September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
bonus that USB 3.0 offers and in reality there's no reason for
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication a device with USB 2.0 ports today.
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
In related news, we're also hearing that Apple is working with
some of its partners to create more affordable Thunderbolt
Apple's considering USB 3.0 storage solutions suitable for demanding consumers or small
businesses that don't need the throughput offered by high-
as an addition to Thunderbolt end RAID enclosures. Further on the subject of Thunderbolt,
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-considering-usb-3.0-as-an- Intel might allow third party companies to create device
addition-to-thunderbolt/13467.html side Thunderbolt chipsets, although the company is not
September 1st, 2011 considering allowing the competition in on the host side.
Exclusive preview of Lenovo
IdeaPad U400
A lot of people have been disappointed over Apple's lack of Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-preview-of-lenovo-ideapad-
interest in the USB 3.0 standard, but thanks to a little bird, VR- u400/13466.html
Zone has heard that the company is still looking at USB 3.0 as September 1st, 2011
a potential feature to add on future products. As to when and
how this might happen is not something we know, but from
our understanding it'll happen before Intel integrates USB 3.0
support into its chipsets.
A lot of people have been disappointed over Apple's lack of VR-Zone was one of the media to get an exclusive preview
interest in the USB 3.0 standard, but thanks to a little bird, VR- of the new Lenovo IdeaPad U400 notebook PC in Singapore.
Zone has heard that the company is still looking at USB 3.0 as Although it is not the U300 UltraBook, the U400 is designed as
a potential feature to add on future products. As to when and an affordable laptop with style and good functionality. Details
how this might happen is not something we know, but from inside.
our understanding it'll happen before Intel integrates USB 3.0
support into its chipsets.
Sadly we can't reveal all the information at hand, as not only
would we cause problems for our source, but also the entire
company in question, but suffice to say, Apple has been looking
into USB 3.0 host controllers, especially as the price has finally
reached an affordable level. A USB 3.0 host controller is priced
at somewhere between US$2-3 in large quantities today which
should be compared to US$10-15 for Intel's Thunderbolt chip.
It's also important to remember that Thunderbolt not only
requires a host chip, but also a device chip and additional
chips on the device end depending on the type of device.
This makes Thunderbolt a very expensive solution for simple
storage device etc.
For this simple reason it makes sense that Apple is considering
implementing USB 3.0 support into its products, especially as
the device end is very simple and equally affordable, if not even
cheaper than the host end. USB 3.0 can of course not match
the performance of a device connected over Thunderbolt,
but that level of performance is often not required by the
consumer market and Apple is seemingly catering more and
more towards consumer. Backwards compatibility is another
1
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad U400 looks extremely
stylish with round edges and from its exterior design, it is
inevitable to draw comparisons with the renowned Apple
MacBook Pro. According to the company, the U400 we see
here is a prototype unit. Its chassis is made of aluminium
which makes it fairly durable and comes in graphite grey at this
press time. The laptop has spacious palm rest, a huge multi-
touch touchpad with left/right clickable buttons and uses a
chiclet-styled keyboard for comfortable typing.
The power button is on the top left corner of the keyboard,
and we did not find any notification LEDs as the body is one
piece aluminium. Needless to say, it is impossible to replace
the battery or even upgrade the memory modules without
having to void the unit's warranty. Looking at the dxdiag.exe
information, the U400 is equipped with 2.2GHz Intel Core
i3-2330M, 2GB DDR3 memory and ATI Radeon graphics.
The Lenovo IdeaPad U400 is currently available as an
exclusive bundle with StarHub MaxInfinity Ultimate 100Mbps
fibre home broadband plan (S$99.30 per month). The U400
offered with StarHub is valued at S$1,899 and comes with
2.7GHz Intel Core i7-2620M, 4GB DDR3 memory, 500GB
hard disk, ATI Radeon HD 6470M graphics (1GB VRAM),
DVD SuperMulti drive and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home
Premium. According to Lenovo, the IdeaPad 400 would be
retailing soon at their authorized resellers and retail stores
with similar hardware specifications and price point.
On the right, we find the system recovery button, air vent, LAN
and USB3.0 port, while on the left holds the headphone jack, Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray pre-
two USB 2.0, HDMI out connectors and a slot-in DVD drive. orders began; retails on 9
September in Singapore
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-ray-pre-orders-
began-retails-on-9-september-in-singapore/13464.html
2
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 1st, 2011 September 1st, 2011
Sony Ericsson has a booth at the COMEX Show 2011, located HP Singapore announced the promotion prices for their
on level 6, hall 602, booth number 6341, to showcase their WebOS-based TouchPad tablets just a day before the COMEX
current offerings which include the Xperia Arc, Xperia Mini, Show. Needless to say, there are a lot of enthusiastic buyers
Xperia Mini Pro and Xperia Play. But if you were at their booth, who want to grab the special offer. But in the end, many
you would notice a banner that says taking pre-orders of the were angry and disappointed when they found out the tablets
Xperia Ray. Yes, pre-orders have started, which means the new have been fully redeemed even before the show started.
Xperia Ray Android smartphone is arriving here in Singapore. UPDATE: HP has issued a statement that due to safety and
security concerns, the sale of the standalone HP TouchPads at
COMEX will be discontinued. However, HP PCs purchase with
purchase offers for the HP TouchPad will still be available at
the COMEX show.
The much anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia ray is coming
to Singapore with pre-orders commencing today. Measuring
just 9.9mm thin, the Xperia Ray sports a 3.3-inch screen
and runs the latest Android platform for smartphones
(Gingerbread 2.3). The phone packs a powerful 1GHz UPDATE: HP has issued a statement that due to safety and
processor, Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a security concerns, the sale of the standalone HP TouchPads
8.1-megapixel camera with Exmor R for mobile and high at COMEX will be discontinued. However, HP PCs purchase
definition video functionality. with purchase offers for the HP TouchPad will still be available
at the COMEX show.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray will be available for sale on 9
September at a recommended retail price of S$598. If you pre-
order the Xperia Ray smartphone from today until 9 Sept, you At the COMEX Show 2011, the 16GB HP TouchPad is going
will receive an exquisite gift from Mont Blanc. for S$126 (w/GST) while the 32GB version is selling at S$201
Pre-order of the Xperia Ray is available at M1, Singtel and (w/GST). However, only 100 units of each model will be sold
Starhub, Sony Ericsson Concept Stores (Parkway Parade and with only one tablet per person, and on the first two days of
Ang Mo Kio Hub) and selected Sony Stores and Sony Centres. the show. On top of that, the company will only accept cash
Also available at COMEX 2011, Hall 602 at the Sony Ericsson payment; no credit cards or NETS, and there will also be non-
Booth 6341. Redemption of gift at Mont Blanc boutique at returnable and non-refundable policies. With such attractive
Mandarin Gallery from 10 Sept to 30 Nov, while stocks last. price tags, ever since HP USA announced the US$99 TouchPad
tablets just about ten days ago, it makes sense why people are
going "ga-ga" over them.
HP TouchPad at COMEX 2011 Unfortunately, the arrangement for the COMEX promotion
draws huge (angry) crowd was badly planned. There was no mention as to where one
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-touchpad-at-comex-2011-draws- can queue to get the TouchPad tablets. Not even on the HP
huge-angry-crowd/13460.html Singapore Facebook Page. Not to mention, the comments
on the popular social networking website are not very
encouraging either, with some citing the obvious fact that why
the company is only selling 200 units each day when there are
so many people who would kill to buy the tablet. HP Singapore
3
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
only said that if you missed the special promotion, you can still
purchase it with their purchase-on-purchase program which Notebook PCs promotion @
include buying either a HP TouchSmart610 -1138d, 1178d, COMEX Show 2011
1188d; HP Pavilion dv4-3020TX, or HP Pavilion dv6-6144TX, Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/notebook-pcs-promotion--comex-
dv6-6105TX and dv6-6106TX. You can then get the chance to show-2011/13462.html
buy the HP TouchPad 16GB and HP TouchPad 32GB for S$49 September 1st, 2011
(with GST) and S$119 (with GST) respectively.
The COMEX Show 2011 is here. For those who are hunting for
a new notebook PC, well, there are some good offers from the
various manufacturers including ASUS, Sony, Samsung and
Toshiba. Who knows you might find something that would suit
your computing needs.
ASUS
VR-Zone was at the COMEX Show 2011 around 10am,
and learnt that all the TouchPad tablets have already
been redeemed even before the 12pm official opening time!
Apparently, the company had handed out queue numbers to
those "in queue" when there was no mention anywhere (not
even on their Facebook page) as to where the queue would take
place. One of the lucky buyers (above pic) was 83 in the queue
and said that he was there since 6.45am in the morning. This
means that by 8am, all 200 queue tickets would have been sold
out. The best part was that, there was a huge crowd waiting
outside the halls and they were unaware of this. The halls
were opened 30min earlier at 11.30am and the mad horde
all ran to the HP booth at the rear, only to be left angry and The K series laptop is one of ASUS star products which
disappointed when they learnt that all the TouchPad tablets features highly durable premium aluminum textures and
have been redeemed. comes in variopis stylish colors - red, green, blue, pink and
black. The 14-inch ASUS K43SJ29i5 which is equipped with
Check out the crowd pic and video below:-
2.9GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor, 4GB DDR3 memory
(after free upgrade), 500GB SATA hard disk, Nvidia FeForce
GT520M with 1GB VRAM, DVD Super-Multi double layer
drive, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium, is
selling at S$799 (U.P. S$999).
The slightly more power variant, K43Sv29i7, which comes
with 2GHz Intel Core i7-2690QM processor, 6GB DDR3
memory (after free upgrade), 640GB SATA hard disk, Nvidia
GeForce GT540 with 1GB VRAM, DVD Super-Multi double
layer drive, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium,
is retailing at S$1,099 (U.P. S$1,398).
Dell
4
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Gamer enthusiasts who are looking for a powerful Incorporating a 14-inch display with LED backlight, the
yet portable gaming laptop would have to check out VAIO C features 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor, 4GB
the latest Dell Alienware M14x. In terms of hardware DDR3 memory, 500GB hard disk, AMD Radeon HD6630M
specifications, the Alienware M14x is equipped with Intel (1GB VRAM) graphics and preloaded with Windows 7 Home
Core i7-2630M processor, 4GB dual-channel DDR3 SDRAM, Premium 64-bit operating system. Available in four stylish
500GB 7200rpm SATA hard disk and Nvidia GT555M colors of black, orange, green and pink, the VAIO C (model:
graphics with 1.5GB DDR3 memory. The 14-inch gaming VCPCCA15FGD) is selling at a decentS$1,399.
monster, which is one of Dell's star products, is selling Acer
at S$2,299. But if you want a slightly lower Intel Core i5
2410M processor variant with Nvidia GeForce GT555M (1.5GB
VRAM), 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, and 500GB SATA hard disk,
you can get it at S$1,999 with free Razer Gaming Mouse and
Headset.
Samsung
The Acer Aspire 4750G-2634G50MN is one of the few very
attractive purchases at the COMEX Show. Inside the 14-
inch notebook PC are 2GHz Intel Core i7-2630QM processor,
8GB DDR3 memory (after free upgrade), 500GB hard disk,
Nvidia GeForce GT540 graphics with 2GB VRAM, DVD+RW
combo drive and preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 7
Powered by 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor and comes Home Premium operating system. For such high-specification
with 4GB DDR3 memory, 640GB hard disk, Nvidia GeForce machine, it is selling at S$1,098.
GT520M graphics with Nvidia Optimus technology and Blu- Toshiba
ray combo drive, the Samsung RC420E is designed for work
and play. If the attractive price tag of S$1,099 (U.P. S$1,299)
isn't enough to swing you over, the manufacturer also throws
in free Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security software,
carrying case and second year extended local warranty.
Sony
5
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
8th Prize: S$ 600 cash
9th Prize: S$ 500 cash
10th Prize: S$ 400 cash
11th Prize: S$ 300 cash
12th Prize: S$ 200 cash
The COMEX 2011 Show Lucky Draw Results will be published
in the New Paper on 12th September 2011.
At the Toshiba booth, the Satellite P745 stands out among
its peer with its sleek and stylish looks. In the hardware
department, it comes with 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410
processor, 8GB DDR3 memory, 750GB SATA hard disk,
Nvidia GeForce GT525M with 2GB VRAM and Optimus
technology, DVD SuperMulti drive and preloaded with
Windows 7 Home Premium. All these at an attractive price of
S$1,399 (U.P. S$2,199).
COMEX 2011 Lucky Draw
Redemption Counter on Level Making a purchase at COMEX 2011? Remember to redeem
6 Suntec Exhibition Centre and fill up your Lucky Draw Coupons on Level 6. For every
$100 spent at the show, you will get a chance to win up to
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-2011-lucky-draw-redemption-
$20000 cash.
counter-on-level-6-suntec-exhibition-centre/13461.html
September 1st, 2011 Lucky Draw Redemption Counter / Organiser's Office
Making a purchase at COMEX 2011? Remember to redeem
and fill up your Lucky Draw Coupons on Level 6. For every
$100 spent at the show, you will get a chance to win up to
$20000 cash.
Lucky Draw:
For every $100 spent during the show, you will get a chance
to win
1st Prize: S$ 20,000 Cash Coupon Filling Up Area
2nd Prize: S$ 3,000 Cash
3rd Prize: S$ 2,000 Cash
4th Prize: S$ 1,000 cash
5th Prize: S$ 900 cash
6th Prize: S$ 800 cash
7th Prize: S$ 700 cash
6
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Considering that this is a weekday and just the start of the
show, we don't expect the situation to change anytime soon.
AMD FX-Series Lineup
Revealed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-fx-series-lineup-
revealed/13458.html
September 1st, 2011
As we move ever closer to the release of AMD's FX-Series,
Gigabyte has revealed a CPU compatibility list for its 990FX
Driving to COMEX 2011? - motherboards, which all but confirms the final FX-Series
Carparks Full Already SKUs. As expected, there will be 8-core, 6-core and 4-core
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/driving-to-comex-2011--carparks-full- CPUs, with the flagship clocked at 3.6 GHz.
already/13459.html
September 1st, 2011
Our correspondent on the ground managed to snap this The final shipping stepping is B2. The top part, FX-8150, is
picture just now - looks like visitors to COMEX 2011 @ Suntec clocked at 3.6 GHz, with a TDP of 125W. Next in line is the
City will have to take public transport or park their cars FX-8120, clocked at 3.1 GHz. There are two versions - 125W
somewhere else as all the parking lots near the exhibition and 95W. This suggests that the FX-8120 was initially targeted
arena is unavailable. for 95W but may ship with a 125W TDP to begin with. The final
8-core CPU is the FX-8100, clocked at 2.8 GHz.
The sole 6-core CPU will be FX-6100 at 3.3 GHz while the 4-
core CPU will be FX-4100 clocked at 3.6 GHz. Both feature
95W TDP, and will likely compete up against the Core i5 series.
All CPUs feature 8MB L3 cache. This suggests that FX-6100
and FX-4100 are likely to be Zambezi with 1 module and 2
modules disabled, respectively, rather than native 3-module /
2-module dies.
The clock speeds mentioned in the table only refer to the base
frequencies, with no mention of Turbo Core.
The latest rumours still suggest a launch in September, while
other rumours suggest mass availability may happen only in
October.
COMEX 2011 Pricelists now
available @ http://vr-zone.com/
comex/pricelists
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-2011-pricelists-now-available--
Our correspondent on the ground snapped this picture just http-vr-zone.comcomexpricelists/13457.html
now - looks like visitors to COMEX 2011 @ Suntec City will
have to take public transport or park their cars somewhere else
as all the parking lots near the exhibition arena is unavailable.
7
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 1st, 2011 One slight issue with the announcement is that various
Samsung websites contain slightly different details with
regards to the exact specifications and features, so we'll
suggest a smidgen of caution here. The Series 7 carries the
sub brand Chronos borrowed from the Greek god of time, as
Samsung claims to have added several new features that helps
to reduce the boot time of the system and in general speed
things up.
Samsung Series 7 notebooks
have big screens in small
footprints
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-series-7-notebooks-have-big-
screens-in-small-footprints/13456.html
September 1st, 2011
Most of the speed increase comes from what Samsung calls
ExpressCache, which sounds a lot like Intel's Smart Response
Even if the rumours about Samsung's interest in HP's PC technology, but apparently it's not, as Samsung is using a much
business were refuted by the company, if Samsung's Series 7 smaller 8GB SSD, whereas Intel's Smart Response requires
notebook announcement is anything to go by, the company at least 20GB of SSD storage. It works more closely to that
has a bright future in the notebook market. The Series 7 is of a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive; albeit with the SSD
Samsung's new performance line of notebooks, but possibly part being fitted to the notebooks PCB rather than inside the
the most impressive feature is the fact that Samsung claims hard drive. Combine this with something that Samsung calls
that they've managed to stuff a larger screen size inside a FastStart and you end up with a claimed POST time of two
smaller chassis size, but is this even possible? seconds and a cold boot time of 19 seconds.
Even if the rumours about Samsung's interest in HP's PC
business were refuted by the company, if Samsung's Series 7
notebook announcement is anything to go by, the company
has a bright future in the notebook market. The Series 7 is
Samsung's new performance line of notebooks, but possibly
the most impressive feature is the fact that Samsung claims
that they've managed to stuff a larger screen size inside a
smaller chassis size, but is this even possible?
In terms of battery life, Samsung claims an impressive 9h on
a single charge and the company goes on to say that its "Life
Plus" battery technology keeps 80 percent of the cells original
capacity for up to 1,500 re-charge cycles. As such Samsung
claims that its batteries can last up to five times as long as some
of its competitors.
This is all great stuff, but the real selling point of the Series
7 in our opinion is that Samsung has managed to squeeze
a larger screen size into a smaller notebook size. As such,
the model with a 14-inch screen is the size of a 13.3-inch
notebook, the model with the 15-inch screen the size of a 14-
inch notebook and the model with the 15.6-inch screen the size
of a 15-inch notebook. If that wasn't good enough, Samsung
is offering 1600x900 resolution panels across the board, all
sporting 300nits brightness. It gets even better though, as all
four models have matt screens, which is a really welcomed
8
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
addition and hopefully something that Samsung's competitors $1,299 (S$1,565) and Samsung is expecting to start selling the
will pick up on. Series 7 on the 2nd of October in the US. Check out the video
below for some additional details.
OCZ's SSD caching solution
launches
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-s-ssd-caching-solution-
launches/13455.html
September 1st, 2011
It's hard not to call OCZ an innovative company as they keep
coming up with new ways of either connecting your SSD or
take advantage of SSD technology somehow in your PC. The
latest addition to the RevoDrive series of PCI Express based
As for the actual hardware specs, well, Samsung will be SSDs is the RevoDrive Hybrid and if you've been around for a
launching with Intel's updated Core i7 and Core i5 processors while, you might remember that once upon a time ISA cards
and all but the 14-inch model (or is that 13-inch?) will come with a hard drive strapped to them weren't so uncommon and
with a quad core CPU, while the smaller model will have to the RevoDrive Hybrid somewhat harkens back to those days.
make do with a dual core CPU. All models also have discrete
AMD graphics, 6GB of DDR3 memory and a 750GB hard drive
as standard. Do keep in mind that this is the US spec and this It's hard not to call OCZ an innovative company as they keep
might be different in other markets. The rest of the specs can coming up with new ways of either connecting your SSD or
be found in the somewhat messy table below. take advantage of SSD technology somehow in your PC. The
latest addition to the RevoDrive series of PCI Express based
SSDs is the RevoDrive Hybrid and if you've been around for a
while, you might remember that once upon a time ISA cards
with a hard drive strapped to them weren't so uncommon and
the RevoDrive Hybrid somewhat harkens back to those days.
Although the Hardcards as they were known as, are long since
history it looks like we'll once again shove hard drives into our
expansion slots, at least if OCZ has anything to do with it. Early
details from the Flash Memory Summit last year suggested
that OCZ was working on a hard drive caching solution using a
RevoDrive with a pair of SATA connectors on it, but apparently
this idea was scrapped in favour of the RevoDrive Hybrid.
We almost forgot to mention that the keyboards features blue
backlight and that Samsung has of course implemented a pair
of USB 3.0 ports and a slot-loaded optical drive in all models.
The trackpad is also massive and very similar to the one found OCZ demoed an early version of the RevoDrive Hybrid back at
on Apple's MacBook's. Price wise we're looking at a starting Computex, but quite a few things have changed since then. Ok,
price of US$999.99 (S$1,205) stretching all the way to US so OCZ is a couple of months later than it planned, but these
9
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
things happen and there are some upsides and downsides performance and reliability under the harshest operating
to this. For starters larger 2.5-inch hard drives have become environment.
widely available and the RevoDrive Hybrid will now ship with • Double-forward switching circuitry: offers low power
a 1TB drive rather than a 500GB drive. The SSD part has also loss and high reliability.
been boosted from 60 to 100GB which should hopefully mean
improved performance and OCZ is claiming speeds of up to • Unparalleled DC to DC converter provides highest
910MB/s in the press release alongside 120,000 IOPS at 4K efficiency, most stable performance, and perfect
random writes, all very impressive numbers indeed. regulation.
The not so good news is that the price also went up, from • 3oz PCB design reduces heat generation and allows
an estimated US$350 to US$499.99 making the RevoDrive greater efficiency.
Hybrid a very costly SSD caching solution. This clearly puts it • Robust & dedicated +12V output: comes with dual +12V
outside of your average consumers reach as well, but hopefully rails design providing up to 40A for 12V1 and 80A for
OCZ will consider launching more affordable options in the 12V2.
future.
• FanDelayCool Technology allows 14cm fan to continue to
operate 15-30 sec after system shuts-down to ensure all
Thermaltake Toughpower components are properly cooled.
Grand 1050W PSU Review • Multi-GPU ready: comes with 8 x PCI-E 6+2pin for
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-toughpower-
cutting-edge gaming machine.
grand-1050w-psu-review/13454.html • Auto switching circuitry for universal AC input from
September 1st, 2011 90-264V.
• Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) with PF value of
0.95 at full load.
• High reliability: MTBF>120,000 hours.
• DIMENSION: 5.9”(W) x 3.4”(H) x ?7.1” (L);150mm(W)
Thermaltake is a well known company and carries a good x 86mm(H) x 180mm(L)
reputation as a high quality PSU manufacturer. Not too • Built-in industry grade protections: Over Current, Over
long ago we had a look at one of Thermaltake’s mainstream Power, Over Voltage, Under Voltage, Over Temperature
power supplies, the TR-2 800W unit. Today we are going to and Short-Circuit protection.
examine and review one of the company’s best products, the
Toughpower Grand 1050W unit, a power supply aiming to • Safety / EMI Approvals: CE, TUV, FCC, UL, CUL, GOST
satisfy the craving needs of hardcore enthusiasts. Let us have and BSMI certified.
a closer look at it.
Thermaltake is a well known company and carries a good
reputation as a high quality PSU manufacturer. Not too
Acer finally launches the
long ago we had a look at one of Thermaltake’s mainstream Iconia Smart
power supplies, the TR-2 800W unit. Today we are going to Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-finally-launches-the-iconia-
examine and review one of the company’s best products, the smart/13453.html
Toughpower Grand 1050W unit, a power supply aiming to September 1st, 2011
satisfy the craving needs of hardcore enthusiasts. Let us have
a closer look at it.
• Compliance with Intel ATX 12V 2.3 & SSI EPS 12V 2.92
standards.
• 80 PLUS Gold certified – with 87-93% extreme high
efficiency @ 20-100% load to cut down electric cost. Sometimes waiting for something good can take too long and
in the case of the Iconia Smart from Acer, which was first
• 24/7 @ 50oC: Guaranteed to deliver 1050W continuous
announced back at the Mobile World Congress in February
power.
has finally launched, well, at least in Taiwan. That said,
• Pure aesthetic design with uncompromising the company did deliver on its September launch date,
performance. although judging by the fact that no hardware changes were
• Proprietary dual ball bearing 14cm flower-shape fan implemented, it feels like the phone is about six months late.
enables longer lifespan and lowers overall noise output
by dramatically reducing bearing frictions.
Sometimes waiting for something good can take too long and
• 100% 105oC (221oF) Japanese made electrolytic in the case of the Iconia Smart from Acer, which was first
& solid state capacitors: provide uncompromised announced back at the Mobile World Congress in February
has finally launched, well, at least in Taiwan. That said,
10
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
the company did deliver on its September launch date, Sadly the tech specs are a bit long in the tooth now with a
although judging by the fact that no hardware changes were single core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 SoC, 512MB of RAM
implemented, it feels like the phone is about six months late. and 8GB of internal storage the Iconia Smart is pretty average
in terms of spec today, no matter if you compare it to other
We got some hands on time with the Iconia Smart at Acer’s
smartphones or to tablets. Other features include 802.11b/g/
low key launch event in Taipei and not much has changed
n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, an 8 Megapixel camera that
since February. The only really good news is that Acer has put
can shoot 720p video, a micro HDMI and USB port and finally
Android 2.3 on the Iconia Smart which does at least put it
HSDPA speeds of up to 14.4Mbps and HSUPA speeds of up to
at level playing ground with the competition. To be fair, the
5.76Mbps.
Iconia Smart doesn’t have a ton of direct competitors thanks
to its 4.8-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 1024x480
resolution and this is the saving grace of what can only be
described as something of a hybrid tablet.
Overall Acer has come up with a unique form factor, but we
don’t think this on its own is going to be enough considering all
of its competitors are now offering dual core devices on their
high-end devices. Luckily, Acer has priced the Iconia Smart at
Despite its fairly large size at 141.7x64.5x13.6mm, it’s
a reasonable NT$14,800 (S$615/US$510) which does at least
surprisingly slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy S II with its
make it competitive price wise and we’d expect actual retail
4.27-inch screen as it’s 66.1mm wide. That said, at 185g
pricing to drop lower than this quite quickly.
the Iconia Smart is bordering on obese when you’re talking
phones, but if you consider it a competitor to say the Dell We’ve added a few more pictures from the event on the next
Streak for example, then it’s actually quite light and pocket page.
friendly.
HP Singapore unveils
TouchPad pricing at COMEX
Show 2011
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-singapore-unveils-touchpad-
pricing-at-comex-show-2011/13452.html
September 1st, 2011
While HP has officially dropped their WebOS-based TouchPad
tablet pricing to US$99, there was no news whether the pricing
would be applied at this part of the world. Well, apparently
the company has unveiled the latest pricing of the TouchPad,
Kudos to Acer for hosting the entire presentation from an though there are some terms and conditions. Details inside.
Iconia Smart thanks to its micro HDMI port, this is a first to
us, as we haven’t seen any other company brave enough to host
an entire presentation including demos from the device being
launched.
11
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
having large computer systems, even up to the supercomputer
grade, for a long time. A*CRC is a unique combination of
diverse high-end hardware resources led by a team of experts
to support the growing user base.
A Choice of Systems for Every User
In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore may be smaller in scale
compared to the resources of China, Japan or Korea when it
comes to the scientific, research and engineering base, but it
has had accumulated expertise and user base to justify having
large computer systems, even up to the supercomputer grade,
for a long time.
Top Singapore universities, NUS and NTU, as well as various
According to HP, the 16GB and 32GB HP TouchPads will institutes and even companies involved in rendering farms or
be available at S$126 (with GST) and S$201 (with GST) oil exploration simulations have been using large computer
respectively, for the first two days of COMEX Show. However, here, either vector or parallel single image supercomputers,
only 100 unit of each of the versions will be available each day or clusters of standardised servers. As the usage increased,
and that the purchase is limited to only one unit per person leading to many disparate systems in various locations, the
regardless of whether it is 16GB or 32GB. Best of all, the mode Government agency A*STAR created A*STAR Computational
of purchase is cash and carry only; no credit cards or NETS, Resource Centre (A*CRC) where, at least for the numerous
and it will be a non-refundable and non-returnable. So, if institutes under the A*STAR umbrella as well as other research
you want to grab one, you will have to be quick. The units bodies in Singapore, there was now a centralised high end
will be available at HP booth 8428 (specifically the HP Direct supercomputing resource base.
counter), Hall 402/403.
For those of you who are purchasing the HP TouchSmart610 Located on the 17th floor of the humongous Fusionopolis
-1138d, 1178d, 1188d; and HP Pavilion dv4-3020TX, HP behemoth of a building on top of the soon to open One-
Pavilion dv6-6144TX, dv6-6105TX and dv6-6106TX, you will North Circle Line MRT station in Ayer Rajah area, A*CRC has
also get to buy the HP TouchPad 16GB and HP TouchPad one of world's rare heavy-duty supercomputer data centres
32GB for S$49 (with GST) and S$119 (with GST) respectively. located on a high floor of a tall building. It is divided
The purchase-with-purchase HP TouchPad will be available at into five functional areas: Computational Systems, Storage,
RewardsLINK in a first come first serve basis, while stocks last. Networking, Operations, and HPC Software.The two dozen
RewardsLINK can be located at 3 Temasek Boulevard #02-163 staff, headed by Dr Marek Michalewicz, Director, and Stephen
Suntec City Mall, Singapore 038983. Wong, Deputy Director in charge of systems, among others,
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday, 11.00am – 7.00pmEve of provide support for over seven hundred of local, and some
X’mas /New Year/CNY: 11.00am – 3.00pm. Closed on X’mas, international, users on a variety of systems. A*CRC operates
New Year and CNY another data center with large storage, located at the Biopolis,
aimed mainly at bioinformatics users.
