vr-zone tech news for the geeks sep 2011 issue

September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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

Apple's considering USB 3.0as an addition to ThunderboltSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-considering-usb-3.0-as-an-

addition-to-thunderbolt/13467.html

September 1st, 2011

A lot of people have been disappointed over Apple's lack ofinterest in the USB 3.0 standard, but thanks to a little bird, VR-Zone has heard that the company is still looking at USB 3.0 asa potential feature to add on future products. As to when andhow this might happen is not something we know, but fromour understanding it'll happen before Intel integrates USB 3.0support into its chipsets.

A lot of people have been disappointed over Apple's lack ofinterest in the USB 3.0 standard, but thanks to a little bird, VR-Zone has heard that the company is still looking at USB 3.0 asa potential feature to add on future products. As to when andhow this might happen is not something we know, but fromour understanding it'll happen before Intel integrates USB 3.0support into its chipsets.

Sadly we can't reveal all the information at hand, as not onlywould we cause problems for our source, but also the entirecompany in question, but suffice to say, Apple has been lookinginto USB 3.0 host controllers, especially as the price has finallyreached an affordable level. A USB 3.0 host controller is pricedat somewhere between US$2-3 in large quantities today whichshould be compared to US$10-15 for Intel's Thunderbolt chip.It's also important to remember that Thunderbolt not onlyrequires a host chip, but also a device chip and additionalchips on the device end depending on the type of device.This makes Thunderbolt a very expensive solution for simplestorage device etc.

For this simple reason it makes sense that Apple is consideringimplementing USB 3.0 support into its products, especially asthe device end is very simple and equally affordable, if not evencheaper than the host end. USB 3.0 can of course not matchthe performance of a device connected over Thunderbolt,but that level of performance is often not required by theconsumer market and Apple is seemingly catering more andmore towards consumer. Backwards compatibility is another

bonus that USB 3.0 offers and in reality there's no reason fora device with USB 2.0 ports today.

In related news, we're also hearing that Apple is working withsome of its partners to create more affordable Thunderboltstorage solutions suitable for demanding consumers or smallbusinesses that don't need the throughput offered by high-end RAID enclosures. Further on the subject of Thunderbolt,Intel might allow third party companies to create deviceside Thunderbolt chipsets, although the company is notconsidering allowing the competition in on the host side.

Exclusive preview of LenovoIdeaPad U400Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-preview-of-lenovo-ideapad-

u400/13466.html

September 1st, 2011

VR-Zone was one of the media to get an exclusive previewof the new Lenovo IdeaPad U400 notebook PC in Singapore.Although it is not the U300 UltraBook, the U400 is designed asan affordable laptop with style and good functionality. Detailsinside.


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The 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad U400 looks extremelystylish with round edges and from its exterior design, it isinevitable to draw comparisons with the renowned AppleMacBook Pro. According to the company, the U400 we seehere is a prototype unit. Its chassis is made of aluminiumwhich makes it fairly durable and comes in graphite grey at thispress time. The laptop has spacious palm rest, a huge multi-touch touchpad with left/right clickable buttons and uses achiclet-styled keyboard for comfortable typing.

On the right, we find the system recovery button, air vent, LANand USB3.0 port, while on the left holds the headphone jack,two USB 2.0, HDMI out connectors and a slot-in DVD drive.

The power button is on the top left corner of the keyboard,and we did not find any notification LEDs as the body is onepiece aluminium. Needless to say, it is impossible to replacethe battery or even upgrade the memory modules withouthaving to void the unit's warranty. Looking at the dxdiag.exeinformation, the U400 is equipped with 2.2GHz Intel Corei3-2330M, 2GB DDR3 memory and ATI Radeon graphics.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U400 is currently available as anexclusive bundle with StarHub MaxInfinity Ultimate 100Mbpsfibre home broadband plan (S$99.30 per month). The U400offered with StarHub is valued at S$1,899 and comes with2.7GHz Intel Core i7-2620M, 4GB DDR3 memory, 500GBhard disk, ATI Radeon HD 6470M graphics (1GB VRAM),DVD SuperMulti drive and preinstalled with Windows 7 HomePremium. According to Lenovo, the IdeaPad 400 would beretailing soon at their authorized resellers and retail storeswith similar hardware specifications and price point.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray pre-orders began; retails on 9September in SingaporeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-ray-pre-orders-

began-retails-on-9-september-in-singapore/13464.html


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September 1st, 2011

Sony Ericsson has a booth at the COMEX Show 2011, locatedon level 6, hall 602, booth number 6341, to showcase theircurrent offerings which include the Xperia Arc, Xperia Mini,Xperia Mini Pro and Xperia Play. But if you were at their booth,you would notice a banner that says taking pre-orders of theXperia Ray. Yes, pre-orders have started, which means the newXperia Ray Android smartphone is arriving here in Singapore.

The much anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia ray is comingto Singapore with pre-orders commencing today. Measuringjust 9.9mm thin, the Xperia Ray sports a 3.3-inch screenand runs the latest Android platform for smartphones(Gingerbread 2.3). The phone packs a powerful 1GHzprocessor, Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a8.1-megapixel camera with Exmor R for mobile and highdefinition video functionality.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray will be available for sale on 9September at a recommended retail price of S$598. If you pre-order the Xperia Ray smartphone from today until 9 Sept, youwill receive an exquisite gift from Mont Blanc.

Pre-order of the Xperia Ray is available at M1, Singtel andStarhub, Sony Ericsson Concept Stores (Parkway Parade andAng Mo Kio Hub) and selected Sony Stores and Sony Centres.Also available at COMEX 2011, Hall 602 at the Sony EricssonBooth 6341. Redemption of gift at Mont Blanc boutique atMandarin Gallery from 10 Sept to 30 Nov, while stocks last.

HP TouchPad at COMEX 2011draws huge (angry) crowdSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-touchpad-at-comex-2011-draws-

huge-angry-crowd/13460.html

September 1st, 2011

HP Singapore announced the promotion prices for theirWebOS-based TouchPad tablets just a day before the COMEXShow. Needless to say, there are a lot of enthusiastic buyerswho want to grab the special offer. But in the end, manywere angry and disappointed when they found out the tabletshave been fully redeemed even before the show started.UPDATE: HP has issued a statement that due to safety andsecurity concerns, the sale of the standalone HP TouchPads atCOMEX will be discontinued. However, HP PCs purchase withpurchase offers for the HP TouchPad will still be available atthe COMEX show.

UPDATE: HP has issued a statement that due to safety andsecurity concerns, the sale of the standalone HP TouchPadsat COMEX will be discontinued. However, HP PCs purchasewith purchase offers for the HP TouchPad will still be availableat the COMEX show.

At the COMEX Show 2011, the 16GB HP TouchPad is goingfor S$126 (w/GST) while the 32GB version is selling at S$201(w/GST). However, only 100 units of each model will be soldwith only one tablet per person, and on the first two days ofthe show. On top of that, the company will only accept cashpayment; no credit cards or NETS, and there will also be non-returnable and non-refundable policies. With such attractiveprice tags, ever since HP USA announced the US$99 TouchPadtablets just about ten days ago, it makes sense why people aregoing "ga-ga" over them.

Unfortunately, the arrangement for the COMEX promotionwas badly planned. There was no mention as to where onecan queue to get the TouchPad tablets. Not even on the HPSingapore Facebook Page. Not to mention, the commentson the popular social networking website are not veryencouraging either, with some citing the obvious fact that whythe company is only selling 200 units each day when there areso many people who would kill to buy the tablet. HP Singapore


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only said that if you missed the special promotion, you can stillpurchase it with their purchase-on-purchase program whichinclude buying either a HP TouchSmart610 -1138d, 1178d,1188d; HP Pavilion dv4-3020TX, or HP Pavilion dv6-6144TX,dv6-6105TX and dv6-6106TX. You can then get the chance tobuy the HP TouchPad 16GB and HP TouchPad 32GB for S$49(with GST) and S$119 (with GST) respectively.

VR-Zone was at the COMEX Show 2011 around 10am,and learnt that all the TouchPad tablets have alreadybeen redeemed even before the 12pm official opening time!Apparently, the company had handed out queue numbers tothose "in queue" when there was no mention anywhere (noteven on their Facebook page) as to where the queue would takeplace. One of the lucky buyers (above pic) was 83 in the queueand said that he was there since 6.45am in the morning. Thismeans that by 8am, all 200 queue tickets would have been soldout. The best part was that, there was a huge crowd waitingoutside the halls and they were unaware of this. The hallswere opened 30min earlier at 11.30am and the mad hordeall ran to the HP booth at the rear, only to be left angry anddisappointed when they learnt that all the TouchPad tabletshave been redeemed.

Check out the crowd pic and video below:-

Notebook PCs promotion @COMEX Show 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/notebook-pcs-promotion--comex-

show-2011/13462.html

September 1st, 2011

The COMEX Show 2011 is here. For those who are hunting fora new notebook PC, well, there are some good offers from thevarious manufacturers including ASUS, Sony, Samsung andToshiba. Who knows you might find something that would suityour computing needs.

ASUS

The K series laptop is one of ASUS star products whichfeatures highly durable premium aluminum textures andcomes in variopis stylish colors - red, green, blue, pink andblack. The 14-inch ASUS K43SJ29i5 which is equipped with2.9GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor, 4GB DDR3 memory(after free upgrade), 500GB SATA hard disk, Nvidia FeForceGT520M with 1GB VRAM, DVD Super-Multi double layerdrive, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium, isselling at S$799 (U.P. S$999).

The slightly more power variant, K43Sv29i7, which comeswith 2GHz Intel Core i7-2690QM processor, 6GB DDR3memory (after free upgrade), 640GB SATA hard disk, NvidiaGeForce GT540 with 1GB VRAM, DVD Super-Multi doublelayer drive, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium,is retailing at S$1,099 (U.P. S$1,398).

Dell


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Gamer enthusiasts who are looking for a powerfulyet portable gaming laptop would have to check outthe latest Dell Alienware M14x. In terms of hardwarespecifications, the Alienware M14x is equipped with IntelCore i7-2630M processor, 4GB dual-channel DDR3 SDRAM,500GB 7200rpm SATA hard disk and Nvidia GT555Mgraphics with 1.5GB DDR3 memory. The 14-inch gamingmonster, which is one of Dell's star products, is sellingat S$2,299. But if you want a slightly lower Intel Core i52410M processor variant with Nvidia GeForce GT555M (1.5GBVRAM), 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, and 500GB SATA hard disk,you can get it at S$1,999 with free Razer Gaming Mouse andHeadset.

Samsung

Powered by 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor and comeswith 4GB DDR3 memory, 640GB hard disk, Nvidia GeForceGT520M graphics with Nvidia Optimus technology and Blu-ray combo drive, the Samsung RC420E is designed for workand play. If the attractive price tag of S$1,099 (U.P. S$1,299)isn't enough to swing you over, the manufacturer also throwsin free Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security software,carrying case and second year extended local warranty.

Sony

Incorporating a 14-inch display with LED backlight, theVAIO C features 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor, 4GBDDR3 memory, 500GB hard disk, AMD Radeon HD6630M(1GB VRAM) graphics and preloaded with Windows 7 HomePremium 64-bit operating system. Available in four stylishcolors of black, orange, green and pink, the VAIO C (model:VCPCCA15FGD) is selling at a decentS$1,399.

Acer

The Acer Aspire 4750G-2634G50MN is one of the few veryattractive purchases at the COMEX Show. Inside the 14-inch notebook PC are 2GHz Intel Core i7-2630QM processor,8GB DDR3 memory (after free upgrade), 500GB hard disk,Nvidia GeForce GT540 graphics with 2GB VRAM, DVD+RWcombo drive and preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 7Home Premium operating system. For such high-specificationmachine, it is selling at S$1,098.

Toshiba


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At the Toshiba booth, the Satellite P745 stands out amongits peer with its sleek and stylish looks. In the hardwaredepartment, it comes with 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410processor, 8GB DDR3 memory, 750GB SATA hard disk,Nvidia GeForce GT525M with 2GB VRAM and Optimustechnology, DVD SuperMulti drive and preloaded withWindows 7 Home Premium. All these at an attractive price ofS$1,399 (U.P. S$2,199).

COMEX 2011 Lucky DrawRedemption Counter on Level6 Suntec Exhibition CentreSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-2011-lucky-draw-redemption-

counter-on-level-6-suntec-exhibition-centre/13461.html

September 1st, 2011

Making a purchase at COMEX 2011? Remember to redeemand fill up your Lucky Draw Coupons on Level 6. For every$100 spent at the show, you will get a chance to win up to$20000 cash.

Lucky Draw:

For every $100 spent during the show, you will get a chanceto win

1st Prize: S$ 20,000 Cash2nd Prize: S$ 3,000 Cash

3rd Prize: S$ 2,000 Cash

4th Prize: S$ 1,000 cash

5th Prize: S$ 900 cash








The COMEX 2011 Show Lucky Draw Results will be publishedin the New Paper on 12th September 2011.

Making a purchase at COMEX 2011? Remember to redeemand fill up your Lucky Draw Coupons on Level 6. For every$100 spent at the show, you will get a chance to win up to$20000 cash.

Lucky Draw Redemption Counter / Organiser's Office

Coupon Filling Up Area


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Driving to COMEX 2011? -Carparks Full AlreadySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/driving-to-comex-2011--carparks-full-

already/13459.html

September 1st, 2011

Our correspondent on the ground managed to snap thispicture just now - looks like visitors to COMEX 2011 @ SuntecCity will have to take public transport or park their carssomewhere else as all the parking lots near the exhibitionarena is unavailable.

Our correspondent on the ground snapped this picture justnow - looks like visitors to COMEX 2011 @ Suntec City willhave to take public transport or park their cars somewhere elseas all the parking lots near the exhibition arena is unavailable.

Considering that this is a weekday and just the start of theshow, we don't expect the situation to change anytime soon.

AMD FX-Series LineupRevealedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-fx-series-lineup-

revealed/13458.html

September 1st, 2011

As we move ever closer to the release of AMD's FX-Series,Gigabyte has revealed a CPU compatibility list for its 990FXmotherboards, which all but confirms the final FX-SeriesSKUs. As expected, there will be 8-core, 6-core and 4-coreCPUs, with the flagship clocked at 3.6 GHz.

The final shipping stepping is B2. The top part, FX-8150, isclocked at 3.6 GHz, with a TDP of 125W. Next in line is theFX-8120, clocked at 3.1 GHz. There are two versions - 125Wand 95W. This suggests that the FX-8120 was initially targetedfor 95W but may ship with a 125W TDP to begin with. The final8-core CPU is the FX-8100, clocked at 2.8 GHz.

The sole 6-core CPU will be FX-6100 at 3.3 GHz while the 4-core CPU will be FX-4100 clocked at 3.6 GHz. Both feature95W TDP, and will likely compete up against the Core i5 series.All CPUs feature 8MB L3 cache. This suggests that FX-6100and FX-4100 are likely to be Zambezi with 1 module and 2modules disabled, respectively, rather than native 3-module /2-module dies.

The clock speeds mentioned in the table only refer to the basefrequencies, with no mention of Turbo Core.

The latest rumours still suggest a launch in September, whileother rumours suggest mass availability may happen only inOctober.

COMEX 2011 Pricelists nowavailable @ http://vr-zone.com/comex/pricelistsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-2011-pricelists-now-available--

http-vr-zone.comcomexpricelists/13457.html


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September 1st, 2011

Samsung Series 7 notebookshave big screens in smallfootprintsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-series-7-notebooks-have-big-

screens-in-small-footprints/13456.html

September 1st, 2011

Even if the rumours about Samsung's interest in HP's PCbusiness were refuted by the company, if Samsung's Series 7notebook announcement is anything to go by, the companyhas a bright future in the notebook market. The Series 7 isSamsung's new performance line of notebooks, but possiblythe most impressive feature is the fact that Samsung claimsthat they've managed to stuff a larger screen size inside asmaller chassis size, but is this even possible?

Even if the rumours about Samsung's interest in HP's PCbusiness were refuted by the company, if Samsung's Series 7notebook announcement is anything to go by, the companyhas a bright future in the notebook market. The Series 7 isSamsung's new performance line of notebooks, but possiblythe most impressive feature is the fact that Samsung claimsthat they've managed to stuff a larger screen size inside asmaller chassis size, but is this even possible?

One slight issue with the announcement is that variousSamsung websites contain slightly different details withregards to the exact specifications and features, so we'llsuggest a smidgen of caution here. The Series 7 carries thesub brand Chronos borrowed from the Greek god of time, asSamsung claims to have added several new features that helpsto reduce the boot time of the system and in general speedthings up.

Most of the speed increase comes from what Samsung callsExpressCache, which sounds a lot like Intel's Smart Responsetechnology, but apparently it's not, as Samsung is using a muchsmaller 8GB SSD, whereas Intel's Smart Response requiresat least 20GB of SSD storage. It works more closely to thatof a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive; albeit with the SSDpart being fitted to the notebooks PCB rather than inside thehard drive. Combine this with something that Samsung callsFastStart and you end up with a claimed POST time of twoseconds and a cold boot time of 19 seconds.

In terms of battery life, Samsung claims an impressive 9h ona single charge and the company goes on to say that its "LifePlus" battery technology keeps 80 percent of the cells originalcapacity for up to 1,500 re-charge cycles. As such Samsungclaims that its batteries can last up to five times as long as someof its competitors.

This is all great stuff, but the real selling point of the Series7 in our opinion is that Samsung has managed to squeezea larger screen size into a smaller notebook size. As such,the model with a 14-inch screen is the size of a 13.3-inchnotebook, the model with the 15-inch screen the size of a 14-inch notebook and the model with the 15.6-inch screen the sizeof a 15-inch notebook. If that wasn't good enough, Samsungis offering 1600x900 resolution panels across the board, allsporting 300nits brightness. It gets even better though, as allfour models have matt screens, which is a really welcomed


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addition and hopefully something that Samsung's competitorswill pick up on.

As for the actual hardware specs, well, Samsung will belaunching with Intel's updated Core i7 and Core i5 processorsand all but the 14-inch model (or is that 13-inch?) will comewith a quad core CPU, while the smaller model will have tomake do with a dual core CPU. All models also have discreteAMD graphics, 6GB of DDR3 memory and a 750GB hard driveas standard. Do keep in mind that this is the US spec and thismight be different in other markets. The rest of the specs canbe found in the somewhat messy table below.

We almost forgot to mention that the keyboards features bluebacklight and that Samsung has of course implemented a pairof USB 3.0 ports and a slot-loaded optical drive in all models.The trackpad is also massive and very similar to the one foundon Apple's MacBook's. Price wise we're looking at a startingprice of US$999.99 (S$1,205) stretching all the way to US

$1,299 (S$1,565) and Samsung is expecting to start selling the

Series 7 on the 2nd of October in the US. Check out the videobelow for some additional details.

OCZ's SSD caching solutionlaunchesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-s-ssd-caching-solution-

launches/13455.html

September 1st, 2011

It's hard not to call OCZ an innovative company as they keepcoming up with new ways of either connecting your SSD ortake advantage of SSD technology somehow in your PC. Thelatest addition to the RevoDrive series of PCI Express basedSSDs is the RevoDrive Hybrid and if you've been around for awhile, you might remember that once upon a time ISA cardswith a hard drive strapped to them weren't so uncommon andthe RevoDrive Hybrid somewhat harkens back to those days.

It's hard not to call OCZ an innovative company as they keepcoming up with new ways of either connecting your SSD ortake advantage of SSD technology somehow in your PC. Thelatest addition to the RevoDrive series of PCI Express basedSSDs is the RevoDrive Hybrid and if you've been around for awhile, you might remember that once upon a time ISA cardswith a hard drive strapped to them weren't so uncommon andthe RevoDrive Hybrid somewhat harkens back to those days.

Although the Hardcards as they were known as, are long sincehistory it looks like we'll once again shove hard drives into ourexpansion slots, at least if OCZ has anything to do with it. Earlydetails from the Flash Memory Summit last year suggestedthat OCZ was working on a hard drive caching solution using aRevoDrive with a pair of SATA connectors on it, but apparentlythis idea was scrapped in favour of the RevoDrive Hybrid.

OCZ demoed an early version of the RevoDrive Hybrid back atComputex, but quite a few things have changed since then. Ok,so OCZ is a couple of months later than it planned, but these


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things happen and there are some upsides and downsidesto this. For starters larger 2.5-inch hard drives have becomewidely available and the RevoDrive Hybrid will now ship witha 1TB drive rather than a 500GB drive. The SSD part has alsobeen boosted from 60 to 100GB which should hopefully meanimproved performance and OCZ is claiming speeds of up to910MB/s in the press release alongside 120,000 IOPS at 4Krandom writes, all very impressive numbers indeed.

The not so good news is that the price also went up, froman estimated US$350 to US$499.99 making the RevoDriveHybrid a very costly SSD caching solution. This clearly puts itoutside of your average consumers reach as well, but hopefullyOCZ will consider launching more affordable options in thefuture.

Thermaltake ToughpowerGrand 1050W PSU ReviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-toughpower-

grand-1050w-psu-review/13454.html

September 1st, 2011

Thermaltake is a well known company and carries a goodreputation as a high quality PSU manufacturer. Not toolong ago we had a look at one of Thermaltake’s mainstreampower supplies, the TR-2 800W unit. Today we are going toexamine and review one of the company’s best products, theToughpower Grand 1050W unit, a power supply aiming tosatisfy the craving needs of hardcore enthusiasts. Let us havea closer look at it.

Thermaltake is a well known company and carries a goodreputation as a high quality PSU manufacturer. Not toolong ago we had a look at one of Thermaltake’s mainstreampower supplies, the TR-2 800W unit. Today we are going toexamine and review one of the company’s best products, theToughpower Grand 1050W unit, a power supply aiming tosatisfy the craving needs of hardcore enthusiasts. Let us havea closer look at it.

• Compliance with Intel ATX 12V 2.3 & SSI EPS 12V 2.92standards.

• 80 PLUS Gold certified – with 87-93% extreme highefficiency @ 20-100% load to cut down electric cost.

• 24/7 @ 50oC: Guaranteed to deliver 1050W continuouspower.

• Pure aesthetic design with uncompromisingperformance.

• Proprietary dual ball bearing 14cm flower-shape fanenables longer lifespan and lowers overall noise outputby dramatically reducing bearing frictions.

• 100% 105oC (221oF) Japanese made electrolytic& solid state capacitors: provide uncompromised

performance and reliability under the harshest operatingenvironment.

• Double-forward switching circuitry: offers low powerloss and high reliability.

• Unparalleled DC to DC converter provides highestefficiency, most stable performance, and perfectregulation.

• 3oz PCB design reduces heat generation and allowsgreater efficiency.

• Robust & dedicated +12V output: comes with dual +12Vrails design providing up to 40A for 12V1 and 80A for12V2.

• FanDelayCool Technology allows 14cm fan to continue tooperate 15-30 sec after system shuts-down to ensure allcomponents are properly cooled.

• Multi-GPU ready: comes with 8 x PCI-E 6+2pin forcutting-edge gaming machine.

• Auto switching circuitry for universal AC input from90-264V.

• Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) with PF value of0.95 at full load.

• High reliability: MTBF>120,000 hours.

• DIMENSION: 5.9”(W) x 3.4”(H) x ?7.1” (L);150mm(W)x 86mm(H) x 180mm(L)

• Built-in industry grade protections: Over Current, OverPower, Over Voltage, Under Voltage, Over Temperatureand Short-Circuit protection.

• Safety / EMI Approvals: CE, TUV, FCC, UL, CUL, GOSTand BSMI certified.

Acer finally launches theIconia SmartSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-finally-launches-the-iconia-

smart/13453.html

September 1st, 2011

Sometimes waiting for something good can take too long andin the case of the Iconia Smart from Acer, which was firstannounced back at the Mobile World Congress in Februaryhas finally launched, well, at least in Taiwan. That said,the company did deliver on its September launch date,although judging by the fact that no hardware changes wereimplemented, it feels like the phone is about six months late.

Sometimes waiting for something good can take too long andin the case of the Iconia Smart from Acer, which was firstannounced back at the Mobile World Congress in Februaryhas finally launched, well, at least in Taiwan. That said,


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the company did deliver on its September launch date,although judging by the fact that no hardware changes wereimplemented, it feels like the phone is about six months late.

We got some hands on time with the Iconia Smart at Acer’slow key launch event in Taipei and not much has changedsince February. The only really good news is that Acer has putAndroid 2.3 on the Iconia Smart which does at least put itat level playing ground with the competition. To be fair, theIconia Smart doesn’t have a ton of direct competitors thanksto its 4.8-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 1024x480resolution and this is the saving grace of what can only bedescribed as something of a hybrid tablet.

Despite its fairly large size at 141.7x64.5x13.6mm, it’ssurprisingly slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy S II with its4.27-inch screen as it’s 66.1mm wide. That said, at 185gthe Iconia Smart is bordering on obese when you’re talkingphones, but if you consider it a competitor to say the DellStreak for example, then it’s actually quite light and pocketfriendly.

Kudos to Acer for hosting the entire presentation from anIconia Smart thanks to its micro HDMI port, this is a first tous, as we haven’t seen any other company brave enough to hostan entire presentation including demos from the device beinglaunched.

Sadly the tech specs are a bit long in the tooth now with asingle core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 SoC, 512MB of RAMand 8GB of internal storage the Iconia Smart is pretty averagein terms of spec today, no matter if you compare it to othersmartphones or to tablets. Other features include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, an 8 Megapixel camera thatcan shoot 720p video, a micro HDMI and USB port and finallyHSDPA speeds of up to 14.4Mbps and HSUPA speeds of up to5.76Mbps.

Overall Acer has come up with a unique form factor, but wedon’t think this on its own is going to be enough considering allof its competitors are now offering dual core devices on theirhigh-end devices. Luckily, Acer has priced the Iconia Smart ata reasonable NT$14,800 (S$615/US$510) which does at leastmake it competitive price wise and we’d expect actual retailpricing to drop lower than this quite quickly.

We’ve added a few more pictures from the event on the nextpage.

HP Singapore unveilsTouchPad pricing at COMEXShow 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-singapore-unveils-touchpad-

pricing-at-comex-show-2011/13452.html

September 1st, 2011

While HP has officially dropped their WebOS-based TouchPadtablet pricing to US$99, there was no news whether the pricingwould be applied at this part of the world. Well, apparentlythe company has unveiled the latest pricing of the TouchPad,though there are some terms and conditions. Details inside.


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According to HP, the 16GB and 32GB HP TouchPads willbe available at S$126 (with GST) and S$201 (with GST)respectively, for the first two days of COMEX Show. However,only 100 unit of each of the versions will be available each dayand that the purchase is limited to only one unit per personregardless of whether it is 16GB or 32GB. Best of all, the modeof purchase is cash and carry only; no credit cards or NETS,and it will be a non-refundable and non-returnable. So, ifyou want to grab one, you will have to be quick. The unitswill be available at HP booth 8428 (specifically the HP Directcounter), Hall 402/403.

For those of you who are purchasing the HP TouchSmart610-1138d, 1178d, 1188d; and HP Pavilion dv4-3020TX, HPPavilion dv6-6144TX, dv6-6105TX and dv6-6106TX, you willalso get to buy the HP TouchPad 16GB and HP TouchPad32GB for S$49 (with GST) and S$119 (with GST) respectively.The purchase-with-purchase HP TouchPad will be available atRewardsLINK in a first come first serve basis, while stocks last.

RewardsLINK can be located at 3 Temasek Boulevard #02-163Suntec City Mall, Singapore 038983.Opening hours: Monday – Sunday, 11.00am – 7.00pmEve ofX’mas /New Year/CNY: 11.00am – 3.00pm. Closed on X’mas,New Year and CNY

A*Star's ACRC: Singaporeaims for SupercomputingHeightsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-star-s-acrc-singapore-aims-for-

supercomputing-heights/13450.html

September 1st, 2011

In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore may be smaller in scalecompared to the resources of China, Japan or Korea whenit comes to the scientific, research and engineering base, butit has had accumulated expertise and user base to justify

having large computer systems, even up to the supercomputergrade, for a long time. A*CRC is a unique combination ofdiverse high-end hardware resources led by a team of expertsto support the growing user base.

A Choice of Systems for Every User

In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore may be smaller in scalecompared to the resources of China, Japan or Korea when itcomes to the scientific, research and engineering base, but ithas had accumulated expertise and user base to justify havinglarge computer systems, even up to the supercomputer grade,for a long time.

Top Singapore universities, NUS and NTU, as well as variousinstitutes and even companies involved in rendering farms oroil exploration simulations have been using large computerhere, either vector or parallel single image supercomputers,or clusters of standardised servers. As the usage increased,leading to many disparate systems in various locations, theGovernment agency A*STAR created A*STAR ComputationalResource Centre (A*CRC) where, at least for the numerousinstitutes under the A*STAR umbrella as well as other researchbodies in Singapore, there was now a centralised high endsupercomputing resource base.

Located on the 17th floor of the humongous Fusionopolisbehemoth of a building on top of the soon to open One-North Circle Line MRT station in Ayer Rajah area, A*CRC hasone of world's rare heavy-duty supercomputer data centreslocated on a high floor of a tall building. It is dividedinto five functional areas: Computational Systems, Storage,Networking, Operations, and HPC Software.The two dozenstaff, headed by Dr Marek Michalewicz, Director, and StephenWong, Deputy Director in charge of systems, among others,provide support for over seven hundred of local, and someinternational, users on a variety of systems. A*CRC operatesanother data center with large storage, located at the Biopolis,aimed mainly at bioinformatics users.


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Now, A*CRC can't yet fight in size with multi-petaflop systemsthat can now be found in Japan or China, but the centre hasdiversity of hardware platforms that makes it interesting: fromtheir 2048-core Westmere-EX single-image shared memorymachine with 12 TB RAM, the largest of its type in the region,to a 3,800+ core Xeon DP Fujitsu general purpose cluster,AMD Opteron SMP cluster combination as well as one of thelargest IBM Power7-based RISC clusters in the region.

The first one would obviously make hackers salivate - howabout seeing a Linux (or Windows, as the machine couldrun it too) task prompt showing 2048 cores available with12,000 GB system memory - and there's a good reason forit. Too long there was an overemphasis just on the TOP 500supercomputer ranking in terms of peak and tested GFLOPsor TFLOPs according to the (in)famous Linpack linearalgebra benchmark routine, however the underlying systemarchitecture can influence the real application executionpotential even more. Dr Marek's team has, over the pastfew years, consciously diversified the available resources forvaried usage types so, whether your application can scale to1,000 cores in a single task, or you just dump 1,000 simpleunconnected threads at the same time, there is the right kindof system to run either kind of jobs - plus many other types -in the centre.

.

There are three types of computer systems right now atA*CRC:

• Cluster of large number of small, dual processor nodesfor heavy loads of many serial jobs as well as highlyparallel codes that run well with message passing (MPI);The Fujitsu BX900 450-node cluster of dual-XeonDP'small' nodes, each with two CPU sockets and 24 GBor more RAM per node, all connected via genericInfiniband QDR, is the main resource here. Its 45TFLOPs performance capability puts it close to the ~ 50TFLOPs class where the world's Top 200 systems startright now.

• Cluster of smaller number of larger nodes, more suitablefor large memory-footprint applications with higherdegree of CPU and thread communication. There are 2

main systems here, one being a brand new IBM p755Power7 cluster of 30 nodes, each with 32 cores runningat 3.3 GHz and 128 GB RAM per node; the other one isan older 32-node cluster of 8-socket quad-core Opterons,made by HP, but its excellent PCIe I/O bandwidth aswell as 128 GB RAM per node make it good for hostingmultiple GPGPUs, for instance.

• SMP machine, aimed at very large tera-scale tasks interms of both processor and memory load, like the abovementioned SGI Altix UV with its 256 eight-core IntelXeons put together sharing 12 TB RAM, all under oneLinux OS boot. Each of the cores runs at 2.66 GHz withpeak 4 flops/cycle, offering theoretical peak performanceof over 21 TFLOPs in a single machine.

What would seem to be good to add here to the resource,I feel, would be a nice visualisation cluster, driving a ~100 Mpixel 3-D CAVE-style VR facility. Such combinationis normally driven by dozens of tightly interconnected dual-CPU workstations, each with a powerful Open GL GPU ortwo, which use Chromium or similar parallel OpenGL softwarelayer to parallelise real-time 3-D across dozens of GPUs at thesame time. Cave Automatic Virtual Environment, which reallygives the user an immersion of being in a virtual world 'cave'recursively acronyms as CAVE anyway. A*CRC sister instituteIHPC has a small setup of this type already for awhile.

Machines alone, even with petabytes of associates storage,huge ventilation, power and backup facilities, and hardwaresupport staff monitoring the usage constantly, are notenough. A*CRC expert team helps the users acquire the rightapplications - commercial or open source - or, where needed,additional hardware that can be housed at the premises- as well as user code tuning and optimisation. And, asmore users from within and outside A*STAR, including NUS,NTU, associated schools and commercial, as well as selectedinternational collaborations, are added to the roster, thepressure to increase resources is constant. It may soundunbelievable to an outside user, but most of the A*CRC systemresources are constantly used, every moment, at 90% to 100%usage. Imagine your computer's CPU loaded at that level for,say, 5 years of its life, non stop!


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Therefore, to keep up with the user requirements and alsocompeting centres in the region, A*CRC has to increase itscapacity rapidly, as soon as possible. After all, Japan andChina both have multiple petaflop-class systems right now,including the world's largest one in Kobe reaching close to 10PFLOPs at RIKEN right now. While we can't have a petaflopmachine in Singapore yet as of today, a slightly smaller one,say half-petaflop cluster of large core-count noder, wouldmake very good sense right now, to attract more users toour shores and provide a good base for an even largernational level supercomputing core. This takes an investmentin systems, infrastructure and of course people, but wouldcement Singapore's role as the high performance computingcentre of the region.

In the Part 2 of the story, we will look at some good applicationand code examples how A*CRC users actually make fullutilisation of thousands of cores and terabytes or memory, atone go, as well as challenges in configuring, benchmarkingand maintaining huge supercomputer systems of this sort,especially in our hot, humid climate here.

COMEX Show 2011Promotions: SamsungSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

samsung/13449.html

September 1st, 2011

Samsung will be showcasing their range of products fromlaptops, smartphones, LCD TVs, Blu-ray players, homeentertainment systems to tablet devices, video camcorders anddigital cameras at this week's COMEX Show 2011. TheSamsung booth can be located on level 4, booth 8321, 8328.

Samsung D7000 LED TV

The LED D7000 incorporates improved backlight scanningtechnology with Samsung’s new 3D proprietary frameinterpolation algorithm, which improves 3D picture qualityand creates sharp 2D and 3D pictures and smooth frametransitions without blurring. With access to Smart Hub, theLED D7000 Series is an ideal media center, complementingconsumers’ ever connected and mobile lifestyles.

Usual Price: 46-inch - S$4,499; 55-inch - S$5,999COMEX Promotion:TBA

Samsung NX11 Camera

Equipped with a built-in flash and electronic VGA (640x480)viewfinder, the NX11 sports a 3-inch AMOLED LCD screenwhich reduces glare from sunlight so that images can be seenunder any lighting conditions. The NX11 also provides highquality video with 720p HD recording, and its large APS-Csensor allows the videos to be recorded with shallow depthof field, providing effects similar to in-motion picture movies.The NX11 will come complete with an 18-55mm i-Functionlens, as well as two new i-Function lenses, a 20mm pancakeand a 20-50mm zoom silver color lens.

COMEX Promotion: S$999 with 20-50 mm i-Functionstandard kit lens


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Samsung Series 9, 900X3A, 13.3-inch Notebook

With a maximum thickness of 16.3mm and an ultralightweight of 1.31 kg, the 9 Series Notebook 900X3A sports ahigh quality screen boasting market-leading 400nit brightnessand 16 million colors. It also comes equipped with anIntel CoreTM i7/i5 Processor, solid state drive and genuineWindows 7 Home Premium. Using Samsung’s innovativePowerPlus charging technology and a power-efficient andadvanced Lithium-Polymer battery, it has a battery lifespanthat lasts up to 6.5 hours.

COMEX Promotion:S$2,488

Samsung GALAXY S II

The Samsung GALAXY S II features a 1.2GHz dual-coreprocessor, HSPA+ connectivity providing data transfer ofup to 21Mbps, a Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display.At just 8.49mm in thickness, the new smartphone is apowerful evolution of its predecessor in speed, screen and slimdesign. Weighing 116g, the GALAXY II has a 4.27-inch SuperAMOLED Plus screen, making improvements in screen size,colour gamut and power consumption.

COMEX Promotion:16GB - S$998

Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1

The GALAXY Tab 10.1 features Samsung’s own TouchWiz userinterface implemented on the Android Honeycomb platform,offering superior multi-tasking and enhanced user interactionand navigation. It is the world’s thinnest mobile tabletavailable, at 8.6 mm and weighs approximately 560g. TheGALAXY Tab 10.1, with its WXGA TFT LCD display (1280x 800) is powered by 1GHz dual core AP. It is the perfectdevice for sharing and enjoying media content with family andfriends.

COMEX Promotion:16GB 3G version - S$848

M1 announces new mDatamobile broadband plansSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/m1-announces-new-mdata-mobile-

broadband-plans/13448.html

September 1st, 2011

M1 Limited (M1) has announced that it will launch four newcompetitively priced mobile broadband plans for customers onSeptember 1 this year. The new plans, which are claimed tobe aimed at providing a better mobile surfing experience toconsumers, will reportedly start from the low price of S$12 amonth and will be differentiated by data bundle sizes.

M1 has announced the availability of four new mData mobilebroadband plans for customers starting from September 1 thisyear. According to M1, the new plans, which start from the lowprice of S$12 per month, will help the company to provide abetter mobile surfing experience to customers

The new plans will be provisioned at the speeds of 7.2Mbps or 21 Mbps theoretical download speeds, althoughM1 has claimed that users can expect to experience typicaldownload speeds ranging between 0.6 to 6.7 Mbps under mostcircumstances. M1 has also confirmed that customers who optto go for the 7.2 Mbps package will be given the chance to


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choose from a range of plans valued from $12 for 5GB to $40for 50GB.

Last but definitely not least, the company has also confirmedthat mData’s monthly mobile broadband data usage bundlewill be capped at a maximum of $69.30 to help eliminate thelikelihood of consumers suffering from a heart attack causedby astronomically high data charges due to freak incidents.

The full list of mData mobile broadband plans from M1 are asfollow:

COMEX Show 2011Promotions: MicrosoftSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

microsoft/13446.html

September 1st, 2011

Microsoft is making a great presence at this year's COMEXShow with great promotions on their keyboards, mice and webcameras, as well as XBox 360 and Kinect games. You can alsotrade in your old console and receive up to $150 off a new Xbox360, as well as pre-order for the higly-anticipated GEARS OFWAR 3. Their booth can be located on level 6, booth 6126.

Microsoft Touch Mouse

The newly launched Microsoft Touch Mouse is optimallydesigned for Windows 7 PCs. The new multitouch mouselets you click, flick, scroll and swipe, so it is easy, fun andinteract more intuitively on your PC. The top of the TouchMouse is composed of a matrix of capacitive touch-sensingelectrodes to track the position of the user’s fingertips alongits surface.

COMEX Promotion: S$99 (Free S$10 shopping voucher)

Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000

The Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000 features an ergonomist-approved contour layout that creates an organic arc toencourage natural wrist posture. It has a slim and glossydesign makes a modern statement while minimizing clutter onyour desktop, and media keys that provide one-touch access topopular media functions, such as play, pause and volume.

COMEX Promotion: S$27

Microsoft LifeCam Studio

Enjoy great video chat with friends and family with the newMicrosoft LifeCam Studio webcam. It incorporates a full highdefinition 1080p sensor that can deliver widescreen videoat 16:9 at up to 30 frames per second. With ClearFrameTechnology, it can offer smooth, detailed video with animproved de-noiser, which reduces image graininess —especially in low light.

Usual Price: S$149COMEX Promotion: S$129


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Gears of War 3 Limited Edition Xbox 360 console

Custom designed with artwork inspired by Gears of War 3,Xbox 360 is offering this exclusive console with Wi-Fi built-infor easier connection to the world of games and entertainmenton Xbox LIVE. This limited offer also includes a copy of thegame Gears of War 3, two custom-designed Xbox 360 wirelesscontrollers, and a 320GB hard drive. Available only for alimited time.

COMEX Promotion: S$649

COMEX Show 2011Promotions: HPSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

hp/13445.html

September 1st, 2011

Even though HP has announced the price drop of US$99for thier TouchPad tablet devices, there is still no news asto whether the company will be offering that price tag toconsumers. (Probably the reason why we have yet to receiveall the promotions). Well, here are some of the great deals ontheir printers and all-in-one devices. You can check out theirbooth on level 4, hall 401, booth 8150.

HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One

The HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One allows smallbusinesses to get professional colour and laser performanceat a low cost per page. Featuring HP ePrint, users can printanytime, anywhere using any mobile device1. The printer alsofeatures a 2.36-inch (5.99cm) color touchscreen display toeasily copy, fax, print, scan and more.

COMEX Promotion Price: TBA

HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer

The HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer is designed to be easy touse and requires minimal maintenance. Whether you are inthe office, in a car, or at an airport, you can print wherever youwant, knowing that you will get the same quality you expectfrom desk-top printers.



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HP Laserjet Pro CM1415FNW

The HP LaserJet Pro CM 1415FNW is the first LaserJet printerthat allows users to print from the Web and mobile devices.Users can minimize environmental impact with the Instant-on Technology and Instant-on Copy. It features wireless andEthernet connectivity which lets you print from anywhere inthe office via a shared network.


HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One C410a

The HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One C410a is an all-in-one that allows you to do more. You can boost your homeprinter capabilities by easily faxing, scanning and copying withthis 50-page automatic document feeder (ADF), and printphotos and web content without a PC. With the revolutionary

HP ePrint technology, users can print anytime, anywhere andfrom any mobile device.


COMEX Show 2011Promotions: OlympusSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

olympus/13444.html

September 1st, 2011

Photographer enthusiasts would be delighted with some of thegood promotions on Olympus digital cameras including theOlympus E-PL1, E-P3 and E-PL3 which use micro four-thirdssystem, and XZ-1. The Olympus booth can be located on level4, hall 404, booth 8205.

Olympus E-P3

The Olympus E-P3 claims to be the flagship of the PEN seriesof new generation Micro Four Thirds system cameras withthe world’s fastest autofocusing (AF) achieved through theFAST (Frequency Acceleration Sensor) AF system and alens incorporating the MSC (movie and still compatible)mechanism. It also boasts superb image quality and highISO12800 sensitivity, thanks to the new 12.3-megapixel HighSpeed Live MOS Sensor with full HD movie compatibility andnew TruePic VI image processing engine.

Usual Price:

Option 1: E-P3 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$1,298 (w/ GST)Body (Available colours: Black, White and Silver)

M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6

Bundled with 8GB SD Card

Option 2: E-P3 Twin Lens Kit - S$1,548 (with GST)Body (Available colours: Black, White and Silver)


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M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm R f4.0-5.6 lens



Olympus E-PL3

Launched on 29 June, the Olympus E-PL3 is designed as thecentrepiece of Olympus’s popular PEN series of versatile, high-performance interchangeable-lens digital cameras. It is thefirst PEN series camera with a swivel type 3.0-inch displaythat can tits 80-degree up and 45-degree down for improvedfunctionality and compatibility with size reduction.

Option 1: E-PL3 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$998 (w/ GST)Body (Available colours: Black, White, Silver and Red)



Option 2: E-PL3 Twin Lens Kit - S$1,248 (w/ GST)Body (Available colours: Black, White, Silver and Red)


M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm R


Olympus E-PL1

Availabile in white, champagne gold, and black, the OlympusE-PL1 is an entry-level micro four-thirds camera that isequipped with a new Live Guide interface which makesit easy for photographer enthusiasts and beginners. Withthe dedicated Movie mode button, you can quick access tomovie shooting at any time. The E-PL1 also comes withsix Art Filters, including new Gentle Sepia, for enhancedphotographic creativity.

E-PL1 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$698 (with GST)Body (Available colours: White, Champagne Gold, and Black)

M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14–42mm

Olympus XZ-1

The Olympus XZ-1 uses the brightest i.ZUIKO DIGITALf1.8 lens which is the first to be designed for a point andshoot digital camera. It has a large f1.8-2.5 aperture thatassures maximum brightness from wide-angle to telescopicand combines with the large 1/1.63-inch high-sensitivity CCDsensor to achieve amazing picture quality close to that ofdigital SLR cameras.

Usual Price: S$698COMEX Promotion Price: TBA


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Razer announces Stealthversions of BlackWidowand BlackWidow UltimatekeyboardsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-announces-stealth-versions-of-

blackwidow-and-blackwidow-ultimate-keyboards/13443.html

September 1st, 2011

Razer has announced the availability of the new Stealthversions of its BlackWidow and BlackWidow Ultimate series ofmechanical gaming keyboards. According to the company, thenew Stealth Edition keyboards have been designed to offer thetactility of a typical mechanical keyboard, but with the addedbenefit of having a much quieter feedback that is reportedlyideal for the “true silent assassins of gaming”.

If you love Razer's line of mechanical gaming keyboards butcannot stand having to deal with the annoying clicky soundsproduced by the keyboards' mechanical switches any longer,you are in luck. This is because Razer has just announcedthe availability of the new Stealth editions of the BlackWidowand BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboards, which thecompany claims have been designed to deliver the sameperformance as the non-Stealth versions, but with the addedbenefit of more quiet feedback.

As they are essentially the same keyboards with quieterswitches, the BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition andthe BlackWidow Stealth Edition have access to all of thefeatures that are present on their non-stealth counters. Inthe BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition's case, this includessupport for anti-ghosting across the entire keyset to allow forup to six simultaneous key presses, programmable keys withon-the-fly macro recording, keys for media control and audiojacks.

The BlackWidow Stealth Edition, on the other hand, dropsthe anti-ghosting support that is present on the Ultimateedition, but otherwise sports the same features present on theBlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition, such as programmablekeys with on-the-fly macro recording, buttons for multimedia

control and the option to disable the Windows key whilegaming.

