March 8th, 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.

The Daily VR-Zone NewsSummary - 08 Mar 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--08-

mar-2011/11518.html

March 8th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Reviews of AMD's latest dual-GPUgraphics card, the Radeon HD 6990, have started floodingthe Internet; Intel announces the launch of its new Core vProprocessors; a leaked Blackberry roadmap reveals plans for anOS 7 sometime in November this year; Adobe hopes to bypassApple's 'no Flash' stance with a new tool that features thecapability to covert basic Flash files into code recognizableby iOS; Japanese fighting game ?gon Mus?kyoku has beenconfirmed to be receiving a sequel, hopefully in time forComiket, and Angry Birds continues to top the PSN charts forthe month of February.

Hardware News:

Intel launches Core vPro processorsDescription: Intel has announced its 2nd generation IntelCore vPro processors, which it says will do great things fortechnologies such as cloud computing and virtualisation.

Plextor M2 Series 128GB SATA 6Gbps Marvell SSD Review @Legit ReviewsDescription: Plextor is probably best known for their opticaldrives so it may come as a surprise to some that they alsooffer SSDs in their product line. Their most recent line is theM2 series which features a Marvell controller and a 6Gbpsinterface. We've got our hands on the 128GB version and we'llsee how it stacks up against the other drives we have tested.At first blush, the specifications for read and write, 420 MB/s and 210 MB/s respectively, don't seem all that amazingcompared to the newest SandForce drives emerging that hitabove 500 MB/s on both fronts. However, as we have seen withSandForce controllers, they rely on data compression to boostspeed so depending on the type of data being transferred, the

data rate may vary dramatically. The benchmarks will paintthis picture a little better...

Lite-On eNAU608 Slim External DVD/CD Writer Review atOverclockers OnlineDescription: Overall, I’m very pleased with the eNAU608.With netbooks not coming equipped with optical drivesby default the eNAU608 provides a great alternative. It isslim and easy to carry around and gives you reasonableperformance. It is not nearly the fastest or most advanced driveout on the market, but if you don’t need Blu-Ray than this hasit all.

Evercool Buffalo CPU Cooler @ TestFreaksDescription: We haven’t done many CPU cooler reviews hereon TestFreaks, but I hope to change that, at least add somemore from time to time. Evercool sent me two for reviewrecently and that first I’ve got for you is the Buffalo that’scompatible with LGA1156 and LGA1136 platforms. The Buffalois a rather small aluminum and heatpipe style cooler with abright red fan on it, and for its size it performs admirably well.

AMD Radeon HD 6990 Antilles Video Card @ BenchmarkReviewsDescription: If you're an enthusiast gamer who demandsonly the highest level of performance that far surpassesmainstream standards, then it's your lucky day because theAMD Radeon HD 6990, code named Antilles, was designed todo exactly that. Using a new VLIW4 shader core architectureand equipped with 4GB GDDR5 256-bit video frame buffer,dual Cayman GPUs offer a total of 3072 stream processors.While the Radeon HD 6990 accomplishes the performanceof two Radeon HD 6970's in CrossFireX, AMD also addsaccelerated multimedia playback and transcoding, AMDHD3D stereoscopic technology, and support for the 3D Blu-ray multi-view CODEC (MVC). The AMD Radeon HD 6990utilizes several new MSAA modes including Enhanced QualityAnti-Aliasing (EQAA), which Benchmark Reviews tests insome of the most popular DirectX-11 video games.

AMD Radeon HD 6990 Launch Preview @ Rage3D.comDescription: AMD launches the Radeon HD 6990 graphicscard, a monstrous behemoth of power and performance fromTeam Red. Two Cayman XT GPU cores, 4GB of RAM, 5TFLOPs of compute performance, out-of-the box Eyefinity 5capabilities and stonking BIOS Overclock mode give all thesigns that AMD is not happy to settle for second best - theyearned the performance crown with the HD 5970, and theyplan to keep it.

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Gainward GeForce GTX 570 Phantom Review @ TweakPC.de(German)Description: (Machine translation) There is a new series atGainward: Phantom. Big, strong and black! We took a look atthe Gainward GeForce GTX 570 Phantom.

MSI GeForce N570GTX Twin Frozr II Review (German)Description: (Machine translation) Along with the Radeon HD6950 and 6970 of the GeForce GTX 570 is currently probablythe most interesting high-end graphics card. The performanceis extremely high, but the price still tolerable and significantlylower than the current top model of the fastest GeForce GTX580th This can already deliver the reference design of the GTX570 from NVIDIA in terms of volume consumption and verygood values.

AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB Dual GPU Video Card Review @Legit ReviewsDescription: The AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB lived up toAMD's marketing hype and proved itself to be the fastestgraphics card in the world. It easily beat out the Radeon HD5970 2GB, the previous dual-GPU video card by AMD, andthe NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 single-GPU video card. Witha massive 4GB of memory and two Cayman-class GPUs on asingle PCB we aren't surprised by the performance numberswe are seeing from the Radeon HD 6990.

Consumer Electronics and Software news:

Kazaa Disses Apple, Debuts Web-Based Music StreamingService For iOS, AndroidDescription: Atrinsic, the direct and online search marketingagency that acquired the assets of former P2P sharingtool Kazaa a couple of months ago, is trying to drum upsome attention for the digital music subscription service thismorning. In a press release, the company posits that there’sbeen a ‘breakthrough’ for iPhone and iPad (and Android) usersbecause its service is now ‘accessible on iOS devices’ simply byvisiting Kazaa.com.

Blackberry roadmap leaked including OS 7 in NovemberDescription: Blackberry is an outfit with more leaks thanWales. Last year there were shedloads of leaks and roadmapswhich ended up in the press.

Asus RT-N56U Gigabit Router Review @ TweaknewsDescription: Asus' RT-N56U router has unique, elegantstyling with an impressive feature set to go along with it.The slim, antenna-free design allows the unit to be tuckedaway just about anywhere, while the simultaneous dual-band connectivity is ready for the most demanding of homenetworks.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Performance Analysis @ TestFreaksDescription: Windows 7 is the best Windows yet, at least that’smy opinion of it. Think what you like, you’re entitled to yourown opinion of course. I’m not going to get into an arguingmatch with you about Win 7 and XP, Vista, OSX etc, this isnot what this article is for, take it elsewhere please. If youwant to know more about how Windows 7 Service Pack 1 mightaffect your computer then this is where you want to be. I’vetaken quite a bit of time to run many test on three separatecomputers with Windows 7 installed, both 32bit and 64bitversions. From my experience I’ve learned a bit and I thought

I’d share that with you today, so read on to learn what I learnedabout how the new Service Pack affects your system.

You’ve got better things to do than wait in traffic - GoogleMobile BlogDescription: Ever been stuck in traffic, only to find out you’dhave been better off going a bit out of your way to take aless congested route? If you’re like me, you probably hear thetraffic report telling you what you already know: traffic is badon the road you’re currently on, and you should have takenanother. It doesn’t need to be this way, and we want to help. Sowe’re happy to announce that Google Maps Navigation (Beta)will now automatically route you around traffic. With morethan 35 million miles driven by Navigation users every day,this should add up to quite a bit of time saved!

Adobe Hopes Wallaby Can Vault Apple’s Flash BlockadeDescription: Adobe appears to be switching its strategyand launching new products that can cope with Apple’srestrictions. The first major example: Wallaby, a system itis launching today to convert basic Flash files — such asanimations and banner ads — into code that will work on iOS.

Android Hit Hard by Malware, Google Fights BackDescription: It seems that I’m here reporting about a majorproblem with Android at least once every few weeks – whetherit’s their painful text bug or their microSD security issue.While these issues have been far from minor, they neverthelesspale in comparison to the most recent hole in the Anroidsystem. That hole is made up of a simple security issue . . .that happened to let 260,000 users download malware via 58different malicious applications.

Gaming news

Umineko Fighting Game Gets SequelDescription: Ryukishi07, the creator for Umineko no NakuKoro Ni had announced that a sequel for its fightinggame spinoff: Ougon Musoukyoku 2 has been green-lit forproduction.

Open Fire on the Homefront Multiplayer TrailerDescription: Home is where the war is in THQ's upcomingmilitary FPS, and in the latest trailer for Homefront, developerKaos Studios provides a peek at the CoD-meets-Battlefieldmayhem that awaits in the game's multiplayer. Flank the jumpfor the video

Angry Birds continues PSN domination in FebruaryDescription: The PlayStation Store had some noteworthyreleases in February: Explodemon, Stacking, BionicCommando Rearmed 2. But none of these new releasesmanaged to chart in PSN's monthly sales numbers. Instead,you'll see some familiar names on the top 5 list, includingAngry Birds, which continues its second month of bestsellingsales.

Genius Launches SlimStar8000 Wireless Keyboard-Mouse ComboSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/genius-launches-slimstar-8000-

wireless-keyboard-mouse-combo/11520.html

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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March 8th, 2011

Taipei-based Genius has released the SlimStar 8000 wirelessdesktop combo in North America. Powered by three AAAbatteries, the mouse and keyboard connects to the PC via a2.4GHz wireless technology USB adapter.

Taipei-based Genius has released the SlimStar 8000 wirelessdesktop combo in North America. Powered by three AAAbatteries, the mouse and keyboard connects to the PC viaa 2.4GHz wireless technology USB adapter. The keyboardis spill-proof and has various multimedia buttons whilst themouse has a 1200 dpi optical sensor, and a Magic Roller scrollwheel. The SlimStar 8000 is available through authorizedretailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US24.90.News via [Techconnect]

Transcend Unveils SSD18C3Portable SSDSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/transcend-unveils-ssd18c3-portable-

ssd/11519.html

March 8th, 2011

Transcend has announced the SSD18C3 Portable SSD.Measuring 98.7 x 65.7 x 17.45mm and weighing 70g, thecompact portable drive features a "vibration-absorbing andslip-resistant" silicone case, One Touch auto-backup button, aMTBF of 1,000,000 hours, and delivers data transfer speedsup to 260Mb/s via its USB 3.0 interface. The SSD18C3Portable SSD, backed by a three year warranty, is available in64Gb and 128Gb capacities at MSRPs of US$224 and US$448respectively.

TRANSCEND PRESS RELEASE

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a worldwide leaderin memory and storage products, today announced a newaddition to its SSD family, the SSD18C3 Portable Solid StateDrive. The new portable SSD combines the benefits of USB 3.0with all the performance and durability advantages of solid-state technology, providing unparalleled speed and stabilitythat conventional portable hard drives cannot compete with.