A*Star's ACRC: Singapore
aims for Supercomputing
Heights
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-star-s-acrc-singapore-aims-for-
supercomputing-heights/13450.html
September 1st, 2011
In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore may be smaller in scale
compared to the resources of China, Japan or Korea when
it comes to the scientific, research and engineering base, but
it has had accumulated expertise and user base to justify
12
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Now, A*CRC can't yet fight in size with multi-petaflop systems main systems here, one being a brand new IBM p755
that can now be found in Japan or China, but the centre has Power7 cluster of 30 nodes, each with 32 cores running
diversity of hardware platforms that makes it interesting: from at 3.3 GHz and 128 GB RAM per node; the other one is
their 2048-core Westmere-EX single-image shared memory an older 32-node cluster of 8-socket quad-core Opterons,
machine with 12 TB RAM, the largest of its type in the region, made by HP, but its excellent PCIe I/O bandwidth as
to a 3,800+ core Xeon DP Fujitsu general purpose cluster, well as 128 GB RAM per node make it good for hosting
AMD Opteron SMP cluster combination as well as one of the multiple GPGPUs, for instance.
largest IBM Power7-based RISC clusters in the region. • SMP machine, aimed at very large tera-scale tasks in
terms of both processor and memory load, like the above
The first one would obviously make hackers salivate - how mentioned SGI Altix UV with its 256 eight-core Intel
about seeing a Linux (or Windows, as the machine could Xeons put together sharing 12 TB RAM, all under one
run it too) task prompt showing 2048 cores available with Linux OS boot. Each of the cores runs at 2.66 GHz with
12,000 GB system memory - and there's a good reason for peak 4 flops/cycle, offering theoretical peak performance
it. Too long there was an overemphasis just on the TOP 500 of over 21 TFLOPs in a single machine.
supercomputer ranking in terms of peak and tested GFLOPs
or TFLOPs according to the (in)famous Linpack linear What would seem to be good to add here to the resource,
algebra benchmark routine, however the underlying system I feel, would be a nice visualisation cluster, driving a ~
architecture can influence the real application execution 100 Mpixel 3-D CAVE-style VR facility. Such combination
potential even more. Dr Marek's team has, over the past is normally driven by dozens of tightly interconnected dual-
few years, consciously diversified the available resources for CPU workstations, each with a powerful Open GL GPU or
varied usage types so, whether your application can scale to two, which use Chromium or similar parallel OpenGL software
1,000 cores in a single task, or you just dump 1,000 simple layer to parallelise real-time 3-D across dozens of GPUs at the
unconnected threads at the same time, there is the right kind same time. Cave Automatic Virtual Environment, which really
of system to run either kind of jobs - plus many other types - gives the user an immersion of being in a virtual world 'cave'
in the centre. recursively acronyms as CAVE anyway. A*CRC sister institute
IHPC has a small setup of this type already for awhile.
Machines alone, even with petabytes of associates storage,
huge ventilation, power and backup facilities, and hardware
support staff monitoring the usage constantly, are not
enough. A*CRC expert team helps the users acquire the right
applications - commercial or open source - or, where needed,
additional hardware that can be housed at the premises
- as well as user code tuning and optimisation. And, as
more users from within and outside A*STAR, including NUS,
NTU, associated schools and commercial, as well as selected
international collaborations, are added to the roster, the
pressure to increase resources is constant. It may sound
unbelievable to an outside user, but most of the A*CRC system
resources are constantly used, every moment, at 90% to 100%
usage. Imagine your computer's CPU loaded at that level for,
say, 5 years of its life, non stop!
.
There are three types of computer systems right now at
A*CRC:
• Cluster of large number of small, dual processor nodes
for heavy loads of many serial jobs as well as highly
parallel codes that run well with message passing (MPI);
The Fujitsu BX900 450-node cluster of dual-XeonDP
'small' nodes, each with two CPU sockets and 24 GB
or more RAM per node, all connected via generic
Infiniband QDR, is the main resource here. Its 45
TFLOPs performance capability puts it close to the ~ 50
TFLOPs class where the world's Top 200 systems start
right now.
• Cluster of smaller number of larger nodes, more suitable
for large memory-footprint applications with higher
degree of CPU and thread communication. There are 2
13
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Therefore, to keep up with the user requirements and also
competing centres in the region, A*CRC has to increase its
capacity rapidly, as soon as possible. After all, Japan and
China both have multiple petaflop-class systems right now,
including the world's largest one in Kobe reaching close to 10
PFLOPs at RIKEN right now. While we can't have a petaflop
machine in Singapore yet as of today, a slightly smaller one,
say half-petaflop cluster of large core-count noder, would
make very good sense right now, to attract more users to
our shores and provide a good base for an even larger
national level supercomputing core. This takes an investment
in systems, infrastructure and of course people, but would
cement Singapore's role as the high performance computing
centre of the region. Samsung D7000 LED TV
The LED D7000 incorporates improved backlight scanning
technology with Samsung’s new 3D proprietary frame
interpolation algorithm, which improves 3D picture quality
and creates sharp 2D and 3D pictures and smooth frame
transitions without blurring. With access to Smart Hub, the
LED D7000 Series is an ideal media center, complementing
consumers’ ever connected and mobile lifestyles.
Usual Price: 46-inch - S$4,499; 55-inch - S$5,999
COMEX Promotion:TBA
In the Part 2 of the story, we will look at some good application
and code examples how A*CRC users actually make full
utilisation of thousands of cores and terabytes or memory, at
one go, as well as challenges in configuring, benchmarking
and maintaining huge supercomputer systems of this sort,
especially in our hot, humid climate here.
COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: Samsung
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions- Samsung NX11 Camera
samsung/13449.html
Equipped with a built-in flash and electronic VGA (640x480)
September 1st, 2011
viewfinder, the NX11 sports a 3-inch AMOLED LCD screen
which reduces glare from sunlight so that images can be seen
under any lighting conditions. The NX11 also provides high
quality video with 720p HD recording, and its large APS-C
sensor allows the videos to be recorded with shallow depth
of field, providing effects similar to in-motion picture movies.
The NX11 will come complete with an 18-55mm i-Function
Samsung will be showcasing their range of products from lens, as well as two new i-Function lenses, a 20mm pancake
laptops, smartphones, LCD TVs, Blu-ray players, home and a 20-50mm zoom silver color lens.
entertainment systems to tablet devices, video camcorders and
digital cameras at this week's COMEX Show 2011. The COMEX Promotion: S$999 with 20-50 mm i-Function
Samsung booth can be located on level 4, booth 8321, 8328. standard kit lens
14
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Samsung Series 9, 900X3A, 13.3-inch Notebook
With a maximum thickness of 16.3mm and an ultralight
weight of 1.31 kg, the 9 Series Notebook 900X3A sports a
high quality screen boasting market-leading 400nit brightness
and 16 million colors. It also comes equipped with an Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1
Intel CoreTM i7/i5 Processor, solid state drive and genuine The GALAXY Tab 10.1 features Samsung’s own TouchWiz user
Windows 7 Home Premium. Using Samsung’s innovative interface implemented on the Android Honeycomb platform,
PowerPlus charging technology and a power-efficient and offering superior multi-tasking and enhanced user interaction
advanced Lithium-Polymer battery, it has a battery lifespan and navigation. It is the world’s thinnest mobile tablet
that lasts up to 6.5 hours. available, at 8.6 mm and weighs approximately 560g. The
COMEX Promotion:S$2,488 GALAXY Tab 10.1, with its WXGA TFT LCD display (1280
x 800) is powered by 1GHz dual core AP. It is the perfect
device for sharing and enjoying media content with family and
friends.
COMEX Promotion:16GB 3G version - S$848
M1 announces new mData
mobile broadband plans
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/m1-announces-new-mdata-mobile-
broadband-plans/13448.html
September 1st, 2011
Samsung GALAXY S II M1 Limited (M1) has announced that it will launch four new
The Samsung GALAXY S II features a 1.2GHz dual-core competitively priced mobile broadband plans for customers on
processor, HSPA+ connectivity providing data transfer of September 1 this year. The new plans, which are claimed to
up to 21Mbps, a Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display. be aimed at providing a better mobile surfing experience to
At just 8.49mm in thickness, the new smartphone is a consumers, will reportedly start from the low price of S$12 a
powerful evolution of its predecessor in speed, screen and slim month and will be differentiated by data bundle sizes.
design. Weighing 116g, the GALAXY II has a 4.27-inch Super M1 has announced the availability of four new mData mobile
AMOLED Plus screen, making improvements in screen size, broadband plans for customers starting from September 1 this
colour gamut and power consumption. year. According to M1, the new plans, which start from the low
COMEX Promotion:16GB - S$998 price of S$12 per month, will help the company to provide a
better mobile surfing experience to customers
The new plans will be provisioned at the speeds of 7.2
Mbps or 21 Mbps theoretical download speeds, although
M1 has claimed that users can expect to experience typical
download speeds ranging between 0.6 to 6.7 Mbps under most
circumstances. M1 has also confirmed that customers who opt
to go for the 7.2 Mbps package will be given the chance to
15
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
choose from a range of plans valued from $12 for 5GB to $40 The newly launched Microsoft Touch Mouse is optimally
for 50GB. designed for Windows 7 PCs. The new multitouch mouse
lets you click, flick, scroll and swipe, so it is easy, fun and
Last but definitely not least, the company has also confirmed
interact more intuitively on your PC. The top of the Touch
that mData’s monthly mobile broadband data usage bundle
Mouse is composed of a matrix of capacitive touch-sensing
will be capped at a maximum of $69.30 to help eliminate the
electrodes to track the position of the user’s fingertips along
likelihood of consumers suffering from a heart attack caused
its surface.
by astronomically high data charges due to freak incidents.
COMEX Promotion: S$99 (Free S$10 shopping voucher)
The full list of mData mobile broadband plans from M1 are as
follow:
COMEX Show 2011 Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000
Promotions: Microsoft The Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000 features an ergonomist-
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions- approved contour layout that creates an organic arc to
microsoft/13446.html encourage natural wrist posture. It has a slim and glossy
September 1st, 2011 design makes a modern statement while minimizing clutter on
your desktop, and media keys that provide one-touch access to
popular media functions, such as play, pause and volume.
COMEX Promotion: S$27
Microsoft is making a great presence at this year's COMEX
Show with great promotions on their keyboards, mice and web
cameras, as well as XBox 360 and Kinect games. You can also
trade in your old console and receive up to $150 off a new Xbox
360, as well as pre-order for the higly-anticipated GEARS OF
WAR 3. Their booth can be located on level 6, booth 6126.
Microsoft LifeCam Studio
Enjoy great video chat with friends and family with the new
Microsoft LifeCam Studio webcam. It incorporates a full high
definition 1080p sensor that can deliver widescreen video
at 16:9 at up to 30 frames per second. With ClearFrame
Technology, it can offer smooth, detailed video with an
improved de-noiser, which reduces image graininess —
especially in low light.
Usual Price: S$149
Microsoft Touch Mouse COMEX Promotion: S$129
16
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Gears of War 3 Limited Edition Xbox 360 console
Custom designed with artwork inspired by Gears of War 3,
HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One
Xbox 360 is offering this exclusive console with Wi-Fi built-in
for easier connection to the world of games and entertainment The HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One allows small
on Xbox LIVE. This limited offer also includes a copy of the businesses to get professional colour and laser performance
game Gears of War 3, two custom-designed Xbox 360 wireless at a low cost per page. Featuring HP ePrint, users can print
controllers, and a 320GB hard drive. Available only for a anytime, anywhere using any mobile device1. The printer also
limited time. features a 2.36-inch (5.99cm) color touchscreen display to
easily copy, fax, print, scan and more.
COMEX Promotion: S$649
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: HP
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
hp/13445.html
September 1st, 2011
Even though HP has announced the price drop of US$99
for thier TouchPad tablet devices, there is still no news as
to whether the company will be offering that price tag to
consumers. (Probably the reason why we have yet to receive
all the promotions). Well, here are some of the great deals on
their printers and all-in-one devices. You can check out their
booth on level 4, hall 401, booth 8150.
HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer
The HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer is designed to be easy to
use and requires minimal maintenance. Whether you are in
the office, in a car, or at an airport, you can print wherever you
want, knowing that you will get the same quality you expect
from desk-top printers.
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
17
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
HP ePrint technology, users can print anytime, anywhere and
from any mobile device.
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: Olympus
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
olympus/13444.html
September 1st, 2011
Photographer enthusiasts would be delighted with some of the
good promotions on Olympus digital cameras including the
Olympus E-PL1, E-P3 and E-PL3 which use micro four-thirds
system, and XZ-1. The Olympus booth can be located on level
4, hall 404, booth 8205.
HP Laserjet Pro CM1415FNW
The HP LaserJet Pro CM 1415FNW is the first LaserJet printer
that allows users to print from the Web and mobile devices.
Users can minimize environmental impact with the Instant-
on Technology and Instant-on Copy. It features wireless and
Ethernet connectivity which lets you print from anywhere in
the office via a shared network.
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
Olympus E-P3
The Olympus E-P3 claims to be the flagship of the PEN series
of new generation Micro Four Thirds system cameras with
the world’s fastest autofocusing (AF) achieved through the
FAST (Frequency Acceleration Sensor) AF system and a
lens incorporating the MSC (movie and still compatible)
mechanism. It also boasts superb image quality and high
ISO12800 sensitivity, thanks to the new 12.3-megapixel High
Speed Live MOS Sensor with full HD movie compatibility and
new TruePic VI image processing engine.
Usual Price:
Option 1: E-P3 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$1,298 (w/ GST)
Body (Available colours: Black, White and Silver)
HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One C410a
The HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One C410a is an all- M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
in-one that allows you to do more. You can boost your home
printer capabilities by easily faxing, scanning and copying with Bundled with 8GB SD Card
this 50-page automatic document feeder (ADF), and print Option 2: E-P3 Twin Lens Kit - S$1,548 (with GST)
photos and web content without a PC. With the revolutionary Body (Available colours: Black, White and Silver)
18
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm R f4.0-5.6 lens
Bundled with 8GB SD Card
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
Olympus E-PL1
Availabile in white, champagne gold, and black, the Olympus
E-PL1 is an entry-level micro four-thirds camera that is
equipped with a new Live Guide interface which makes
it easy for photographer enthusiasts and beginners. With
the dedicated Movie mode button, you can quick access to
movie shooting at any time. The E-PL1 also comes with
Olympus E-PL3 six Art Filters, including new Gentle Sepia, for enhanced
photographic creativity.
Launched on 29 June, the Olympus E-PL3 is designed as the
centrepiece of Olympus’s popular PEN series of versatile, high- E-PL1 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$698 (with GST)
Body (Available colours: White, Champagne Gold, and Black)
performance interchangeable-lens digital cameras. It is the
first PEN series camera with a swivel type 3.0-inch display
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14–42mm
that can tits 80-degree up and 45-degree down for improved
functionality and compatibility with size reduction.
Option 1: E-PL3 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$998 (w/ GST)
Body (Available colours: Black, White, Silver and Red)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
Bundled with 8GB SD Card
Option 2: E-PL3 Twin Lens Kit - S$1,248 (w/ GST)
Body (Available colours: Black, White, Silver and Red)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm R
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
Olympus XZ-1
The Olympus XZ-1 uses the brightest i.ZUIKO DIGITAL
f1.8 lens which is the first to be designed for a point and
shoot digital camera. It has a large f1.8-2.5 aperture that
assures maximum brightness from wide-angle to telescopic
and combines with the large 1/1.63-inch high-sensitivity CCD
sensor to achieve amazing picture quality close to that of
digital SLR cameras.
Usual Price: S$698
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
19
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
control and the option to disable the Windows key while
Razer announces Stealth gaming.
versions of BlackWidow
and BlackWidow Ultimate
keyboards
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-announces-stealth-versions-of-
blackwidow-and-blackwidow-ultimate-keyboards/13443.html
September 1st, 2011
Razer has announced the availability of the new Stealth
versions of its BlackWidow and BlackWidow Ultimate series of
mechanical gaming keyboards. According to the company, the The Razer BlackWidow Stealth Edition and BlackWidow
new Stealth Edition keyboards have been designed to offer the Ultimate Stealth Edition gaming mechanical keyboards are
tactility of a typical mechanical keyboard, but with the added now available for purchase from Razerzone.com at the price of
benefit of having a much quieter feedback that is reportedly US$79.99 and US$139.99 respectively.
ideal for the “true silent assassins of gaming”.
If you love Razer's line of mechanical gaming keyboards but COMEX Show 2011
cannot stand having to deal with the annoying clicky sounds
produced by the keyboards' mechanical switches any longer, Promotions: Norton
you are in luck. This is because Razer has just announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
the availability of the new Stealth editions of the BlackWidow norton/13442.html
and BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboards, which the September 1st, 2011
company claims have been designed to deliver the same
performance as the non-Stealth versions, but with the added
benefit of more quiet feedback.
As they are essentially the same keyboards with quieter
switches, the BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition and
the BlackWidow Stealth Edition have access to all of the While consumer products like digital cameras, smartphones
features that are present on their non-stealth counters. In and laptops are hugely popular at PC Fairs, security solutions
the BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition's case, this includes are also well sought after. Norton will debut their new
support for anti-ghosting across the entire keyset to allow for Internet Security 2012, Antivirus 2012 and Norton 360 V5.0
up to six simultaneous key presses, programmable keys with at tomorrow's COMEX Show 2011. Symantech's main booth is
on-the-fly macro recording, keys for media control and audio located on level 6, booth 6251.
jacks.
The BlackWidow Stealth Edition, on the other hand, drops
the anti-ghosting support that is present on the Ultimate
edition, but otherwise sports the same features present on the
BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition, such as programmable Norton Internet Security 2012
keys with on-the-fly macro recording, buttons for multimedia The new Norton Internet Security 2012 offers various security
features such as the Norton Identity Safe that provides a
20
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
streamlined interface with improved login and form detection
technology; Norton Management which makes it easy for users Samsung announces
to download, transfer, update, or renew your Norton products availability of new mobile
from anywhere right over the Internet; and Norton Online
Family that helps to keep your kids safe online as it tracks phones with Bada 2.0
where your kids go and what they do online. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-availability-of-
new-mobile-phones-with-bada-2.0/13441.html
COMEX Promotion Price: S$29 (1 user license); S$49 (3 user
September 1st, 2011
license); S$79 (5 user license)
Norton Antivirus 2012
If you only need the anti-virus protection, the new
Norton Antivirus 2012 has all the features that are adequate
for your use. It comes with Norton Management which is also
found on the Internet Security 2012 for users to download,
transfer, update, or renew your Norton products; Norton So you want a new smartphone to play around with, but do not
Insight, the latest version of Norton’s exclusive reputation- wish to get involved with the fan war that is currently raging
based security technology, checking where files came from between Android, Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone 7
and how long they have been around to automatically identify and iOS users, don't you? If so, don't sweat it; Samsung has just
and stop new online threats before trouble arises. It also announced the availability of a new batch of smartphones that
does Insight checks on every downloaded file for safety and will be preloaded with the latest version of its Bada operating
protects users against dangerous applications by prompting system, Bada 2.0
if they may harm the health and stability of your computer
Getting a new smartphone is always something that is worth
before you install them.
looking forward to, but the possibility of getting into flame
COMEX Promotion Price: S$39 (1 user license); S$69 (3 user wars with users or various mobile operating systems is a
license); S$119 (5 user license) very real problem with some would like to avoid as much as
Norton 360 V5.0 possible. If this sounds like what you are consciously looking
out for in your choice of smartphone platforms, the good
The Norton 360 V5.0 features groundbreaking new reputation news is Samsung has just announced the availability of a new
service technology that provides unmatched real-time threat batch of smartphones that are powered by its latest Bada 2.0
detection to guard against viruses, worms, spyware, bots, operating system.
Trojans, rootkits, identity thieves, and other digital dangers
such that users can browse, purchase, and bank online without According to the machine translation of Samsung's recent
worry. It has an automated set-it-and-forget-it backup with press announcement, it seems that the Korean electronics
web access that lets you quickly and easily retrieve and giant intends to release at least three new smartphones based
restore digital photos, music, financial documents, and other off the Bada operating system for sale on the market some
important files in case of loss or damage. The Norton 360 can time soon. Known as the Samsung Wave 3, Wave M and Wave
also automatically tunes up users’ PC to help keep it running Y, Samsung claims that the new smartphones are designed to
well. be premium products that will cater to users who reportedly
desire smartphones that feature a robust platform.
Usual Price: S$64.99 (1 user license); S$158.99 (3 user
license); S$199.99 (5 user license) Not much information about the new smartphones have be
COMEX Promotion Price: S$59 (1 user license); S$99 (3 user released by Samsung, although the company has claimed that
Premier Edition license with 25GB online backup storage); S the new Samsung Wave 3, which is touted as the flagship
$159 (5 user license) model for the new Bada-powered smartphones, will feature a
four-inch Super AMOLED display of an unknown resolution,
Additional special offers: as well as support for wireless connectivity via Bluetooth 3.0
Any 1-user purchase will entitle customer to 1 chance at the and WiFi under the b, g and n bands. In addition, the company
lucky draw has also confirmed that the Wave 3 will sport a processor
Any 3-user or 5-user purchase will entitle customer to have 3 clocked at 1.4GHz and what is reportedly a five-megapixel
tries at the lucky draw camera.
Top prize each day will be the latest Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1
32GB bundled with Norton Mobile Security
Other prizes include Xbox Kinect 4GB, TomTom GPS XXL 550
and Sandisk 4GB Cruzer Edge USB drive
21
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
On the other hand, the Samsung Wave M will sport a 3.65- No details about pricing and global availability of the new
inch display that is capable of displaying content at HVGA smartphones have been released by Samsung at this point of
resolutions, along with a five-megapixel camera, and a sleek time.
design which is reportedly aimed at making it easy for users
with smaller hands, such as women, to have a comfortable grip
on the phone. COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: Dell
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
dell/13439.html
September 1st, 2011
Check out the exclusive offers from Dell at tomorrow's
COMEX Show which include the Alienware M14x, Inspiron
13z, Inspiron 14 and Inspiron 15R laptops, and Inspiron
620MT desktop PC. The Dell's booth is located on level 4,
booth 8251, 8230, 8139, 8418. On top of that, the company will
be providing free shuttle bus services from various locations
around Singapore to ferry visitors to COMEX 2011, as well as
various activities including the chance to win attractive prizes.
Last but not least, Samsung has also announced the
availability of the new Samsung Wave Y smartphone, which
will make use of a 3.2-inch TFT LCD display capable of
displaying content at HVGA resolutions, along with a two-
megapixel camera and a slew of features designed to make it
easy for the first-time smartphone user to get the most out of
the Bada operating system.
22
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Dell Inspiron 13z Notebook Dell Inspiron 14 (N4050) Laptop
Powered by Intel Core i3 2330M processor, the Dell Inspiron The compact and responsive Inspiron 14 (N4050) is all you
13z sports a 13.3-inch HD WLED True-Life display (1366x768) need to get your work done wherever you go. It offers a 14-
for your mutlimedia enjoyment. It comes with 2GB DDR3 inch HD WLED True-Life display (1366x768), and is equipped
SDRAM (1333Mhz), Intel HD graphics 3000 video card, with 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 2410M processor with Turbo Boost
320GB 7200RPM SATA hard disk, and is preloaded with 2.0, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1333Mhz), 1GB AMD Radeon HD
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. 6470M video card, 500GB SATA hard disk and preloaded with
Usual Price: S$899 Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.
Comex Promotion Price: S$799 + free DVD-RW drive worth Usual Price: S$999
S$99 Comex Promotion Price: S$899 + additional Belkin backpack
worth S$39 for Amex customers + free 2nd year warranty
upgrade worth S$99
Dell Inspiron 15R Laptop
The Dell Inspiron 15R comes with stylish designs that claim
Dell Inspiron 620MT Desktop to fit every personality and full features that let you stay
The slim and high-performance Inspiron 620MT lets you connected and entertained anywhere, anytime. Specifications-
do more and share more. It comes with Intel Core i5 2310 wise, it comes with 15.6-inch HD WLED True-Life display
processor, 4GB memory, (1366x768), Intel Core i7 2630QM processor, 6GB DDR3
1GB AMD Radeon 6450 video card, 1TB SATA hard disk and memory, 1GB Nvidia GT 525M video card and 640GB SATA
preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium OS. The Inspiron hard disk.
620MT is also bundled with 20-inch LED monitor with 1-year Usual Price: S$1,349
warranty with in-home service. Comex Promotion Price: S$1,099 + free exchangeable lid and
Usual Price: S$1,099 second year extended warrantyworth over S$168
Comex Promotion Price: S$949 + additional S$50 off for
Amex customers
23
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
According to a machine translation of the Japanese
electronics giant's recent press release, the new MDR-DS7500
headphones has been touted to be the industry's first such
headphones to be optimized for 3D surround sound used
in the playback of 3D video content. Sony claims that the
headphones feature the Dolby Pro Logic II z decoder which is
Dell Alienware M14x Laptop
reportedly capable of delivering 7.1 channel surround sound
If you are looking for a high performance gaming laptop, for greater depth and realism. In addition, the company has
you must check out the Alienware M14x at Dell's booth. also added that the MDR-DS7500 has been furnished with
Incorporating high-end hardware components including Intel 3D VPT technology to further enhance the realism of the
Core i5 2410M processor, 1.5GB Nvidia GeForce GT555M with headphones' surround sound system.
Nvidia Optimus switchable graphics technology, 4GB DDR3
Additional features available on the MDR-DS7500 include
SDRAM and 500GB SATA hard disk, the Alienware M14x
what appears to be the capability to accept audio input
claims to be the most powerful 14-inch high definition gaming
directly via HDMI, various pre-set audio modes such as New
laptop in the universe.
Cinema Mode, Game Mode and Voice Mode for optimal audio
Usual Price: S$2,099 playback quality under specific conditions, as well as the
Comex Promotion Price: S$1,999 + free Razer Gaming Mouse ability to be remotely controlled. Last but not least, Sony
and Headset worth over S$168 has also confirmed that the NDR-DS7500 will feature built-in
support for BRAVIA Sync, where users can remotely control a
compatible BRAVIA television set via the headphones.
Sony launches new digital 3D
Full specifications for the MDR-DS7500 surround
surround sound headphones headphones are as follow:
system in Japan
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-launches-new-digital-3d-
surround-sound-headphones-system-in-japan/13440.html
September 1st, 2011
Sony has announced the availability of its new digital 3D
surround sound headphones system, the MDR-DS7500, in
Japan, According to the company, the new headphones is
designed to faithfully reproduce the same quality of sound
which artists and film-makers have originally intended for
consumers to hear. The MDR-DS7500 surround headphones are expected to
Sony has announced the availability of its new digital 3D make their way onto retail shelves in Japan for sale come
surround sound headphones system, the MDR-DS7500, in October 10 this year at the suggested retail price of 49,350 yen
Japan. According to the company, the new headphones (approx US$643) after taxes.
have been specially designed to ensure that it is capable of
delivering to consumers a faithful reproduction of the kind of
sound which artists and film-makers have originally intended Samsung announces
for consumers to hear. availability of new portable
media players in Korea
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-availability-of-
new-portable-media-players-in-korea/13438.html
24
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 1st, 2011 back most common audio formats, such as MP3, WMA, Acc,
Ogg and more importantly. Flac.
For most people, the fact that their smartphones boast the
capability to provide basic audio and video playback means
that there is little need to invest in a dedicated portable media
player when their smartphones can satisfy that need. However,
it seems that there are enough people who believe in the value
of having such a dedicated media player for Samsung to justify
the release of yet another such device, and it comes in the form
of its new YP-R2 and YP-Z3 players.
Who needs to invest in a portable media player when the
humble mobile phone, which boasts the ability to deliver basic
media playback support, is fast becoming the device of choice
for portable media playback while on the move? Well, tell that
to Samsung; the Korean electronics giant has just announced
the availability of two new portable media players, the YP-R2
and YP-Z3, in Korea.
According to the machine translation of Samsung's press
release, the new YP-R2 and YP-Z3 portable media players
feature the Korean electronics giant's SoundAlive technology The YP-R2 will be available in black silver color at the price
which allows for increased audio playback quality such as bass of 149,000 won or approximately US$139 (4GB) and 169,000
enhancement as well as three-dimensional sound. In addition, won (approx US$158) for the 8GB variant , while the YP-Z3
the YP-R2 will sport a three-inch WQVGA touchscreen and will come in Mercy Mellow White, Cherry Pink and Mint Blue,
come bundled with the DivX codec for better video playback and will be sold at the price 119,000 won (aprox US$111)for a
support. total of 8GB storage space.
ASUS announces availability
of new O!Play Mini Plus set-
top box in Singapore
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-announces-availability-of-new-o-
play-mini-plus-set-top-box-in-singapore/13437.html
September 1st, 2011
Want to hook up a home theatre PC (HTPC) of sorts to your
TV set but don't wish to deal with all the hassle involved in
configuring it? Don't worry, there is a set-top box for that, and
it comes in the form of ASUS's new set-top media player box,
the O!PlayMini Plus, in Singapore. According to ASUS, the
new device is designed to offer access to a multitude of online
services for endless entertainment from both video and social
media websites, among many others.
ASUS has announced the availability of its new set-top box
for home theatre systems, the ASUS O!Play Mini Plus, in
Singapore. According to ASUS, the new O!Play Mini Plus
On the other hand, the YP-Z3 will come with a 1.8-inch is designed to designed to offer access to a multitude of
display (non-touchscreen) and make use of physical buttons online services for endless entertainment from both video and
for navigation. Last but definitely not least, Samsung has social media websites, along with many other media-related
confirmed that the media players will be capable of playing features.
