new “Aurora” Xnote S series of notebooks which are reportedly designed to appeal fashion-conscious consumers.

Don't look now, but it seems that this might just be a good time to be in Korea, especially if you happen to be scouting for a new notebook as part of your 'back-to-school' shopping list. Barely two days after we posted the story of Samsung releasing its colourful lineup of Sense Series 3 300V notebooks, out comes 23

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LG to showcase its offerings to fashion-conscious consumers by unveiling its new “Aurora” Xnote S series of notebooks.

Published by: VR-Zone

Seagate introduces GoFlex Satellite mobile wireless storage in Singapore Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/seagate-introduces-goflex-satellitemobile-wireless-storage-in-singapore/13400.html August 29th, 2011

The Seagate GoFlex Satellite started retailing in US in July, and today, the company had a media event announcing that the mobile wireless storage would soon be available in Singapore. VR-Zone was one of the media to get close and personal with the GoFlex Satellite. Read on.

According to the machine translation of LG's announcement, the new “Aurora” Xnote S series of notebooks will sport what the Korean electronics company calls an NCVM or Non-Conductive Vacuum Metallization coating which allows the devices to feature bodies with metallic and shimmering colours. The company also claims that the new design, which features a “perfect balance of straight lines and curves” signifies its move away from designs that are typically associated with “traditional low-end notebooks”.

On the specifications side, the notebooks will feature either a 15.6-inch screen (S530 series) or a 14-inch LED-backlit display (S430 series), although the announcement claims that both the S530 and S430 series of “Aurora” Xnote notebooks will feature similar hardware, such as a second-generation Core i5 processor, 4GB of memory and an AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6470M graphics card. In addition, LG has also claimed that both the S530 and S430 series of notebooks will feature a removable optical disc drive which allows for a further weight reduction from 2.6kg to 2.45kg.

The Seagate GoFlex Satellite claims to be the first batterypowered external hard drive that can stream multimedia content wirelessly to other mobile devices including tablets, smartphones and laptops. It features 500GB capacity and WiFi connectivity via 802.11b/g/n, and the rechargeable battery offers up to five hours of streaming video continuously.

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The GoFlex Media app is available free for Apple iOS devices including the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as Android smartphone and tablet devices. On the Samsung Galaxy Tab, simply go to the settings and turn on the wireless connectivity and select the GoFlex Satellite to connect to. After that, launch the GoFlex Media app to browse the content. Owners of the mobile wireless drive can also set passwords to deter unauthorized access.

The Seagate GoFlex Satellite is scheduled to go on sale at major retailers and resellers in mid September at S$299. If you are heading down to the COMEX Show next week, there is a demo booth of the product and you can also place your preorder.

One GoFlex Satellite supports up to three connections and according to Seagate, it can stream high definition videos simultaneously to three devices. The mobile wireless storage also comes with superfast USB 3.0 cable that lets you transfer files conveniently from your computer to the GoFlex Satellite drive. The GoFlex Satellite drive also comes with a car charger and a compact wall charger.

Ganesh Kumar Panadam, senior manager, customer service organization, Seagate Singapore, says that with the GoFlex Satellite, users can carry their library of multimedia content with them wherever they go, and wireless stream the files to their devices easily. "The Seagate GoFlex Satellite is designed for more than one users at home using mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones; for users who want more storage to their mobile devices. It only comes with a 500GB capacity which can store approximately 1,000 songs, 60,000 photographs, or up to 500 movies (and 300 high definition movies".

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Monitor Aspect Ratios Beyond 16:9, iPad to the rescue?

Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/monitor-aspect-ratios--beyond-16-9ipad-to-the-rescue-/13399.html August 29th, 2011

PC displays have evolved from bulky CRT to superslim LEDbacklit LCD units, but the resolution hasn't really improved over the years - in fact, with the monitor aspect ratio shenanigans by the panel vendors pushing 16:9 movie screens to everyone just to save a few cents, it, and the associated productivity, has effectively decreased. Will user's complaints and developments like iPad 3 2048x1536 4:3 screen change the situation?