The Razer BlackWidow Stealth Edition and BlackWidowUltimate Stealth Edition gaming mechanical keyboards arenow available for purchase from Razerzone.com at the price ofUS$79.99 and US$139.99 respectively.

COMEX Show 2011Promotions: NortonSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

norton/13442.html

September 1st, 2011

While consumer products like digital cameras, smartphonesand laptops are hugely popular at PC Fairs, security solutionsare also well sought after. Norton will debut their newInternet Security 2012, Antivirus 2012 and Norton 360 V5.0at tomorrow's COMEX Show 2011. Symantech's main booth islocated on level 6, booth 6251.

Norton Internet Security 2012

The new Norton Internet Security 2012 offers various securityfeatures such as the Norton Identity Safe that provides a


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streamlined interface with improved login and form detectiontechnology; Norton Management which makes it easy for usersto download, transfer, update, or renew your Norton productsfrom anywhere right over the Internet; and Norton OnlineFamily that helps to keep your kids safe online as it trackswhere your kids go and what they do online.

COMEX Promotion Price: S$29 (1 user license); S$49 (3 userlicense); S$79 (5 user license)

Norton Antivirus 2012

If you only need the anti-virus protection, the newNorton Antivirus 2012 has all the features that are adequatefor your use. It comes with Norton Management which is alsofound on the Internet Security 2012 for users to download,transfer, update, or renew your Norton products; NortonInsight, the latest version of Norton’s exclusive reputation-based security technology, checking where files came fromand how long they have been around to automatically identifyand stop new online threats before trouble arises. It alsodoes Insight checks on every downloaded file for safety andprotects users against dangerous applications by promptingif they may harm the health and stability of your computerbefore you install them.

COMEX Promotion Price: S$39 (1 user license); S$69 (3 userlicense); S$119 (5 user license)

Norton 360 V5.0

The Norton 360 V5.0 features groundbreaking new reputationservice technology that provides unmatched real-time threatdetection to guard against viruses, worms, spyware, bots,Trojans, rootkits, identity thieves, and other digital dangerssuch that users can browse, purchase, and bank online withoutworry. It has an automated set-it-and-forget-it backup withweb access that lets you quickly and easily retrieve andrestore digital photos, music, financial documents, and otherimportant files in case of loss or damage. The Norton 360 canalso automatically tunes up users’ PC to help keep it runningwell.

Usual Price: S$64.99 (1 user license); S$158.99 (3 userlicense); S$199.99 (5 user license)COMEX Promotion Price: S$59 (1 user license); S$99 (3 userPremier Edition license with 25GB online backup storage); S$159 (5 user license)

Additional special offers:

Any 1-user purchase will entitle customer to 1 chance at thelucky drawAny 3-user or 5-user purchase will entitle customer to have 3tries at the lucky draw

Top prize each day will be the latest Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K132GB bundled with Norton Mobile Security

Other prizes include Xbox Kinect 4GB, TomTom GPS XXL 550and Sandisk 4GB Cruzer Edge USB drive

Samsung announcesavailability of new mobilephones with Bada 2.0Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-availability-of-

new-mobile-phones-with-bada-2.0/13441.html

September 1st, 2011

So you want a new smartphone to play around with, but do notwish to get involved with the fan war that is currently ragingbetween Android, Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone 7and iOS users, don't you? If so, don't sweat it; Samsung has justannounced the availability of a new batch of smartphones thatwill be preloaded with the latest version of its Bada operatingsystem, Bada 2.0

Getting a new smartphone is always something that is worthlooking forward to, but the possibility of getting into flamewars with users or various mobile operating systems is avery real problem with some would like to avoid as much aspossible. If this sounds like what you are consciously lookingout for in your choice of smartphone platforms, the goodnews is Samsung has just announced the availability of a newbatch of smartphones that are powered by its latest Bada 2.0operating system.

According to the machine translation of Samsung's recentpress announcement, it seems that the Korean electronicsgiant intends to release at least three new smartphones basedoff the Bada operating system for sale on the market sometime soon. Known as the Samsung Wave 3, Wave M and WaveY, Samsung claims that the new smartphones are designed tobe premium products that will cater to users who reportedlydesire smartphones that feature a robust platform.

Not much information about the new smartphones have bereleased by Samsung, although the company has claimed thatthe new Samsung Wave 3, which is touted as the flagshipmodel for the new Bada-powered smartphones, will feature afour-inch Super AMOLED display of an unknown resolution,as well as support for wireless connectivity via Bluetooth 3.0and WiFi under the b, g and n bands. In addition, the companyhas also confirmed that the Wave 3 will sport a processorclocked at 1.4GHz and what is reportedly a five-megapixelcamera.


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On the other hand, the Samsung Wave M will sport a 3.65-inch display that is capable of displaying content at HVGAresolutions, along with a five-megapixel camera, and a sleekdesign which is reportedly aimed at making it easy for userswith smaller hands, such as women, to have a comfortable gripon the phone.

Last but not least, Samsung has also announced theavailability of the new Samsung Wave Y smartphone, whichwill make use of a 3.2-inch TFT LCD display capable ofdisplaying content at HVGA resolutions, along with a two-megapixel camera and a slew of features designed to make iteasy for the first-time smartphone user to get the most out ofthe Bada operating system.

No details about pricing and global availability of the newsmartphones have been released by Samsung at this point oftime.

COMEX Show 2011Promotions: DellSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

dell/13439.html

September 1st, 2011

Check out the exclusive offers from Dell at tomorrow'sCOMEX Show which include the Alienware M14x, Inspiron13z, Inspiron 14 and Inspiron 15R laptops, and Inspiron620MT desktop PC. The Dell's booth is located on level 4,booth 8251, 8230, 8139, 8418. On top of that, the company willbe providing free shuttle bus services from various locationsaround Singapore to ferry visitors to COMEX 2011, as well asvarious activities including the chance to win attractive prizes.


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Dell Inspiron 13z Notebook

Powered by Intel Core i3 2330M processor, the Dell Inspiron13z sports a 13.3-inch HD WLED True-Life display (1366x768)for your mutlimedia enjoyment. It comes with 2GB DDR3SDRAM (1333Mhz), Intel HD graphics 3000 video card,320GB 7200RPM SATA hard disk, and is preloaded withMicrosoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.

Usual Price: S$899Comex Promotion Price: S$799 + free DVD-RW drive worthS$99

Dell Inspiron 620MT Desktop

The slim and high-performance Inspiron 620MT lets youdo more and share more. It comes with Intel Core i5 2310processor, 4GB memory,1GB AMD Radeon 6450 video card, 1TB SATA hard disk andpreinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium OS. The Inspiron620MT is also bundled with 20-inch LED monitor with 1-yearwarranty with in-home service.

Usual Price: S$1,099Comex Promotion Price: S$949 + additional S$50 off forAmex customers

Dell Inspiron 14 (N4050) Laptop

The compact and responsive Inspiron 14 (N4050) is all youneed to get your work done wherever you go. It offers a 14-inch HD WLED True-Life display (1366x768), and is equippedwith 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 2410M processor with Turbo Boost2.0, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1333Mhz), 1GB AMD Radeon HD6470M video card, 500GB SATA hard disk and preloaded withWindows 7 Home Premium operating system.

Usual Price: S$999Comex Promotion Price: S$899 + additional Belkin backpackworth S$39 for Amex customers + free 2nd year warrantyupgrade worth S$99

Dell Inspiron 15R Laptop

The Dell Inspiron 15R comes with stylish designs that claimto fit every personality and full features that let you stayconnected and entertained anywhere, anytime. Specifications-wise, it comes with 15.6-inch HD WLED True-Life display(1366x768), Intel Core i7 2630QM processor, 6GB DDR3memory, 1GB Nvidia GT 525M video card and 640GB SATAhard disk.

Usual Price: S$1,349Comex Promotion Price: S$1,099 + free exchangeable lid andsecond year extended warrantyworth over S$168


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Dell Alienware M14x Laptop

If you are looking for a high performance gaming laptop,you must check out the Alienware M14x at Dell's booth.Incorporating high-end hardware components including IntelCore i5 2410M processor, 1.5GB Nvidia GeForce GT555M withNvidia Optimus switchable graphics technology, 4GB DDR3SDRAM and 500GB SATA hard disk, the Alienware M14xclaims to be the most powerful 14-inch high definition gaminglaptop in the universe.

Usual Price: S$2,099Comex Promotion Price: S$1,999 + free Razer Gaming Mouseand Headset worth over S$168

Sony launches new digital 3Dsurround sound headphonessystem in JapanSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-launches-new-digital-3d-

surround-sound-headphones-system-in-japan/13440.html

September 1st, 2011

Sony has announced the availability of its new digital 3Dsurround sound headphones system, the MDR-DS7500, inJapan, According to the company, the new headphones isdesigned to faithfully reproduce the same quality of soundwhich artists and film-makers have originally intended forconsumers to hear.

Sony has announced the availability of its new digital 3Dsurround sound headphones system, the MDR-DS7500, inJapan. According to the company, the new headphoneshave been specially designed to ensure that it is capable ofdelivering to consumers a faithful reproduction of the kind ofsound which artists and film-makers have originally intendedfor consumers to hear.

According to a machine translation of the Japaneseelectronics giant's recent press release, the new MDR-DS7500headphones has been touted to be the industry's first suchheadphones to be optimized for 3D surround sound usedin the playback of 3D video content. Sony claims that theheadphones feature the Dolby Pro Logic II z decoder which isreportedly capable of delivering 7.1 channel surround soundfor greater depth and realism. In addition, the company hasalso added that the MDR-DS7500 has been furnished with3D VPT technology to further enhance the realism of theheadphones' surround sound system.

Additional features available on the MDR-DS7500 includewhat appears to be the capability to accept audio inputdirectly via HDMI, various pre-set audio modes such as NewCinema Mode, Game Mode and Voice Mode for optimal audioplayback quality under specific conditions, as well as theability to be remotely controlled. Last but not least, Sonyhas also confirmed that the NDR-DS7500 will feature built-insupport for BRAVIA Sync, where users can remotely control acompatible BRAVIA television set via the headphones.

Full specifications for the MDR-DS7500 surroundheadphones are as follow:

The MDR-DS7500 surround headphones are expected tomake their way onto retail shelves in Japan for sale comeOctober 10 this year at the suggested retail price of 49,350 yen(approx US$643) after taxes.

Samsung announcesavailability of new portablemedia players in KoreaSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-availability-of-

new-portable-media-players-in-korea/13438.html


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September 1st, 2011

For most people, the fact that their smartphones boast thecapability to provide basic audio and video playback meansthat there is little need to invest in a dedicated portable mediaplayer when their smartphones can satisfy that need. However,it seems that there are enough people who believe in the valueof having such a dedicated media player for Samsung to justifythe release of yet another such device, and it comes in the formof its new YP-R2 and YP-Z3 players.

Who needs to invest in a portable media player when thehumble mobile phone, which boasts the ability to deliver basicmedia playback support, is fast becoming the device of choicefor portable media playback while on the move? Well, tell thatto Samsung; the Korean electronics giant has just announcedthe availability of two new portable media players, the YP-R2and YP-Z3, in Korea.

According to the machine translation of Samsung's pressrelease, the new YP-R2 and YP-Z3 portable media playersfeature the Korean electronics giant's SoundAlive technologywhich allows for increased audio playback quality such as bassenhancement as well as three-dimensional sound. In addition,the YP-R2 will sport a three-inch WQVGA touchscreen andcome bundled with the DivX codec for better video playbacksupport.

On the other hand, the YP-Z3 will come with a 1.8-inchdisplay (non-touchscreen) and make use of physical buttonsfor navigation. Last but definitely not least, Samsung hasconfirmed that the media players will be capable of playing

back most common audio formats, such as MP3, WMA, Acc,Ogg and more importantly. Flac.

The YP-R2 will be available in black silver color at the priceof 149,000 won or approximately US$139 (4GB) and 169,000won (approx US$158) for the 8GB variant , while the YP-Z3will come in Mercy Mellow White, Cherry Pink and Mint Blue,and will be sold at the price 119,000 won (aprox US$111)for atotal of 8GB storage space.

ASUS announces availabilityof new O!Play Mini Plus set-top box in SingaporeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-announces-availability-of-new-o-

play-mini-plus-set-top-box-in-singapore/13437.html

September 1st, 2011

Want to hook up a home theatre PC (HTPC) of sorts to yourTV set but don't wish to deal with all the hassle involved inconfiguring it? Don't worry, there is a set-top box for that, andit comes in the form of ASUS's new set-top media player box,the O!PlayMini Plus, in Singapore. According to ASUS, thenew device is designed to offer access to a multitude of onlineservices for endless entertainment from both video and socialmedia websites, among many others.

ASUS has announced the availability of its new set-top boxfor home theatre systems, the ASUS O!Play Mini Plus, inSingapore. According to ASUS, the new O!Play Mini Plusis designed to designed to offer access to a multitude ofonline services for endless entertainment from both video andsocial media websites, along with many other media-relatedfeatures.


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In an official announcement made by the companyyesterday, ASUS claimed that the new O!Play Mini Plusset-top box will feature built-in support for various onlinemedia streaming and social networking services, such as“Mediafly, Dailymotion, Facebook, YouTube, Picasa, Flickr(and) thousands of internet TV and radio stations. ASUS hasalso touted the new O!Play Mini Plus set-top box as being theworld's first device to support Acetrax, the most popular onlinevideo on demand service in Europe.

On the specifications side, it would appear that the new O!Play Mini Plus set-top box has got just about everything anaverage user will need to get the system working right out-of-the-box. According to ASUS, the device will feature built-in support for gigabit Ethernet and WiFi N connectivity, whileutility tools such as O!Direct and O!MediaShare enable usersto stream media files from a variety of devices straight to anHDTV without complicated setups, as well as stream contentfrom a desktop PC or notebook to the TV.

Full specifications for the new O!Play Mini Plus set-top box areas follow:

No details about the O!Play Mini Plus set-top box's pricing hasbeen announced by ASUS at this point.

Zotac launches tiny AMD E-series powered ZBOX nanoSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zotac-launches-tiny-amd-e-series-

powered-zbox-nano/13436.html

September 1st, 2011

If you're on the hunt for a tiny PC – and we're not talkingMac mini small here, we mean really tiny – then Zotac mightjust have what you're after in the shape of its ZBOX nano, a127x127mm AMD E-series APU powered computer. It mightnot have the most powerful hardware, but you'll have a hardtime finding anything smaller with as many features crammedinto it.

If you're on the hunt for a tiny PC – and we're not talkingMac mini small here, we mean really tiny – then Zotac mightjust have what you're after in the shape of its ZBOX nano, a127x127mm AMD E-series APU powered computer. It mightnot have the most powerful hardware, but you'll have a hardtime finding anything smaller with as many features crammedinto it.

We first saw this tiny box on display at Computex, but backthen it was featuring a VIA Nano CPU, but it seems like eitherZotac changed their mind, or they just made another SKUwith AMD's E-series APU. Zotac will apparently be offering theZBOX nano with either an AMD E-350 or an E-450, althoughthe initial version appears to be sporting the E-350. Despiteits small size, the ZBOX nano is missing very little in terms offeatures.


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For starters, looking around the back we find two USB2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, aneSATA port, a DisplayPort, an HDMI port and an antenna for150Mbps 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0. Around thefront is a pair of audio jacks, a memory card reader that takesmost of the regular formats apart from CF cards and an IRreceiver. Internally there's only room for a single SO-DIMMand a 2.5-inch drive. A remote control is also bundled thatworks with Windows MCE and for some reason Zotac is alsosupplying an additional IR receiver that connects via USB.

Although at 127x127mm the ZBOX nano is tiny, it's quitechubby at 45mm tall. It does of course have an externalpower brick as its power source and Zotac supplies a VESAcompliant mounting plate that allows the entire system to bemounted on the back of an LCD screen. Overall it's a prettyneat little package, but if the Japanese price is anything to by,it's horrendously expensive, as in Japan it retails for 27,500Yen (S$433) and the Plus model which comes with 2GB ofDDR3 RAM and a 320GB hard drive is even pricier at 35,000Yen (S$550) which makes it questionable if this is the routeto go down. That said, prices in Japan are usually higher forelectronics, but even so, it doesn't seem worth the money. At

the time of writing there were no details to be found on theZotac website relating to the ZBOX nano.

AMD Trinity to feature RadeonHD 7000 GraphicsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-trinity-to-feature-radeon-

hd-7000-graphics/13434.html

September 1st, 2011

AMD first demonstrated next-gen Trinity APUs at FusionDeveloper Summit in June this year, also revealing Trinitywill feature a GPU part based on the VLIW-4 architecturecurrently only used in Radeon HD 6900 series. Fudzilla havenow leaked a Globalfoundries slide which mentions the GPUpart of Trinity will be branded as part of the Radeon HD 7000family.

AMD first demonstrated next-gen Trinity APUs at FusionDeveloper Summit in June this year, also revealing Trinitywill feature a GPU part based on the VLIW-4 architecturecurrently only used in Radeon HD 6900 series. Fudzilla havenow leaked a Globalfoundries slide which mentions the GPUpart of Trinity will be branded as part of the Radeon HD 7000family.

The slide mentions upcoming Orochi die, set to release asZambezi or FX-Series on the desktop and Valencia (Opteron4200) and Interlagos (Opteron 6200) on servers. AMD'snext-gen Fusion APU, Trinity, is set to feature next-genPiledriver architecture cores, as revealed in recent roadmaps.As mentioned before, the GPU part will be part of the RadeonHD 7000 family, and is rumoured to feature the VLIW-4architecture. The overall improvement in theoretical GFlopswill be 50% over Llano. Of course, while this may not indicatea 50% increase in real-world performance, Trinity is set to be a


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major step forward for the Fusion initiative. Trinity is expectedto release in the first half of 2012.

In addition, Fudzilla also reports that the next-gen 28nm partswill now also be branded under the Radeon HD 7000 moniker,as expected.

Corsair adds roomier SKUs tothe Force GT SSD seriesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/corsair-adds-roomier-skus-to-the-

force-gt-ssd-series/13433.html

September 1st, 2011

So far Corsair has only offered fairly small sized SSDs inits high-performance Force GT series of SSDs, but now thecompany has added a pair of new, roomier models to theseries. The new capacities are 180 and 240GB, a doubling ofthe two previously largest models.

So far Corsair has only offered fairly small sized SSDs inits high-performance Force GT series of SSDs, but now thecompany has added a pair of new, roomier models to theseries. The new capacities are 180 and 240GB, a doubling ofthe two previously largest models.

These SandForce SF-2280 driven SSDs have also gained asmall performance increase on the write side, with bothmodels offering write speeds of up to 525MB/s, up from515MB/s for the 120GB drive. A small increase perhaps andthe sequential write speed is still stuck at 555MB/s. As with theprevious models, Corsair is bundling both drives with a 3.5-inch adapter.

We're expecting one of the new models for testing andalthough neither comes in cheap, we'd expect Corsair to becompeting for a top spot in terms of raw SSD performance withthese models. As for pricing, the 180GB model has an MSRP ofUS$379 (S$459) while the 240GB model comes in at US$489(S$590), which is pretty much in line with other SSDs basedon the latest generation of SandForce controllers.

COMEX Show 2011Promotions: SonySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

sony/13432.html

September 1st, 2011

At the COMEX 2011, Sony will have some great promotionson their products including the Cyber-shot DSC-WX30, VAIOZ notebook PC and the recently launched NEX-5N mirrorlessinterchangeable lens camera. The company will occupy theusual area on the Concourse on level 3, and their booth canalso be seen on level 4, booth 8210.

Sony VAIO Z Series Notebook PC


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The Sony VAIO Z series is designed as a high performance yetthin and light PC. It is equipped with second generation IntelCore i7 processor, SSD in RAID ) configuration and full highdefinition LCD display for your multimedia enjoyment. TheVAIO Z comes with an optional Power Media Dock with AMDRadeon HD 6650M (1GB VRAM) and Blu-ray disc player.

COMEX Show Price: TBA

Sony NEX-5N Interchangeable Lens Camera

This new compact NEX-5N from Sony is built on thepopularity of the NEX-5 and claims to offer superbresponsiveness, image quality and creativity of a DSLRcamera. It features 16.1-Megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOSsensor and new BIONZ processor enabling ISO 25600 highsensitivity, full high definition movie with 50p/25p, manualfocus, full P/A/S/M exposure control and improved audio. TheNEX-5N also comes with a tilt-angled 3-inch Xtra Fine LCDtouchscreen display for viewfinder.


Sony Cyber-shot WX30

Launching at COMEX, the super-compact and stylish Cyber-shot WX30 offers a wide range of imaging options for stills, fullHD video and 3D shooting. It is also the first-ever Cyber-shotWX series model to feature a spacious 3-inch Xtra Fine LCDwide touch screen for beautifully simple fingertip operation.


COMEX Show 2011Promotions: PROLiNKSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-

prolink/13430.html

September 1st, 2011

PROLiNK will showcase several new products at the COMEXShow 2011, which include the new wireless pan/tilt networkcamera, Bluetooth keyboard, wireless presenter, and threedevice servers. The PROLiNK booth can be located on level 6,hall 602, booth 6231.

PROLiNK PPS2101, PPS2101N and PPS2104N Device Server

The new device servers with Sharehub technology are availablein three models, in 1-port (wireless and wired) as well as4-port wireless versions. Unlike regular print servers whichonly allow the user to share the use of standard printers, thenew Sharehub device servers can be used for sharing evenmultifunction printers. You can also share data in USB deviceswithin the network (acts as a network-attached storage device)and even playback music to USB speakers.

COMEX Show Price: S$69 (PPS2101), S$79 (PPS2101N) andS$85 (PPS2104N)


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PROLiNK PIC1003WP IP Camera

This new PROLiNK PIC1003WP IP camera claims to be one ofthe easiest IP cameras to set up in the market, and comes withwide range pan/ tilt capabilities as well as built-in micro-SDcard interface for video storage.

COMEX Show Price: S$299

PROLiNK PKM-3810B Bluetooth Keyboard

Aesthetically designed and very user-friendly, the PROLiNKBluetooth keyboard is a must for users who value functionalityas much as beauty. It is sleek and slim, comes with 12 hotkeys,and has a transmission range of up to 10m.


PROLiNK PWP102G Wireless Presenter

The wireless presenter, on the other hand, is bothergonomically designed and easy to use and setup. Theadditional function of the Optical Finger Navigation (OFN)technology allows the user to even use this device as an “airmouse” to remotely control your computer.


Renesas announces its firstSATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridgecontrollerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/renesas-announces-its-first-

sata-6gbps-to-usb-3.0-bridge-controller/13429.html

September 1st, 2011

Judging by today's announcement, Renesas has realised thatit only has so much time left in the so far for the company,very profitable USB 3.0 host controller market and it'snow branching into other USB 3.0 markets. As such thecompany has announced its first USB 3.0 peripheral chip,the µPD720230 which is a SATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridgecontroller.

Judging by today's announcement, Renesas has realised thatit only has so much time left in the so far for the company,very profitable USB 3.0 host controller market and it'snow branching into other USB 3.0 markets. As such thecompany has announced its first USB 3.0 peripheral chip,the µPD720230 which is a SATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridgecontroller.

The only other company we're currently aware of that hasa SATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridge solution is ASMedia, so ifRenesas can deliver the µPD720230 on time in October asper the press release, then the company might just manage


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to hit the market at the right point in time. Renesas hasone advantage over its competitors, as it's only one oftwo companies that we're aware of that can offer UASPlicenses and as such the company has of course added UASPsupport to the µPD72023. This means that there should be aperformance improvement when used with UASP compatiblehost controllers.

As such, Renesas own host controllers as well as those foundin AMD's A75 and A70M chipsets should see not only aperformance advantage when used with the µPD720230, butUASP also adds support for command queuing, somethingthat the standard bulk-only transfer protocol lacks. With over40 million Renesas controllers already in the market, that's apretty decent install base to start making accessory chipsets forand unless its competitors licenses UASP support, we're goingto have to wait until Windows 8 until we get universal UASPsupport.

The press release doesn't talk too much about performance,but mentions speeds of up to 370MB/s using ATTO. This is avery impressive figure, but ATTO tends to produce numbersthat are in general higher than that seen in other benchmarksand as such we'd take this number with a grain of salt. On theother hand, we'll try to get hold of a bridge for testing to see ifRenesas can deliver on their claims.

Renesas has also implemented support for the U1 and U2power states which are part of the latest USB 3.0 specificationfor bridge devices, something VLI is already supporting in itsVL701. Renesas claims that this can help reduce the powerconsumption at idle by up to 40 percent, although we presumethis is when hard drives are used rather than SSDs.

Renesas expects to kick off production volumes of around500,000 chips a month and samples are already available.There seems to be some confusion about the pricing though, asthe Japanese press release mentions US$3 per chip in samplevolumes, while the English press release puts the price at US$3.50. We wouldn't expect to see products in the market basedon the µPD720230 until early 2012.

Sony VAIO Z review:Portability, meet PowerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-vaio-z-review-portability-meet-

power/13345.html

September 1st, 2011

Where Apple innovates, others follow, right? Well, apparentlynot for Sony, especially if the company's recent update to itsVAIO Z line of ultra-thin and highly portable notebooks areof any indication. With frills such as an extremely thin body,high-performance hardware for its assembly and the inclusionof an external graphics solution for added firepower, it wouldseem that Sony has had Apple finally beaten at its own game.Or has it? VR-Zone investigates.

As far as most people are concerned, Apple appears to be theonly computer OEM that is capable of churning out notebooksthat not only boast cutting edge and futuristic designs, but arealso thin enough to be capable of being transported around ina typical manilla envelope. However, it would seem that thedesign crown is no longer Apple's to dominate, especially ifthe introduction of Sony's new VAIO Z ultra-thin notebookis of any indication. With access to Intel's i7 range of mobileprocessors, a 13-inch LED backlit display that is capable of1080p resolutions, a docking station that doubles up as anexternal graphics solution, and copious amounts of RAM,Sony's intent is clear. The company is aiming to go head-to-head against Apple in the market for premium, ultra-portablenotebooks, a segment which Apple has enjoyed undisputedsuccess in for the longest time, with other OEMs mostlyplaying catch up to the Cuptertino giant.

That being said, good design and performance, while vital,cannot make up for a sloppy user experience, and suffice to saySony will have its work cut out for it in order to ensure thatits new VAIO Z is capable of delivering a decent experiencethat is worthy of its futuristic design. And that is what we arehere to find out in today's review of the Japanese electronicsgiant's new (and oh-so-droolworthy) VAIO Z ultra-portablenotebook.


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New SONY VAIOZ VPCZ217GG/N/X notebook PCspecifications Processor Intel Core i7-2620M clocked

at 2.7GHz (up to 3.4GHzunder TurboBoost), 4MB L3cache

Chipset Intel HM67 Chipset Graphics Card Onboard Intel HD Graphics

3000 Display LED backlit 13.3-inch full

high-definition display (1920x 1080) TFT VAIO DisplayPremium screen

Operating System Windows 7 Professional SP1(x64 version)

Memory 8GB DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 4GBcustom DIMM)

Storage capacity 256GB intenal flash memory(128GB SSD x 2 under RAID0)

Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR, WiFi(802.11a/b/g/n)

Weight 1.165kg including bundledbattery pack

Considering how the docking station for the new Sony VAIOZ notebook is in itself both an attraction and a unique systemof sorts, we decided that it deserves its own little list ofspecifications as well:

VGP-PRZ20A externalPower Media Dockspecifications Graphics Card 1GB AMD Mobility Radeon

HD 6650M Optical disc drive BD-ROM with DVD

SuperMulti Dimensions 148.0 x 16.65 x 220.0 mm Weight 685g

September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Single chip DIMM is close tobecoming realitySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/single-chip-dimm-is-close-to-

becoming-reality/13500.html

September 6th, 2011

Things just got really interesting in the memory market space,as Invensas Corporation, a subsidiary of Tessera Technologieshave come up with a way to shove as much memory as thatfitted to a SO-DIMM into a single chip. The technology isknown as xFD or multi-die face-down packaging and it'll bedemonstrated at IDF San Francisco next week.

Things just got really interesting in the memory market space,as Invensas Corporation, a subsidiary of Tessera Technologieshave come up with a way to shove as much memory as thatfitted to a SO-DIMM into a single chip. The technology isknown as xFD or multi-die face-down packaging and it'll bedemonstrated at IDF San Francisco next week.

The xFD packaging is interesting in more ways than one, asalthough it's currently used to stack several DRAM wirebonddies into a single BGA package, it's possible that we couldsee other types of memory put into xFD packaging as well.Invensas claims that its xFD packaging can not only save 25to 35 percent space in vertical height, but it can also improveelectrical performance by 50 to 70 percent in speed-bin yieldand provide a 20 to 30 percent heat transfer advantage ofstandard dual-die packages.

Now as you might've gathered by now, xFD isn't necessarilygoing to bring cheaper memory, even though Invensas claimsthat it's cheaper to manufacture if you consider the memorydensity improvement. xFD will be available in either DFD(Dual Face Down) or QFD (Quad Face Down) which as thename suggests puts two or four DRAM dies inside a single chip.The xFD packaging supports x4, x8 and x16 data bus width,although the chip size will of course get bigger with largerchip sizes. The DFD packages will measures 11.5x11.5mmor alternatively 11.5x14mm while the QFD packages willmeasures 16.2x16.2mm.

Invensas claim to have tested and validated its xFD packagingat speeds of up to 2133MHz and although the company iscurrently targeting the server and datacentre market space,we can see this technology trickle down in consumer relatedproducts in the not too distant future and the company ismentioning mobile computing as one of its target marketsbeyond servers. If it proves to be cheaper to manufacture thantraditional memory packaging technology while delivering onthe performance claims, we might soon be back to the daysof single rank DIMMs (memory chips on only one side). TheDRAM business isn't exactly making a lot of money these daysand a solution like this might very well be able to reduce thecost of a single DIMM by a significant amount, simply byallowing for a component cut.

That said, for now the technology will most likely be used todouble or quadruple the memory size on server level DIMMs,which should not only help boost the amount of memory youcan put in a server, but hopefully also allow to reduce theoverall total memory cost by reducing the total DIMM countin many a server. So good news all around then? Well, we'llhave to wait and see how popular Invensas xFD packagingtechnology turns out, but in theory we could see products inthe future where only a chip or two make up an entire DIMM,quite a change from how things are today.

Source: Invensas

Lenovo announces IdeaPadU300s Ultrabook, and U300and U400 laptopsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-announces-ideapad-u300s-

ultrabook-and-u300-and-u400-laptops/13498.html


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September 6th, 2011

It was only last week when VR-Zone had an exclusive previewof the IdeaPad U400. Today, Lenovo has announced its newrange of luxury laptops, which come in the form of IdeaPadU300s Ultrabook, as well as the U300 and U400 laptops.The new IdeaPad U series laptops are designed for fashionistasand provide everything they need in a slender, mobile andsuper chic package.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s Ultrabook

The super slim U300s Ultrabook features second generationIntel Core i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology2.0, and boots quickly in about10 seconds with EnhancedExperience 2.0 RapidDrive SSD technology. It has a 13.3-inch16:9 widescreen high definition display, 4GB DDR3 memoryand up to 256GB solid state drive. The U300s is built from asingle-piece aluminum shell to create a sleek and lightweightproduct weighing in at less than 1.4kg and measuring just14.9mm thin.

Available in Graphite Grey or limited-edition ClementineOrange with scratch-resistant coating, the U300s comeswith other smart technologies including Breathable Keyboard,an Intel Advanced Cooling Technology that allows air to flowin through the keyboard and out of the sides and rear hinge.

With Lenovo Long Life Battery, the U300s provides up toeight hours of productive use or an incredible 30 days onstandby. And with Lenovo RapidCharge its battery can becharged to 50% capacity in just 30 minutes. Other featuresinclude Bluetooth, 802.11n Wi-Fi, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0connectors, as well as an integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300 and U400 Ultraportable Laptops

Equipped with second generation Intel Core processors, theLenovo IdeaPad U300 and U400 boast boot up times of under17 seconds thanks to the optional RapidDrive SSD technology.The U300 sports a 13.3-inch display while the U400 has a14-inch high definition display and AMD Radeon HD5470M1GB graphics. Both models have specifications that supportup to 8GB DDR3 memory, up to 1TB HDD storage and upto 256GB SSD storage. The U400 also has an integrated slot-loading DVD-RW drive. The Long Life Battery on the U300lasts for up to six hours of productivity and up to seven hourson the U400. Both laptops also feature the same BreathableKeyboard technology as the U300s.

Pricing and Availability

The Lenovo IdeaPad U300, U300s and U400 will be availablein Singapore from October 2011 onwards. All three laptops areavailable in a cool Graphite Gray color, and the U300s alsocomes in limited-edition Clementine Orange. Prices for theselaptop models will be announced closer to the availability date.

Genius Intros SP-U150X USBSpeakersSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/genius-intros-sp-u150x-usb-

speakers/13499.html


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September 6th, 2011

Peripherals major Genuis rolled a new line of cute-lookingUSB stereo speakers for PCs and Macs, particularly notebooks.The SP-U150X as it's called, comes in three variants basedon the color of a ring around its dome - black, yellow, andgreen. The speakers feature 2-inch drivers, which can deliver2W (RMS) output per speaker. Its shell is made of piano-black (glossy) ABS, with a matte front finish, and a glossy ringaround its dome. It takes input in two ways. It can act as a USBaudio device and run entirely off a USB connection, or it cantake a 3.5 mm line input while drawing power from USB.

Peripherals major Genuis rolled a new line of cute-lookingUSB stereo speakers for PCs and Macs, particularly notebooks.The SP-U150X as it's called, comes in three variants basedon the color of a ring around its dome - black, yellow, andgreen. The speakers feature 2-inch drivers, which can deliver2W (RMS) output per speaker. Its shell is made of piano-black (glossy) ABS, with a matte front finish, and a glossy ringaround its dome.

The SP-U150X set takes input in two ways. It can act as aUSB audio device and run entirely off a USB connection, or itcan take a 3.5 mm line input while drawing power from USB.Either ways, it needs the USB cable plugged in. Apart from its4W total maximum output, the speakers offer full frequencyresponse range from 100 Hz to 22 KHz. Measuring about 10

cm high, Genius notes that its rounded-triangle shape is "eye-catching". The set weighs about 400 grams.

The Genius SP-U150X speakers are now available in NorthAmerica for US $20.

Images Courtesy: Genius

Shenzhen Files 1: New MobilePhone Formats appear -UMEOX V3 credit card sizephone, and moreSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/shenzhen-files-1-new-mobile-phone-

formats-appear--umeox-v3-credit-card-size-phone-and-more/13497.html

September 6th, 2011

Our experienced well weathered strategic adviser, NebojsaNovakovic, covers here his discoveries and experiences fromvisits to various electronics hubs around the world. Thistime, his first thoughts on interesting hardware coming fromShenzhen - we start with UMEOX and its unique mobilephones.

When you get to Shenzhen, you'll get overwhelmed by thesprawling green city of over 14 million, and thousands ofgleaming skyscrapers, with a huge metro system that seemseven cleaner - and less crowded yet more modern - than theone we have in Singapore. If you're an electronics or computersbuff, this is probably heaven on earth for you, more so thanTaipei. There are dozens of electronics malls, many of themaround Huaqiang Lu's SEG Plaza, having everything under thesun from the weirdest resistors or oddball CPUs to LCD or LEDpanels, power supplies, drives... anything, you name it.


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However, the design capability of Shenzhen's own companieshas also improved dramatically, leading to many newbrands appearing in the market, including the currently hotsmartphone and tablet arena. Some of them even try to openup new market niches with unique models. A case in point wasUMEOX, a local Shenzhen mobile phone design firm, whichuses large contractors as FOXCONN and CHANGHONG formanufacturing, besides its own assembly facility - some 6million units last year. I saw their ultra compact phone model,V3, which may not have too many features, but is slim andbasically close to credit card size.

With roughly 9 x 5 cm dimensions, and just 5.8 mm thickness,this Infineon ULC2-based unit, sold to Alcatel in France andPearl in Germany, among others, is the first phone that I knowof, that can be carried INSIDE THE WALLET. The simple lowcost quad-band 2G phone, as you can see here, isn't intendedfor mobile Net or other fancy activities, but for what thephones were originally used for: calls and messages. I guess atouchscreen 3G version could add even those mobile surfingcapabilities.

UMEOX also offers SOLO, a rugged, water/shock/dustproof design with huge back solar panel for total outdoorindependence, but again it is a 2G phone, aimed at keycommunication functionality important when away fromurban areas, rather than sophisticated Net surfing or such.It is also fine when the sun goes down, as, once the batteryis charged, there is still 250 minute talk time. According toMs Sandy Zhang in UMEOX marketing, this phone was also

exported to Singapore, besides other usual global markets.Other stuff they design includes oversize button senior citizenphones with SOS buttons, as well as tracker devices. They don'tseem to have a very high end 'flagship' mobile phone model,though, which is a pity as having a good flagship often benefitsthe sales of same vendor's lower end units, as the users havemore confidence in the technological capability of the vendoritself. More on these, as well as other interesting gadgetrycoming out of Shenzhen labs, on these pages soon.

Hitachi GST first with singleplatter 1TB hard drivesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hitachi-gst-first-with-single-

platter-1tb-hard-drives/13496.html

September 6th, 2011

One Terabyte per platter hard drives isn't breaking news thesedays, but Hitachi GST has put a twist on things by launchingseveral new models with a single 1TB platter in them. Thenew drives are also available in smaller sizes, but this is wherethings get strange, as despite being a single 1TB platter drive,some of the models will only offer 250 or 320GB of usablestorage space.

One Terabyte per platter hard drives isn't breaking news thesedays, but Hitachi GST has put a twist on things by launchingseveral new models with a single 1TB platter in them. Thenew drives are also available in smaller sizes, but this is wherethings get strange, as despite being a single 1TB platter drive,some of the models will only offer 250 or 320GB of usablestorage space.

It's pretty clear that the hard drive market has reached a stagewhere the drive makers are wasting a lot of potential storagespace on hard drive and we end up with a pricing scheme thatdoesn't reflect the actual value of the storage space. Today a160, 250, 320 and 500GB hard drive can be had for the sameprice and in one case we're looking at twice the capacity for thesame model from the same manufacturer. No wonder there'sso much consolidation going on in the industry, as there'sreally not much money to be made from hard drives these days.


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Hitachi GST's new models include the 1TB Deskstar 5K1000.Bwhich is a 5,400rpm drive with 32MB cache and a claimedpower saving of 23 percent compared to the new Desktar7K1000.D. The 7K1000.D on the other hand is available in250, 320, 500, 750GB and 1TB sizes and as the name suggestswe're looking at a 7,200rpm drive here, again with 32MBof cache. Both models do of course sport the SATA 6Gbpsinterface and they also comes with what Hitachi GST callsHiVERT which the company claims reduces idle power by upto 15 percent.

Alongside the two new consumer models, Hitachi GST alsolaunched a pair of new CinemaStar DVR drives, namelythe 5K1000.B and 7K1000.D. The biggest difference herecompared to the Deskstar drives is that they've been optimisedfor video recording and playback. Both models comes incapacities from 250GB to 1TB and features' what Hitachi GSTcalls CoolSpin technology, as well as HiVERT, 32MB cache anda MTBF of 1.2 million hours and a slightly lower noise levelthan the desktop equivalent models.

New ASUS Fusion ZacateMicro-ATX Board Is A NotchFasterSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-asus-fusion-zacate-micro-atx-

board-is-a-notch-faster/13494.html

September 6th, 2011

Motherboard major ASUS unveiled a new micro-ATXmotherboard based on the AMD E-450 accelerated processingunit (APU), the E45M1-M PRO. This board is nearly identicalto the E35M1-M PRO, except of course its faster APU. TheAMD E-450 is clocked at 1.65 GHz, a mere 50 MHz jumpover the E-350, but the real improvement here is that theGPU core speed that jumps to 600 MHz thanks to TurboCoretechnology.

Motherboard major ASUS unveiled a new micro-ATXmotherboard based on the AMD E-450 accelerated processingunit (APU), the E45M1-M PRO. This board is nearly identicalto the E35M1-M PRO, except of course its faster APU. TheAMD E-450 is clocked at 1.65 GHz, a mere 50 MHz jumpover the E-350, but the real improvement here is that theGPU core speed that jumps to 600 MHz thanks to TurboCoretechnology.

The E35M1-M PRO is a micro-ATX motherboard measuring244 x 183 mm. It is powered by AMD E-450 Fusion "Zacate"processor platform, aided by AMD Hudson M1 chipset. Theplatform offers a wealth of connectivity and performance perWatt for its price. The E-450 APU and Hudson M1 chipset arecooled by a common low-profile heatsink, an optional fan canbe attached to it for better cooling. A 3-phase VRM powersthe APU, which is goverened by an ASUS EPU chip that worksto improve energy efficiency. The APU is wired to two DDR3DIMM slots that support single-channel DDR3 memory withspeeds of up to 1333 MHz.

Expansion slots include a PCI-Express 2.0 x16, a PCI-Expressx1, and two legacy PCI slots. The PCI-Express slots are wiredto the APU. Compared to Intel Atom "Pineview" based desktopboards, this platform provides a wealth of connectivity. TheE-450 APU embeds a Radeon HD 6320D graphics processorthat's DirectX 11-compliant, and is driven by 80 streamprocessors. Display outputs include one each of HDMI, DVI,and D-Sub (VGA). In terms of storage, there are no less thanfive SATA 6 Gbps ports, and one eSATA port with 6 Gbps data-rate.


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The Realtek ALC-887 chip used on this board is an 8-channel HD audio CODEC, but it's wired to a 6-channelaudio jack cluster. Those seeking 8-channel output can stilluse the TOSLINK connector, which gives out 7.1 channeloptical SPDIF output. Other connectivity includes one gigabitEthernet connection, two USB 3.0 ports, and a Firewire portapart from a number of USB 2.0 ports on the rear panel, andvia internal headers. We don't expect the ASUS E45M1-M PROto be priced significanly higher than the E35M1-M PRO.

Images Credit ASUS

Intel gives up MeeGodevelopment; Samsung eyesto take overSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-gives-up-meego-development-

samsung-eyes-to-take-over/13495.html

September 6th, 2011

According to news reports, chip manufacturing giant Intelmay be shifting its focus from MeeGo platform to smartphoneand tablet development, and it was said that Korean companySamsung may be intending to take over the platform.

The MeeGo platform has suffered a huge blow, especiallywhen Nokia has announced their Windows Phone in Februarythis year. This means that the production quantity of

MeeGo products will be diminished, especially when themajority of companies are going for Android and Windowsplatform instead. Intel has denied giving up on MeeGo,and the company expressed that it will continue to MeeGodevelopment. However, it is questionable as to what futureplans the chip maker would have for the platform. And evenif the chip maker is still actively involved in MeeGo, thedevelopment looks to be stalled.

If Samsung should buy over the MeeGo system, it wasspeculated that it may not use the plaform directly, since thecompany already has its own Bada platform, alongsidewith Android and Windows Phone. It is likely that thecompany could integrate MeeGo with Bada, or we may seeMeeGo-based devices in the near future.

Reallusion unveils Visualizeimage editing tool for iPadSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/reallusion-unveils-visualize-image-

editing-tool-for-ipad/13493.html

September 6th, 2011

Reallusion has unveiled their new Visualize application whichis designed for Apple iPad users who want to do some imageediting on their tablet device. Visualize is an image editingtool that allows users to make cutouts and stylized imagecomposition. You can give this software a try; Visualize is nowavailable in iTunes store.

Reallusion have launched a brand-new visual applicationfor the iPad market, which combines the power of free-hand cutouts, visual templates and layered compositiion. Itis a image editing application that can create instant PNGcutouts by importing and editing images directly from theiPad camera or the Internet. Cutouts can be saved in theonboard gallery folders, to expand the current collection, or beretouched for further layering and compositing. Customizingand compositing images are made easy, thanks to a widerange of stationeries, symbols, icons and arrows, foundin over seven item categories. You can rotate, scale andtransform images or use the embedded slider controls forpixel-accurate positioning. The same can be done for changing


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color settings, and adjusting edge properties with specialeffects such as feathering, shadowing, or white edging.

Users can now import snapshots and clippings directly fromonline websites with the use of a rectangular cropping tool.Images can also be manually cut out with just a flick of thefinger, using the intuitive lasso tool. You can also add text bysimply typing and later adjusting the background and fontsettings. Last but not least, you can also further customize yourprojects by dropping in background images with addedspotlight, and color effects to enhance the look. When ready,simply export the projects to Facebook, Picasa, Dropbox orsend them as a email attachment to colleagues.

You can download the latest trial in your iTunesStores - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/visualize-free/id456857776?ls=1&mt=8 , or visit Reallusion to get moreinformation: http://iphone.reallusion.com/

Here's a demo introduction video of Visualize

New update for Angry BirdsSeasons - Mooncake FestivalSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-update-for-angry-birds-seasons--

mooncake-festival/13492.html

September 6th, 2011

The Angry Birds Seasons has been rather quiet with no newupdate until few days ago. Well, there are only so manyfestivities in a year and we would assume that there won'tbe any more to add to the game. The good folks at Roviohas announced the new "Mooncake Festival" stages for AngryBirds fans. If you have not updated the game, it is time to doso now.

The Mooncake Festival is popular among Chinese, in China aswell as the Asia region. And it is interesting to see Rovio, thecompany behind the popular Angry Birds game, coming upwith new update for the Angry Birds Season using the Chineseholiday (in some countries) as theme. According to Rovio,there are 30 brand new levels with lanterns, pagodas andharvest moon. Besides the bonus stage which is unlockablewhen you get three-star achievement for every stage, there

are also eight hidden pieces of mooncakes in the stages. Findall eight mooncakes and you will be rewarded with anotherbonus level. The Angry Birds Seasons - Mooncake Festivalis available for download on the iPhone, iPad, Android andSymbian devices.

In addition, the Angry Birds Seasons also gets another theMighty Eagle like the regular version. The Mighty Eagle is aone-time in-app purchase and costs US$0.99 / £.59 / €.79.Basically, you can use the Mighty Eagle to skip a level, unlockthe next level so as to advance in the game. However, you areonly entitled to skip one level every hour. The Mighty Eaglealso lets you attain new highscores and achievements.