25
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
No details about the O!Play Mini Plus set-top box's pricing has
In an official announcement made by the company been announced by ASUS at this point.
yesterday, ASUS claimed that the new O!Play Mini Plus
set-top box will feature built-in support for various online
media streaming and social networking services, such as Zotac launches tiny AMD E-
“Mediafly, Dailymotion, Facebook, YouTube, Picasa, Flickr
(and) thousands of internet TV and radio stations. ASUS has series powered ZBOX nano
also touted the new O!Play Mini Plus set-top box as being the Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zotac-launches-tiny-amd-e-series-
world's first device to support Acetrax, the most popular online powered-zbox-nano/13436.html
video on demand service in Europe. September 1st, 2011
On the specifications side, it would appear that the new O!
Play Mini Plus set-top box has got just about everything an
average user will need to get the system working right out-
of-the-box. According to ASUS, the device will feature built-
in support for gigabit Ethernet and WiFi N connectivity, while
utility tools such as O!Direct and O!MediaShare enable users
to stream media files from a variety of devices straight to an If you're on the hunt for a tiny PC – and we're not talking
HDTV without complicated setups, as well as stream content Mac mini small here, we mean really tiny – then Zotac might
from a desktop PC or notebook to the TV. just have what you're after in the shape of its ZBOX nano, a
127x127mm AMD E-series APU powered computer. It might
not have the most powerful hardware, but you'll have a hard
time finding anything smaller with as many features crammed
into it.
If you're on the hunt for a tiny PC – and we're not talking
Mac mini small here, we mean really tiny – then Zotac might
Full specifications for the new O!Play Mini Plus set-top box are just have what you're after in the shape of its ZBOX nano, a
as follow: 127x127mm AMD E-series APU powered computer. It might
not have the most powerful hardware, but you'll have a hard
time finding anything smaller with as many features crammed
into it.
We first saw this tiny box on display at Computex, but back
then it was featuring a VIA Nano CPU, but it seems like either
Zotac changed their mind, or they just made another SKU
with AMD's E-series APU. Zotac will apparently be offering the
ZBOX nano with either an AMD E-350 or an E-450, although
the initial version appears to be sporting the E-350. Despite
its small size, the ZBOX nano is missing very little in terms of
features.
26
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
the time of writing there were no details to be found on the
Zotac website relating to the ZBOX nano.
AMD Trinity to feature Radeon
HD 7000 Graphics
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-trinity-to-feature-radeon-
hd-7000-graphics/13434.html
September 1st, 2011
AMD first demonstrated next-gen Trinity APUs at Fusion
Developer Summit in June this year, also revealing Trinity
will feature a GPU part based on the VLIW-4 architecture
currently only used in Radeon HD 6900 series. Fudzilla have
now leaked a Globalfoundries slide which mentions the GPU
For starters, looking around the back we find two USB part of Trinity will be branded as part of the Radeon HD 7000
2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an family.
eSATA port, a DisplayPort, an HDMI port and an antenna for AMD first demonstrated next-gen Trinity APUs at Fusion
150Mbps 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0. Around the Developer Summit in June this year, also revealing Trinity
front is a pair of audio jacks, a memory card reader that takes will feature a GPU part based on the VLIW-4 architecture
most of the regular formats apart from CF cards and an IR currently only used in Radeon HD 6900 series. Fudzilla have
receiver. Internally there's only room for a single SO-DIMM now leaked a Globalfoundries slide which mentions the GPU
and a 2.5-inch drive. A remote control is also bundled that part of Trinity will be branded as part of the Radeon HD 7000
works with Windows MCE and for some reason Zotac is also family.
supplying an additional IR receiver that connects via USB.
Although at 127x127mm the ZBOX nano is tiny, it's quite
chubby at 45mm tall. It does of course have an external
power brick as its power source and Zotac supplies a VESA
compliant mounting plate that allows the entire system to be
mounted on the back of an LCD screen. Overall it's a pretty The slide mentions upcoming Orochi die, set to release as
neat little package, but if the Japanese price is anything to by, Zambezi or FX-Series on the desktop and Valencia (Opteron
it's horrendously expensive, as in Japan it retails for 27,500 4200) and Interlagos (Opteron 6200) on servers. AMD's
Yen (S$433) and the Plus model which comes with 2GB of next-gen Fusion APU, Trinity, is set to feature next-gen
DDR3 RAM and a 320GB hard drive is even pricier at 35,000 Piledriver architecture cores, as revealed in recent roadmaps.
Yen (S$550) which makes it questionable if this is the route As mentioned before, the GPU part will be part of the Radeon
to go down. That said, prices in Japan are usually higher for HD 7000 family, and is rumoured to feature the VLIW-4
electronics, but even so, it doesn't seem worth the money. At architecture. The overall improvement in theoretical GFlops
will be 50% over Llano. Of course, while this may not indicate
a 50% increase in real-world performance, Trinity is set to be a
27
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
major step forward for the Fusion initiative. Trinity is expected
to release in the first half of 2012.
In addition, Fudzilla also reports that the next-gen 28nm parts
will now also be branded under the Radeon HD 7000 moniker,
as expected.
Corsair adds roomier SKUs to
the Force GT SSD series
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/corsair-adds-roomier-skus-to-the-
force-gt-ssd-series/13433.html
September 1st, 2011
So far Corsair has only offered fairly small sized SSDs in
its high-performance Force GT series of SSDs, but now the We're expecting one of the new models for testing and
company has added a pair of new, roomier models to the although neither comes in cheap, we'd expect Corsair to be
series. The new capacities are 180 and 240GB, a doubling of competing for a top spot in terms of raw SSD performance with
the two previously largest models. these models. As for pricing, the 180GB model has an MSRP of
US$379 (S$459) while the 240GB model comes in at US$489
(S$590), which is pretty much in line with other SSDs based
So far Corsair has only offered fairly small sized SSDs in on the latest generation of SandForce controllers.
its high-performance Force GT series of SSDs, but now the
company has added a pair of new, roomier models to the
series. The new capacities are 180 and 240GB, a doubling of COMEX Show 2011
the two previously largest models.
Promotions: Sony
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
sony/13432.html
September 1st, 2011
At the COMEX 2011, Sony will have some great promotions
on their products including the Cyber-shot DSC-WX30, VAIO
Z notebook PC and the recently launched NEX-5N mirrorless
interchangeable lens camera. The company will occupy the
usual area on the Concourse on level 3, and their booth can
also be seen on level 4, booth 8210.
These SandForce SF-2280 driven SSDs have also gained a
small performance increase on the write side, with both
models offering write speeds of up to 525MB/s, up from
515MB/s for the 120GB drive. A small increase perhaps and
the sequential write speed is still stuck at 555MB/s. As with the
previous models, Corsair is bundling both drives with a 3.5-
inch adapter.
Sony VAIO Z Series Notebook PC
28
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Sony VAIO Z series is designed as a high performance yet
thin and light PC. It is equipped with second generation Intel COMEX Show 2011
Core i7 processor, SSD in RAID ) configuration and full high Promotions: PROLiNK
definition LCD display for your multimedia enjoyment. The Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
VAIO Z comes with an optional Power Media Dock with AMD prolink/13430.html
Radeon HD 6650M (1GB VRAM) and Blu-ray disc player. September 1st, 2011
COMEX Show Price: TBA
PROLiNK will showcase several new products at the COMEX
Show 2011, which include the new wireless pan/tilt network
camera, Bluetooth keyboard, wireless presenter, and three
device servers. The PROLiNK booth can be located on level 6,
hall 602, booth 6231.
Sony NEX-5N Interchangeable Lens Camera
This new compact NEX-5N from Sony is built on the
popularity of the NEX-5 and claims to offer superb
responsiveness, image quality and creativity of a DSLR
camera. It features 16.1-Megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS
sensor and new BIONZ processor enabling ISO 25600 high
sensitivity, full high definition movie with 50p/25p, manual
focus, full P/A/S/M exposure control and improved audio. The
NEX-5N also comes with a tilt-angled 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD
touchscreen display for viewfinder.
COMEX Show Price: TBA
PROLiNK PPS2101, PPS2101N and PPS2104N Device Server
The new device servers with Sharehub technology are available
in three models, in 1-port (wireless and wired) as well as
4-port wireless versions. Unlike regular print servers which
only allow the user to share the use of standard printers, the
new Sharehub device servers can be used for sharing even
multifunction printers. You can also share data in USB devices
within the network (acts as a network-attached storage device)
and even playback music to USB speakers.
COMEX Show Price: S$69 (PPS2101), S$79 (PPS2101N) and
S$85 (PPS2104N)
Sony Cyber-shot WX30
Launching at COMEX, the super-compact and stylish Cyber-
shot WX30 offers a wide range of imaging options for stills, full
HD video and 3D shooting. It is also the first-ever Cyber-shot
WX series model to feature a spacious 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD
wide touch screen for beautifully simple fingertip operation.
COMEX Show Price: TBA
29
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
PROLiNK PIC1003WP IP Camera PROLiNK PWP102G Wireless Presenter
This new PROLiNK PIC1003WP IP camera claims to be one of The wireless presenter, on the other hand, is both
the easiest IP cameras to set up in the market, and comes with ergonomically designed and easy to use and setup. The
wide range pan/ tilt capabilities as well as built-in micro-SD additional function of the Optical Finger Navigation (OFN)
card interface for video storage. technology allows the user to even use this device as an “air
mouse” to remotely control your computer.
COMEX Show Price: S$299
COMEX Show Price: S$59
Renesas announces its first
SATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridge
controller
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/renesas-announces-its-first-
sata-6gbps-to-usb-3.0-bridge-controller/13429.html
September 1st, 2011
Judging by today's announcement, Renesas has realised that
it only has so much time left in the so far for the company,
PROLiNK PKM-3810B Bluetooth Keyboard very profitable USB 3.0 host controller market and it's
Aesthetically designed and very user-friendly, the PROLiNK now branching into other USB 3.0 markets. As such the
Bluetooth keyboard is a must for users who value functionality company has announced its first USB 3.0 peripheral chip,
as much as beauty. It is sleek and slim, comes with 12 hotkeys, the µPD720230 which is a SATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridge
and has a transmission range of up to 10m. controller.
COMEX Show Price: S$59
Judging by today's announcement, Renesas has realised that
it only has so much time left in the so far for the company,
very profitable USB 3.0 host controller market and it's
now branching into other USB 3.0 markets. As such the
company has announced its first USB 3.0 peripheral chip,
the µPD720230 which is a SATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridge
controller.
The only other company we're currently aware of that has
a SATA 6Gbps to USB 3.0 bridge solution is ASMedia, so if
Renesas can deliver the µPD720230 on time in October as
per the press release, then the company might just manage
30
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
to hit the market at the right point in time. Renesas has September 1st, 2011
one advantage over its competitors, as it's only one of
two companies that we're aware of that can offer UASP
licenses and as such the company has of course added UASP
support to the µPD72023. This means that there should be a
performance improvement when used with UASP compatible
host controllers.
As such, Renesas own host controllers as well as those found Where Apple innovates, others follow, right? Well, apparently
in AMD's A75 and A70M chipsets should see not only a not for Sony, especially if the company's recent update to its
performance advantage when used with the µPD720230, but VAIO Z line of ultra-thin and highly portable notebooks are
UASP also adds support for command queuing, something of any indication. With frills such as an extremely thin body,
that the standard bulk-only transfer protocol lacks. With over high-performance hardware for its assembly and the inclusion
40 million Renesas controllers already in the market, that's a of an external graphics solution for added firepower, it would
pretty decent install base to start making accessory chipsets for seem that Sony has had Apple finally beaten at its own game.
and unless its competitors licenses UASP support, we're going Or has it? VR-Zone investigates.
to have to wait until Windows 8 until we get universal UASP
support.
The press release doesn't talk too much about performance,
but mentions speeds of up to 370MB/s using ATTO. This is a
As far as most people are concerned, Apple appears to be the
very impressive figure, but ATTO tends to produce numbers
only computer OEM that is capable of churning out notebooks
that are in general higher than that seen in other benchmarks
that not only boast cutting edge and futuristic designs, but are
and as such we'd take this number with a grain of salt. On the
also thin enough to be capable of being transported around in
other hand, we'll try to get hold of a bridge for testing to see if
a typical manilla envelope. However, it would seem that the
Renesas can deliver on their claims.
design crown is no longer Apple's to dominate, especially if
Renesas has also implemented support for the U1 and U2 the introduction of Sony's new VAIO Z ultra-thin notebook
power states which are part of the latest USB 3.0 specification is of any indication. With access to Intel's i7 range of mobile
for bridge devices, something VLI is already supporting in its processors, a 13-inch LED backlit display that is capable of
VL701. Renesas claims that this can help reduce the power 1080p resolutions, a docking station that doubles up as an
consumption at idle by up to 40 percent, although we presume external graphics solution, and copious amounts of RAM,
this is when hard drives are used rather than SSDs. Sony's intent is clear. The company is aiming to go head-to-
Renesas expects to kick off production volumes of around head against Apple in the market for premium, ultra-portable
500,000 chips a month and samples are already available. notebooks, a segment which Apple has enjoyed undisputed
There seems to be some confusion about the pricing though, as success in for the longest time, with other OEMs mostly
the Japanese press release mentions US$3 per chip in sample playing catch up to the Cuptertino giant.
volumes, while the English press release puts the price at US
$3.50. We wouldn't expect to see products in the market based That being said, good design and performance, while vital,
on the µPD720230 until early 2012. cannot make up for a sloppy user experience, and suffice to say
Sony will have its work cut out for it in order to ensure that
its new VAIO Z is capable of delivering a decent experience
Sony VAIO Z review: that is worthy of its futuristic design. And that is what we are
here to find out in today's review of the Japanese electronics
Portability, meet Power giant's new (and oh-so-droolworthy) VAIO Z ultra-portable
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-vaio-z-review-portability-meet- notebook.
power/13345.html
31
September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
New SONY VAIO
Z VPCZ217GG/N/
X notebook PC
specifications
Processor Intel Core i7-2620M clocked
at 2.7GHz (up to 3.4GHz
under TurboBoost), 4MB L3
cache
Chipset Intel HM67 Chipset
Graphics Card Onboard Intel HD Graphics
3000
Display LED backlit 13.3-inch full
high-definition display (1920
x 1080) TFT VAIO Display
Premium screen
Operating System Windows 7 Professional SP1
(x64 version)
Memory 8GB DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 4GB
custom DIMM)
Storage capacity 256GB intenal flash memory
(128GB SSD x 2 under RAID
0)
Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR, WiFi
(802.11a/b/g/n)
Weight 1.165kg including bundled
battery pack
Considering how the docking station for the new Sony VAIO
Z notebook is in itself both an attraction and a unique system
of sorts, we decided that it deserves its own little list of
specifications as well:
VGP-PRZ20A external
Power Media Dock
specifications
Graphics Card 1GB AMD Mobility Radeon
HD 6650M
Optical disc drive BD-ROM with DVD
SuperMulti
Dimensions 148.0 x 16.65 x 220.0 mm
Weight 685g
32
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
Now as you might've gathered by now, xFD isn't necessarily
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication going to bring cheaper memory, even though Invensas claims
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks. that it's cheaper to manufacture if you consider the memory
density improvement. xFD will be available in either DFD
(Dual Face Down) or QFD (Quad Face Down) which as the
Single chip DIMM is close to name suggests puts two or four DRAM dies inside a single chip.
becoming reality The xFD packaging supports x4, x8 and x16 data bus width,
although the chip size will of course get bigger with larger
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/single-chip-dimm-is-close-to-
chip sizes. The DFD packages will measures 11.5x11.5mm
becoming-reality/13500.html
or alternatively 11.5x14mm while the QFD packages will
September 6th, 2011
measures 16.2x16.2mm.
Invensas claim to have tested and validated its xFD packaging
at speeds of up to 2133MHz and although the company is
Things just got really interesting in the memory market space, currently targeting the server and datacentre market space,
as Invensas Corporation, a subsidiary of Tessera Technologies we can see this technology trickle down in consumer related
have come up with a way to shove as much memory as that products in the not too distant future and the company is
fitted to a SO-DIMM into a single chip. The technology is mentioning mobile computing as one of its target markets
known as xFD or multi-die face-down packaging and it'll be beyond servers. If it proves to be cheaper to manufacture than
demonstrated at IDF San Francisco next week. traditional memory packaging technology while delivering on
the performance claims, we might soon be back to the days
of single rank DIMMs (memory chips on only one side). The
Things just got really interesting in the memory market space, DRAM business isn't exactly making a lot of money these days
as Invensas Corporation, a subsidiary of Tessera Technologies and a solution like this might very well be able to reduce the
have come up with a way to shove as much memory as that cost of a single DIMM by a significant amount, simply by
fitted to a SO-DIMM into a single chip. The technology is allowing for a component cut.
known as xFD or multi-die face-down packaging and it'll be
demonstrated at IDF San Francisco next week.
The xFD packaging is interesting in more ways than one, as
although it's currently used to stack several DRAM wirebond
dies into a single BGA package, it's possible that we could
see other types of memory put into xFD packaging as well.
Invensas claims that its xFD packaging can not only save 25
to 35 percent space in vertical height, but it can also improve That said, for now the technology will most likely be used to
electrical performance by 50 to 70 percent in speed-bin yield double or quadruple the memory size on server level DIMMs,
and provide a 20 to 30 percent heat transfer advantage of which should not only help boost the amount of memory you
standard dual-die packages. can put in a server, but hopefully also allow to reduce the
overall total memory cost by reducing the total DIMM count
in many a server. So good news all around then? Well, we'll
have to wait and see how popular Invensas xFD packaging
technology turns out, but in theory we could see products in
the future where only a chip or two make up an entire DIMM,
quite a change from how things are today.
Source: Invensas
Lenovo announces IdeaPad
U300s Ultrabook, and U300
and U400 laptops
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-announces-ideapad-u300s-
ultrabook-and-u300-and-u400-laptops/13498.html
1
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 6th, 2011
It was only last week when VR-Zone had an exclusive preview
of the IdeaPad U400. Today, Lenovo has announced its new
range of luxury laptops, which come in the form of IdeaPad
U300s Ultrabook, as well as the U300 and U400 laptops.
The new IdeaPad U series laptops are designed for fashionistas
and provide everything they need in a slender, mobile and
super chic package.
Lenovo IdeaPad U300s Ultrabook
Equipped with second generation Intel Core processors, the
Lenovo IdeaPad U300 and U400 boast boot up times of under
17 seconds thanks to the optional RapidDrive SSD technology.
The U300 sports a 13.3-inch display while the U400 has a
14-inch high definition display and AMD Radeon HD5470M
1GB graphics. Both models have specifications that support
up to 8GB DDR3 memory, up to 1TB HDD storage and up
to 256GB SSD storage. The U400 also has an integrated slot-
loading DVD-RW drive. The Long Life Battery on the U300
lasts for up to six hours of productivity and up to seven hours
on the U400. Both laptops also feature the same Breathable
Keyboard technology as the U300s.
The super slim U300s Ultrabook features second generation
Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
2.0, and boots quickly in about10 seconds with Enhanced
Experience 2.0 RapidDrive SSD technology. It has a 13.3-inch
16:9 widescreen high definition display, 4GB DDR3 memory
and up to 256GB solid state drive. The U300s is built from a
single-piece aluminum shell to create a sleek and lightweight
product weighing in at less than 1.4kg and measuring just
14.9mm thin.
Available in Graphite Grey or limited-edition Clementine
Orange with scratch-resistant coating, the U300s comes
with other smart technologies including Breathable Keyboard,
Pricing and Availability
an Intel Advanced Cooling Technology that allows air to flow
in through the keyboard and out of the sides and rear hinge. The Lenovo IdeaPad U300, U300s and U400 will be available
in Singapore from October 2011 onwards. All three laptops are
With Lenovo Long Life Battery, the U300s provides up to
available in a cool Graphite Gray color, and the U300s also
eight hours of productive use or an incredible 30 days on
comes in limited-edition Clementine Orange. Prices for these
standby. And with Lenovo RapidCharge its battery can be
laptop models will be announced closer to the availability date.
charged to 50% capacity in just 30 minutes. Other features
include Bluetooth, 802.11n Wi-Fi, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0
connectors, as well as an integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam. Genius Intros SP-U150X USB
Lenovo IdeaPad U300 and U400 Ultraportable Laptops
Speakers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/genius-intros-sp-u150x-usb-
speakers/13499.html
2
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 6th, 2011 cm high, Genius notes that its rounded-triangle shape is "eye-
catching". The set weighs about 400 grams.
Peripherals major Genuis rolled a new line of cute-looking
USB stereo speakers for PCs and Macs, particularly notebooks.
The SP-U150X as it's called, comes in three variants based
on the color of a ring around its dome - black, yellow, and
green. The speakers feature 2-inch drivers, which can deliver
2W (RMS) output per speaker. Its shell is made of piano-
black (glossy) ABS, with a matte front finish, and a glossy ring
around its dome. It takes input in two ways. It can act as a USB
audio device and run entirely off a USB connection, or it can
take a 3.5 mm line input while drawing power from USB.
The Genius SP-U150X speakers are now available in North
America for US $20.
Images Courtesy: Genius
Shenzhen Files 1: New Mobile
Phone Formats appear -
Peripherals major Genuis rolled a new line of cute-looking UMEOX V3 credit card size
USB stereo speakers for PCs and Macs, particularly notebooks.
The SP-U150X as it's called, comes in three variants based phone, and more
on the color of a ring around its dome - black, yellow, and Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/shenzhen-files-1-new-mobile-phone-
green. The speakers feature 2-inch drivers, which can deliver formats-appear--umeox-v3-credit-card-size-phone-and-more/13497.html
2W (RMS) output per speaker. Its shell is made of piano- September 6th, 2011
black (glossy) ABS, with a matte front finish, and a glossy ring
around its dome.
Our experienced well weathered strategic adviser, Nebojsa
Novakovic, covers here his discoveries and experiences from
visits to various electronics hubs around the world. This
time, his first thoughts on interesting hardware coming from
Shenzhen - we start with UMEOX and its unique mobile
phones.
When you get to Shenzhen, you'll get overwhelmed by the
sprawling green city of over 14 million, and thousands of
gleaming skyscrapers, with a huge metro system that seems
even cleaner - and less crowded yet more modern - than the
one we have in Singapore. If you're an electronics or computers
buff, this is probably heaven on earth for you, more so than
The SP-U150X set takes input in two ways. It can act as a Taipei. There are dozens of electronics malls, many of them
USB audio device and run entirely off a USB connection, or it around Huaqiang Lu's SEG Plaza, having everything under the
can take a 3.5 mm line input while drawing power from USB. sun from the weirdest resistors or oddball CPUs to LCD or LED
Either ways, it needs the USB cable plugged in. Apart from its panels, power supplies, drives... anything, you name it.
4W total maximum output, the speakers offer full frequency
response range from 100 Hz to 22 KHz. Measuring about 10
3
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
However, the design capability of Shenzhen's own companies exported to Singapore, besides other usual global markets.
has also improved dramatically, leading to many new Other stuff they design includes oversize button senior citizen
brands appearing in the market, including the currently hot phones with SOS buttons, as well as tracker devices. They don't
smartphone and tablet arena. Some of them even try to open seem to have a very high end 'flagship' mobile phone model,
up new market niches with unique models. A case in point was though, which is a pity as having a good flagship often benefits
UMEOX, a local Shenzhen mobile phone design firm, which the sales of same vendor's lower end units, as the users have
uses large contractors as FOXCONN and CHANGHONG for more confidence in the technological capability of the vendor
manufacturing, besides its own assembly facility - some 6 itself. More on these, as well as other interesting gadgetry
million units last year. I saw their ultra compact phone model, coming out of Shenzhen labs, on these pages soon.
V3, which may not have too many features, but is slim and
basically close to credit card size.
Hitachi GST first with single
platter 1TB hard drives
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hitachi-gst-first-with-single-
platter-1tb-hard-drives/13496.html
September 6th, 2011
One Terabyte per platter hard drives isn't breaking news these
days, but Hitachi GST has put a twist on things by launching
several new models with a single 1TB platter in them. The
new drives are also available in smaller sizes, but this is where
things get strange, as despite being a single 1TB platter drive,
some of the models will only offer 250 or 320GB of usable
storage space.
With roughly 9 x 5 cm dimensions, and just 5.8 mm thickness,
this Infineon ULC2-based unit, sold to Alcatel in France and One Terabyte per platter hard drives isn't breaking news these
Pearl in Germany, among others, is the first phone that I know days, but Hitachi GST has put a twist on things by launching
of, that can be carried INSIDE THE WALLET. The simple low several new models with a single 1TB platter in them. The
cost quad-band 2G phone, as you can see here, isn't intended new drives are also available in smaller sizes, but this is where
for mobile Net or other fancy activities, but for what the things get strange, as despite being a single 1TB platter drive,
phones were originally used for: calls and messages. I guess a some of the models will only offer 250 or 320GB of usable
touchscreen 3G version could add even those mobile surfing storage space.
capabilities. It's pretty clear that the hard drive market has reached a stage
where the drive makers are wasting a lot of potential storage
space on hard drive and we end up with a pricing scheme that
doesn't reflect the actual value of the storage space. Today a
160, 250, 320 and 500GB hard drive can be had for the same
price and in one case we're looking at twice the capacity for the
same model from the same manufacturer. No wonder there's
so much consolidation going on in the industry, as there's
really not much money to be made from hard drives these days.
UMEOX also offers SOLO, a rugged, water/shock/dust
proof design with huge back solar panel for total outdoor
independence, but again it is a 2G phone, aimed at key
communication functionality important when away from
urban areas, rather than sophisticated Net surfing or such.
It is also fine when the sun goes down, as, once the battery
is charged, there is still 250 minute talk time. According to
Ms Sandy Zhang in UMEOX marketing, this phone was also
4
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Motherboard major ASUS unveiled a new micro-ATX
motherboard based on the AMD E-450 accelerated processing
unit (APU), the E45M1-M PRO. This board is nearly identical
to the E35M1-M PRO, except of course its faster APU. The
AMD E-450 is clocked at 1.65 GHz, a mere 50 MHz jump
over the E-350, but the real improvement here is that the
GPU core speed that jumps to 600 MHz thanks to TurboCore
technology.
Motherboard major ASUS unveiled a new micro-ATX
motherboard based on the AMD E-450 accelerated processing
unit (APU), the E45M1-M PRO. This board is nearly identical
to the E35M1-M PRO, except of course its faster APU. The
AMD E-450 is clocked at 1.65 GHz, a mere 50 MHz jump
over the E-350, but the real improvement here is that the
GPU core speed that jumps to 600 MHz thanks to TurboCore
technology.
Hitachi GST's new models include the 1TB Deskstar 5K1000.B
which is a 5,400rpm drive with 32MB cache and a claimed
power saving of 23 percent compared to the new Desktar
7K1000.D. The 7K1000.D on the other hand is available in
250, 320, 500, 750GB and 1TB sizes and as the name suggests
we're looking at a 7,200rpm drive here, again with 32MB
of cache. Both models do of course sport the SATA 6Gbps
interface and they also comes with what Hitachi GST calls
HiVERT which the company claims reduces idle power by up The E35M1-M PRO is a micro-ATX motherboard measuring
to 15 percent. 244 x 183 mm. It is powered by AMD E-450 Fusion "Zacate"
processor platform, aided by AMD Hudson M1 chipset. The
Alongside the two new consumer models, Hitachi GST also platform offers a wealth of connectivity and performance per
launched a pair of new CinemaStar DVR drives, namely Watt for its price. The E-450 APU and Hudson M1 chipset are
the 5K1000.B and 7K1000.D. The biggest difference here cooled by a common low-profile heatsink, an optional fan can
compared to the Deskstar drives is that they've been optimised be attached to it for better cooling. A 3-phase VRM powers
for video recording and playback. Both models comes in the APU, which is goverened by an ASUS EPU chip that works
capacities from 250GB to 1TB and features' what Hitachi GST to improve energy efficiency. The APU is wired to two DDR3
calls CoolSpin technology, as well as HiVERT, 32MB cache and DIMM slots that support single-channel DDR3 memory with
a MTBF of 1.2 million hours and a slightly lower noise level speeds of up to 1333 MHz.
than the desktop equivalent models.
Expansion slots include a PCI-Express 2.0 x16, a PCI-Express
New ASUS Fusion Zacate x1, and two legacy PCI slots. The PCI-Express slots are wired
Micro-ATX Board Is A Notch to the APU. Compared to Intel Atom "Pineview" based desktop
boards, this platform provides a wealth of connectivity. The
Faster E-450 APU embeds a Radeon HD 6320D graphics processor
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-asus-fusion-zacate-micro-atx- that's DirectX 11-compliant, and is driven by 80 stream
board-is-a-notch-faster/13494.html processors. Display outputs include one each of HDMI, DVI,
September 6th, 2011 and D-Sub (VGA). In terms of storage, there are no less than
five SATA 6 Gbps ports, and one eSATA port with 6 Gbps data-
rate.
5
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
MeeGo products will be diminished, especially when the
majority of companies are going for Android and Windows
platform instead. Intel has denied giving up on MeeGo,
and the company expressed that it will continue to MeeGo
development. However, it is questionable as to what future
plans the chip maker would have for the platform. And even
if the chip maker is still actively involved in MeeGo, the
development looks to be stalled.
If Samsung should buy over the MeeGo system, it was
speculated that it may not use the plaform directly, since the
company already has its own Bada platform, alongside
with Android and Windows Phone. It is likely that the
company could integrate MeeGo with Bada, or we may see
MeeGo-based devices in the near future.