Turbo Mode: Data transfer rates up to 260 MB/s

The new USB 3.0 SSD18C3 is a true Solid State Drive,based on high quality NAND flash memory. It includes aninnovative device driver engineered to dramatically enhanceUSB transfer speeds. Once installed, the SSD will switch intoTurbo mode, boosting data transfer speeds up to an incredible260 MB/s when connected to a USB 3.0 port. This exceptionalperformance makes the SSD an ideal storage solution for read-intensive applications; even an entire DVD movie takes a mere15 seconds to process. Also compatible with USB 2.0, theSSD18C3 ensures that users will be able to transfer files oncomputers not yet equipped with a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port.

Extra durable with rubberized exterior

Due to the absence of moving parts, the SSD18C3's internalSSD runs silent and cool, and can withstand excessive shockor vibration. To add more durability, the SSD is housed in avibration-absorbing and slip-resistant silicone outer shell. Itsrobust housing and shockproof storage technology make theSSD18C3 perfect for users who need high performance on thego, without having to worry about accidental impact damage.Aabout the size of a deck of pokerbout the size of a deck ofpoker playing cards, the SSD18C3 is ultra light and easy tocarry.

One Touch auto-backup & JetFlash Elite software

The SSD18C3 offers an array of state-of-the-art features,including an extremely convenient One Touch auto-backupbutton. The One Touch backup system, which can be enabledwith the preloaded Backup Manager software, allows usersto instantly backup and synchronize their data with one easybutton press. Users can also download Transcend's exclusiveJetFlash Elite data management tools to help them usetheir SSD more productively, such as for automatic websiteauthentication, or checking non web-based email accountsremotely just by plugging the SSD into any computer withInternet access.

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

iPhone 4 64GB found in HongKong?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iphone-4-64gb-found-in-hong-

kong-/11516.html

March 8th, 2011

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

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

On the back of the phone, it states iPhone XXGB, whichsome might find familiar. Leaked prototype which Gizmodobought, ring any bells? Furthermore, besides stating 64GB inthe screen under capacity, the model is 995-6049LL.

So is this really a leaked prototype from Apple? If it is, is Appleventuring into 64GB iPhones for future models?

Asus launches Brazospowered Eee PCsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-launches-brazos-powered-eee-

pcs/11517.html

March 8th, 2011

One of the last companies to announce its Brazos powerednetbooks/ultra slim notebooks is Asus and although thecompany was late, it has as of today added two new modelswith AMD's E-350 and C-50 dual core processors to its Eee PCrange. The models are the Eee PC 1015B and 1215B where the1015B is a 10-inch model and the 1215B is a 12-inch model.

One of the last companies to announce its Brazos powerednetbooks/ultra slim notebooks is Asus and although thecompany was late, it has as of today added two new modelswith AMD's E-350 and C-50 dual core processors to its Eee PCrange. The models are the Eee PC 1015B and 1215B where the1015B is a 10-inch model and the 1215B is a 12-inch model.

The Eee PC 1015B is of course the model with the dual core1GHz C-50 processor and it's based on Asus' traditional EeePC design. Optionally Asus will offer the 1015B with a singlecore C-30 APU, but it won't be available in all markets. TheEee PC 1215B on the other hand comes with a 1.6GHz dual coreE-350 APU as standard and is based on Asus' larger 12-inchEee PC chassis which so far have been limited to a couple ofmodels combining Atom processors and Nvidia ION graphics.Again, Asus will offer the 1215B with the option of a C-50 orC-30 APU, but as previously, only in some markets.

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

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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

AMD Radeon HD 6990 AntillesReview Roundup!Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-radeon-hd-6990-antilles-review-

roundup-/11515.html

March 8th, 2011

The prodiguous penguins @ VR-Zone have not got their wingson a Radeon 6990 yet - apparently there are only 2 pieces ofthis monstrous card (both on/off the shelves of 2 popular SimLim Square retail shops) in sunny Singapore. Nevertheless tillthen, we've compiled a list of choice reviews/reactions aroundthe web about our latest 12.4inch king of the (performance)hill / your new third leg...

AMD Extends Graphics Performance Lead, Launches World’sFastest Graphics Card… AGAIN!

AMD Radeon™ HD 6990 utilizes sophisticated AMDPowerTune intelligent power management technology,delivers native support for wraparound 5x1 gaming with AMDEyefinity technologySUNNYVALE, Calif. —3/8/2011

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the launch of thefastest graphics card in the world, the AMD Radeon™ HD6990, packing so much raw performance it delivered a newsingle graphics card world record score of P11865 in theindustry standard 3DMark11 benchmark1. AMD Radeon HD6990 graphics cards are available immediately from retailersworldwide, with select models starting at US $699 MSRP.

Designed for the power gamer, AMD Radeon HD 6990graphics cards include AMD’s second-generation, MicrosoftDirectX® 11-capable architecture, advanced image qualityfeatures for the best looking games, and AMD PowerTuneintelligent technology to enable higher clock speeds and fastergaming. The AMD Radeon HD 6990 offers the ultimate inimmersive HD gaming and computing with native support

for up to five displays using AMD Eyefinity multi-displaytechnology, with six display support possible via DisplayPort1.2 components available for purchase later this year.3 TheAMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards also feature a dual-BIOS toggle switch, allowing enthusiast gamers to unlockthe card and rev up the clocks and voltages for even moreperformance.4 Finally, AMD HD3D technology provides acutting-edge stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie experience,thanks to HDMI 1.4a support.5

“Packing more raw performance than any consumer graphicscard ever created, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 provides thelatest for the ultimate gaming advantage,” said Matt Skynner,corporate vice president and general manager, GPU division,AMD. “Coupled with AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology,AMD PowerTune power management and AMD HD3D, thiscard is so powerful it can take on even the most demandingultra-enthusiast tasks.”

Leading Graphics with second-generationDirectX 11-capable Technology

• New AMD PowerTune technology: Designed toperform real-time intelligent power management, AMDPowerTune technology on the AMD Radeon HD 6990automatically enables higher clock speeds and fasterperformance in the hottest games.1

• Increased memory for higher image quality: With 4GBof ultra-fast GDDR5 memory, gamers can enjoy superiordetail in their favorite games, even on up to fivesimultaneous displays.

• The Ultimate Visual Experience™: As AMD’s mostadvanced DirectX® 11-capable GPU, AMD Radeon HD6990 graphics processors also enable an exceptionalgame play experience in DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10,DirectX® 10.1 and OpenGL titles in single card or multi-card AMD CrossFireX™ configurations.6

• Improved image quality: Advanced anti-aliasing featuresenable dramatically enhanced image quality forintensely realistic gaming. Enhanced-Quality Anti-Aliasing (EQAA) uses a new sampling technique tohelp improve visual quality, while Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA) uses DirectCompute acceleration toprovide anti-aliasing on any DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10,or DirectX® 11 application.

An Immersive Gaming Experience withAMD Eyefinity Technology and AdvancedDisplay Options

• Simple, flexible, affordable multi-display computingwith AMD Eyefinity technology: Providing anexpanded and more immersive field of view, AMDEyefinity technology continues to be the most affordablemulti-display solution available, offering dozens ofpossible configurations of up to five simultaneousdisplays.2 New to the AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphicsprocessor is the ability to configure up to five monitorsin portrait mode. Making innovative technologies moreaffordable and accessible than ever before, the AMD

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Eyefinity Validated & Ready Testing Program helpsensure a seamless customer multi-display experience,with more than 70 tested and validated AMD Eyefinity-compatible titles for the greatest assurance of quality andinteroperability. Continued industry leadership in multi-display computing: AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphicscards offer support for both DisplayPort 1.2 featuresand HDMI 1.4a, offering enthusiasts incredible multi-monitor configuration options, flexibility in displayselection, and new DisplayPort audio features.

Faster Applications and Brilliant Videowith AMD EyeSpeed Technology

• AMD EyeSpeed visual acceleration technology letsyou do more, faster: Tapping the tremendous powerof the AMD Radeon HD 6990, enthusiasts willenjoy clearer and more vibrant videos, as well asimproved performance and new features in top media,entertainment and productivity applications with AMDEyeSpeed technology.7

• Incredible compute capabilities: Featuring leadingsupport for IEEE 754 double precision floating pointops, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 is equipped to dominatecomputationally intense workloads.

• Enhanced video quality features: AMD Radeon HD6990 graphics cards feature Unified Video Decoder 3(UVD3), a dedicated video playback accelerator thathelps users get the most out of HD video, online videoand Blu-ray™ 3D, while enjoying a range of video qualityimprovements such as advanced post-processing andscaling, dynamic contrast enhancement, color correctionand more.

• 3D entertainment choices with AMD HD3Dtechnology: AMD continues to deliver a broad andaffordable selection of 3D solutions with AMD RadeonHD 6990 graphics cards, featuring AMD HD3Dtechnology, backed by AMD’s open 3D initiative forstereo 3D gaming and movies.3

About AMDAMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovatorleading the next era of vivid digital experiences with itsground-breaking AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units(APU). AMD’s graphics and computing technologies powera variety of solutions including PCs, game consoles and theservers that drive the Internet and businesses. For moreinformation, visit http://www.amd.com.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Radeon, and combinationsthereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Other names are for informational purposes only and may betrademarks of their respective owners.

1. The score of P11865 was achieved using a passivelycooled AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics card, AMDCatalyst 11.4 drivers, Windows 7 64-bit operating system,Intel Core i7 Extreme 990X, ASUSTek Rampage III

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

Highest single card Nvidia GeForce580 = P9213http://www.hwbot.org/community/submission/2113441_romdominance_3dmark11___performance_geforce_gtx_580_9213_marks

Highest single card AMD Radeon HD 5970 graphics card(dual GPU card) = P9643

http://www.hwbot.org/community/submission/2115439_atomel_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_5970_9643_marks

2. AMD PowerTune technology is an intelligent powermanagement technology native to certain AMDRadeon™ HD GPUs, which enables higher clock speedsas compared to previous generations of ATI Radeon™and AMD Radeon™ graphics products. AMD PowerTuneTechnology may not be implemented on all AMDRadeon HD 6990 offerings – please check with the cardmanufacturer.