VMware to bring BusinessCapabilities onto SamsungSmartphones, TabletsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vmware-to-bring-business-capabilities-

onto-samsung-smartphones-tablets/13482.html

September 6th, 2011

Virtualization giant VMware has announced a strategicpartnership with Samsung that could well be a strongshot-in-the-arm for the adoption of the Android platformin businesses. In a nutshell, the collaboration meansthat Samsung will integrate the just-announced VMwareView 5 and VMware Horizon Mobile with its mobilesmartphones and tablet devices. VMware View 5 is anupdate to VMware's desktop virtualization solution withimproved bandwidth utilization and graphics, while (themore interesting) VMware Horizon Mobile will essentiallysee VMware's mobile hypervisor technology installed ontocompatible hardware.


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Announced at VMware conference last week, VMware HorizonMobile is a way for businesses to securely manage anemployee's mobile work environment separately from theirpersonal space. This means that workers can continue to useand customize their Android-based phones without havingto worry about messing up their company's settings andconfigurations. Moreover, personal emails and apps will notbe interspaced with work-related ones, allowing employees thefreedom and flexibility to use a single Android device for bothwork and play.

Within the mobile work environment, IT admins retain thefull ability to remotely manage installed applications andconfigurations. Everything here is saved within an encryptedvirtual container that can only be accessed after keying ina password - including new notifications. It is clear thatthis technology offers enhanced protection against misplacedor stolen devices, even as its sandboxed nature eliminatestraditional fears of invasion of privacy when allowing the ITdepartment full access to personal devices.

One criticism about VMware Horizon Mobile however, isthe potential performance reduction that running Androidon top of Android. On its part, VMware has asserted thatthe performance reduction is only 10 percent, and that thecompany hasn't heard any complaints pertaining on that front.

No specifics have been offered about which Samsung phonesmight incorporate the technology, though it is understood thatLG also plans to make phones available with the technology.In the meantime, VMware has put together a short video clipwhere you can see VMware Horizon Mobile in action on anAndroid smartphone here.

Intel's new Sandy Bridge CPUlands, others receives pricecutSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-new-sandy-bridge-cpu-lands-

others-receives-price-cut/13490.html

September 6th, 2011

Remember all those new Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs we'vebeen writing about over the past couple of months that weresupposed to launch in September, well they've arrived. Nowplease don't panic, as none of the models are likely to causemuch of a stir as we're looking at minor updates at the most,although one or two of them as we've already mentioned,might be worth a closer look.

Remember all those new Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs we'vebeen writing about over the past couple of months that weresupposed to launch in September, well they've arrived. Nowplease don't panic, as none of the models are likely to cause

much of a stir as we're looking at minor updates at the most,although one or two of them as we've already mentioned,might be worth a closer look.

Let's start with the desktop models where we have a new,slightly faster mid-range Core i5 model, a new top of the rangeCore i3 model, a new Core i3 model with HD3000 graphicsand a new slightly faster power efficient Core i3 model, all asper the table below. We also have two new, faster Pentiummodels alongside a new slightly faster low power Pentiummodel. Possibly the most important new chips though are thefirst Sandy Bridge Celerons which means you can get dual coreSandy Bridge action for sub US$50, although with quite a fewfeatures snipped off.

Desktop CPUs Price US$Core i5-2320 6M cache, 4Cores, 4 Threads, 3.00GHz,95W TDP

$177

Core i3-2130 3M cache, 2Cores, 4 Threads, 3.40GHz,65W TDP

$138

Core i3-2125 3M cache, 2Cores, 4 Threads, 3.30GHz,65W TDP

$134

Core i3-2120T 3M cache, 2Cores, 4 Threads, 2.60GHz,35W TDP

$127

Pentium G860 3M cache, 2Cores, 2 Threads, 3.00GHz,65W TDP

$86

Pentium G630 3M cache, 2Cores, 2 Threads, 2.70GHz,65W TDP

$75

Pentium G630T 3M cache, 2Cores, 2 Threads, 2.30GHz,35W TDP

$70

Celeron G540 2M cache, 2Cores, 2 Threads, 2.50GHz,65W TDP

$52

Celeron G530 2M cache, 2Cores, 2 Threads, 2.40GHz,65W TDP

$42

Celeron G440 1M cache, 1Cores, 1 Thread, 1.60GHz,35W TDP

$37

Celeron G530T 2M cache, 2Cores, 2 Threads, 2.0GHz,35W TDP

$47

On the mobile side we have three new quad cores, of whichone is an Extreme Edition part which is 200MHz faster thanits predecessor with a 200MHz higher Turbo clock. The othertwo quad cores also receive a 200MHz speed increase overtheir predecessors, with the rest of the features seeminglyremaining the same. There's also a new dual core Core i7model, but here we're looking at a more modest 100MHz speedincrease. Finally we have a 300MHz faster Celeron model.

Mobile CPUs Price US$


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Core i7-2960XM (8M cache,4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.70 GHz32nm

$1,096

Core i7-2860QM (8M cache,4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.50 GHz32nm

$568

Core i7-2760QM (6M cache,4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.40 GHz32nm

$378

Core i7-2640M (4M cache, 2Cores, 4 Threads, 2.80 GHz32nm

$346

Celeron B840 (2M cache, 2Cores, 2 Threads, 1.90 GHz32nm

$86

As for price drops, well they only apply to Intel's Core i5 andCore i7 65W TDP S models and 45/35W TDP T models on thedesktop side and the price drops are very minor at betweentwo to six percent. Considering that these CPUs are still notthat widely available to consumers, this is not likely to affectconsumers that buy their own CPUs to any larger degree.

TYAN Intros S5515 Single-Socket LGA1155 Server BoardSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tyan-intros-s5515-single-socket-

lga1155-server-board/13489.html

September 6th, 2011

As more businesses move online, the hosting industry isonly set for growth. With dedicated hosting, leasing a singlemulticore processor-powered server is an ideal option forsmall businesses. Often it's boards such as the TYAN S5515released today, that make up such servers. The S5515 isa micro-ATX motherboard based on the Intel Q67 Expresschipset, which takes in second generation Core i3/i5/i7 "SandyBridge", and Xeon E3-1200 series processors in the LGA1155package.

TYAN is known most for its vast portfolio of enterprisemotherboards of all shapes and sizes, all architectures andsockets. At the outset the S5515 could look like a sub-pardesktop board, but closer inspection reveals that everythingis located in the right place for server setups. Intel Q67Express "Cougar Point" is a viable choice of chipset as itgives nearly all management features one would expect fromIntel's server chipsets. These include Intel Trusted ExecutionTechnology (TXT) with supported processors, Intel ActiveManagement Technolgy (AMT), and the nearly-universal IntelRapid Storage Technology (RST).

Active Management Technolgy gives network administratorsa wealth of remote management tools, including hardwareKVM over network helping with remote repairs and host basedsetup. Trusted Execution Technology ensures a high degreeof trust and control over the machine and adds a line ofdefence against software-based attacks aimed at stealing data.Rapid Storage Technology allows administrators to build andservice storage volumes connected to the chipset AHCI/RAID-compatible SATA controller.

Measuring 243.8x243.8 mm, the TYAN S5515 complies withthe micro-ATX form-factor. There are four expansion slots,including a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 wired to the processor, aclose-ended PCI-Express x8 that's electrically x4 and wired tothe chipset, a PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and a legacy PCI. In termsof storage connectivity, there are six SATA ports, the two portscolored blue run at a max speed of 6 Gb/s, while the rest runat 3 Gb/s. RAID modes 0, 1, 10, and 5 are supported, and canbe managed over RST.

The LGA1155 processor is powered by a 3+1 phase voltageregulation circuitry, there isn't any exotic digital PWM stuffhere, but one can count on the board to be making use of high-grade chokes and MOSFETs. The four DDR3 DIMM slots arewired to the processor, and support up to 32 GB of unbufferednon-ECC DDR3-1333/1066 MHz memory.

There are two gigabit Ethernet connections, handled byIntel 82583 controller that comes with a suite of networkmanagement tools and a driver that spreads processing loadsover multiple CPUs. Realtek ALC888 7.1 channel HD audioCODEC handles audio, it is wired to 6-channel jacks, whichisn't a big concern in an enterprise environment. Display


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connections include DVI, D-Sub (VGA) and DisplayPort.Miscellaneous connectivity includes two USB 3.0 SuperSpeedports, serial (COM) over header, and a number USB 2.0 ports.The TYAN S5515 is available now.

Image Courtesy TYAN

Sony Singapore unveils newNWZ-A860 Walkman MP3playerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-singapore-unveils-new-nwz-

a860-walkman-mp3-player/13486.html

September 6th, 2011

Even though many users do use their smartphones to listen totheir favorite songs, there still exist a group who prefer to relyon the dedicated portable MP3 player. Sony Electronics AsiaPacific has recently unveiled their new NWZ-A860 WalkmanMP3 player that features a stylish exterior design, Bluetoothwireless connectivity, and claims to deliver premium soundquality for audiophiles on the move.

Featuring superb audio technologies, Bluetooth wirelessconnectivity, and sophisticated designs, the Sony NWZ-A860Walkman MP3 player is designed to deliver great qualityfor audiophiles on the go. It claims to deliver premiumsound quality, thanks to the company’s unique Clear AudioTechnologies. The Advanced Digital Amplifier ‘S-Master MX’technology also helps to improve bass reproduction andlowers noise levels, and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine(DSEE) ensures crystal clear reproduction of high frequencysounds.

The Bluetooth connectivity allows users to share their favoritephotos with friends who have Bluetooth-enabled mobiledevices. The Sony NWZ-A860 also sports a responsive 2.8-inch touch panel display for ease of navigation and image

and video viewing. Transferring music from Windows MediaPlayer or iTunes is an easy task, thanks to the Sony MediaGo application. And with SensMe Channel, it automaticallycategorises music tracks into different channels and playsmusic to match the time of day and even the user’s mood,Other features include Karaoke Mode that can reduce thevolume of vocals for party time sing-alongs, and SynchronisedLyric Features let users follow along as they learn the words totheir favorite songs.

Intel SSD 710 Lyndonville forEnterprise DetailedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-710-lyndonville-for-

enterprise-detailed/13485.html

September 6th, 2011

Intel's latest generation of solid state drives has come fullcircle with new enterprise-grade SSDs in the 2.5-inch SATAform-factor. Called the Intel SSD 710 series, and codenamed"Lyndonville", the new series succeeds previous-generationX25-E series in a similar way SSD 320 series does to thelast X25-M drives. It makes use of NAND flash memory builton the 25 nanometer fabrication process, steps up capacities,lowers price per gigabyte, and adds new features that improvethroughput and endurance, which are key in datacenters. Wescored some information that gives you a fair idea of what toexpect from the new drives, and especially why you shouldn'tbe neophobic with the new Intel SSD 710.

Intel's SSD 710 takes a new approach to addressing the'problem' of not being able to achieve good price per gigabyteratios with single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory. SLCNAND flash has been preferred in the enterprise computingindustry, due to its high cell endurance to rewrites, andthroughput. With the new SSD 710 series, Intel will introducethe new High Endurance Technology Multi-Level Cell (HET-MLC) NAND flash. These new chips are claimed by its makersto offer endurance comparable to SLC, while giving users thecapacity advantage that MLC offers.


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Intel's SSD 710 drives come in three capacities - 100 GB, 200GB and 300 GB - and the endurance rating varies between thethree. With 4 KB write endurance, while the 100 GB model israted to offer 500 TB (900 TB with 20 GB overprovisioned,leaving 80 GB unformatted capacity), and the 200 GB modeloffers 1 PB or 1000 TB (1.5 PB with 40 GB overprovisioned,leaving 160 GB), the 300 GB model tops the charts with 1.1PB endurance (3.0 PB with 60 GB overprovisioned, leaving240 GB). The SSD 710 300 GB gets very close to X25-E 64 GBwith 4K write endurance and 4K random write performancein IOPS. The figures paint SSD 710 to have most durable MLCNAND flash ever made, and should build confidence in serverbuilders.

Apple iPhone 5 cases spottedin China hints a "Tear drop"design, similar to Macbook AirSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-iphone-5-cases-spotted-in-china-

hints-a-tear-drop-design-similar-to-macbook-air/13484.html

September 6th, 2011

With the launch of the highly anticipated Apple iPhone 5drawing closer each day, it looks like there a new batchof iPhone cases have been spotted even before the phone isavailable. From the looks of the cases, it hints at the iPhone 5may be adopting a Macbook Air-like "Tear drop" design.

Yes, it looks like another new batches of Apple cases have beenspotted in China. Unlike the ones that were reported from acompany in Shenzhen, China, which have thinner form factorand larger display, the latest cases showed that the iPhone5 may have a "Tear Drop" design, which is similar to theMacbook Air. The cases have a thinner point closer to the homebutton end of the iPhone and it looks to become thicker asyou go up the body to the camera and power button. Thismay mean that the phone could be adopting a Macbook Air-inspired design. From the reports, the cases are currently inmass production, though it is still unknown whether they aredesigned for the new iPhone 5, iPod Touch or even a newdevice from Apple. Let's wait and see.

Logitech introduces BedsideDock for iPad and New TabletSpeakerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-introduces-bedside-dock-for-

ipad-and-new-tablet-speaker/13483.html

September 6th, 2011

Logitech Singapore has introduced their new Appleaccessories which include the Bedside Dock for iPad andTablet speaker. The Bedside Dock comes with a speaker thatproduces full stereo sound and includes a bass enhancer, andlets you wake up to your own music or FM radio, The LogitechTablet Speaker is easy to set up, boasts up to eight hours ofbattery life, and you can watch a full-length movie or two withgood quality audio.


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The Logitech Bedside Dock features an alarm that lets youwake up to your own music, tone or FM radio. The internalclock syncs with the clock on your iPad, so it is always accurate.The speaker offers full stereo sound and includes a bassenhancer and you can even dock your iPad and charge it whenthe speaker is turned off.

Pricing and AvailabilityThe Logitech Bedside Dock is expected to be available inSingapore by mid October for a suggested retail price of S$99.

The Logitech Tablet Speaker is a compact, clip-on,rechargeable speaker that offers maximum convenience andportability.Attach your iPad or other tablet devices securelywith the rubberized clip and plug the 3.5mm audio cable intothe headphone jack. It features with up to eight hours ofbattery life depending on usage, which is good enough to watcha full-length movie or two. The speaker also charges overUSB, which means you never need to worry about replacingbatteries.

Pricing and AvailabilityThe Logitech Tablet Speaker is expected to be available inSingapore by mid September, for a suggested retail price of S$59.

The Desktop Experience 'justanother App' in Windows 8Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-desktop-experience-just-another-

app-in-windows-8/13481.html

September 6th, 2011

In case you missed it, Steven Sinofsky, who is the presidentof Windows and Windows Live division has started bloggingabout Windows 8 since the middle of August. Amongother nuggets of information, he has revealed to date thenext iteration of the Windows operating system that willincorporate robust USB 3.0 support as well as native supportfor ISO and VHD files. In addition, Sinofsky touched on a topicof immense interest when he wrote about the GUI (GraphicUser Interface) this week that we can expect to see in Windows8.

In the blog titled "Designing for Metro style and the desktop,"Sinofsky confirmed that Microsoft will incorporate both thetouch-friendly Metro experience (Think Windows Phone 7)while also retaining the traditional desktop. A few reasonswere given against starting from a clean slate with a Metro-only touch interface, one of which would be the "hundredsof thousands of existing apps" designed with the desktop inmind.

Sinofsky elaborated:

"The mechanisms that people rely on today (mice,physical keyboards, trackpads) don't suddenlybecome less useful or "bad" just because touch is alsoprovided as a first-class option. These tools are quiteoften the most ergonomic, fast, and powerful ways ofgetting many things done."

Moreover, he cited the popularity of remote desktop programsfor tablets and phones as evidence of the desktop's versatility. With these considerations in mind, Microsoft has opted for amore nuanced approach in the form of a Metro style interfacethat will work well with touch (and which includes the mouseand keyboard), in addition to support for a desktop interface.

What I found interesting though, was the revelation thatit will be possible to stay "permanently immersed in theMetro world" as Sinofsky puts it. Users who opt for suchan experience will work exclusively in Metro, without everneeding to see the desktop. The desktop code will not evenbe loaded for such users, assured Sinofsky, which means zeropenalties in terms of memory, battery life and performance. On the other hand, users who require the desktop experience


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can seamlessly switch to it. Indeed, Sinofsky encouragedseeing the Windows desktop "as just another app."

On a more serious note, this update appears to dovetail wellwith earlier news that the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer willbe shipping with Windows 8 in a 2012 refresh. Assumingthat Microsoft can deliver a truly seamless Metro/Desktopinterface, there could well be a surge of demand for Windows8 tablets that convert into a laptop by snapping on a keyboard. Rather than the prospect of a bleak post-PC world, a Windows8 "convertible" would conceivably serve the needs of users forboth work and play.

Toshiba Smartens STOR.E TVFor Living Room GoodnessSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-smartens-stor.e-tv-for-living-

room-goodness/13474.html

September 6th, 2011

Content consumption media is in a state of flux. From discplayers to media players that take USB mass storage devices,the evolution is on at breakneck pace. Hard disk drive vendorssuch as Toshiba and WD have taken the initiative to combinetheir external hard drive expertise with media center hardwareto eat into the markets of both HTPCs and media playersin one go. At this year's IFA event, Toshiba unveiled itssecond generation of hard drives tailor-made for the livingroom. The STOR.E TV series of hard drives pack media playerhardware making the drive a single-device solution for mediaconsumption. The consumer electronics giant unveiled twomodels: STOR.E TV 2 and STOR.E TV Pro. Check them out onthe next page.

Content consumption media is in a state of flux. From discplayers to media players that take USB mass storage devices,the evolution is on at breakneck pace. Hard disk drive vendorssuch as Toshiba and WD have taken the initiative to combinetheir external hard drive expertise with media center hardwareto eat into the markets of both HTPCs and media playersin one go. At this year's IFA event, Toshiba unveiled itssecond generation of hard drives tailor-made for the livingroom. The STOR.E TV series of hard drives pack media playerhardware making the drive a single-device solution for mediaconsumption. The consumer electronics giant unveiled twomodels: STOR.E TV 2 and STOR.E TV Pro.

Both models measure 235 x 195 x 50 mm. While the STOR.ETV 2 is strictly a hard drive media player, the STOR.E TV Prohas wired networking capabilities that connects your HDTVto the web, and allows web-browsing. Both come in variantsbased on the capacity of the hard drives they pack: 500 GB,1 TB, 1.5 TB and 2 TB. Both drives connect to your TV usingHDMI and composite. Apart from the in-built hard drive, thedevices provide one USB 2.0 port, with which you can plug inany USB mass storage device (a flash drive or another portablehard drive), and transfer data from it, without taking the driveback to your PC. Add to this, a 3-in-1 media card reader. Thedrive itself connects to a host PC over USB 2.0. The newSTOR.E hard drives allow you to play a wide range of popularvideo formats, including H263/H264, MPEG4, DivX/XviD,VC1/WMV, VP8; and audio formats including MPEG,OGG,MP3/MP2, WMA, WAV, APE, FLAC, AAC, and PCM.Video isstreamed out at 1080p, and the digital audio passed throughsupports Dolby Digital, DTS 2.0+ formats.

Things take a turn for the awesome with STOR.E TV Pro. Thisdevice provides all features of the STOR.E TV 2, but addsan ethernet port with which it can connect to the web, or anetwork. Toshiba bundles a compact bluetooth remote thatfeatures a QWERTY keyboard and a trackpad. The hard driveallows web-browsing at 1080p resolution. Toshiba howeverdidn't mention in its press release if it supports Adobe Flash,giving it access to a wealth of online videos. "The vast majorityof TVs in the home do not provide web access," said MarcoPerino, General Manager, Digital Products Division, ToshibaEurope GmbH. "We've been looking for a plug-and-playapproach to connect these 'stand-alone' TVs to the web anddesigned the multimedia console STOR.E TV PRO," he added.

Toshiba expects a market release of these two in the fourthquarter of 2011.

Show Babes @ Comex 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/show-babes--comex-2011/13480.html

September 6th, 2011

We take a look at the show babes that are in Comex 2011. Sadly,our favourite from ACRyan isn't here this time. Enjoy!


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A new legend is born however, A.C Ryan gets a new show babein Comex. Yes, she is rather tall and slim

^^

Toshiba babe in red


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Babe in 3D holds a LG Optimus 3D Urbanears


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Canon, delighting you always

Samsung announces Wi-Fioptical drive and then someSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-wi-fi-optical-

drive-and-then-some/13479.html

September 6th, 2011

Over the years we've seen a lot of peculiar bits of hardwarelaunch, but Samsung's new SE-208BW optical drive with Wi-Fi interface is among the strangest we've ever seen. Samsungcalls it the Smart Media Hub rather than an optical drive, asbeyond being able to connect to a PC over Wi-Fi, it also workswith tablets and smartphones.

Over the years we've seen a lot of peculiar bits of hardwarelaunch, but Samsung's new SE-208BW optical drive with Wi-Fi interface is among the strangest we've ever seen. Samsungcalls it the Smart Media Hub rather than an optical drive, asbeyond being able to connect to a PC over Wi-Fi, it also workswith tablets and smartphones.

The SE-208BW looks just like a regular external slim-lineoptical drive with the exception of the small Wi-Fi logo on it.Interestingly, the SE-208BW has an Ethernet port and USBconnectivity and it will also work as either a Wi-Fi access pointor a Wi-Fi repeater, although as to how useful the repeatermode will be depends on where your Wi-Fi router is located.Delving deeper into the networking features of the SE-208BWwe find a Dynamic DNS server and thanks to a spare USBport, it can thus share data on a USB storage device over thenetwork.

The optical drive can be used for backing up data straightfrom your Wi-Fi devices, although we're not quite sure as toexactly how this process would work. If you happen to owna DLNA compatible TV or media player, then the SE-208BWcan stream media to it thanks to Samsung's Allshare software.The optical drive will read and write CDs and DVDs, with CDspeeds of up to 24x for both read and write, while DVDs willbe read at 8x with single layer write once discs written at 8x,dual layer discs at 6x, DVD-RAM discs at 5x, +RW discs at 8xand finally –RW discs at 6x speed.

Samsung didn't mention a price in the press release andyou'll have to wait until early next year to get your handson the SE-208BW. Despite the slightly bizarre nature of theSE-208BW, we have to applaud Samsung for creating a truelyunique convergence device, the question is, is there a marketfor it?

Powered by USB to a greenfutureSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/powered-by-usb-to-a-green-

future/13478.html

September 6th, 2011

Today we're kicking off something new here at VR-Zone withthe introduction of the first feature written by a guest writer.If this proves to be popular we'll be doing more of these kindsof stories about various topics written by industry insidersfrom a wide range of technology companies. So please click onthrough and let us know if this is the kind of thing we shoulddo more of in the future.


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Our first guest writer is René F. Koch, the CTO of LeaderElectronics Inc. which is one of the largest OEM/ODMdesigners and manufacturers of power adapters and varioustypes of power supplies. Leader Electronics Inc. has over 40years of experience in the industry making product rangingfrom phone chargers, to notebook chargers all the way tovarious industrial solutions. René has been working for LeaderElectronics Inc. for over a decade in various positions at thecompany and his guest feature is about where things seem tobe heading as far as device charging is concerned and whywe’re heading in that direction.

The Universal Serial Bus, or simply USB, has from its launchalways been able to provide power to the connected device andit’s now transforming into the new Universal Power deliverysystem, according to a recent publication from the USBimplementers forum. The strength of USB has always been itsability to provide power, next to a means of being an interface,as this allowed for a single cable connection to be used witha wide variety of devices like Human Interface Devices (mice,keyboards, etc.), microphones, speakers, storage devices andso on.

Until recently, the current limit was 500mA for configuredhigh-power devices and 100mA for un-configured or low-power devices; with a standardized bus voltage of 5V thisresults in a maximum power of 2.5W, similar to the powerneeded for a normal mobile phone charger. The EuropeanUnion was interested in making this the mandatory mobilephone charger standard, as that could result in major "Green"benefits. Most people have had multiple mobile phones overthe past decade; as functionality increased, people would buynew models, leaving their old phone with a still functionalcharger as waste, while buying multiple chargers, for home,work and in the car for example. Waste is a growing concern,especially in electronic goods; the EU therefore, figured thisa good opportunity to reduce the amount of waste, as thechargers do not offer any additional functionality with newlyreleased phone models.

Although most major mobile phone brands agreed to theproposed standard and signed the MOU that was initiatedby the EU, most of them are not yet willing to ship their

products without a charger; this is especially true for higher-value products. The rationale is that a lower quality charger,which does not completely comply with the requirements,could render mobile phones useless or even worse, makingthe battery explode as seen in the past. Nevertheless, thefuture trend is set for a universal charger and is destinedto become reality. Other types of products take advantagefrom this initiative, especially those that are battery operatedand are charged by USB; look at Digital Cameras, tabletsand smartphones. Even products that do not even need tocommunicate over USB, like wireless DECT phones or LEDflash lights use USB ports to connect to their charger.

If you wanted to use more power from a USB port than 2.5Wyou could choose to use two USB plugs, as often is the casewith external 2.5-inch hard drives, alternatively, an externalpower supply could provide the additional power. Now, withthe introduction of USB 3.0, the current capability was raisedup to 900mA for super-speed ports, almost doubling thepower delivery capability. Meanwhile, an additional featurewas added to the USB standard in order to provide more powerto connected devices, in particular to be able to charge batteryoperated handheld devices. The new standard is known as the“Battery Charger Standard” and in late December last year,V1.2 was released, which allows currents beyond 1.5A, up toa maximum of 5A, resulting in a power delivery capabilityup to 25W. The key feature of this charging standard is adedicated USB mode which is initiated by a resistive pull-up / -down configuration of the data pins. With a maximum currenthandling capability of 1.8A for the connector-pins in a microUSB plug, the cables and connectors of the USB standard arenow the limiting factor to deliver more current and, as thevoltage is standardized to 5V, also to power.

This is where the new power delivery standard will comein, as the Voltage will be negotiable in the future, by digitalcommunication between the host and connected device, andcould go as high as 60V DC; limited for safety reasons to themaximum Voltage of a Safe Electrical Low Voltage (SELV); aVoltage that does not result in a shock hazard when touched.In theory this could mean up to 100W, with the 1.8A of currenthandling capability as maximum limit (1.8A * 60V = 108W).Handling higher currents, like the absolute limit of 5A, asdefined in all USB specifications, even if connectors and cablescould handle this current, is however not a good solution forenergy efficient transport of power.

Current creates losses in cables and connections; the lower

the current, the lower the power loss. (Ploss = I2 * R). Assuch 100W would be the maximum power that could bedelivered over a single USB port, which means that whenusing a 4-port USB hub, up to 400W could be delivered.This power level goes way beyond the practical needs of mostcomputing equipment; dedicated gaming or CAD computers,or their imaging peripherals might need more power, butthen again, this power delivery system is not meant to powercomputer systems but rather peripherals, with a possibleextension to charge notebook computers or other handheldbattery operated devices. Thinking about the opportunitiesand possibilities this power delivery standard could offer, itcould very well change the world of power electronics, andpower delivery as we know it.


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Energy Performance standards, which are mandatory inmost western parts of the world, focus on active modeenergy efficiency and off-mode, stand-by and no-load powerconsumption.

Active mode energy efficiency is quite clearly the capabilityof the system to perform a certain action while limiting theenergy required doing so. Although actions are not alwayseasily translated into power, the EU tries to generalize actionsand reflect a certain calculation on them in order to establishthe system performance of that action in relation to the usedpower consumption to perform said action. (The U.S.D.O.E. isstarting similar activities)

There are three modes of operation while the system is notactually performing its primary task:

· Off-mode, in which the device / system is still powered,but not performing any action;

· Standby-mode, in which the system is idle, waiting foran instruction to perform its primary action, and

· No-Load, in which the power supply is connected, butthe device is not connected to the power supply.

Basically, any energy draw during these three modes ofoperation is waste, as there is no action being performed.

An additional state of non-active mode is now added to thescope, which is referred to as “networked stand?by”. Thismode comes into scope when thinking about all the USBpowered devices that do not have their own power supply.At this time, each connected device needs to draw less than500mW of power while in a non-active mode according tomandatory energy efficiency regulations. The USB standardactually defines a “suspend” mode in which no more than2.5mA (12.5mW) can be drawn from the bus, but does notmandate a suspend mode.

Connecting 4 devices to one USB hub, would result in astand-by consumption of 2A (4 * 500mA), while the USB hubitself should also draw less than 500mA. As the system canbe considered to be idle during night time, the total powerconsumption of this configuration could add up to 2.5A * 5V =12.5W. This is a lot of wasted energy, but still in-line with thecurrent regulations. In order to reduce this waste, there is anobvious need for smarter power distribution. Using USB canprovide all the hardware needed to grow into an eco-systemthat incorporates smart power distribution, without the needfor new standards, connectors or interfaces.

Acer unveils its firstUltrabook, the Aspire S3Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-unveils-its-first-ultrabook-the-

aspire-s3/13477.html

September 6th, 2011

It turns out the leaked pictures of Acer's Ultrabook turned outto be the real deal after all, as the company has unveiled itsAspire S3 series of Ultrabooks at IFA in Berlin today. The press

release makes bold claims of 1.5 second resume times (fromsleep) and up to 50-days battery life (this time in deep sleepmode), something that will be interesting to see if Acer canreally deliver on.

It turns out the leaked pictures of Acer's Ultrabook turned outto be the real deal after all, as the company has unveiled itsAspire S3 series of Ultrabooks at IFA in Berlin today. The pressrelease makes bold claims of 1.5 second resume times (fromsleep) and up to 50-days battery life (this time in deep sleepmode), something that will be interesting to see if Acer canreally deliver on.

Ace is still being coy with regards to some aspects of thespecifications of the Aspire S3 and there are a few blanks inthe press release. However, what we do know is that as with allthe other Ultrabooks, Acer will be using Intel's ULV Core i3,i5 and i7 processors. In the storage department we're lookingat a 320 or 500GB hard drive, or a 240GB SSD options. It'sworth noting that Acer has implemented what it calls GreenInstant On which is some kind of SSD caching technology butwe're not sure if this is Intel's Smart Response technology ora different solution like the one used by Samsung in its Series7 notebooks.

Other features will include a 13.3-inch 1366x768 display, anHDMI port, an SD card reader, a single headset jack and sadlywhat appears to be a pair of USB 2.0 ports. Less noticeablefeatures include a 1.3 Megapixel webcam, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fiand Bluetooth 4.0+HSR. The notebook itself is a mere 13mmthick and weighs in at 1.4kg. It has a similar chiclet keyboard tothat found on the current TimeLineX series of notebooks fromAcer, but it has a much larger touchpad.


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Acer claims up to 7h battery life, but this is for the SSDequipped model, so expect that to be less on the hard drivemodels. It's a shame that Acer couldn't have made a thinnerscreen bezel, similar to that seen on Samsung's Series 7, as inas much as the Aspire S3 being a thin and light notebook, thethick screen bezel kind of ruin things a bit.

The Aspire S3 will start shipping in selected regions thismonth, with broader availability in October. It seems like Acerdidn't manage to hit Intel's sub US$1,000 price point with theAspire S3 as the most basic model which we expect to havea Core i3 CPU and a 320GB hard drive will retail at €799 (S$1,375/US$1,140) while the top of the range SSD equippedCore i7 model is expected to retail at €1,199 (S$2,060/US$1,710).

You can find some additional pictures on the next page.

Nikon COOLPIX S100 @ S$449Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-s100--s-449/13475.html

September 6th, 2011

Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date forCOOLPIX S100 officially starts on, 1st Sept, 2011, Thursdayand the recommended retail price for the COOLPIX S100is S$449. Price and Sales Date for the remaining models(COOLPIX AW100, P7100, P1200pj, S4150, S6150, S6200 andS8200) will be announced at a later date.

Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date forCOOLPIX S100 officially starts on, 1st Sept, 2011, Thursdayand the recommended retail price for the COOLPIX S100 is S$449.

ProductName

ColorsAvailable

Specifications& MajorFeatures

RecommendedRetail Price

COOLPIXS100

• Silver

• Black

• Gold

• Red

• Pink

• Purple

• 18.1mm slimand stylishdesign

• 16.0megapixelswith 3.5”OLED touchpanel

• 5x opticalzoom with28mm wide-angle

• BacksideilluminationCMOS sensor

• Full HDmovierecording

S$449

Note: Thismodel waslaunchedexclusivelyduringCOMEX Show2011.

W.e.f 1st Sep2011 onwards,it will beavailable inthe market forsale.


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• 3Dphotographyscene mode

• Filter Effectmode

Price and Sales Date for the remaining models (COOLPIXAW100, P7100, P1200pj, S4150, S6150, S6200 and S8200)will be announced at a later date.

ProductName

ColorsAvailable


COOLPIXAW100

• Black

• Blue

• Orange

• Camouflage

• Nikon 1stAW Seriescompactcamera

• Waterproof,shockproof,cold-resistant

• 16.0megapixelswith 3” LCD




• Built-in GPSand electroniccompass

COOLPIXP7100

• Black • 10.1megapixelswith 3” LCD

• 7.1 opticalzoom

• 28mmwide-angleto 200mmtelephoto lens

• Fasterresponse andlesser noise

• SpecialEffect mode

• Tone levelinformationdisplay

• Full HDmovierecording withstereo sound

COOLPIXS100

• Silver

• Black

• Gold

• Red

• Pink

• Purple

• 18.1mm slimand stylishdesign

• 16.0megapixelswith 3.5”OLED touchpanel




• 3Dphotographyscene mode

• Filter Effectmode

COOLPIXS1200pj

• Black

• Pink



• Brighterprojection upto 60” display

• Projectimages viaiPhone,iPad or iPodTouch*

• SpecialEffect mode

*via dedicatedcable

COOLPIXS4150

• Silver

• Black

• Bronze

• Red

• Purple

• 14.0megapixelswith 3" LCD


• Pet PortraitMode


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• Filter EffectMode

• Built-inoriginalanimatedcharacters

COOLPIXS6150

• Silver

• Black

• Red

• Pink

• Violet



• TouchShutter,SubjectTracking



• HD movierecording

COOLPIXS6200

• Silver

• Black

• White

• Blue

• Red

• Pink

• 16.0megapixelswith 2.7” LCD


• High-speedresponse

• Special andFilter Effectsmode

• Hand-held/tripod nightlandscapedetection

COOLPIXS8200

• Silver

• Black

• Red

• 16.1megapixelswith




• Targetfinding AFfunction

• Continuousshootingfunction

• Smile timercontinuousmode

• Night Scenemode

• Special andFilter effectmode

• EasyPanorama


• Still imageduring movierecording

Tablets promotion @ COMEXShow 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tablets-promotion--comex-

show-2011/13473.html

September 6th, 2011

If you are looking to get that Tablet device, well, you reallyneed to drop by the COMEX Show. Now. There are some goodpromotions from the various vendors including the SamsungGalaxy Tab 10.1, ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Motorola Xoom andwe have noted them down in the next page.

ASUS


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The ASUS Eee Pad Slider was announced in August, but itwas only retailing officially at the COMEX Show. The EeePad Slider sports a 10.1-inch WXGA (1280x800) capacitivetouch IPS display, and is powered Nvidia Tegra 2 dualcore processor, 1GB DDR2 memory with 15GB eMMC flashmemory, It also has a slide keyboard for ease of typing.Other features include integrated 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth+EDR, high definition audio CODEC, stereo speaker, 1.2-megapixel front and 5-megapixel rear cameras, and up to 8hrbattery life. According to ASUS, the Eee Pad Slider is preloadedwith Android 3.1 though it will be upgradeable to Android 3.2in the near future.

The ASUS Eee Pad Slider is retailing at a S$759 (U.P. S$899)for this show.

Samsung

Despite the lawsuit between Apple and Samsung, and withcourt orders that the GALAXY Tab 10.1 is forbidden to besold in some countries (yet), the highly-anticipated tabletdevice is fortunately selling here in Singapore, and also atthe COMEX Show 2011. Weighing just 565g and measuring8.6mm, the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is equipped with1GHz dual core processor, support for Flash Player 10.3, 3-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 2-megapixel frontcamera, and preinstalled with Android 3.1. The GALAXY Tab10.1 is selling at S$848 without contract and comes with free

leather pouch (worth S$68) for the first 100 customers andfree stylus pen (worth S$28) for the first 10 customers perday. If you sign up with the telco operators such as M1's FibreBroadband 100Mbps plus Mobile Broadband (mData Lite) atS$75/month, you can get the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 forfree.

Acer

Acer is known for their range of desktop and notebookPCs, though recently the company also came out with theirtablet devices. The 10.1-inch Acer Iconia Tab A500 tabletincorporates Nvidia Tegra 250 dual-core processor, and comeswith 1GB DDR2 memory (and 32GB eMMC memory), ultralow power GeForce GPU, Acer Nplify 802.11b/g wireless, 5-megapixel rear camera with auto focus and 2-megapixel frontcamera, and runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb. The Acer IconiaTab A500 is selling at a competitive S$599 (U.P. S$799).

Huawei

The new Huawei MediaPad claims to be the world's first tabletto be preinstalled with Android 3.2 Honeycomb operatingsystem. It has an aluminium uni-body chassis, 1.2GHzdual core processor, 7-inch 217ppi ultra clear screen andsupports 1080p full high definition video playback (up to sixhours). The MediaPad is not available for sale yet, but at thisCOMEX Show 2011, you can preorder it at S$598 (U.P. S


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$628). For those who preorders will also get the mini-HDMIcable, carrying case and 16GB SD card for free (worth S$168).

Parallels unveils Desktop 7 forMac and new Mobile app foriPad, iPhone and iPod TouchSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/parallels-unveils-desktop-7-for-mac-

and-new-mobile-app-for-ipad-iphone-and-ipod-touch/13472.html

September 6th, 2011

This morning, Parallels announced their new Desktop 7 forMac which claim to provide Mac OS X Lion user experienceeven on Windows platform which is running on Mac machines.The upgrade is available today for current Parallels Desktopusers (you can purchase at Nubox booth at the COMEX Show2011), while the retail package and downloadable version aregoing to be available next week.

According to Parallels, there is a growing number of Macusers, both home and business, who want to run Windowsapplications on their machines. And if you are looking to geta software that can run both Mac and Windows applicationsside-by-side without rebooting, check out the latest ParallelsDesktop 7 for Mac. It offers Mac OS X Lion functionalityincluding full screen, launch pad and mission control foryour Windows prograns; run multiple copies of OS X Lionor Windows and applications on the Mac machine; use iPad,iPhone or iPod Touch to watch and listen to Flash videos inWindows on the Mac; access and even run various operatingsystems like Windows, Chrome OS, Ubuntu etc anytime,anywhere.

The Parallels Mobile app is compatible with the iPad, iPhoneand iPod Touch devices and allows users to have completeremote access of their Mac anytime, anywhere. The ParallelsMobile also works with Parallels Desktop 7, which means youcan run Flash videos and audio from Windows on your Mac,via your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

The Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available today as anupgrade for current Parallels Desktop users (and at theNubox booth at the COMEX Show 2011). The packaged retailsoftware as well as downloadable version will be availableon 7 September, next week. You can purchase the packagedsoftware at all Nubox retail outlets, Apple retailers includingepiCentre, Mutlmedia Integrated, iStudio, Juzz1, Infinite,Challenger, Mac Shop and Sapura, as well as from AppleOnline Store. The Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac will retail at S$129; the student edition at S$69; Paralles Desktop 7 Switchto Mac Edition at S$159 and upgrades available for customersat S$69. A special pricing of US$49.99 is available online forusers who are currently using WMware Fusion who want tohave a solution that is fully compatible with Lion. If you havepurchased Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac from an authorizedreseller on or after 1 August, you will be eligible for freeupgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac.

The Parallels Mobile app is available in the Apple iTunes AppStore with an introductory price of US$4.99; the standardretail price is US$19.99. Current users of free Parallels Mobileapp will get a free upgrade to the new functionality via anupdate on their devices.


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John Eng, vice president, marketing and alliancesfor Parallels, said that the company has 75% market share indesktop virtualization - running Windows and Mac operatingsystem side-by-side without the need of rebooting. Eng saidthat 50% of the customers who go to Nubox, who is alsoa partner of the company, are new to Mac, and want to get aMac but still want to run the Windows applications.

"You may ask what kind of applications do people run on theMac? We did a poll of about half a million of our users andfound that there are more than 10,000 discrete (Windows)applications that they use," says the vice president.

HTC announces HTC RadarWindows Phone 7 with MangoupdateSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-announces-htc-radar-windows-

phone-7-with-mango-update/13471.html

September 6th, 2011

Even though Nokia has said that their Windows Phone 7 wouldbe out in Q4 this year, it looks like some phone makers mayhave theirs out earlier than the Finnish company. Today, HTChas announced their first Windows Phone 7 with the highly-anticipated Mango update, which comes in the form of HTCRadar. The HTC Radar is scheduled to go on retail in Singaporein October.

Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC has unveiled theirWindows Phone HTC Radar which is designed to keep youclose to friends, family, news and entertainment that matterto you. The HTC Radar is the company's first Windows Phone7 with Mango update. It features a compact aluminium uni-body, a built-in 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/2.2aperture, 28mm wide-angle lens and back-illuminated sensorfor improved low-light performance. The HTC Radar canalso capture 720p high definition videos. The smartphonealso incorporates Virtual 5.1 surround sound for a rich audioexperience, and web browsing is fast and smooth with HTML5support. You can also get an amazing mobile gaming withXbox LIVE that lets you access to a great selection of gamesfor Windows Phones.

Creative announces quad coresound cardsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-announces-quad-core-sound-

cards/13470.html

September 6th, 2011

Once upon a time there were as many sound card makers asthere were graphics card makers, but today only one of the oldcompanies are still alive, good old Creative (what happenedto the Labs bit on the end?) and today the company hasannounced its first quad core sound cards based on its recentlyannounced Sound Core3D audio processor. This might soundlike total overkill for a sound card, but it's not four identicalcores, instead we're looking at very specific audio DSPs thathave their own tasks to perform.

Once upon a time there were as many sound card makers asthere were graphics card makers, but today only one of the oldcompanies are still alive, good old Creative (what happenedto the Labs bit on the end?) and today the company hasannounced its first quad core sound cards based on its recently


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announced Sound Core3D audio processor. This might soundlike total overkill for a sound card, but it's not four identicalcores, instead we're looking at very specific audio DSPs thathave their own tasks to perform.

The Sound Core3D handles the processing for Creative's newCrystalVoice feature, THX TruStudio Pro and all other kindsof audio processing beyond that. The glaring omission inthe press release is that there's no single mention of X-Fitechnology which suggests that Creative has moved on anddecided to drop the X-Fi moniker for its new soundcards. EAXAdvanced HD 5.0 is still part of the package though, so gamersneed not to worry.

As for the new features, CrystalVoice adds acoustic echocancellation, support for beam-forming which in this caseis a kind of noise cancellation technology which requiresadditional microphones, general noise reduction, automaticloudness adjustment for the microphone and various voiceeffects and equalizer features. THX TruStudio Pro gets theCrystalizer treatment, a throwback to the X-Fi days, surroundsound support, a smart volume feature, something calleddialog plus which enhances the voices in games and moviesand finally a bass enhancer.

As for the new sound cards, first up we have the Core3DPCI Express which is seemingly sharing its basic design withCreative's first PCI Express card, although the PCB looksextremely void of components for a sound card. We're not sureif the chunk of metal in the centre of the card has any kind offunction, as there's a small Creative branded chip further downon the PCB which we suspect is the Sound Core3D rather thansomething hidder under the purported heatsink. As to the pin-headers, your guess is as good as ours as to what they're for.

Next up we have the shrouded Recon3D Fatal1ty Professionalwhich comes with the beam-forming microphone and a nicepiece of metal wrapped around the PCB with a small window init. This brings us to the Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion of whichwe have as yet to see a picture. This should be the same card asthe Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional, but with an I/O drive thatsports headset jacks, volume control and various other audiojacks.

The fourth and final product, the Recon3D USB which is quitedifferent from the PCI Express cards, as although this is a USBaudio device it packs connectivity for a headset, line in/out andan S/PDIF input. The S/PDIF input allows for Dolby Digitaldecoding for use with headphones for surround sound. On theright hand side you'll find a three step microphone boosterand on the right hand side is a feature that might make theRecon3D USB popular, a switch that lets you select betweenPC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

However, the features don't stop here, as the Recon3D USBcan be upgraded with wireless connectivity and it can beconnected to Creative's Tactic3D Omega headset and Creativewill offer a bundle of the two later this year. The Recon3D USBis expected to hit retail in October for a price of US$129.99 (S$157).

As for the PCI Express cards, Creative didn't mention anyactual launch date, although the press release stated that theRecon3D Fatal1ty Champion won't be available until Q1 nextyear. As a side note, apparently both Gigabyte and MSI hassinged up as OEM partners for the Sound Core3D, so it'll beinteresting to see what kind of onboard audio solutions the twocompanies can come up with in the future.


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Creative launches tiny ZEN X-Fi3 media playerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-launches-tiny-zen-x-fi3-

media-player/13469.html

September 6th, 2011

We can't say that we've been blown away by Creative'srecent additions when it comes to media player, but the justannounced Zen X-Fi3 is an interesting device that might notappeal to everyone with its tiny 2-inch screen and touchsensitive controls, but it seems like a step in the right directioncompared to some of its past products. In fact, the Zen X-Fi3seems to be the bigger brother of the Zen Style which launchedback in May.

We can't say that we've been blown away by Creative'srecent additions when it comes to media player, but the justannounced Zen X-Fi3 is an interesting device that might notappeal to everyone with its tiny 2-inch screen and touchsensitive controls, but it seems like a step in the right directioncompared to some of its past products. In fact, the Zen X-Fi3seems to be the bigger brother of the Zen Style which launchedback in May.

What we're looking at is a tiny 65x45.5x12.5mm portablemedia player that weighs in at a mere 45g, although Creativehas somehow managed to pack in a 262k colour screen albeit ata mere 2-inches large with an unspecified resolution, but thisis just the start. Around the screen you'll find a set of capacitivetouch buttons that gives you access to the menu and handlesnavigation and playback. There are a pair of volume controlson the right hand side, with a micro SD card on the left side,a headphone jack and a microphone at the top and finally anA/V jack, a mono speaker and somewhat strangely enough amini USB connector at the bottom, were we really would'veexpected a micro USB connector by now.