The Realtek ALC-887 chip used on this board is an 8-
channel HD audio CODEC, but it's wired to a 6-channel
audio jack cluster. Those seeking 8-channel output can still Reallusion unveils Visualize
use the TOSLINK connector, which gives out 7.1 channel
optical SPDIF output. Other connectivity includes one gigabit
image editing tool for iPad
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/reallusion-unveils-visualize-image-
Ethernet connection, two USB 3.0 ports, and a Firewire port editing-tool-for-ipad/13493.html
apart from a number of USB 2.0 ports on the rear panel, and September 6th, 2011
via internal headers. We don't expect the ASUS E45M1-M PRO
to be priced significanly higher than the E35M1-M PRO.
Images Credit ASUS
Reallusion has unveiled their new Visualize application which
Intel gives up MeeGo is designed for Apple iPad users who want to do some image
editing on their tablet device. Visualize is an image editing
development; Samsung eyes tool that allows users to make cutouts and stylized image
to take over composition. You can give this software a try; Visualize is now
available in iTunes store.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-gives-up-meego-development-
samsung-eyes-to-take-over/13495.html
September 6th, 2011
According to news reports, chip manufacturing giant Intel
may be shifting its focus from MeeGo platform to smartphone
and tablet development, and it was said that Korean company
Samsung may be intending to take over the platform.
Reallusion have launched a brand-new visual application
for the iPad market, which combines the power of free-
hand cutouts, visual templates and layered compositiion. It
is a image editing application that can create instant PNG
cutouts by importing and editing images directly from the
iPad camera or the Internet. Cutouts can be saved in the
onboard gallery folders, to expand the current collection, or be
retouched for further layering and compositing. Customizing
and compositing images are made easy, thanks to a wide
range of stationeries, symbols, icons and arrows, found
in over seven item categories. You can rotate, scale and
transform images or use the embedded slider controls for
The MeeGo platform has suffered a huge blow, especially
pixel-accurate positioning. The same can be done for changing
when Nokia has announced their Windows Phone in February
this year. This means that the production quantity of
6
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
color settings, and adjusting edge properties with special are also eight hidden pieces of mooncakes in the stages. Find
effects such as feathering, shadowing, or white edging. all eight mooncakes and you will be rewarded with another
bonus level. The Angry Birds Seasons - Mooncake Festival
Users can now import snapshots and clippings directly from
is available for download on the iPhone, iPad, Android and
online websites with the use of a rectangular cropping tool.
Symbian devices.
Images can also be manually cut out with just a flick of the
finger, using the intuitive lasso tool. You can also add text by In addition, the Angry Birds Seasons also gets another the
simply typing and later adjusting the background and font Mighty Eagle like the regular version. The Mighty Eagle is a
settings. Last but not least, you can also further customize your one-time in-app purchase and costs US$0.99 / £.59 / €.79.
projects by dropping in background images with added Basically, you can use the Mighty Eagle to skip a level, unlock
spotlight, and color effects to enhance the look. When ready, the next level so as to advance in the game. However, you are
simply export the projects to Facebook, Picasa, Dropbox or only entitled to skip one level every hour. The Mighty Eagle
send them as a email attachment to colleagues. also lets you attain new highscores and achievements.
You can download the latest trial in your iTunes
Stores - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/visualize-free/
id456857776?ls=1&mt=8 , or visit Reallusion to get more
information: http://iphone.reallusion.com/
Here's a demo introduction video of Visualize
New update for Angry Birds
Seasons - Mooncake Festival
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-update-for-angry-birds-seasons--
mooncake-festival/13492.html
September 6th, 2011
VMware to bring Business
Capabilities onto Samsung
Smartphones, Tablets
The Angry Birds Seasons has been rather quiet with no new Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vmware-to-bring-business-capabilities-
update until few days ago. Well, there are only so many onto-samsung-smartphones-tablets/13482.html
festivities in a year and we would assume that there won't September 6th, 2011
be any more to add to the game. The good folks at Rovio
has announced the new "Mooncake Festival" stages for Angry
Birds fans. If you have not updated the game, it is time to do
so now.
Virtualization giant VMware has announced a strategic
partnership with Samsung that could well be a strong
shot-in-the-arm for the adoption of the Android platform
in businesses. In a nutshell, the collaboration means
that Samsung will integrate the just-announced VMware
View 5 and VMware Horizon Mobile with its mobile
smartphones and tablet devices. VMware View 5 is an
update to VMware's desktop virtualization solution with
improved bandwidth utilization and graphics, while (the
more interesting) VMware Horizon Mobile will essentially
see VMware's mobile hypervisor technology installed onto
compatible hardware.
The Mooncake Festival is popular among Chinese, in China as
well as the Asia region. And it is interesting to see Rovio, the
company behind the popular Angry Birds game, coming up
with new update for the Angry Birds Season using the Chinese
holiday (in some countries) as theme. According to Rovio,
there are 30 brand new levels with lanterns, pagodas and
harvest moon. Besides the bonus stage which is unlockable
when you get three-star achievement for every stage, there
7
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Announced at VMware conference last week, VMware Horizon much of a stir as we're looking at minor updates at the most,
Mobile is a way for businesses to securely manage an although one or two of them as we've already mentioned,
employee's mobile work environment separately from their might be worth a closer look.
personal space. This means that workers can continue to use Let's start with the desktop models where we have a new,
and customize their Android-based phones without having slightly faster mid-range Core i5 model, a new top of the range
to worry about messing up their company's settings and Core i3 model, a new Core i3 model with HD3000 graphics
configurations. Moreover, personal emails and apps will not and a new slightly faster power efficient Core i3 model, all as
be interspaced with work-related ones, allowing employees the per the table below. We also have two new, faster Pentium
freedom and flexibility to use a single Android device for both models alongside a new slightly faster low power Pentium
work and play. model. Possibly the most important new chips though are the
Within the mobile work environment, IT admins retain the first Sandy Bridge Celerons which means you can get dual core
full ability to remotely manage installed applications and Sandy Bridge action for sub US$50, although with quite a few
configurations. Everything here is saved within an encrypted features snipped off.
virtual container that can only be accessed after keying in
Desktop CPUs Price US$
a password - including new notifications. It is clear that
this technology offers enhanced protection against misplaced Core i5-2320 6M cache, 4 $177
or stolen devices, even as its sandboxed nature eliminates Cores, 4 Threads, 3.00GHz,
traditional fears of invasion of privacy when allowing the IT 95W TDP
department full access to personal devices. Core i3-2130 3M cache, 2 $138
Cores, 4 Threads, 3.40GHz,
One criticism about VMware Horizon Mobile however, is 65W TDP
the potential performance reduction that running Android
Core i3-2125 3M cache, 2 $134
on top of Android. On its part, VMware has asserted that
Cores, 4 Threads, 3.30GHz,
the performance reduction is only 10 percent, and that the
65W TDP
company hasn't heard any complaints pertaining on that front.
Core i3-2120T 3M cache, 2 $127
No specifics have been offered about which Samsung phones Cores, 4 Threads, 2.60GHz,
might incorporate the technology, though it is understood that 35W TDP
LG also plans to make phones available with the technology.
Pentium G860 3M cache, 2 $86
In the meantime, VMware has put together a short video clip
Cores, 2 Threads, 3.00GHz,
where you can see VMware Horizon Mobile in action on an
65W TDP
Android smartphone here.
Pentium G630 3M cache, 2 $75
Cores, 2 Threads, 2.70GHz,
65W TDP
Intel's new Sandy Bridge CPU Pentium G630T 3M cache, 2
Cores, 2 Threads, 2.30GHz,
$70
lands, others receives price 35W TDP
cut Celeron G540 2M cache, 2
Cores, 2 Threads, 2.50GHz,
$52
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-new-sandy-bridge-cpu-lands-
65W TDP
others-receives-price-cut/13490.html
September 6th, 2011
Celeron G530 2M cache, 2 $42
Cores, 2 Threads, 2.40GHz,
65W TDP
Celeron G440 1M cache, 1 $37
Cores, 1 Thread, 1.60GHz,
35W TDP
Celeron G530T 2M cache, 2 $47
Remember all those new Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs we've Cores, 2 Threads, 2.0GHz,
been writing about over the past couple of months that were 35W TDP
supposed to launch in September, well they've arrived. Now
please don't panic, as none of the models are likely to cause
much of a stir as we're looking at minor updates at the most, On the mobile side we have three new quad cores, of which
although one or two of them as we've already mentioned, one is an Extreme Edition part which is 200MHz faster than
might be worth a closer look. its predecessor with a 200MHz higher Turbo clock. The other
two quad cores also receive a 200MHz speed increase over
their predecessors, with the rest of the features seemingly
Remember all those new Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs we've remaining the same. There's also a new dual core Core i7
been writing about over the past couple of months that were model, but here we're looking at a more modest 100MHz speed
supposed to launch in September, well they've arrived. Now increase. Finally we have a 300MHz faster Celeron model.
please don't panic, as none of the models are likely to cause
Mobile CPUs Price US$
8
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Core i7-2960XM (8M cache, $1,096
4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.70 GHz
32nm
Core i7-2860QM (8M cache, $568
4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.50 GHz
32nm
Core i7-2760QM (6M cache, $378
4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.40 GHz
32nm
Core i7-2640M (4M cache, 2 $346
Cores, 4 Threads, 2.80 GHz
32nm
Celeron B840 (2M cache, 2 $86
Cores, 2 Threads, 1.90 GHz
32nm
As for price drops, well they only apply to Intel's Core i5 and
Core i7 65W TDP S models and 45/35W TDP T models on the
desktop side and the price drops are very minor at between
two to six percent. Considering that these CPUs are still not
that widely available to consumers, this is not likely to affect
consumers that buy their own CPUs to any larger degree.
Active Management Technolgy gives network administrators
TYAN Intros S5515 Single- a wealth of remote management tools, including hardware
KVM over network helping with remote repairs and host based
Socket LGA1155 Server Board setup. Trusted Execution Technology ensures a high degree
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tyan-intros-s5515-single-socket- of trust and control over the machine and adds a line of
lga1155-server-board/13489.html defence against software-based attacks aimed at stealing data.
September 6th, 2011 Rapid Storage Technology allows administrators to build and
service storage volumes connected to the chipset AHCI/RAID-
compatible SATA controller.
Measuring 243.8x243.8 mm, the TYAN S5515 complies with
the micro-ATX form-factor. There are four expansion slots,
As more businesses move online, the hosting industry is including a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 wired to the processor, a
only set for growth. With dedicated hosting, leasing a single close-ended PCI-Express x8 that's electrically x4 and wired to
multicore processor-powered server is an ideal option for the chipset, a PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and a legacy PCI. In terms
small businesses. Often it's boards such as the TYAN S5515 of storage connectivity, there are six SATA ports, the two ports
released today, that make up such servers. The S5515 is colored blue run at a max speed of 6 Gb/s, while the rest run
a micro-ATX motherboard based on the Intel Q67 Express at 3 Gb/s. RAID modes 0, 1, 10, and 5 are supported, and can
chipset, which takes in second generation Core i3/i5/i7 "Sandy be managed over RST.
Bridge", and Xeon E3-1200 series processors in the LGA1155
package.
The LGA1155 processor is powered by a 3+1 phase voltage
TYAN is known most for its vast portfolio of enterprise regulation circuitry, there isn't any exotic digital PWM stuff
motherboards of all shapes and sizes, all architectures and here, but one can count on the board to be making use of high-
sockets. At the outset the S5515 could look like a sub-par grade chokes and MOSFETs. The four DDR3 DIMM slots are
desktop board, but closer inspection reveals that everything wired to the processor, and support up to 32 GB of unbuffered
is located in the right place for server setups. Intel Q67 non-ECC DDR3-1333/1066 MHz memory.
Express "Cougar Point" is a viable choice of chipset as it
gives nearly all management features one would expect from
Intel's server chipsets. These include Intel Trusted Execution There are two gigabit Ethernet connections, handled by
Technology (TXT) with supported processors, Intel Active Intel 82583 controller that comes with a suite of network
Management Technolgy (AMT), and the nearly-universal Intel management tools and a driver that spreads processing loads
Rapid Storage Technology (RST). over multiple CPUs. Realtek ALC888 7.1 channel HD audio
CODEC handles audio, it is wired to 6-channel jacks, which
isn't a big concern in an enterprise environment. Display
9
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
connections include DVI, D-Sub (VGA) and DisplayPort. and video viewing. Transferring music from Windows Media
Miscellaneous connectivity includes two USB 3.0 SuperSpeed Player or iTunes is an easy task, thanks to the Sony Media
ports, serial (COM) over header, and a number USB 2.0 ports. Go application. And with SensMe Channel, it automatically
The TYAN S5515 is available now. categorises music tracks into different channels and plays
music to match the time of day and even the user’s mood,
Other features include Karaoke Mode that can reduce the
Image Courtesy TYAN volume of vocals for party time sing-alongs, and Synchronised
Lyric Features let users follow along as they learn the words to
Sony Singapore unveils new their favorite songs.
NWZ-A860 Walkman MP3 Intel SSD 710 Lyndonville for
player Enterprise Detailed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-singapore-unveils-new-nwz-
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-710-lyndonville-for-
a860-walkman-mp3-player/13486.html
enterprise-detailed/13485.html
September 6th, 2011
September 6th, 2011
Even though many users do use their smartphones to listen to
their favorite songs, there still exist a group who prefer to rely Intel's latest generation of solid state drives has come full
on the dedicated portable MP3 player. Sony Electronics Asia circle with new enterprise-grade SSDs in the 2.5-inch SATA
Pacific has recently unveiled their new NWZ-A860 Walkman form-factor. Called the Intel SSD 710 series, and codenamed
MP3 player that features a stylish exterior design, Bluetooth "Lyndonville", the new series succeeds previous-generation
wireless connectivity, and claims to deliver premium sound X25-E series in a similar way SSD 320 series does to the
quality for audiophiles on the move. last X25-M drives. It makes use of NAND flash memory built
on the 25 nanometer fabrication process, steps up capacities,
lowers price per gigabyte, and adds new features that improve
throughput and endurance, which are key in datacenters. We
scored some information that gives you a fair idea of what to
expect from the new drives, and especially why you shouldn't
be neophobic with the new Intel SSD 710.
Intel's SSD 710 takes a new approach to addressing the
'problem' of not being able to achieve good price per gigabyte
ratios with single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory. SLC
NAND flash has been preferred in the enterprise computing
industry, due to its high cell endurance to rewrites, and
throughput. With the new SSD 710 series, Intel will introduce
the new High Endurance Technology Multi-Level Cell (HET-
MLC) NAND flash. These new chips are claimed by its makers
to offer endurance comparable to SLC, while giving users the
capacity advantage that MLC offers.
Featuring superb audio technologies, Bluetooth wireless
connectivity, and sophisticated designs, the Sony NWZ-A860
Walkman MP3 player is designed to deliver great quality
for audiophiles on the go. It claims to deliver premium
sound quality, thanks to the company’s unique Clear Audio
Technologies. The Advanced Digital Amplifier ‘S-Master MX’
technology also helps to improve bass reproduction and
lowers noise levels, and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine
(DSEE) ensures crystal clear reproduction of high frequency
sounds.
The Bluetooth connectivity allows users to share their favorite
photos with friends who have Bluetooth-enabled mobile
devices. The Sony NWZ-A860 also sports a responsive 2.8-
inch touch panel display for ease of navigation and image
10
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Yes, it looks like another new batches of Apple cases have been
spotted in China. Unlike the ones that were reported from a
Intel's SSD 710 drives come in three capacities - 100 GB, 200
company in Shenzhen, China, which have thinner form factor
GB and 300 GB - and the endurance rating varies between the
and larger display, the latest cases showed that the iPhone
three. With 4 KB write endurance, while the 100 GB model is
5 may have a "Tear Drop" design, which is similar to the
rated to offer 500 TB (900 TB with 20 GB overprovisioned,
Macbook Air. The cases have a thinner point closer to the home
leaving 80 GB unformatted capacity), and the 200 GB model
button end of the iPhone and it looks to become thicker as
offers 1 PB or 1000 TB (1.5 PB with 40 GB overprovisioned,
you go up the body to the camera and power button. This
leaving 160 GB), the 300 GB model tops the charts with 1.1
may mean that the phone could be adopting a Macbook Air-
PB endurance (3.0 PB with 60 GB overprovisioned, leaving
inspired design. From the reports, the cases are currently in
240 GB). The SSD 710 300 GB gets very close to X25-E 64 GB
mass production, though it is still unknown whether they are
with 4K write endurance and 4K random write performance
designed for the new iPhone 5, iPod Touch or even a new
in IOPS. The figures paint SSD 710 to have most durable MLC
device from Apple. Let's wait and see.
NAND flash ever made, and should build confidence in server
builders.
Logitech introduces Bedside
Apple iPhone 5 cases spotted Dock for iPad and New Tablet
in China hints a "Tear drop" Speaker
design, similar to Macbook Air Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-introduces-bedside-dock-for-
ipad-and-new-tablet-speaker/13483.html
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-iphone-5-cases-spotted-in-china-
September 6th, 2011
hints-a-tear-drop-design-similar-to-macbook-air/13484.html
September 6th, 2011
Logitech Singapore has introduced their new Apple
With the launch of the highly anticipated Apple iPhone 5 accessories which include the Bedside Dock for iPad and
drawing closer each day, it looks like there a new batch Tablet speaker. The Bedside Dock comes with a speaker that
of iPhone cases have been spotted even before the phone is produces full stereo sound and includes a bass enhancer, and
available. From the looks of the cases, it hints at the iPhone 5 lets you wake up to your own music or FM radio, The Logitech
may be adopting a Macbook Air-like "Tear drop" design. Tablet Speaker is easy to set up, boasts up to eight hours of
battery life, and you can watch a full-length movie or two with
good quality audio.
11
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Desktop Experience 'just
another App' in Windows 8
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-desktop-experience-just-another-
app-in-windows-8/13481.html
September 6th, 2011
In case you missed it, Steven Sinofsky, who is the president
of Windows and Windows Live division has started blogging
about Windows 8 since the middle of August. Among
other nuggets of information, he has revealed to date the
next iteration of the Windows operating system that will
incorporate robust USB 3.0 support as well as native support
The Logitech Bedside Dock features an alarm that lets you for ISO and VHD files. In addition, Sinofsky touched on a topic
wake up to your own music, tone or FM radio. The internal of immense interest when he wrote about the GUI (Graphic
clock syncs with the clock on your iPad, so it is always accurate. User Interface) this week that we can expect to see in Windows
The speaker offers full stereo sound and includes a bass 8.
enhancer and you can even dock your iPad and charge it when
the speaker is turned off.
Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Bedside Dock is expected to be available in
Singapore by mid October for a suggested retail price of S$99.
In the blog titled "Designing for Metro style and the desktop,"
Sinofsky confirmed that Microsoft will incorporate both the
touch-friendly Metro experience (Think Windows Phone 7)
while also retaining the traditional desktop. A few reasons
were given against starting from a clean slate with a Metro-
only touch interface, one of which would be the "hundreds
of thousands of existing apps" designed with the desktop in
mind.
Sinofsky elaborated:
"The mechanisms that people rely on today (mice,
physical keyboards, trackpads) don't suddenly
become less useful or "bad" just because touch is also
provided as a first-class option. These tools are quite
often the most ergonomic, fast, and powerful ways of
The Logitech Tablet Speaker is a compact, clip-on,
getting many things done."
rechargeable speaker that offers maximum convenience and
portability.Attach your iPad or other tablet devices securely Moreover, he cited the popularity of remote desktop programs
with the rubberized clip and plug the 3.5mm audio cable into for tablets and phones as evidence of the desktop's versatility.
the headphone jack. It features with up to eight hours of With these considerations in mind, Microsoft has opted for a
battery life depending on usage, which is good enough to watch more nuanced approach in the form of a Metro style interface
a full-length movie or two. The speaker also charges over that will work well with touch (and which includes the mouse
USB, which means you never need to worry about replacing and keyboard), in addition to support for a desktop interface.
batteries. What I found interesting though, was the revelation that
Pricing and Availability it will be possible to stay "permanently immersed in the
The Logitech Tablet Speaker is expected to be available in Metro world" as Sinofsky puts it. Users who opt for such
Singapore by mid September, for a suggested retail price of S an experience will work exclusively in Metro, without ever
$59. needing to see the desktop. The desktop code will not even
be loaded for such users, assured Sinofsky, which means zero
penalties in terms of memory, battery life and performance.
On the other hand, users who require the desktop experience
12
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
can seamlessly switch to it. Indeed, Sinofsky encouraged
seeing the Windows desktop "as just another app."
On a more serious note, this update appears to dovetail well
with earlier news that the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer will
be shipping with Windows 8 in a 2012 refresh. Assuming
that Microsoft can deliver a truly seamless Metro/Desktop
interface, there could well be a surge of demand for Windows
8 tablets that convert into a laptop by snapping on a keyboard.
Rather than the prospect of a bleak post-PC world, a Windows
8 "convertible" would conceivably serve the needs of users for
both work and play.
Both models measure 235 x 195 x 50 mm. While the STOR.E
TV 2 is strictly a hard drive media player, the STOR.E TV Pro
has wired networking capabilities that connects your HDTV
Toshiba Smartens STOR.E TV to the web, and allows web-browsing. Both come in variants
based on the capacity of the hard drives they pack: 500 GB,
For Living Room Goodness 1 TB, 1.5 TB and 2 TB. Both drives connect to your TV using
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-smartens-stor.e-tv-for-living- HDMI and composite. Apart from the in-built hard drive, the
room-goodness/13474.html devices provide one USB 2.0 port, with which you can plug in
September 6th, 2011 any USB mass storage device (a flash drive or another portable
hard drive), and transfer data from it, without taking the drive
back to your PC. Add to this, a 3-in-1 media card reader. The
drive itself connects to a host PC over USB 2.0. The new
STOR.E hard drives allow you to play a wide range of popular
Content consumption media is in a state of flux. From disc video formats, including H263/H264, MPEG4, DivX/XviD,
players to media players that take USB mass storage devices, VC1/WMV, VP8; and audio formats including MPEG,OGG,
the evolution is on at breakneck pace. Hard disk drive vendors MP3/MP2, WMA, WAV, APE, FLAC, AAC, and PCM.Video is
such as Toshiba and WD have taken the initiative to combine streamed out at 1080p, and the digital audio passed through
their external hard drive expertise with media center hardware supports Dolby Digital, DTS 2.0+ formats.
to eat into the markets of both HTPCs and media players Things take a turn for the awesome with STOR.E TV Pro. This
in one go. At this year's IFA event, Toshiba unveiled its device provides all features of the STOR.E TV 2, but adds
second generation of hard drives tailor-made for the living an ethernet port with which it can connect to the web, or a
room. The STOR.E TV series of hard drives pack media player network. Toshiba bundles a compact bluetooth remote that
hardware making the drive a single-device solution for media features a QWERTY keyboard and a trackpad. The hard drive
consumption. The consumer electronics giant unveiled two allows web-browsing at 1080p resolution. Toshiba however
models: STOR.E TV 2 and STOR.E TV Pro. Check them out on didn't mention in its press release if it supports Adobe Flash,
the next page. giving it access to a wealth of online videos. "The vast majority
Content consumption media is in a state of flux. From disc of TVs in the home do not provide web access," said Marco
players to media players that take USB mass storage devices, Perino, General Manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba
the evolution is on at breakneck pace. Hard disk drive vendors Europe GmbH. "We've been looking for a plug-and-play
such as Toshiba and WD have taken the initiative to combine approach to connect these 'stand-alone' TVs to the web and
their external hard drive expertise with media center hardware designed the multimedia console STOR.E TV PRO," he added.
to eat into the markets of both HTPCs and media players Toshiba expects a market release of these two in the fourth
in one go. At this year's IFA event, Toshiba unveiled its quarter of 2011.
second generation of hard drives tailor-made for the living
room. The STOR.E TV series of hard drives pack media player
hardware making the drive a single-device solution for media Show Babes @ Comex 2011
consumption. The consumer electronics giant unveiled two Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/show-babes--comex-2011/13480.html
models: STOR.E TV 2 and STOR.E TV Pro. September 6th, 2011
We take a look at the show babes that are in Comex 2011. Sadly,
our favourite from ACRyan isn't here this time. Enjoy!
13
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
A new legend is born however, A.C Ryan gets a new show babe Toshiba babe in red
in Comex. Yes, she is rather tall and slim
^^
14
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Babe in 3D holds a LG Optimus 3D Urbanears
15
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The SE-208BW looks just like a regular external slim-line
optical drive with the exception of the small Wi-Fi logo on it.
Interestingly, the SE-208BW has an Ethernet port and USB
connectivity and it will also work as either a Wi-Fi access point
or a Wi-Fi repeater, although as to how useful the repeater
mode will be depends on where your Wi-Fi router is located.
Delving deeper into the networking features of the SE-208BW
we find a Dynamic DNS server and thanks to a spare USB
port, it can thus share data on a USB storage device over the
network.
The optical drive can be used for backing up data straight
from your Wi-Fi devices, although we're not quite sure as to
exactly how this process would work. If you happen to own
a DLNA compatible TV or media player, then the SE-208BW
can stream media to it thanks to Samsung's Allshare software.
The optical drive will read and write CDs and DVDs, with CD
speeds of up to 24x for both read and write, while DVDs will
be read at 8x with single layer write once discs written at 8x,
dual layer discs at 6x, DVD-RAM discs at 5x, +RW discs at 8x
Canon, delighting you always and finally –RW discs at 6x speed.
Samsung didn't mention a price in the press release and
you'll have to wait until early next year to get your hands
Samsung announces Wi-Fi on the SE-208BW. Despite the slightly bizarre nature of the
SE-208BW, we have to applaud Samsung for creating a truely
optical drive and then some unique convergence device, the question is, is there a market
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-wi-fi-optical- for it?
drive-and-then-some/13479.html
Powered by USB to a green
September 6th, 2011
future
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/powered-by-usb-to-a-green-
future/13478.html
September 6th, 2011
Over the years we've seen a lot of peculiar bits of hardware
launch, but Samsung's new SE-208BW optical drive with Wi-
Fi interface is among the strangest we've ever seen. Samsung
calls it the Smart Media Hub rather than an optical drive, as
Today we're kicking off something new here at VR-Zone with
beyond being able to connect to a PC over Wi-Fi, it also works
the introduction of the first feature written by a guest writer.
with tablets and smartphones.
If this proves to be popular we'll be doing more of these kinds
of stories about various topics written by industry insiders
Over the years we've seen a lot of peculiar bits of hardware from a wide range of technology companies. So please click on
launch, but Samsung's new SE-208BW optical drive with Wi- through and let us know if this is the kind of thing we should
Fi interface is among the strangest we've ever seen. Samsung do more of in the future.
calls it the Smart Media Hub rather than an optical drive, as
beyond being able to connect to a PC over Wi-Fi, it also works
with tablets and smartphones.
16
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Our first guest writer is René F. Koch, the CTO of Leader products without a charger; this is especially true for higher-
Electronics Inc. which is one of the largest OEM/ODM value products. The rationale is that a lower quality charger,
designers and manufacturers of power adapters and various which does not completely comply with the requirements,
types of power supplies. Leader Electronics Inc. has over 40 could render mobile phones useless or even worse, making
years of experience in the industry making product ranging the battery explode as seen in the past. Nevertheless, the
from phone chargers, to notebook chargers all the way to future trend is set for a universal charger and is destined
various industrial solutions. René has been working for Leader to become reality. Other types of products take advantage
Electronics Inc. for over a decade in various positions at the from this initiative, especially those that are battery operated
company and his guest feature is about where things seem to and are charged by USB; look at Digital Cameras, tablets
be heading as far as device charging is concerned and why and smartphones. Even products that do not even need to
we’re heading in that direction. communicate over USB, like wireless DECT phones or LED
flash lights use USB ports to connect to their charger.
If you wanted to use more power from a USB port than 2.5W
you could choose to use two USB plugs, as often is the case
with external 2.5-inch hard drives, alternatively, an external
power supply could provide the additional power. Now, with
the introduction of USB 3.0, the current capability was raised
up to 900mA for super-speed ports, almost doubling the
power delivery capability. Meanwhile, an additional feature
was added to the USB standard in order to provide more power
to connected devices, in particular to be able to charge battery
operated handheld devices. The new standard is known as the
“Battery Charger Standard” and in late December last year,
V1.2 was released, which allows currents beyond 1.5A, up to
a maximum of 5A, resulting in a power delivery capability
up to 25W. The key feature of this charging standard is a
dedicated USB mode which is initiated by a resistive pull-up / -
down configuration of the data pins. With a maximum current
handling capability of 1.8A for the connector-pins in a micro
USB plug, the cables and connectors of the USB standard are
The Universal Serial Bus, or simply USB, has from its launch now the limiting factor to deliver more current and, as the
always been able to provide power to the connected device and voltage is standardized to 5V, also to power.
it’s now transforming into the new Universal Power delivery This is where the new power delivery standard will come
system, according to a recent publication from the USB in, as the Voltage will be negotiable in the future, by digital
implementers forum. The strength of USB has always been its communication between the host and connected device, and
ability to provide power, next to a means of being an interface, could go as high as 60V DC; limited for safety reasons to the
as this allowed for a single cable connection to be used with maximum Voltage of a Safe Electrical Low Voltage (SELV); a
a wide variety of devices like Human Interface Devices (mice, Voltage that does not result in a shock hazard when touched.
keyboards, etc.), microphones, speakers, storage devices and In theory this could mean up to 100W, with the 1.8A of current
so on. handling capability as maximum limit (1.8A * 60V = 108W).