3. AMD Eyefinity technology works with games thatsupport non-standard aspect ratios, which is required forpanning across multiple displays. To enable more thantwo displays, additional panels with native DisplayPort™connectors, and/or DisplayPort™ compliant activeadapters to convert your monitor’s native input to yourcards DisplayPort™ or Mini-DisplayPort™ connector(s),are required. Support for six simultaneous displaysmay require complementary products compatible withDisplayPort 1.2 Multi-Stream Transport. Maximumnumber of configured displays may vary - checkwith your component or system manufacturer forspecific model capabilities and supported technologies.SLS (“Single Large Surface”) functionality requires anidentical display resolution on all configured displays.

4. AMD’s product warranty does not cover damages causedby overclocking, even when overclocking is enabled viaAMD hardware or software.

5. AMD HD3D is a technology designed to enablestereoscopic 3D support in games, movies and/orphotos. Requires 3D stereo drivers, glasses, and display.

6. AMD CrossFireX™ technology requires an AMDCrossFireX Ready motherboard, an AMD CrossFireX™Bridge Interconnect (for each additional graphics card)and may require a specialized power supply.

7. AMD EyeSpeed technology is a set of technologiesdesigned to improve video quality and enhanceapplication performance. Full enablement of somefeatures requires support for AMD Accelerated ParallelProcessing (APP) technology and/or AMD’s UniversalVideo Decoder (UVD). AMD Accelerated ParallelProcessing technology works with applications designedto take advantage of its GPU acceleration capabilities.

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Not all products have all features and full enablementof some capabilities and may require complementaryproducts

IT Show 2011 Promotions: HPSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

hp/11465.html

March 8th, 2011

HP will be participating in this year's IT Show, and needlessto say its offerings will consist of both computing devices likedesktop and notebook PCs, as well as a wide range of imagingsolutions in the form of printers. In this post, we shall takea look at what HP has to offer in its IT SHOW 2011 lineup.HP's booth can be found at Level 4, Booth 8150, Hall 401.*UPDATED with HP's range of notebooks and desktop PCs

HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAiO Printer E710n

The wireless HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One E710nproduces laser-quality color documents at a low cost perpage that allows SOHO and SMB users to print high-impactmarketing materials in-house. Featuring HP ePrint, users canprint anytime, anywhere using any mobile device. The HPOfficejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n also uses 40% less energythan comparable laser printers and has an automatic two-sided printing function which helps cut paper usage by upto 50%. The printer also has a 2.36-inch color touchscreendisplay to easily copy, fax, print, scan and access apps.

Key features:

• Achieve laser performance at a low cost per page

o Get great value, using individual, high-capacity inkcartridges designed for the office.

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

o Print borderless documents with vivid colorgraphics and sharp text, using HP Officejet inks.

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

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

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

• Reduce your impact and protect your bottom line

o Use up to 40% less energy than comparable laserproducts, with an ENERGY STAR qualified all-in-one.

o Cut paper usage by up to 50% with the automatictwo-sided printing and PC Fax Send which enablespaperless fax sending and archiving.

Usual price: S$399

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

Print lab-quality photos, everyday documents and web contenton the fly, without using a PC. HP ePrint combined withaffordable individual inks lets you easily produce impressiveprints from anywhere, anytime.

Key features and benefits:

• Print when it’s most convenient for you from across theworld or across the room. With HP ePrint, simply email aphoto or document to your printer and pick up the pageslater.

• Create impressive photo projects, and even print directlyfrom the device itself with integrated memory card slots.

• The HP TouchSmart frame allows you to print photos,scan, copy and print web content without the use of a PC.

• Boost productivity with wireless connectivity at a press ofa button, allowing you to share this all-in-one with otherWi-Fi enabled PCs from anywhere in your house.

Usual price: S$229

SMC SMCWPBR-3G Wireless3G Portable Router ReviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/smc-smcwpbr-3g-wireless-3g-portable-

router-review/11442.html

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March 8th, 2011

Create a wireless internet hotspot anywhere in just seconds.Road warriors can easily access the Internet on their notebook,tablet or smart phone instantly without having to fiddle with3G dongles or cables. Furthermore, sharing a single Internetconnection with a number of devices would definitely savesome money.

The SMC SMCWPBR-3G offers a portable yet versatilesolution: it converts Internet connectivity from an existing 3GUSB modem into a wireless hotspot instantly. It also allows upto eight devices to be connected simultaneously. This could bethe ideal router for connecting WiFi-enabled peripherals suchas smart phones, laptops, tablets and gaming devices, or whena couple of friends gather for a gaming session.

Unlike its competitors, this router does not have an integratedmodem. This offers flexibility if the user decides to upgradefrom a 3G to a 4G connection. Another great feature on therouter is that it has a rotational USB port, allowing the modemto be positioned to get the best reception as possible. It alsohas a built-in battery which offers up to 6 hours of battery life.

IT Show 2011 Promotions: FujiXeroxSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-fuji-

xerox/11514.html

March 8th, 2011

Fuji Xerox Printers will be showcasing their printers andmulti-functional printers at the IT SHOW 2011 includingthe DocuPrint P205 b (Pink) and DocuPrint P205 bA4 monochrome laser, DocuPrint CP105 b A4 color andDocuPrint CM205 A4 Colour Multifunction printers. Thebooth can be located on level 4, hall 401; the booth number is8468.

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint P205 b A4 Monochrome Printer (PINK)

- 24ppm fast print speed- Lowest toner price in the market

- 4-year carry-in warranty

- 1-hr Express Service guaranteed

Usual Price - S$139IT SHOW Price - TBA

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint P205 b A4 Monochrome Printer

- 24ppm fast print speed- Lowest toner price in the market

- 4-year carry-in warranty

- 1-hr Express Service guaranteed

Usual Price - S$169IT SHOW Price - TBA

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CP105 b A4 Colour Printer

- 10ppm colour /12ppm mono- Brilliant print resolution of up to 1,200 x 2,400 dpi

- 4-year carry-in warranty

- 1-hr Express Service guaranteed

Usual Price - S$329IT SHOW Price - TBA

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 b A4 Colour MultifunctionPrinter

- Print / Copy / Scan- 12ppm colour /15ppm mono

- Scan direct to USB memory key

- 4-year carry-in warranty

- 1-hr Express Service guaranteed

Usual Price - S$499IT SHOW Price - TBA

MSI announces RadeonR6990-4PD4GD5 (AMD RadeonHD 6990)Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-announces-radeon-

r6990-4pd4gd5-amd-radeon-hd-6990-/11495.html

March 8th, 2011

MSI has announced its flagship AMD product, the RadeonR6990-4PD4GD5 graphics card. The R6990 has two(downclocked) AMD Radeon HD 6970 GPUs and 4GB ofGDDR5 memory on a single printed circuit board, making itthe fastest graphics card on the planet.

MSI has announced its flagship AMD product, the RadeonR6990-4PD4GD5 graphics card.

The R6990 has two (downclocked) AMD Radeon HD 6970GPUs on a single printed circuit board, making it the fastestgraphics card on the planet. The 4GB of GDDR5 memoryonboard makes gameplay at high resolution smooth, alsoincreases the efficiency of multi-display image processing. Thedefault operating frequencies are 830MHz for the two GPUcores, and 1250MHz for the memory. Via a physical BIOSswitch, the GPU core clock can be raised to 880MHz foradditional performance.

The R6990-4PD4GD5 supports AMD's exclusive Eyefinitymulti-display technology, with four mini DisplayPort 1.2outputs and one DVI output to support up to a maximum offive displays from a single card. By supporting five displays,the additional visual real estate available to professionalsand gamers is definitely more than welcomed. Also,DisplayPort 1.2 supports stereoscopic 3D and bitstreamingof Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD for the ultimate audio-visualexperience. Of course, the new Radeon HD 6990 supportsDirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 for maximum in-game eye-candy.

MSI Afterburner is the most complete utility for graphicscard monitoring and overclocking. The latest Afterburner 2.1.0release supports adjustment of VGPU, VMEM and VDDCIvalues, advanced fan speed control, information monitoring,and offers five customization profiles. Afterburner 2.1 alsointroduces the new Predator in-game video capture function,allowing exciting gaming moments to be recorded. Gamerscan bask in their glory and share them with the world usingonline video hosting sites. Kombustor 2.0 provides stabilitytesting, and the new KMark mode can measure graphics cardperformance through several display effects.

Reference: MSI Press Release

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Asus Thunderbolt Sound andKiller NIC card (RampageIII Black Edition) - A CloseInspectionSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-thunderbolt-sound-and-killer-nic-

card-rampage-iii-black-edition--a-close-inspection/11513.html

March 8th, 2011

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

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

What struck us as a bit odd is the fact that the C-Media 6631audio chip appears to be connected via USB rather than thePCI Express interface. The card has a USB pin header at therear, next to the power connector and there's no visible PCIExpress bridge chip which would otherwise be needed. Fora card that's meant to feature a high-end sound card, thisseems like a strange approach, although there's fundamentallynothing wrong with a USB sound card.

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

The Killer NIC E2100 part isn't anything out of the ordinary;in fact, it's the same components that Gigabyte is using on itsG1 Killer series of motherboards as far as we can tell from thepicture. That means a Freescale IC, a smaller IC, two bits ofmemory and a Marvell Gigabit Ethernet PHY. We're still notsold on the advantages of having a Killer NIC over a regularNIC, but Asus has at least managed to do something differentwith the hardware. The Rampage III Black Edition from Asusis set to hit retail in a couple of weeks' time according to thesource, so if you're keen on getting your hands on it and theThunderbolt card, the wait isn't going to be too long.

IT Show 2011 Promotions:EpsonSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

epson/11512.html

March 8th, 2011

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

Epson K100 Single Function Monochrome Inkjet Printer

- Offers one of the lowest cost per page (cpp) of any printer atonly 1.5 cent.- Built-in duplexer that helps customers conveniently savemoney by printing on both sides of the paper.

- With a default ISO print speed of 16 pages per minute (ppm),K100 is as fast as laser printers in default mode.

- Use of Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment inks for smudge, fadeand water resistant prints.

- Use of Epson’s highly reliable Micro Piezo print head thatlasts the life of the printer and use far less power thanconventional laser printers.

Normal Price: S$188IT SHOW Price: TBC

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Epson ME Office 960FWD All-In-One-Printer

- Uses standard ME141 inks for highly affordable printing atSGD 5.0 cents (black and white) and an average of SGD 10.0cents (colour) per page.- Has the option of using the high capacity ME143 inks for evenlower running costs at SGD 2.5 cents (black and white) andSGD 7.5 cents (colour) per page.

- Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment inks for smudge, fade andwater resistant prints.

- High Print Resolution of 5760 X 1440 dpi with Micro Piezoprint head technology.

Normal Price: S$478IT SHOW Price: TBC

Epson ME Office 900WD Printer

- Uses standard ME141 inks for highly affordable printing atSGD 5.0 cents (black and white) and an average of SGD 10.0cents (colour) per page.- Has the option of using the high capacity ME143 inks for evenlower running costs at SGD 2.5 cents (black and white) andSGD 7.5 cents (colour) per page.

- Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment inks for smudge, fade andwater resistant prints.

- High Print Resolution of 5760 X 1440 dpi with Micro Piezoprint head technology.

Normal Price: S$298IT SHOW Price: TBC

Epson EB-W10 Projector

- Brilliant, distinctly sharper and clearer images with 3LCDTechnology- WXGA Resolution: 1280 x 800dpi

- 2,600 ANSI Lumens

- 2,000:1 Contrast Ratio

- USB direct display

- Light Weight 2.3kg

Usual Price: S$1,299IT SHOW Price: TBC

ASUS Radeon HD6990Graphics Card unveiledSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-radeon-hd6990-graphics-card-

unveiled/11511.html

March 8th, 2011

PC gamers have a new standard-setting graphics card tolook forward to in the form of the ASUS HD 6990. A truepowerhouse, it uses dual HD 6970 cores on one printed circuitboard, doubling the power while maintaining streamlinedenergy draw requirements. With ASUS exclusive VoltageTweak, it pushes the card to run at up to 1245 MHz* for sheergaming performance in the highest possible resolutions andwith all effects and details turned up to maximum. The HD6990 represents the very top-end of AMD-sourced technology.

PC gamers have a new standard-setting graphics card tolook forward to in the form of the ASUS HD 6990. A truepowerhouse, it uses dual HD 6970 cores on one printed circuitboard, doubling the power while maintaining streamlinedenergy draw requirements. With ASUS exclusive VoltageTweak, it pushes the card to run at up to 1245 MHz* for sheergaming performance in the highest possible resolutions andwith all effects and details turned up to maximum. The HD6990 represents the very top-end of AMD-sourced technology.

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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• Based on AMD Antilles GPU architecture, the HD 6990offers hardcore PC gamers and DIY builders the fastestdual-core graphics card ever produced using AMDtechnology. It represents the pinnacle of the Windows®7 and DirectX® 11-optimized Northern Islands series ofGPUs from AMD.

• Massive 4GB of GDDR5 video memory surpassesanything previously deployed in the Northern Islandsseries, giving games and other applications enormousbreathing room for enhanced visuals. The extra memorycomes in especially handy for DirectX™ 11 tessellationoperations, where high quality textures put greatdemand on resources.

• The ASUS HD 6990 comes at 830MHz and the exclusiveVoltage Tweak overvolting utility allows users to pushclock speeds by as much as 50%* with adequate cooling.

• The two cores run in 2-way CrossFireX™ engaged bydefault on one board, eliminating inter-GPU latency andensuring the fastest possible performance with the mostbandwidth ever achieved on a single-board AMD-basedcard. Two HD 6990 cards can be put together for instantquad CrossFireX™.

• AMD Eyefinity™ multi-screen technology enables thedriving of up to five monitors via a single HD 6990.The card also supports AMD HD3D™ technology for3D gaming and movie watching on a compatible TV ormonitor.

*Actual performance may vary based on system configurationand other prevailing conditions.

Model EAH6990/3DI4S/4GD5Graphics Engine AMD Radeon™ HD 6970*2Bus Standard PCI Express® 2.1OpenGL OpenGL4.1Video Memory 4GB GDDR5Engine Clock 830MHzStream Processors 1536*2Memory Clock 5000MHz (1250MHz

GDDR5)Memory Interface 256 bit x2DVI Max. Resolution 2560 * 1600DVI Output YES X3 (Dual-link DVI-I*1,

via Mini DP-to-DVI(active)adaptor*1,

via Mini DP-to-DVI(passive)adaptor*1)

HDMI Output YES X1 (via Mini DP-to-HDMI adaptor)

HDCP compliant YESDisplayPort YES X4 (Native Mini DP)Adapter/Cable Bundled Mini DP-to-DVI(active)

adaptor x 1

Mini DP-to-DVI(passive)adaptor x 1

Mini DP-to-HDMI adaptor x 1

CrossFire Bridge x1

Power Cable x 1

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Software Bundled ASUS Utilities & DriverDimension 12.4” x 5.1” x 1.6” inches

• Specifications aresubject to changewithout notice.

• PCB color and bundledsoftware versions arechange without notice.

• Brand and productnames mentioned aretrademarks of theirrespective company.

About ASUS

ASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor andthe maker of the world’s best selling and most awardwinning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the newdigital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products thatperfectly meet the needs of today's digital home, office andperson, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards,graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, notebooks, netbooks,servers, multimedia, wireless solutions, networking devicesand mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committedto quality, ASUS won 3,398 awards in 2010, and is widelycredited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the EeePC™.

Report: AMD Shipping FX-Series (Bulldozer) in June, A-Series (Llano) in JulySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-shipping-fx-series-

bulldozer-in-june-a-series-llano-in-july/11510.html

March 8th, 2011

According to a report from Xbitlabs' sources, AMD hasfinalized shipping dates for both Bulldozer and Llano. Asexpected, Bulldozer will be branded FX-Series, while Llanowill receive the A-Series moniker. FX-Series CPUs are setto ship in the week starting June 20th, with A-series APUsfollowing shortly after in the week of July 4th.

The FX-series will consist of CPUs based on AMD's muchawaited next-gen Bulldozer architectures. There will be fourFX8000 eight-core CPUs, two FX6000 six-core CPUs and twoquad-core FX4000 CPUs. While AMD has been remained inthe shadow of Intel in terms of raw performance, the flagshipFX8000 series will give AMD a fighting chance against Intel'sCore i7 990X. Of course, Intel's true competitor to the AMDFX8000 CPUs will only release in Q4 2011 in the form of SandyBridge E. Meanwhile, FX6000 and FX4000 will likely fight offLGA1155 Sandy Bridge CPUs.

There will be no less than 11 A-Series Llano APUs released, inquad-core and dual-core varieties. Since the A-Series includes

a full blown GPU, we can expect variations in the GPUs as well.While the A-Series is unlikely to match Sandy Bridge in pureCPU performance, it could be a potent solution for gaming /multi-tasking workloads.

The final release dates remains to be seen, though should takeplace shortly after the shipping dates. AMD's official word hasbeen "Q2 2011" for FX-Series and "Summer" for A-Series.

IT Show 2011 Promotions:JawboneSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

jawbone/11509.html

March 8th, 2011

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

The Jawbone ICON offers unprecedented ease of use andaudio quality as well as an industry-first software platformcalled MyTALK that lets users personalize and update theirJawbones via the web.

• Equipped with military grade noise assassin technology,the best noise cancellation technology money canbuy, giving you the freedom to enjoy quiet phoneconversations in places you previously couldn’t.

• The headset can also be programmed to respond tothe user in six different voices and in seven differentlanguages, including in Cantonese, Mandarin, andJapanese.

• ICON comes with a unique platform called MyTALK,allowing users to try different apps, personalize settings

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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and download the latest and greatest features andsoftware updates.

Look out for EpiCentrestandout showcase at IT Show2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/look-out-for-epicentre-standout-

showcase-at-it-show-2011/11508.html

March 8th, 2011

Apple's premium reseller epiCentre said that they will betaking a "different" approach at the IT Show 2011; it will have astandout showcase on level two, room 201 and 202 at SuntecConvention and Exhibition Centre, and offering consumers atotal digital lifestyle experience.

Singapore’s Apple Premium Reseller EpiCentre is taking aunique approach to this year’s IT Show 2011 that is heldfrom 10 - 13 March. The retailer has created a standoutshowcase on level two, room 201 and 202 at SuntecInternational Convention and Exhibition Centre, to give a totaldigital lifestyle experience to consumers.

Covering over 6000 square feet in size, the iPavilionshowroom claims to be the largest Mac Pavilion booth atthe exhibition, offering a wide range of Apple products andlifestyle gadgets, as well as software applications, games andprizes for visitors. In addition, the iPavilion will also showcasean audio demo room for the premium audio brand, Geneva.

Other big brand names include David Garibaldi, Baby Phatand Ed Hardy, where limited worldwide editions of the EdHardy black label iPhone and iPad cases retailing at S$1,500and S$4,500 respectively, will be featured.

The iPavilion showroom will be divided into different sections,featuring the full range of Apple products, premium Appleaccessories, the latest consumer gadgets from leading globalbrands, catering to fashionistas to technology geeks.

Those looking for a unique audio experience can immersethemselves in an exclusive sonic preview at the on-siteaudio room showcasing the yet-to-be launched Genevasound systems for iPod and iPhone. Also available are the

earphones from premium audio brands like Klipsch, Nixonand Beyerdynamic.

The iPavilion will also have on display popular Apple productssuch as the Macbooks, iPods and a comprehensive rangeof audio and storage brands. Other services available atthe iPavilion include trade-in, memory upgrades and screenprotector application.

Visitors to the iPavilion can try their hand at interactiveapplication games with the iPad and iPod Touch, for a chanceto win attractive prizes. The programme line up also includesstage performances to entertain visitors while they areshopping for the latest Apple gadgets and accessories. Therewill also be free Apple workshops by EpiCentre’s in-houseApple-certified trainer and auctions in which participants canbid for their favourite products from as low as S$10, as wellas daily specials and lucky draws with over 100 prizes up forgrabs.

IT Show 2011 Promotions:LogitechSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

logitech/11507.html

March 8th, 2011

More often than not, merely having a powerful desktop ornotebook PC is not good enough, In order to ensure that a useris capable of obtaining maximum productivity out of his or hermachine, it is important that they have the right accessoriesand peripherals to get the job done. And leave it to Logitechto bring in a range of computer accessories for this year's ITSHOW to ensure that users are as comfortable as possiblewhen working on their computers. Logitech's products can befound at Newstead's booth at Level 3.