The Zen X-Fi3 also packs Bluetooth 2.1 with AVRCP and A2DPsupport, but maybe more importantly the apt-X audio codecwhich is meant to vastly improve audio quality when combinedwith an apt-X compatible Bluetooth headset. As the namesuggests Creative has of course added support for its X-Fitechnology and the Zen X-Fi3 packs X-Fi Crystalizer and X-FiExpand. An 8GB and a 16GB model will be on offer, althoughif that's not enough, up to 32GB micro SD cards are supported.Let's not forget the built in FM radio as well as the ability tooutput video to a TV via the A/V jack in the bottom, althoughyou'll have to splash out extra on the composite video cable.

As for media support, the Zen X-Fi3 will play back most digitalaudio formats such as FLAC, DRM free AAC, MP3, WMA,WAV and Audible files, although we're missing support forOGG. If you want to go blind, you can also watch movies on thetiny 2-inch screen, as the Zen X-Fi3 will play WMV9, MPEG4Simple Profile and AVI files in either DivX4/5 or XviD format,although the top resolution for video is 640x480. Creativeclaims a battery life of up to 20h for audio and 5h for video.

Price wise you're looking at S$149 for the 8GB version and S$189 for the 16GB version, both of which will be available fromthe end of October.

Something Went WrongAn error occurred creating the PDF version of this zine. Most likely this was caused by some invalid HTML in one of the stories in the zine. The error has been recorded and we will look into fixing it as soon as possible. It will then be possible to re-create this zine in future.


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Gelid GX-7 CPU Cooler reviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gelid-gx-7-cpu-cooler-

review/13564.html

September 14th, 2011

Gelid is one of the few companies which focus entirely ondesigning and supplying cooling solutions for PC systems; atleast at the time of this review. It is a relatively new company,founded only back in 2008, which is based in Hong Kong andhas Swiss management. Today we are going to have a closelook at their latest CPU cooler, the GX-7.

Gelid is one of the few companies which focus entirely ondesigning and supplying cooling solutions for PC systems; atleast at the time of this review. It is a relatively new company,founded only back in 2008, which is based in Hong Kong andhas Swiss management. Today we are going to have a closelook at their latest CPU cooler, the GX-7.

Manufacturer features and specifications

• 7 Power Heatpipes

• Unique Heatpipes Arrangement

• Optimized Heatsink with Multi Air Channels

• Wing 12 PL Blue Fan

• PWM Fan Control

• 3 Years Warranty

Air Flow (CFM/CMH): 75.6 / 128.6Bearing: Nanoflux BearingCable Length (mm): 500Current (A): 0.45DC Voltage (V): 12Fan Dimensions (mm) 120 (l) x 120 (w) x 25 (h)Fan Speed (RPM): 600 - 1800Heat Sink Dimensions (mm): 130(l) x 65 (w) x 159 (h)LED Color: Blue

Life time MTTF at 40C (h): 100'000Noise Level (dBA): 10 - 26.8Number of LED: 4Static Pressure (mmAq): 2.66Warranty (years): 3Weight (g): 720 (heatsink and fan)

Applications:

Intel Socket 775, 1366, 1155and 1156:

All Pentium D/ Pentium 4/

All Celeron D

All Pentium Dual-Core/Extreme/

All Core 2 Extreme/ Core 2Quad/ Core 2 Duo, Core i5,Core i7

AMD Socket AM2/ AM2+/AM3/ AM3+/ FM1:

All Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64

All Athlon II,

All Sempron, Phenom,Phenom II

All A Series AMD APU Llano

Photos of Gigabyte's X79motherboards from IDFSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/photos-of-gigabyte-s-x79-

motherboards-from-idf/13563.html


By asking nicely, we were sent some pictures from IDF ofGigabyte's upcoming X79 motherboards, well, at least fourout of the five models we understand the company is goingto launch come November. That said, these aren't the finalboards, thanks to Intel's last minute SCU errata, so Gigabytewill have to implement a few changes before these boards hitretail.

By asking nicely, we were sent some pictures from IDF ofGigabyte's upcoming X79 motherboards, well, at least fourout of the five models we understand the company is goingto launch come November. That said, these aren't the finalboards, thanks to Intel's last minute SCU errata, so Gigabyte


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will have to implement a few changes before these boards hitretail.

Starting at the top we have the G1.Assassin 2 X79 and thebiggest surprise here really is the re-designed heatsinks whichare much less in your face than the current models. Thatsaid, Gigabyte might very well change this before the board islaunching, but we'll just have to wait and see if we'll get a gunthemed heatsink or not on the final boards. Expected featuresinclude a Killer NIC, Creative X-Fi audio and 3-way SLI andCrossFireX support. We also spotted a Marvell controller for apair of eSATAp (eSATA/USB combo) ports and a Fresco LogicUSB 3.0 host controller on the board. One feature we couldn'tfigure out what it's for is the blue and green button on therear below the 4GHz overclock button, although it could besome kind of BIOS switch to select between the primary andsecondary BIOS.

Next up we have the GA-X79-UD7 and as you might've noticedfrom the colour scheme and the Gigabyte OC logo on thechipset heatsink, this is the next generation overclockingboard from Gigabyte, despite the model name. It's pretty clearthat Gigabyte has crammed in a few extra power phases on this

board and we're also looking at tantalum capacitors. The boardhas four x16 PCI Express slots and if you have a chassis witheight or more rear expansion slots, you can fit four graphicscards to this board thanks to a sensible slot layout. Gigabytedidn't add any eSATA ports to the UD7, but once again wenoticed a couple of Fresco Logic USB 3.0 host controller.

For those wanting to use more than four DIMMs the GA-X79-UD5 is the way to go, as this board sports a total of eight DIMMslots. This is a more well-rounded motherboard in terms offeatures, although it still has space for up to three graphicscards. Around the back we're looking at one eSATAp and oneeSATA port as well as a pair of USB 3.0 ports and even aFireWire port for those that still utilize this interface. If theUD5 is priced right, we'd expect this to be the most popularmodel among Gigabyte's X79 boards.


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Last, but by no means leas we have the GA-X79-UD3 which isa slightly more basic board, although strange enough beyondthe UD7 this is the only board with seven slots and it appears tobe able to be kitted out with four x16 cards, although we're notquite sure how the slots are wired. No eSATAp on this model,but at least it has a pair of eSATA ports and support for tworear and two front USB 3.0 ports, all via Fresco Logic chips likethe previous models.

You might've noticed that we haven't mentioned the SATAports on any of the boards and the reason for this is simple,Intel's last minute chipset errata. All boards will as such havetwo SATA 6Gbps ports and four SATA 3Gbps ports, but beyondthis we don't really know what Gigabyte will offer. We spottedadditional Marvell chips for a pair of extra SATA ports on someof the boards and it's very likely that Gigabyte will add morethan just a pair of additional SATA 6Gbps ports to all of its X79boards. We'll make sure we get a closer look at the new boardscome November, as by then Gigabyte should have close to finalboards to show us. The missing model that wasn't on displayat IDF should be the GA-X79-D3, but we don't have any detailsabout this model as yet.

We've added a few additional pictures on the next page as well.

Sony PS3 in "Splash Blue" and"Scarlet Red", to launch on 17NovemberSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ps3-in-splash-blue-and-scarlet-

red--to-launch-on-17-november/13562.html


At the Tokyo Game Show 2011 press conference today, SonyComputer Entertainment has announced the limited edition"Splash Blue" and "Scarlet Red" of their popular PlayStation3 game console. Both new editions will be available from 17November 2011.

Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong (SCEH) hasannounced the 320GB PlayStation3 (PS3) (CECH-3000Bseries) in new "Splash Blue" and "Scarlet Red" colors. Thecolors will be available in limited quantity at a suggested retailprice of S$429 from 17 November. The “Splash Blue” gameconsole is a refreshing metallic blue color which is reminiscentof “the water splash and the ocean”, while the “Scarlet Red”system with its vivid metallic red color suggests "the glaringsun and the flame". The DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controllerincluded in the bundle will also come in the same specialcolors.


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Intel, McAfee unveil DeepSafehardware-assisted securitytechnologySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-mcafee-unveil-deepsafe-

hardware-assisted-security-technology/13561.html


At the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) held this week, chip makerIntel finally gave the world its first glimpse of the fruit of its US$7.68 billion acquisition of security vendor McAfee, which wascompleted in February this year. Demonstrated during IntelPresident and CEO Paul Otellini's keynote, the technologydubbed DeepSafe is a revolutionary blend of software andhardware designed to deliver a level of security protection thatis simply not possible with a software-only approach.

The idea revolves around building a "deeper" securityfootprint with the development of hardware-assisted security,fundamentally changing the cat and mouse nature ofsignature-based security software by operating beyond theconfines of the operating system.

McAfee says the DeepSafe has a much greater ability todetect and stop advanced persistent threats (APTs) andincreasingly sophisticated malware. It is no secret thatcurrent antimalware technology is reeling under increasinglysophisticated attacks, with more than two million uniquerootkits currently in existence and 1,200 new rootkits detecteddaily. On its part, DeepSafe affords a trusted view of systemevent immune from even the most advanced rootkit. A rootkitis malware that employs stealth techniques of corrupting theOS to evade existing security solutions.

Renée James, senior vice president and general manager ofthe Software and Services Group at Intel and the Chairman ofMcAfee summed up the synergy between Intel and McAfee:"By combining the features of existing Intel hardware andinnovations in security software, Intel and McAfee are drivinginnovation in the security industry by providing a new way toprotect computing devices."

Intel says it has no plans to embed McAfee software directlyinto its processors, but will focus instead on creating softwareproducts and services that take advantage of the embeddedsecurity capabilities. As the requisite hardware componentsare available for use by any developers, James told the WallStreet Journal in an interview that Intel expects competitorsto introduce similar technology for Intel processors.

Technical information and product details were sparse at thispoint, though Intel says products utilizing DeepSafe will beavailable for sale later in the year. Don't expect to see it in yourhome PC anytime soon however, as the technology will firstroll out in enterprise products.

IDF Day 1: Many bridgesabound... Sandy, Ivy, and moreSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-1-many-bridges-abound...-

sandy-ivy-and-more/13560.html


Not only did Intel show the new varieties of Sandy Bridge, butalso briefed the audience about Ivy Bridge in more detail thanbefore.

Today's Intel CEO keynote at IDF referred many times to thenew Socket 2011 Xeons and their desktop brethren, for casessuch as reconstructing the St Peter Rome Church interior infull 3-D from millions of photographs - where Intel claimsthe new Xeons do the job 50% faster than the old Westmere-based 6-core ones, to Dreamworks' Jeff Katzenberg testimonyabout the new generation processors for their 3-D animationrenderings.

There were both single and dual socket 2011 platforms onthe show floor, the single-processors ones open for everyoneto see. And, both Intel and MSI had desktop boards withwhopping 8 (eight) memory sockets on X79 chipsets for 64 GBRAM desktops! Now, the question is why would most usersneed such high capacity, but then, there are users who don'tneed too many CPU cores, just need a lot of memory. This is theanswer to them. Otherwise, the usual X79 Socket 2011 boardswith 4 DIMMs, means one per channel, can fine tune theirtracing easier for slightly better memory performance.

Let's cut to the chase: the Ivy Bridge technical presentation wasthe most interesting one. Have a look at the key points here, insummary, after the discussions post presentation.


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1 - Process advantage: the tri-gate 22 nm CMOS process willgive Ivy Bridge both power and performance advantage, whereit would either nearly match current Sandy Bridge clock speedbut at half power, or gain more than 20% extra speed at thesame power.

2 - Much faster (at least 2x) integrated GPU with full DX11support and enhancements including DirectCompute, andmatching speedups in the video multimedia department, andtriple display support

3 - Speedups in the core and the caches, as well as betteroverclocking for cores and memory

4 - New instructions

5 - Digital Random number generator

6 - Improved protection from some hacking attacks

You can see the content of key slides here on the photos, butthe key point overall is that the thing is ready, seems to benefitboth desktop and mobile market right at start, and should beexpected by March 2012 as of now... Have a look at the slides!


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Norton launches InternetSecurity and AntiVirus 2012Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/norton-launches-internet-security-and-

antivirus-2012/13559.html


With the rising number of devices and applications for users toenjoy, there is a huge need for digital protection from viruses,malware and cybercrimes. Today, Symantec, the companybehind the popular Norton security products, has launchedtheir latest Norton Internet Security 2012 and AntiVirus 2012.

Norton by Symantec today unleashed the new Norton InternetSecurity (NIS) and Norton AntiVirus (NAV) 2012 with newfeatures designed to enhance the overall user experience whileproviding the protection and performance the user requires.The company is also delivering on their initiative with mobileand cloud-based technology, which include new beta productsand services which will be launched in the coming months withplans to support mobile and tablet devices for both Androidand iOS platforms.


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The Norton 2012 incorporates new features to address thelatest threats and provides powerful protection against users'online personal information. The key security technologiesand usability improvements include: Norton Identity Safe inthe Cloud which protects personal and financial informationfrom cybercriminals and keeps users safe from fraudulentwebsites; new streamlined interface with simplified loginexperience, and ability to store passwords in the cloud andaccessible from any computer with NIS2012 installed; andimproved SONAR technology monitors running applicationsfor suspicious behavior to quickly detect and disablepreviously unknown threats.

The Norton Internet Security 2012 and Norton AntiVirus2012 are now available for purchase in Singaporethrough various retailers and the Norton online store atwww.nortonstore.com.sg. The MSRP for Norton InternetSecurity 2012 is S$89, which provides one year of protectionfor up to three PCs, and the MSRP for Norton AntiVirus 2012is S$39, which provides one year of protection for one PC.

The Norton 2012 products support Microsoft Windows XP(32-bit) Home/Professional/Tablet PC/Media Center withService Pack 2 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit and64-bit) and Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) bothfor Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Business/Ultimateeditions. Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2007or later users with a valid product subscription are eligible toreceive the latest product updates via the subscription servicemodel. For more information, visit the Norton Update centerat http://updatecenter.norton.com.

Jabra HALO2 brings virtualsurround sound and powerfulbass for users on the moveSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/jabra-halo2-brings-virtual-surround-

sound-and-powerful-bass-for-users-on-the-move/13557.html


With the Jabra HALO2 Bluetooth stereo headset, you canenjoy good quality audio as well as make and receive phonecalls wirelessly. It features AM3D Virtual Surround Sound andPower Bass, and is available in Challenger stores and Applepremium resellers this Friday.

Launching from the Jabra music series, the Jabra HALO2is the new Bluetooth stereo headset which claims to be theultimate smart phone companion. The sleek metallic finishHALO2 includes new features like AM3D Virtual SurroundSound and Power Bass for an enhanced listening experience.It supports Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR technology and users canmake and answer phone calls wirelessly as well as playthe favorite songs from their smartphones. The HALO2also incorporates AM3D Virtual Surround Sound and PowerBass for enhanced audio experience.

Jabra HALO2 boasts advanced Multipoint technology whichlets users connect up to two Bluetooth-enabled devices atany one time (out of maximum pairing with right devices).It has a touch sensor on the side of the headset that letsyou adjust the overall volume with just a swipe of a finger,while the wireless stereo sound AVRCP technology lets youcontrol music all by touch - skip tracks, play, and pause songs.Weighing 80g, the HALO2 gives a talk-time of up to eighthours (and separate music time, up to 8 hours). It featuresNoise Blackout technology with dual microphones, so thatyour voice transmission comes through crystal-clear. Whenthere's an incoming call, the music playing will automaticallyfade so that you can decide whether to talk to the caller.

The Jabra HALO2 Bluetooth stereo headset will be availablefrom this Friday, 16 September 2011, and retailing for S$148(RRP) from Challenger stores and Apple premium resellers:Epicentre, Nubox, Digi Lifestyle, Apple Shops at Best Denkiand other authorized Jabra resellers.

Key specifications of Jabra Halo2:

- Bluetooth 3.0 EDR+eSCO wireless technology, up to 10m- A2DP for music streaming

- AM3D Virtual Surround Sound 2.0 and PowerBass

- AVRCP for remote controls (skip track, pause, etc.)

- Noise Blackout technology with dual microphones

- Foldable headband and carrying pouch


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- Talk time – 8 hours

- Wireless Music time – 8 hours

- Standby time – 13 days

- Micro USB charger

- Dimensions: 45mm (D) x 165-190mm (H) x 136mm (W)

- Weight – 80 g

Creative ZiiLabs unveils 3rd-Gen reference designs forAndroid tabletsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-ziilabs-unveils-3rd-gen-

reference-designs-for-android-tablets/13558.html


Media processor and platforms company ZiiLabs has unveiledthe Jaguar3, its 3rd generation of reference designs forAndroid 3.2 tablets that incorporate over a decade ofdesigning experience in portable mobile devices from CreativeTechnology. Based on a motherboard concept, the designswere first demonstrated at Computex 2011 in May this year,and were made possible for an OEM or ODM to bring Android3.x tablets to market in the shortest possible time.

The Jaguar3 features the ZMS-20 StemCell processor,a system-on-chip (SoC) based on the dual-core 1.5GHzARM Cortex-A9. With the presence of an additional 48StemCell processing cores, the ZMS-20 is effectively a 50-core processor. In addition, OEM customers building Jaguar3tablets will have the option of upgrading to the 4th generationZMS-40 SoC chip, which will feature a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 and 96 StemCell processing cores for a 100-core processorwhen available in the next quarter.

According to ZiiLabs, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CreativeTechnology, the Jaguar3 design features massive integrationof I/O devices and processors within a "granddaughter-board"in order bring its dimensions down to a mere 2.44" (62 mm)x 4.64" (118 mm). Designed with 10-inch tablets in mind,the Jaguar3 consumes just 1W of power, making it possible toachieve extremely slim designs of 7.4mm or weighing just 480grams.

Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of CreativeTechnology said in a prepared statement: "The explosive tabletmarket is pure ruthless in every sense. Even a slight delayin a fast-track 6-month design cycle can be lethal. This is awhole new ballgame where only the fastest can survive". Simobserved how Jaguar3 will help OEM to effectively enter thetablet market instantly and economically, while at the sametime reducing their risks significantly.

A high-end Jaguar3 configuration will support advancedcapabilities such as:

• Dual camera system of up to 12 megapixel for rear facingimage capture and high definition (HD) front facing

• Easy-to-use 40 Megapixel panoramic photography

• Advanced video playback with trick modes such asrewind play, frame-by-frame advance and reverse

• Dual microphone array for noise-free recording andvideo conferencing

• Creative Sound Blaster's famed X-Fi audio effects

ZiiLabs said that the Jaguar3 breaks new ground by offeringdifferent "flavors" to snag various crowns such as the mostpowerful, the lightest, the slimmest, the most complete and thelowest cost Android 3.2 tablet reference designs currently onthe market. The Jaguar3 reference design kits are expected tosample to select customers in October 2011.

Lenovo ThinkPad X121e offersadvanced video conferencingtools and robust performanceSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-thinkpad-x121e-offers-

advanced-video-conferencing-tools-and-robust-performance/13556.html


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The Lenovo ThinkPad X121e was announced in July, andtoday, the company has announced that the stylish full-featureultraportable for mobile professionals will be available inSingapore on 27 September. The ThinkPad X121e featureseasy-to-use voice and video tools, spill-resistant keyboard andoptional fingerprint reader for secure log in.

Lenovo Singapore has announced the ThinkPad X121eultraportable laptop designed for mobile professionals.It claims to offers business-class performance with choicesof the latest Intel and AMD processors, easy-to-use,sophisticated voice and video tools, and looks stylish with softmatte finish in heatwave red or midnight black as well as anti-glare displays.

Measuring less than an inch thin and weighing 1.36 kg,the 11.1-inch ThinkPad X121e has spill-resistant, island-stylekeyboard for long hours of comfortable typing. It also comeswith various security features such as self-encrypting USB andsolid state drives, hardware password manager, rescue andrecovery, and optional fingerprint reader for more secure log-in.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X121e offers a wide range ofconnectivity options including USB, mobile broadband, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Gigabit Ethernet. You can view your highdefinition content on the big screen via the HDMI output.In terms of battery life, the ultraportable notebook PC alsoboasts over nine hours on a single charge. It is also equippedwith advanced tools including a low-light sensitive webcamera, noise suppressing keyboard, microphone mute keyand the ThinkVantage Communications Utility 2.0; users canmake seamless conference calls even under low light.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X121e laptops will be available throughbusiness partners from 27 September 2011. Pricing details notavailable at press time.

AMD demonstrates 28nm GPUSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-demonstrates-28nm-

gpu/13555.html


Proving IDF is not all about Intel, AMD has demonstratedthe first working 28nm GPUs to the public. The developmentplatform was notebook based, thus the working product was a"28nm next gen notebook discrete GPU".

Proving IDF is not all about Intel, AMD has demonstratedthe first working 28nm GPUs to the public. The developmentplatform was notebook based, thus the working product was a"28nm next gen notebook discrete GPU".

The next-gen GPU ran Dirt 3, and was demonstrated by AMD'sDirector of Technology Management for GPU Division, DavidCummings. Not much else is known about the 28nm GPUitself, but unsurprisingly, we know it is up and running. Nowit is up to TSMC to ramp up 28nm production.


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MSI introduces stylish WindBox DC100 with dual-coreperformanceSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-introduces-stylish-wind-box-

dc100-with-dual-core-performance/13554.html


MSI has unveiled the updated Wind Box DC100, whichmade its first appearance in CeBit 2009. The small formfactor PC is now equipped with the latest AMD Brazosplatform E-450 dual-core processor and A50M chipset forsuperior performance, compared to the Intel Atom processorincorporated two years ago.

The MSI Wind Box series is designed with superb performanceand energy saving capabilities in a small footprint. The newlylaunched Wind Box DC100 is equipped with the latest AMDBrazos platform E-450 dual-core processor and A50M chipsetto offer great computing performance. The average powerconsumption is only 40W, compared to 60W for previousgeneration products, providing power savings for users.

The small form factor PC features AMD Radeon HD 6320discrete class graphics that support output resolutions ofup to 1080p, and supports DirectX 11 image processingtechnology for high-definition video playback. The WindBox DC100 features VGA and HDMI output IncorporatingMSI's proprietary software, Smart Media Link and SmartSync, you can synchronize your files with an easy-to-useuser interface, as well as play multimedia files you haveselected simultaneously on different devices such as tablets,smartphones and HDTV in the same LAN or Wi-Fi network.The Wind Box DC100 is also a quiet performer with under22dB noise when in standby mode.

MSI Wind Box DC100 Specifications

Operating Systems Windows 7 Home Premium64 bit

Processor AMD Brazos Dual Core E-450(1.65GHz)

Chipset AMD A50M (Hudson M1)System Memory DDR3 2GB , 1333 MHz (2GB

x1) ; DDR3 SO-DIMM x 1 slotMax to 4GB

Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6320Discrete

Wireless Networking 802.11 b/g/nHard Drive 320G 2.5-inch SATA II 5400

rpmAudio 5.1-channel Audio(SPDI/F

adapter)Audio Chipset Realtek ALC662I/O HDMI out x1; VGA outx 1;

USB x6 (front x4, rear x2); Front mic-in/Headphone out

x1 /1; Line-out x1; SPDIF-outx1; LAN x1

Card Reader 6-in-1 (XD, SD ,miniSD ,Micro SD, MMC, MS)

Adapter HD (30fps@720p)Power 40WDimension 191.8 X 150.93 X 34.94mmWeight 830g

Sony announces NW-Z1000Android Walkman media playerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-announces-nw-z1000-android-

walkman-media-player/13553.html


Sony Singapore had recently announced their NWZ-A860Walkman. And at the recent IFA 2011 trade fair for consumerelectronics and household appliances in Berlin, Germany, thecompany showcased the new NW-Z1000 Android Walkmanwhich claims to run Google Android 2.3 Gingerbreadoperating system.


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At the IFA 2011 trade show in Berlin, Sony has unveiledtheir new Walkman portable media player (PMP), the NW-Z1000. It claims to be the company's first PMP to incorporateGoogle's popular Android mobile operating system that isusually found on smartphones and tablet devices. The NW-Z1000 runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is equipped withNvidia dual-core Tegra 2 processor and 512MB RAM. It sportsa 4.3-inch display (480x800 pixel resolution) and features adigital amplifier “S-Master MX” to provide improved audioquality. Sony claims that the NW-Z1000 has a battery life of20 hours for non-stop music enjoyment, or five hours of videoplaying. Other features include Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetoothwith A2DP, HDMI output, DLNA compatibility and built-inGPS.

What Intel won't tell you aboutSandy Bridge-E at IDFSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/what-intel-won-t-tell-you-about-sandy-

bridge-e-at-idf/13552.html


Intel isn't having a good year when it comes to its integratedcontrollers this year, first with the SATA 3Gbps issue in the6-series chipset and now news has reached us that in the endwe won't be seeing any additional SAS/SATA ports in the X79chipset. Apparently this is because of a “quality issue” in theSCU which would've been home to the four additional SAS/SATA ports.

Intel isn't having a good year when it comes to its integratedcontrollers this year, first with the SATA 3Gbps issue in the6-series chipset and now news has reached us that in the endwe won't be seeing any additional SAS/SATA ports in the X79chipset. Apparently this is because of a “quality issue” in theSCU which would've been home to the four additional SAS/SATA ports.

We're not sure what the exact problem is, but combine thiswith rumours of a delay of Intel's Sandy Bridge-EP server partsand it seems like the SCU issue might be affecting the serverand workstation parts as well. That said, we've also spokento motherboard manufacturers that told us that they haven'tbeen able to replicate Intel's errata, so it remains to see whathappens, as we're still about two months away from the officiallaunch.

It has to be said that Intel's X79 chipset has gone from beinga chipset packed with features to the brim, to a chipset thatis starting to look very much like the current P67 chipset,something that surely must be disappointing not only forIntel's partners, but even more so for those who were/areplanning to buying into the new platform. By now we've gonefrom eight, to four to no SAS ports and what we're left with istwo SATA 6Gbps ports and four SATA 3Gbps ports.

We're afraid that the bad news doesn't end there though, asIntel won't even guarantee PCI Express 3.0 compliance for theWaimea Bay platform with the company claiming that the firstgeneration of Sandy Bridge-E processor might not be able tocope with the high speed of the PCI Express 3.0 interface. Inother words, it'll be a bit of a hit and miss as to which PCIExpress 3.0 add-in cards will actually work with the first SandyBridge-E processors.

And if you were hoping for Ivy Bridge-E to sort this out nextyear, well, then we have really bad news, as Ivy Bridge-E isn'tschedule to arrive until 2013 now. On the upside, Intel expectsIvy Bridge-E to be fully compatible with PCI Express 3.0.While on the subject, we've also managed to confirm that thedelay of the quad core Core i7 3820 means that it's unlikely toarrive this year, as it'll only go into production at the very endof 2011. Can it possibly get any worse for Intel?

SanDisk is pushing for new,low power SATA interfaceSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandisk-is-pushing-for-new-low-

power-sata-interface/13551.html


According to SanDisk, the SATA standard just isn't powerefficient enough for mobile devices and the company is nowproposing that a new low power SATA standard should bedeveloped. The company wants to cut the power consumptionof mobile SSDs by 10 times, which is no mean feat, but SanDiskexpects this to be perfectly doable.

According to SanDisk, the SATA standard just isn't powerefficient enough for mobile devices and the company is nowproposing that a new low power SATA standard should bedeveloped. The company wants to cut the power consumptionof mobile SSDs by 10 times, which is no mean feat, but SanDiskexpects this to be perfectly doable.

SanDisk claims that today's best-in-class low power SSDsconsume 50mW and apparently part of the reason for this“high” power usage is because the SATA interface doesn't


13

allow SSDs to draw less power, even when they're not in use.As such, SanDisk is hoping that its SATA DEVSLP initiativewill allow for lower power usage in the future with a proposedstandard target of a mere 5mW.

What we're not following is the part where SanDisk startstalking about Ultrabooks, as we'd thought there is far moreneed for lower power SSDs in devices like tablets than in thinand light notebooks, although we're of course not going tocomplain if we get lower power SSDs in notebooks as well. Sofar SanDisk has gotten a couple of small industry players –Intel, Samsung and Microsoft – to join them in their effort topush the SATA-IO to further develop the SATA DEVSLP intoa fully-fledged part of the SATA standard. It's of course goingto take some time before this happens, but it's good to see thatthe industry is moving towards more and more power efficienthardware.

AMD scores Guinness Book ofWorld Record for fastest CPUSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-scores-guinness-book-of-world-

record-for-fastest-cpu/13550.html


The World's fastest/smallest/largest capacity and so forth aregetting a little bit boring now, but AMD has managed toscore another World's fastest and an entry into the GuinnessBook of World Records thanks to some crazy liquid Heliumoverclocking of one of its upcoming AMD FX CPU's to a crazy8.429GHz. This seems to be the latest way of scoring consumerattention, although in this case AMD has performed quite afeat as we're talking an 8-core CPU here, well, of sorts at least.

The World's fastest/smallest/largest capacity and so forth aregetting a little bit boring now, but AMD has managed toscore another World's fastest and an entry into the GuinnessBook of World Records thanks to some crazy liquid Heliumoverclocking of one of its upcoming AMD FX CPU's to a crazy8.429GHz. This seems to be the latest way of scoring consumerattention, although in this case AMD has performed quite afeat as we're talking an 8-core CPU here, well, of sorts at least.

We don't want to spoil AMD's moment here, but the pressrelease is talking 8-core CPU and several publications arealready reporting this as a feat performed with an 8-core CPU,when in fact six of the eight cores were disabled during the test.This doesn't make the 8.429GHz record any less impressive,but it should be made clear that only two cores were activewhich most likely helped to improve the overclockability ofthe CPU. We should also mentioned the small fact that theCPU was running at an icy cold -235 degrees C to achievethe record, something that's way beyond what even semi-professional overclockers can cool their CPUs down to.

AMD didn't announce which CPU was used, but at the endof the video (embedded below) there's an AMD FX logo andunderneath it there's an 8-core Black Edition AMD FX-8150Processor logo which suggests that this was mostly likely the

CPU used. The record was actually achieved on the 31st ofAugust, but kept secret until today, possibly as a bit of a spoilerahead of Intel's IDF conference which kicks off today. Forthose interested in a few additional details from the event,Nordic Hardware has a short interview with Sami Mäkinen akamacci who scored the Guinness Book or Record on behalf ofAMD.


14

IDF 2011 starts in a fewhours...Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-2011-starts-in-a-few-

hours.../13549.html


A few hours before Intel CEO Paul Ottelini's keynote officiallykickstarts this year's IDF here in San Francisco, there are a lotof signs that Intel's focus this year may be a little different -in fact, it will be wider than before. The high end, unlike somerumours, is not ignored - there should be plenty of sightingsof the new Sandy Bridge-E Core i7 3960X and its dual-socketXeon twin from the E5 series, the latter having all eight coresenabled unline only 6 on the desktop Socket 2011 variant. Andof course, there is the 22 nm Ivy Bridge, the next mainstreamCPU, now almost ready to roll.

However, this year, the scope widens to tablets andsmartphones - Intel's next target area, where ARM rulessolidly right now. We expect to see plenty of Clover Trail-basedsolutions for tablet and smartphone designs using this 32 nmSoC dual core Atom flavour with PowerVR graphics, however,either the CEO talk or the follow-on Steve Smith session postlunch should demo, and likely focus on, the follow on 22 nmBay Trail. The difference? While the Clover Trail may be goodenough even for a Full HD resolution tablet - hopefully NOTa 16:9 panel one, the Bay Trail's better process and powersavings should make it a true smartphone candidate. The issuehere is not the processing power - Clover Trail has more thansufficient capabilities there - but the total idle and real loadpower consumption. Clover Trail is supposed to be close tothe 10 hour target battery life on a tablet, but Bay Trail shouldbring power down sufficiently to have 2 day battery life on anIphone++ class cellphone.

More on all this as the day goes on...

HTC to hold media event on 20SeptemberSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-to-hold-media-event-on-20-

september/13548.html


Taiwanese phone and tablet manufacturer HTC has sent outmedia invite for an event that will take place in New York,USA, on 20 September. Only the tagline "Come celebrate instyle with HTC" is stated, so it is everyone's guess on what thecompany could be announcing.

HTC's autumn product launch has been confirmed, on 20September in New York, and the event could be focusing on thelatest version of HTC Sense UI, products incorporating Beatsby Dr. Dre audio, and female-focused mobile phones. The newHTC Sense UI will be greatly optimized and will be less "harsh"in terms of hardware requirements; the minimum supportedconfiguration is MSM7227 processor, 384MB RAM, whichmeans that even the older devices like HTC Legend can alsosupport.

Last month, HTC used US$300 million to acquire 51% stakein Beats by Dr. Dre. And it is possible that the companywill showcase new products incorporating the Beats audiotechnology. However, it is still not known if the new productswould be compatible with Beats headphones. Most of theirproducts are catered to the male users, though this quarter,the HTC Bliss, which was leaked online, is designed for ladies.The HTC Bliss does not only feature mobile phone themes,wallpapers, ring tones and custom software for the femaleusers, but also in the hardware aspect like notification lights.The company could also be announcing the HTC Vigor, HTCRuby and HTC Holiday. Well, we would only know next week.

Trend Micro Singaporelaunches Titanium CloudEdition Maximum Security2012Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/trend-micro-singapore-launches-

titanium-cloud-edition-maximum-security-2012/13546.html


Today, Trend Micro Singapore announced the launch of theirlatest Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 whichclaims to protect users online experience, be it online banking,social media, gaming or online shopping. Other featuresinclude the Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android PersonalEdition for security on Android smartphones and tablets,and Trend Micro SafeSync online service for file and foldersynchronization.


15

Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012is based in the cloud and claims to offer robust protectionagainst malicious threats, regardless of how they are delivered,where they hide, or what connected device is in use. Thesecurity suite features a "set-and-forget" user interface, andprovides real-time protection and proactively stops threats.One new feature in Trend Micro Titanium Cloud EditionMaximum Security 2012 is a tool that can visually identify safeand malicious links on social networking sites like Facebookand Twitter. The software also offers Trend Micro MobileSecurity for Android Personal Edition for mobile securityon smartphones and tablets, as well as Trend Micro SafeSynconline service for file and folder synchronization and backup.

Other security enhancements include a tool that can eliminateprograms posing as antivirus software (Fake AV); proactivebotnet and PE Virus protection; and protection againstmalware packer technology. Trend Micro Titanium CloudEdition Maximum Security 2012 also includes enhancementsto Parental Controls, Behavioral Monitoring, and Rootkitdetection and removal.

The Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security2012 is available now for purchase through selected retailpartners at the following prices:

- 1 Year / 1 User: S$39- 1 Year / 3 Users: S$109

The Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android Personal Editionis also available separately for purchase through the AndroidMarketplace. The basic edition is free for download, while thepremium edition is available for purchase through selectedretail partners at the following prices:

- 1 Year: S$35.90- 2 Years: S$59.90

Terrence Tang, head of digital (Asia Pacific region) and headof consumer business (Southeast Asia region) for Trend MicroSingapore, addressed the media and talked about the variousfeature of the company's new Trend Micro Titanium CloudEdition Maximum Security 2012.

"In the last 10 to 15 years, Internet has changed the way usersexchange and consume information. New devices have beencreated to support the new consumer behaviour. And moresocial networking sites have been established for friends toengage and connect with one another to share information. Wehave our consumer solutions vision to protect our consumerdigital lifestyle," Tang said.

Myla Pilao, director of TrendLabs, core technology marketing,was also at the event to talk about current and latest evolvingthreats that users faced today, the technological landscape inAsia which influence the types of threats, and the importanceof security.

Nikon COOLPIX AW100, S4150and S6150 on sale nowSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-aw100-s4150-and-

s6150-on-sale-now/13545.html


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The sales for NIKON COOLPIX AW100, S4150 and S6150officially start now. COOLPIX AW100 is available at allauthorized dealers for S$529 while the COOLPIX S4150 isavaibale at Courts for S$229 and S6150 is available at HarveyNorman for S$299. Price and Sales Date for the remainingmodels (COOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200) will beannounced at a later date.

The sales for NIKON COOLPIX AW100, S4150 and S6150officially start now. COOLPIX AW100 is available at allauthorized dealers for S$529 while the COOLPIX S4150 isavaibale at Courts for S$229 and S6150 is available at HarveyNorman for S$299. Price and Sales Date for the remainingmodels (COOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200) will beannounced at a later date.

ProductName

ColorsAvailable


RecommendedRetail Price

COOLPIXAW100

• Black

• Blue

• Orange

• Camouflage

• Nikon 1stAW Seriescompactcamera

• Waterproof,shockproof,cold-resistant





• Built-in GPSand electroniccompass

$529

COOLPIXS4150

• Silver

• Black

• Bronze

• Red

• Purple

• 14.0megapixelswith 3" LCD




$229

• Built-inoriginalanimatedcharacters

COOLPIXS6150

• Silver

• Black

• Red

• Pink

• Violet



• TouchShutter,SubjectTracking




$299

Foxconn Quantum Force X79New Version PicturedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/foxconn-quantum-force-x79-new-

version-pictured/13543.html


Having first made waves at this year's Computex, it's timefor Foxconn's premium socket LGA2011 motherboard, theQuantum Force X79, to get down to business. The channelbrand of the OEM giant is gearing up for a Q4 2011 launch,and seems to have made some notable changes to the designwe saw in June, on its latest engineering sample. Thesechanges include rearrangement of expansion slots, a finalizeddesign for the heatsink over the X79 chipset, and a slightrearrangement of the front-panel header area. While this isstill an engineering sample, there is some progress - for betteror worse - as the final release revision takes shape.

Having first made waves at this year's Computex, it's timefor Foxconn's premium socket LGA2011 motherboard, theQuantum Force X79, to get down to business. The channelbrand of the OEM giant is gearing up for a Q4 2011 launch,and seems to have made some notable changes to the designwe saw in June, on its latest engineering sample. Thesechanges include rearrangement of expansion slots, a finalizeddesign for the heatsink over the X79 chipset, and a slightrearrangement of the front-panel header area. While this isstill an engineering sample, there is some progress - for betteror worse - as the final release revision takes shape.


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To begin with, Foxconn did some rearrangement in thebottom-half of the PCB. On the sample we saw at Computex,expansion slots were arranged (from top to bottom) as PCIex4, PCIe x16 (electrical x16/x8), PCIe x16 (electrical x8), legacyPCI, PCIe x16 (electrical x16/x8), and PCIe x16 (electrical x8).With the new version, they're arranged as PCIe x16 (electricalx16/x8), PCIe x4, PCIe x16 (electrical x8), PCIe x16 (electicalx16/x8), legacy PCI, and PCIe x16 (electrical x8). The newexpansion slot layout is a notch better, as it makes room forthree graphics cards that are two slots thick, to be installed.

Moving on, Foxconn didn't have the PCH (X79 chipset)heatsink design in mind when designing the older iteration.The new one makes room for the heatsink, pushing aside mosttall components. For example, the three EEPROM chips thatwere arranged in a file are now pushed to the bottom-rightcorner, along with the two tall capacitors. This change doesn'ttake away anything from the older iteration, just relocatesit. There's now a small speaker for beep diagnostics thatwasn't found on the older board, the numerical diagnostic-LED display is still there. The rest are cosmetic changes, suchas certain chips being moved around. With the final revision,it is expected that the SAS (serial-attached SCSI) ports will beremoved, leaving behind around 8 SATA ports.

The Quantum Force X79 is positioned to be a high-endsocket LGA2011 motherboard. The processor is powered bya 14-phase VRM that makes use of DirectFET MOSFETs,which when backed by a good I2C-capable VRM controllerhave known to provide smooth voltage control. Such FETshave been used on older Quantum Force motherboards andBIOSTAR's TPower series models. Other overclocker-friendly

features include redundant firmware (BIOS), consolidatedvoltage measurement points, and OC hard-tuning buttonsapart from power and reset buttons.

Google urges Gmail usersin Iran to change theirpasswordsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-urges-gmail-users-in-iran-to-

change-their-passwords/13544.html


You may have read about the digital break-in at Dutchcertificate authority DigiNotar, and the subsequent revelationthat an Iranian hacker who goes by the name of"Comodohacker" having made away with fraudulent digitalcertificates for hundreds of popular Internet destinations. Thisranges from websites such as Google, Yahoo, Mozilla andSkype; social networks such as Facebook, Twitter; and evendomains belonging to the CIA and Mossad, the Israeli SecretService.

It is still unclear if Comodohacker is doing it for glory orpersonal profit - such as by reselling the illicitly obtained emailcommunications to the Iranian government, for example. According to Google, the perpetrator behind the attackon DigiNotar appeared to be interested in intercepting thecommunications of Gmail users and customers residing inIran. With this in mind, Google has taken the offensive and isnow advising its Iranian users to change their email passwordsto protect themselves from online attacks.

In a blog post last week, Eric Grosse, the VP Security Engineerat Google, wrote: "We learned last week that the compromiseof a Dutch company involved with verifying the authenticity ofwebsites could have put the Internet communications of manyIranians at risk, including their Gmail." Emphasizing thatthe internal systems of the search giant itself have not beencompromised, Grosse urged all users in Iran to take "concretesteps" to secure their accounts.

As expected, this includes the changing of their passwords,which will prevent harvested passwords from being used forfurther unauthorized access. Moreover, Grosse also encourageusers to preempt future problems by verifying and updatingtheir account recovery options. As in the case of any hackedemail account, the changing of a password does nothingto protect old email messages that may already have beenpilfered by a malicious party. In the event of a suspected break-in, however, changing one's password would at least be usefulto foil ongoing snooping.


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Intel SSD 520 Cherryville TheFaster, Tougher Successor ofSSD 510Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-520-cherryville-the-faster-

tougher-successor-of-ssd-510/13542.html


As an established player in the solid state drive (SSD) industry,Intel has at its disposal a market which it can addresswith the same breakneck product-cycle as its much largerx86 processor product lines. The most recent roadmap slideand accompanying information we scored suggests that asuccessor is already around the corner for Intel's well-receivedSSD 510 series high-performance client SSDs that use theSATA 6 Gbps interface.

As an established player in the solid state drive (SSD) industry,Intel has at its disposal a market which it can addresswith the same breakneck product-cycle as its much largerx86 processor product lines. The most recent roadmap slideand accompanying information we scored suggests that asuccessor is already around the corner for Intel's well-receivedSSD 510 series high-performance client SSDs that use theSATA 6 Gbps interface.

Codenamed "Cherryville", Intel's new high-end client SSDseries is called SSD 520. Its main design goals look to be tospread the series in capacities both higher and lower than whatthe SSD 510 series could address. While SSD 510 is availableonly in 120 GB and 250 GB variants, the new SSD 520 will adda higher capacity variant, 480 GB, and a lower capacity one,60 GB. A new 160 GB variant is added in the middle, and 250GB is replaced by 240 GB.

With client SSDs and client environment in general, sequentialtransfer speeds are the king, Intel gave out just one set ofsequential transfer rates for the SSD 520 series, 530 MB/s

reads and 490 MB/s writes; and just one set of random accessthroughput, up to 40,000 IOPS read and 45,000 IOPS write.These figures are known to vary between the different variants,and so we'll have to wait for the final specifications that arespecific to variants.

Available in the 2.5-inch SATA form-factor, the drives willmake use of 25 nm multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memorymade by Intel. Its controller will be compliant will the latestin client SSD technologies. To begin with, there are bareessentials such as SMART, that reports if the drive is failing,TRIM, that works to minimize write performance degradation,and NCQ, which queues commands on the drive's cache. Thedrive supports native 256-bit AES data encryption, and end-to-end data protection.

Its physical durability is characterized by 1.2 million hoursMTBF (mean time before failure) rating, an operating

temperature range of 0 to 70 oC, and 2.7 G (rms) vibrationtolerance.

Intel is expected to begin production of the SSD 520 series inthe fourth quarter of 2011.

ASUS ROG Maximus IV GENE-Z ReviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-rog-maximus-iv-gene-z-

review/13491.html


Probably one of the most anticipated ROG boards ever, theASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z has hit the market right in timeto bring users all the benefits the Z68 chipset has to offer, aswell as a plethora of overclocking features and connectivity ina micro-ATX form factor.

Today we take a look at one of the best priced Sandy Bridgeboards to date, the ASUS ROG Maximus IV Gene-Z, a powerfuloverclocking board in a tiny package.

To begin we would like to show you a block diagram providedby Intel, of how the Z68 PCH(platform controller hub)connects to the rest of the system.


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Compared to the earlier P67, the Z68 chipset adds IntelHD Graphics support, as well as Intel Smart ResponceTechnology(SSD Caching). Intel probably should have skippedP67 and just come out with the Z68 PCH. We see that ASUShas taken the better route and used the more expensive IntelPHY for LAN connectivity, and avoided the cheaper Realtekchipsets we see on other boards. This motherboard also hasLucid Virtu technology which allows for switchable graphics,but only a HDMI port is used, so maximum resolution will be1920x1080 for those of you who want to use i-Mode Virtu tosave power.

ASUS ROG Maximus IVGENE-ZCPU Support Intel® Socket 1155 for

2nd Generation Core™i7/Core™ i5/Core™ i3Processors Supports Intel® 32 nm CPU

Supports Intel® Turbo BoostTechnology 2.0

* The Intel® Turbo BoostTechnology 2.0 supportdepends on the CPU types.

Chipset Intel Z68Graphics Integrated Graphics

ProcessorVGA output support : HDMIport

- Supports HDMI with max.resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60Hz

Memory 4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR32200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1600/1333Hz Non-ECC, Un-bufferedMemory

Dual Channel MemoryArchitecture

Supports Intel® ExtremeMemory Profile (XMP)

* Hyper DIMM supportis subject to the physicalcharacteristics of individualCPUs.

* Refer to www.asus.com oruser manual for the MemoryQVL (Qualified VendorsLists).* Due to CPU behavior, DDR32200/2000/1800 MHzmemory module will run atDDR3 2133/1866/1600 MHzfrequency as default.