Until recently, the current limit was 500mA for configured Handling higher currents, like the absolute limit of 5A, as
high-power devices and 100mA for un-configured or low- defined in all USB specifications, even if connectors and cables
power devices; with a standardized bus voltage of 5V this could handle this current, is however not a good solution for
results in a maximum power of 2.5W, similar to the power energy efficient transport of power.
needed for a normal mobile phone charger. The European Current creates losses in cables and connections; the lower
Union was interested in making this the mandatory mobile the current, the lower the power loss. (Ploss = I2 * R). As
phone charger standard, as that could result in major "Green"
such 100W would be the maximum power that could be
benefits. Most people have had multiple mobile phones over
delivered over a single USB port, which means that when
the past decade; as functionality increased, people would buy
using a 4-port USB hub, up to 400W could be delivered.
new models, leaving their old phone with a still functional
This power level goes way beyond the practical needs of most
charger as waste, while buying multiple chargers, for home,
computing equipment; dedicated gaming or CAD computers,
work and in the car for example. Waste is a growing concern,
or their imaging peripherals might need more power, but
especially in electronic goods; the EU therefore, figured this
then again, this power delivery system is not meant to power
a good opportunity to reduce the amount of waste, as the
computer systems but rather peripherals, with a possible
chargers do not offer any additional functionality with newly
extension to charge notebook computers or other handheld
released phone models.
battery operated devices. Thinking about the opportunities
Although most major mobile phone brands agreed to the and possibilities this power delivery standard could offer, it
proposed standard and signed the MOU that was initiated could very well change the world of power electronics, and
by the EU, most of them are not yet willing to ship their power delivery as we know it.
17
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Energy Performance standards, which are mandatory in release makes bold claims of 1.5 second resume times (from
most western parts of the world, focus on active mode sleep) and up to 50-days battery life (this time in deep sleep
energy efficiency and off-mode, stand-by and no-load power mode), something that will be interesting to see if Acer can
consumption. really deliver on.
Active mode energy efficiency is quite clearly the capability
of the system to perform a certain action while limiting the It turns out the leaked pictures of Acer's Ultrabook turned out
energy required doing so. Although actions are not always to be the real deal after all, as the company has unveiled its
easily translated into power, the EU tries to generalize actions Aspire S3 series of Ultrabooks at IFA in Berlin today. The press
and reflect a certain calculation on them in order to establish release makes bold claims of 1.5 second resume times (from
the system performance of that action in relation to the used sleep) and up to 50-days battery life (this time in deep sleep
power consumption to perform said action. (The U.S.D.O.E. is mode), something that will be interesting to see if Acer can
starting similar activities) really deliver on.
There are three modes of operation while the system is not
actually performing its primary task:
· Off-mode, in which the device / system is still powered,
but not performing any action;
· Standby-mode, in which the system is idle, waiting for
an instruction to perform its primary action, and
· No-Load, in which the power supply is connected, but
the device is not connected to the power supply.
Ace is still being coy with regards to some aspects of the
Basically, any energy draw during these three modes of specifications of the Aspire S3 and there are a few blanks in
operation is waste, as there is no action being performed. the press release. However, what we do know is that as with all
An additional state of non-active mode is now added to the the other Ultrabooks, Acer will be using Intel's ULV Core i3,
scope, which is referred to as “networked stand?by”. This i5 and i7 processors. In the storage department we're looking
mode comes into scope when thinking about all the USB at a 320 or 500GB hard drive, or a 240GB SSD options. It's
powered devices that do not have their own power supply. worth noting that Acer has implemented what it calls Green
At this time, each connected device needs to draw less than Instant On which is some kind of SSD caching technology but
500mW of power while in a non-active mode according to we're not sure if this is Intel's Smart Response technology or
mandatory energy efficiency regulations. The USB standard a different solution like the one used by Samsung in its Series
actually defines a “suspend” mode in which no more than 7 notebooks.
2.5mA (12.5mW) can be drawn from the bus, but does not
mandate a suspend mode.
Connecting 4 devices to one USB hub, would result in a
stand-by consumption of 2A (4 * 500mA), while the USB hub
itself should also draw less than 500mA. As the system can
be considered to be idle during night time, the total power
consumption of this configuration could add up to 2.5A * 5V =
12.5W. This is a lot of wasted energy, but still in-line with the
current regulations. In order to reduce this waste, there is an
obvious need for smarter power distribution. Using USB can
provide all the hardware needed to grow into an eco-system
that incorporates smart power distribution, without the need
for new standards, connectors or interfaces. Other features will include a 13.3-inch 1366x768 display, an
HDMI port, an SD card reader, a single headset jack and sadly
what appears to be a pair of USB 2.0 ports. Less noticeable
Acer unveils its first features include a 1.3 Megapixel webcam, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
Ultrabook, the Aspire S3 and Bluetooth 4.0+HSR. The notebook itself is a mere 13mm
thick and weighs in at 1.4kg. It has a similar chiclet keyboard to
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-unveils-its-first-ultrabook-the-
that found on the current TimeLineX series of notebooks from
aspire-s3/13477.html
Acer, but it has a much larger touchpad.
September 6th, 2011
It turns out the leaked pictures of Acer's Ultrabook turned out
to be the real deal after all, as the company has unveiled its
Aspire S3 series of Ultrabooks at IFA in Berlin today. The press
18
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Acer claims up to 7h battery life, but this is for the SSD
equipped model, so expect that to be less on the hard drive
models. It's a shame that Acer couldn't have made a thinner
screen bezel, similar to that seen on Samsung's Series 7, as in
as much as the Aspire S3 being a thin and light notebook, the
thick screen bezel kind of ruin things a bit.
The Aspire S3 will start shipping in selected regions this
month, with broader availability in October. It seems like Acer
didn't manage to hit Intel's sub US$1,000 price point with the
Aspire S3 as the most basic model which we expect to have
a Core i3 CPU and a 320GB hard drive will retail at €799 (S
$1,375/US$1,140) while the top of the range SSD equipped
Core i7 model is expected to retail at €1,199 (S$2,060/US
$1,710).
You can find some additional pictures on the next page.
Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date for
COOLPIX S100 officially starts on, 1st Sept, 2011, Thursday
Nikon COOLPIX S100 @ S$449 and the recommended retail price for the COOLPIX S100 is S
$449.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-s100--s-449/13475.html
September 6th, 2011
Product Colors SpecificationsRecommended
Name Available & Major Retail Price
Features
COOLPIX • Silver • 18.1mm slim S$449
S100 and stylish
• Black Note: This
design
Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date for model was
• Gold
COOLPIX S100 officially starts on, 1st Sept, 2011, Thursday • 16.0 launched
and the recommended retail price for the COOLPIX S100 • Red megapixels exclusively
is S$449. Price and Sales Date for the remaining models • Pink with 3.5” during
(COOLPIX AW100, P7100, P1200pj, S4150, S6150, S6200 and OLED touch COMEX Show
S8200) will be announced at a later date. • Purple panel 2011.
• 5x optical
zoom with
28mm wide- W.e.f 1st Sep
angle 2011 onwards,
it will be
• Backside available in
illumination the market for
CMOS sensor sale.
• Full HD
movie
recording
19
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
• 3D • Full HD
photography movie
scene mode recording with
stereo sound
• Filter Effect
mode COOLPIX • Silver • 18.1mm slim
S100 and stylish
• Black
design
• Gold
• 16.0
Price and Sales Date for the remaining models (COOLPIX • Red megapixels
AW100, P7100, P1200pj, S4150, S6150, S6200 and S8200) with 3.5”
• Pink
will be announced at a later date. OLED touch
• Purple panel
Product Colors Specifications • 5x optical
Name Available & Major zoom with
Features 28mm wide-
COOLPIX • Black • Nikon 1st angle
AW100 AW Series • Backside
• Blue
compact illumination
• Orange camera CMOS sensor
• Camouflage • Waterproof, • Full HD
shockproof, movie
cold-resistant recording
• 16.0 • 3D
megapixels photography
with 3” LCD scene mode
• 5x optical • Filter Effect
zoom with mode
28mm wide- COOLPIX • Black • 14.1
angle S1200pj megapixels
• Pink
• Backside with 3” LCD
illumination • 5x optical
CMOS sensor zoom with
• Full HD 28mm wide-
movie angle
recording • Brighter
• Built-in GPS projection up
and electronic to 60” display
compass • Project
COOLPIX • Black • 10.1 images via
P7100 megapixels iPhone,
with 3” LCD iPad or iPod
• 7.1 optical Touch*
zoom • Special
• 28mm Effect mode
wide-angle *via dedicated
to 200mm cable
telephoto lens COOLPIX • Silver • 14.0
• Faster S4150 megapixels
• Black
response and with 3" LCD
• Bronze
lesser noise • 5x optical
• Red zoom with
• Special
Effect mode • Purple 26mm wide-
angle
• Tone level
information • Pet Portrait
display Mode
20
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
• Filter Effect • Backside
Mode illumination
CMOS sensor
• Built-in
original • High-speed
animated response
characters • Target
COOLPIX • Silver • 16.0 finding AF
S6150 megapixels function
• Black
with 3” LCD
• Red • Continuous
• 7x optical shooting
• Pink zoom with function
• Violet 28mm wide-
angle • Smile timer
continuous
• Touch mode
Shutter,
Subject • Night Scene
Tracking mode
• Pet Portrait • Special and
Mode Filter effect
mode
• Filter Effect
Mode • Easy
Panorama
• HD movie
recording • HD movie
recording
COOLPIX • Silver • 16.0
S6200 megapixels • Still image
• Black
with 2.7” LCD during movie
• White recording
• 10x optical
• Blue zoom with
• Red 25mm wide-
angle
• Pink
• High-speed
response
Tablets promotion @ COMEX
• Special and Show 2011
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tablets-promotion--comex-
Filter Effects
show-2011/13473.html
mode
September 6th, 2011
• Hand-held/
tripod night
landscape
detection
If you are looking to get that Tablet device, well, you really
need to drop by the COMEX Show. Now. There are some good
promotions from the various vendors including the Samsung
Galaxy Tab 10.1, ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Motorola Xoom and
we have noted them down in the next page.
ASUS
COOLPIX • Silver • 16.1
S8200 megapixels
• Black
with
• Red
• 14x optical
zoom with
25mm wide-
angle
21
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
leather pouch (worth S$68) for the first 100 customers and
free stylus pen (worth S$28) for the first 10 customers per
day. If you sign up with the telco operators such as M1's Fibre
Broadband 100Mbps plus Mobile Broadband (mData Lite) at
S$75/month, you can get the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 for
free.
Acer
The ASUS Eee Pad Slider was announced in August, but it
was only retailing officially at the COMEX Show. The Eee
Pad Slider sports a 10.1-inch WXGA (1280x800) capacitive
touch IPS display, and is powered Nvidia Tegra 2 dual
core processor, 1GB DDR2 memory with 15GB eMMC flash
memory, It also has a slide keyboard for ease of typing.
Other features include integrated 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth
+EDR, high definition audio CODEC, stereo speaker, 1.2-
megapixel front and 5-megapixel rear cameras, and up to 8hr Acer is known for their range of desktop and notebook
battery life. According to ASUS, the Eee Pad Slider is preloaded PCs, though recently the company also came out with their
with Android 3.1 though it will be upgradeable to Android 3.2 tablet devices. The 10.1-inch Acer Iconia Tab A500 tablet
in the near future. incorporates Nvidia Tegra 250 dual-core processor, and comes
with 1GB DDR2 memory (and 32GB eMMC memory), ultra
The ASUS Eee Pad Slider is retailing at a S$759 (U.P. S$899) low power GeForce GPU, Acer Nplify 802.11b/g wireless, 5-
for this show. megapixel rear camera with auto focus and 2-megapixel front
Samsung camera, and runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb. The Acer Iconia
Tab A500 is selling at a competitive S$599 (U.P. S$799).
Huawei
Despite the lawsuit between Apple and Samsung, and with
court orders that the GALAXY Tab 10.1 is forbidden to be
sold in some countries (yet), the highly-anticipated tablet The new Huawei MediaPad claims to be the world's first tablet
device is fortunately selling here in Singapore, and also at to be preinstalled with Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating
the COMEX Show 2011. Weighing just 565g and measuring system. It has an aluminium uni-body chassis, 1.2GHz
8.6mm, the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is equipped with dual core processor, 7-inch 217ppi ultra clear screen and
1GHz dual core processor, support for Flash Player 10.3, 3- supports 1080p full high definition video playback (up to six
megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 2-megapixel front hours). The MediaPad is not available for sale yet, but at this
camera, and preinstalled with Android 3.1. The GALAXY Tab COMEX Show 2011, you can preorder it at S$598 (U.P. S
10.1 is selling at S$848 without contract and comes with free
22
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
$628). For those who preorders will also get the mini-HDMI
cable, carrying case and 16GB SD card for free (worth S$168).
Parallels unveils Desktop 7 for
Mac and new Mobile app for
iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/parallels-unveils-desktop-7-for-mac-
and-new-mobile-app-for-ipad-iphone-and-ipod-touch/13472.html
September 6th, 2011
This morning, Parallels announced their new Desktop 7 for The Parallels Mobile app is compatible with the iPad, iPhone
Mac which claim to provide Mac OS X Lion user experience and iPod Touch devices and allows users to have complete
even on Windows platform which is running on Mac machines. remote access of their Mac anytime, anywhere. The Parallels
The upgrade is available today for current Parallels Desktop Mobile also works with Parallels Desktop 7, which means you
users (you can purchase at Nubox booth at the COMEX Show can run Flash videos and audio from Windows on your Mac,
2011), while the retail package and downloadable version are via your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices.
going to be available next week.
The Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available today as an
upgrade for current Parallels Desktop users (and at the
Nubox booth at the COMEX Show 2011). The packaged retail
software as well as downloadable version will be available
on 7 September, next week. You can purchase the packaged
software at all Nubox retail outlets, Apple retailers including
epiCentre, Mutlmedia Integrated, iStudio, Juzz1, Infinite,
Challenger, Mac Shop and Sapura, as well as from Apple
Online Store. The Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac will retail at S
$129; the student edition at S$69; Paralles Desktop 7 Switch
to Mac Edition at S$159 and upgrades available for customers
at S$69. A special pricing of US$49.99 is available online for
users who are currently using WMware Fusion who want to
have a solution that is fully compatible with Lion. If you have
According to Parallels, there is a growing number of Mac purchased Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac from an authorized
users, both home and business, who want to run Windows reseller on or after 1 August, you will be eligible for free
applications on their machines. And if you are looking to get upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac.
a software that can run both Mac and Windows applications The Parallels Mobile app is available in the Apple iTunes App
side-by-side without rebooting, check out the latest Parallels Store with an introductory price of US$4.99; the standard
Desktop 7 for Mac. It offers Mac OS X Lion functionality retail price is US$19.99. Current users of free Parallels Mobile
including full screen, launch pad and mission control for app will get a free upgrade to the new functionality via an
your Windows prograns; run multiple copies of OS X Lion update on their devices.
or Windows and applications on the Mac machine; use iPad,
iPhone or iPod Touch to watch and listen to Flash videos in
Windows on the Mac; access and even run various operating
systems like Windows, Chrome OS, Ubuntu etc anytime,
anywhere.
23
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
John Eng, vice president, marketing and alliances Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC has unveiled their
for Parallels, said that the company has 75% market share in Windows Phone HTC Radar which is designed to keep you
desktop virtualization - running Windows and Mac operating close to friends, family, news and entertainment that matter
system side-by-side without the need of rebooting. Eng said to you. The HTC Radar is the company's first Windows Phone
that 50% of the customers who go to Nubox, who is also 7 with Mango update. It features a compact aluminium uni-
a partner of the company, are new to Mac, and want to get a body, a built-in 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/2.2
Mac but still want to run the Windows applications. aperture, 28mm wide-angle lens and back-illuminated sensor
for improved low-light performance. The HTC Radar can
"You may ask what kind of applications do people run on the
also capture 720p high definition videos. The smartphone
Mac? We did a poll of about half a million of our users and
also incorporates Virtual 5.1 surround sound for a rich audio
found that there are more than 10,000 discrete (Windows)
experience, and web browsing is fast and smooth with HTML5
applications that they use," says the vice president.
support. You can also get an amazing mobile gaming with
Xbox LIVE that lets you access to a great selection of games
HTC announces HTC Radar for Windows Phones.
Windows Phone 7 with Mango
update Creative announces quad core
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-announces-htc-radar-windows- sound cards
phone-7-with-mango-update/13471.html Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-announces-quad-core-sound-
September 6th, 2011 cards/13470.html
September 6th, 2011
Even though Nokia has said that their Windows Phone 7 would
be out in Q4 this year, it looks like some phone makers may Once upon a time there were as many sound card makers as
have theirs out earlier than the Finnish company. Today, HTC there were graphics card makers, but today only one of the old
has announced their first Windows Phone 7 with the highly- companies are still alive, good old Creative (what happened
anticipated Mango update, which comes in the form of HTC to the Labs bit on the end?) and today the company has
Radar. The HTC Radar is scheduled to go on retail in Singapore announced its first quad core sound cards based on its recently
in October. announced Sound Core3D audio processor. This might sound
like total overkill for a sound card, but it's not four identical
cores, instead we're looking at very specific audio DSPs that
have their own tasks to perform.
Once upon a time there were as many sound card makers as
there were graphics card makers, but today only one of the old
companies are still alive, good old Creative (what happened
to the Labs bit on the end?) and today the company has
announced its first quad core sound cards based on its recently
24
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
announced Sound Core3D audio processor. This might sound
like total overkill for a sound card, but it's not four identical
cores, instead we're looking at very specific audio DSPs that
have their own tasks to perform.
The Sound Core3D handles the processing for Creative's new
CrystalVoice feature, THX TruStudio Pro and all other kinds
of audio processing beyond that. The glaring omission in
the press release is that there's no single mention of X-Fi
technology which suggests that Creative has moved on and
decided to drop the X-Fi moniker for its new soundcards. EAX
Advanced HD 5.0 is still part of the package though, so gamers
need not to worry.
As for the new features, CrystalVoice adds acoustic echo
cancellation, support for beam-forming which in this case
is a kind of noise cancellation technology which requires
additional microphones, general noise reduction, automatic
loudness adjustment for the microphone and various voice
effects and equalizer features. THX TruStudio Pro gets the The fourth and final product, the Recon3D USB which is quite
Crystalizer treatment, a throwback to the X-Fi days, surround different from the PCI Express cards, as although this is a USB
sound support, a smart volume feature, something called audio device it packs connectivity for a headset, line in/out and
dialog plus which enhances the voices in games and movies an S/PDIF input. The S/PDIF input allows for Dolby Digital
and finally a bass enhancer. decoding for use with headphones for surround sound. On the
right hand side you'll find a three step microphone booster
and on the right hand side is a feature that might make the
Recon3D USB popular, a switch that lets you select between
PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.
As for the new sound cards, first up we have the Core3D
PCI Express which is seemingly sharing its basic design with
Creative's first PCI Express card, although the PCB looks However, the features don't stop here, as the Recon3D USB
extremely void of components for a sound card. We're not sure can be upgraded with wireless connectivity and it can be
if the chunk of metal in the centre of the card has any kind of connected to Creative's Tactic3D Omega headset and Creative
function, as there's a small Creative branded chip further down will offer a bundle of the two later this year. The Recon3D USB
on the PCB which we suspect is the Sound Core3D rather than is expected to hit retail in October for a price of US$129.99 (S
something hidder under the purported heatsink. As to the pin- $157).
headers, your guess is as good as ours as to what they're for.
As for the PCI Express cards, Creative didn't mention any
Next up we have the shrouded Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional actual launch date, although the press release stated that the
which comes with the beam-forming microphone and a nice Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion won't be available until Q1 next
piece of metal wrapped around the PCB with a small window in year. As a side note, apparently both Gigabyte and MSI has
it. This brings us to the Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion of which singed up as OEM partners for the Sound Core3D, so it'll be
we have as yet to see a picture. This should be the same card as interesting to see what kind of onboard audio solutions the two
the Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional, but with an I/O drive that companies can come up with in the future.
sports headset jacks, volume control and various other audio
jacks.
25
September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Creative launches tiny ZEN X-
Fi3 media player
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-launches-tiny-zen-x-fi3-
media-player/13469.html
September 6th, 2011
We can't say that we've been blown away by Creative's
recent additions when it comes to media player, but the just
announced Zen X-Fi3 is an interesting device that might not
appeal to everyone with its tiny 2-inch screen and touch
sensitive controls, but it seems like a step in the right direction
compared to some of its past products. In fact, the Zen X-Fi3
seems to be the bigger brother of the Zen Style which launched
back in May.
We can't say that we've been blown away by Creative's
recent additions when it comes to media player, but the just
announced Zen X-Fi3 is an interesting device that might not
appeal to everyone with its tiny 2-inch screen and touch
sensitive controls, but it seems like a step in the right direction
compared to some of its past products. In fact, the Zen X-Fi3
seems to be the bigger brother of the Zen Style which launched
back in May. The Zen X-Fi3 also packs Bluetooth 2.1 with AVRCP and A2DP
What we're looking at is a tiny 65x45.5x12.5mm portable support, but maybe more importantly the apt-X audio codec
media player that weighs in at a mere 45g, although Creative which is meant to vastly improve audio quality when combined
has somehow managed to pack in a 262k colour screen albeit at with an apt-X compatible Bluetooth headset. As the name
a mere 2-inches large with an unspecified resolution, but this suggests Creative has of course added support for its X-Fi
is just the start. Around the screen you'll find a set of capacitive technology and the Zen X-Fi3 packs X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi
touch buttons that gives you access to the menu and handles Expand. An 8GB and a 16GB model will be on offer, although
navigation and playback. There are a pair of volume controls if that's not enough, up to 32GB micro SD cards are supported.
on the right hand side, with a micro SD card on the left side, Let's not forget the built in FM radio as well as the ability to
a headphone jack and a microphone at the top and finally an output video to a TV via the A/V jack in the bottom, although
A/V jack, a mono speaker and somewhat strangely enough a you'll have to splash out extra on the composite video cable.
mini USB connector at the bottom, were we really would've As for media support, the Zen X-Fi3 will play back most digital
expected a micro USB connector by now. audio formats such as FLAC, DRM free AAC, MP3, WMA,
WAV and Audible files, although we're missing support for
OGG. If you want to go blind, you can also watch movies on the
tiny 2-inch screen, as the Zen X-Fi3 will play WMV9, MPEG4
Simple Profile and AVI files in either DivX4/5 or XviD format,
although the top resolution for video is 640x480. Creative
claims a battery life of up to 20h for audio and 5h for video.
Price wise you're looking at S$149 for the 8GB version and S
$189 for the 16GB version, both of which will be available from
the end of October.
26
Something Went Wrong
An error occurred creating the PDF version of this zine. Most likely this was caused by some invalid
HTML in one of the stories in the zine. The error has been recorded and we will look into fixing it as
soon as possible. It will then be possible to re-create this zine in future.
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
Life time MTTF at 40C (h): 100'000
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication Noise Level (dBA): 10 - 26.8
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
Number of LED: 4
Static Pressure (mmAq): 2.66
Gelid GX-7 CPU Cooler review Warranty (years): 3
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gelid-gx-7-cpu-cooler- Weight (g): 720 (heatsink and fan)
review/13564.html
September 14th, 2011
Applications:
Intel Socket 775, 1366, 1155 All Pentium D/ Pentium 4/
and 1156: All Celeron D
All Pentium Dual-Core/
Extreme/
Gelid is one of the few companies which focus entirely on
designing and supplying cooling solutions for PC systems; at All Core 2 Extreme/ Core 2
least at the time of this review. It is a relatively new company, Quad/ Core 2 Duo, Core i5,
founded only back in 2008, which is based in Hong Kong and Core i7
has Swiss management. Today we are going to have a close AMD Socket AM2/ AM2+/ All Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64
look at their latest CPU cooler, the GX-7. AM3/ AM3+/ FM1: All Athlon II,
All Sempron, Phenom,
Gelid is one of the few companies which focus entirely on Phenom II
designing and supplying cooling solutions for PC systems; at All A Series AMD APU Llano
least at the time of this review. It is a relatively new company,
founded only back in 2008, which is based in Hong Kong and
has Swiss management. Today we are going to have a close
look at their latest CPU cooler, the GX-7. Photos of Gigabyte's X79
motherboards from IDF
Manufacturer features and specifications Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/photos-of-gigabyte-s-x79-
motherboards-from-idf/13563.html
September 14th, 2011
• 7 Power Heatpipes
• Unique Heatpipes Arrangement
• Optimized Heatsink with Multi Air Channels
• Wing 12 PL Blue Fan By asking nicely, we were sent some pictures from IDF of
• PWM Fan Control Gigabyte's upcoming X79 motherboards, well, at least four
out of the five models we understand the company is going
• 3 Years Warranty to launch come November. That said, these aren't the final
boards, thanks to Intel's last minute SCU errata, so Gigabyte
Air Flow (CFM/CMH): 75.6 / 128.6 will have to implement a few changes before these boards hit
Bearing: Nanoflux Bearing retail.
Cable Length (mm): 500
Current (A): 0.45
DC Voltage (V): 12 By asking nicely, we were sent some pictures from IDF of
Gigabyte's upcoming X79 motherboards, well, at least four
Fan Dimensions (mm) 120 (l) x 120 (w) x 25 (h)
out of the five models we understand the company is going
Fan Speed (RPM): 600 - 1800 to launch come November. That said, these aren't the final
Heat Sink Dimensions (mm): 130(l) x 65 (w) x 159 (h) boards, thanks to Intel's last minute SCU errata, so Gigabyte
LED Color: Blue
1
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
will have to implement a few changes before these boards hit board and we're also looking at tantalum capacitors. The board
retail. has four x16 PCI Express slots and if you have a chassis with
eight or more rear expansion slots, you can fit four graphics
cards to this board thanks to a sensible slot layout. Gigabyte
didn't add any eSATA ports to the UD7, but once again we
noticed a couple of Fresco Logic USB 3.0 host controller.
Starting at the top we have the G1.Assassin 2 X79 and the
biggest surprise here really is the re-designed heatsinks which
are much less in your face than the current models. That
said, Gigabyte might very well change this before the board is
launching, but we'll just have to wait and see if we'll get a gun
themed heatsink or not on the final boards. Expected features
include a Killer NIC, Creative X-Fi audio and 3-way SLI and
CrossFireX support. We also spotted a Marvell controller for a
pair of eSATAp (eSATA/USB combo) ports and a Fresco Logic
USB 3.0 host controller on the board. One feature we couldn't
figure out what it's for is the blue and green button on the
rear below the 4GHz overclock button, although it could be
some kind of BIOS switch to select between the primary and
secondary BIOS.
For those wanting to use more than four DIMMs the GA-X79-
UD5 is the way to go, as this board sports a total of eight DIMM
slots. This is a more well-rounded motherboard in terms of
features, although it still has space for up to three graphics
cards. Around the back we're looking at one eSATAp and one
eSATA port as well as a pair of USB 3.0 ports and even a
FireWire port for those that still utilize this interface. If the
UD5 is priced right, we'd expect this to be the most popular
model among Gigabyte's X79 boards.
Next up we have the GA-X79-UD7 and as you might've noticed
from the colour scheme and the Gigabyte OC logo on the
chipset heatsink, this is the next generation overclocking
board from Gigabyte, despite the model name. It's pretty clear
that Gigabyte has crammed in a few extra power phases on this
2
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
You might've noticed that we haven't mentioned the SATA
ports on any of the boards and the reason for this is simple,
Intel's last minute chipset errata. All boards will as such have
two SATA 6Gbps ports and four SATA 3Gbps ports, but beyond
this we don't really know what Gigabyte will offer. We spotted
additional Marvell chips for a pair of extra SATA ports on some
of the boards and it's very likely that Gigabyte will add more
than just a pair of additional SATA 6Gbps ports to all of its X79
boards. We'll make sure we get a closer look at the new boards
come November, as by then Gigabyte should have close to final
boards to show us. The missing model that wasn't on display
at IDF should be the GA-X79-D3, but we don't have any details
about this model as yet.
We've added a few additional pictures on the next page as well.
Sony PS3 in "Splash Blue" and
"Scarlet Red", to launch on 17
November
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ps3-in-splash-blue-and-scarlet-
red--to-launch-on-17-november/13562.html
September 14th, 2011
Last, but by no means leas we have the GA-X79-UD3 which is
a slightly more basic board, although strange enough beyond
the UD7 this is the only board with seven slots and it appears to
be able to be kitted out with four x16 cards, although we're not
quite sure how the slots are wired. No eSATAp on this model,
but at least it has a pair of eSATA ports and support for two At the Tokyo Game Show 2011 press conference today, Sony
rear and two front USB 3.0 ports, all via Fresco Logic chips like Computer Entertainment has announced the limited edition
the previous models. "Splash Blue" and "Scarlet Red" of their popular PlayStation
3 game console. Both new editions will be available from 17
November 2011.
Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong (SCEH) has
announced the 320GB PlayStation3 (PS3) (CECH-3000B
series) in new "Splash Blue" and "Scarlet Red" colors. The
colors will be available in limited quantity at a suggested retail
price of S$429 from 17 November. The “Splash Blue” game
console is a refreshing metallic blue color which is reminiscent
of “the water splash and the ocean”, while the “Scarlet Red”
system with its vivid metallic red color suggests "the glaring
sun and the flame". The DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller
included in the bundle will also come in the same special
colors.
3
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Intel, McAfee unveil DeepSafe IDF Day 1: Many bridges
hardware-assisted security abound... Sandy, Ivy, and more
technology Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-1-many-bridges-abound...-
sandy-ivy-and-more/13560.html
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-mcafee-unveil-deepsafe-
September 14th, 2011
hardware-assisted-security-technology/13561.html
September 14th, 2011
Not only did Intel show the new varieties of Sandy Bridge, but
also briefed the audience about Ivy Bridge in more detail than
At the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) held this week, chip maker before.