VR-Zone regularly reports on new monitor announcements, at least those that seem interesting from the point of features or unique looks. However, over the past year or so, the new products in this category - and I'm talking computer monitors, not TV sets - have become very uniform in one aspect: the aspect ratio, pun intended. Whether consumer or professional, large or small, they all have that HDTV or DVD proportioned 16:9 sizing. Since the IBM PS/2 series 25 years ago, most PC monitor resolutions were in 4:3 format - from 640x480 VGA to 800x600 EVGA, 1024x768 XGA (the same resolution is now standard on the first two Apple iPad resolutions) as well as 1600x1200 UXGA and, in rare cases, 2048x1536 QXGA. The 5:4 aspect ratio 1280x1024 SXGA was one notable exception, inherited from early workstation markets where it appeared first around 1984, together with the very first 2-D 'GPU', the NEC 7220 - yes, that far! That particular resolution was, though, dominant on general purpose PCs some 5 years ago, Everything seemed to be fine when using these aspect ratios on a typical PC. The application menu bars & buttons were on the top, the system menu bar on the bottom, and what remains of the available screen real estate was there for you to edit your document page. at most, one full 'page down' scroll was enough to fully switch between and properly see either upper and lower half of the page, without multiple scroll steps needed. Then came the 'golden ratio' proportioned 16:10 monitors, already sized pixel-wise to support the then up-andcoming HD formats. From the 1280x800 and 1440x900 sizes often seen in notebooks, to a very odd yet common 1680x1050 size which somehow doesn't have anything in common with any PC or TV resolution, to the widely popular 1920x1200, aka Wide UXGA or WUXGA.

The problem with the lower end of these resolutions was that, now, the vertical component of the screen would have 'shrunk' yet the existing menu bars and buttons on the top and bottom still consumed the same pixel space. So, there was even less for the visible document - or web page - space, requiring more scrolling during the work. On the high end like WUXGA 24-inch or 26-inch monitors, though, the benefit of this 16:10 ratio was that you could very comfortably see TWO pages side by side, in perfect size almost matching the real A4 paper - without ANY scrolling required whatsoever!

Until today, for such document, Web, spreadsheet, CAD or, yes, multimedia, editing - these monitors are unmatched as a solution. And, their larger brethren, like the 30-inch 2560x1600 monitors from the likes of Apple or Dell, captured even the gamer's hearts with the huge screen real estate too.

Do keep in mind that WUXGA monitors exist in the consumer market for some 12 years already, and that even since then they also provided probably the best way to watch or edit 16:9 1080i/p HD content since you would always have extra space for titles, buttons or controls without blocking the video content visibility. For the QuadHD content or super highres CAD, photo or document work, there was a solution a decade ago, the IBM T221, which, in a compact 22-inch format, provided stunning 3840x2400, or call it QWUXGA, resolution, in 2002 !

I had the honour to have this monitor in my home for a few months, and the troubles of connecting four DVI connectors - yes, four - from one GPU to drive it at 41 Hz, and complex Nvidia Quadro driver setups to make it all work, were worth it, when the on screen PDF looked like freshly printed on colour laser printer, and 3-D CAD walkthroughs could distinguish every window on every building in a whole city model back 26

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then. Unfortunately, neither IBM nor the Taiwanese who took over Japan IDTECH plant where this monitor was manufactured, ever continued its development - so it still awaits another supported to produce something along this line, maybe in the same 30-inch format like the current Apple and Dell hi-res monitors.

Let's hop to today: what we have now are computer monitors with aspect ratios and resolutions identical to TV sets; the over elongated 16:9 movie watcher's format and either 1366x768 or 1920x1080 resolution. Wait a moment - even if we just count the pixels, we all had better resolutions on most PC monitors even a decade ago! After all, 1280x1024 has more pixels than 1366x768, and also arranged in much more useful proportion from a typical computer user's point of view - 5:4 or 4:3 aspect leaves you with MUCH more useful document viewing and editing space. Same applies for the 1920x1080, where cutting the vertical resolution makes the screen just unsuitable enough for full 2-page document or web page viewing or editing. The extra scrolling steps just destroy the whole idea or seamless, productive work experience.

Now, since some 15 months ago, I spoke to both computer and display vendors, and even panel guys on shows like Computex or Taiwan Display expo. The arguments were silly, like "ohh we have to save a few cents by cutting all panels, TV and computers, the same" or, from a HP notebook top exec at one recent conference, "we cannot influence the panel vendors, but must take what they give us"! No wonder a company like that, without guts, is selling off its PC business.

IDEAL ASPECT RATIO AND RESOLUTION With the advent of hi-res smartphones and tablets with a variety of aspect ratios and resolutions, a bit of the excitement at possible developments and usage models. At the same time, the advent of 4K camera recording for super high-res movie content, and associated QuadHD resolution capability, helps redefine the borders of the high end too.