Multi-GPU Support Supports NVIDIA® SLI™TechnologySupports AMD CrossFireX™Technology

Supports LucidLogix®Virtu™ Technology

Expansion Slots 2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x16 or dualx8) 1 x PCIe 2.0 x4

Storage Intel® Z68 chipset : 2 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), red

4 x SATA 3Gb/s port(s), gray

Support Raid 0, 1, 5, 10

Support Intel® SmartResponse Technology on

2nd generation Intel® Core™processor familyJMicron® JMB362

controller : *1

2 x eSATA 3Gb/s port(s), redLAN Intel®, 1 x Gigabit LAN

ControllerAudio SupremeFX X-Fi 2 built-in

8-Channel High DefinitionAudio CODEC - Supports : Jack-detection,Multi-streaming, Front PanelJack-retasking

Audio Feature :- X-Fi® Xtreme Fidelity™

- EAX® Advanced™ HD 5.0

- THX® TruStudio PRO™


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- Creative ALchemy

- Blu-ray audio layer ContentProtection

- Optical S/PDIF out port(s)at back panel

USB ASMedia® USB 3.0controller : 4 x USB 3.0 port(s) (2 at backpanel, blue, 2 at mid-board)

Intel® Z68 chipset : 12 x USB 2.0 port(s) (8 atback panel, black, 4 at mid-board)

FireWireASUS Unique Features ASUS TurboV EVO :

- CPU Level Up

ASUS Exclusive Features :- MemOK!

- Onboard Button : Power/Reset/Clr CMOS (at back IO)

ASUS Quiet ThermalSolution :- ASUS Fan Xpert

ASUS EZ DIY :- ASUS Q-Shield

- ASUS O.C. Profile

- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3

- ASUS EZ Flash 2

- ASUS MyLogo 2

ASUS Q-Design :- ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM,VGA, Boot Device LED)

- ASUS Q-Slot

- ASUS Q-DIMM

- ASUS Q-Connector)Overclocking Features ROG Connect

Extreme Engine Digi+ :- 8 -phase CPU power design+ 4 -phase iGPU powerdesign

- 2 -phase Memory powerdesign

Mem TweakItROG Extreme OC kit :- Debug LED

ProbeItUEFI BIOS features :- ROG BIOS Print

- GPU.DIMM Post

GameFirstiROGExtreme TweakerLoadline CalibrationOverclocking Protection :- COP EX (ComponentOverheat Protection - EX)

- ASUS C.P.R.(CPUParameter Recall)

Back Panel I/O Ports 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mousecombo port(s)1 x HDMI

2 x eSATA 3Gb/s

1 x LAN (RJ45) port(s)

2 x USB 3.0

8 x USB 2.0 (white port canbe switched to ROG Connect)

1 x Optical S/PDIF out

6 x Audio jack(s)

1 x Clear CMOS button(s)Internal I/O Connectors 1 x USB 3.0 connector(s)

support(s) additional 2 USB3.0 port(s) 2 x USB 2.0 connector(s)support(s) additional 4 USB2.0 port(s)

2 x SATA 6Gb/s connector(s)

4 x SATA 3Gb/s connector(s)

2 x CPU Fan connector(s)

3 x Chassis Fan connector(s)

1 x S/PDIF out header(s)

1 x 24-pin EATX Powerconnector(s)

1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Powerconnector(s)


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1 x Front panel audioconnector(s) (AAFP)

1 x System panel(s)

6 x ProbeIt MeasurementPoints

1 x Power-on button(s)

1 x Reset button(s)

1 x ROG Connect switch(es)

1 x Go Button(s)

1 x Clear CMOS jumper(s)Accessories User's manual

I/O Shield

2 x SATA 3Gb/s cable(s)

1 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s)

1 x SLI bridge(s)

1 x Q-connector(s) (2 in 1)

1 x ROG Connect cable(s)

1 x Cable ties pack(s)

1 x ROG theme label(s)

1 x 12 in 1 ROG Cable Label(s)BIOS 64Mb Flash ROM, EFI AMI

BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0,SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI2.0aMulti-Language BIOS

Manageability WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOL byPME, WOR by PME, PXE

Support Disc Support DVD:- Drivers and applications

* ASUS AI Suite II

* ROG CPU-Z

* ROG GameFirst Utility

* Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2Utility

* ROG Mem TweakIt Utility

* ASUS AI Charger+

* DAEMON Tools ProStandard

* Kaspersky® Anti-Virus 1-year license

Form Factor uATX Form Factor 9.6 inch x 9.6 inch ( 24.4 cm x24.4 cm )

As you can obviously see the laundry list of features is longerthan that of most full sized ATX boards. For a sub $200motheboard, this has to be one of the most feature packedand value for money product in the market. Of course thisonly applies if you are on the Intel side of things, as AMDmotherboards generally run cheaper.

Sony introduces new VAIO Sseries notebook with largerdisplaySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-introduces-new-vaio-s-series-

notebook-with-larger-display/13541.html


With the success of their VAIO S series laptops, SonyElectronics Asia Pacific has announed their new line-up forthe series with slimmer form factor, higher performance and alarger display. According to the manufacturer, the new VAIOS will be available this month.

Sony has announced a new slim, power-packed 15.5-inchnotebook to their VAIO S Series. The new model incorporateIntel Core i7 processor and AMD Radeon HD 6630M GPUwith 1GB VRAM and claims to offer superb performance forboth work and play. It features a Performance Switch thatsupports Dynamic Hybrid Graphic System which allows usersto choose between "Speed" and "Stamina" mode for fastestperformance or longer battery life respectively. The VAIO SSeries 15.5-inch offers approximately five hours of battery lifeand with an optional Sheet Battery, that can double to 10hours.

The VAIO S has a 15.5-inch wide screen of 1920x1080 fullhigh definition VAIO Display Plus with anti-reflective glossyfinish, weighs 1.96kg, and comes with aluminium palm rest


22

and magnesium body. It also has backlit keyboard, whichmakes it easier to type in dim lit rooms. The new line-up ofVAIO S Series notebooks will be available in Singapore fromSeptember 2011. Pricing details to be announced closer tolaunch date.

AMD FX-Series prices revealed- listed for pre-orderSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-fx-series-prices-revealed--listed-

for-pre-order/13540.html


The first AMD FX CPUs have shown up for pre-order atShopblt.com. The three SKUs listed are FX-8150, FX-8120 andFX-6100 priced at $266, $222 and $189 respectively. The goodnews is that the pricing is lower than expected - previouslyrumoured to be in the $300 to $320 range for the top CPU. Thebad news is that such pricing suggests the FX-8150 is unlikelyto beat Core i7 2600 in many situations.

The first AMD FX CPUs have shown up for pre-order atShopblt.com. The three SKUs listed are FX-8150, FX-8120 andFX-6100 priced at $266, $222 and $189 respectively. The goodnews is that the pricing is lower than expected - previouslyrumoured to be in the $300 to $320 range for the top CPU. Thebad news is that such pricing suggests the FX-8150 is unlikelyto beat Core i7 2600 in many situations.

As always, pre-order prices are normally higher than launchprices. Hence, we can expect the FX CPUs to sell for evenlesser.

The three CPUs are much the same as revealed by Gigabyteearlier. FX-6100 and FX-8150 have a TDP of 95W and 125Wrespectively. However, FX-8120 has a TDP of 125W at launch,while a future revision will drop the TDP of FX-8120 down to95W. There's no indication of shipping dates as of now.

LunaTik lets you wear youriPod Nano on your wristSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lunatik-lets-you-wear-your-ipod-nano-

on-your-wrist/13539.html


With LunaTik's creative watch-kit, you can transform yourApple iPod Nano into the world's coolest multi-touch wristwatch. Distributed by Tat Chuan Acoustic in Singapore, twomodels of LunaTik are available now - TikTok and LunaTik.

If you are the owner of the stylish Apple iPod Nano, you wouldprobably want this cool watch kit to make the portable mediaplayer into a watch. Launched at the recent COMEX Showin Singapore, and carried by Tat Chuan Acoustic Pte Ltd inSingapore, the LunaTik is a premium conversion kit designedfor those want to convert their iPod Nano as a wristwatch. Theproduct comes with a tool kit that lets you screw in the nanointo the wristband. The LunaTik case is forged from aircraft-grade aluminium with great durability and the straps are madefrom compression moulded high-grade silicone rubber withanti-dust coating while the hardware is made from stainlesssteel. Available in silver, black and red, the LunaTik is retailingat S$129 (with GST).

The other model, which is called TikTok, has a simplesnap-in design that allows the user to quickly and securelysnap the iPod Nano in and out of the wrist dock. Itintegrates the media player and transforms it into a modernmulti-function timepiece. TikTok is designed for those whowant to easily transition from clip mode to watch mode.Moulded from reinforced PC/ABS, the straps are made fromcompression moulded high-grade silicone rubber with anti-dust coating and the hardware is stainless steel. The TikTokis available in black or white at S$69 (with GST).


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Microsoft Comfort Mouse 6000Review: Affordable mousethat can track on almost allsurfacesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-comfort-mouse-6000-

review-affordable-mouse-that-can-track-on-almost-all-surfaces/13054.html


Microsoft has recently released a new mouse, the ComfortMouse 6000, which features the software giant's Bluetracksensor that can track on almost any surface. So how good is theComfort Mouse 6000? Find out in the next pages.

Specification:

- Right-handed control

- BlueTrack Technology

- Five customizable buttons

- Detent scroll wheel

First look:

Out of the box, the Microsoft Comfort Mouse 6000 looks likethe Razer DeathAdder (except without the Razer logo) but infact iti s actually designed after its Intellimouse Explorer 3.0older sibling. The mouse features a smooth black plastic bodywith rubberized side grips and comes with five customizablebuttons - left, right, two on the side and the scroll wheel. Itfeels very lightweight as though it is hollow.


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Inside the box, we also find a start guide, a product guide andtechnical specifications.

The Comfort Mouse 6000 has two well-positioned sidebuttons which you can use to go back and forward throughwebpages and document with ease.

Sharp launches AQUOSSH8298U glasses-free 3DsmartphoneSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharp-launches-aquos-sh8298u-

glasses-free-3d-smartphone/13538.html


Sharp has announced their new AQUOS SH8298U glasses-free 3D smartphone which looks to compete with the LGOptimus 3D and the HTC Evo 3D. The AQUOS SH8298U willsoon retail in Japan though there is no word as to whether itwill be available in other parts of the world.


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Sharp has recently launched a press conference to announcetheir new Android smartphones, and all eyes were on theAQUOS SH8298U which not only features glasses-free 3Dtechnology, but it also has two rear built-in 8-megapixlecameras to capture images and videos in 3D. The AQUOSSH8298U sports a 4.2-inch qHD touchscreen display andincorporates 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 512MBRAM, 2GB storage and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread.According to sources, the Sharp AQUOS SH8298U would beavailable in red or white and retail at approximately US$705.It should be arriving in Japan soon, though there's no word asto whether it will be available in other countries.

Could the next version afterAndroid Ice Cream Sandwichbe Jellybean?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/could-the-next-version-after-android-

ice-cream-sandwich-be-jellybean-/13537.html


Google is known for using sweet treats as codenames for thevarious versions of theiir popular Android mobile operatingsystem. And while many of us are anticipating the upcoming"Ice Cream Sandwich" which claims to offer the best ofHoneycomb, the Android tablet OS, and make them useableon smartphones, it seems that the search engine giant hasalready started work on their new version which could becalled "Jellybean".

It started from Cupcake (1.5) and then Donut (1.6), Eclair(2.0/2.1), Froyo (2.2), Gingerbread (2.3), Honeycomb (3.0)to the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich. And yes, these are thecodenames of the popular Google Android operating systemand it looks like the next version could well be called "JellyBean". According to a reliable source from ThisIsMyNext, thatwould be the name of the next version and that it could beavailable to both smartphone and tablet. However, Google hasyet to finalize the naming convention, although the choice withthe letter "J" is limited and that Jellybean is most likely to beselected.

Meantime, the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich claims to offersome "game-changing" features, though we would have to waittill it is available to know, which could be fairly soon. And bythem, Microsoft may have also launched their Windows Phone"Mango" and Apple, their iOS 5.

Thermaltake Challenger ProGaming Keyboard & BlackGaming Mouse reviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-challenger-pro-gaming-

keyboard--black-gaming-mouse-review/13536.html


Tt eSPORTS is a relatively newly found subsidiary company ofThermaltake, aiming to develop, manufacture and ultimatelyprovide gamers with high quality gaming peripherals. Thecompany currently has a long list of high performancekeyboards, mice, headsets and other parts. Today we arehaving a close look on two of their more popular products,the Challenger Pro Gaming Keyboard and the Black GamingMouse.

Tt eSPORTS is a relatively newly found subsidiary company ofThermaltake, aiming to develop, manufacture and ultimatelyprovide gamers with high quality gaming peripherals. Thecompany currently has a long list of high performance


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keyboards, mice, headsets and other parts. Today we arehaving a close look on two of their more popular products,the Challenger Pro Gaming Keyboard and the Black GamingMouse.


Challenger Pro Gaming keyboard

• Red illumination back light

• 2 x USB 2.0 ports

• User Interface

• Macro Keys

• Multimedia Keys

• 64KB On Board Memory

• On Board Profile Switch

• Backlight switch

• Fan Device

• Windows Dummy Keycaps

• 8 additional removable keycaps

• Tt. Breakaway Gold-Plated USB Connection Cable(2Meters in Length)

• Tt eSPORTS Dragon-Red key backlighting

• 6 Easy Access Multimedia Keys

• 10 Customizable Macro Keys

• 10 Million Keystroke Lifespan

• Body dimensions (LxWxH): 505x 195x 27mm

• 6,000 RPM Tt. Breeze Hand Cooling Fan (LifeExpectancy of 50,000 hours)

Black Gaming mouse

• Model: BLACK Gaming Mouse (MO-BLK002DT)

• Dominating Gaming Laser Sensor 4000 DPI Engine(400/800/2000/4000 DPI Adjustable), with VisualIndicator.

• Ideal for FPS or MMORPG Game Genres, equippedwith Philips 4000 Laser Engine for Optimal Precision &Accuracy.

• 1.8 meters Braided USB Cable with Gold-PlatedConnector.

• Teflon Material Feet as Extra Layer of Durability andHigh Degree of Mouse Handling.

• Superb Customizable Graphical UI for Macro Keys,Advanced Performance, and Lighting-Effect Options.

• Industrial Grade Rubber-Coating Finish for better HandGrip.

• On-Board 64kb Memory Storage for 18 Macro Keys in 3Game Profiles.

• Weight-In Design for Perfect Handling MouseMovement: (5 x 4.5g, up to 22.5g max)

• Body Dimension: 120mm (length) x 70mm (width) x40mm (height).


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Nikon to launch a newmirrorless standard thisweek?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-to-launch-a-new-mirrorless-

standard-this-week-/13591.html


Several rumours are suggesting that Nikon is about to unveilits first mirrorless cameras on Wednesday, although so far wedon’t have a complete picture of what to expect. What is clearis that the expected two new camera bodies not will feature anAPS-C size sensor, instead we can expect something that endsup somewhere between compact digital cameras and the 4/3format.

Several rumours are suggesting that Nikon is about to unveilits first mirrorless cameras on Wednesday, although so far wedon’t have a complete picture of what to expect. What is clearis that the expected two new camera bodies not will feature anAPS-C size sensor, instead we can expect something that endsup somewhere between compact digital cameras and the 4/3format.

The first two cameras in what is likely to be called the Nikon CXline of cameras should simply be called the V1 and J1. The newcameras are rumoured to have a crop factor of 2.6x comparedto the 4/3 formats 2x crop factor. Nikon hasn’t gone crazywith the Megapixel count either, as the new cameras get tomake do with 10.1 Megapixels, which is probably a good thingconsidering the relatively small sensor. What isn’t clear is ifwe’ll see a CCD or CMOS sensor, so that’s something we’regoing to have to wait and find out about.

Internally we should expect to see Nikon’s Expeed 3 processorcapable of processing 600 Megapixels per second. Bothmodels are said to shoot video at 1080i60, 1080p30, 720p60,as well as 640x240 at 400fps and 320x120 at a crazy 1200fps.Around the back we have a 3in LCD screen with unknownresolution and the V1 will also sport an EVF (Electronic ViewFinder). Neither model will support Nikon’s standard Flashhotshoe, but the V1 is said to have some kind of accessory port,whereas the J1 will feature a built in flash.

Four new lenses are said to launch alongside the new camerassystem, a 10mm f/2.8 pancake lens, a 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 VRlens, a 10-110mm f/4.5-5.6 VR lens and a 30-110mm VR lens.There will also be an adapter for Nikon’s F-mount lenses.

Both models are said to come in several colour options, withthe V1 being available in black or white and the J1 in red,pink, silver, black and white. We shouldn’t have to wait longto see how this plays out, but it’s getting a little bit annoyingwith all these new lens mount systems, as they’re anythingbut interchangeable. In as much as the m4/3 standard hasits flaws, it’s at least a standard supported by more than onecompany and we’d really like to see the camera manufacturerswork towards more common standards, especially consideringthe cost of lenses which is the only investment that’ll last youthrough several camera bodies.

Gears of War 3 SingaporeLaunchSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gears-of-war-3-singapore-

launch/13590.html



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Good news for fans of the Xbox 360 Gears of War series. Thisevening, at Funan DigitaLife Mall in Singapore, marked thelaunch of the highly anticipated third-person shooter game,which is also the last of the trilogy. So, have you ordered yourcopy?

At the Funan DigitaLife Mall in Singapore, over 1,000fans stood in line at the main atrium for the highly anticipatedXbox 360 game, Gears of War 3. Apparently, the queue beganto form on 3pm Sunday, 18 September with hardcore fanswaiting to be the first to get their hands on the game, whichofficially launched at 8pm today. On top of that, fans alsoget a first-look at the game, hands-on gameplay and on-stageactivities including a special appearance by Marcus Fenix.

Here's a video of the countdown of the Gears of War 3 launch:-

22-year old William Ten was the first person in Singapore toreceive the Gears of War 3 Epic Edition from Marcus Fenixand Microsoft representatives. Ten also get the survivor kit, anautographed poster and a “Gears of War 3” hoodie, worth closeto S$200. An additional 50 fans who were amongst the firstin queue also walked away with an autographed poster and a“Gears of War 3” hoodie.

"While Gears of War 3 was one of the most anticipated gamesof the year, the turnout today far surpassed all expectations.

The fans turned up in full-swing, and it was even moreamazing to see the number of people who didn’t pre-order thegame lining up to get it” said Ben Tan, general manager ofMicrosoft’s retail sales and marketing division, Asia Pacific,presenting the Epic Edition box to Ten.

A look at the Gears of War 3 babes:-

Canon PowerShot SX150 ISselling for $369Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-powershot-sx150-is-selling-

for-369/13589.html


Canon PowerShot SX150 IS, Canon's latest addition to thefamily of long-zoom PowerShot cameras. The 14.1 megapixelPowerShot SX150 IS is an affordable all-rounder camera thatdelivers high zoom shooting with 12x optical zoom capabilities,HD movie recording and offers you creative freedom withFull Manual controls. The SX150 IS is priced at $369, and iscurrently available for retail.


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Canon PowerShot SX150 IS, Canon's latest addition to thefamily of long-zoom PowerShot cameras. The 14.1 megapixelPowerShot SX150 IS is an affordable all-rounder camera thatdelivers high zoom shooting with 12x optical zoom capabilities,HD movie recording and offers you creative freedom with FullManual controls.

• 12x optical zoom

• 14.1 megapixels

• Intelligent IS

The SX150 IS is priced at $369, and is currently available forretail. More information here.

LG unveils Optimus Q2Android phone with QWERTYkeyboardSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-unveils-optimus-q2-android-phone-

with-qwerty-keyboard/13588.html


Another Optimus smartphone has emerged from Koreanmanufacturer LG, and this time it is the Optimus Q2. TheOptimus Q2 is based on Google's Android operating systemand features Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and has aslide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Today, LG has unveiled their latest Optimus Q2 high-endAndroid smartphone with a slide-out keyboard. The newmember in their LG Optimus line of smartphones features1.2GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and 4-inch IPStouchscreen display. The 4-inch IPS screen boasts 700 nitsbrightness which offers a clear view even under sunlight.The smartphone also incorporates a 5-megapixel rear andVGA front cameras, Wi-Fi Direct capabilities that allow Wi-Fidevices to talk to each other without the need for access points.The LG Optimus Q2 is reported to launch soon in USA andcarried by Sprint.


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Lode Runner X to be exclusiveon Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY,and other Xperia devicesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lode-runner-x-to-be-exclusive-on-sony-

ericsson-xperia-play-and-other-xperia-devices/13587.html


Owners of Sony Ericsson Xperia range of Android phoneswould be pleased to know that the Lode Runner X game fromTozai Games will be exclusive on the smartphones. The LodeRunner X game is scheduled to be available from Novemberthis year.

Lode Runner is a popular 1983 platform game which was firstpublished by Brøderbund. It is one of the first early gamesto be released with a level editor which supports keyboardand joystick controls. (Tozai Games and Lode Runner aretrademarks of Tozai, Inc. registered or protected in the US andother countries).

Sony Ericsson has announced their collaboration with TozaiGames to bring the critically acclaimed console hit and gamingfranchise “Lode Runner” to Android devices, for the first time,and helps to build the Xperia PLAY's list of over 150 optimizedtitles. The Lode Runner X will be available from November2011 and exclusive on the Xperia PLAY and other Xperiadevices. The Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY has recently gone

on sale in the US on the AT&T network last week on 14thSeptember, and the company said that the Xperia PLAY willlaunch in Japan with NTT DOCOMO in Autumn 2011.

Canon Singapore launchesPowerShot SX150 IS compactcameraSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-singapore-launches-powershot-

sx150-is-compact-camera/13586.html


Canon Singapore has announced the new PowerShot SX150IS compact digital camera that features one-touch highdefinition (HD) movie button and long-zoom capabilities at anaffordable price. The PowerShot SX150 IS is available now atall Canon authorized dealers.

Canon Singapore has unveiled the PowerShot SX150 IScompact camera which claims to offer 14.1-megapixel sensor,12x optical zoom (28-336mm), and has a dedicated MovieButton to record 720p high definition (HD) movies. With apowerful 12x zoom, 28mm wide-angle lens, it lets users shootlandscapes, building and people easily. The digital cameraalso incorporates electronic wind filter that can suppress windnoise that muffles or distorts sound, and built-in Intelligent IS(Image Stabilizer) for minimized camera shake.

The Powershot SX150 IS comes with 32-Smart Auto Scenedetection options including sunset, clear skies, and backlitthat provide optimized camera settings for best results.Photographers can also enhance their images using the eightin-camera Creative Filters to add effect to the original images -Toy Camera, Monochrome, Miniature, Fish-eye, Super Vivid,Poster, Color Swap and Color Accent. There is also the newPhoto Book function that allows users to pre-select theirfavorite shots in-camera to facilitate the easy creation of photobooks. The new Canon PowerShot SX150 IS also operates


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on AA batteries for added convenience and comes with theoptional high power flash HF-DC2 slim and portable slaveflash with enhanced sync performance and a wider flashcoverage of up to 24mm (with attached wide panel).

The Canon PowerShot SX150 IS is now available at allauthorized Canon retail stores at the recommended retailselling price of S$369. Pricing and availability of the optionalhigh power flash HF-DC2 will be confirmed at a later date.

LG to introduce Street FighterIV on upcoming high definitionsmartphonesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-to-introduce-street-fighter-iv-on-

upcoming-high-definition-smartphones/13585.html


LG Korea has announced that it has entered into an exclusivedeal with Japanese game developer Capcom to introducetheir popular Street Fighter IV game on their high definitionAndroid smartphone. Details inside.

Today, LG Korea announced that it has entered into anexclusive deal with Japanese game developer Capcom thatgives LG the exclusive rights to their popular Street Fighter IVgame on their first high definition (HD) Android smartphonefor three months after its launch. Debuted in 1987, theStreet Fighter series is found on millions of game consolesand in arcades all over the word, though it has not beenoffered on the Android platform yet. Street Fighter IV willmake its Android smartphone debut on LG’s global apps site(www.lgworld.com) in the fourth quarter this year.

Post-IDF bites: Ivy Bridge GPUto support 4Kx4K displays!Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/post-idf-bites-ivy-bridge-gpu-to-

support-4kx4k-displays-/13584.html


With all the hustle and bustle of IDF, one piece of news, gentlyunveiled in one of side technical sessions at the conference,mostly passed unnoticed. It was a particular detail about the

updated graphics and multimedia processing hardware in theupcoming Ivy Bridge series of processors, expected to hit theshelves about half a year from now.

It wasn't the fact that the new chip will have graphics farfaster - some expect at least double, and much more in someoperations - than the Sandy Bridge, or the full DirectX 11and DirectCompute capability, with an OpenCL port to follow.Neither was it the much tighter connection to the L3 cache formore usability in graphics tasks.

It's the vastly improved display capability, and associated ultrahigh resolution video processing, of the new chip - in fact, sohigh it stands on an equal footing with the fastest high enddiscrete GPUs in this particular measurement: the 4K displayresolution. Take a look at their Multi Format Codec or MFXengine, capable of playing multiple 4K videos at the same time,even a wall of them, as Intel says.

Not only can the MFX engine display up to 4096 x 4096 pixelson a single monitor, but it can also handle video processingfor 4K QuadHD video as well. Remember when, two years ago,Jen Hsun Huang at Nvidia for the first time encouraged 4Kresolution - at that time 3840x2400 or as he called it XHD2,for ultra realistic gaming too, to use the extra pixels to justify


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the high end card need? Now, what a fate, Intel is making it realon the - integrated graphics platform, of all. Now, can we haveback those 16:10 3840x2400 or, better, 4096x2560 monitors?

Akasa Venom Voodoo CPUCooler ReviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/akasa-venom-voodoo-cpu-cooler-

review/13583.html


Adept PC users are rarely satisfied with the factorybundled CPU cooler, being it because of the performance,noise and/or aesthetics, creating a great demand for goodaftermarket cooling solutions. Out of the many productscurrently available, today we are having a close look at thelatest offering from Akasa, the Venom Voodoo CPU cooler,which is boasting exceptional performance and socket LGA2011 support.

Adept PC users are rarely satisfied with the factory bundledCPU cooler, being it because of the performance, noise and/or aesthetics, creating a great demand for good aftermarketcooling solutions. Out of the many products currentlyavailable, today we are having a close look at the latest offeringfrom Akasa, the Venom Voodoo CPU cooler, which is boastingexceptional performance and socket LGA 2011 support.


• Performance 12cm PWM fan in killer Viper yellow

• 6 high capacity heatpipes with direct CPU contact

• Award winning S-FLOW fan blades provide 30% moreairflow

• Dual 12cm viper yellow fans

Socket type Intel LGA775, LGA1155,LGA1156, LGA1366 &LGA2011AMD Socket AM2, AM2+,AM3 & FM1

Cooler dimensions 131 (W) x 129.5 (D) x 163.5(H) mm

Heatsink material High grade aluminium fins,copper heatpipes

Weight 1065gInstallation Screws and backplate (Intel &

AMD)Fan dimension 120 x 120 x 25mmFan speed 600-1900 RPM (PWM

controlled)Max airflow 83.63 CFMMax air pressure 2.98 mm H2ONoise level 6.9 - 28.9 dB(A)Voltage rating 12V DCBearing type HDB (Hydro Dynamic)Fan life expectancy 50,000 hoursFan connector 4pin PWMProduct code AK-CC4008HP01

Logitech G9x Gaming MouseReview: With interchangeablegrips and weight-tuningoptionsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-g9x-gaming-mouse-review-

with-interchangeable-grips-and-weight-tuning-options/13233.html


Logitech, one of world's largest manufacturers of computerperipherals from mice to multimedia speakers, is knownfor their line of "G-series" gaming peripherals. What wehave today is the not-so-new Logitech G9x which featuresinterchangeable grips, weight-tuning options and more. Let'sgo into the details.

Introduction:

The gaming market is booming, and it is no wonderperipherals makers like Logitech is coming up with moregaming products for the hardcore gamers. Their G series miceare widely received and this year, the company has given theirG9 an upgraded sensor and called it the G9x. The G9x claimsto have sensitity of up to 5700 dots per inch (DPI). TheLogitech G9x comes packed in fancy green and orange boxwith a large transparent area that displays the mouse and


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for users to get a feel of how the mouse feels like. Openingthe flap revealed an additional grip and an explanation of thedifference and main features of the mouse.

Features and Specification :

Interchangeable grip

Next-generation gaming laser

Onboard memory

Weight-tuning system

Custom-colour LEDs

On-the-fly adjustable DPI

Resolution 200-5700 DPIImage processing 12 Megapixels/secondMaximum acceleration 30GMaximum speed Up to 165 inches (4.19m)/

secondPolling rate 1000 HzDynamic coefficient offriction

0.09

Static coefficient of friction 0.14Tuning weight Up to 28 gramsButton durability (Left/Right) 8 Million clicksMousefeet durability 250 KilometresInside the packaging, there is a small tin box and an envelopecontaining a user's guide, a Logitech Setpoint disc, a quickguide, a USB usage and Logitech contact leaflets.


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ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCUSilent ReviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-engts450-directcu-silent-

review/13157.html


Nearly all modern GPUs are designed for use with activecooling systems, in order to allow for desirable levels ofperformance within a reasonable form factor. To take a GPUintended for active cooling and cool it passively would entail acompromise in performance, size, or both.

The passive graphics card we're looking at today is ASUS'ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent. While the GeForce GTS 450 isby no means the fastest GPU around, its relatively low TDPof 106W (for NVIDIA's reference design) makes it a goodcandidate for passive cooling.

In the case of the ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent, ASUS hasdecided to sacrifice performance instead of size. The coreclock on this card is ~25% slower than NVIDIA's referencespeed. ASUS has also opted to use DDR3 memory, which haslower power consumption but also much lower bandwidththan GDDR5 memory.

In terms of performance, the reference GTS 450 sits roughlyin between AMD's HD 5770 and HD 5750 (now renamed theHD 6770 and HD 6750 respectively).

ASUSENGTS 450DirectCUSilent

NVIDIAGeForceGTS 450

GainwardGeForceGTS 450 GSGLH

Core Clock 594MHz 783MHz 930MHzShaderClock

1188MHz 1566MHz 1860MHz

MemoryClock(effective)

800MHz(1600MHz)

902MHz(3608MHz)

1000MHz(2000MHz)

Memory Bus 128-bit

MemoryType

DDR3 GDDR5

MemorySize

1GB

The full specifications of the ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCU Silentare as follows:

Graphics Engine NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450Bus Standard PCI Express 2.0Video Memory GDDR3 1GBEngine Clock 594 MHzShader Clock 1189 MHzMemory Clock 1.6 GHz ( 800 MHz GDDR3 )Memory Interface 128-bitInterface D-Sub Output : Yes x 1

DVI Output : Yes x 1 (DVI-I)

HDMI Output : Yes x 1Software ASUS Utilities & Driver /

AIWI softwareASUS Features DirectCU Silent SeriesDimensions 5.936 " x 4.375 " InchNote This card doesn't need extra

power supply,it's the best choice for user toupgrade

Qualcomm reveals futureplans, we give you the detailsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/qualcomm-reveals-future-plans-we-

give-you-the-details/13581.html


Earlier this week Qualcomm hosted its Innovation Qualcommevent in Istanbul where the company unveiled details of someof its upcoming products, including a 2.5GHz next generationSnapdragon SoC. However, a lot of details were left out, butVR-Zone is here to help fill in the blanks as to what to expectfrom Qualcomm over the next couple of years.

From the event we know that Qualcomm is getting ready tolaunch a 28nm SoC with clock speeds of up to 2.5GHz insingle, dual and quad core versions, all with next gen Adrenodual or quad core graphics. However, the company didn't saymuch more and some publications made the assumption thatQualcomm would have a quad core solution for phones out byearly next year. Well, sadly this isn't the case for those of youthat are longing to get your hands on a quad core phone, butlet's not get ahead of ourselves, instead, let's start from the top.

The current series of Snapdragon SoC's from Qualcomm areknown as the S3 class, also known as Scorpion and here we'retalking about chips like the current MSM8660 and MSM8260as well as the APQ8060 which lacks baseband support. These


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SoC's can be found in a wide range of devices from HP's nowdefunct TouchPad to HTC's Sensation and EVO 3D. They'reall 45nm dual core parts with Adreno 220 graphics and a coreclock speed of between 1.2 and 1.5GHz.

The next generation of Snapdragon chips will be the S4 class,as Qualcomm are keeping things simple when it comes to itsnaming schemes, although these chips are more commonlyknown as Krait. The first new Krait SoC's to arrive is theMSM8260A, MSM8660A and the MSM8960, all of which are28nm dual core parts with a clock speed of 1.5 or 1.7GHz and1MB of L2 cache. All three models sports support for dualchannel 500MHz LPDDR2, faster Adreno 225 graphics said tobe good for 125 million triangles per second. The MSM8960should also come in a version with a faster Adreno 330 GPUcapable of some 200 million triangles.

The main difference between the MSM8260A andMSM8660A is that the 8260A supports dual-cell HSPA+ andTD-SCDMA, whereas the 8660A supports HSPA+ and variousEV-DO standards mostly used in the US. The MSM8690sports LET in addition to the connectivity options on theother two models and will be available with either CDMA orUMTS in addition to LTE. All three models should enter massproduction next quarter, although devices based on these dualcore SoC's aren't expected until the second quarter of nextyear.

As far as phones are concerned, this is as much as we get forall of 2012, but in early 2013 Qualcomm is expecting to launchits first quad core phone SoC, the MSM8974. This isn't the2.5GHz chip the company has been talking about, but insteada slightly slower 2GHz part with 2MB L2 cache. It will supportdual channel 800MHz LPDDR3 memory and comes with afaster Adreno 330 GPU core which is capable of 200 milliontriangles per second. It will support the latest LTE and CD-HSPA+ MIMO standards and it'll be Qualcomm's first phoneSoC to sport USB 3.0 connectivity. Some of the more crazyfeatures Qualcomm is planning to add is 4K x 2K video at24fps, 1080p video at 120fps or 1080p 3D video at 60fps.

If you're still waiting for the 2.5GHz part, then please bearwith us a little bit longer, as we'll get there in just asecond. Qualcomm's first quad core SoC will be the APQ8064and as you may or may not know, the APQ models don'tfeature any built in baseband technology. As such, the APQchips tend to be used in many devices that don't requireinternet connectivity, or more commonly as of lately, in tablets

where there's room for additional chips that will handle theconnectivity. The APQ8064 is similar to the MSM8960, as it'sa 1.5 to 1.7GHz SoC, although with a pair of additional coresand 2MB L2 cache. It features Adreno 320 graphics, but italso offers SATA and PCI Express connectivity, something theMSM chips lack.

Things brings us to the 2.5GHz monster, well, it might in factbe even faster as it's not expected to arrive until the secondhalf of 2013. The model in question is the APQ8094 and it'llsupport either 800MHz dual channel LPDDR3 memory, ordual channel 1333MHz PCDDR4 memory, or in other words,standard desktop DDR4 memory. Apparently by then, desktopmemory will be so low power that it will be just as good to usein a tablet as low power mobile memory. Here we're lookingat an Adreno 420 GPU which is said to be capable of 400million triangles per second. Beyond that we don't' have toomany details about this upcoming chip, but it'll offer SATAconnectivity just like its predecessor and apparently it'll do 3Dvideo at 60fps in 1080p.

We'll be following up this article with a closer look atQualcomm's more affordable options next week, although asalways when we're diving into roadmaps, things are likelygoing to change before most of these products arrive and we'vealready seen that some of the models covered here have hadtheir specs changed from earlier roadmaps. That said, it lookslike Qualcomm has some interesting products coming over thenext couple of years, but the real question is, is it going tobe good enough, as the company is getting more and morecompetitors and none of them are resting on their laurels.

Image courtesy of Pocket-Lint

IDF Day 3: Multi Core, ManyCore and Many MoreSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-3-multi-core-many-core-and-

many-more/13580.html


More apps coming, according to Intel's Justin Rattner. Lookat China Mobile LTE 4G base station in a multi-core PC, andPentium-class mini PC running off a small solar cell

The last day of every IDF is usually reserved for a morerelaxed 'future looking' keynote, delivered as usual by Intel'sCTO Justin Rattner - a happy research bloke whose cheerfuldisposition, enormous breadth of knowledge, and oh so slightfacial similarity to the actor doing the Senator Palpatine rolein early Star Wars movies, gives him regular following at IDF.


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He covered quite a lot on the multi-core evolution at Intelever since the 2005 Core 2 Duo CPU. Interestingly, he omittedthose infamous Netburst generation dual die Pentium 4-generation Presler processors in 2004, which at least had somelovely clock frequency records for a while and yes, were seenas dual core CPUs from the system point of view. The multi-core general purpose desktop, mobile and server CPUs werecovered, as well as the many-core MIC add-on card approachfor supercomputing, where the stated goal is to bring the MICmany core approach from the HPC niche to the mainstream.Note that AMD and Nvidia already do that in the mainstream- partially only, due to incompatible underlying instruction setand need for programming in OpenCL or CUDA, rather thanin-line X86 - with their GPUs for a while already.

On the other end of the spectrum, their Extreme Computingteam, going beyond all this, showed experiments like very lowvoltage threshold transistor usage to create a Pentium-class(yes, the old P55 MMX Pentium from year 1998 or so, withmatching 13 year old mainboard) processor that takes only 10mW (miliwatts!) and runs of a single credit card sized solarcell. The thing ran Windows XP with moving dancing kittenJPG, but could go up in clock by 10X too, if allowed for thevoltage to reach the normal level. This all, however, wouldneed new system infra running at such low voltages too.

Finally, they are pushing the generic multi-core PC CPUinfrastructure into almost any app - here you see the jointeffort with China Mobile to program the complete LTE 4Gmobile base station software stack into a standard 4-coreSandy Bridge PC, using the SSE and AVX extensions as akind of DSP feature, and reducing the cost of LTE deploymentsubstantially.

On the other side of the story, Intel was also rapidlyupdating their Sandy Bridge GPU drivers to extract maximumperformance, and they recommend the users downloadingthe freshest version with 'substantial performance' increases.Same applies to the OpenGL professional application 3-D for apps like Pro/E or CATIA being certified for theXeon version of Sandy Bridge, the E3-1275, providinginexpensive competition to Nvidia and ATI cards in theOpenGL workstation space, where often just lots of polygonsand simple texturing, but with guaranteed error free display,wins over fancy effects of the 3-D gaming world.

Overall, a good event with lots of new things, but thenext major launches - the Sandy Bridge E & EP high-endprocessors, followed by Ivy Bridge, will be the focus over thenext two quarters. Intel seems happy with their clear long termperformance advantage in the mainstream and high end, andseems to devote quite a bit of their focus now to the emergingphone and tablet markets, and attempting an aggressive X86-based entry there.

Canon unveils PowerShot S100and PowerShot SX40 HS withnew DIGIC 5 image processorSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-unveils-powershot-s100-and-

powershot-sx40-hs-with-new-digic-5-image-processor/13579.html


Canon has recently announced two new members in theirpopular PowerShot series of digital cameras - the PowerShotS100 and SX40. Both cameras incorporate the latest DIGIC5 image processor that provides enhanced resolution and fastshooting speeds to photographer enthusiasts.


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Canon has announced the feature-packed PowerShot S100and PowerShot SX40 HS, which comes equipped with thenew DIGIC 5 image processor for superb performance andshooting speed. Both cameras also feature HS SYSTEM, FullHD video capture, High-speed Burst HQ and Intelligent IS forclearer smoother images.

The Canon PowerShot S100, successor to the hugely receivedPowerShot S95, has improved features such as 4-120mm wideangle lens with 5x optical zoom, GPS functionality and iscapable of achieving improved low-light performance of upto ISO 6400, and comes with a 12.1-megapixel CMOS imagesensor.

Available in either black or silver, the estimated selling priceof the Canon PowerShot S100 is US$429.99 and is scheduledto be available in early November.

Some features of this camera:-

- 3-inch wide LCD screen for easy viewing of images and menuoptions.- GPS capabilities where satellites collect data of the latitude,longitude and altitude of an image's location, which is thenstored to the image's EXIF data. Map utility software isincluded with the camera to view the locations where imageswere captured.

- A full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW+ JPEG and a control ring on the front of the camera for quick,manual adjustment of key functions such as ISO, zoom andfocus.

- compatibility with the HF-DC2 High-Power Flash, whichis an optional flash accessory that operates wirelessly andincreases the effective flash range up to approximately 9metres.

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is the camera you need toensure high quality images, be it shooting at a football gameor at the local zoo.

Some features of the include:

- 35x optical zoom range (24mm-840mm) with imagestabilizer and a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor; thecamera can capture low-light images of enhanced imagequality up to ISO 3200.- 2.7-inch wide vari-angle LCD for easy viewing of images andmenus from almost any angle.

- Improved Smart AUTO settings to ensure the settings areintelligently selected based upon the cameras 32 predefinedshooting situations.

- Zoom Framing Assist button helps the user steady the camerawhen tracking a moving subject at extreme telephoto settingskeeping it in focus.

The estimated selling price of the PowerShot SX40 HS Digitalcamera is US$429.99 and is scheduled to be available in lateSeptember.

Thermalright Silver Arrow CPUCooler Review - Dual 140mmof Air Cooling GreatnessSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermalright-silver-arrow-cpu-cooler-

review--dual-140mm-of-air-cooling-greatness/10000.html


We at VR-Zone test many combinations of motherboards andCPU platforms throughout the year, often demanding quickassembly/disassembly of heatsinks and decent air coolingperformance in order to maximize overclocks in the shortestpossible time. One CPU cooler (among many on our shelves)that we prefer to use in particular, is the Thermalright SilverArrow.


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Introduction

Quick run through of the greatest hits from Thermalright- SK-6, SLK-900, SP-94/97, Ultra-90, Ultra-120 Extreme,Venomous X, AXP-140, HR02, Archon (review coming soon).

Unpacking the contents of the box, we have:

• the Silver Arrow heatsink,

• two TY-140 fans,

• a few installation leaflets, and

• a sealed accessories pack which includes the mountingkit and fan clips.

Measuring 147mm x 122.6mm x 162mm (L x B x H), the SilverArrow takes up a huge amount of real estate.

Google Nexus Prime with dual-core processor to launch endOctober?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-nexus-prime-with-dual-core-

processor-to-launch-end-october-/13578.html


It was Nexus One, followed by the Nexus S, and it looks like thenext official Google phone could come in the form of GoogleNexus Prime. If online sources are right, we may see the newGoogle Nexus Prime smartphone to launch end October orearly November.

According to TheDroidGuy, the upcoming Google NexusPrime smartphone which is manufactured by Samsung, wouldbe first carried by U.S telco operator Verizon in late October orearly November, and then to other carriers. At a recent VerizonDeveloper’s conference in Las Vegas, a Samsung executiveshowcased the Nexus Prime, though he forbid attendees tohave a closer look at the Android smartphone, nor allow othersto take picture of it. According to sources, the Nexus Prime is


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broader and longer than the Nexus S which is likely due to thesupport for 4G LTE.

The Google Nexus Prime will come with 4.6-inch SuperAMOLED touchscreen display, 5-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front cameras, dual-core Ti OMAP processor. AsAndroid 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich has yet to be out, itis possible that the Nexus Prime will run Android 2.3.4Gingerbread mobile operating system and upgradeable to thenewer Android version in the near future.

Digital Style multi-brandelectronics concept storelaunched in Funan DigitaLifeMallSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/digital-style-multi-brand-electronics-

concept-store-launched-in-funan-digitalife-mall/13576.html


This afternoon, @notebook.com, which is part of NewsteadTechnologies, has announced the launch of their first multi-brand electronics concept store, Digital Style, to provideusers with comprehensive consumer-centric experience.

Located at #03-32 in Funan DigitaLife Mall, Digital Styleelectronics concept store carries the complete range ofconsumer electronics products under six categories ofEntertainment & Media, Gaming, Home Computing, MobileCommunications, Office & Professional and Ultra Mobile &Business. Experiential retail is one key component to theconcept behind Digital Style. The store is specially designed toallow shoppers to easily try out products at the kiosk. Be it thelatest speakers for music entertainment or new keyboards forgaming, shoppers are able to mix-and-match and plug-and-play the gadgets in-store.

The Gaming zone features latest notebooks and desktopswith powerful processors and superb graphics along withgame controllers. The Office & Professional zone showcasesvarious office productivity solutions while the MobileCommunications zone is packed with smart phones andcutting-edge tablets coupled with latest accessories tocomplete the entire experience. Across its five lifestylecategories, Digital Style carries products from all major brandsincluding Acer, Asus, Blackberry, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, HTC,Lenovo, Logitech, Microsoft, Motorola, Panasonic, Samsung,Toshiba etc. Newstead Technologies plans to open another fiveDigital Style outlets islandwide in the next three years.

Sony unveils new range ofBalanced Armature In-earHeadphonesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-unveils-new-range-of-balanced-

armature-in-ear-headphones/13575.html


Sony has introduced a new range of Balanced Armature (BA)in-ear headphones, which includes 11 models featuring itsnew BA technology for high performance music enjoyment. The technological breakthrough revolves around the BAdrivers, which are micro-sized construction that are ¼ the sizeof conventional dynamic drivers, yet retaining the ability toachieve high resolution sound.


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Sony says its BA drivers are optimised for music enjoyment,and located within a sealed housing to reduce the amount ofambient noise, as well as significantly reducing the levels ofsound leakage - both in and out of the ear. The result is adeeper and richer sound, allowing for high-quality playbackover a broader sound range across all models of the new SonyBalanced Armature headphones.

"With audiophiles and music lovers in general continually inpursuit of greater sound quality, the Sony Balanced Armatureheadphones offers a new holistic auditory experience," saidMr. Yosuke Aoki, General Manager, Personal Imaging &Sound Asia Pacific, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific. "These newmodels will forever change the way one appreciates music bycatering to their individual specific needs."