Intel finally gave the world its first glimpse of the fruit of its US
Today's Intel CEO keynote at IDF referred many times to the
$7.68 billion acquisition of security vendor McAfee, which was
new Socket 2011 Xeons and their desktop brethren, for cases
completed in February this year. Demonstrated during Intel
such as reconstructing the St Peter Rome Church interior in
President and CEO Paul Otellini's keynote, the technology
full 3-D from millions of photographs - where Intel claims
dubbed DeepSafe is a revolutionary blend of software and
the new Xeons do the job 50% faster than the old Westmere-
hardware designed to deliver a level of security protection that
based 6-core ones, to Dreamworks' Jeff Katzenberg testimony
is simply not possible with a software-only approach.
about the new generation processors for their 3-D animation
The idea revolves around building a "deeper" security renderings.
footprint with the development of hardware-assisted security,
fundamentally changing the cat and mouse nature of
signature-based security software by operating beyond the
confines of the operating system.
McAfee says the DeepSafe has a much greater ability to
detect and stop advanced persistent threats (APTs) and
increasingly sophisticated malware. It is no secret that
current antimalware technology is reeling under increasingly
sophisticated attacks, with more than two million unique
rootkits currently in existence and 1,200 new rootkits detected
daily. On its part, DeepSafe affords a trusted view of system
event immune from even the most advanced rootkit. A rootkit
is malware that employs stealth techniques of corrupting the
OS to evade existing security solutions.
Renée James, senior vice president and general manager of
the Software and Services Group at Intel and the Chairman of
McAfee summed up the synergy between Intel and McAfee:
"By combining the features of existing Intel hardware and
innovations in security software, Intel and McAfee are driving
innovation in the security industry by providing a new way to
protect computing devices." There were both single and dual socket 2011 platforms on
the show floor, the single-processors ones open for everyone
Intel says it has no plans to embed McAfee software directly to see. And, both Intel and MSI had desktop boards with
into its processors, but will focus instead on creating software whopping 8 (eight) memory sockets on X79 chipsets for 64 GB
products and services that take advantage of the embedded RAM desktops! Now, the question is why would most users
security capabilities. As the requisite hardware components need such high capacity, but then, there are users who don't
are available for use by any developers, James told the Wall need too many CPU cores, just need a lot of memory. This is the
Street Journal in an interview that Intel expects competitors answer to them. Otherwise, the usual X79 Socket 2011 boards
to introduce similar technology for Intel processors. with 4 DIMMs, means one per channel, can fine tune their
Technical information and product details were sparse at this tracing easier for slightly better memory performance.
point, though Intel says products utilizing DeepSafe will be
available for sale later in the year. Don't expect to see it in your
home PC anytime soon however, as the technology will first Let's cut to the chase: the Ivy Bridge technical presentation was
roll out in enterprise products. the most interesting one. Have a look at the key points here, in
summary, after the discussions post presentation.
4
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
1 - Process advantage: the tri-gate 22 nm CMOS process will
give Ivy Bridge both power and performance advantage, where
it would either nearly match current Sandy Bridge clock speed
but at half power, or gain more than 20% extra speed at the
same power.
2 - Much faster (at least 2x) integrated GPU with full DX11
support and enhancements including DirectCompute, and
matching speedups in the video multimedia department, and
triple display support
3 - Speedups in the core and the caches, as well as better
overclocking for cores and memory
4 - New instructions
5 - Digital Random number generator
6 - Improved protection from some hacking attacks
You can see the content of key slides here on the photos, but
the key point overall is that the thing is ready, seems to benefit
both desktop and mobile market right at start, and should be
expected by March 2012 as of now... Have a look at the slides!
5
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
6
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Norton launches Internet
Security and AntiVirus 2012
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/norton-launches-internet-security-and-
antivirus-2012/13559.html
September 14th, 2011
With the rising number of devices and applications for users to
enjoy, there is a huge need for digital protection from viruses,
malware and cybercrimes. Today, Symantec, the company
behind the popular Norton security products, has launched
their latest Norton Internet Security 2012 and AntiVirus 2012.
Norton by Symantec today unleashed the new Norton Internet
Security (NIS) and Norton AntiVirus (NAV) 2012 with new
features designed to enhance the overall user experience while
providing the protection and performance the user requires.
The company is also delivering on their initiative with mobile
and cloud-based technology, which include new beta products
and services which will be launched in the coming months with
plans to support mobile and tablet devices for both Android
and iOS platforms.
7
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Norton 2012 incorporates new features to address the
latest threats and provides powerful protection against users'
online personal information. The key security technologies
and usability improvements include: Norton Identity Safe in
the Cloud which protects personal and financial information
from cybercriminals and keeps users safe from fraudulent
websites; new streamlined interface with simplified login
experience, and ability to store passwords in the cloud and
accessible from any computer with NIS2012 installed; and
improved SONAR technology monitors running applications
for suspicious behavior to quickly detect and disable
previously unknown threats.
The Norton Internet Security 2012 and Norton AntiVirus
2012 are now available for purchase in Singapore
through various retailers and the Norton online store at
www.nortonstore.com.sg. The MSRP for Norton Internet
Security 2012 is S$89, which provides one year of protection
for up to three PCs, and the MSRP for Norton AntiVirus 2012 Launching from the Jabra music series, the Jabra HALO2
is S$39, which provides one year of protection for one PC. is the new Bluetooth stereo headset which claims to be the
ultimate smart phone companion. The sleek metallic finish
The Norton 2012 products support Microsoft Windows XP HALO2 includes new features like AM3D Virtual Surround
(32-bit) Home/Professional/Tablet PC/Media Center with Sound and Power Bass for an enhanced listening experience.
Service Pack 2 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit and It supports Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR technology and users can
64-bit) and Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) both make and answer phone calls wirelessly as well as play
for Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Business/Ultimate the favorite songs from their smartphones. The HALO2
editions. Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2007 also incorporates AM3D Virtual Surround Sound and Power
or later users with a valid product subscription are eligible to Bass for enhanced audio experience.
receive the latest product updates via the subscription service
model. For more information, visit the Norton Update center Jabra HALO2 boasts advanced Multipoint technology which
at http://updatecenter.norton.com. lets users connect up to two Bluetooth-enabled devices at
any one time (out of maximum pairing with right devices).
It has a touch sensor on the side of the headset that lets
Jabra HALO2 brings virtual you adjust the overall volume with just a swipe of a finger,
surround sound and powerful while the wireless stereo sound AVRCP technology lets you
control music all by touch - skip tracks, play, and pause songs.
bass for users on the move Weighing 80g, the HALO2 gives a talk-time of up to eight
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/jabra-halo2-brings-virtual-surround- hours (and separate music time, up to 8 hours). It features
sound-and-powerful-bass-for-users-on-the-move/13557.html Noise Blackout technology with dual microphones, so that
September 14th, 2011 your voice transmission comes through crystal-clear. When
there's an incoming call, the music playing will automatically
fade so that you can decide whether to talk to the caller.
The Jabra HALO2 Bluetooth stereo headset will be available
from this Friday, 16 September 2011, and retailing for S$148
(RRP) from Challenger stores and Apple premium resellers:
Epicentre, Nubox, Digi Lifestyle, Apple Shops at Best Denki
With the Jabra HALO2 Bluetooth stereo headset, you can and other authorized Jabra resellers.
enjoy good quality audio as well as make and receive phone
calls wirelessly. It features AM3D Virtual Surround Sound and
Power Bass, and is available in Challenger stores and Apple Key specifications of Jabra Halo2:
premium resellers this Friday. - Bluetooth 3.0 EDR+eSCO wireless technology, up to 10m
- A2DP for music streaming
- AM3D Virtual Surround Sound 2.0 and PowerBass
- AVRCP for remote controls (skip track, pause, etc.)
- Noise Blackout technology with dual microphones
- Foldable headband and carrying pouch
8
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
- Talk time – 8 hours
- Wireless Music time – 8 hours
- Standby time – 13 days
- Micro USB charger
- Dimensions: 45mm (D) x 165-190mm (H) x 136mm (W)
- Weight – 80 g
Creative ZiiLabs unveils 3rd-
Gen reference designs for
Android tablets
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-ziilabs-unveils-3rd-gen-
reference-designs-for-android-tablets/13558.html
September 14th, 2011
Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative
Technology said in a prepared statement: "The explosive tablet
market is pure ruthless in every sense. Even a slight delay
in a fast-track 6-month design cycle can be lethal. This is a
whole new ballgame where only the fastest can survive". Sim
observed how Jaguar3 will help OEM to effectively enter the
Media processor and platforms company ZiiLabs has unveiled tablet market instantly and economically, while at the same
the Jaguar3, its 3rd generation of reference designs for time reducing their risks significantly.
Android 3.2 tablets that incorporate over a decade of
designing experience in portable mobile devices from Creative A high-end Jaguar3 configuration will support advanced
Technology. Based on a motherboard concept, the designs capabilities such as:
were first demonstrated at Computex 2011 in May this year,
and were made possible for an OEM or ODM to bring Android • Dual camera system of up to 12 megapixel for rear facing
3.x tablets to market in the shortest possible time. image capture and high definition (HD) front facing
The Jaguar3 features the ZMS-20 StemCell processor, • Easy-to-use 40 Megapixel panoramic photography
a system-on-chip (SoC) based on the dual-core 1.5GHz • Advanced video playback with trick modes such as
ARM Cortex-A9. With the presence of an additional 48 rewind play, frame-by-frame advance and reverse
StemCell processing cores, the ZMS-20 is effectively a 50-
• Dual microphone array for noise-free recording and
core processor. In addition, OEM customers building Jaguar3
video conferencing
tablets will have the option of upgrading to the 4th generation
ZMS-40 SoC chip, which will feature a quad-core ARM Cortex- • Creative Sound Blaster's famed X-Fi audio effects
A9 and 96 StemCell processing cores for a 100-core processor
when available in the next quarter. ZiiLabs said that the Jaguar3 breaks new ground by offering
different "flavors" to snag various crowns such as the most
According to ZiiLabs, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative powerful, the lightest, the slimmest, the most complete and the
Technology, the Jaguar3 design features massive integration lowest cost Android 3.2 tablet reference designs currently on
of I/O devices and processors within a "granddaughter-board" the market. The Jaguar3 reference design kits are expected to
in order bring its dimensions down to a mere 2.44" (62 mm) sample to select customers in October 2011.
x 4.64" (118 mm). Designed with 10-inch tablets in mind,
the Jaguar3 consumes just 1W of power, making it possible to
achieve extremely slim designs of 7.4mm or weighing just 480
grams.
Lenovo ThinkPad X121e offers
advanced video conferencing
tools and robust performance
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-thinkpad-x121e-offers-
advanced-video-conferencing-tools-and-robust-performance/13556.html
9
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
AMD demonstrates 28nm GPU
September 14th, 2011
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-demonstrates-28nm-
gpu/13555.html
September 14th, 2011
The Lenovo ThinkPad X121e was announced in July, and
today, the company has announced that the stylish full-feature
ultraportable for mobile professionals will be available in
Singapore on 27 September. The ThinkPad X121e features Proving IDF is not all about Intel, AMD has demonstrated
easy-to-use voice and video tools, spill-resistant keyboard and the first working 28nm GPUs to the public. The development
optional fingerprint reader for secure log in. platform was notebook based, thus the working product was a
"28nm next gen notebook discrete GPU".
Proving IDF is not all about Intel, AMD has demonstrated
Lenovo Singapore has announced the ThinkPad X121e the first working 28nm GPUs to the public. The development
ultraportable laptop designed for mobile professionals. platform was notebook based, thus the working product was a
It claims to offers business-class performance with choices "28nm next gen notebook discrete GPU".
of the latest Intel and AMD processors, easy-to-use,
sophisticated voice and video tools, and looks stylish with soft
matte finish in heatwave red or midnight black as well as anti-
glare displays.
Measuring less than an inch thin and weighing 1.36 kg,
the 11.1-inch ThinkPad X121e has spill-resistant, island-style
keyboard for long hours of comfortable typing. It also comes
with various security features such as self-encrypting USB and
solid state drives, hardware password manager, rescue and
recovery, and optional fingerprint reader for more secure log-
in.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X121e offers a wide range of
connectivity options including USB, mobile broadband, Wi-
Fi, Bluetooth and Gigabit Ethernet. You can view your high
definition content on the big screen via the HDMI output.
In terms of battery life, the ultraportable notebook PC also The next-gen GPU ran Dirt 3, and was demonstrated by AMD's
boasts over nine hours on a single charge. It is also equipped Director of Technology Management for GPU Division, David
with advanced tools including a low-light sensitive web Cummings. Not much else is known about the 28nm GPU
camera, noise suppressing keyboard, microphone mute key itself, but unsurprisingly, we know it is up and running. Now
and the ThinkVantage Communications Utility 2.0; users can it is up to TSMC to ramp up 28nm production.
make seamless conference calls even under low light.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X121e laptops will be available through
business partners from 27 September 2011. Pricing details not
available at press time.
10
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
MSI introduces stylish Wind Operating Systems Windows 7 Home Premium
64 bit
Box DC100 with dual-core Processor AMD Brazos Dual Core E-450
performance Chipset
(1.65GHz)
AMD A50M (Hudson M1)
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-introduces-stylish-wind-box-
dc100-with-dual-core-performance/13554.html
System Memory DDR3 2GB , 1333 MHz (2GB
September 14th, 2011
x1) ; DDR3 SO-DIMM x 1 slot
Max to 4GB
Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6320
Discrete
Wireless Networking 802.11 b/g/n
Hard Drive 320G 2.5-inch SATA II 5400
rpm
MSI has unveiled the updated Wind Box DC100, which Audio 5.1-channel Audio(SPDI/F
made its first appearance in CeBit 2009. The small form adapter)
factor PC is now equipped with the latest AMD Brazos Audio Chipset Realtek ALC662
platform E-450 dual-core processor and A50M chipset for
I/O HDMI out x1; VGA outx 1;
superior performance, compared to the Intel Atom processor
USB x6 (front x4, rear x2);
incorporated two years ago.
Front mic-in/Headphone out
x1 /1; Line-out x1; SPDIF-out
x1; LAN x1
Card Reader 6-in-1 (XD, SD ,mini
SD ,Micro SD, MMC, MS)
Adapter HD (30fps@720p)
Power 40W
Dimension 191.8 X 150.93 X 34.94mm
Weight 830g
Sony announces NW-Z1000
Android Walkman media player
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-announces-nw-z1000-android-
walkman-media-player/13553.html
September 14th, 2011
The MSI Wind Box series is designed with superb performance
and energy saving capabilities in a small footprint. The newly
launched Wind Box DC100 is equipped with the latest AMD
Brazos platform E-450 dual-core processor and A50M chipset
to offer great computing performance. The average power
consumption is only 40W, compared to 60W for previous
generation products, providing power savings for users.
Sony Singapore had recently announced their NWZ-A860
The small form factor PC features AMD Radeon HD 6320 Walkman. And at the recent IFA 2011 trade fair for consumer
discrete class graphics that support output resolutions of electronics and household appliances in Berlin, Germany, the
up to 1080p, and supports DirectX 11 image processing company showcased the new NW-Z1000 Android Walkman
technology for high-definition video playback. The Wind which claims to run Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread
Box DC100 features VGA and HDMI output Incorporating operating system.
MSI's proprietary software, Smart Media Link and Smart
Sync, you can synchronize your files with an easy-to-use
user interface, as well as play multimedia files you have
selected simultaneously on different devices such as tablets,
smartphones and HDTV in the same LAN or Wi-Fi network.
The Wind Box DC100 is also a quiet performer with under
22dB noise when in standby mode.
MSI Wind Box DC100 Specifications
11
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
We're not sure what the exact problem is, but combine this
with rumours of a delay of Intel's Sandy Bridge-EP server parts
and it seems like the SCU issue might be affecting the server
and workstation parts as well. That said, we've also spoken
to motherboard manufacturers that told us that they haven't
been able to replicate Intel's errata, so it remains to see what
happens, as we're still about two months away from the official
launch.
It has to be said that Intel's X79 chipset has gone from being
a chipset packed with features to the brim, to a chipset that
is starting to look very much like the current P67 chipset,
something that surely must be disappointing not only for
Intel's partners, but even more so for those who were/are
planning to buying into the new platform. By now we've gone
from eight, to four to no SAS ports and what we're left with is
two SATA 6Gbps ports and four SATA 3Gbps ports.
At the IFA 2011 trade show in Berlin, Sony has unveiled
their new Walkman portable media player (PMP), the NW- We're afraid that the bad news doesn't end there though, as
Z1000. It claims to be the company's first PMP to incorporate Intel won't even guarantee PCI Express 3.0 compliance for the
Google's popular Android mobile operating system that is Waimea Bay platform with the company claiming that the first
usually found on smartphones and tablet devices. The NW- generation of Sandy Bridge-E processor might not be able to
Z1000 runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is equipped with cope with the high speed of the PCI Express 3.0 interface. In
Nvidia dual-core Tegra 2 processor and 512MB RAM. It sports other words, it'll be a bit of a hit and miss as to which PCI
a 4.3-inch display (480x800 pixel resolution) and features a Express 3.0 add-in cards will actually work with the first Sandy
digital amplifier “S-Master MX” to provide improved audio Bridge-E processors.
quality. Sony claims that the NW-Z1000 has a battery life of And if you were hoping for Ivy Bridge-E to sort this out next
20 hours for non-stop music enjoyment, or five hours of video year, well, then we have really bad news, as Ivy Bridge-E isn't
playing. Other features include Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth schedule to arrive until 2013 now. On the upside, Intel expects
with A2DP, HDMI output, DLNA compatibility and built-in Ivy Bridge-E to be fully compatible with PCI Express 3.0.
GPS. While on the subject, we've also managed to confirm that the
delay of the quad core Core i7 3820 means that it's unlikely to
What Intel won't tell you about arrive this year, as it'll only go into production at the very end
of 2011. Can it possibly get any worse for Intel?
Sandy Bridge-E at IDF
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/what-intel-won-t-tell-you-about-sandy-
bridge-e-at-idf/13552.html
SanDisk is pushing for new,
September 14th, 2011 low power SATA interface
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandisk-is-pushing-for-new-low-
power-sata-interface/13551.html
September 14th, 2011
According to SanDisk, the SATA standard just isn't power
Intel isn't having a good year when it comes to its integrated efficient enough for mobile devices and the company is now
controllers this year, first with the SATA 3Gbps issue in the proposing that a new low power SATA standard should be
6-series chipset and now news has reached us that in the end developed. The company wants to cut the power consumption
we won't be seeing any additional SAS/SATA ports in the X79 of mobile SSDs by 10 times, which is no mean feat, but SanDisk
chipset. Apparently this is because of a “quality issue” in the expects this to be perfectly doable.
SCU which would've been home to the four additional SAS/
SATA ports.
According to SanDisk, the SATA standard just isn't power
efficient enough for mobile devices and the company is now
Intel isn't having a good year when it comes to its integrated proposing that a new low power SATA standard should be
controllers this year, first with the SATA 3Gbps issue in the developed. The company wants to cut the power consumption
6-series chipset and now news has reached us that in the end of mobile SSDs by 10 times, which is no mean feat, but SanDisk
we won't be seeing any additional SAS/SATA ports in the X79 expects this to be perfectly doable.
chipset. Apparently this is because of a “quality issue” in the
SCU which would've been home to the four additional SAS/ SanDisk claims that today's best-in-class low power SSDs
SATA ports. consume 50mW and apparently part of the reason for this
“high” power usage is because the SATA interface doesn't
12
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
allow SSDs to draw less power, even when they're not in use.
As such, SanDisk is hoping that its SATA DEVSLP initiative
will allow for lower power usage in the future with a proposed
standard target of a mere 5mW.
What we're not following is the part where SanDisk starts
talking about Ultrabooks, as we'd thought there is far more
need for lower power SSDs in devices like tablets than in thin
and light notebooks, although we're of course not going to
complain if we get lower power SSDs in notebooks as well. So
far SanDisk has gotten a couple of small industry players –
Intel, Samsung and Microsoft – to join them in their effort to
push the SATA-IO to further develop the SATA DEVSLP into
a fully-fledged part of the SATA standard. It's of course going
to take some time before this happens, but it's good to see that
the industry is moving towards more and more power efficient
hardware.
We don't want to spoil AMD's moment here, but the press
release is talking 8-core CPU and several publications are
AMD scores Guinness Book of already reporting this as a feat performed with an 8-core CPU,
when in fact six of the eight cores were disabled during the test.
World Record for fastest CPU This doesn't make the 8.429GHz record any less impressive,
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-scores-guinness-book-of-world- but it should be made clear that only two cores were active
record-for-fastest-cpu/13550.html which most likely helped to improve the overclockability of
September 14th, 2011 the CPU. We should also mentioned the small fact that the
CPU was running at an icy cold -235 degrees C to achieve
the record, something that's way beyond what even semi-
professional overclockers can cool their CPUs down to.
The World's fastest/smallest/largest capacity and so forth are
getting a little bit boring now, but AMD has managed to
score another World's fastest and an entry into the Guinness
Book of World Records thanks to some crazy liquid Helium
overclocking of one of its upcoming AMD FX CPU's to a crazy
8.429GHz. This seems to be the latest way of scoring consumer
attention, although in this case AMD has performed quite a
feat as we're talking an 8-core CPU here, well, of sorts at least.
The World's fastest/smallest/largest capacity and so forth are
getting a little bit boring now, but AMD has managed to
score another World's fastest and an entry into the Guinness
Book of World Records thanks to some crazy liquid Helium AMD didn't announce which CPU was used, but at the end
overclocking of one of its upcoming AMD FX CPU's to a crazy of the video (embedded below) there's an AMD FX logo and
8.429GHz. This seems to be the latest way of scoring consumer underneath it there's an 8-core Black Edition AMD FX-8150
attention, although in this case AMD has performed quite a Processor logo which suggests that this was mostly likely the
feat as we're talking an 8-core CPU here, well, of sorts at least. CPU used. The record was actually achieved on the 31st of
August, but kept secret until today, possibly as a bit of a spoiler
ahead of Intel's IDF conference which kicks off today. For
those interested in a few additional details from the event,
Nordic Hardware has a short interview with Sami Mäkinen aka
macci who scored the Guinness Book or Record on behalf of
AMD.
13
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
IDF 2011 starts in a few
hours...
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-2011-starts-in-a-few-
hours.../13549.html
September 14th, 2011
A few hours before Intel CEO Paul Ottelini's keynote officially
kickstarts this year's IDF here in San Francisco, there are a lot
of signs that Intel's focus this year may be a little different -
in fact, it will be wider than before. The high end, unlike some
rumours, is not ignored - there should be plenty of sightings
of the new Sandy Bridge-E Core i7 3960X and its dual-socket HTC's autumn product launch has been confirmed, on 20
Xeon twin from the E5 series, the latter having all eight cores September in New York, and the event could be focusing on the
enabled unline only 6 on the desktop Socket 2011 variant. And latest version of HTC Sense UI, products incorporating Beats
of course, there is the 22 nm Ivy Bridge, the next mainstream by Dr. Dre audio, and female-focused mobile phones. The new
CPU, now almost ready to roll. HTC Sense UI will be greatly optimized and will be less "harsh"
in terms of hardware requirements; the minimum supported
However, this year, the scope widens to tablets and configuration is MSM7227 processor, 384MB RAM, which
smartphones - Intel's next target area, where ARM rules means that even the older devices like HTC Legend can also
solidly right now. We expect to see plenty of Clover Trail-based support.
solutions for tablet and smartphone designs using this 32 nm Last month, HTC used US$300 million to acquire 51% stake
SoC dual core Atom flavour with PowerVR graphics, however, in Beats by Dr. Dre. And it is possible that the company
either the CEO talk or the follow-on Steve Smith session post will showcase new products incorporating the Beats audio
lunch should demo, and likely focus on, the follow on 22 nm technology. However, it is still not known if the new products
Bay Trail. The difference? While the Clover Trail may be good would be compatible with Beats headphones. Most of their
enough even for a Full HD resolution tablet - hopefully NOT products are catered to the male users, though this quarter,
a 16:9 panel one, the Bay Trail's better process and power the HTC Bliss, which was leaked online, is designed for ladies.
savings should make it a true smartphone candidate. The issue The HTC Bliss does not only feature mobile phone themes,
here is not the processing power - Clover Trail has more than wallpapers, ring tones and custom software for the female
sufficient capabilities there - but the total idle and real load users, but also in the hardware aspect like notification lights.
power consumption. Clover Trail is supposed to be close to The company could also be announcing the HTC Vigor, HTC
the 10 hour target battery life on a tablet, but Bay Trail should Ruby and HTC Holiday. Well, we would only know next week.
bring power down sufficiently to have 2 day battery life on an
Iphone++ class cellphone.
Trend Micro Singapore
More on all this as the day goes on...
launches Titanium Cloud
Edition Maximum Security
HTC to hold media event on 20
2012
September Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/trend-micro-singapore-launches-
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-to-hold-media-event-on-20- titanium-cloud-edition-maximum-security-2012/13546.html
september/13548.html September 14th, 2011
September 14th, 2011
Taiwanese phone and tablet manufacturer HTC has sent out
media invite for an event that will take place in New York, Today, Trend Micro Singapore announced the launch of their
USA, on 20 September. Only the tagline "Come celebrate in latest Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 which
style with HTC" is stated, so it is everyone's guess on what the claims to protect users online experience, be it online banking,
company could be announcing. social media, gaming or online shopping. Other features
include the Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android Personal
Edition for security on Android smartphones and tablets,
and Trend Micro SafeSync online service for file and folder
synchronization.
14
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 Terrence Tang, head of digital (Asia Pacific region) and head
is based in the cloud and claims to offer robust protection of consumer business (Southeast Asia region) for Trend Micro
against malicious threats, regardless of how they are delivered, Singapore, addressed the media and talked about the various
where they hide, or what connected device is in use. The feature of the company's new Trend Micro Titanium Cloud
security suite features a "set-and-forget" user interface, and Edition Maximum Security 2012.
provides real-time protection and proactively stops threats. "In the last 10 to 15 years, Internet has changed the way users
One new feature in Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition exchange and consume information. New devices have been
Maximum Security 2012 is a tool that can visually identify safe created to support the new consumer behaviour. And more
and malicious links on social networking sites like Facebook social networking sites have been established for friends to
and Twitter. The software also offers Trend Micro Mobile engage and connect with one another to share information. We
Security for Android Personal Edition for mobile security have our consumer solutions vision to protect our consumer
on smartphones and tablets, as well as Trend Micro SafeSync digital lifestyle," Tang said.
online service for file and folder synchronization and backup.
Other security enhancements include a tool that can eliminate
programs posing as antivirus software (Fake AV); proactive
botnet and PE Virus protection; and protection against
malware packer technology. Trend Micro Titanium Cloud
Edition Maximum Security 2012 also includes enhancements
to Parental Controls, Behavioral Monitoring, and Rootkit
detection and removal.
The Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security
2012 is available now for purchase through selected retail
partners at the following prices:
- 1 Year / 1 User: S$39
- 1 Year / 3 Users: S$109
The Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android Personal Edition
is also available separately for purchase through the Android
Marketplace. The basic edition is free for download, while the
premium edition is available for purchase through selected
Myla Pilao, director of TrendLabs, core technology marketing,
retail partners at the following prices:
was also at the event to talk about current and latest evolving
- 1 Year: S$35.90 threats that users faced today, the technological landscape in
- 2 Years: S$59.90 Asia which influence the types of threats, and the importance
of security.
Nikon COOLPIX AW100, S4150
and S6150 on sale now
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-aw100-s4150-and-
s6150-on-sale-now/13545.html
15
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 14th, 2011 • Built-in
original
animated
characters
The sales for NIKON COOLPIX AW100, S4150 and S6150 COOLPIX • Silver • 16.0 $299
officially start now. COOLPIX AW100 is available at all S6150 megapixels
authorized dealers for S$529 while the COOLPIX S4150 is • Black
with 3” LCD
avaibale at Courts for S$229 and S6150 is available at Harvey • Red
Norman for S$299. Price and Sales Date for the remaining • 7x optical
• Pink zoom with
models (COOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200) will be
announced at a later date. • Violet 28mm wide-
angle
The sales for NIKON COOLPIX AW100, S4150 and S6150
officially start now. COOLPIX AW100 is available at all • Touch
authorized dealers for S$529 while the COOLPIX S4150 is Shutter,
avaibale at Courts for S$229 and S6150 is available at Harvey Subject
Norman for S$299. Price and Sales Date for the remaining Tracking
models (COOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200) will be • Pet Portrait
announced at a later date. Mode
Product Colors Recommended
Specifications • Filter Effect
Name Available & Major Retail Price Mode
Features
• HD movie
COOLPIX • Black • Nikon 1st $529 recording
AW100 AW Series
• Blue
compact
• Orange camera Foxconn Quantum Force X79
• Camouflage • Waterproof,
shockproof,
New Version Pictured
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/foxconn-quantum-force-x79-new-
cold-resistant version-pictured/13543.html
• 16.0 September 14th, 2011
megapixels
with 3” LCD
• 5x optical
zoom with
28mm wide-
angle Having first made waves at this year's Computex, it's time
for Foxconn's premium socket LGA2011 motherboard, the
• Backside
Quantum Force X79, to get down to business. The channel
illumination
brand of the OEM giant is gearing up for a Q4 2011 launch,
CMOS sensor
and seems to have made some notable changes to the design
• Full HD we saw in June, on its latest engineering sample. These
movie changes include rearrangement of expansion slots, a finalized
recording design for the heatsink over the X79 chipset, and a slight
• Built-in GPS rearrangement of the front-panel header area. While this is
and electronic still an engineering sample, there is some progress - for better
compass or worse - as the final release revision takes shape.