Logitech Notebook Kit MK605

Around the house or at your desk, Logitech Notebook KitMK605 gives you options depending on what you’re doing andwhere you’re doing it. When at the office, or even at the kitchentable, you get precise cursor control with the wireless lasermouse and a more comfortable and organized setup thanksto the compact wireless keyboard and the pivoting riser that

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elevates your laptop to one of three angles. And, with the tinyUnifying receiver that stays in your computer, you need onlyone receiver for both the keyboard and mouse (and up tofour other Unifying compatible devices you might have). TheNotebook Kit MK605 lets you use your laptop, your way.

Usual price: S$159

Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205

The Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205 is a clip-on, laptop-powered, USB stereo speaker that’s as portable as your laptop—with better sound.

Key features:

• Clip and go - It clips securely to most laptops andnetbooks, so you can easily use it anywhere you use yourcomputer.

• A sound upgrade - Your built-in speakers just can’tcompete with the stereo sound from this lightweight,portable speaker.

• Ready to play - No need for software or a power supply—a single USB connection delivers power and pure, digitalsound instantly.

Usual price: S$59

IT Show 2011 Promotions: DellSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

dell/11506.html

March 8th, 2011

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

Alienware M17x

- Power through the most hardcore games and intenseapplications with the latest Intel® Core i7 processor- Graphics card with 1GB AMD HD 6870 (GDDR5) for ultra-fast frame rates

- Powerfully unique design with anodized aluminum casedesign

IT SHOW price: TBA

Dell Inspiron N4110

- New Intel i7 processor (pre-order)- 14-inch wide HD Screen

- Intel HD Graphics to deliver superior graphic experience

IT SHOW price: TBA

Dell ST2320L 23-inch Wide Full HD Monitor with LED

- Stunning 1920x1080 Full High Definition, mega contrastratio at up to 8,000,000:1 and fast response time of 5mstypical- VGA, DVI-D (HDCP) and HDMI connectivity

- LCD panels are fitted with LED backlights to meet the latestENERGY 5.0 compliance standards

Usual Price - S$239IT SHOW price: N.A

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Dell UltraSharp U2311H 23-inch Wide Monitor

- Brilliant front of screen performance with In-plane switchingtechnology and full high definition- Remote monitoring and control

- Height adjustable stand with tilt, swivel and pivot features

Usual Price - S$338IT SHOW price: N.A

IT SHOW 2011 Price Lists,Flyers, Brochures, PromotionsRoundupSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-price-lists-flyers-

brochures-promotions-roundup/11502.html

March 8th, 2011

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

IT Show 2011 Promotions:NortonSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

norton/11505.html

March 8th, 2011

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

2011, you might want to pay Norton's booth a visit to see howtheir products might be able to help you ensure that yourPC remains protected at all times. Norton has its own boothat Level 6, Hall 602, Booth no. 6251, although you may liketo know that its products can be found at other participants'booths as well, namely Cybermind (6859), DA (8318) andNewstead (3008).

New: Norton 360 V5.0 (to debut in IT Show 2011)

Key features:

• Groundbreaking new reputation service technologyprovides unmatched real-time threat detection to guardagainst viruses, worms, spyware, bots, Trojans, rootkits,identity thieves, and other digital dangers. So users canbrowse, buy, and bank online without worry.

• Automated set-it-and-forget-it backup with web accesslets users quickly and easily retrieve and restore digitalphotos, music, financial documents, and other importantfiles in case of loss or damage

• Norton 360 automatically tunes up users’ PC to helpkeep it running well. Plus it helps users keep their PCsperforming at its best by providing easy-to-understandinformation about applications that may be impactingperformance.

*Pricing TBA

IT Show 2011 Promotions:AcerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

acer/11498.html

March 8th, 2011

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

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Acer Aspire 4750G-2634G64Mn

The Acer Aspire 4750G-2634G64Mn is equipped withthe latest second-generation Intel Core i7-2630QM quadcore processor with Turbo Boost technology and NvidiaGeForce GT540M (1024MB DDR3 VRAM) with Optimusswitchable graphics technology to deliver superb performancein multimedia and multitasking.

Usual Price - S$1,898IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire 5820TG-484G50Mn

Powered by Intel Corei5-460M processor, the Aspire5820TG-484G50Mn features ATI HD 5650 graphics (with1024MB DDR3 VRAM) and a huge 500GB for all yourmultimedia and work. It also features 16:9 LED high definitionwidescreen display and up to 8 hours of battery life.

Usual Price - S$1,698IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire 4743G-484G64Mn

Featuring an attractive mesh-patterned exterior, the Aspire4743G-484G64Mn uses Intel Core i5-480M processor,NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M (1024MB DDR3 VRAM), 4GBDDR3 memory and 640GB hard disk.

Usual Price - S$1,598IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire one Happy

Comes in Candy Pink, Hawaii Blue, Lime Green and LavenderPurple, the Acer Aspire one Happy claims to be the mobileInternet companion. The Aspire one Happy is powered bythe latest dual-core Intel Atom N570 processor, 1GB memory,250GB hard disk and is preloaded with Windows 7 Starter andAndroid.

Usual Price - S$899IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire M3910 (i65MR41)

Packed with an Intel Core i5 processor and ATI graphicssolution, the Aspire M3910 claims to meet your daily andmultimedia needs. It also comes with a huge hard disk andembedded high definition 7.1-channel audio performance.

Usual Price - S$1,199IT Show Price - TBA

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Acer Aspire Z5761 (i25MR41TV)

The Acer Aspire AZ5761 All-in-one sports a sleek andsophisticated body and comes with the latest secondgeneration Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia Geforce 2GBdedicated graphic card that is capable to run the mostdemanding task. It also has a 23-inch touch display that letsyour flick, zoom and rotate, and interacts via Acer TouchPortal.

Usual Price - S$2,499IT Show Price - TBA

Acer Aspire Predator G5910 (i26MR615T)

The new Acer Predator G5910 has a matte-finish body andangles in the front that makes it stand out among other gamingmachines. It is using the latest second generation 2.2GHz IntelCore i7 processor, 1.5GB dedicated graphics card that promisesuperior performance and entertainment experience. It alsoincludes the latest USB3.0 feature for faster transfer speed.

Usual Price - S$2,399IT Show Price - TBA

Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list

IT SHOW 2011 - CIMB CreditCard 1% Cash Rebate andSure-Win Lucky DipSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--cimb-credit-card-1-cash-

rebate-and-sure-win-lucky-dip/11504.html

March 8th, 2011

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

IT Show 2011 Promotions:PhilipsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

philips/11503.html

March 8th, 2011

An IT-related exhibition does not have to be all aboutcomputer accessories and peripherals: just as important areconsumer electronics which are designed to complement one'slifestyle. And if it is lifestyle-related products you are lookingfor, Philips has got some devices at hand for the bargainhunters. Philips's booth is situated at Level 6, Hall 602, BoothNo. 6535.

Philips Headband Headphones SHL5800

Key features:

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• Enhanced noise isolating cushions for pure music

• Ultra soft memory foam cushions and steel springheadband for a comfortable and flexible fit

• 40 mm speaker drivers to give you crystal clear soundand deep bass

• Stylish and attractive design and colour

Usual price: S$169

Philips Noise Cancelling Headphones SHN5600

Key features:

• Sophisticated electronics like active noise cancelling toeliminate unwanted noise by 85%

• Super soft memory cushions and easy to adjust headbandfor long, comfortable hours of listening

• ‘Talk mode’ to conveniently filter sound into your earsthrough the microphones on the side of the headphones

• Adapter for in-flight entertainment system connection

Usual price: S$129

IT Show 2011 Promotions:PROLINKSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

prolink/11499.html

March 8th, 2011

Prolink will be taking part in this year's IT SHOW, and ithas unveiled a wide range of network and mobile connectivitysolutions for the always-connected worker. So what canbargain hunters expect from Prolink this year? Read on to findout. Prolink's booth can be found at Level 6, Hall 601, Boothno. 6831 (Fida's booth). *Prices TBA

IT SHOW 2011 - DBS/POSBCredit & Debit Card Sure-WinLucky Dip and PromotionsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--dbsposb-credit--debit-

card-sure-win-lucky-dip-and-promotions/11501.html

March 8th, 2011

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Thermaltake IntroducesChaser MK-1 EnclosureSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-introduces-chaser-mk-1-

enclosure/11500.html

March 8th, 2011

Leading DIY thermal solutions brand Thermaltake isshowcasing the stylish Chaser MK-1, its latest mid-towerenclosure, at Cebit. It's touted as the world's first XB (extrabig) ATX mid tower and boasts several convenient features,namely support for large CPU coolers up to 180mm in height,tool-less installation of 3.5"/ 2.5" HDDs/ SSDs, top mount hot-swap docking station for one 3.5"/ 2.5" HDD/ SSD, three fans(x2 200mm Colorshift and x1 140mm), and numerous eSATA,USB 2.0 and 3.0 connectors at the top. Pricing and availabilityhas not been announced yet so stay tuned for more updates.

THERMALTAKE PRESS RELEASE

At the second day of the world's largest IT and computer tradeshow CeBIT 2011 in Hannover, Germany, Thermaltake debutstheir latest mid-tower gaming chassis, the Chaser MK-1. Atthis world's first debut the Chaser MK-1 shows off a designlanguage that is clearly inspired by modern games. Stronglines and all black coating inside and outside in combinationwith blue elements lend it its very dynamic and powerfullooks. The pulsing logo on top only add even further to theoverall mighty appearance. Being the very first XB (extrabig) ATX mid tower chassis, the Chaser MK-1 is extra wide,

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

Top docking station for hot-swap

On top of the Chaser MK-1 Thermaltake has implementeda convenient hot-swap docking station for 2.5" SSDs or 3.5"HDDs. This docking station allows for disk exchange on-the-fly, so now users are ready to easily and swiftly access datastorage drives right from the top of the case without the needto open the side panel.

Advanced Cable Management

Users can properly separate cables and channel them throughthe grooves strategically placed on the back of the case. Notonly does a properly cable managed computer perform betterthrough improved airflow and ventilation, but also makes thesystem organized for future upgrades.

Water-Cooling Ready Design

With the popularity of performance water-cooling solution forPCs, a true gaming chassis of course has to over this upgradebath as well. Should the user wish to integrate 120mm oreven 240mm water-cooling, the top fan can be easily removedand the water-cooling radiator can be quickly installed. Liquidcooling hose holes in the back also warrant for the installationof external liquid cooling systems.