The 11 models of in-ear headphones are as follows:

• XBA-1, XBA-2, XBA-3 and XBA-4: For high soundquality for common listening

• XBA-1iP, XBA-2 iP, XBA-3 iP and XBA-4 iP: Same as theXBA but with a remote control for use with music playersand hands-free talk for smartphones

• XBA-S65: Waterproof and washable for the sportingconsumer

• XBA-BT75: Bluetooth wireless headset model

• XBA-NC85D: The smallest and lightest in-earheadphone with digital noise cancelling

XBA-1, XBA-2, XBA-3 and XBA-4 headphones encompass one(full range), two (full range + woofer), three (full range +woofer + tweeter), and four (full range + woofer + tweeter+ super woofer) respectively. This allows music lovers topurchase the appropriate earphone with a frequency responsethat best suits their listening preference. The versions with theiP designation simply come with additional support for musicplayers and hands-free talk for smartphones.

Note that the XBA-S65 (Waterproof), XBA-BT75 (Bluetooth)and XBA-NC85D (Digital noise cancelling) features only asingle full range BA driver for each ear. In the case ofthe XBA-BT75 and XBA-NC85D, the micro-size of the newBA drivers does mean that the Bluetooth transmitter andnoise cancellation circuitry respectively are built right into theheadphone housing; including their rechargeable batteries.

The new Sony Balanced Armature in-ear headphones will beavailable from all authorised Sony dealers from November2011.

ECS X79R-AX Black SeriesMotherboard PicturedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ecs-x79r-ax-black-series-motherboard-

pictured/13574.html


Here are the first pictures of ECS' top-of-the-line socketLGA2011 motherboard, the X79R-AX Black Series. Thisstandard ATX form-factor motherboard crams in a ton ofconnectivity and features to tick all the boxes as far as Intel'snext-generation HEDT (high-end desktop) platform goes. It'sgot room for 4-way SLI or CrossfireX, a strong-looking VRM,and connectivity galore.

Here are the first pictures of ECS' top-of-the-line socketLGA2011 motherboard, the X79R-AX Black Series. Thisstandard ATX form-factor motherboard crams in a ton ofconnectivity and features to tick all the boxes as far as Intel'snext-generation HEDT (high-end desktop) platform goes. It'sgot room for 4-way SLI or CrossfireX, a strong-looking VRM,and connectivity galore.

Styled in ECS' signature black, white, and gray color-sheme,the X79R-AX belongs to the "Black Series" line of premiummotherboards by the company, which helped build the itsimage as a premium board vendor. The LGA2011 socket takesin upcoming Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E" processors, the socketitself is LOTES-made. The socket is powered by a 14-phaseVRM, seven sets of Driver-MOSFETs and chokes on eithersides of the PCB. We can imagine this to be a heavily layeredPCB to keep signaling proper, when you have high-currentelectrical components on even the reverse-side of the PCB.


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The CPU socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, two on itseither sides. Each slot has its own 64-bit wide data path to thememory controller, since Sandy Bridge-E packs a hefty quad-channel (256-bit) DDR3 integrated memory controller. Up to32 GB of DDR3-2400 MHz (via OC) memory can be installed.The memory slots are powered by a 4-phase VRM.

Expansion slots include four well spaced-out PCI-Express 3.0x16 slots, which depending on the way they're populated, areelectrically configured (top to bottom) as x16/NC/x16/NC, orx8/x8/x8/x8, or x16/NC/x8/x8. Switching is handled by newASMedia ASM1480 lane switches, that are PCI-Express 3.0compliant.

Other expansion slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x1.

VIA powered Zotac ZBOX nanoappear in JapanSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/via-powered-zotac-zbox-nano-appear-

in-japan/13573.html


After having seen Zotac's dual core VIA Nano X2 poweredZBOX nano at Computex back in June, we were surprisedwhen the company launched an AMD E-350 powered modelinstead of the VIA mode, but lo and behold, the VIA version hasarrived, well, at least in Japan. We have as yet to see an officialannouncement from Zotac, but we're sure this will come in duetime.

After having seen Zotac's dual core VIA Nano X2 poweredZBOX nano at Computex back in June, we were surprisedwhen the company launched an AMD E-350 powered modelinstead of the VIA mode, but lo and behold, the VIA version hasarrived, well, at least in Japan. We have as yet to see an officialannouncement from Zotac, but we're sure this will come in duetime.

The size hasn't changed, so we're still looking at a127x127x45mm cube, although the internals have of coursechanged quite a bit. A minor cosmetic change includes a yellowcircle, instead of a green one on the AMD powered model.Around the front, we're looking at an identical setup as wellwith a memory card reader, a pair of audio jacks and an IRreceiver.

There doesn't appear to have been any changes made to therear either, as here we find a DisplayPort, and HDMI port,two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet jack, aneSATA port and the Wi-Fi antenna. Internally things are quitedifferent though, as here we find VIA's Nano X2 U4025 dualcore CPU which is clocked at 1.2GHz with an 18W TDP. It'sbeen paired up with the VIA VX900H chipset, although wecouldn't find any reference to this specific model, nor the CPUmodel on VIA's website.


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A single SO-DIMM will accept up to 4GB of DDR3 memoryand there's of course space for a 2.5-inch drive. It also sports802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 and just like with theAMD model, you get an external IR receiver, a remote controland a VESA mounting plate in the box. The VIA poweredmodel goes under the name of ZBOX nano-VD01 and it'sexpected to hit retail in Japan later this month for somewherearound 10,000 Yen (S$162/US$130), although exact pricinghas as yet not been confirmed.

Global Foundries GTC Taiwan2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/global-foundries-gtc-

taiwan-2011/13572.html


Yesterday we attended Global Foundries Global TechnologyConference 2011 in Hsinchu, Taiwan and although thecompany didn't reveal anything new in addition to what wasannounced at its conference in in Santa Clara a couple of weeksago, as we didn't attend that conference, we thought we'd sumup some of the things the company is working on. As alwayswith these kind of events, only so many details are revealed,as much of what Global Foundries does are company secrets,or it's related to its partners products and as such GlobalFoundries can't talk about a lot of the specifics.

Yesterday we attended Global Foundries Global TechnologyConference 2011 in Hsinchu, Taiwan and although thecompany didn't reveal anything new in addition to what wasannounced at its conference in in Santa Clara a couple of weeksago, as we didn't attend that conference, we thought we'd sumup some of the things the company is working on. As alwayswith these kind of events, only so many details are revealed,as much of what Global Foundries does are company secrets,or it's related to its partners products and as such GlobalFoundries can't talk about a lot of the specifics.

It's clear that being in the foundry business is a risky thing,least not looking at the big ups and downs in the marketwhich affects a foundry directly when customers end up withtoo much stock of a certain product. That said, since theearly 1980's the year or year growth for the semiconductorindustry has grown from US$15 billion to US$314 billion andit's expected to grow further as we're moving towards moreconnected devices. Jim Kupec, the SVP of sales and market atGlobal Foundries mentioned that today's biggest driving forcefor new devices are teenagers and although this might not beentirely true, a lot of the devices out there are targeting theyounger end of the market.

That said, Global Foundries aren't exactly slowing down theirinvestments as the company is busy investing in all of itsfacilities. It's facility in New York reached its “ready forequipment” date two months early and Global Foundriesshould be kicking off test production here this year, althoughthis facility isn't expected to go into full production until earlynext year. Fab 1 in Germany has started volume productionof 32nm parts for AMD earlier this year and it's also doingsome 28nm production tests and it will transition entirelyto 28nm in the near future. Fab 7 in Singapore has beenupgraded to produce anything between 40 and 65nm andis currently under evaluation to move to 300mm wafersin the future. It's also worth noting that Global Foundrieshave several additional facilities in Singapore which are allproduction various kinds of solutions such as MEMS andspecial components for the auto industry etc.


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By next year Global Foundries expects to be ramping its 28nmproducts and even start some initial 20nm production at Fab8 in the US. Furthermore the company is expecting to rampcapacity in Fab 1, 7 and 8 as the company is expecting demandfor what it calls leading edge technology (65nm and below) toincrease and this is also where the company is seeing close to70 percent of its revenues from.

Global Foundries also addressed the concerns that someoutside observers have had with regards to its High-k MetalGate manufacturing process and the company has produced2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 test chip with its 28nm-SLP technologyand hit 3GHz with its 28nm-HPP process. That said, AMD'sFusion processors in the A-series are also built using GlobalFoundries HKMG manufacturing process and despite beinglate, the volumes are ramping, although the company wouldn'tgo into any specifics here either due to non-disclosureagreements with AMD. All future processors from AMD for atleast the next 12 months should be based on Global Foundries32nm HKMG process, including the upcoming FX-series andAMD's next generation A-series APUs.

AMD benchmarks FX againstIntel CPUsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-benchmarks-fx-against-intel-

cpus/13571.html


Right alongside the Trinity demonstration, AMD also showedoff its FX CPUs - with competing Intel CPUs by the side.Two AMD FX CPUs were shown benchmarked against twoIntel Core CPUs, both times the FX CPUs coming out on top.However, neither victory was comprehensive.

The first benchmark pegged a AMD FX 8-core CPU against asimilarly priced Intel Core i5 in Handbrake. While the exactmodels weren't revealed, it is likely a Core i5 2400/2500and FX-8100/8120 were benchmarked. A 5 minute standarddefinition was converted at 223 fps on the FX system against188fps for the Core i5. The conclusion is simple - AMD has a19% performance/price lead in Handbrake. While Handbrakeisn't as aggressively multi-threaded as Cinebench or X264, itdoes respond to multiple threads, giving AMD's 8-cores anadvantage (albeint disproportionate) over Intel's 4-core, 4-thread Core i5.

The second benchmark involved Dirt 3 running at 2560x1600with two Radeon HD 6970 cards in Crossfire. An unnamedFX CPU scored 82.8fps versus 80.9fps for the Intel Core i7980X. At such resolutions, games are extremely CPU limited,and slight performance difference does not reveal much.

The benchmarks don't reveal as much as we would have liked,but there are signs of status quo - Intel leading on performanceand IPC while AMD winning on performance/$ and especiallymultithreaded performance.

RIM launches BlackBerryTorch 9860 and BlackBerryTorch 9810 Smartphones inSingaporeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rim-launches-blackberry-torch-9860-

and-blackberry-torch-9810-smartphones-in-singapore/13570.html


RIM today announced the launch of two new BlackBerry 7OS smartphones in Singapore, the BlackBerry Torch 9860and BlackBerry Torch 9810. Pre-order for both smartphone


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models start today, with expected availability in Singapore onSeptember 22nd.

The new BlackBerry 7 operating system has been toutedto offer a significantly faster, and more fluid browsingexperience. Built on the WebKit browser engine, RIM says itsBlackBerry 7 smartphones deliver 40% faster browsing resultsthan BlackBerry 6 smartphones, as well as optimized zoomingand panning for smoother web navigation

The BlackBerry Torch 9810 is an evolution of the BlackBerryTorch 9800, which was RIM's first smartphone with acapacitance touch screen and a slide-out keyboard. Equippedwith a significantly faster 1.2 GHz processor under its hood fora zippy user experience, the Torch 9810 incorporates the sameform factor as older Torch. In addition, the Torch 9810 hasa 3.2" display that sports a VGA resolution of 640 x 480, aswell as a vastly expanded 768MB of RAM and 8GB of onboardmemory.

The BlackBerry Torch 9860, on the other hand, is a touch-only BlackBerry. With a depth of just 11.5mm, the Torch 9860comes with an even larger 3.7" display with a WVGA resolutionof 800 x 480. The Torch 9860 shares the same 1.2GHzprocessor and has the same amount of RAM and onboardmemory as the Torch 9810.

Gregory Wade, Regional Managing Director, East Asia atRIM, said: "This is an exciting period for RIM and weare thrilled to introduce two new BlackBerry 7 poweredsmartphones in Singapore. Both of these new BlackBerryTorch smartphones offer a full touch display and featureRIM's next generation of hardware and software to deliver theultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity."

For more information, visit http://sg.blackberry.com/

IDF Day 2: Mobile Ivy Bridge,Haswell shows up tooSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-2-mobile-ivy-bridge-haswell-

shows-up-too/13569.html


The ever-popular Mooly Eden keynote show focused onSandy / Ivy Bridge ultrabooks and the first showing of workingHaswell system.

The IDF second day is usually as exciting and news-packed asthe first one, especially since other speakers' keynotes may bemore 'liberal' and peppered with more juicy revelations thanwhat the CEO shows earlier. Mooly Eden, the VP in charge ofthe PC Client world - meaning desktops, notebooks and such,and the man who helped create Centrino, Core and all the wayup to Sandy Bridge processors, was there on stage to promoteIntel's next big mobile thing, the Ultrabook.

Now, Mooly has for some time preached a mantra that reallyreasonates beyond this whole processor thing: basically, withthe likes of iPod and iPad, and such, the users are becomingmore and more content consumers, not content creators.Then he dabbled into the left brain - right brain balancedilemma, with obvious focus on the right brain, which I have towelcome, myself being a pure 'right brain' left hander. That'swhere the Ultrabook comes as the ideal device - satisfying thepractical requirements of the left brain, while providing a toolto materialise the inspiration from the right brain.

You may think this doesn't make any sense, but actually it does- think carefully, ARM right now has an advantage only in the'content viewing' devices like smartphones and tablets, whileIntel rules the roost in 'content creation' devices like laptops,desktops and workstations. ARM wants to somehow go up,while Intel wants to expand downwards as well. The promise


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of added creation capability on Ultrabook - a notebook thatis barely larger than a tablet, but with full PC capability andno less sexy looking - appeals to that 'freedom' and 'creativity'of the right brain. After all, you don't need an 'app store' tobe controlled what you install on an Ultrabook, unlike with atablet.

The technical merits of barely 1 cm thick Ultrabooks stillinclude a decent dual core X86 CPU, preferably Ivy BridgeI guess, 13.3 inch or large screen - too bad most arein the infamous moviescreen 16:9 proportion at 1366x768,unproductive for serious work - and comfortable keyboardwith touchpad for full creative operability. The prizmaticbatteries are now there, instead of curvy ones, and brandnew super thin displays, including the new e-DP kind thatself refreshes the image for lower power use, and thin SSDdrive - the HDD makes little sense here. Knowing that most ofthese machines will cost above S$ 1,000 in retail, SSD is to beexpected. You can see the various vendors' early models here.

Frankly, with the 17 W CPU TDP budget in Ultrabooks, yet theneed for performance, I feel the real systems matching all therequirements will really wait for Ivy Bridge update six monthsfrom now, not to mention better displays at 1600x900 or evenFullHD resolution.

Mooly also ran the first fully working Haswell system here, noparticular surprises, and the case was closed from the outside.The point was that Intel is basically ready, with Ivy Bridgeramp up not far away, and even Haswell prototypes seemingly

working fine. Now, we just need more competition to spice upthe race...

Canon announces newLV-8320 LCD multimediaprojectorSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-announces-new-lv-8320-lcd-

multimedia-projector/13568.html


Canon Singapore had announced their latest multimediaprojector, LV-8320, designed for professionals who want todo presentations on the go. Weighing 3.4kg, the LV-8320claims to offer accurate images even under bright conditions,and features 1280x800 WXGA resolution, 3,000 lumensbrightness and 2,000:1 contrast ratio.

Canon has unveiled the new LV-8320 LCD multimediaprojector that features 1280x800 WXGA resolution, 3,000lumens brightness and 2000:1 contrast ratio. Weighing only3.4kg, it is ideal for professionals who need to do presentationson the go. The projector can project up to 1280 x 800 (WXGA)resolution and is compatible with modern widescreen laptopswithout the need to adjust. At 3000 lumens, projected imagesare vivid even under bright environments.

It also incorporates Intelligent Lamp Dimming System thatadjusts the lamp’s power output to suit the brightness of theimage, hence reducing power consumption by a significant69%. The projector can also adjust the color to maintain colorbalance at various brightness levels. The lamp has a longlifespan of up to 5,000 hours in Eco mode, and an air filter thatcan last 5,500 hours.

Users will be able to combine two projections within a singlescreen, increasing convenience for presenters and addinginterest to presentations. Users can either choose ‘picturein picture’ or ‘picture by picture’. The function also allows


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users to refer to, for example, a video or document, withoutswitching out from their presentation.

The projector is also packed with convenient input capabilitiesincluding HDMI, DVI, VGA and S-video. With the Auto InputSearch, the LV-8320 can automatically identify input signalswithout the need to manually switch source input. A built-in 10W speaker provides amplified audio where needed. Theprojector comes with Auto Keystone Correction that can detectthe projector’s tilt and correct distorted images.

The LV-8320 will be available from 16 September atauthorized Canon dealers at the recommended retail price ofS$1,599.

AMD demonstrates TrinitySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-demonstrates-trinity/13567.html


Not far away from IDF, AMD has demonstrated a notebookrunning the next-gen Trinity APU, running Deus Ex: HumanRevolution. This is not the first time AMD has showed offTrinity on a notebook, the first being at the AMD FusionDeveloper Summit back in June. While that was just a videoplayback, running a modern DX11 game shows that Trinity isup and running in force. If all goes well, we could see Trinityreleasing early in 2012, perhaps announced even as early asCES 2012 in January.

Not far away from IDF, AMD has demonstrated a notebookrunning the next-gen Trinity APU, running Deus Ex: HumanRevolution. This is not the first time AMD has showed offTrinity on a notebook, the first being at the AMD FusionDeveloper Summit back in June. While that was just a videoplayback, running a modern DX11 game shows that Trinity isup and running in force. If all goes well, we could see Trinity

releasing early in 2012, perhaps announced even as early asCES 2012 in January.

At this point, a fair bit is known about Trinity. Trinity isthe successor to Llano, and is likely to be the branded asthe next A Series (likely Ax-4xxx). The CPU part of Trinitygets a major upgrade, moving from the aging Stars cores toAMD's next-gen Piledriver architecture, an enhanced versionof Bulldozer. Trinity consists to 2-4 Piledriver cores or 1-2Piledriver modules. The GPU part gets an upgrade to a RadeonHD 7000 branded GPU, rumoured to be based on the VLIW-4architecture currently only available in Radeon HD 6900series on the desktop. Unlike mobile Llano, which spansTDPs from 35W to 45W, mobile Trinity is rumoured to scalefrom 17W ULV systems all the way to 60W high-performancenotebooks. While 60W may sound like a lot, it is reasonablefor a quad-core with a full fledged GPU on die.

You can view a video of the demo here, courtesy of Anandtech.While it doesn't give away much, it does show Trinity runningDeus Ex: HR smoothly with good IQ.

Sony Ericsson Xperia RayReview: A sleek and elegantAndroid phoneSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-ray-review-a-

sleek-and-elegant-android-phone/13523.html


Last month, VR-Zone was in Tokyo, Japan to learn more aboutthe design concept and engineering of the new Sony EricssonXperia ray. We also managed to get a a unit for review. So howgood is the Xperia ray with its fairly small 3.3-inch screen andhow does it compare to its larger screen competitors? Read onto find out.


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Android is growing steadily with recent statistics showing thatthe Google mobile operating system has taken 40 percent ofthe US smartphone market compared to 28 percent for Apple'siOS. This year, while we see a lot of new tablet devices, thephone makers are still churning out new smartphones whichare slimmer and have large displays, and are incorporatingfeatures such as scratch-resistant glass, 3D technologies aswell as high-tech LCD touchscreens for superb clarity andcolors, while maintaining a low power consumption.

Sony Ericsson launched their flagship Xperia arc earlier thisyear which measures just 8.7mm thick, has a 4.2-inch displayand weighs 117g. In June, the company unveiled their newrange of phones consisting of the Xperia ray, Xperia activeand the txt. In this review, we're taking a closer look at theSony Ericsson Xperia ray, but before we proceed, here's a quickbreakdown of the specifications:-

Sony Ericsson Xperia RayCPU 1GHz Scorpion processorMemory Internal: Up to 300MB free;

RAM: 512MBScreen 3.3-inches (WVGA)Graphics 854 x 480Display Resolution 8-megapixel camera w/ auto

focus, LED flashConnectivity 3.5mm audio, microUSB,

802.11b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, aGPSExpansion Slot microSD up to 32GBBattery life 1500mAh rechargeable

Lithium-ionTalk time Up to 440 hour standby time; Up to 420 min talk time Platform Android 2.3 GingerbreadDimensions 111 x 53 x 9.4 mmWeight 100g

"Phone Story" app gets ban inApple iTunes StoreSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-phone-story-app-gets-ban-in-apple-

itunes-store/13566.html


Developing an iPhone app that criticized how Apple doesbusiness, it is no wonder such app would get the ban. PhoneStory, is the latest victim to be on Apple's ban list as it criticizesthe company in the form of four games with regards to humanrights violation, gadget consumerism and creating e-waste.

Produced by Molleindustria, Phone Story is a smartphonegame that "attempts to provoke a critical reflection on itsown technological platform". From the game description,it consists of four educational games whereby playersymbolically complicit in coltan extraction in Congo,outsourced labor in China, e-waste in Pakistan and gadgetconsumerism in the West.

The developer claims that Phone Story is intended to serveas a reminder for users of the impact, though indirectlyaccusing Apple of human rights violation via dangerousextraction of coltan, a mineral used in manufacturingof consumer electronics products, worker abuse underquestionable conditions at companies such as Foxconn, andlaunching new products every year thus creating more e-waste. Apple has thus ban the app citing reasons including thedepiction of violence or abuse against children and excessivelyobjectionable or crude content.

Razer to design the ultimateXbox 360 arcade stick withcommunity effortSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-to-design-the-ultimate-

xbox-360-arcade-stick-with-community-effort/13565.html



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At this year Tokyo Game Show, peripheral maker Razer hasannounced co-development program with the arcade stickcommunity to come up with the ultimate arcade stick forthe Microsoft Xbox 360 game console. Beta testing of theprototype will commence soon.

Razer has announced a program to co-develop the ultimatearcade stick for the Microsoft Xbox 360 game console togetherwith the arcade stick community. The arcade stick, developedwith pro-gamer feedback, is currently at the prototype stage.Up to 200+ specially selected top-seed Street Fighter IVpro-gamers, influential modders, and members of the arcadeenthusiast community will each be given a Razer arcade stickto test and provide feedback to further improve it to perfection,whereupon the final design will then proceed to production.

Members of the arcade community worldwide interestedin participating in this beta program are encouraged tocontribute ideas at www.razerzone.com/bredtofight, alongwith a short description as to why they should be selected forprototype testing. Registrants can also nominate other peopleto the program. Up to 200+ successful applicants worldwidewill receive an arcade stick prototype delivered directly to theirhomes.

Razer will be launching this non-retail arcade stick closed betacommunity program at Tokyo Game Show. Select pro-gamersand key modders will also be approached to begin beta testingthe prototype.

For more information on the arcade stick or the communityprogram, please visit www.razerzone.com/bredtofight

September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Intel Remains Committed tothe Atom BrandSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-remains-committed-to-the-atom-

brand/13624.html

September 23rd, 2011

DigiTimes today ran a story about Intel's plans to rename theAtom brand under the upcoming Cedar Trail platform in 2012,due to poor brand image of Atom CPUs. We contacted an Intelspokesperson who responded by saying that there are no plansto change the Atom brand and that they are on track to launchnew Atom processors in Q4 and more next year. VR-Zone alsohad an opportunity to talk to Brian Fravel, Intel’s Director ofMarketing for Brand Strategy and Management who overseesthe Atom brand. Read more for the interview...

DigiTimes today ran a story about Intel's plans to rename theAtom brand under the upcoming Cedar Trail platform in 2012,due to poor brand image of Atom CPUs. We contacted an Intelspokesperson who responded by saying that there are no plansto change the Atom brand and that they are on track to launchnew Atom processors in Q4 and more next year.

Currently under the Atom brand, there are currently 5processors series; D, N, Z, E and CE where D is forperformance segment, N and E is for mainstream, Z is forBattery Optimized and CE is for Consumer Electronics.

VR-Zone had an opportunity to talk to Brian Fravel, Intel’sDirector of Marketing for Brand Strategy and Managementwho oversees the Atom brand. He confirmed that Intelremains extremely committed to the Atom brand and willcontinue to do so for 2012 and beyond.

According to Fravel, Atom is doing well in segments suchas Smart TVs where Intel Atom CE 4100 (Sodaville) chips arepowering Google TV and Sony Internet TV. In the mobilityspace, Atom will continue to make in-roads into the netbook/entry level desktop space with 32nm Cedar Trail which isexpected to launch in Q4 this year. Tablet/smartphoneswith 32nm Medfield SoC are slated for a H1 2012 release,and a tablet/hybrid 32nm Clover Trail succeeding Oak Trailsometime next year.

The recent public demonstrations of their Atom solutions overat Intel Developer Forum and Microsoft BUILD conferencealso clearly showed Intel is fully behind their Atom chips.At IDF, Intel has showed a Medfield powered smartphoneand at BUILD, Microsoft has showed a tablet poweredby a 32nm Atom chip which we believe is a Medfield.According to our sources, Medfield is a single-core chipsupporting HyperThreading and Clover Trail is essentially aSoC version of Cedar Trail which is dual-core chip supportingHyperThreading.

AU by KDDI to carry AppleiPhone 5 in Japan early 2012Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/au-by-kddi-to-carry-apple-iphone-5-in-

japan-early-2012/13623.html


Japanese mobile phone carrier, AU by KDDi, hasrecently spilled the beans about the upcoming Apple iPhone5, as reported by Nikkei Business. However, as opposed to itsearlier report that AU by KDDI would be selling the phone inearly November, Nikkei said that the telco operator would beselling in early 2012 instead,

Nikkei Business has earlier reported that AU by KDDI willbe selling the new iPhone 5 in early November. But it seemsthat Nikkei, the sibling entity of Nikkei Business, said that theoperator would only be selling the highly anticipated AppleiPhone 5 in early 2012 instead. Softbank has been the exclusive


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telco operator for the iPhone in the past three years, but itseems that AU by KDDI, who is the second largest mobilephone carrier to NTT DoCoMo, has managed to seal thecontract to sell the iPhone 5 in Japan. This could be good newsto AU users, especially those who have switched to Softbankbecause of the iPhone.

Samsung to launch GalaxySkin with flexible AMOLEDscreen next year?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-to-launch-galaxy-skin-with-

flexible-amoled-screen-next-year-/13622.html


The Samsung Galaxy Skin was unveiled at CES 2011 andfeatures a bendable and foldable display that is able towithstand hard blows. However, the phone was still inconceptual stage, though if reports are true, the SamsungGalaxy Skin could become commercial next year.

Featuring a bendable, foldable AMOLED display, the SamsungGalaxy Skin is probably the most flexible mobile phone todate. Well, if it goes to retail that is. This new conceptualizedphone was showcased at Hongik University in South Korea lastJune, and at CES 2011. According to Samsung, the Galaxy Skinincorporates flexible AMOLED displays, instead of glass, andis said to use a plastic polyimide substrate. The tests showedthat the displays are able to bend around a cylinder, measuringjust an inch in diameter.

In terms of specifications, the Samsung Galaxy Skin willsport a 4-inch bendable AMOLED display (800x400), 8-megapixel rear and VGA front cameras, 1.2GHz processor,1GB memory, and supports Bluetooth 3.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n connectivity. The phone may not run the new AndroidIce Cream Sandwich, but a new mobile operating systemcalled Android Flexy. According to news sources, Samsunghas already confirmed that the production of these flexibleAMOLED displays will begin in the Q2 2012 next year, which

means that we could see the Samsung Galaxy Skin in storesbefore end 2012.

Source: androidpit, gadgets and gizmos

Samsung open doors to newmemory fab, starts churningout 2Xnm DDR3Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-open-doors-to-new-memory-

fab-starts-churning-out-2xnm-ddr3/13621.html


Back in May last year Samsung started building its Line-16memory fab and trial production kicked off back in June thisyear, followed by mass production in August and the companyhas now announced that the Fab has gone into full production.According to Samsung this is the world's largest memory Faband that in itself might be impressive, but what we're moreinterested in is Samsung new 20nm "class" DDR3 memory andNAND flash which is being made in the Fab.


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Back in May last year Samsung started building its Line-16memory fab and trial production kicked off back in June thisyear, followed by mass production in August and the companyhas now announced that the Fab has gone into full production.According to Samsung this is the world's largest memory Faband that in itself might be impressive, but what we're moreinterested in is Samsung new 20nm "class" DDR3 memory andNAND flash which is being made in the Fab.

As you'd expect, the new Fab is located in Korea and is a partof Samsung's Nano City complex in Hwaseong. It has 198,000square meters of workspace and is a 12 story building. In theFab Samsung can manufacture over 10,000 12-inch wafers of2Xnm NAND flash plus an unknown amount of DDR3 wafers.That's a serious amount of memory and it's easy to see whySamsung is one of the leading memory manufacturers in theworld.

Samsung is also expecting to move to 10nm class NANDflash production at the Fab come next year. Additionally thecompany will move from 2Gbit DDR3 DRAM chips to 4Gbitchips later this year, which will be used in 4, 8, 16 and 32GBDDR3 DIMMs, although apparently we'll have to wait untilnext year before these hit retail. Samsung is expecting tooutput 50 percent more memory chips by moving from 3Xnmto 2Xnm and claims that the 2Xnm chips will use up to 40percent less power than its 3Xnm chips. Hopefully from aconsumer perspective this means that we can look forward tomore affordable SSDs and sustained memory prices over atleast the next 12 months.

Gigabyte's GA-A75N-USB3mini-ITX motherboard picturedahead of launchSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-s-ga-a75n-usb3-mini-itx-

motherboard-pictured-ahead-of-launch/13618.html


The GA-A75N-USB3 was announced quite some time ago,although nothing much have been heard about the productsince. Now picture of an early revision of the mini-ITXmotherboard has appeared over on a Japanese website andalthough we expect some minor cosmetic changes beforelaunch, we can't be too far from an official unveiling.

The GA-A75N-USB3 was announced quite some time ago,although nothing much have been heard about the productsince. Now picture of an early revision of the mini-ITXmotherboard has appeared over on a Japanese website andalthough we expect some minor cosmetic changes beforelaunch, we can't be too far from an official unveiling.

The A75N-USB3 is a fairly basic motherboard, but as such itshould also be quite affordable. Standard features include twoDIMM slots, four SATA 6Gbps ports and a x16 PCI Expressslot. We can also spot a front USB 2.0 pin header, but that

appears to be pretty much it. We'd expect the chipset heatsinkto change before the board goes on sale.

Around the back the board has four USB 3.0 ports, twoUSB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an eSATA port, threeanalogue audio jacks, optical S/PDIF out and a DVI and HDMIport. It's good to see that Gigabyte has finally given up on theD-sub connector, although we'd presume that the DVI portallows for a D-sub display to be used via an adaptor.

We did find a price as well, as the board is listed for pre-order with some online retailers. In Europe the board shouldretail for around €100 (S$176) which about on par with thecompetition, although it doesn't make it a bargain, especiallyconsidering its fairly basic feature set. We'll have to wait andsee what the official pricing will be once Gigabyte officiallylaunches the board.

Intel's upcoming Corei7-2700K expected to costmore than the 2600KSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-upcoming-core-i7-2700k-

expected-to-cost-more-than-the-2600k/13616.html


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For the longest of times Intel has follow a very linear pricingmodel with new faster models entering its price lists at thesame price point as its previously fastest model. However, itseems like this is all about to change with the introduction ofthe Core i7-2700K which is set to launch in about a months'time, as according to information VR-Zone has been privy to,the 2700K will be pricier than the 2600K.

For the longest of times Intel has follow a very linear pricingmodel with new faster models entering its price lists at thesame price point as its previously fastest model. However, itseems like this is all about to change with the introduction ofthe Core i7-2700K which is set to launch in about a months'time, as according to information VR-Zone has been privy to,the 2700K will be pricier than the 2600K.

Sadly we can't reveal the exact price point of the 2700K as itwould get our source in a lot of trouble, but suffice to say, it'llnot end up at the US$317 list price of the 2600K. We'd expectthe actual retail price of the 2700K to end up somewhere closeto US$340-350 at launch, not massive increase in price, butstill an unusual move by Intel. It's possible that the companyisn't ready to replace the 2600K, although if this is the case,then this will be the first time we see two K SKU CPUs in thesame sub family of CPUs from Intel.

The Core i7-2700K will have a base clock of 3.5GHz, up100MHz from the 2600K, although it's otherwise identical tothe 2600K. This also means that the highest multiplier is stillstuck at 57x, but we've also heard via the grapevine that the2700K is proving to be a better overclocker than the 2600K.Intel is apparently cherry picking the best of the best of itsSandy Bridge cores for the 2700K, which helps when it comesto the overclocking potential. We shouldn't have to wait toolong to find out, as Intel is expect to launch the CPU on the24th of October.

Update:Fudzilla seems to have found out a more accurate pricepoint and claim that the Core i7-2700K should retail for US$331.

The Body Shop to launchthe iButterfly Asia iPhoneapplication tomorrowSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-body-shop-to-launch-the-

ibutterfly-asia-iphone-application-tomorrow/13613.html


This year is The Body Shop's 35th anniversary andthe cosmetic company will be launching their iButterfly AsiaiPhone application in Singapore tomorrow. The iButterflyAsia iPhone app is designed to engage and reach out topotential customers with electronic discount coupons, productgiveaways and useful content.

Cosmetic company The Body Shop will be launching theiButterfly Asia iPhone app tomorrow, 23 September, inSingapore. This is the first time the app is coming here,following recent successes in Tokyo and Hong Kong.The campaign will be running from 23 September to 16October,coinciding with the ethical beauty brand’s 35thbirthday celebrations.

The iButterfly Asia iPhone app is designed to engage, captureand reach out to potential users via a paper-less "couponentertainment". The objective is to catch the "butterflies"with each containing a variety of discount coupons, productgiveaways and beneficial content. The application can bedownloaded for free at the Apple iTunes App Store, andsupports iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices (with iOS4.2and above). It works withiin 150m radius of the vicinity ofany of The Body Shop stores in Singapore whereby you cancatch the "butterflies". These butterflies are air tags createdusing augmented reality and location information elements.The smartphone‘s global positioning system (GPS) and theirmotion sensors are then used to "catch" the butterflies. Onceusers have captured their butterflies, they will be able toredeem for free prizes and great discounts off products at anyThe Body Shop outlet. Each butterfly is unique to The BodyShop brand.

Throughout the campaign period, consumers can catch thesebutterflies using their iPhones and take advantage of iButterflyAsia-exclusive offers, including 10 grand prizes of S$500worth of The Body Shop products. These special editionbutterflies will make appearances throughout the campaign.

The public can follow The BodyShop Singapore on Facebookat www.facebook.com/thebodyshopsingapore starting 23rdSeptember to get instant updates and how-to information onThe Body Shop iButterfly Asia campaign.


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OCZ announces second SSDcaching solution with theSynapse seriesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-announces-second-ssd-caching-

solution-with-the-synapse-series/13614.html


If OCZ's RevoDrive Hybrid is outside of your budget, thenits new Synapse series of SSDs might appeal to you as thenew range of drives have been designed specifically for SSDcaching. The good news is that you don't need chipset levelsupport to take advantage of the SSD caching feature either, asOCZ has integrated software from Dataplex that handles thecaching part.

If OCZ's RevoDrive Hybrid is outside of your budget, thenits new Synapse series of SSDs might appeal to you as thenew range of drives have been designed specifically for SSDcaching. The good news is that you don't need chipset levelsupport to take advantage of the SSD caching feature either, asOCZ has integrated software from Dataplex that handles thecaching part.

So what makes the Synapse series of SSD's different fromany other SSD? Well, OCZ are selling them as 64 and 128GBmodels, but you only get half of that space thanks to 50percent overprovisioning. This means that the drive is likelyto last longer than the hard drive it'll work in tandem withand OCZ claims a MTBF time of 2 million hours, which oddlyenough isn't higher than OCZ's other SSD's, despite the highoverprovisioning.

The Synapse series features SATA 6Gbps interface and bothmodels have a rated max read speed of up to 550MB/s whereas

the 64GB model has a max write speed of up to 490MB/s whilethe 128GB should be slightly faster at up to 510MB/s. The maxIOPS are slightly lower than for OCZ's other SSD's based on theSandForce SF-2281 controller which is surprising, althoughthe difference isn't that big.

OCZ doesn't supply much information with regards to how theDataplex caching software works, only that it takes some timefor it to build up the cache, as per any other caching system.One slightly different feature is that the Dataplex software candynamically handle which is stored on the SSD and the harddrive, which seems to suggest that frequently used softwaremight be stored on the SSD rather than the hard drive.

OCZ claims that the drives are available as of now, but wehaven't found anyone listing them for sale and OCZ didn'treveal pricing. We're going to try to get a unit in for review anddo a comparison with other SSD caching solutions.

Nikon COOLPIX P7100,P1200pj, S6200, S8200 on salenowSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-p7100-p1200pj-s6200-

s8200-on-sale-now/13612.html


Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date forCOOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200 officially starttoday, 22nd September 2011, Thursday. They are going for S$799, S$629, S$349 and S$519 respectively.

Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date forCOOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200 officially starttoday, 22nd September 2011, Thursday.

ProductName

ColorsAvailable


RecommendedRetailPrice

COOLPIXP7100

• Black • 10.1megapixelswith 3”LCD

• 7.1 opticalzoom

• 28mmwide-angleto 200mmtelephotolens

• Fasterresponseand lessernoise

$799


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• SpecialEffectmode

• Tone levelinformationdisplay

• Full HDmovierecordingwith stereosound

COOLPIXP1200pj

• Black

• Pink

• 14.1megapixelswith 3”LCD

• 5x opticalzoom with28mmwide-angle

• Brighterprojectionup to 60”display

• Projectimages viaiPhone,iPad oriPodTouch*

• SpecialEffectmode

*viadedicatedcable

$629

COOLPIXS6200

• Silver

• Black

• White

• Blue

• Red

• Pink

• 16.0megapixelswith 2.7”LCD

• 10xopticalzoom with25mmwide-angle


• Specialand FilterEffectsmode

• Hand-held/tripodnightlandscapedetection

$349

COOLPIXS8200

• Silver

• Black

• Red

• 16.1megapixelswith

• 14xopticalzoom with25mmwide-angle

• BacksideilluminationCMOSsensor


• Targetfinding AFfunction

•Continuousshootingfunction

• Smiletimercontinuousmode

• NightScenemode

• Specialand Filtereffect mode

• EasyPanorama


• Stillimageduringmovierecording

$519

Sony ICF-DS15iP clock radiooffers great audio experienceand alarm to wake you upSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-icf-ds15ip-clock-radio-offers-

great-audio-experience-and-alarm-to-wake-you-up/13610.html



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Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has launched their ‘all-in-one’clock radio, the ICF-DS15iP, which is sleek, has large volumeoutput and is compatible with Apple iPod and iPhone devices.It features Mega Bass and Mega Xpand Sound system, andcomes with a remote control to access the playback and alarmoptions easily.

Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has announced their latest clockradio - the ICF-DS15iP - that features a docking station forApple iPod and iPhone devices. With a sleek finish, the newclock radio dock may seem small but it is capable of providingmore sound options with its Mega Bass and Mega XpandSound system and large volume output. Additionally, usersare now able to control the music from anywhere in the roomusing the supplied remote control, giving them the freedom tochange the music or turn off an alarm without having to bein close proximity to the clock radio. The new ICF-DS15iP isavailable in both black and silver and will be available in AsiaPacific from October 2011 onwards.

Samsung introducesMultiView MV800 compactcamera with flip-out touchdisplaySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-introduces-multiview-

mv800-compact-camera-with-flip-out-touch-display/13609.html


Flip-out display on a digital camera for user to capturepictures even in an awkward angle, isn't a new feature,However, Samsung has implemented the flip-out touchdisplay (including some of the buttons) on the their newMultiView MV800 compact camera.

Samsung has unveiled their new ultra slim and stylishMultiView MV800 camera that features enhanced picturequality and touch screen technology. The MultiView MV800builds on the success of Samsung’s dual screen technology andis the first premium compact model to feature a 3-inch wideflip-out touch display for flexibility, enjoyment and creativity.You can snap a high-angle shot over the crowd or low-angleshot on the ground to effortlessly frame and capture pictures.For self-portraits, simply spin the display around. In terms ofspecifications, the MV800 features an 16.1-megapixels sensorand 5x optical and 26mm wide-angle zoom lens that can shootsuperior quality images.

With the Live Panorama function, you can take photosof large groups or panoramic view by holding the camerashutter button, and then preview the entire scene on the LCDtouch display. Other features include the Smart Touch 3.0with Wallpaper user interface that allows user to drag andscroll through menu options to launch the required featureintuitively with just a touch; Magic Frame feature with 12fun background templates; and Funny Face feature that letsyou bend, stretch and manipulate portraits by tapping anddragging to radically distort facial characteristics.

Renesas passes USB-IFcertification, againSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/renesas-passes-usb-if-certification-

again/13608.html


Although we're not entirely surprised, Renesas has passedthe USB-IF certification for its most recent USB 3.0 hostcontrollers, the µPD720201 and the µPD720202. We're mostlikely looking at the last host controllers to get certificationthis year, although we know that both Etron and ASMedia arelooking at the four port market.


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Although we're not entirely surprised, Renesas has passedthe USB-IF certification for its most recent USB 3.0 hostcontrollers, the µPD720201 and the µPD720202. We're mostlikely looking at the last host controllers to get certificationthis year, although we know that both Etron and ASMedia arelooking at the four port market.

Back in March Renesas said it would kick off mass productionof the µPD720201 and the µPD720202 come September andhaving passed USB-IF certification it looks like the companyis ready to go. Considering that the company (then under thebanner of NEC Electronics) was the first to launch a USB3.0 host controller, the speedy certification might not be sosurprising, although we have a feeling that the company gotVIP treatment by the USB-IF as well because of its specialstanding with the USB-IF.

The two new host controllers will offer two or four portsdepending on model and Renesas claim that it offers theworld's lowest power consumption when it comes to USB 3.0host controllers. This should hopefully mean more interestfrom notebook manufacturers, as USB 3.0 is still far from astandard feature even on high-end notebooks. The new chipsare also smaller, at 7x7 or 8x8mm compared to 10x10mm forthe previous generations and Renesas has moved away fromexpensive BGA packaging to more affordable QFN packaging.

Add to that a claimed performance increase of 20 percentfor reads and 40 percent for writes and it looks like Renesashas an appealing product on hand. Sadly we didn't see thesekinds of performance boosts in our USB 3.0 host controllerroundup in which Renesas kindly lent us a µPD720201 hostcontroller. That said, our SATA 6Gbps bridge combined withearly drivers are likely part of the issue here, although that isjust speculation from our side for now.

We haven't heard anything with regards to motherboardmanufacturers picking up the new host controllers fromRenesas, but we have a feeling MSI is in line to move on tosomething newer and faster, as the company is still using theolder models from Renesas on its motherboards. We'll simplyhave to wait and see what host controllers the final X79 boardswill feature, as that should give us a good idea as to whoRenesas new partners are. No official press release have beenissued as yet, but both models are listed over at the USB-IF ascertified.

Zotac set to launch AMD A75ZBOX, motherboard tooSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zotac-set-to-launch-amd-a75-zbox-

motherboard-too/13607.html


Showing off sneak peeks of upcoming products have becomequite the trend these days, either on Facebook or Twitter andaccording to Zotac's Facebook page, the company is going tointroduce at least one new product tomorrow. So far there areonly a couple of pictures that don't give away too much detail,just enough to tell us that it's an AMD A75 based product. Thispiqued our interest and we managed to dig up quite a lot ofdetails on what Zotac is getting ready to announce.

Showing off sneak peeks of upcoming products have becomequite the trend these days, either on Facebook or Twitter andaccording to Zotac's Facebook page, the company is going tointroduce at least one new product tomorrow. So far there areonly a couple of pictures that don't give away too much detail,just enough to tell us that it's an AMD A75 based product. Thispiqued our interest and we managed to dig up quite a lot ofdetails on what Zotac is getting ready to announce.

We're not quite sure if we'll see more than one announcementtomorrow, but from what we've managed to dig out, Zotacwill be offering a new ZBOX in the shape of the A75ITX-A aswell as a new mini-ITX motherboard called the A75ITX. Themotherboard in question will of course be the one fitted insidethe new ZBOX. Zotac's Facebook page managed to give awaythe fact that we're looking at a pair of Gigabit Ethernet portsas well as eight USB 3.0 ports, but nothing much else wasrevealed.

As we're looking at yet another mini-ITX board from Zotac,but as always the company has packed in as many featuresas it possibly can. The board has four SATA 6Gbps ports, twoDIMM slots and a single x16 PCI Express slot and this is prettymuch the norm for a mini-ITX board. However, in typicalZotac manner, we find a mini PCI Express slot that houses an802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi card with Bluetooth 3.0, a pin-header fortwo front USB 3.0 ports as well as for two front USB 2.0 ports.

Around the back is a single PS/2 port, an additional six USB3.0 ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, the Wi-Fi antennas, aclear CMOS button, 7.1-channel analogue audio jacks with anoptical S/PDIF out and a DVI and HDMI port. Oddly enoughthere's a jumper on the board that allows the user to selectbetween DVI or D-sub output for the DVI port, a feature we'venever seen before and that of course still requires a converter.


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Sadly we don't have any details as to what the new ZBOX willlook like, as presumably it'll be bigger than Zotac's currentmodels due to the more powerful and hotter running CPU. Wecan't think of a current ZBOX that would be able to house asuitable cooler, as not even the 65W APU's would work. Assuch we're simply going to have to wait and see what Zotaclaunches tomorrow.

Free upgrade to ESET NOD32Antivirus 5 & Smart Security 5Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/free-upgrade-to-eset-nod32-

antivirus-5--smart-security-5/13606.html


ESET is set to launch NOD32 Antivirus 5 and SmartSecurity 5 in Singapore on 1st October. Meanwhile, customerswho purchase V4 will get FREE upgrade to V5. No pricinginformation is being released at this point of time but it isexpected to cost higher than the current V4. Therefore, it isdefinitely worthwhile for customers to purchase V4 now. ESETNOD32 Antivirus 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$26 whileESET Smart Security 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$36on version 2 estore.

ESET is set to launch NOD32 Antivirus 5 and Smart Security5 in Singapore on 1st October. Meanwhile, customers whopurchase V4 will get FREE upgrade to V5. No pricinginformation is being released at this point of time but it isexpected to cost higher than the current V4. Therefore, it is

definitely worthwhile for customers to purchase V4 now. ESETNOD32 Antivirus 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$26 whileESET Smart Security 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$36 onversion 2 estore.