COOLPIX • Silver • 14.0 $229 Having first made waves at this year's Computex, it's time
S4150 megapixels for Foxconn's premium socket LGA2011 motherboard, the
• Black
with 3" LCD Quantum Force X79, to get down to business. The channel
• Bronze brand of the OEM giant is gearing up for a Q4 2011 launch,
• 5x optical
• Red and seems to have made some notable changes to the design
zoom with
we saw in June, on its latest engineering sample. These
• Purple 26mm wide-
changes include rearrangement of expansion slots, a finalized
angle
design for the heatsink over the X79 chipset, and a slight
• Pet Portrait rearrangement of the front-panel header area. While this is
Mode still an engineering sample, there is some progress - for better
• Filter Effect or worse - as the final release revision takes shape.
Mode
16
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
features include redundant firmware (BIOS), consolidated
voltage measurement points, and OC hard-tuning buttons
apart from power and reset buttons.
Google urges Gmail users
in Iran to change their
passwords
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-urges-gmail-users-in-iran-to-
change-their-passwords/13544.html
September 14th, 2011
To begin with, Foxconn did some rearrangement in the
bottom-half of the PCB. On the sample we saw at Computex,
expansion slots were arranged (from top to bottom) as PCIe You may have read about the digital break-in at Dutch
x4, PCIe x16 (electrical x16/x8), PCIe x16 (electrical x8), legacy certificate authority DigiNotar, and the subsequent revelation
PCI, PCIe x16 (electrical x16/x8), and PCIe x16 (electrical x8). that an Iranian hacker who goes by the name of
With the new version, they're arranged as PCIe x16 (electrical "Comodohacker" having made away with fraudulent digital
x16/x8), PCIe x4, PCIe x16 (electrical x8), PCIe x16 (electical certificates for hundreds of popular Internet destinations. This
x16/x8), legacy PCI, and PCIe x16 (electrical x8). The new ranges from websites such as Google, Yahoo, Mozilla and
expansion slot layout is a notch better, as it makes room for Skype; social networks such as Facebook, Twitter; and even
three graphics cards that are two slots thick, to be installed. domains belonging to the CIA and Mossad, the Israeli Secret
Service.
It is still unclear if Comodohacker is doing it for glory or
personal profit - such as by reselling the illicitly obtained email
communications to the Iranian government, for example.
According to Google, the perpetrator behind the attack
on DigiNotar appeared to be interested in intercepting the
communications of Gmail users and customers residing in
Iran. With this in mind, Google has taken the offensive and is
now advising its Iranian users to change their email passwords
Moving on, Foxconn didn't have the PCH (X79 chipset) to protect themselves from online attacks.
heatsink design in mind when designing the older iteration.
In a blog post last week, Eric Grosse, the VP Security Engineer
The new one makes room for the heatsink, pushing aside most
at Google, wrote: "We learned last week that the compromise
tall components. For example, the three EEPROM chips that
of a Dutch company involved with verifying the authenticity of
were arranged in a file are now pushed to the bottom-right
websites could have put the Internet communications of many
corner, along with the two tall capacitors. This change doesn't
Iranians at risk, including their Gmail." Emphasizing that
take away anything from the older iteration, just relocates
the internal systems of the search giant itself have not been
it. There's now a small speaker for beep diagnostics that
compromised, Grosse urged all users in Iran to take "concrete
wasn't found on the older board, the numerical diagnostic-
steps" to secure their accounts.
LED display is still there. The rest are cosmetic changes, such
as certain chips being moved around. With the final revision, As expected, this includes the changing of their passwords,
it is expected that the SAS (serial-attached SCSI) ports will be which will prevent harvested passwords from being used for
removed, leaving behind around 8 SATA ports. further unauthorized access. Moreover, Grosse also encourage
users to preempt future problems by verifying and updating
The Quantum Force X79 is positioned to be a high-end
their account recovery options. As in the case of any hacked
socket LGA2011 motherboard. The processor is powered by
email account, the changing of a password does nothing
a 14-phase VRM that makes use of DirectFET MOSFETs,
to protect old email messages that may already have been
which when backed by a good I2C-capable VRM controller
pilfered by a malicious party. In the event of a suspected break-
have known to provide smooth voltage control. Such FETs
in, however, changing one's password would at least be useful
have been used on older Quantum Force motherboards and
to foil ongoing snooping.
BIOSTAR's TPower series models. Other overclocker-friendly
17
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
reads and 490 MB/s writes; and just one set of random access
throughput, up to 40,000 IOPS read and 45,000 IOPS write.
These figures are known to vary between the different variants,
Intel SSD 520 Cherryville The and so we'll have to wait for the final specifications that are
Faster, Tougher Successor of specific to variants.
SSD 510 Available in the 2.5-inch SATA form-factor, the drives will
make use of 25 nm multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-520-cherryville-the-faster-
made by Intel. Its controller will be compliant will the latest
tougher-successor-of-ssd-510/13542.html
in client SSD technologies. To begin with, there are bare
September 14th, 2011
essentials such as SMART, that reports if the drive is failing,
TRIM, that works to minimize write performance degradation,
and NCQ, which queues commands on the drive's cache. The
drive supports native 256-bit AES data encryption, and end-
to-end data protection.
Its physical durability is characterized by 1.2 million hours
As an established player in the solid state drive (SSD) industry, MTBF (mean time before failure) rating, an operating
Intel has at its disposal a market which it can address temperature range of 0 to 70 oC, and 2.7 G (rms) vibration
with the same breakneck product-cycle as its much larger tolerance.
x86 processor product lines. The most recent roadmap slide
and accompanying information we scored suggests that a Intel is expected to begin production of the SSD 520 series in
successor is already around the corner for Intel's well-received the fourth quarter of 2011.
SSD 510 series high-performance client SSDs that use the
SATA 6 Gbps interface.
ASUS ROG Maximus IV GENE-
As an established player in the solid state drive (SSD) industry,
Intel has at its disposal a market which it can address Z Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-rog-maximus-iv-gene-z-
with the same breakneck product-cycle as its much larger
review/13491.html
x86 processor product lines. The most recent roadmap slide
September 14th, 2011
and accompanying information we scored suggests that a
successor is already around the corner for Intel's well-received
SSD 510 series high-performance client SSDs that use the
SATA 6 Gbps interface.
Probably one of the most anticipated ROG boards ever, the
ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z has hit the market right in time
to bring users all the benefits the Z68 chipset has to offer, as
well as a plethora of overclocking features and connectivity in
a micro-ATX form factor.
Today we take a look at one of the best priced Sandy Bridge
boards to date, the ASUS ROG Maximus IV Gene-Z, a powerful
overclocking board in a tiny package.
To begin we would like to show you a block diagram provided
by Intel, of how the Z68 PCH(platform controller hub)
connects to the rest of the system.
Codenamed "Cherryville", Intel's new high-end client SSD
series is called SSD 520. Its main design goals look to be to
spread the series in capacities both higher and lower than what
the SSD 510 series could address. While SSD 510 is available
only in 120 GB and 250 GB variants, the new SSD 520 will add
a higher capacity variant, 480 GB, and a lower capacity one,
60 GB. A new 160 GB variant is added in the middle, and 250
GB is replaced by 240 GB.
With client SSDs and client environment in general, sequential
transfer speeds are the king, Intel gave out just one set of
sequential transfer rates for the SSD 520 series, 530 MB/s
18
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Dual Channel Memory
Architecture
Supports Intel® Extreme
Memory Profile (XMP)
* Hyper DIMM support
is subject to the physical
characteristics of individual
CPUs.
* Refer to www.asus.com or
user manual for the Memory
QVL (Qualified Vendors
Lists).
* Due to CPU behavior, DDR3
2200/2000/1800 MHz
memory module will run at
DDR3 2133/1866/1600 MHz
frequency as default.
Compared to the earlier P67, the Z68 chipset adds Intel Multi-GPU Support Supports NVIDIA® SLI™
HD Graphics support, as well as Intel Smart Responce Technology
Technology(SSD Caching). Intel probably should have skipped Supports AMD CrossFireX™
P67 and just come out with the Z68 PCH. We see that ASUS Technology
has taken the better route and used the more expensive Intel
PHY for LAN connectivity, and avoided the cheaper Realtek Supports LucidLogix®
chipsets we see on other boards. This motherboard also has Virtu™ Technology
Lucid Virtu technology which allows for switchable graphics, Expansion Slots 2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x16 or dual
but only a HDMI port is used, so maximum resolution will be x8)
1920x1080 for those of you who want to use i-Mode Virtu to 1 x PCIe 2.0 x4
save power. Storage Intel® Z68 chipset :
2 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), red
ASUS ROG Maximus IV
GENE-Z
4 x SATA 3Gb/s port(s), gray
CPU Support Intel® Socket 1155 for
2nd Generation Core™ Support Raid 0, 1, 5, 10
i7/Core™ i5/Core™ i3
Processors Support Intel® Smart
Supports Intel® 32 nm CPU Response Technology on
2nd generation Intel® Core™
Supports Intel® Turbo Boost processor family
Technology 2.0 JMicron® JMB362
* The Intel® Turbo Boost controller : *1
Technology 2.0 support 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s port(s), red
depends on the CPU types. LAN Intel®, 1 x Gigabit LAN
Chipset Intel Z68 Controller
Graphics Integrated Graphics Audio SupremeFX X-Fi 2 built-in
Processor 8-Channel High Definition
VGA output support : HDMI Audio CODEC
port - Supports : Jack-detection,
Multi-streaming, Front Panel
- Supports HDMI with max. Jack-retasking
resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60
Hz Audio Feature :
- X-Fi® Xtreme Fidelity™
Memory 4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3
2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1600/1333
- EAX® Advanced™ HD 5.0
Hz Non-ECC, Un-buffered
Memory
- THX® TruStudio PRO™
19
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Mem TweakIt
- Creative ALchemy ROG Extreme OC kit :
- Debug LED
- Blu-ray audio layer Content
Protection ProbeIt
UEFI BIOS features :
- Optical S/PDIF out port(s) - ROG BIOS Print
at back panel
USB ASMedia® USB 3.0 - GPU.DIMM Post
controller :
4 x USB 3.0 port(s) (2 at back GameFirst
panel, blue, 2 at mid-board) iROG
Extreme Tweaker
Intel® Z68 chipset : Loadline Calibration
12 x USB 2.0 port(s) (8 at Overclocking Protection :
back panel, black, 4 at mid- - COP EX (Component
board) Overheat Protection - EX)
FireWire
- ASUS C.P.R.(CPU
ASUS Unique Features ASUS TurboV EVO :
Parameter Recall)
- CPU Level Up
Back Panel I/O Ports 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse
ASUS Exclusive Features : combo port(s)
- MemOK! 1 x HDMI
- Onboard Button : Power/ 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s
Reset/Clr CMOS (at back IO)
1 x LAN (RJ45) port(s)
ASUS Quiet Thermal
Solution : 2 x USB 3.0
- ASUS Fan Xpert
8 x USB 2.0 (white port can
ASUS EZ DIY : be switched to ROG Connect)
- ASUS Q-Shield
1 x Optical S/PDIF out
- ASUS O.C. Profile
6 x Audio jack(s)
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
1 x Clear CMOS button(s)
- ASUS EZ Flash 2 Internal I/O Connectors 1 x USB 3.0 connector(s)
support(s) additional 2 USB
- ASUS MyLogo 2 3.0 port(s)
2 x USB 2.0 connector(s)
ASUS Q-Design : support(s) additional 4 USB
- ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, 2.0 port(s)
VGA, Boot Device LED)
2 x SATA 6Gb/s connector(s)
- ASUS Q-Slot
4 x SATA 3Gb/s connector(s)
- ASUS Q-DIMM
2 x CPU Fan connector(s)
- ASUS Q-Connector)
Overclocking Features ROG Connect 3 x Chassis Fan connector(s)
Extreme Engine Digi+ :
- 8 -phase CPU power design 1 x S/PDIF out header(s)
+ 4 -phase iGPU power
design 1 x 24-pin EATX Power
connector(s)
- 2 -phase Memory power
design 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Power
connector(s)
20
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
1 x Front panel audio * Kaspersky® Anti-Virus 1-
connector(s) (AAFP) year license
Form Factor uATX Form Factor
1 x System panel(s) 9.6 inch x 9.6 inch ( 24.4 cm x
24.4 cm )
6 x ProbeIt Measurement As you can obviously see the laundry list of features is longer
Points than that of most full sized ATX boards. For a sub $200
motheboard, this has to be one of the most feature packed
1 x Power-on button(s) and value for money product in the market. Of course this
only applies if you are on the Intel side of things, as AMD
1 x Reset button(s) motherboards generally run cheaper.
1 x ROG Connect switch(es)
Sony introduces new VAIO S
1 x Go Button(s)
series notebook with larger
1 x Clear CMOS jumper(s) display
Accessories User's manual Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-introduces-new-vaio-s-series-
I/O Shield notebook-with-larger-display/13541.html
September 14th, 2011
2 x SATA 3Gb/s cable(s)
1 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s)
1 x SLI bridge(s)
1 x Q-connector(s) (2 in 1) With the success of their VAIO S series laptops, Sony
Electronics Asia Pacific has announed their new line-up for
1 x ROG Connect cable(s) the series with slimmer form factor, higher performance and a
larger display. According to the manufacturer, the new VAIO
1 x Cable ties pack(s) S will be available this month.
1 x ROG theme label(s)
1 x 12 in 1 ROG Cable Label(s)
BIOS 64Mb Flash ROM, EFI AMI
BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0,
SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI2.0a
Multi-Language BIOS
Manageability WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOL by
PME, WOR by PME, PXE
Support Disc Support DVD:
- Drivers and applications
* ASUS AI Suite II Sony has announced a new slim, power-packed 15.5-inch
notebook to their VAIO S Series. The new model incorporate
* ROG CPU-Z Intel Core i7 processor and AMD Radeon HD 6630M GPU
with 1GB VRAM and claims to offer superb performance for
* ROG GameFirst Utility both work and play. It features a Performance Switch that
supports Dynamic Hybrid Graphic System which allows users
* Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 to choose between "Speed" and "Stamina" mode for fastest
Utility performance or longer battery life respectively. The VAIO S
Series 15.5-inch offers approximately five hours of battery life
* ROG Mem TweakIt Utility and with an optional Sheet Battery, that can double to 10
hours.
* ASUS AI Charger+
The VAIO S has a 15.5-inch wide screen of 1920x1080 full
* DAEMON Tools Pro high definition VAIO Display Plus with anti-reflective glossy
Standard finish, weighs 1.96kg, and comes with aluminium palm rest
21
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
and magnesium body. It also has backlit keyboard, which
makes it easier to type in dim lit rooms. The new line-up of
VAIO S Series notebooks will be available in Singapore from
September 2011. Pricing details to be announced closer to
launch date.
AMD FX-Series prices revealed
- listed for pre-order
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-fx-series-prices-revealed--listed-
for-pre-order/13540.html
September 14th, 2011
If you are the owner of the stylish Apple iPod Nano, you would
probably want this cool watch kit to make the portable media
The first AMD FX CPUs have shown up for pre-order at
player into a watch. Launched at the recent COMEX Show
Shopblt.com. The three SKUs listed are FX-8150, FX-8120 and
in Singapore, and carried by Tat Chuan Acoustic Pte Ltd in
FX-6100 priced at $266, $222 and $189 respectively. The good
Singapore, the LunaTik is a premium conversion kit designed
news is that the pricing is lower than expected - previously
for those want to convert their iPod Nano as a wristwatch. The
rumoured to be in the $300 to $320 range for the top CPU. The
product comes with a tool kit that lets you screw in the nano
bad news is that such pricing suggests the FX-8150 is unlikely
into the wristband. The LunaTik case is forged from aircraft-
to beat Core i7 2600 in many situations.
grade aluminium with great durability and the straps are made
The first AMD FX CPUs have shown up for pre-order at from compression moulded high-grade silicone rubber with
Shopblt.com. The three SKUs listed are FX-8150, FX-8120 and anti-dust coating while the hardware is made from stainless
FX-6100 priced at $266, $222 and $189 respectively. The good steel. Available in silver, black and red, the LunaTik is retailing
news is that the pricing is lower than expected - previously at S$129 (with GST).
rumoured to be in the $300 to $320 range for the top CPU. The
bad news is that such pricing suggests the FX-8150 is unlikely
to beat Core i7 2600 in many situations.
As always, pre-order prices are normally higher than launch
prices. Hence, we can expect the FX CPUs to sell for even
lesser.
The three CPUs are much the same as revealed by Gigabyte
earlier. FX-6100 and FX-8150 have a TDP of 95W and 125W
respectively. However, FX-8120 has a TDP of 125W at launch,
while a future revision will drop the TDP of FX-8120 down to
95W. There's no indication of shipping dates as of now.
LunaTik lets you wear your
iPod Nano on your wrist
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lunatik-lets-you-wear-your-ipod-nano-
on-your-wrist/13539.html
The other model, which is called TikTok, has a simple
September 14th, 2011
snap-in design that allows the user to quickly and securely
snap the iPod Nano in and out of the wrist dock. It
integrates the media player and transforms it into a modern
multi-function timepiece. TikTok is designed for those who
want to easily transition from clip mode to watch mode.
Moulded from reinforced PC/ABS, the straps are made from
compression moulded high-grade silicone rubber with anti-
With LunaTik's creative watch-kit, you can transform your dust coating and the hardware is stainless steel. The TikTok
Apple iPod Nano into the world's coolest multi-touch wrist is available in black or white at S$69 (with GST).
watch. Distributed by Tat Chuan Acoustic in Singapore, two
models of LunaTik are available now - TikTok and LunaTik.
22
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Microsoft Comfort Mouse 6000
Review: Affordable mouse
that can track on almost all
surfaces
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-comfort-mouse-6000-
review-affordable-mouse-that-can-track-on-almost-all-surfaces/13054.html
September 14th, 2011
Microsoft has recently released a new mouse, the Comfort
Mouse 6000, which features the software giant's Bluetrack
sensor that can track on almost any surface. So how good is the
Comfort Mouse 6000? Find out in the next pages.
Specification:
- Right-handed control
- BlueTrack Technology
- Five customizable buttons
- Detent scroll wheel
First look:
Out of the box, the Microsoft Comfort Mouse 6000 looks like
the Razer DeathAdder (except without the Razer logo) but in
fact iti s actually designed after its Intellimouse Explorer 3.0
older sibling. The mouse features a smooth black plastic body
with rubberized side grips and comes with five customizable
buttons - left, right, two on the side and the scroll wheel. It
feels very lightweight as though it is hollow.
23
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Comfort Mouse 6000 has two well-positioned side
buttons which you can use to go back and forward through
webpages and document with ease.
Sharp launches AQUOS
SH8298U glasses-free 3D
smartphone
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharp-launches-aquos-sh8298u-
glasses-free-3d-smartphone/13538.html
September 14th, 2011
Inside the box, we also find a start guide, a product guide and Sharp has announced their new AQUOS SH8298U glasses-
technical specifications. free 3D smartphone which looks to compete with the LG
Optimus 3D and the HTC Evo 3D. The AQUOS SH8298U will
soon retail in Japan though there is no word as to whether it
will be available in other parts of the world.
24
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
It started from Cupcake (1.5) and then Donut (1.6), Eclair
(2.0/2.1), Froyo (2.2), Gingerbread (2.3), Honeycomb (3.0)
Sharp has recently launched a press conference to announce to the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich. And yes, these are the
their new Android smartphones, and all eyes were on the codenames of the popular Google Android operating system
AQUOS SH8298U which not only features glasses-free 3D and it looks like the next version could well be called "Jelly
technology, but it also has two rear built-in 8-megapixle Bean". According to a reliable source from ThisIsMyNext, that
cameras to capture images and videos in 3D. The AQUOS would be the name of the next version and that it could be
SH8298U sports a 4.2-inch qHD touchscreen display and available to both smartphone and tablet. However, Google has
incorporates 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 512MB yet to finalize the naming convention, although the choice with
RAM, 2GB storage and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. the letter "J" is limited and that Jellybean is most likely to be
According to sources, the Sharp AQUOS SH8298U would be selected.
available in red or white and retail at approximately US$705.
It should be arriving in Japan soon, though there's no word as Meantime, the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich claims to offer
to whether it will be available in other countries. some "game-changing" features, though we would have to wait
till it is available to know, which could be fairly soon. And by
them, Microsoft may have also launched their Windows Phone
Could the next version after "Mango" and Apple, their iOS 5.
Android Ice Cream Sandwich
be Jellybean? Thermaltake Challenger Pro
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/could-the-next-version-after-android- Gaming Keyboard & Black
ice-cream-sandwich-be-jellybean-/13537.html
September 14th, 2011
Gaming Mouse review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-challenger-pro-gaming-
keyboard--black-gaming-mouse-review/13536.html
September 14th, 2011
Google is known for using sweet treats as codenames for the
various versions of theiir popular Android mobile operating
system. And while many of us are anticipating the upcoming
"Ice Cream Sandwich" which claims to offer the best of Tt eSPORTS is a relatively newly found subsidiary company of
Honeycomb, the Android tablet OS, and make them useable Thermaltake, aiming to develop, manufacture and ultimately
on smartphones, it seems that the search engine giant has provide gamers with high quality gaming peripherals. The
already started work on their new version which could be company currently has a long list of high performance
called "Jellybean". keyboards, mice, headsets and other parts. Today we are
having a close look on two of their more popular products,
the Challenger Pro Gaming Keyboard and the Black Gaming
Mouse.
Tt eSPORTS is a relatively newly found subsidiary company of
Thermaltake, aiming to develop, manufacture and ultimately
provide gamers with high quality gaming peripherals. The
company currently has a long list of high performance
25
September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
keyboards, mice, headsets and other parts. Today we are • Body Dimension: 120mm (length) x 70mm (width) x
having a close look on two of their more popular products, 40mm (height).
the Challenger Pro Gaming Keyboard and the Black Gaming
Mouse.
Manufacturer features and specifications
Challenger Pro Gaming keyboard
• Red illumination back light
• 2 x USB 2.0 ports
• User Interface
• Macro Keys
• Multimedia Keys
• 64KB On Board Memory
• On Board Profile Switch
• Backlight switch
• Fan Device
• Windows Dummy Keycaps
• 8 additional removable keycaps
• Tt. Breakaway Gold-Plated USB Connection Cable(2
Meters in Length)
• Tt eSPORTS Dragon-Red key backlighting
• 6 Easy Access Multimedia Keys
• 10 Customizable Macro Keys
• 10 Million Keystroke Lifespan
• Body dimensions (LxWxH): 505x 195x 27mm
• 6,000 RPM Tt. Breeze Hand Cooling Fan (Life
Expectancy of 50,000 hours)
Black Gaming mouse
• Model: BLACK Gaming Mouse (MO-BLK002DT)
• Dominating Gaming Laser Sensor 4000 DPI Engine
(400/800/2000/4000 DPI Adjustable), with Visual
Indicator.
• Ideal for FPS or MMORPG Game Genres, equipped
with Philips 4000 Laser Engine for Optimal Precision &
Accuracy.
• 1.8 meters Braided USB Cable with Gold-Plated
Connector.
• Teflon Material Feet as Extra Layer of Durability and
High Degree of Mouse Handling.
• Superb Customizable Graphical UI for Macro Keys,
Advanced Performance, and Lighting-Effect Options.
• Industrial Grade Rubber-Coating Finish for better Hand
Grip.
• On-Board 64kb Memory Storage for 18 Macro Keys in 3
Game Profiles.
• Weight-In Design for Perfect Handling Mouse
Movement: (5 x 4.5g, up to 22.5g max)
26
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
Nikon to launch a new
mirrorless standard this
week?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-to-launch-a-new-mirrorless-
standard-this-week-/13591.html
September 19th, 2011
Internally we should expect to see Nikon’s Expeed 3 processor
capable of processing 600 Megapixels per second. Both
models are said to shoot video at 1080i60, 1080p30, 720p60,
Several rumours are suggesting that Nikon is about to unveil as well as 640x240 at 400fps and 320x120 at a crazy 1200fps.
its first mirrorless cameras on Wednesday, although so far we Around the back we have a 3in LCD screen with unknown
don’t have a complete picture of what to expect. What is clear resolution and the V1 will also sport an EVF (Electronic View
is that the expected two new camera bodies not will feature an Finder). Neither model will support Nikon’s standard Flash
APS-C size sensor, instead we can expect something that ends hotshoe, but the V1 is said to have some kind of accessory port,
up somewhere between compact digital cameras and the 4/3 whereas the J1 will feature a built in flash.
format. Four new lenses are said to launch alongside the new cameras
system, a 10mm f/2.8 pancake lens, a 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 VR
lens, a 10-110mm f/4.5-5.6 VR lens and a 30-110mm VR lens.
Several rumours are suggesting that Nikon is about to unveil There will also be an adapter for Nikon’s F-mount lenses.
its first mirrorless cameras on Wednesday, although so far we
don’t have a complete picture of what to expect. What is clear Both models are said to come in several colour options, with
is that the expected two new camera bodies not will feature an the V1 being available in black or white and the J1 in red,
APS-C size sensor, instead we can expect something that ends pink, silver, black and white. We shouldn’t have to wait long
up somewhere between compact digital cameras and the 4/3 to see how this plays out, but it’s getting a little bit annoying
format. with all these new lens mount systems, as they’re anything
but interchangeable. In as much as the m4/3 standard has
The first two cameras in what is likely to be called the Nikon CX its flaws, it’s at least a standard supported by more than one
line of cameras should simply be called the V1 and J1. The new company and we’d really like to see the camera manufacturers
cameras are rumoured to have a crop factor of 2.6x compared work towards more common standards, especially considering
to the 4/3 formats 2x crop factor. Nikon hasn’t gone crazy the cost of lenses which is the only investment that’ll last you
with the Megapixel count either, as the new cameras get to through several camera bodies.
make do with 10.1 Megapixels, which is probably a good thing
considering the relatively small sensor. What isn’t clear is if
we’ll see a CCD or CMOS sensor, so that’s something we’re Gears of War 3 Singapore
going to have to wait and find out about.
Launch
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gears-of-war-3-singapore-
launch/13590.html
September 19th, 2011
1
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Good news for fans of the Xbox 360 Gears of War series. This The fans turned up in full-swing, and it was even more
evening, at Funan DigitaLife Mall in Singapore, marked the amazing to see the number of people who didn’t pre-order the
launch of the highly anticipated third-person shooter game, game lining up to get it” said Ben Tan, general manager of
which is also the last of the trilogy. So, have you ordered your Microsoft’s retail sales and marketing division, Asia Pacific,
copy? presenting the Epic Edition box to Ten.
A look at the Gears of War 3 babes:-
At the Funan DigitaLife Mall in Singapore, over 1,000
fans stood in line at the main atrium for the highly anticipated
Xbox 360 game, Gears of War 3. Apparently, the queue began
to form on 3pm Sunday, 18 September with hardcore fans Canon PowerShot SX150 IS
waiting to be the first to get their hands on the game, which
officially launched at 8pm today. On top of that, fans also
selling for $369
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-powershot-sx150-is-selling-
get a first-look at the game, hands-on gameplay and on-stage
for-369/13589.html
activities including a special appearance by Marcus Fenix.
September 19th, 2011
Here's a video of the countdown of the Gears of War 3 launch:-
Canon PowerShot SX150 IS, Canon's latest addition to the
family of long-zoom PowerShot cameras. The 14.1 megapixel
PowerShot SX150 IS is an affordable all-rounder camera that
delivers high zoom shooting with 12x optical zoom capabilities,
HD movie recording and offers you creative freedom with
Full Manual controls. The SX150 IS is priced at $369, and is
currently available for retail.
22-year old William Ten was the first person in Singapore to
receive the Gears of War 3 Epic Edition from Marcus Fenix
and Microsoft representatives. Ten also get the survivor kit, an
autographed poster and a “Gears of War 3” hoodie, worth close
to S$200. An additional 50 fans who were amongst the first
in queue also walked away with an autographed poster and a
“Gears of War 3” hoodie.
"While Gears of War 3 was one of the most anticipated games
of the year, the turnout today far surpassed all expectations.
2
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 19th, 2011
Another Optimus smartphone has emerged from Korean
manufacturer LG, and this time it is the Optimus Q2. The
Optimus Q2 is based on Google's Android operating system
and features Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and has a
slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
Canon PowerShot SX150 IS, Canon's latest addition to the
family of long-zoom PowerShot cameras. The 14.1 megapixel
PowerShot SX150 IS is an affordable all-rounder camera that
delivers high zoom shooting with 12x optical zoom capabilities,
HD movie recording and offers you creative freedom with Full
Manual controls.
Today, LG has unveiled their latest Optimus Q2 high-end
• 12x optical zoom Android smartphone with a slide-out keyboard. The new
• 14.1 megapixels member in their LG Optimus line of smartphones features
1.2GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and 4-inch IPS
• Intelligent IS touchscreen display. The 4-inch IPS screen boasts 700 nits
brightness which offers a clear view even under sunlight.
The SX150 IS is priced at $369, and is currently available for
The smartphone also incorporates a 5-megapixel rear and
retail. More information here.
VGA front cameras, Wi-Fi Direct capabilities that allow Wi-Fi
devices to talk to each other without the need for access points.