Optimized Airflow and Convenient Dust filters

Powerful gaming rigs are equipped with demandingcomponents that require proper cooling where optimizedventilation is of utmost importance. Being the industry-leading brand in PC thermal management, Thermaltakeincorporated two 200mm fans into the Chaser MK-1. Anadditional 140mm TurboFan is also embedded into the backof the case. Each of the 200mm fans can be controlled viathe ColorShift control on the top of chassis. ColorShift enablesuser to take full control over the color LEDs on each fans tomatch the gaming or working environment. Fan speed controlacts as a turbo boost control which users may increase the fanspeed to properly exhaust heat build-up during gaming sessionor to lower the fan speed while working or simply browsing theweb.

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Multimedia connectivity at its best

In addition to these features, the Chaser MK-1 hasimplemented every premium feature a PC enthusiast orhardcore gamer would want. High-speed data transfer can beachieved with two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports on top as wellas an eSATA port and two additional USB 2.0 right on thetop of the case. HD audio for headsets and microphone areeasily accessed by the top connectors. Each intake fan comeswith dedicated filter system and can be easily removed forcleaning without having to open the system. Furthermore theChaser MK-1's feet elevate the chassis some centimeters fromthe ground, so airflow from the bottom right to the top.

Roccat Unleashes IskuIlluminated Gaming KeyboardSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/roccat-unleashes-isku-illuminated-

gaming-keyboard/11497.html

March 8th, 2011

Roccat, manufacturer of numerous gaming peripherals andaccessories, has announced the Isku, a gaming keyboardaimed at pro-gamers. The stylish USB keyboard features 123medium-height, standard-layout keys, 6 levels of brightness,a 1000Hz polling rate, various multimedia and gaming keys,ROCCAT Talk, anti-ghosting, and EasyShift[+] technology.Boasting more than 180 functions via 36 macro keys (in5 profiles), it offers more than enough functionalities toplease most gamers. The ROCCAT Isku - Illuminated GamingKeyboard is expected to hit store shelves in April at a MSRPof €79.99.

ROCCAT Studios proudly presents the ROCCAT Isku -Illuminated Gaming Keyboard featuring brand new ROCCATTalk technology which will get its first global showing at CeBITtoday. The ROCCAT Isku - Illuminated Gaming Keyboard isthe result of intensive research and extensive design studiescentered around meeting gamers' needs in particular. Theresult is a keyboard equipped with extensive macro functionsplus, as a special set bonus, it's also the first keyboardin the world to feature the latest technologies: ROCCATTalk and EasyShift[+]. The ROCCAT Talk protocol allowsmouse and keyboard to talk to each other for the firsttime ever, opening up a host of unprecedented options forgamers. The 123 medium-height, standard-layout keys offeran optimum keystroke response and perfect pressure point.With 6 brightness levels, gamers can hit the right key even inthe dark.

EASYSHIFT[+] GETS ITS KEYBOARD DEBUT

Patented EasyShift[+] technology that doubles the number ofkey functions now features for the first time on a keyboard.The ROCCAT Isku - Illuminated Gaming Keyboard features3 EasyShift[+] Zones (M1-M5, 20 EasyZone keys, T1-T3).EasyShift[+] and the three thumbster keys offer a total of36 macro functions all perfectly positioned in and aroundthe WASD zone, making them very easy to reach. By default,the Caps Lock key which is of no interest to any gamer isconfigured as the EasyShift[+] key, but macro keys M1-M5and thumbster keys T1-T3 can also be used. The 36 easy-to-reach macro keys offer a total of up to 180 directly executablefunctions which can be saved in 5 profiles. Thanks to advancedanti-ghosting, multiple keys can be depressed simultaneously.In addition, the 1000Hz polling rate ensures an ultra-fastkeyboard response without any lag.

ROCCAT TALK - SET BONUS

Brand new ROCCAT Talk technology allows the mouse andkeyboard to talk to each other for the first time ever. The newROCCAT Talk protocol is already included in the ROCCATKone[+] and ROCCAT Isku and allows, among other features,one single EasyShift[+] key or button to be configured for themouse and keyboard. EasyShift[+] functions on the mouse canbe executed by pressing the keyboard's EasyShift[+] key - andvice-versa. When the EasyShift[+] is activated on the mousevia the keyboard, the mouse gives visual feedback as usual bylighting up.

After installing the ROCCAT Talk driver the configurationoptions appear in the existing device driver. The gamer candecide whether to set one single key/button or two differentkeys/buttons to activate EasyShift[+] on the keyboard andmouse. The devices communicate lag-free for rapid in-gameresponses.

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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

ENHANCED MACRO LIVE! RECORDING

The integrated Macro Live! Recording button makes in-gamemacro recording straightforward. After pressing the MacroLive! Recording button, the new Sound Feedback featureguides the gamer through the macro recording process. Up to500 actions per macro can be quickly and easily programmedto one of the 36 macro keys. It's even possible to edit recordedmacros at any time using the Macro Manager.

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

The Daily VR-Zone NewsSummary - 07 Mar 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--07-

mar-2011/11494.html

March 8th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Review of the ASUS P8P67 DeluxeMotherboard; Bitfenix Survivor Core Midi tower case review;Judge lets Sony unmask visitors to PS3-jailbreaking site; Morethan one million Apple MacBooks sold are the Thin Air, andRumour: Nintendo to announce Wii 2 in June .

Hardware News:

Description: The ASUS P8P67 Deluxe is a feature loadedmainboard supporting the latest Sandy Bridge processors. TheASUS P8P67 Deluxe motherboard uses a 16+2 phase DIGI+VRM design and fully supports Intel’s VRD12 specifications.

Description: In early February, MSI took the Radeon HD 6870design and made it their own in the MSI R6870 Hawk with theTwin Frozr ! III thermal design and the world's first look intopropeller blade cooling technology.

Description: Today's star is the Bitfenix Survivor Core case.At first glance it might look a bit dull and simplistic, but theSurvivor Core case's looks can deceive. On the inside is wherethe real fun is at ! In the mood for something different?

Description: Lian Li's PC-A04 is a real winner in the mATXworld. With the ever growing availability of very competent

micro ATX and Mini ITX motherboards, the PC-A04 is one ofonly a handful of cases I'm aware of that can do these high-endboards justice.

Description: You love games and will play them in bestresolution and the highest setting? Maybe the Geforce GTX570 SLI is the right choice for you.

Consumer Electronics and Software News:

Description: The iPad 2, unveiled on Wednesday, offersseveral sleek improvements over its predecessor. But its mostattractive feature is perhaps the same one its predecessor had:the price tag.

Description: A federal magistrate is granting Sony the right toacquire the internet IP addresses of anybody who has visitedPlayStation 3 hacker George Hotz’s website from January of2009 to the present.

Description: lackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. saidFriday its chief marketing officer has decided to leave thecompany—just weeks ahead of one of its most significantproduct rollouts in years.

Description: Apple's sexy Macbook Air may have accounted formore than a quarter of Mac sales in the last three months of2010, but that number still lags sales of Apple's iPad.

Description: Microsoft's Bing search engine will soonincorporate data from flight aggregator Kayak.com, meaningwhen users search for flight information they will receivepricing data directly within the results page.

Gaming News:

Description: Nintendo is rumoured to be announcing detailsof a forthcoming Wii 2 console at E3 in Los Angeles thiscoming June. A mere week after 2011's Games DevelopersConference in San Francisco, and the pre-E3 Nintendo rumourhave already started to percolate across the internet.

Description: Reckoning is an open-world single-player actionRPG from Big Huge Games and Curt Schilling's 38 Studios. It'sset in the fantasy realm of Amalur at a time when magic is justbeginning to emerge.

Kingston Shopping Festival atIT SHOW 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kingston-shopping-festival-at-it-

show-2011/11496.html

March 8th, 2011

Kingston Technology, the world leader in memory products,today announced its participation in the coming IT SHOW2011, held from 10 March to 13 March and will tempt show-goers with the latest IT gadgets at Suntec City in Singapore.

Singapore - (March 7, 2011) - Kingston Technology, the worldleader in memory products, today announced its participation

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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

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

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

Draw Your Luck with Simple Purchase

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

Buy and Be Rewarded Full-handed

In order to show Kingston's appreciation to its loyal consumersfor their full support, anyone who purchases HyperX orBranded memory modules during the 4-day event will getan exclusive HyperX LoVo show bag. Those who purchaseKingston SSDNow products will get a Kingston thermal mug.And if you purchase S$100 (or more) worth of products, youwill get a Kingston red-head penholder.

Kingston memory cards and modules are backed by alife-time warranty and SSDNow products are backed bya three-year warranty. All Kingston products enjoy freetech support and Kingston's legendary reliability. For moredetailed information, please visit: www.kingston.com/asia.

Source: Kingston Press Release

Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list

IT Show 2011 Promotions:BrotherSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-

brother/11492.html

March 8th, 2011

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

Brother Monochrome Laser Printer HL-2140

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

- Stylish and compact printer that fits easily into modernbusiness environments with minimum space available- Fast printing speed up to 22ppm (monochrome)

- Professional quality prints with high print resolution of2400x600 dpi

- Full-Speed USB 2.0 connectivity

- 250-sheet input tray

- Separate toner and drum – allows users to replace only thecolour that has run out

IT Show price: TBA

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Brother A3 Colour Inkjet Multi-Function Centre PrinterMFC-6490CW

- 6-in-1 A3 Print//Copy/Scan/Fax/PC fax/Direct Print andwireless- Fast print speed of 35ppm (monochrome) and 28ppm(colour)

- High resolution of 1200x6000 dpi

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

- Direct print ability from USB devices, besides variousconnectivity options

- Wide full colour 3.3” LCD screen to easily access copy andscan settings, and even preview faxes or edit your photoswithout the use of a PC

- Automatic Document Feeder up to 50 sheets

- Wireless and wired networking options

- 4 separate high-yield ink cartridges

- High capacity dual paper trays for flexible and efficient paperhandling

- A copy enhancement feature lets you eliminate shadows, adda watermark, and even adjust skewed documents

- Colour optimisation True2life accurately optimises colourprints with the original colours captured

- A Secure Function Lock feature allows administrators torestrict user access for greater security and control

IT Show price: TBA

Brother Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Centre PrinterMFC-7340

- 5-in-1 Print, fax, copy, colour scan and PC Fax- Rapid print speed of up to 20ppm