Bose launches Companion 20multimedia speaker system inSingaporeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/bose-launches-companion-20-

multimedia-speaker-system-in-singapore/13605.html


Fancy looking for a high-quality audio speakers for your PC?Well, Bose has launched their new Companion 20 multimediaspeaker systems in Singapore that boast superb performancewithout the need of a subwoofer. The Bose Companion 20 isnow available at authorized retailers.

Atlas Sound & Vision, one of Singapore’s premium audiovisual retailer and distributor, has introduced the latest BoseCompanion 20 multimedia speaker system, which claims todeliver a new level of performance for two-piece computerspeakers. You can enjoy natural sound without the need for aseparate subwoofer. The Companion 20 system features a newdriver and advanced port to reproduce music across the fullfrequency range. Each speaker fits neatly to the right and leftof a laptop or monitor, with the acoustic image being expandedby a sophisticated implementation of Bose TrueSpace stereodigital signal processing. The perceived soundstage is wide andspacious, even with the speakers’ narrow placement.

Additional proprietary digital signal processing and activeelectronic equalisation ensures accurate sound reproduction.At the highest listening levels, there is no distortion – andwhen played quietly, music still can be enjoyed with detail andrealism. The new Companion 20 operation is made easy witha small, circular control pod that lets users adjust volume andaccess one-touch muting. It also offers a headphone jack andinput for an additional audio source; for example an iPhone,iPod or other portable devices.


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Pricing and Availability

The Bose Companion 20 multimedia speaker system isavailable in silver and retail at S$539 from selected partnersand the Atlas Experience AudioVisual Boutique @ TripleOneSomerset, and Bose @ Millenia Walk.

Nikon announces new Nikon 1advanced mirrorless cameraswith interchangeable lensSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-announces-new-nikon-1-

advanced-mirrorless-cameras-with-interchangeable-lens/13603.html


If you have been following the news recently, rumors havesuggested that Nikon could be announcing new mirrorlesscameras. And today, in Singapore, the word is finally out.The camera maker has officially unveiled their new Nikon 1advanced mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lens, J1and V1.

With other camera manufacturers coming up with theirmirrorless cameras, it was just a matter of time Nikon wouldlaunch theirs, and launch they did. The Nikon 1 brand is anadvanced camera with interchangeable lens that claims to"propose new forms of imaging expression and enjoyment".The new brand joins the existing Nikon D-series digital SLRcameras and COOLPIX line of compact digital cameras inNikon's portfolio. At launch, the company showcased theJ1 with a minimalistic design and five colors (black, white,silver, red and pink) that would appeal to casual users; andthe V1 (in black or white) is designed for photographersenthusiasts and comes with an electronics viewfinder. Withthis announcement, one can't help but wonder if Canon wouldalso be going the mirrorless camera way.

*Above pic - the Nikon V1 with the Olympus E-P3 and theOlympus XZ-1

The Nikon J1 and V1 both feature the new Nikon 1 mountlens system, 13.2 x 8.8mm CMOS sensor that supports 10.1-megapixel resolution and high speed EXPEED 3 imaging-processing engine. The J1 is about the size of most mainstreamcompact digital cameras, weighing about 277g (with batteryand memory card but without body cap), and features dustshield glass, electronic shutter and pop-up flash.

The rear holds the 3-inch LCD display, mode dial(still image, Smart Photo Selector, movie and MotionSnapshot) and standard buttons including Display, Playback,Menu, zoom etc.


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The Nikon V1 is a little bigger than the J1 sibling and has aprotrusion at the top that houses the electronic viewfinder. Italso does not have the pop-up flash, although in its place is aNikon 1 proprietary hot shoe for other camera accessories suchas an external flash unit. It would be interesting to see howwell the Nikon V1 would sell as compared to the J1, especiallywhen it does not have a built-in flash for users who may wantto shoot pictures at dim lighting environment. At press time,the company did not announce the local retail price, and as foravailability, both the J1 and V1 are scheduled to be available inend October (or later).

We noticed that the shooting modes like Programmable,Manual, Aperture and Shutter Priority are not found on themode dial of both the J1 and V1. Apparently, these modes arelocated within the onscreen menu options, which can be aslight hassle for photographers who want to access them.

Report: AMD FX release dateand pricesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-fx-release-date-and-

prices/13604.html


Earlier this month, shopblt.com jumped the gun and listedAMD FX CPUs for pre-orders (the listing has since beenpulled) giving us an idea of prices for the first FX CPUs.DonanimHaber now reports prices for the same three SKUs.The top FX-8150 will purportedly retail for $245, FX-8120 at$205 and FX-6100 at $175. These three CPUs are set to releaseon October 12th.

Earlier this month, shopblt.com jumped the gun and listedAMD FX CPUs for pre-orders (the listing has since beenpulled) giving us an idea of prices for the first FX CPUs.DonanimHaber now reports prices for the same three SKUs.The top FX-8150 will purportedly retail for $245, FX-8120 at$205 and FX-6100 at $175. These three CPUs are set to releaseon October 12th.

This pegs the FX-8150 somewhere between Core i5 2500K andCore i7 2600K. However, with the Core i7 2700K incoming,the Core i7 2600K might just drop in price to compete withFX-8150. The FX-8120 will directly compete with Core i52500(K), while the FX-6100 will directly replace the PhenomII X6 1100T - which features the same number of cores at anidentical clock speed - and take on the recently released Corei5 2320.


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Quad-core FX-4100 series CPUs are expected to release laterin the year, with a family-wide refresh (rumoured to be witha new stepping) expected in Q1 2012. Featuring high clocksand reasonable prices, FX-4100 series could be an interestingchoice for gamers on a budget.

Samsung to open sourceBada, rely less on GoogleAndroidSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-to-open-source-bada-rely-

less-on-google-android/13602.html


With Google acquiring Motorola, it looks like Korean companySamsung plans to open source its Bada platform next year.The move is to get more manufacturers and developers to helpgrow the Bada ecosystem, and also to be less reliant on theAndroid mobile operating system.

Google's acquisition of Motorola has created a huge impact,especially to mobile phone makers. And Korean companySamsung is planning to open source its Bada platformnext year to garner support from other manufacturers anddevelopers, and to be less reliant on the Android operatingsystem. Although no concrete details is available at presstime, Samsung currently has no intention to acquire softwarecompany; not even HP's webOS.

Once the Bada platform has been made open-source, mobilephone and set-top box manufacturers are free to use andmodify the system, and hopefully attract more developersto create applications and grow the Bada ecosystem. InAugust, Google acquired Motorola for US$12.5 billion andcritics are worried that Motorola would be the search enginegiant's "direct descendant" with priority to the latest versionof Android. If Samsung continues to rely too heavily onAndroid, it could put the company at a disadvantage in

the mobile phone market. Prior to the news of acquisition,Samsung increased its support for other operating systems -the company will be launching three new Bada smartphonesin October.

Diablo 3 Closed Public BetaCommencesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/diablo-3-closed-public-beta-

commences/13600.html


If you have signed up for Blizzard's Diablo 3 closed public beta,you may want to check your email now; you could be selectedto participate in this game test. As a beta participant, you willget to play as one of the five heroes classes and part of Act Iof the game.

It was a long wait, but the highly anticipated Diablo III role-playing game from Blizzard may be launched soon. Today, thecompany has launched their closed public beta for the game,and if you have signed up for it, check your email or log in toyour Battle.net account now. You could be the lucky selectedparticipant for the game test.

According to the email from Blizzard, the selected beta testerwill get to check out all the five hero classes -- barbarian, witchdoctor, wizard, monk, and demon hunter - and fight his orher way through part of Act I and go head-to-skull againstthe Skeleton King either alone or in cooperative mode withother adventurers. On top of that, the tester will also get tomeet up with some of the artisans, followers, and other keycharacters from Sanctuary, and try out the game's skill andcrafting systems.

For those who have signed up for the Diablo 3 closed publicbeta, simply log in to Battle.net and click the "Account" button.If you have been selected, the Diablo III Beta game accountshould be listed under "Your Game Accounts". And for thisgroup of users, simply verify their age and select the operatingsystem to download the beta client (Windows or Mac). (Sorryfor those who didn't get selected).


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Nvidia unveils fifth core in Kal-ElSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-unveils-fifth-core-in-kal-

el/13599.html


In a blog post, Nvidia unveiled that its upcoming Tegra SoCcurrently codenamed Kal-El is not a quad core CPU but rathera quintuple core CPU. That said, the fifth core is quite differentto the first four and it's apparently also patented.

In a blog post, Nvidia unveiled that its upcoming Tegra SoCcurrently codenamed Kal-El is not a quad core CPU but rathera quintuple core CPU. That said, the fifth core is quite differentto the first four and it's apparently also patented.

Nvidia has put a really interesting twist on things by addingwhat it calls a "companion core". You might think that thismeans it's meant to handle various things that the main coresshouldn't have to be bothered with, but this isn't quite thecase. Instead, the companion core will take over the entiredevice when simple tasks such as audio and video playback,web browsing (basic web pages) or other similar things thatdoesn't require the power of the four main cores.

As such, the companion core has a maximum clock speed of500MHz according to a whitepaper that Nvidia also publishedtoday. It's still a Cortex-A9 core, but it's meant to be a powersipping alternative to the other four cores which will run atXGHz. Nvidia calls this Variable Symmetric Multiprocessing,or vSMP for short. The entire core is also built in low powerprocess technology instead of more performance focusedprocess technology for the other four cores, although we're notentirely sure how Nvidia has managed to pull this one off, asit's generally not possible to mix and match process technologyinside a chip.

The companion core also means lower power consumption instandby mode, as the four main cores are all switched off andonly the companion core is active. The only thing that isn'tvery clear is how Nvidia handles the switching between thecompanion core and the other four cores, as the companioncore can't be enabled at the same time as any of the four maincores. The whitepaper mentions that the L2 cache is sharedbetween the companion core and the main cores and as suchthere should be little to no noticeable lag for the user whencore switching takes place.

Nvidia is also making some bold claims with regards to powersavings compared to its current dual core Tegra 2 SoC. Even at40nm, Nvidia claims that Kal-El is some 14 to 61 percent more


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power efficient thanks to vSMP. The biggest power savingnumbers comes from HD video playback, with the smallestgain being during music playback. The company goes on tomake claims of being two to three times more power efficientthat its competitors, although that is of course current models,in this case from TI and Qualcomm.

If you're interesting in reading up on the power saving benefitsof Kal-El we suggest you head over to the blog post linkedbelow and check out the whitepapers for yourself. It'll beinteresting to see how Nvidia's competitors respond to this,but it seems like a very logical way forward, especially inmobile devices that spend a lot of their time in idle mode, or atleast most of their time running at far lower speeds than whattoday's and tomorrow's SoC's are capable of.

HTC Rhyme first impressionSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-rhyme-first-impression/13597.html


The HTC Rhyme is something of a delicate matter, as it's HTCsfirst phone that is said to have been designed with a femaleaudience in mind, yet it comes in dull colours and look quitea lot like every other HTC handset we've seen so far. Sure, it'snot black, but it's unlikely to set anyone's world on fire in termsof look and feel. So what makes this handset so special then?Well, we're not quite sure to be honest, but click on throughfor our first impression of HTC's latest handset.

The HTC Rhyme has a pair of unusual features, the first oneis the charm indicator which is short is an LED at the end ofa wire and the other being a “wireless” charger dock. Ok, somaybe we're being a bit blunt about it, but the charm indicatorreally is just that, a small LED in some plastic attached to awire that connects to the headphone socket. The LED will thenpulsate to let you know find your phone when lost in yourhandbag or flash when you have an incoming call. We shouldalso point out that the charm indicator can't be plugged in atthe same time as the headset.

The wireless charger doesn't rely on some fancy inductioncharger technology; instead it has a small row of connectors atthe back of the phone which interface with the dock and thuscharges the battery. HTC is also bundling a Bluetooth headsetas well as a wired headset with flat cables (not by Beats Audio),a Bluetooth car speaker (quite an unusual accessory) and anarm pouch for the phone for when you take it with you on ajog. Sadly we didn't get a chance to play with the accessoriesand it's possible that the bundle will differ between markets.

The phone itself feels solid, but also quite heavy for its size at130g, especially as it only has a 3.7-inch Super LCD screen,albeit with WVGA (800x480) resolution. We're not quite surewhat HTC tried to do when they designed the Rhyme, but itonly has a power button and a volume rocker and a dedicatedcamera button would've been a useful addition. The micro USBport is hidden behind a flap, although this flap is part of therear cover and it's fiddly to open and close. Behind the rearcover you'll find the easily accessible SIM card and microSDcard slots, but oddly enough, the battery is not removable.

A quick breakdown of the specs include a 1GHz single coreQualcomm processor, 768MB of RAM and 4GB of built instorage, although only about 1GB is available for the user. Youdo of course get features like 8021.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth3.0 and GPS as well. The rear 5 Megapixel camera is meant tohave a back side illuminated sensor and a 28mm F2.2 lens andalthough it's better than most phone cameras, it can't competewith higher-end phones in terms of quality. There's also a frontmounted camera for video calls and the rear camera has anLED flash.

In use the HTC Rhyme feels snappy enough, although theHTC Sense 3.5 UI means that a lot of things have been movedaround, so users of other HTC Android phones will have to re-familiarize themselves a bit. The most obvious change is thatthe little bar on the bottom is now gone in lieu of a pair ofcircles, one which access the apps and one for the phone menu.The personalize settings can be found inside the options menu.HTC has also come up with a new widget called Shortcuts andClock and it adds five shortcuts on the left hand side of the


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screen, all of which can be customized, alongside a clock andcurrent weather conditions.

HTC has also thrown in FriendStream, its Locations app, HTCDeals, HTC Listen, Facebook, Twitter and a few other more orless useful apps as standard. The supplied desktop wallpapersare also quite nice, but some logic is missing in terms of howsome of the HTC specific apps and settings work. We alsodidn't notice any female specific apps, although we're not quitesure what these would be in the first place.

The time we spent using the Rhyme didn't convince us thatthere was anything specific about the handset that wouldmake it appeal to a female audience, instead it's just anotherSmartphone from HTC that doesn't really stand out from thecrowd. The Rhyme is by no means a bad phone, but if youget it on a two year contract today, by the time that contractis up, it's going to have close to a budget category handset.Price wise the Rhyme will retail in the US for $199 (S$250)on contract, although we've also seen mentions of Europeanpricing without a contract at €479 (S$827) which is simply justtoo much for this handset, despite the accessory bundle. Assuch we can only conclude that the Rhyme feels like it offerstoo little, is too unfocused and is arriving too late to make anykind of impact.

Jabra showcases new rangeof Bluetooth headsetsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/jabra-showcases-new-range-of-

bluetooth-headsets/13595.html


This afternoon, Jabra showcased their latest range ofBluetooth music products including Jabra Street2, JabraHalo2 and Jabra Sport, as well as high-end Bluetooth headset,Jabra Supreme, in Singapore. The Jabra Halo2 and Street2 arealready available, while the Jabra Sport and Jabra Supremewill be available in October.

This afternoon, the media is treated to a showcase of thelatest range of Bluetooth products by Jabra Singapore whichinclude (from left) the Jabra Halo2, Jabra Street2, Jabra Sportand Jabra Supreme. The Jabra Halo2 has a foldable designand feature AM3D Virtual Surround Sound and Power Bassfor an enhanced listening experience, while the Jabra Street2lets users enjoy their favourite audio tracks wirelessly, withouthaving to worry about missing a single voice call. The JabraSport is rain-resistant, shock-resistant and dust-resistant,which is ideal for active music lovers who are into sports andoutdoor activities. Last but not least, the Jabra Supreme is thehigh-end Bluetooth headset with Active Noise Cancellation,Noise Blackout and Wind-Noise reduction technologies thatprovide great clarity during conversation.


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The Jabra Sport comes in both wired and wireless versions,and you can get it in any color as long as it is yellow. Thecompany did mention that it may release other colors for theJabra Sport in future. The Jabra Sport will be retailing in storesin early October - S$148 for the Jabra Sport wireless version;S$168 for the Jabra Sport wireless version (Made for iPhone,iPad and iPod); S$98 for Jabra Sport wired version and alsothe wired version (Made for iPhone, iPad and iPod).

Jonathan Tang, managing director, APAC Mobile for Jabra,gave a brief overview of the company and talked about howJabra is doing. "2011 is a good year for us as we see explosivegrowth pretty much everywhere in the region includingAustralia and India. Mobile devices and technology platformsare changing, becoming more stylish, pervasive and easy touse. At the same time, you have abundant content availableincluding cloud, social music and all kinds of entertainmentand educational that is becoming more needed and accessibleby the consumers. With more devices and content, users mayown more than two mobile devices. And these devices needhandsfree communication," Tang said.

Theis Mørk, senior product manager of the mobile division inJabra (based in Denmark) was also present to introduce thefeatures of the company's new offerings.

Kensington Delivers PhysicalSecurity for iPad 2Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kensington-delivers-physical-security-

for-ipad-2/13596.html


Kensington, the company that invented the Kensington Slotthat has long become synonymous with cabled security forlaptops, has just announced its new family of SecureBackSecurity Cases for the iPad 2. Designed to secure Apple's 2nd-generation tablet in public places, the Kensington SecureBackSecurity Case features a unique three-piece design with apatent-pending rail system that snaps into place to quickly andeasily protect the iPad against theft.

According to Kensington, the SecureBack Case was designedas a first line of defense for an iPad-toting workforce, with aunique design that preserves its slim form factor. Moreover,the case provides full access to the iPad 2's ports, speaker, andcameras.

There are two main models of the SecureBack Security Case:

Kensington SecureBack Security Case (with ClickSafe Lock)


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The Kensington SecureBack Security Case features a one-click security packaged in a sleek form factor suitable forhandheld use. An adjustable slider bar allows quick access tothe ClickSafe Security Anchor for easy security. This modelis "ClickSafe ready" and can be purchased with or without theClickSafe Lock.

The Kensington SecureBack Security Case with 2-way Stand(& ClickSafe Lock)

Similar to the SecureBack Security Case, the KensingtonSecureBack Security Case with 2-way Stand incorporates anadditional 2-way extendable stand with the flexibility foreither landscape or portrait mode. This model is "ClickSafeready" and can be purchased with or without the ClickSafeLock.

The ClickSafe Lock is another Kensington invention thatallows the lock to be clipped into place without anycumbersome aligning or twisting common to the originalKensington Slot design.

Brian Baltezore, Senior Global Product Manager atKensington observed in a statement: "Tablet users needsecurity that will complement, not hinder, their use of the iPad.SecureBack is a design that truly pays respect to the tablet'sstyle and functionality, so that when an iPad user inevitablydoes have to walk away from their device, they can do so withconfidence."

The Kensington SecureBack Security Case line of products iscurrently available for pre-order direct from Kensington.comand major retailers.

Apple to launch two newiPhone models?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-to-launch-two-new-iphone-

models-/13594.html


With the iPhone 5 launch date drawing closer, it is inevitableto see more news (and rumors) about the upcoming fifthgeneration iPhone. Mark Moskowitz, an analyst from JPMorgan, said that Apple will be launching two new iPhones,with one of them being a higher-end version that will supportGSM and CDMA.

Moskowitz said that the upcoming iPhone will support GSMand CDMA, but not 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), and thatthe iPhone 5 will be slimmer and lighter. Apple will also unveilthe upgrade model of the iPhone 4 with a lower price tag andcould be named iPhone 4+ or iPhone 4s. On top of that, theiPhone shipment will also rise in this quarter. Ending the thirdquarter in June, iPhone has reached 228 carriers which isan increase of 42 from last quarter, and shipments exceeding20 million. With the joining of Sprint-Nextel, as well as theupgraded model of the iPhone 4 that would be sold in China,Apple is expected to increase their shipment in Q4 this year.

QNAP unveils two new modelsfor its Business Series TurboNAS LineSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/qnap-unveils-two-new-models-for-its-

business-series-turbo-nas-line/13593.html



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Storage company QNAP Systems has enhanced its BusinessSeries of Turbo NAS line with two new models for up to 24TBof storage capacity in a single unit. The more powerful TS-EC879U-RP is powered by a quad-core Intel Xeon Processorwith 4GB DDR3 ECC RAM and 4x Gigabit LAN ports, whilethe TS-879U-RP has a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor with2GB DDR3 RAM and 2x Gigabit LAN ports.

Both models are 2U rackmount units with hot-swappable slotsfor eight disk drives, which can be 6Gbps 3.5-inch SATAhard disk drives or 2.5-inch solid-state drives. With an eyetowards enterprise-grade reliability, both the TS-EC879U-RPand TS-879U-RP NAS come with redundant power supply andtwo expansion slots for storage and network expansion. Bothmodels are backed with a 3 year warranty and optional 10GbEnetworking for up to 1,000MB/sec and 100,000 IOPS of datathroughput.

A large number RAID configurations are supported under thehood, such as RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 6, 5+ hot spare, 6+ hot spare,10+ hot spare, single disk and JBOD. With Global Hot Spare,a spare drive can be assigned to automatically replace a faileddrive on any RAID volume for data rebuilding. Supportedenvironments include file sharing in mixed Windows, Mac,Linux and UNIX, as well as private cloud storage and for high-performance computing applications.

In addition, QNAP says the two NAS models are idealfor virtual server environments using iSCSI, and has beencertified to be VMware Ready, Citrix XenServer Ready andWindows Hyper-V compliant.

"QNAP's new lineup designed for high-end SMB deliversstunning performance with optional 10 GbE card andcomprehensive business features at competitive prices tofulfill the growing needs of efficient storage solutions for high-end SMBs," said David Tsao, product manager of QNAP in astatement.

"Redundant power supplies are provided on all new modelsto ensure continuous system up-time," Tsao added. "TheTS-EC879U-RP with ECC RAM further enhances systemreliability."

Both the TS-EC879U-RP and TS-879U-RP are now shipping.

DC Universe Online will befree to play from OctoberSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dc-universe-online-will-be-free-to-

play-from-october/13592.html


Gamers who are also fans of DC comic superheroes wouldknow the Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) game , DCUniverse Online. Released early this year with a monthlysubscription fee, online sources reported that the popular DCUniverse Online will be free to play from October. (Hooray!)

Developed by Sony Online Entertainment, DC UniverseOnline is a massive multiplayer (MMO) game whereby playersget to choose to be virtual heroes or villains, as well as a mentorfor their character - from Superman, Batman and WonderWoman for heroes, and Lex Luthor and The Joker for villains.DC Universe Online was released in January as a monthlysubscription-based game (US$15 a month), but it looks like thecompany has decided to make it free-to-play, starting Octobernext month.

The market for MMO games is extremely competitive and itis tough for traditional MMO to compete with free-to-playsocial games including Mafia Wars and Maple Story that profitfrom selling virtual items and power-ups. Sony said it will offerthree tiers of service for DC Universe Online — free, premiumand legendary. The free tier comes with limits on how manycharacters and items players can hold in their inventory;premium access gives players slightly more capacity. Andthose who continue to pay US$15 a month will get maximumfeatures.


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Kindle Fire Tablet unveiled :Amazon tries to take thetablet market by storm.Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kindle-fire-tablet-unveiled--amazon-

tries-to-take-the-tablet-market-by-storm./13663.html


Amazon unveiled today in New York their new Kindle Fire 7-inch display tablet which runs a customized version of Androidand has a dual core processor. The new tablet is available forpre-order for an amazingly low price of 199$ USD and will startshipping on the 15th of November. Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos,stated "We're making millions of these", clearly expressing thecompany's aim to dominate in the low-end (value) segment ofthe market. Amazon also released...

Amazon unveiled today in New York their new Kindle Fire 7-inch display tablet which runs a customized version of Androidand has a dual core processor. The new tablet is available forpre-order for an amazingly low price of 199$ USD and will startshipping on the 15th of November. Amazon also released threemore Kindle models, the Kindle Touch (99$ USD sponsoredversion, 139$ USD without ads), Kindle Touch 3G (149$ USDsponsored version, 189$ USD without ads) and the Kindle(79$ USD sponsored version, 109$ USD without ads).

Amazon Kindle Fire

Amazon Kindle Touch Amazon KindleThe price and value are unbelievably low but will the KindleFire manage to take the market by storm? We honestly doubtit. Yes, it grants access to a ludicrous database of books,movies, audio files and God-knows-what-else but the tabletruns a customized version of Android highly dissimilar to theone users are accustomed to lacks a huge number of featuresavailable on other, albeit far more expensive models. Forexample, there is no camera, no microphone and there is no 3Gmodel. It may offer access to a large database of video contentbut most users would rather watch their movies on a muchlarger screen, or at least on a 10 inch tablet which is no lessthan 45% larger.

Is it a great value? It definitely is. But we doubt that it is goingto halt the sales of premium models, such as the iPad, theSamsung Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Xoom; many more sub249$ USD 7" tablets (such as the Nook Color, Huawei S7 andthe Archos Arnova) were already available ever since a yearago, none of them had any impact on the ever-growing salesof the premium tablets.

NVIDIA sampling Kepler -GK107Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-sampling-kepler--

gk107/13662.html


NVIDIA has engineering samples out for its first chip basedon the next-gen Kepler architecture. The chip is the same asrevealed by SemiAccurate last week - GK107. As suggestedby the nomenclature, this isn't the flagship GK100 we areall waiting for. Instead, NVIDIA is executing a bottom-to-toprelease, first releasing a smaller chip, GK107, which will findits way into notebooks.


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NVIDIA has engineering samples out for its first chip basedon the next-gen Kepler architecture. The chip is the same asrevealed by SemiAccurate last week - GK107. As suggestedby the nomenclature, this isn't the flagship GK100 we areall waiting for. Instead, NVIDIA is executing a bottom-to-toprelease, first releasing a smaller chip, GK107, which will findits way into notebooks.

GK107 is set to feature in four mobile GeForce SKUs - N13P-LP, N13P-GS, N13P-GT and N13E-GE. If these codenamessound familiar, it is because they have previously appeared ina leaked 28nm mobile GPU line-up. GK107 features a 128-bitmemory interface, and supports DDR3 and GDDR5 memory.The first three GK107 based SKUs (with a "P" suffix) will likelysucceed the GeForce GT 500M series, and will presumably bebranded GeForce GT 600M series. The top GK107 part, N13E-GE, may succeed GTX 560M and be part of the GTX 600Mseries, as denoted by the "E" suffix (Enthusiast). In addition,GK107 will also be part of mobile Quadro SKUs - N14P-Q1 andN14P-Q3.

GK107 marks the first time NVIDIA has moved to a newprocess and a new architecture simultaneously in a long time- mostly due to the cancelation of TSMC's 32nm process.NVIDIA's transition to TSMC's 40nm process featured abottom-to-top strategy as well, with smaller GT21x shrinksleading up to the big Fermi dies. However, this is the first timethat NVIDIA is releasing a new generation of GPUs with amainstream part. Between reports of AMD's next-gen GPUsbeing pushed back to 2012 to now NVIDIA starting off with asmall die, all evidence points towards the same conclusion -TSMC's 28nm process is promising to be just as troublesomeas the infamous 40nm (if not more so).

GK107 engineering samples are out now, with productionsamples due in January 2012 if all goes well. Unfortunately,there is no news about the more exciting Kepler chips, andthere are no signs of them appearing in GeForce GPUs anytime soon.

Sapphire launches its secondAMD A75 motherboardSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sapphire-launches-its-second-amd-

a75-motherboard/13661.html


It's easy to forget that Sapphire makes motherboards, asthe company isn't exactly making a lot of noise about itsmotherboard products. The company has sneaked out yetanother new model and this time we're looking at its secondAMD A75 motherboard, the Pure Platinum A75P. This isa lower-end version to the Pure Platinum A75, although itdoes seem to have a couple of advantages over its higher-endsibling.

It's easy to forget that Sapphire makes motherboards, asthe company isn't exactly making a lot of noise about itsmotherboard products. The company has sneaked out yetanother new model and this time we're looking at its secondAMD A75 motherboard, the Pure Platinum A75P. This isa lower-end version to the Pure Platinum A75, although itdoes seem to have a couple of advantages over its higher-endsibling.

It's all a bit of a head scratcher, as the Pure Platinum A75Pappears to have more power phases, but it might just be usinga different PWM layout, it has more PCI Express x1 slots, ithas a second x16 PCI Express slot and it's got six SATA portsSo ok, the x16 slot still only gets four lanes from the chipsetand the additional x1 PCI Express slot is most likely going tobe blocked by the graphics card if one is installed, but theseare still features we'd expected to see on the high-end model,rather than the mid-range one.

Plenty of things are missing though, as the Pure Platinum A75Ponly has two DIMM slots, but this is hardly a major issue withthe price of 4GB DIMM's these days. The mini PCI Express slotis also missing, but considering that this is a mostly uselessfeature on a desktop motherboard, we don't see this as a bigdeal either. The Marvell network controller has been swappedfor a cheaper model from Realtek, although on the upside,Sapphire has moved the various buttons on the motherboardto the front of the PCB rather than putting them below thebottom PCI slot.

Having a look at the rear ports it's clear that a feature thinninghas taken place, although there are still four USB 2.0 ports,


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two USB 3.0 ports (with an additional two via an internal pin-header), a PS/2 port, Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1-channel audio anda D-sub, DVI (single link only) and HDMI port. It's a shamethat the DisplayPort had to make room for a D-sub connectorand the Bluetooth dongle of the Pure Platinum A75 was a neataddition, although we'd rather have the extra internal SATAport over the eSATA port.

A new feature has also been added which Sapphire calls the"Memory Free button" but we have to be honest and say thatwe have no idea what this does and there are no details aboutwhat it does on Sapphire's website either. Overall this lookslike a decent enough product if the price is right, but onceagain Sapphire hasn't really managed to create something thatmakes it stand out from the competition. No word on pricingor availability as yet, so it's really quite hard to say how wellthe Pure Platinum A75P will do. Sapphire is also working on apair of AMD A55 models and at least one AM3+ board, but wehave no word on as to when these will be announced.

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 notebookreview: Thin and flat is whereit is atSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-notebook-review-

thin-and-flat-is-where-it-is-at/13346.html


Ultrathin notebooks are the dreams of every style-consciousconsumer, and for good reason. Boasting extremely portablepackages and designs that would make just about anybodyswoon over, it would seem that there is nothing whichthe ultraportable notebook cannot achieve (safe for top-notch performance levels). And leave it to Lenovo to takeultraportable mobile business computing to the next level withthe introduction of the ThinkPad X1 notebook, which we haveput to the test in this review to see how it holds up for businessusers.

The distinction between consumer-grade and business-gradenotebooks have blurred over the years, and for goodreason. Thanks to technological advancements in computerdesign and hardware, most OEMs are now able to touttheir consumer-grade offerings boasting nigh-equal levels ofstability and robustness, while business notebooks have beengiven design overhauls to make them appear more sleek andsophisticated to potential business users.

However, this also has an unintended result of leaving OEMsin a quandary of sorts. If consumer notebooks, which typicallyoffer more computing and graphical horsepower for theirbuck, now boast stability similar to business notebooks, logicshould dictate that cost-conscious business users will attemptto maximize their dollars by opting for the former. And fromthe looks of it, Lenovo appears to be trying to avoid sucha situation by making the business notebook relevant again,especially if the release of its new ThinkPad X1 laptop is of anyindication.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1laptop PC hardwarespecifications Processor Intel Core i5-2220M clocked

at 2.5GHz (3.2GHz underTurboBoost)

Chipset Intel QM67 Chipset Graphics Card Integrated Intel HD Graphics

2000 Display 13.3-inch HD Super Bright

LCD screen (1366 x 768) withintegrated camera

Operating System Windows 7 Professional (x64version)

Memory 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1 x 4GBDIMM)

Hard Disk capacity 256GB IntelSSDSA2M160G2LE solidstate drive

Battery 4-cell built-in lithium-ionbattery pack


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Logitech announces newlineup of wireless headsets inSingaporeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-announces-new-lineup-of-

wireless-headsets-in-singapore/13660.html


Logitech has unveiled their new wireless headsets -H800, H600, and wireless headset for Apple iPad users inSingapore. The new range of wireless headsets are designedto offer comfort, flexibility and enhanced experience. Withbatteries that can last up to six hours, the headsets featurelaser-tuned equalizers and tiny nano receivers for users areenabled to enjoy their music in comfort and ease.

Logitech has introduced three new wireless headsets thatboast crisp audio that can be enjoyed comfortably for hours.The Logitech Wireless Headset is compatible with the AppleiPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and other Bluetooth devices, withup to 10 metres from your device. The headset features laser-tuned drivers that provide rich stereo audio while minimizingdistortion, which is great for music, videos, games and calls.The rechargeable battery lets you listen and chat for up tosix hours. The headset has adjustable headband and foam earcups, and can be fold ed easily like a pair of sunglasses forconvenience of storage.

The Logitech Wireless Headset H600 allows users to makewireless audio for calls and listen to their favorite musicfrom the PC. It comes with laser-tuned drivers that minimizedistortion so that you can enjoy clear calls and stereo sound,while the noise-canceling microphone reduces backgroundnoise. The H600 also has a rechargeable battery lets you listenand chat for up to six hours, lets you move up to 10 metresaway from your computer, and it also folds like sunglasses foreasy storage.

The Logitech Wireless Headset H800 with laser-tuned driversand built-in equalizer give you rich digital stereo, and a noise-canceling microphone that can reduce background noise. It iseasy to connect to your computer, tablets and smartphonesand has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to six hours. TheH800 also offers padded headband and ear cups to keep youcomfortable.

The Logitech Wireless Headset is expected to be availablein Singapore in mid October at a suggested retail price of S$99. The Logitech Wireless Headset H600 is expected to beavailable in mid October at S$79, while the Logitech WirelessHeadset H800 is available now at S$149.


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Intel, Samsung and Linuxgroups collaborate to developTizen platform for phonesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-samsung-and-linux-groups-

collaborate-to-develop-tizen-platform-for-phones/13659.html


It looks like Samsung may have another trick up its sleeves.It was just last week that the Korean manufacturer said thatit plans to open source their Bada platform to rely less onAndroid operating system. And it looks like the company iscollaborating with Intel and Linux groups to develop a newLinux software for the phones.

According to Reuters, two Linux software groups have cometogether to develop a new platform for phones and otherdevices in collaboration with Intel and Samsung. Known asTizen, the new platform is developed to attract developersand manufacturer support to compete with Apple iOS andGoogle Android mobile operating system. The Tizen platformis open-source software platform that supports multipledevices including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, netbooksand in-vehicle "infotainment" systems. The initial releaseis planned for the Q1 of 2012 next year, while the firstdevices incorporating the Tizen platform are expected to cometo market in mid 2012. For Samsung, this would be a newplatform in addition to their offerings of Windows Phone 7,Android and Bada mobile operating system.

Philips launches BDP9600,BDP5200 and BDP3200 Blu-rayplayersSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/philips-launches-bdp9600-bdp5200-

and-bdp3200-blu-ray-players/13658.html


If you are looking to purchase a new Blu-ray player, check outPhilips latest offerings - BDP9600, BDP5200 and BDP3200.Available in retail stores now, all three players claim to offerfull high definition entertainment experience you need in yourliving room.

The Philips’ new range of Blu-ray players - BDP9600,BDP5200 and BDP3200 - promises convenience for users towatch their favorite movies in virtually any popular formatavailable in the market today at the comfort of their home.The players support all commonly-used formats includingBD Video, BD-ROM and High Definition video formats suchas DivXPlus HD and AVCHD. These media files can beconveniently accessed using the High Speed USB 2.0 portlocated at the front of these players.

With the BD-Live function in the top-end models,you canenjoy up-to-date versions of exciting content provided byPhilips, just by connecting to the Internet. Your Philips Blu-ray player can also be updated automatically when connected,and the built-in Wi-Fi on these players will give you access toa world of entertainment. Additionally, the Philips BDP9600and BDP5200 are DLNA certified, which means you canconnect them to your home network to stream videos, musicand photos from your computers wirelessly.

Philips BDP3200

The Philips BDP3200 offers a full high definition (HD) viewingexperience with sharp images in full HD 1080p to give youcinema-quality images. It also presents near-HD images forDVD videos withup-scaling to 1080p via HDMI. The BDP3200is Wi-Fi ready, and users can also view their favorite videoson YouTube by connecting their Philips Blu-ray player to theInternet.


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Philips BDP5200

The Philips BDP5200 supports Blu-ray 3D Disc playback tooffer viewers a full HD 3D experience at home. For viewerswho like their pictures blown up big, the BDP5200 offersa widescreen experience without any missing subtitles. Itis also DivX Plus HD Certified which offers the latest inDivX technology to let you enjoy HD videos and moviesfrom the Internet direct to your Philips HD TV or PC. TheBDP5200 also comes with build-in Wireless-N for fasterwireless performance and offers DTS-HD Master Audio andDolbyTrueHD to deliver 7.1-channel audio.

Philips BDP9600

This top-of-the-line Philips BDP9600 Blu-ray Disc playeris not only sleek and stylish, but it also comeswith 3D functionality and offers spectacular audio-visualentertainment for a full HD 3D experience at home.The BDP9600 also features TI Burr-Brown Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) which offers high-quality audioreproduction by capturing more information from the originalanalog sound wave form to offer a much richer soundperformance. Viewers can enjoy video on-demand with Net TVthat allows them to enjoy movies,pictures, infotainment andother online content directly on to their TV viatheir PhilipsBlu-ray Disc player.

The Philips BDP3200, BDP5200 and BDP9600 Blu-rayplayers are available now at all leading electronics retailers atS$249, S$299 and S$699 respectively.

Windows Phone 7.5 officiallylaunched in Singapore;Samsung Omnia W to retail inQ4Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/windows-phone-7.5-officially-

launched-in-singapore-samsung-omnia-w-to-retail-in-q4/13657.html


Good news to users who are using Windows Phone 7. Thismorning, Microsoft Singapore has officially announced the

launch of their long-awaited Windows Phone 7.5 (formerlycodenamed "Mango"). The update for existing WindowsPhone 7 will begin today and available to most customers byend of October. HTC and Samsung were also at the event tounveil their new phones based on Windows Phone 7.5 - HTCRadar and Samsung Omnia W.

Samsung and HTC are the only partners at the MicrosoftWindows Phone 7.5 launch event this morning. The Taiwanesemanufacturer unveiled the HTC Radar which has analuminium unibody, features 3.8-inch touchscreen displayand 5-megapixel rear camera. The HTC Radar also comeswith the proprietary HTC Hub, which offers applications andutilities such as weather and stocks application, and HTCWatch that allows users to discover the latest video content.The HTC Radar is scheduled to retail in October at a suggestedretail price of S$569.


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The Samsung Omnia W has a smaller 3.7-inch Super AMOLEDtouchscreen, compared to the HTC Radar. The Omnia W hasa metallic finish and is equipped with a 1.4GHz processor.Samsung has also included their exclusive apps such asSamsung AllShare which offers seamless content transferbetween smartphone and other DLNA-enabled devices, andupgraded Samsung eBook client for your ebook readingpleasure. With Windows Phone 7.5, you can access themultitask screen, though it only shows up to five applications.There's also no option to close the application. The SamsungOmnia W will retail next month at S$498 (inclusive of GST)without line contract. The Windows Phone 7.5 update forexisting Windows Phone 7 will begin today and available tomost customers by end of October

John Fernandes, marketing and operations director ofMicrosoft Singapore, introduced the new Windows Phone 7.5and talked about the features the new version brings. "Abouta year ago, we launched Windows Phone 7 which we startedafresh. It gave a new set of experiences and our approachtowards the mobile platform. Over that year, we listened toour customers, users and partners, and we got some goodfeedback. Microsoft thinks in terms of the Windows ecosystem- PC, phone and web coming together. And so, Windows Phone7.5 is a key point in our overall strategy here and globally.With the launch of Windows Phone 7.5, we also opened up theMarketplace. And today we have over 30,000 applications inthe Marketplace" said Fernandes.

Acer launches the Aspire S3 inTaiwanSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-launches-the-aspire-s3-in-

taiwan/13656.html


Acer isn't resting on its laurels and the company might verywell be the first of Intel's Ultrabook partners to get a productinto the market with the Aspire S3 which officially launched inTaiwan today. It looks like Acer decided to keep things simplewith only two SKU's, at least in the Taiwanese market. VR-Zone was of course on location at the launch event to get anearly hands-on with the new Ultrabook from Acer.

Acer isn't resting on its laurels and the company might verywell be the first of Intel's Ultrabook partners to get a productinto the market with the Aspire S3 which officially launched inTaiwan today. It looks like Acer decided to keep things simplewith only two SKU's, at least in the Taiwanese market. VR-Zone was of course on location at the launch event to get anearly hands-on with the new Ultrabook from Acer.


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The Aspire S3 didn't strike us as a revolutionary product,instead it came across more as a next generation TimeLineXnotebook that shed some of its bulk, but with the tradeoff beingoverall lower performance. The keyboard is nearly identicalto the current TimeLineX notebooks which means that we'relooking at a chiclet type keyboard. One huge improvement(pun intended) is the massive trackpad, as the TimeLineXseries has suffered from tiny and almost unusable trackpads.In as much as the Aspire S3 is a very slim and lightweightnotebook at 13mm thin and 1.35kg, we can't understand whyit still has the same fat screen bezel as the first generationTimeLineX notebooks, it really ruins the overall looks of thenotebook.

Feature wise we're looking at a Core i5-2467M ULV processorwhich is clocked at 1.6GHz , but which will turbo up to 2.3GHz.It comes paired up with a single 4GB stick of memory and itdoesn't seem to be any simple way of upgrading this, as wellas either a 7mm 320GB hard drive or a 240GB SSD. The 13.3-inch screen is a standard, glossy, 1366x768 affair, so nothingto get excited about here. The connectivity options are alsofairly meager with two USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI port aswell as 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0+HS. The onlyother features are a 1.3Megapixel webcam, a memory cardreader and a single combined headphone/mic jack. The 3-cellbattery will keep the weight down, but with a rated 6h batterylife for the hard drive model and 7h for the SSD model, we're

disappointed, as one of the selling points of Ultrabooks wasbetter battery life, something the Aspire S3 doesn't have.

Price wise the Aspire S3 will launch at NT$34,900 (S$1,479/US$1,149) with the 320GB hard drive, a fair bit more thanIntel's US$999 sweet spot. The 240GB SSD model is of courseeven pricier at NT$44,900 (S$1,900/US$1,475). The questionis how well this will compare with competing products,especially Asus' UX31 which features a higher resolution1600x900 display. Overall we can't say that we're blown awayby Acer's first stab at an Ultrabook as there's really very littlego get excited about.


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Intel launches new Z68motherboards, more to comeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-launches-new-z68-motherboards-

more-to-come/13655.html


When it comes to its own brand motherboards Intel have beenvery quiet since the Sandy Bridge launch and the companyhas quietly slipped out two new Z68 models with anothertwo coming in about a months' time. The two currentlyavailable models are the DZ68BC and the DZ68ZV, with thetwo upcoming models being the DZ68PL and the DZ68AF. Inan interesting turn of events, it looks like Intel is also gettingready to add support for its Smart Response SSD cachingtechnology to some of its P67 models.

When it comes to its own brand motherboards Intel have beenvery quiet since the Sandy Bridge launch and the companyhas quietly slipped out two new Z68 models with anothertwo coming in about a months' time. The two currentlyavailable models are the DZ68BC and the DZ68ZV, with thetwo upcoming models being the DZ68PL and the DZ68AF. Inan interesting turn of events, it looks like Intel is also gettingready to add support for its Smart Response SSD cachingtechnology to some of its P67 models.

Let's start with the DZ68ZV, a peculiar board to say the least,especially as Intel has been busy pushing the merits of graphicssupport combined with overclocking as one of the majorfeatures of the Z68 chipset. Well, the DZ68ZV doesn't haveany display connectivity, nor does it seem to have the extrapower phases in place that are needed to take advantage of itsQuick Sync technology, something we've seen on a few otherZ68 boards that lacked display connectivity. This seems like avery strange move by Intel, but there's an easy explanation forit all, Intel did a Gigabyte. Let us explain what we mean by that.

The DZ68ZV is in actual fact using the same PCB as theDP67BG motherboard, something that keeps R&D costs at aminimum and you can get a product out in the market quickly.If you've been following the motherboard market this year,you might know that Gigabyte did something similar whenthe Z68 chipset launched to get motherboards with the newchipset out in the market quickly. However, in the case of theDZ68ZV we're close to five months on from the launch and itfeels like Intel had decided to just throw together a productthat's slightly more appealing than its P67 equivalent.

The DZ68BC is what we'd call Intel's first high-end Z68 andin fact, it is Intel's second Z68 board. It carries the skulllogo that signifies that it's part of Intel's Extreme series ofmotherboards, although we're not sure it's all that extreme.Sadly we didn't manage to find a good quality picture of theboard, so you'll have to make do with what we managed to digup. Even though this board didn't blow our minds, it's a muchmore impressive board than the DZ68DB which was Intel'sfirst and for a very long time, only, Z68 motherboards.

What we have is a pretty standard looking motherboard witha pair of x16 slots, where the secondary slot runs in x8 modewhen enabled, two x1 PCI Express slots and three PCI slots.The board appears completely littered with components andit looks quite messy. In addition to the two SATA 6Gbps portsand four SATA 3Gbps ports, Intel has added a second pair ofSATA 6Gbps ports via what we presume is a Marvell controller.There are several pin-headers that add eight USB 2.0 ports,


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two USB 3.0 ports and a single FireWire port. The board alsofeatures power and reset buttons as well as a POST80 debugLED.

The rear I/O consists of six USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0ports, an eSATA port, a FireWire port, a Gigabit Ethernetport, 7.1-channel analogue audio with optical S/PDIF out, aDisplayPort, DVI and HDMI port and clear CMOS button. Foran Intel board this isn't half bad and Intel also throws in a USBWi-Fi and Bluetooth module and a copy of LucidLogix Virtusoftware for good measure. The DZ68BC is available right nowfor around US$225 which is a very steep price compared towhat you can get competing products for from any of the bigmotherboard makers. We haven't managed to track down aprice for the DZ68ZV as yet, although as far as we know, it'snot meant to have launched quite as yet, despite being up onIntel's website.