First, there was appearance of a new format, 3:2, brought by iPhone 4 960x640 resolution. This is actually quite a nice format to scale up on tablets and even laptops, being not so bulky as 4:3, yet even more usable than thr 16:10, not to mention the irritating 16:9 screens. doubling the resolution on each axis produces a 1920x1280 display, which not only handles the FullHD well with spare room on top and bottom for extra content, but also, when pivoted to vertical position or used as vertical tablet, lets you play 1280x720 or 720p HD content on top of the screen, with most of the bottom still free to view a 1280 pixel wide full web page in a squarish window with most of the page visible without having to scroll. 3:2 1920x1280 could be a very nice desktop monitor resolution as well.

Second, with the advent of updated DisplayPort and HDMI versions able to handle 3840x2400 or even higher resolutions over a single cable, it makes sense to look at 27+ inch class of monitors supporting such resolutions and keeping the useful 16:10 format. In fact, to accomodate 4K video recording display and editing, a 4096x2560 10 megapixel monitor in 30-inch size can be a reality now.

Published by: VR-Zone

Of course, such a screen could also display two pages of a document at high-end colour laser printer-like quality.

The next step for the community is to gather critical mass and demand getting back the desired aspect ratio for the computer users, not movie watchers - LCD TV sets are there for movies and TV, and a bit of extra cost on the monitor for proper productivity is a small sacrifice when looking at mainstream and high end segments. At the same time, use the momentum to finally get the long overdue screen resolution quantum leap, which is awaiting in the wings since the beginning of this century.

The fact is: computers are not TV sets or cinemas, and most PC users use the PC for computer work, not movie watching, most of the time. And, most of the content they work with, whether documents, spreadsheets, or web pages, is either vertical or, in some cases, squarish shaped. So, widescreen monitors make NO SENSE AT ALL for the PC community.

Does few cents savings for cheaper cutting justify billions of dollars of wasted productivity time by hundreds of millions of PC users worldwide?

Maybe the PC vendors need to take a page from Apple's behaviour book. They take what they want and tell the component vendor accordingly. The 13-inch Macbook Air still has a nice 16:10 1440x900 display, while the 17-inch Pro has 1920x1200 one. And, the iPad keeps the 4:3 aspect ratio - from the current 1024x768 to the expected 2048x1536 in the next model. Now, wouldn't it be a shame that a 10-inch tablet has a better and, aspect ratio wise, more useful display than the high end PC? Think about that...

Sony Ericsson announces new Xperia neo V, Android updates Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-announces-new-xperianeo-v-android-updates/13398.html August 29th, 2011

If you're looking for an affordable Android phone with a high-resolution display and decent performance, then Sony Ericsson's new Xperia neo V might be what you've been waiting for. In addition to the new handset, Sony Ericsson also announced that it'll be updating its Xperia range of smartphones to Android 2.3.4 come October If you're looking for an affordable Android phone with a high-resolution display and decent performance, then Sony Ericsson's new Xperia neo V might be what you've been waiting for. In addition to the new handset, Sony Ericsson also announced that it'll be updating its Xperia range of smartphones to Android 2.3.4 come October.

Sony Ericsson didn't specify which Xperia handsets will receive the 2.3.4 update, just that it'll be available in selected 27

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Published by: VR-Zone

markets starting in October and that it'll be a phased roll out.

Beyond the small additions in functionality that Android 2.3.4 adds, Sony Ericsson is combining the update with an improved version of its Facebook inside Xperia and adding a 3D sweep panorama feature. Phones with a front facing camera will also get support for Google Talk with Video Chat.

As for the Xperia neo V, well, it's a slightly feature light version of the Xperia neo and keeps the same overall body design but gains a white colour option in lieu of the red one offered for the Xperia neo. Sony Ericsson hasn't cut too much in terms of features as the Xperia neo V still sports a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 SoC, 512MB of RAM, 320MB of user accessible memory and a 3.7-inch 854x480 screen.

In fact, the only difference that we've managed to find is the camera, which has been changed to a 5 Megapixel unit over an 8 Megapixel model in the Xperia neo. The Xperia neo V will also be Sony Ericsson's first handset to ship with Android 2.3.4 as its default OS, but as the other models are getting updated, this isn't exactly a key selling point either. In fact, we can't quite figure out why Sony Ericsson launched the Xperia neo V, as it's so similar to the Xperia neo that it's hard telling the two apart. No word on pricing yet, but we'd expect the Xperia neo V to come in at less than Xperia neo when it arrives sometime in Q4.

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