- Professional print quality of 2400 x 600 dpi

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

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

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

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

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

- Advanced colour scanning through Scan-to-file, Scan-to-E-mail, Scan-to-OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and Scan-to-image

IT Show price: TBA

Brother Colour LED Multi-Function-Centre PrinterMFC-9320CW

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

- Built-in Wireless Interface

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- Print resolutions of up to 2,400 x 600 dpi for consistent andhigh quality results

- Easy-to-use and time-saving advanced scanning optionsdistribute and store electronic documents with the use of one-touch buttons

- Secure Function Lock for print, fax, copy and scan

- Availability of Direct Print – printing directly from USB Flashdrive or digital camera with PictBridge

IT Show price: TBA

Brother Colour Inkjet Multi-Function-Centre Printer MFC-J415W

- 6-in-1 print/copy/scan/fax/PC fax/Direct Photo Print withwireless and wired network capabilities- capable of printing directly from or sending scanned imagesand documents to Apple gadgets with the free BrotheriPrint&Scan application

- delivers professional quality documents with a minimum 1.5picolitre droplet size, 1,200 x 6,000dpi print resolution, and afast print speed of up to 35ppm for monochrome and 28ppmfor colour

- Direct Print feature allowing printing directly using flashmemory drives and media cards, without the use of a PC

- Automatic Document Feeder up to 15 sheets

IT Show price: TBA

Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list

Samsung announces GalaxyS II and Galaxy Tab alongsidenew consumer electronicdevices at Samsung Forum2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-galaxy-s-ii-

and-galaxy-tab-alongside-new-consumer-electronic-devices-at-samsung-

forum-2011/11486.html

March 8th, 2011

Think that the digital world we live in has no more surprisesto offer the average consumer? Well, you might want to thinkagain, especially if Samsung has got anything to say aboutit. In a regional forum held by Samsung at the Marina BaySands convention centre today, the Korean electronics giantunveiled its latest wave of consumer electronics products thatare designed to offer consumers what it calls a 'smart lifestyle'.Oh, and somewhere among that list of new products are thehighly-anticipated Galaxy S II smartphone and Galaxy Tab10.1 tablet. VR-Zone brings you the coverage.

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to how big the ecosystem forSamsung-branded consumer electronics devices is? Well, hereis a clue: you can probably outfit your entire digital lifestylewith nothing but Samsung products, and proceed on with yourlife as per usual. Yes, that is just how large and extensive theSamsung ecosystem actually is.

Of course, merely having a wide range of consumer electronicproducts for the average consumer to choose from is no longerenough in today's highly-connected era. Instead, Samsungbelieves that the way to move forward in this day and age isto go beyond products and start offering consumers tightlyintegrated services. To do so, the Korean electronics gianthas announced its new range of products for 2011 in aregional forum held at Marina Bay Sands, which claim to offerconsumers the ability to enjoy a Smarter Life.

Speaking at the forum's opening address was RegionalDirector of Trade Marketing, Stanley Goh, who explainedSamsung's aims and goals for the Smarter Life principle.

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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"The path Samsung will take is that of the Smarter Life, and ithas three pillars: smart design, smart experiences and smartconnections," he explained.

"Smart design is about creating the utility and the tools forproducts to allow them to do more. Smart experiences refers tothe wide variety of applications, games and programing acorssall devices. Lastly, smart connection is about making Samsungdevices truly easy to connect with each other and creating newvalues for the products themselves," he added.

This was backed up by Robert Vu, Director of AV Businessfor Samsung Vietnam, who spoke about how Samsung's newline of home entertainment devices such as the new, near-borderless D7000 and D8000 television sets and Blu-rayhome-theatre systems play an integral part in realizing thecompany's Smarter Life principle.

"The television set will not only continue to be the centraltechnology of our lives; it will become even more dominant inthe years to come. In this new era of Smart TV, the greatestmisconception of it is that people see Smart TVs as TVsembedded with PC functions, This is a myth: Samsung's smartTVs are stil, abvove all, TVs, but a TV does not become asmart TV just because it allows you to access the internet," heexplained.

To back his point, he cited how Samsung's smart TVs deliversmore than just a PC experience on a large screen.

"Samsung 's Smart TV offers more content, more convenienceand more excitement than an ordinary TV. We created SmartHub, a feature that gives you access to all of your informationsources in an innovative and personalized way. Applicationsare also specially designed for Samsung's smart Tv will remainthe most important factor for the success of smart TV.Samsung Apps, the world's first HDTV-based app store, offers

more apps and more quality than anyone else on the TVmarket," he added.

Up next was Steven Jacobs, Marketing Manager of SamsungElectronics Australia, who described how smart digitalcameras such as the new Samsung SH100 has become a socialnetworking tool due to technological advancements.

"The SH100 is our fourth-generation wireless camera.In addition to it featuring support for real-time uploadsto Facebook and Youtube, the SH100 embodies smartconnections by being the first camera that can be remotelycontrolled by the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone. Many on-camera features for the SH100 can be accessed throughthe Galaxy S, such as shutter release. In addition, simplypressing two buttons on the camera allows SH100 users toautomatically back up their shots to a PC without even turningthe device on," he explained.

Launch of the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1

However, it is also clear that no other device short ofsmartphones and tablet PCs best embody the spirit of a'smarter lifestyle', especially when the aforementioned deviceshave been touted to have the potential to chip away at theimportance of netbooks for mobile computing. And Samsungdefinitely did not disappoint when it announced the launch ofboth its Galaxy S II smartphone and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet PC.

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

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"We believe that the demand for smartphones and tablets willcontinue to grow steadily in 2011. So with 2010 behind us,Samsung believes that 2011 will be the year of the smart mobiledevice," he said, while explaining what Samsung believesconstitutes such a device.

"We define smart mobile device as a mobile device thatcan fulfill consumer needs and aspirations while enrichingthe mobile experience. Samsung's vision is to broaden thehorizons of one's mobile life through smart mobile devices andthe whole ecosystem around it, from the system infrastructureto services and content. More importantly, getting smarterwill become more easier than ever before. Consumers will benot only enriching their lives, but it will be easy enough foreveryone to enjoy it," he explained.

McGee then proceeded to describe some of the new featuresfound in the company's new Galaxy S II smartphone, suchas the new user interface which is said to be entirelycustomizable, as well as the addition of four 'Samsung Hubs'for easy access to content (the last 'hub' is known as the SocialHub).

Lastly, in a classic example of saving the best for the last,McGee announced the introduction of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, anAndroid (Honeycomb)-based tablet which features a dual-coreprocessor for providing consumers with high-performancemobile computing.

The spotlight was then passed over to Eka Anwar, Headof Mobile Marketing Division for Samsung ElectronicsIndonesia, who proceeded to demonstrate some of the newfeatures found in both the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Western Digital to acquireHitachi GST for $4.3 billionSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/western-digital-to-acquire-hitachi-gst-

for-4.3-billion/11493.html

March 8th, 2011

Western Digital and Hitachi, Ltd. announced today thatthey have entered into a definitive agreement whereby WDwill acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HitachiGST), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., in a cashand stock transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion.The proposed combination will result in a customer-focusedstorage company, with significant operating scale, strongglobal talent and the industry's broadest product lineupbacked by a rich technology portfolio.

Western Digital Press Release

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Combination of Hard Drive Companies Will CreateIndustry's Broadest Product Portfolio and a Significant Poolof Resources for Innovation

IRVINE, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif. - Mar. 7, 2011 -Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) and Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT / TSE:6501) announced today that they have enteredinto a definitive agreement whereby WD will acquireHitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), awholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., in a cash andstock transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion. Theproposed combination will result in a customer-focusedstorage company, with significant operating scale, strongglobal talent and the industry's broadest product lineupbacked by a rich technology portfolio.

Under the terms of the agreement, WD will acquireHitachi GST for $3.5 billion in cash and 25 million WDcommon shares valued at $750 million, based on a WDclosing stock price of $30.01 as of March 4, 2011. Hitachi,Ltd. will own approximately ten percent of Western Digitalshares outstanding after issuance of the shares and tworepresentatives of Hitachi will be added to the WD board ofdirectors at closing. The transaction has been approved by theboard of directors of each company and is expected to closeduring the third calendar quarter of 2011, subject to customaryclosing conditions, including regulatory approvals. WD plansto fund the transaction with a combination of existing cash andtotal debt of approximately $2.5 billion.

WD expects the transaction to be immediatelyaccretive to its earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis,excluding acquisition-related expenses, restructuring chargesand amortization of intangibles.

The resulting company will retain the Western Digital nameand remain headquartered in Irvine, California. John Coynewill remain chief executive officer of WD, Tim Leyden chiefoperating officer and Wolfgang Nickl chief financial officer.Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer of HitachiGST, will join WD at closing as president, reporting to JohnCoyne.

"The acquisition of Hitachi GST is a unique opportunityfor WD to create further value for our customers, stockholders,employees, suppliers and the communities in which weoperate," said John Coyne, president and chief executiveofficer of WD. "We believe this step will result in severalkey benefits: enhanced R&D capabilities, innovation andexpansion of a rich product portfolio, comprehensive marketcoverage and scale that will enhance our cost structure andability to compete in a dynamic marketplace. The skills andcontributions of both workforces were key considerations inassessing this compelling opportunity. We will be relying onthe proven integration capabilities of both companies to assure

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

"This brings together two industry leaders withconsistent track records of strong execution and industryoutperformance," said Steve Milligan, president and chiefexecutive officer, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies."Together we can provide customers worldwide with theindustry's most compelling and diverse set of products andservices, from innovative personal storage to solid state drivesfor the enterprise."

Hiroaki Nakanishi, president, Hitachi, Ltd. said, "As theformer CEO of Hitachi GST, I always believed in the potentialof Hitachi GST to become a larger and more agile company.This is a strategic combination of two industry leaders, bothgrowing and profitable. It provides an opportunity for thenew company to increase customer and shareholder value andexpand into new markets. Additionally, it is important to usthat WD shares common values with Hitachi GST to createa more global company that is well positioned to define abroader role in the evolving storage industry."

WD's exclusive financial adviser on the transaction is Bankof America Merrill Lynch; its lead legal adviser is O'Melveny &Myers LLP. Goldman, Sachs & Co serves as financial adviserto Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi GST. Legal advisers to Hitachi,Ltd. and Hitachi GST are Morrison Foerster LLP and Skadden,Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates, respectively.