As for the DZ68PL and DZ68AF, we sadly only have themodel names at hand, but both should launch before the endof next month. Towards the end of next month Intel shouldalso be adding support for its Smart Response technology,i.e. SSD caching to its DP67BA and DP67DE motherboards,two distinctly mid-range products, a very peculiar move asaccording to Intel itself, the P67 chipset couldn't possiblysupport Smart Response. We'll be asking Intel about this oneand we might be seeing updates for other P67 motherboards inthe future as well. If nothing else, it goes to show how many ofthe chipset related features are simply just added for productdifferentiation and nothing else.

TP-Link launches its first dual-band routerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tp-link-launches-its-first-dual-band-

router/13654.html


Wireless routers are a dime a dozen these days, but we'requickly moving towards faster devices and 450Mbps routers

seem to be the next common standard, the current limit of theWi-Fi standard. TP-Link is now finally joining the part withits TL-WR2543ND, rather than the TL-WR2843ND which wespotted back at Computex in early June. It's the company'sfirst dual-band router, but it has a slight drawback comparedto the TL-WR2843ND.

Wireless routers are a dime a dozen these days, but we'requickly moving towards faster devices and 450Mbps routersseem to be the next common standard, the current limit of theWi-Fi standard. TP-Link is now finally joining the part withits TL-WR2543ND, rather than the TL-WR2843ND which wespotted back at Computex in early June. It's the company'sfirst dual-band router, but it has a slight drawback comparedto the TL-WR2843ND.

The TL-WR2543ND looks rather stylish in silver and blackrather than the glossy red and black TL-WR2843ND that wason display at Computex. The TL-WR2543ND is a dual-band2.4 and 5GHz router with four Gigabit LAN ports and oneGigabit WAN port as well as a USB 2.0 port. The downside ofthe TL-WR2543ND is that it's not a simultaneous dual-bandrouter, so you either end up with it running at 2.4GHz or 5GHzwhich is a bit of a downside if you have devices that don't workon the 5GHz band.


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Overall, the TL-WR2543ND seems to be very similar to TP-Link's older TL-WR1043ND, but with a new chassis and theaddition of the 5GHz band option. There's no mention of whathardware is inside the router, but some information we foundonline seems to point towards it being an Atheros based router.No word on pricing as yet either we're afraid, but judgingby TP-Link's usually affordable pricing, we'd imagine the TL-WR2543ND will be competitively priced, just make sure youunderstand what you're buying if you're getting one, or waitfor the TL-WR2843ND which offer simultaneous dual-bandoperation.

Wacom Singapore introducesnew Bamboo tablets andCintiq 24HD interactive pendisplaySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/wacom-singapore-introduces-new-

bamboo-tablets-and-cintiq-24hd-interactive-pen-display/13653.html


This afternoon, pen tablet manufacturer Wacom has launchedtheir third generation Bamboo series of multi-touch and pentablet devices. On top of that, the company also unveiled thenew Cintiq 24HD interactive pen display designed for creativeprofessionals.

If you are a graphics designer or a hobbyist who enjoysdrawing, then you might be familiar with the pen tabletproducts from Wacom. This afternoon, the company unveiledtheir third generation of Bamboo pen tablet devices for thesocial and creative computer users. The new range includethe Bamboo Pen (small), Bamboo Pen & Touch (small) andBamboo Fun (medium). Both the Bamboo Pen & Touch andthe Bamboo Fun are wireless capable which allow users towork without the hassle of connecting cable.

The Bamboo Pen is designed for basic drawing, writing andannotating of documents, while the Bamboo Pen & Touchoffers combination of high quality pen input with multi-touch.The Bamboo Fun also comes with multi-touch and wirelesscapability and is slightly larger than the Pen & Touch, andis ideal for users who like to draw and sketch or do creativework including retouching and editing. All three pen tabletshave black and lime green exterior and will be available fromtoday, with the Bamboo Pen having a retail price of S$135;the Bamboo Pen & Touch at S$185 and the Bamboo Fun at S$335. The wireless accessory kit for Bamboo Pen & Touch andBamboo fun is selling at S$65.


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Besides the pen tablets, Wacom also showcased their newCintiq 24HD interactive pen display. Based on the popularityof the Cintiq 24UX and Cintiq 12WX, the Cintiq 24HF is fordesigners, illustrators, animators, video editors and creativeprofessionals who want the most advanced pen-on-screenexperience. It has a 24-inch full high definition (1920 x 1200)widescreen display, significantly improved color gamut (92%Adobe RGB), supports HDCP protocol and features 2048levels of pressure sensitivity and 40-degree of tilt control.The Cintiq 24HD also comes with 10 ExpressKeys, two TouchRings and a USB port.

However, for such a huge interactive pen display, the pricedoesn't come cheap; the Cintiq 24HD has a price tag of S$4,269 and will be available in October next month.

Noburu Fujisaki, managing director of WacomSingapore, gave a brief introduction about the company, theirproduct portfolio and also mentioned that the companyhas market share of over 80%, which makes Wacom themarket leader in this segment.

Battlefield 3 BETA :Performance Preview,Screenshots and HD videowalkthroughSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/battlefield-3-beta--performance-

preview-screenshots-and-hd-video-walkthrough/13625.html


DICE's latest installment of the Battlefield series ofmultiplayer shooters has finally arrived. We did a quickperformance preview using graphics cards like Nvidia GTX580 and AMD 6990 in Quadfire at Full HD1080p Ultra preset,captured high resolution screenshots and recorded a HD videowalkthrough of the MP Beta's Operation Metro map for yourviewing pleasure.

BF3 BETA Performance Preview

With no formal benchmarking tool and just using FRAPS in anempty server on the Operation Metro beta map, we observedthe following:

CPU - Any modern quad coreprocessor of at least 3.2GHz willnot bottleneck the framerates in the game. The workload isevenly distributed between threads and more surprisingly, wedid not see any noticable scaling when we upped the frequencyor core count. Neat.


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Memory Usage - The bf3.exe process used over 1GB ofmemory. Having at least 4GB of RAM and running a 64-bitoperating system should take care of things.

GPU - We ran the tests using the latest beta drivers from bothAMD (Catalyst 11.10 Preview) and Nvidia (285.38). This gameabsolutely scales with multi-core GPU setups and shaderscount/clockspeeds. GPU usage during monitoring was hittingthe roof at 99% for the duration of the testing - something thatwe haven't seen in recent (shoddy) console ports.

At 1080p Ultra settings (with everything graphics detailsset to maximum), we get an average of around 50fps for asingle AMD 6970/GTX580, 80fps for a AMD 6990 (2 GPUcrossfire) and 140fps for a AMD 6990 in Quadfire, whichis actually quite similar to the one-year old Battlefield: BadCompany 2 on maximum settings. It also needed around 1.3GBof GPU framebuffer for the ultra preset textures. A side-by-side monitor test showed indistinguishable image quality fromboth AMD and Nvidia solutions (drivers at default settings),so we know that there is no quack3.exe foul play yet.

Lowering the resolution and quality preset (low, medium,high ultra and custom) will get you more consistent framerates, and a mid-range DX11 card like AMD 6850/NvidiaGTX560 should achieve a smooth ~ 80 to 100fps in 720pmedium resolution. Entry level DX11 or last generation DX10GPUs should be able to run this game, albeit not at highdefinition resolutions. We also noticed Stereo 3D and Eyefinitysupport, but using these features would definitely require ahigh-end multi-GPU setup.

Expect Nvidia and AMD to come out with more optimizeddrivers for BF3, especially when the final retail game is outa month from now on 28th October. After that, VR-Zonewill explore BF3 performance across the whole spectrum ofgraphics cards (from GTX260 to 6990 Quadfire/MARS II inSLi) and CPUs (Llanos, Zambezis, SB-Es...) in a mega rounduparticle.

Building / Upgrading your gaming rig today? Read ourguide for Battlefield 3 systems. We have also prepared ashort feature on BF3 running on dual core laptops which wasreleased earlier.


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Sandy Bridge-E will launch onthe 14th of November, not the15thSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandy-bridge-e-will-launch-on-

the-14th-of-november-not-the-15th/13652.html


There have been a fair few rumours about when Intel will belaunching the Sandy Bridge-E processors and its X79 chipsetand admittedly we've been privy to rumours that didn't panout. However, we can now reveal that the actual launch datewill be the 14th of November, not the 15th as suggested earlier.

There have been a fair few rumours about when Intel will belaunching the Sandy Bridge-E processors and its X79 chipsetand admittedly we've been privy to rumours that didn't panout. However, we can now reveal that the actual launch date

will be the 14th of November, not the 15th as suggested earlier.

According to information that has reached us, the first Sandy

Bridge-E processor will be on sale on the 14th of November,oddly enough though, not alongside Intel's own DX79SI andDX79TO motherboards as they won't arrive until December.This is as far as we're aware, the first time Intel hasn't launchedmotherboard products alongside new processors, especiallywhen it comes to an entirely new platform. We'd expect Intel'smotherboard partners to be happy about this move though,even though Intel's own brand motherboards are far from themost popular option out there. It's possible that part of thereason for the delay here is the last minute changes to the X79chipset, although we know for sure that the DX79SI will havea total of eight internal SATA ports.

As for Intel's CPU coolers from the LGA-2011 platform, wellthe air cooler should retail for somewhere around US$25-30,whereas the sealed unit watercooler should come in just underUS$100, if our sources prove to be correct. The new air cooleris lighter than the one currently shipping with Intel's XEdesktop parts which is quite surprising, but as we don't knowwhat Intel has changed yet, we'll just have to wait and see whatit ends up looking like, as it's possible it's not the same cooleras what was shown at IDF. As far the watercooling solution,we have a good idea of what it'll look like after Intel's demosof it at IDF.

The real question which we're still waiting to find out is if therewill be enough demand for Intel's new platform. We're alreadyhearing murmurings from the motherboard manufacturersthat they're considering cutting down their sales estimationsand it's widely believed that X79 motherboards will not be aspopular as the current X58 boards. Things might change nextyear when a revised X79 chipset is expected to appear that willbring a working SCU with SAS support, but we're not sure thisis enough to make this a popular enthusiast platform. On the

other hand, we can see a lot of businesses buying into this overIntel's more costly Xeon option.

Intel's new desktop Atomprocessors are hereSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-new-desktop-atom-processors-

are-here/13647.html


It's hard to get excited about new Atom processors, but Intel'slatest additions to its Atom family of processors, the D2500and D2700 is a big step forward for the company, as we'refinally getting a platform that's almost competitive. Not onlyare we looking at a vastly superior graphics core than pastofferings, but we're also finally getting features like HDMIoutput and HD video playback, something the Atom platformhas lacked so far.

It's hard to get excited about new Atom processors, but Intel'slatest additions to its Atom family of processors, the D2500and D2700 is a big step forward for the company, as we'refinally getting a platform that's almost competitive. Not onlyare we looking at a vastly superior graphics core than pastofferings, but we're also finally getting features like HDMIoutput and HD video playback, something the Atom platformhas lacked so far.

The netbook Atom's are still nowhere to be seen, but wecan't imagine Intel is going to wait too long until it launchesthem, as we're getting awfully close to the holiday seasonwhich is usually a time when companies want to have theirnew products in the market. So for now we'll have to makedo with Intel's new desktop parts, the 1.86GHz D2500 andthe 2.13GHz D2700. The D2700 isn't Intel's first Atom over2GHz, as that honour went to a very expensive Z-series AtomCPU called the Z560 (although the Z550 was close at an even2GHz), but it is Intel's first D-series Atom processor to breakthe 2GHz barrier.

Despite not offering DX10 drivers at launch, we expect thenew Atom processor to offer several benefits over the currentmodels. For starters the TDP is down by 3W compared to theprevious dual core D-series Atom processors and both modelsare fully 64-bit compatible. The new Atom's are still missingsupport for Virtualization though, which might not be a majorissue for most of us, but it's a strange omission. On the upsidewe're finally seeing support for faster memory, albeit DDR31066MHz can hardly be called lightning fast.

However, in our mind, the best feature is the price point,the Atom D2500 is priced at US$42 in quantities of 1,000units, with the D2700 coming in at US$52, which should becompared to US$63 for the Atom D525. Both of the CPUs will


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rely on the fairly basic NM10 chipset, but we'd expect the oldICH9 to work as well, which might see the new Atom processorappear in some vertical solution as well as in low-end desktopsystems. No word on new motherboards from Intel yet, butwe're sure they'll crop up on Intel's website shortly.

Intel SSD 520 CherryvilleLaunches This November,Curtains for SSD 510Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-520-cherryville-launches-

this-november-curtains-for-ssd-510/13646.html


A little earlier this month, we revealed key details ofIntel's next enthusiast solid state drive series, the SSD 520,codenamed Cherryville. In the older article talked about itsspecifications to great lengths. Fresh tips from our sourcessuggests to important bits of information, its launch date andmarket positioning.

A little earlier this month, we revealed key details ofIntel's next enthusiast solid state drive series, the SSD 520,codenamed Cherryville. In the older article talked about itsspecifications to great lengths. Fresh tips from our sourcessuggests to important bits of information, its launch date andmarket positioning.

The SSD 520 "Cherryville" family is slated for this November,the 4th of November to be precise. That is when one can expectmarket-availability. The second important bit of informationis that SSD 520 is poised to displace the SSD 510 "Elmcrest"series, that's currently out in the market, available at 120 GBand 250 GB capacities.

SSD 520 series, according to fresh information, is built aroundthe idea of providing more capacity choices to the consumer,higher throughput, and lower latencies, compared to SSD 510

series. The new SSD 520 series will be available in capacitiesas high as 480 GB and as low as 60 GB; provide trasfer ratesof 520 MB/s sequential read, 500 MB/s sequential writes(compared to 500/315 MB/s on SSD 510), and 40,000 IOPSread/write 4K random access throughput.

In related news, we hear the codename of the successor to SSD520 "Cherryville" is codenamed "King Crest", and is slated forthe second quarter of 2012.

Battlefield 3 BETA - Can anIntel dual core laptop withAMD discrete GPU run BF3?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/battlefield-3-beta--can-an-intel-dual-

core-laptop-with-amd-discrete-gpu-run-bf3-/13628.html


We answer one of life's greatest mysteries - can an agingIntel i5-450m dual core laptop with AMD Mobility Radeon5650 graphics run the upcoming Battlefield 3 shooter withplayable fps? Read on.

Strangely, I get asked this question a lot. So let's put it to thetest -

Machine Specifications:

Intel Core i5-450m processor, AMD Mobility Radeon 5650graphics and 4GB DDR3 memory.

CPU-Z - this chip has 3MB cache and can "turbo" up to2.66GHz


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GPU-Z - this mobile part is equivalent to the desktop Radeon5570/GT440 and the mobility GT335M

Game Settings:

For the test, we set the graphics quality preset to custom ,fullscreen resolution to 1366x768 (which is the laptopnative display resolution) and used the lowest setting for everyoption.

FPS (in an empty server):

See the top left number

Video of the action:

(Obvious) Conclusions:

You CAN play Battlefield 3 on a Core i5 dual core system withan entry level AMD GPU. However, if you are going to haveany serious multiplayer sessions on this laptop, my only adviceis prepare to lose, BADLY.

To play BF3 well with high frame rate per second on anotebook PC, it needs to be at least equipped with a highfrequency Quad Core processor (2630QM and above) and aMobility Radeon 5850/GTX560M; the new gaming laptopssuch as ASUS G73SW and Dell Alienware M14x should haveno problem running the game.

Next up, we'll be testing on the AMD Llano A8 APU basednotebooks, and a supermassive 1500W EVGA W555 SR-2 with2x X5680 @ 5Ghz and 2x Radeon 6990 in Quadfire.

Olympus prepares Pen miniE-PM1 for 7 October retail inJapanSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/olympus-prepares-pen-mini-e-pm1-

for-7-october-retail-in-japan/13645.html


Are you looking to get a new digital camera? Olympus hasannounced 7 October as the retail date for their new Pen MiniE-PM1 interchangeables lens mirrorless camera in Japan. The


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Pen E-PM1 was unveiled together with E-P3 and E-PL3 inJune this year, though the launch of the product came laterthan its siblings.

Olympus has announced the retail date for their Micro FourThirds system OLYMPUS PEN mini E-PM1, on 7 October inJapan. The estimated retail price is around 70,000 yen (US$916) with kit lens; 90,000 yen (US$1,177) for twin lens kit;and 60,000 yen (US$785) for the camera body alone. TheE-PM1 will be available in six colors - white, silver, black,pink, purple and brown. The standard zoom kit lens is M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II R, while the twin lenskit consist of the standard zoom and M. ZUIKO DIGITAL17mm F2.8.

The Olympus Pen E-PM1 incorporates high-speed 12.3-megapixel Live MOS sensor with formula sensor shift imagestabilizer, ISO sensitivity of ISO 200 to 12800, and supportsAVCHD video recording. It does not come with integratedflash, though you can use an external flash unit. The E-PM1measures 109.5 × 63.7 × 34mm and weighs 265g with batteryand memory card. According to local retailers, the OlympusPen mini E-PM1 should retail next month. Pricing details notavailable at press time.

Samsung launches affordableOmnia W Windows MangosmartphoneSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-launches-affordable-omnia-

w-windows-mango-smartphone/13644.html


Samsung has unveiled their new Windows 7.5(Mango) smartphone which comes in the form of Omnia W,and it will have a price tag of approximately US$420. TheOmnia W will ship from end October in Italy and slowly toother countries including Asia.

If the recent reports are of any indication, Windows Phone 7.5(also known as Mango) is arriving earlier than expectation.And Korean company Samsung has recently announced thelaunch of their new smartphone based on the Windows Phone7.5 mobile operating system, the Omnia W.

Measuring 115.9 x 58.8 x 10.9mm and weighing 115.3g,the Samsung Omnia W sports a 3.7-inch Super AMOLEDtouchscreen (800x480 pixel resolution). It is equipped witha 1.4GHz processor, 8GB storage, 5-megapixel camera andsupports 14.4Mbps HSDPA networks. The Omnia W willretail at around US$420 before taxes and subsidies, andcommercially available starting in Italy from end of Octoberand then gradually rolled out to other parts of Europe, CIS,Latin America, Africa, South East and South West Asia.

Western Digital introduces WD2go and WD 2go Pro mobileapps for My Book LiveSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/western-digital-introduces-wd-2go-

and-wd-2go-pro-mobile-apps-for-my-book-live/13643.html


Western Digital has recently introduced two mobileapplications for its My Book Live personal cloud storagesolution - WD 2go and 2go Pro. The apps offer users easyaccess to files stored on the My Book Live drive using an iPad,iPhone, iPod touch or Android devices.


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Western Digital has introduced its WD 2go and WD 2go Promobile apps for its My Book Live personal cloud storagesolution. The WD My Book Live drive can connect to the homenetwork and users can share files, stream media, and accesscontent anywhere safely with no monthly fees. Secure remoteaccess to the My Book Live is available on any computerthrough www.WD2go.com, while the WD 2go apps providemobile access to files stored on the drive using an iPad, iPhone,iPod Touch or Android devices.

The WD 2go apps support a variety of media file formatsfor streaming movies and music or accessing files such asMicrosoft Office documents. In addition to all of the featurescurrently available in the free WD 2go app, the WD 2go Proapp includes several advanced features, including:

- Clipping: Users can clip files, photos, songs, videos or foldersto download a copy from the My Book Live drive to a mobiledevice, enabling subsequent access even without an Internetconnection.- Automatic sync: New or modified files added to the My BookLive automatically sync to mobile devices.

- Content sharing: The WD 2go Pro app allows users to emailfiles, share files as a link, print and open files with third partyapps.

- Additional security: Users can leverage an additional layer ofsecurity by locking mobile access to the My Book Live drivewith a four digit pass code.

In addition to remote and mobile access to the personalcloud, WD’s My Book Live features a built-in media serverthat streams music, photos and movies to any DLNA-certifiedmultimedia device such as a WD TV Live network mediaplayer, Blu-ray Disc player, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, andconnected TV.

My Book Live personal cloud storage is available in capacitiesof 1TB, 2TB and3 TB and is compatible with WindowsXP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X Leopard, SnowLeopard, or Lion, as well as DLNA/UPnP enabled devices.

Price and Availability

The WD 2go is free for download while the WD 2go Prois priced at US$2.99. Both apps are currently availablefor download from the iTunes Store and Android Market.My Book Live personal cloud storage is available atselected retailers and resellers and is distributed by AchievaTechnology Pte Ltd and SiS Technology Pte Ltd in Singapore.MSRP is S$209 for 1TB, S$239 for the 2TB, and S$299 for3TB.

AMD also releases specialdriver (Catalyst 11.10 Preview)for Battlefield 3Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-also-releases-special-driver-

catalyst-11.10-preview-for-battlefield-3/13642.html


Hot on the heels of their green rivals, AMD also released aspecial driver just in time for the Battlefield 3 Open Beta today,and claims performance increases in both single card andcrossfire scenarios.

• Improves performance in Battlefield 3 Open Beta releasefor both non-Anti-Aliasing, and application enabledAnti-Aliasing cases on the AMD Radeon™ HD 6000and AMD Radeon™ HD 5000 Series for single GPUconfigurations

• Improves performance in Battlefield 3 Open Beta releasefor both non-Anti-Aliasing, and application enabledAnti-Aliasing cases on CrossFire configurations usingthe AMD Radeon™ HD 6000 and AMD Radeon™ HD5000 Series

• Enables support for Eyefinity 5x1 display (portrait andlandscape) configurations using the AMD Radeon™ HD6000 and AMD Radeon™ HD 5000 Series

• Vision Engine Control Center: User Interfaceenhancements have been implemented for theCrossfireX, GPU Overdrive, and Information Centerpages.

Fujitsu-Toshiba launches720p screen touting Arrows ZAndroid handset in JapanSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujitsu-toshiba-launches-720p-screen-

touting-arrows-z-android-handset-in-japan/13641.html


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Once again Japan gets the latest and greatest toys to play withahead of the rest of the world and if the latest Android handsetfrom Fujitsu-Toshiba's soon to end mobile partnership isanything to go by, the future is, uhm, pink? Ok, so there is apink option, but the real selling point of the new handset is 4.3-inch 1280x720 resolution display and the 1.2GHz dual coreTI OMAP4430 SoC at its core, features that should becomecommonplace on high-end smartphones next year.

Once again Japan gets the latest and greatest toys to play withahead of the rest of the world and if the latest Android handsetfrom Fujitsu-Toshiba's soon to end mobile partnership isanything to go by, the future is, uhm, pink? Ok, so there is apink option, but the real selling point of the new handset is 4.3-inch 1280x720 resolution display and the 1.2GHz dual coreTI OMAP4430 SoC at its core, features that should becomecommonplace on high-end smartphones next year.

The new handset is called Arrows Z and launched today onKDDI au in Japan. It's highly unlikely that there will be aversion of the handset for sale outside of Japan though, sowe're just going to have to kick back and wait for somethingsimilar to come out from one of Google's other Androidpartners. That said, the Arrows Z is already far from the fastestphone out there, but it does have a few features that standout such as a waterproof body, a built in digital TV-tuner,an e-wallet function and support for DRM protected videostreaming.

The Arrows Z also supports WiMAX and CDMA 1xEV-DOand 14.4Mbit/s HSDPA connectivity. It does of course sport

802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, although somewhat disappointingly itonly has Bluetooth 2.1. In typical retro Japanese style it alsohas support for IrDA. 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage memoryis pretty much par for the course, although the 13 MegapixelCMOS camera with a Sony Exmor R for mobile sensor is quiteimpressive. There's also a front mounted 1.3 Megapixel camerafor video calls, an FM transmitter, an HDMI port, a micro USBport and a micro SDHC card slot.

Another disappointing feature, despite its fairly large size at128x64x10mm, the 134g heavy Arrows Z only sports a meagre1,460mAh battery which is a poor show on what is otherwisea very high-end handset. Still, most of the features on offerisn't like to appear on any single competing handset for now,although we do expect to see more devices with 1280x720screens by the end of this year or early next year. Some of theother features, not so much, especially as many of them areunique to the Japanese market.

Source: KDDI au

More Sandy Bridge-Eoverclocking details come tolightSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-sandy-bridge-e-overclocking-

details-come-to-light/13639.html


Last week some details on how to overclock Intel's upcomingSandy Bridge-E CPU were posted over at bit-tech and in as


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much as it covered the basics, details from a Taiwanese websitethat leaked almost simultaneously puts all of the puzzles piecestogether. If and that's is a big if, someone can hit Intel'stheoretical maximum clock speed for the upcoming SandyBridge-E processors, then we can expect to see CPU runningat a massive 9.5GHz.

Last week some details on how to overclock Intel's upcomingSandy Bridge-E CPU were posted over at bit-tech and in asmuch as it covered the basics, details from a Taiwanese websitethat leaked almost simultaneously puts all of the puzzles piecestogether. If and that's is a big if, someone can hit Intel'stheoretical maximum clock speed for the upcoming SandyBridge-E processors, then we can expect to see CPU runningat a massive 9.5GHz.

So far only details of the turbo frequency for the Sandy Bridge-E processor have leaked, but with the help of all the additionaldetails, we finally have a clearer picture of what to expect.It seems like Intel decided to drop at least one or two ofthe multipliers we heard were available on early engineeringsamples of the Sandy Bridge-E CPUs and as such we're stuckwith 1.25 and 1.67, although just like with the current SandyBridge processors, the BCLK can be adjusted in increments of1MHz.

One slight snag is that we're stuck with the same 57x multiplierlimit that we see on the current Sandy Bridge CPUs, althoughthis does of course only apply to the 3960X and the 3930K,as the quad core 3820 is limited to a 45x multiplier. As thingsgo, the 3820 can be overclocked six bins over its top Turbomultiplier which is 39x, although if Intel's "coarse" BCLKmultipliers work as intended, it looks like speeds of a lot morethan 4.5GHz can be achieved even here, with Intel hinting atspeeds of between 5.9 and 7.5GHz. Not bad for a CPU which isexpected to retail for US$294 in quantities of 1,000.

According to a slide from IDF posted over at bit-tech, we canexpect to see core power limit overrides on Sandy Bridge-E andthis explains what we heard earlier about the CPUs drawingsome serious power. What we don't know is to what degree thepower enveloped can be pushed, or how much it needs to bepushed, but we're sure there are plenty of eager overclockersout there waiting to find out. If some screen shots posted atbit-tech is anything to go by, we're looking at something crazylike 300W, no wonder Intel decided to create a watercoolingsolution for Sandy Bridge-E

At least the good news is that the PEG and DMI clocks can belocked at lower multipliers, as this will prevent PCI Expressdevices and the chipset to cause overclocking limitations. Forthose that want to run multiple graphics cards, it appearsthat Intel had managed to get Nvidia to agree to give theX79 chipset support for 4-way SLI without the need of anyadditional chips. On the not so good news front we're hearingrumblings that the 3960X might end up costing more than US$999, although we haven't been able to verify this as yet, andyes, that is without a CPU cooler still. Interestingly it lookslike the 3930K might still come with a CPU cooler, but this isagain something we haven't managed to verify, but accordingto information we've been privy to, the two CPUs are shippingin different boxes where the 3930K comes in a much larger boxthan the 3960X.

Source: bit-tech.net and Top PC

Be Quiet! released the all-newPure Power L8 PSU lineSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/be-quiet-released-the-all-new-pure-

power-l8-psu-line/13638.html


Be Quiet!, the well known German manufacturer of PCcomponents and designer of PC power supplies announcedtoday the release of the new L8 Pure Power line. The new L8series boasts features which were available only on premiummodels, such as a modular design and a "Silent Wings" fan.At the same time Be Quiet! enriched their older L7 series withmore powerful units. The new L8 series consists of...

Be Quiet!, the well known German manufacturer of PCcomponents and designer of PC power supplies announcedtoday the release of the new L8 Pure Power line. The new L8series boasts features which were available only on premiummodels, such as a modular design and a "Silent Wings" fan.


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At the same time Be Quiet! enriched their older L7 series withmore powerful units. The new L8 series consists of four newmodels, ranging from 430W and up to 730W.

All models are 80Plus Bronze certified, modular and are usingBe Quiet's premium "Silent Wings" cooling fans. The MSRPis 69.9€ for the 430W model and up to 109.9€ for the 730Wmodel (including taxes). Compared to the older E7 730Wpower supply which has an MSRP of 89.9€, many enthusiastsmight be willing to pay the extra price in order to get a modularunit.

Source : Company Press Release

Gigabyte Gives H61 Platform aTouch of 'Legacy'Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-gives-h61-platform-a-touch-

of-legacy-/13637.html


Gigabyte released a new socket LGA1155 motherboard basedon the Intel H61 Express chipset, which features legacyconnectivity otherwise rare for the platform. Called the GA-P61-USB3P, the name could lead some to believe it's based ona "P61" chipset, since Gigabyte traditionally makes the chipsetmodel clear in the product name. In reality, there is no "P61"chipset.

Gigabyte released a new socket LGA1155 motherboard basedon the Intel H61 Express chipset, which features legacyconnectivity otherwise rare for the platform. Called the GA-P61-USB3P, its name could lead some to believe it's based on"P61" chipset, since Gigabyte traditionally makes the chipsetmodel clear in the product name. In reality, there is no "P61"chipset.

The LGA1155 socket supports 2nd generation Core i3/i5/i7processors. The CPU is powered by a 5-phase VRM, andis wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel DDR3memory connectivity. The VRM uses a simpler design thanwhat we'd expect from Gigabyte, it draws power from a 4-pin12V connector, apart from the usual 24-pin one. Expansionslots include one PCI-Express 2.0 x16, two PCI-Express 2.0x1, and three legacy PCI slots, wired to an iTE-made bridgechip. Gigabyte made full use of the connectivity options thesuperIO chip provides, including an LPT (parallel) port, anda COM (serial) port. Then there's the usual PS/2 combo portthat Gigabyte is reluctant to let go of, on its boards.

Interestingly, Gigabyte didn't carry its legacy initiativeforward, going on to add floppy and IDE connectors. Granted,an IDE would have required a larger (pin-count) SATAcontroller that also supports two IDE channels, but FDD isdoable, since it's handled by the superIO chip. Moving onto its modern connectivity, we find two SATA 6 Gbps portshandled by a Marvell 88SE9172 chip, which supports RAID 0,1, 0+1; four SATA 3 Gbps ports wired to the H61 PCH; twoUSB 3.0 ports on the rear panel driven by an Etron EJ168controller; 6-channel HD audio surprisingly driven by thehigh-end Realtek ALC889 CODEC; and one gigabit Ethernetconnection handled by Realtek 8111E. The sole display outputis an analog D-Sub connector. Gigabyte regular DualBIOS withHybridEFI (capability to boot from volumes bigger than 2.2


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TB) finds room. While announced, Gigabyte didn't give out itspricing.

NVIDIA GeForce 285.38Drivers Now Downloadable -In Time For Battlefield 3 OpenBeta TomorrowSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-285.38-drivers-now-

downloadable--in-time-for-battlefield-3-open-beta-tomorrow/13636.html


NVIDIA has just released their 285.38 BETA drivers, claimingup to 38% performance increases and other improvements forthe Battlefield 3 Open Beta which will be available to privilegedearly access users in less than 23 hours' time.

• Supports GeForce 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500-series desktop GPUs as well as ION desktop GPUs.

• Supports OpenGL 4.2 for GeForce 400 series and 500series GPUs and OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series andlater GPUs.

• Supports multiple languages and APIs for GPUcomputing: CUDA C, CUDA C++, CUDA Fortran,OpenCL, DirectCompute, and Microsoft C++ AMP.

• Supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI technologyon DirectX 9, DirectX 10, DirectX 11, and OpenGL,including 3-way SLI, Quad SLI, and SLI support on SLI-certified Intel and AMD motherboards.

ION (Desktops)ION

ION LE (Desktops)

ION LE

GeForce 500 Series

GeForce GTX 590, GeForce GTX 580, GeForce GTX 570,GeForce GTX 560, GeForce GTX 560 Ti, GeForce GTX 550 Ti,GeForce GT 545, GeForce GT 530, GeForce GT 520

GeForce 400 Series

GeForce GTX 480, GeForce GTX 470, GeForce GTX 465,GeForce GTX 460 SE v2, GeForce GTX 460 SE, GeForce GTX

460 v2, GeForce GTX 460, GeForce GTS 450, GeForce GT 440,GeForce GT 430, GeForce GT 420, GeForce 405

GeForce 300 Series

GeForce GT 340, GeForce GT 330, GeForce GT 320, GeForce315, GeForce 310

GeForce 200 Series

GeForce GTX 295, GeForce GTX 285, GeForce GTX 280,GeForce GTX 275, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce GTS 250,GeForce GTS 240, GeForce GT 230, GeForce GT 240, GeForceGT 220, GeForce G210, GeForce 210, GeForce 205

GeForce 100 Series

GeForce GT 140, GeForce GT 130, GeForce GT 120, GeForceG100

GeForce 9 Series

GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX/GTX+, GeForce9800 GT, GeForce 9600 GT, GeForce 9600 GSO, GeForce9600 GSO 512, GeForce 9600 GS, GeForce 9500 GT, GeForce9500 GS, GeForce 9400 GT, GeForce 9400, GeForce 9300 GS,GeForce 9300 GE, GeForce 9300 SE, GeForce 9300, GeForce9200, GeForce 9100

GeForce 8 Series

GeForce 8800 Ultra, GeForce 8800 GTX, GeForce 8800 GTS512, GeForce 8800 GTS, GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce 8800GS, GeForce 8600 GTS, GeForce 8600 GT, GeForce 8600GS, GeForce 8500 GT, GeForce 8400 GS, GeForce 8400 SE,GeForce 8400, GeForce 8300 GS, GeForce 8300, GeForce8200, GeForce 8200 /nForce 730a, GeForce 8100 /nForce720a

GeForce 7 Series

GeForce 7025 / NVIDIA nForce 630a, GeForce 7050 PV /NVIDIA nForce 630a, GeForce 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 610i,GeForce 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, GeForce 7100 / NVIDIAnForce 630i, GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 620i, GeForce7100 GS, GeForce 7150 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, GeForce 7300SE / 7200 GS, GeForce 7300 LE, GeForce 7300 GS, GeForce7300 GT, GeForce 7350 LE, GeForce 7500 LE, GeForce 7550LE, GeForce 7600 LE, GeForce 7600 GS, GeForce 7600 GT,GeForce 7650 GS, GeForce 7800 GS, GeForce 7800 GTX,GeForce 7800 SLI, GeForce 7900 GS, GeForce 7900 GT/GTO,GeForce 7900 GTX, GeForce 7950 GT, GeForce 7950 GX2

GeForce 6 Series


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GeForce 6100, GeForce 6100 nForce 400, GeForce 6100nForce 405, GeForce 6100 nForce 420, GeForce 6150,GeForce 6150 LE, GeForce 6150LE / Quadro NVS 210S,GeForce 6150SE nForce 430, GeForce 6200, GeForce 6200A-LE, GeForce 6200 LE, GeForce 6200 TurboCache(TM),GeForce 6200SE TurboCache(TM), GeForce 6250, GeForce6500, GeForce 6600, GeForce 6600 GT, GeForce 6600 LE,GeForce 6600 VE, GeForce 6610 XL, GeForce 6700 XL,GeForce 6800, GeForce 6800 GS, GeForce 6800 GS/XT,GeForce 6800 GT, GeForce 6800 LE, GeForce 6800 Ultra,GeForce 6800 XE, GeForce 6800 XT

HTC plans to developproprietary mobile operatingsystemSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-plans-to-develop-proprietary-

mobile-operating-system/13635.html


It was just last week that Samsung mentioned that it wouldopen-source its Bada platform for other manufacturers anddevelopers. And it seems like Taiwanese manufacturer HTC isplanning to develop a mobile operating system of their owntoo.

According to Jack Tong, president of HTC North Asia, inSeoul, Korea, the company has plans to develop its own mobileoperating system though will still continue to strengthenthe collaboration with Microsoft and Google. In order togo head on with Apple's iOS and be less reliant on GoogleAndroid OS, Samsung was recently reported that it will open-source the Bada platform next year, which will allow othermanufacturers and developers to help grow the ecosystem.However, HTC has made little headway in the developmentof their own proprietary operating system. It is likely that thecompany could acquire a mobile OS and incorporate it intotheir products, though experts predict disastrous results if themobile OS fails.

HP announces new displaysfor creative professionals andSMBsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-announces-new-displays-for-

creative-professionals-and-smbs/13634.html


Despite the recent dismissal of their CEO and appointinga new one, HP has continued to unveil their new range ofproducts. This time, it is their new displays which includethe performance series featuring LED backlit IPS panels- ZR2740w, ZR2440w, ZR2240w and ZR2040w; the HPCompaq LE2202x Essential Display and the HP CompaqLA2206xc WLD backlit LCD Monitor.

HP has announced new additions of affordable and powerfuldisplays to its portfolio, designed for creative professionalsand businesses. The displays include the company’s first 27-inch performance display with more than 1 billion colors,and the industry’s first sub-US$200 display with in-planeswitching (IPS) technology.

The four new HP ZR-series Performance Displays - HPZR2740w, ZR2440w, ZR2240w and ZR2040w - are aimedat professionals in animation, game development, broadcast,computer-aided design, design and graphic arts. They comewith light-emitting diode (LED) backlights for a slim industrialdesign, more robust colors and the elimination of mercury. Allof HP’s ZR series displays employ IPS technology for ultrawideviewing angles and offer up to 10 times higher contrast ratioswhen viewed from an angle as compared to mainstreammonitors that use twisted nematic (TN) technology.

The HP Compaq LE2202x features LED technology forenhanced color performance and a thinner profile thanprevious HP Essential Displays. The LE2202x providesfull high definition 1920 x 1080 native resolution with3,000,000:1 DCR, 170°/160° viewing angles, and fast 5msresponse times that offer crisp and detailed views. It sportsa small footprint and comes with Display Assistant Software


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that enables intelligent theft deterrence, impactful energysavings, convenient desktop partitioning, and customizablepicture quality. The 21.5-inch diagonal panel is BFR/PVC-,mercury- and arsenic-free, and the display’s flat packagingreduces waste and shipping cost.

The HP Compaq LA2206xc WLD backlit LCD monitoris designed for businesses looking to improve the waythey collaborate and communicate with team membersand customers, while saving time and money. The 21.5-inch widescreen monitor comes with a built-in webcam usingHP MyRoom for real-time collaboration right from yourdesk. Pricing and availability for the HP displays in Asia Pacificwill be announced in the coming weeks.

Guide To Building A GamingRig For Battlefield 3Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/guide-to-building-a-gaming-rig-for-

battlefield-3/13633.html


There has been literally too many uninformed gues-timationsbeing thrown around in forums everywhere about this topic.We're less than 24 hours away from the BF3 beta and hereare the configurations we came up with for different tiers ofgamers.

What if I have unlimited money to spend and must play inultra/4k resolutions/eyefinity/stereo 3d/contribute to globalwarming:Processor: EVGA W555 SR-2 with 2 x Xeon X5680 @ 4.6Ghz

Graphics Card: 2 x AMD Radeon 6990 in Quadfire or 2 xNvidia GTX 590 sli or 2 x ASUS MARS II

I have 0 friends / Not going to play online:(same as the advertised minimum system requirements)

Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core (Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHZ or AlthonX2 2.7 GHz)

Graphics Card (AMD): DirectX 10.1 compatible with 512 MBRAM (ATI RADEON 3000, 4000, 5000 OR 6000 series, withATI RADEON 3870 or higher performance)

Graphics Card (NVIDIA): DirectX 10.0 compatible with 512MB RAM (NVIDIA GEFORCE 8, 9, 200, 300, 400 OR500 series with NVIDIA GEFORCE 8800 GT or higherperformance)

Remember to run Linpack on your CPUs and Furmark on yourGPUs to test for stability/cooling efficiency at full load. You

wouldn't want to crash out during a personal best high scoringmultiplayer session.

Barnes & Noble to launch newNook Color tablet?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/barnes--noble-to-launch-new-nook-

color-tablet-/13632.html


With the success of their Nook tablets, it could be true thatBarnes & Noble could be planning to launch a new one underthe same line. And if reports are true, we may see the new tabletin stores in the next quarter, which is timely for end of yearChristmas shoppers.

If news from The Digital Reader are believed to be true, Barnes& Noble could be launching three new tablets this year, withone of them being an update to the Nook Color. The NookTouch and Nook Color would retain their US$139 and US$249price tags respectively, and the two Nook Color tablets wouldhave higher price points. The Encore and Acclaim tablets willbe priced at US$249 and US$349, and note that Acclaim is anew codename for the tablet. It is likely that Encore could bethe new update to the Nook Color, seeing the similar pricing.Unfortunately, no specifications were given, though it wasmentioned that the new tablets would be out in the nextquarter, which could be as early as October.

Antec Kuhler H2O 620 WaterCooler ReviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/antec-kuhler-h2o-620-water-cooler-

review/13630.html


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In the world of home computing, using water cooling startedoff when a couple of enthusiasts tried to achieve highoverclocking performance on their (at the time) top of the line486DX processors. Within a few months the trend took offand many enthusiasts and overclockers were designing andbuilding their own parts, when companies offering ready partsand even ready to assemble kits began to emerge. It was notuntil years later that companies released closed, ready to runwater cooling solutions and still only a few are available in themarket today. Antec has just released such a water cooler, thevery compact Kühler H2O 620, which also comes with a veryinteresting retail price tag. Will it manage to outperform thehumongous air coolers available today? We will find out in thisreview.

In the world of home computing, using water cooling startedoff when a couple of enthusiasts tried to achieve highoverclocking performance on their (at the time) top of the line486DX processors. Within a few months the trend took offand many enthusiasts and overclockers were designing andbuilding their own parts, when companies offering ready partsand even ready to assemble kits began to emerge. It was notuntil years later that companies released closed, ready to runwater cooling solutions and still only a few are available in themarket today. Antec has just released such a water cooler, thevery compact Kühler H2O 620, which also comes with a veryinteresting retail price tag. Will it manage to outperform thehumongous air coolers available today? We will find out in thisreview.


• CPU Socket Compatibility:

o Intel LGA 775, 1155 / 1156, 1366, AMD AM2, AM3,AM2+, AM3+

• Low profile pump ensures exceptional liquid circulationwhile preserving internal airflow

• Non-corrugated easy-bend tubes for maximumflexibility in radiator positioning

• Intelligent noise / speed-control fan for quiet, efficientcooling

• Latest generation copper cold plate for optimalconduction

• Cooling Liquid - Safe, environmentally-friendly, anti-corrosive

• Fan Speed: 1450 - 2000 RPM

• Tubing Length: 13.0" / 330 mm

• Radiator Dimensions:

o 5.6" (H) x 4.7" (W) x 1.1" (D) /

o 151 mm (H) x 120 mm (W) x 27 mm (D)

• Fan Dimensions:

o 4.7" x 1.0" / 120 mm x 25 mm

• Air Flow:

o 81.3 CFM

• Cold Plate + Pump Height:

o 1.1" / 27 mm

• Net weight: 1.5 lbs / 0.7 kg

• AQ3 - Antec Quality 3 year limited warranty on parts andlabor

Leaked AMD roadmapssuggests Llano replacement inQ1'12Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/leaked-amd-roadmaps-suggests-llano-

replacement-in-q1-12/13631.html


If what appears to be a legit leak of a mobile product roadmapfrom AMD is the real deal, then we can expect Llano'sreplacement, Trinity, to arrive in Q1 next year. As with Llano,Trinity will have four different main SKUs, although so far nospecific models are listed. Trinity will be based on AMD's newPilderiver core which is derived from Bulldozer, the same corewhich we'll see in the soon to launch AMD FX series of CPUs.

If what appears to be a legit leak of a mobile product roadmapfrom AMD is the real deal, then we can expect Llano'sreplacement, Trinity, to arrive in Q1 next year. As with Llano,Trinity will have four different main SKUs, although so far nospecific models are listed. Trinity will be based on AMD's newPilderiver core which is derived from Bulldozer, the same corewhich we'll see in the soon to launch AMD FX series of CPUs.

The platform will be known as Comal and initially it'll co-existwith the Sabine platform which is the current mobile LlanoAPUs combined with the A70M and A60M chipsets. Comalwill continue to use the same chipsets and as far as we cantell, the same socket. We'll also be seeing improved graphics,currently codenamed London. Beyond that, details are verysketchy, but what we do know is that the TDP will remain thesame as for the current APUs.


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Later next year we'll see the introduction of Wichita andKrishna, both part of the Deccan platform. Both SKUs willfeature Bobcat core, i.e. the same CPU cores as AMD currentZacate and Ontario entry level APUs. However, the graphicscore will be the same as for Trinity, albeit we'd expect to seefar fewer shader units compared to Trinity. Interestingly AMDhas developed a new FCH for Wichita and Krishna called Yubawhich incorporates two SATA 6Gbps ports, two USB 3.0 ports,10 USB 2.0 ports, 4 PCI Express x1 lanes, a built in SDHCcontroller and various other basic chipset features. Yuba willreplace the A50M FCH in this product category. The Deccanplatform should launch sometime in Q2 next year.

As for the "ultra low power" segment we're looking at Hondo,a next gen Desna APU which brings the power down from5.9W to 4.5W. Honda incorporates two Bobcat cores, the sameLoveland graphics as the current range of entry level APUsand the same FT1 BGA package. The platform will be knownas Brazos T and as AMD is targeting tablets, we'll be seeing anew FCH here too, called A55T. The A55T is a very small andsimplified FCH with a single SATA port, SDIO support andeight USB 2.0 ports.

The roadmap also contains some details of what AMD isplanning for 2013. At the top we have Kaveri which is Trinity'sreplacement which will feature Steamroller CPU cores and ayet unknown graphics core. Below that we have Kabini whichwill feature Jaguar cores, a feature it shares with the tabletfriendly Samara APU. Kaveri will be teamed up with the BoltonFCH, while Kabini gets the integrated Yangtze FCH and finallySamara will feature the integrated Salton FCH.

Let's hope AMD can deliver on this roadmap, as this year hasbeen a bit of a disaster for AMD. That said, at least for nextyear we should be looking at 32nm parts and by then AMD andGlobal Foundries should've gotten yield rates up to expectedlevels. With a Bulldozer core at the heart of Trinity we shouldalso see a decent jump in raw CPU performance over Llano andits aging Husky cores.

Source: 3DCenter forums

vr-zone tech news for the geeks sep 2011 issue

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