Galaxy working on Nvidia cardwith six display outputsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/galaxy-working-on-nvidia-card-with-

six-display-outputs/11491.html

March 8th, 2011

If you're looking for a different Nvidia card, then maybe Galaxywill have what you're after, at least if you need to be able toconnect six displays to one card. It's something of a responseto AMD's Eyefinity 6 cards, although it's no clear as to how itworks on six displays, as Nvidia generally only allows for twoscreens per card.

If you're looking for a different Nvidia card, then maybe Galaxywill have what you're after, at least if you need to be able toconnect six displays to one card. It's something of a responseto AMD's Eyefinity 6 cards, although it's no clear as to how itworks on six displays, as Nvidia generally only allows for twoscreens per card.

The main PCB of the card is the same as the one the companyuses for its GeForce GTX 460 WHDI card and features a smalldaughterboard which is connected to another small card whichin turn is attached to a mini PCI Express slot on the mainPCB. The card itself houses a dual-link DVI port and a full-size

March 8th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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DisplayPort connector, while the daughterboard sports fourmini HDMI connectors.

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

One problem is that a custom solution like this isn't going tobe cheap either and Galaxy's WHDI card is a very expensivesolution, although this shouldn't be anywhere nearly asexpensive as it doesn't have a transmitter or receiver. Thatsaid, there might be some potential niche markets for a cardlike this, especially as it uses four mini HDMI ports whichmakes it easy to connect to many different display typeswithout any special cabling, not counting the fact that you needa mini HDMI to HDMI cable or adapter.

ASUS Radeon HD 6990 up forpre-orderSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-radeon-hd-6990-up-for-pre-

order/11488.html

March 8th, 2011

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

More specifically, the model of the ASUS card isEAH6990/3DI4S/4GD5. The card is based on the referencedesign and its specifications are in line with those that

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

iPhone 5 features AluminiumBacking?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iphone-5-features-aluminium-

backing-/11487.html

March 8th, 2011

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

According to a source based in Taiwan, Apple might beheading back to using aluminium as their material of choiceinstead of glass. The reason(s)? It seems that Apple hasgot quite some complains with the weight, cracking andscratching, as well as the white paint issue with glass. Byshifting back to aluminium, you can expect a stronger andmore durable iPhone.

The report also outlines that the antenna will be redesignedand positioned just behind the Apple logo, away from edgesand corners. Perhaps through this way, chances of gettingsignal lost due to the infamous "death-grip" would decrease.This also means that the exposed antenna design in iPhone 4will be abandoned.

Last bit, the report also suggest that Apple will be ultisingthe same dual-core A5 processor recently unveiled in thecompany's iPad 2, which is somewhat expected.

True or not, Apple should announce details of their newiPhone 5 in the upcoming World-Wide Developer Conference(WWDC) in June or July this year.

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Patriot Debuts 128Gb USB 3.0Supersonic Magnum FlashDriveSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/patriot-debuts-128gb-usb-3.0-

supersonic-magnum-flash-drive/11482.html

March 8th, 2011

Patriot Memory has introduced the Supersonic Magnum,a compact aluminum flash drive with a USB 3.0 chipsetfeaturing eight memory channels. Delivering sequentialspeeds up to 200Mb/s (read) and 110Mb/s (write), the shock-resistant drive is available in 64Gb and 128Gb capacities. ThePatriot Supersonic Magnum is expected to start shipping comeearly April.

PATRIOT PRESS RELEASE

FREMONT, CALIF., USA - March 1, 2011 - Patriot Memory,a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash,storage and enthusiast computer products, today unleashesthe Supersonic Magnum -- a 128GB USB 3.0 SuperSpeed flashdrive that combines lightning-fast performance with massivestorage capacities.

The Patriot Supersonic Magnum combines a single-chip nativeUSB 3.0 controller with eight-channels of memory to deliversequential read and write speeds up to 200MB/s and 110MB/srespectively - beyond the performance capabilities of internalhard drives.

"We continually try to raise the performance bar when itcomes to our flash drives. With our new eight-channel memorycontroller, we are able to reach read and write performancelevels previously impossible with external storage," says LesHenry, Patriot Memory's Vice President of Engineering.

A lightweight and durable aluminium enclosure enables thePatriot Supersonic Magnum to survive up to 15Gs of shock forsafe transportation of your data with added style.

Expect the Patriot Supersonic Magnum to ship in Q2'2011 in64GB and 128GB capacities.

General details:

• Patriot Supersonic Series Magnum

• Eight-Channel technology

• Blazing-fast performance

• 64GB and 128GB capacities

• Sequential read speed: Up to 200MB/s

• Sequential write speed: Up to 110MB/s

About Patriot Memory

Patriot Memory designs, manufactures and markets highperformance, enthusiast memory modules, flash products,and computing technologies worldwide. Patriot productshave become world renown for their extreme performance,reliability and innovation. Patriot Memory sells its productsthrough original equipment manufacturers, retailers, e-tailersand distributors. It has operations in North America, Asiaand Europe. Patriot Memory LLC was founded in 1985 and isheadquartered in Fremont, California, USA.

Canon announces CanonImaging Academy; newcameras, camcorders anddigital SLRsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-announces-canon-imaging-

academy-new-cameras-camcorders-and-digital-slrs/11479.html

March 8th, 2011

Canon has announced the opening of the Canon ImagingAcademy, a new training facility to educate users inphotography and videography. In addition, the manufacturerhas also launches new products including IXUS andPowerShot digital cameras, LEGRIA camcorders and EOS600D and 1100D digital SLR cameras.

The Canon Imaging Academy (CIA) is the company's newtraining facility to engage, enrich and educate users and thecommunity who are passionate in photography videographyand other aspects of imaging. The CIA has planned over 70photography courses, 20 local outings, 10 overseas trips andfree product training to engage 15,000 shutterbugs this year.

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Canon has also unveiled the new IXUS and Powershotdigital cameras - Digital IXUS 115 HS, Digital IXUS 220 HS,Digital IXUS 310 HS, PowerShot A1200, PowerShot A2200,PowerShot A3200 IS, PowerShot A3300 IS and PowerShotSX230 HS.

Pricing:-

Canon IXUS 310 HS - TBACanon IXUS 220 HS - S$399Canon IXUS 115 HS - TBACanon PowerShot SX 230 HS - TBACanon PowerShot A3300 IS - S$299Canon PowerShot A3200 IS - S$249Canon PowerShot A2200 - S$199Canon PowerShot A1200 - S$169

The Canon IXUS 310 HS, PowerShot SX230 HS will beavailable at end of March; the other IXUS and PowerShotcameras will be available this month.

On top of that, the company has also launched the LEGRIAcamcorders - LEGRIA FS406, LEGRIA FS46, LEGRIA HFG10, LEGRIA HF M400, LEGRIA HF M41, LEGRIA HFR26, LEGRIA HF R28, LEGRIA HF S30; the XA10 portableprofessional camcorder, PIXMA iX6560 printer as well asEF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II, EF500mm f/4L IS II USM ,EF600mm f/4L IS II USM lenses.

Pricing:-

Canon LEGRIA FS46 - S$599Canon LEGRIA FS406 - S$499Canon LEGRIA HF R26 - S$849Canon LEGRIA HF M400 - S$1,149Canon LEGRIA HF M41 - S$1,449

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

IT SHOW 2011 Contest / VR-Zone Giveaway #5 - AsusU36JC Ultraportable NotebookSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-contest-vr-zone-

giveaway-5--asus-u36jc-ultraportable-notebook/11484.html

March 8th, 2011

Follow 4 easy steps and stand a chance to win differentprizes every week. This week..we are giving away: 1 x AsusU36JC Ultraportable Notebook Check out http://launch.vr-zone.com and find out how you can win these prizes

Biostar shows off its mini-ITXH61 board at CeBITSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/biostar-shows-off-its-mini-itx-h61-

board-at-cebit/11483.html

March 8th, 2011

Back in the glory days of SFF systems, Biostar offered some ofthe best, if not the best SFF barebones, beating even Shuttleat their own game. However, since then Biostar hasn’t reallyfocused on small motherboard for consumers, although thecompany has an extensive line of mini-ITX industrial PCboards. However, that looks set to change, as the company wasshowing off a brand new H61 chipset mini-ITX board at CeBITthat even has a unique feature we haven’t seen before.

Back in the glory days of SFF systems, Biostar offered some ofthe best, if not the best SFF barebones, beating even Shuttleat their own game. However, since then Biostar hasn’t reallyfocused on small motherboard for consumers, although thecompany has an extensive line of mini-ITX industrial PCboards. However, that looks set to change, as the company wasshowing off a brand new H61 chipset mini-ITX board at CeBITthat even has a unique feature we haven’t seen before.

As with pretty much every other mini-ITX H61 board we’veseen to date, Biostar has fitted four SATA 3Gbps ports, a x16

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PCI Express slot and two DIMMs, but the TH61 ITX as theboard is called also features an internal header for two USB3.0 ports (via an ASMedia controller) which is a first on thistype of board.

Around the back we have a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, twoUSB 3.0 ports, a D-sub, DVI and HDMI port and of course 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out. However, unlike everyother motherboard we’ve ever seen, Biostar has fitted a tinyUSB Wi-Fi dongle to the board, much in the same way as somecompanies have Bluetooth dongles. It supports 802.11b/g/nalthough it’ll most likely be limited to transfer speeds of up to150Mbit due to its tiny size which makes it difficult to fit a pairof antennas need for 300Mbit speeds.

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

IT Show 2011 Promotions:Sony EricssonSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-sony-

ericsson/11480.html

March 8th, 2011

Can you imagine life in today's highly connected world withouta mobile phone? For most of us, the answer is a resoundingno, and that is probably the reason why we often find ourselvescompelled to upgrade our phones: to keep up with the timesand take advantage of any advantages brought about by newwireless telecommunication technologies. Let's take a look atwhat Sony Ericsson has got to offer bargain hunters in needfor a new cell phone at this year's IT SHOW. Sony Ericsson'sbooth will be located at Level 6, Hall 601, Booth no. 6361.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8

Key features:

• 4-corner user interface for easy one-handed usage

• Timescape function that shows all your socialcommunication in one place for ultimate simplicity

• Preloaded Android apps that will enhance yourcommunication and entertainment experience with yoursmartphone

Usual price: $398

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

Usual price: S$638

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini

Usual price: S$368

Check out IT SHOW 2011 price list