LG unveils Optimus Q2 The LG Optimus Q2 is reported to launch soon in USA and
carried by Sprint.
Android phone with QWERTY
keyboard
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-unveils-optimus-q2-android-phone-
with-qwerty-keyboard/13588.html
3
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
on sale in the US on the AT&T network last week on 14th
September, and the company said that the Xperia PLAY will
launch in Japan with NTT DOCOMO in Autumn 2011.
Canon Singapore launches
PowerShot SX150 IS compact
camera
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-singapore-launches-powershot-
sx150-is-compact-camera/13586.html
September 19th, 2011
Lode Runner X to be exclusive
on Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY,
and other Xperia devices Canon Singapore has announced the new PowerShot SX150
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lode-runner-x-to-be-exclusive-on-sony-
IS compact digital camera that features one-touch high
ericsson-xperia-play-and-other-xperia-devices/13587.html
definition (HD) movie button and long-zoom capabilities at an
September 19th, 2011
affordable price. The PowerShot SX150 IS is available now at
all Canon authorized dealers.
Owners of Sony Ericsson Xperia range of Android phones
would be pleased to know that the Lode Runner X game from
Tozai Games will be exclusive on the smartphones. The Lode
Runner X game is scheduled to be available from November
this year.
Canon Singapore has unveiled the PowerShot SX150 IS
compact camera which claims to offer 14.1-megapixel sensor,
12x optical zoom (28-336mm), and has a dedicated Movie
Button to record 720p high definition (HD) movies. With a
powerful 12x zoom, 28mm wide-angle lens, it lets users shoot
landscapes, building and people easily. The digital camera
Lode Runner is a popular 1983 platform game which was first also incorporates electronic wind filter that can suppress wind
published by Brøderbund. It is one of the first early games noise that muffles or distorts sound, and built-in Intelligent IS
to be released with a level editor which supports keyboard (Image Stabilizer) for minimized camera shake.
and joystick controls. (Tozai Games and Lode Runner are The Powershot SX150 IS comes with 32-Smart Auto Scene
trademarks of Tozai, Inc. registered or protected in the US and detection options including sunset, clear skies, and backlit
other countries). that provide optimized camera settings for best results.
Sony Ericsson has announced their collaboration with Tozai Photographers can also enhance their images using the eight
Games to bring the critically acclaimed console hit and gaming in-camera Creative Filters to add effect to the original images -
franchise “Lode Runner” to Android devices, for the first time, Toy Camera, Monochrome, Miniature, Fish-eye, Super Vivid,
and helps to build the Xperia PLAY's list of over 150 optimized Poster, Color Swap and Color Accent. There is also the new
titles. The Lode Runner X will be available from November Photo Book function that allows users to pre-select their
2011 and exclusive on the Xperia PLAY and other Xperia favorite shots in-camera to facilitate the easy creation of photo
devices. The Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY has recently gone books. The new Canon PowerShot SX150 IS also operates
4
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
on AA batteries for added convenience and comes with the updated graphics and multimedia processing hardware in the
optional high power flash HF-DC2 slim and portable slave upcoming Ivy Bridge series of processors, expected to hit the
flash with enhanced sync performance and a wider flash shelves about half a year from now.
coverage of up to 24mm (with attached wide panel).
It wasn't the fact that the new chip will have graphics far
The Canon PowerShot SX150 IS is now available at all
faster - some expect at least double, and much more in some
authorized Canon retail stores at the recommended retail
operations - than the Sandy Bridge, or the full DirectX 11
selling price of S$369. Pricing and availability of the optional
and DirectCompute capability, with an OpenCL port to follow.
high power flash HF-DC2 will be confirmed at a later date.
Neither was it the much tighter connection to the L3 cache for
more usability in graphics tasks.
LG to introduce Street Fighter
IV on upcoming high definition
smartphones
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-to-introduce-street-fighter-iv-on-
upcoming-high-definition-smartphones/13585.html
September 19th, 2011
LG Korea has announced that it has entered into an exclusive
deal with Japanese game developer Capcom to introduce
their popular Street Fighter IV game on their high definition
Android smartphone. Details inside.
It's the vastly improved display capability, and associated ultra
high resolution video processing, of the new chip - in fact, so
high it stands on an equal footing with the fastest high end
discrete GPUs in this particular measurement: the 4K display
resolution. Take a look at their Multi Format Codec or MFX
engine, capable of playing multiple 4K videos at the same time,
even a wall of them, as Intel says.
Today, LG Korea announced that it has entered into an
exclusive deal with Japanese game developer Capcom that
gives LG the exclusive rights to their popular Street Fighter IV
game on their first high definition (HD) Android smartphone
for three months after its launch. Debuted in 1987, the
Street Fighter series is found on millions of game consoles
and in arcades all over the word, though it has not been
offered on the Android platform yet. Street Fighter IV will
make its Android smartphone debut on LG’s global apps site
(www.lgworld.com) in the fourth quarter this year.
Post-IDF bites: Ivy Bridge GPU
to support 4Kx4K displays!
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/post-idf-bites-ivy-bridge-gpu-to- Not only can the MFX engine display up to 4096 x 4096 pixels
support-4kx4k-displays-/13584.html on a single monitor, but it can also handle video processing
September 19th, 2011 for 4K QuadHD video as well. Remember when, two years ago,
With all the hustle and bustle of IDF, one piece of news, gently Jen Hsun Huang at Nvidia for the first time encouraged 4K
unveiled in one of side technical sessions at the conference, resolution - at that time 3840x2400 or as he called it XHD2,
mostly passed unnoticed. It was a particular detail about the for ultra realistic gaming too, to use the extra pixels to justify
5
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
the high end card need? Now, what a fate, Intel is making it real • Dual 12cm viper yellow fans
on the - integrated graphics platform, of all. Now, can we have
back those 16:10 3840x2400 or, better, 4096x2560 monitors? Socket type Intel LGA775, LGA1155,
LGA1156, LGA1366 &
LGA2011
AMD Socket AM2, AM2+,
AM3 & FM1
Cooler dimensions 131 (W) x 129.5 (D) x 163.5
(H) mm
Heatsink material High grade aluminium fins,
copper heatpipes
Weight 1065g
Installation Screws and backplate (Intel &
AMD)
Fan dimension 120 x 120 x 25mm
Fan speed 600-1900 RPM (PWM
controlled)
Max airflow 83.63 CFM
Max air pressure 2.98 mm H2O
Noise level 6.9 - 28.9 dB(A)
Voltage rating 12V DC
Bearing type HDB (Hydro Dynamic)
Akasa Venom Voodoo CPU Fan life expectancy 50,000 hours
Cooler Review Fan connector 4pin PWM
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/akasa-venom-voodoo-cpu-cooler- Product code AK-CC4008HP01
review/13583.html
September 19th, 2011
Logitech G9x Gaming Mouse
Review: With interchangeable
grips and weight-tuning
Adept PC users are rarely satisfied with the factory options
bundled CPU cooler, being it because of the performance, Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-g9x-gaming-mouse-review-
noise and/or aesthetics, creating a great demand for good with-interchangeable-grips-and-weight-tuning-options/13233.html
aftermarket cooling solutions. Out of the many products September 19th, 2011
currently available, today we are having a close look at the
latest offering from Akasa, the Venom Voodoo CPU cooler,
which is boasting exceptional performance and socket LGA
2011 support.
Adept PC users are rarely satisfied with the factory bundled Logitech, one of world's largest manufacturers of computer
CPU cooler, being it because of the performance, noise and/ peripherals from mice to multimedia speakers, is known
or aesthetics, creating a great demand for good aftermarket for their line of "G-series" gaming peripherals. What we
cooling solutions. Out of the many products currently have today is the not-so-new Logitech G9x which features
available, today we are having a close look at the latest offering interchangeable grips, weight-tuning options and more. Let's
from Akasa, the Venom Voodoo CPU cooler, which is boasting go into the details.
exceptional performance and socket LGA 2011 support.
Introduction:
The gaming market is booming, and it is no wonder
Manufacturer features and specifications peripherals makers like Logitech is coming up with more
gaming products for the hardcore gamers. Their G series mice
• Performance 12cm PWM fan in killer Viper yellow are widely received and this year, the company has given their
• 6 high capacity heatpipes with direct CPU contact G9 an upgraded sensor and called it the G9x. The G9x claims
to have sensitity of up to 5700 dots per inch (DPI). The
• Award winning S-FLOW fan blades provide 30% more Logitech G9x comes packed in fancy green and orange box
airflow with a large transparent area that displays the mouse and
6
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
for users to get a feel of how the mouse feels like. Opening
the flap revealed an additional grip and an explanation of the
difference and main features of the mouse.
Features and Specification :
Interchangeable grip
Next-generation gaming laser
Onboard memory
Weight-tuning system
Custom-colour LEDs
On-the-fly adjustable DPI
Resolution 200-5700 DPI
Image processing 12 Megapixels/second
Maximum acceleration 30G
Maximum speed Up to 165 inches (4.19m)/
second
Polling rate 1000 Hz
Dynamic coefficient of 0.09
friction
Static coefficient of friction 0.14
Tuning weight Up to 28 grams
Button durability (Left/Right) 8 Million clicks
Mousefeet durability 250 Kilometres
Inside the packaging, there is a small tin box and an envelope
containing a user's guide, a Logitech Setpoint disc, a quick
guide, a USB usage and Logitech contact leaflets.
7
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCU Memory
Type
DDR3 GDDR5
Silent Review Memory 1GB
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-engts450-directcu-silent- Size
review/13157.html The full specifications of the ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent
September 19th, 2011 are as follows:
Nearly all modern GPUs are designed for use with active Graphics Engine NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
cooling systems, in order to allow for desirable levels of Bus Standard PCI Express 2.0
performance within a reasonable form factor. To take a GPU
Video Memory GDDR3 1GB
intended for active cooling and cool it passively would entail a
compromise in performance, size, or both. Engine Clock 594 MHz
Shader Clock 1189 MHz
The passive graphics card we're looking at today is ASUS'
Memory Clock 1.6 GHz ( 800 MHz GDDR3 )
ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent. While the GeForce GTS 450 is
by no means the fastest GPU around, its relatively low TDP Memory Interface 128-bit
of 106W (for NVIDIA's reference design) makes it a good Interface D-Sub Output : Yes x 1
candidate for passive cooling. DVI Output : Yes x 1 (DVI-I)
HDMI Output : Yes x 1
Software ASUS Utilities & Driver /
AIWI software
ASUS Features DirectCU Silent Series
Dimensions 5.936 " x 4.375 " Inch
Note This card doesn't need extra
power supply,
it's the best choice for user to
upgrade
Qualcomm reveals future
plans, we give you the details
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/qualcomm-reveals-future-plans-we-
give-you-the-details/13581.html
September 19th, 2011
In the case of the ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent, ASUS has Earlier this week Qualcomm hosted its Innovation Qualcomm
decided to sacrifice performance instead of size. The core event in Istanbul where the company unveiled details of some
clock on this card is ~25% slower than NVIDIA's reference of its upcoming products, including a 2.5GHz next generation
speed. ASUS has also opted to use DDR3 memory, which has Snapdragon SoC. However, a lot of details were left out, but
lower power consumption but also much lower bandwidth VR-Zone is here to help fill in the blanks as to what to expect
than GDDR5 memory. from Qualcomm over the next couple of years.
In terms of performance, the reference GTS 450 sits roughly
in between AMD's HD 5770 and HD 5750 (now renamed the From the event we know that Qualcomm is getting ready to
HD 6770 and HD 6750 respectively). launch a 28nm SoC with clock speeds of up to 2.5GHz in
ASUS NVIDIA Gainward single, dual and quad core versions, all with next gen Adreno
ENGTS 450 GeForce GeForce dual or quad core graphics. However, the company didn't say
DirectCU GTS 450 GTS 450 GS much more and some publications made the assumption that
Silent GLH Qualcomm would have a quad core solution for phones out by
Core Clock 594MHz 783MHz 930MHz early next year. Well, sadly this isn't the case for those of you
that are longing to get your hands on a quad core phone, but
Shader 1188MHz 1566MHz 1860MHz
let's not get ahead of ourselves, instead, let's start from the top.
Clock
Memory 800MHz 902MHz 1000MHz The current series of Snapdragon SoC's from Qualcomm are
Clock (1600MHz) (3608MHz) (2000MHz) known as the S3 class, also known as Scorpion and here we're
(effective) talking about chips like the current MSM8660 and MSM8260
as well as the APQ8060 which lacks baseband support. These
Memory Bus 128-bit
8
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
SoC's can be found in a wide range of devices from HP's now where there's room for additional chips that will handle the
defunct TouchPad to HTC's Sensation and EVO 3D. They're connectivity. The APQ8064 is similar to the MSM8960, as it's
all 45nm dual core parts with Adreno 220 graphics and a core a 1.5 to 1.7GHz SoC, although with a pair of additional cores
clock speed of between 1.2 and 1.5GHz. and 2MB L2 cache. It features Adreno 320 graphics, but it
also offers SATA and PCI Express connectivity, something the
MSM chips lack.
Things brings us to the 2.5GHz monster, well, it might in fact
be even faster as it's not expected to arrive until the second
half of 2013. The model in question is the APQ8094 and it'll
support either 800MHz dual channel LPDDR3 memory, or
dual channel 1333MHz PCDDR4 memory, or in other words,
standard desktop DDR4 memory. Apparently by then, desktop
memory will be so low power that it will be just as good to use
in a tablet as low power mobile memory. Here we're looking
at an Adreno 420 GPU which is said to be capable of 400
million triangles per second. Beyond that we don't' have too
many details about this upcoming chip, but it'll offer SATA
connectivity just like its predecessor and apparently it'll do 3D
video at 60fps in 1080p.
The next generation of Snapdragon chips will be the S4 class, We'll be following up this article with a closer look at
as Qualcomm are keeping things simple when it comes to its Qualcomm's more affordable options next week, although as
naming schemes, although these chips are more commonly always when we're diving into roadmaps, things are likely
known as Krait. The first new Krait SoC's to arrive is the going to change before most of these products arrive and we've
MSM8260A, MSM8660A and the MSM8960, all of which are already seen that some of the models covered here have had
28nm dual core parts with a clock speed of 1.5 or 1.7GHz and their specs changed from earlier roadmaps. That said, it looks
1MB of L2 cache. All three models sports support for dual like Qualcomm has some interesting products coming over the
channel 500MHz LPDDR2, faster Adreno 225 graphics said to next couple of years, but the real question is, is it going to
be good for 125 million triangles per second. The MSM8960 be good enough, as the company is getting more and more
should also come in a version with a faster Adreno 330 GPU competitors and none of them are resting on their laurels.
capable of some 200 million triangles. Image courtesy of Pocket-Lint
The main difference between the MSM8260A and
MSM8660A is that the 8260A supports dual-cell HSPA+ and
TD-SCDMA, whereas the 8660A supports HSPA+ and various IDF Day 3: Multi Core, Many
EV-DO standards mostly used in the US. The MSM8690
sports LET in addition to the connectivity options on the
Core and Many More
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-3-multi-core-many-core-and-
other two models and will be available with either CDMA or
many-more/13580.html
UMTS in addition to LTE. All three models should enter mass
September 19th, 2011
production next quarter, although devices based on these dual
core SoC's aren't expected until the second quarter of next
year.
As far as phones are concerned, this is as much as we get for
all of 2012, but in early 2013 Qualcomm is expecting to launch
its first quad core phone SoC, the MSM8974. This isn't the More apps coming, according to Intel's Justin Rattner. Look
2.5GHz chip the company has been talking about, but instead at China Mobile LTE 4G base station in a multi-core PC, and
a slightly slower 2GHz part with 2MB L2 cache. It will support Pentium-class mini PC running off a small solar cell
dual channel 800MHz LPDDR3 memory and comes with a The last day of every IDF is usually reserved for a more
faster Adreno 330 GPU core which is capable of 200 million relaxed 'future looking' keynote, delivered as usual by Intel's
triangles per second. It will support the latest LTE and CD- CTO Justin Rattner - a happy research bloke whose cheerful
HSPA+ MIMO standards and it'll be Qualcomm's first phone disposition, enormous breadth of knowledge, and oh so slight
SoC to sport USB 3.0 connectivity. Some of the more crazy facial similarity to the actor doing the Senator Palpatine role
features Qualcomm is planning to add is 4K x 2K video at in early Star Wars movies, gives him regular following at IDF.
24fps, 1080p video at 120fps or 1080p 3D video at 60fps.
If you're still waiting for the 2.5GHz part, then please bear
with us a little bit longer, as we'll get there in just a
second. Qualcomm's first quad core SoC will be the APQ8064
and as you may or may not know, the APQ models don't
feature any built in baseband technology. As such, the APQ
chips tend to be used in many devices that don't require
internet connectivity, or more commonly as of lately, in tablets
9
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Finally, they are pushing the generic multi-core PC CPU
infrastructure into almost any app - here you see the joint
effort with China Mobile to program the complete LTE 4G
mobile base station software stack into a standard 4-core
Sandy Bridge PC, using the SSE and AVX extensions as a
kind of DSP feature, and reducing the cost of LTE deployment
substantially.
On the other side of the story, Intel was also rapidly
updating their Sandy Bridge GPU drivers to extract maximum
He covered quite a lot on the multi-core evolution at Intel performance, and they recommend the users downloading
ever since the 2005 Core 2 Duo CPU. Interestingly, he omitted the freshest version with 'substantial performance' increases.
those infamous Netburst generation dual die Pentium 4- Same applies to the OpenGL professional application 3-
generation Presler processors in 2004, which at least had some D for apps like Pro/E or CATIA being certified for the
lovely clock frequency records for a while and yes, were seen Xeon version of Sandy Bridge, the E3-1275, providing
as dual core CPUs from the system point of view. The multi- inexpensive competition to Nvidia and ATI cards in the
core general purpose desktop, mobile and server CPUs were OpenGL workstation space, where often just lots of polygons
covered, as well as the many-core MIC add-on card approach and simple texturing, but with guaranteed error free display,
for supercomputing, where the stated goal is to bring the MIC wins over fancy effects of the 3-D gaming world.
many core approach from the HPC niche to the mainstream.
Note that AMD and Nvidia already do that in the mainstream
- partially only, due to incompatible underlying instruction set Overall, a good event with lots of new things, but the
and need for programming in OpenCL or CUDA, rather than next major launches - the Sandy Bridge E & EP high-end
in-line X86 - with their GPUs for a while already. processors, followed by Ivy Bridge, will be the focus over the
next two quarters. Intel seems happy with their clear long term
performance advantage in the mainstream and high end, and
seems to devote quite a bit of their focus now to the emerging
phone and tablet markets, and attempting an aggressive X86-
based entry there.
Canon unveils PowerShot S100
and PowerShot SX40 HS with
new DIGIC 5 image processor
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-unveils-powershot-s100-and-
powershot-sx40-hs-with-new-digic-5-image-processor/13579.html
On the other end of the spectrum, their Extreme Computing September 19th, 2011
team, going beyond all this, showed experiments like very low
voltage threshold transistor usage to create a Pentium-class
(yes, the old P55 MMX Pentium from year 1998 or so, with
matching 13 year old mainboard) processor that takes only 10
mW (miliwatts!) and runs of a single credit card sized solar
cell. The thing ran Windows XP with moving dancing kitten
JPG, but could go up in clock by 10X too, if allowed for the Canon has recently announced two new members in their
voltage to reach the normal level. This all, however, would popular PowerShot series of digital cameras - the PowerShot
need new system infra running at such low voltages too. S100 and SX40. Both cameras incorporate the latest DIGIC
5 image processor that provides enhanced resolution and fast
shooting speeds to photographer enthusiasts.
10
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Canon has announced the feature-packed PowerShot S100 The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is the camera you need to
and PowerShot SX40 HS, which comes equipped with the ensure high quality images, be it shooting at a football game
new DIGIC 5 image processor for superb performance and or at the local zoo.
shooting speed. Both cameras also feature HS SYSTEM, Full Some features of the include:
HD video capture, High-speed Burst HQ and Intelligent IS for
clearer smoother images. - 35x optical zoom range (24mm-840mm) with image
stabilizer and a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor; the
The Canon PowerShot S100, successor to the hugely received camera can capture low-light images of enhanced image
PowerShot S95, has improved features such as 4-120mm wide quality up to ISO 3200.
angle lens with 5x optical zoom, GPS functionality and is - 2.7-inch wide vari-angle LCD for easy viewing of images and
capable of achieving improved low-light performance of up menus from almost any angle.
to ISO 6400, and comes with a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image
sensor. - Improved Smart AUTO settings to ensure the settings are
Available in either black or silver, the estimated selling price intelligently selected based upon the cameras 32 predefined
of the Canon PowerShot S100 is US$429.99 and is scheduled shooting situations.
to be available in early November.
- Zoom Framing Assist button helps the user steady the camera
Some features of this camera:-
when tracking a moving subject at extreme telephoto settings
- 3-inch wide LCD screen for easy viewing of images and menu keeping it in focus.
options.
The estimated selling price of the PowerShot SX40 HS Digital
- GPS capabilities where satellites collect data of the latitude,
camera is US$429.99 and is scheduled to be available in late
longitude and altitude of an image's location, which is then
September.
stored to the image's EXIF data. Map utility software is
included with the camera to view the locations where images
were captured.
- A full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW Thermalright Silver Arrow CPU
+ JPEG and a control ring on the front of the camera for quick,
manual adjustment of key functions such as ISO, zoom and
Cooler Review - Dual 140mm
focus. of Air Cooling Greatness
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermalright-silver-arrow-cpu-cooler-
- compatibility with the HF-DC2 High-Power Flash, which review--dual-140mm-of-air-cooling-greatness/10000.html
is an optional flash accessory that operates wirelessly and September 19th, 2011
increases the effective flash range up to approximately 9
metres.
We at VR-Zone test many combinations of motherboards and
CPU platforms throughout the year, often demanding quick
assembly/disassembly of heatsinks and decent air cooling
performance in order to maximize overclocks in the shortest
possible time. One CPU cooler (among many on our shelves)
that we prefer to use in particular, is the Thermalright Silver
Arrow.
11
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Introduction
Quick run through of the greatest hits from Thermalright
- SK-6, SLK-900, SP-94/97, Ultra-90, Ultra-120 Extreme,
Venomous X, AXP-140, HR02, Archon (review coming soon).
Measuring 147mm x 122.6mm x 162mm (L x B x H), the Silver
Arrow takes up a huge amount of real estate.
Google Nexus Prime with dual-
core processor to launch end
October?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-nexus-prime-with-dual-core-
processor-to-launch-end-october-/13578.html
September 19th, 2011
It was Nexus One, followed by the Nexus S, and it looks like the
next official Google phone could come in the form of Google
Nexus Prime. If online sources are right, we may see the new
Google Nexus Prime smartphone to launch end October or
early November.
Unpacking the contents of the box, we have:
• the Silver Arrow heatsink,
• two TY-140 fans,
• a few installation leaflets, and
• a sealed accessories pack which includes the mounting
kit and fan clips.
According to TheDroidGuy, the upcoming Google Nexus
Prime smartphone which is manufactured by Samsung, would
be first carried by U.S telco operator Verizon in late October or
early November, and then to other carriers. At a recent Verizon
Developer’s conference in Las Vegas, a Samsung executive
showcased the Nexus Prime, though he forbid attendees to
have a closer look at the Android smartphone, nor allow others
to take picture of it. According to sources, the Nexus Prime is
12
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
broader and longer than the Nexus S which is likely due to the Located at #03-32 in Funan DigitaLife Mall, Digital Style
support for 4G LTE. electronics concept store carries the complete range of
consumer electronics products under six categories of
The Google Nexus Prime will come with 4.6-inch Super
Entertainment & Media, Gaming, Home Computing, Mobile
AMOLED touchscreen display, 5-megapixel rear and 2-
Communications, Office & Professional and Ultra Mobile &
megapixel front cameras, dual-core Ti OMAP processor. As
Business. Experiential retail is one key component to the
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich has yet to be out, it
concept behind Digital Style. The store is specially designed to
is possible that the Nexus Prime will run Android 2.3.4
allow shoppers to easily try out products at the kiosk. Be it the
Gingerbread mobile operating system and upgradeable to the
latest speakers for music entertainment or new keyboards for
newer Android version in the near future.
gaming, shoppers are able to mix-and-match and plug-and-
play the gadgets in-store.
The Gaming zone features latest notebooks and desktops
with powerful processors and superb graphics along with
game controllers. The Office & Professional zone showcases
various office productivity solutions while the Mobile
Communications zone is packed with smart phones and
cutting-edge tablets coupled with latest accessories to
complete the entire experience. Across its five lifestyle
categories, Digital Style carries products from all major brands
including Acer, Asus, Blackberry, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, HTC,
Lenovo, Logitech, Microsoft, Motorola, Panasonic, Samsung,
Toshiba etc. Newstead Technologies plans to open another five
Digital Style multi-brand Digital Style outlets islandwide in the next three years.
electronics concept store
launched in Funan DigitaLife
Mall
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/digital-style-multi-brand-electronics-
concept-store-launched-in-funan-digitalife-mall/13576.html
September 19th, 2011
This afternoon, @notebook.com, which is part of Newstead
Technologies, has announced the launch of their first multi- Sony unveils new range of
brand electronics concept store, Digital Style, to provide Balanced Armature In-ear
users with comprehensive consumer-centric experience.
Headphones
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-unveils-new-range-of-balanced-
armature-in-ear-headphones/13575.html
September 19th, 2011
Sony has introduced a new range of Balanced Armature (BA)
in-ear headphones, which includes 11 models featuring its
new BA technology for high performance music enjoyment.
The technological breakthrough revolves around the BA
drivers, which are micro-sized construction that are ¼ the size
of conventional dynamic drivers, yet retaining the ability to
achieve high resolution sound.
13
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Sony says its BA drivers are optimised for music enjoyment, The new Sony Balanced Armature in-ear headphones will be
and located within a sealed housing to reduce the amount of available from all authorised Sony dealers from November
ambient noise, as well as significantly reducing the levels of 2011.
sound leakage - both in and out of the ear. The result is a
deeper and richer sound, allowing for high-quality playback
over a broader sound range across all models of the new Sony ECS X79R-AX Black Series
Balanced Armature headphones. Motherboard Pictured
"With audiophiles and music lovers in general continually in Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ecs-x79r-ax-black-series-motherboard-
pursuit of greater sound quality, the Sony Balanced Armature pictured/13574.html
headphones offers a new holistic auditory experience," said September 19th, 2011
Mr. Yosuke Aoki, General Manager, Personal Imaging &
Sound Asia Pacific, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific. "These new
models will forever change the way one appreciates music by
catering to their individual specific needs."
The 11 models of in-ear headphones are as follows:
• XBA-1, XBA-2, XBA-3 and XBA-4: For high sound Here are the first pictures of ECS' top-of-the-line socket
quality for common listening LGA2011 motherboard, the X79R-AX Black Series. This
• XBA-1iP, XBA-2 iP, XBA-3 iP and XBA-4 iP: Same as the standard ATX form-factor motherboard crams in a ton of
XBA but with a remote control for use with music players connectivity and features to tick all the boxes as far as Intel's
and hands-free talk for smartphones next-generation HEDT (high-end desktop) platform goes. It's
got room for 4-way SLI or CrossfireX, a strong-looking VRM,
• XBA-S65: Waterproof and washable for the sporting and connectivity galore.
consumer
Here are the first pictures of ECS' top-of-the-line socket
• XBA-BT75: Bluetooth wireless headset model LGA2011 motherboard, the X79R-AX Black Series. This
• XBA-NC85D: The smallest and lightest in-ear standard ATX form-factor motherboard crams in a ton of
headphone with digital noise cancelling connectivity and features to tick all the boxes as far as Intel's
next-generation HEDT (high-end desktop) platform goes. It's
XBA-1, XBA-2, XBA-3 and XBA-4 headphones encompass one got room for 4-way SLI or CrossfireX, a strong-looking VRM,
(full range), two (full range + woofer), three (full range + and connectivity galore.
woofer + tweeter), and four (full range + woofer + tweeter
+ super woofer) respectively. This allows music lovers to
purchase the appropriate earphone with a frequency response
that best suits their listening preference. The versions with the
iP designation simply come with additional support for music
players and hands-free talk for smartphones.
Note that the XBA-S65 (Waterproof), XBA-BT75 (Bluetooth) Styled in ECS' signature black, white, and gray color-sheme,
and XBA-NC85D (Digital noise cancelling) features only a the X79R-AX belongs to the "Black Series" line of premium
single full range BA driver for each ear. In the case of motherboards by the company, which helped build the its
the XBA-BT75 and XBA-NC85D, the micro-size of the new image as a premium board vendor. The LGA2011 socket takes
BA drivers does mean that the Bluetooth transmitter and in upcoming Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E" processors, the socket
noise cancellation circuitry respectively are built right into the itself is LOTES-made. The socket is powered by a 14-phase
headphone housing; including their rechargeable batteries. VRM, seven sets of Driver-MOSFETs and chokes on either
sides of the PCB. We can imagine this to be a heavily layered
PCB to keep signaling proper, when you have high-current
electrical components on even the reverse-side of the PCB.
14
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VIA powered Zotac ZBOX nano
appear in Japan
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/via-powered-zotac-zbox-nano-appear-
in-japan/13573.html
September 19th, 2011
After having seen Zotac's dual core VIA Nano X2 powered
ZBOX nano at Computex back in June, we were surprised
when the company launched an AMD E-350 powered model
instead of the VIA mode, but lo and behold, the VIA version has
The CPU socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, two on its arrived, well, at least in Japan. We have as yet to see an official
either sides. Each slot has its own 64-bit wide data path to the announcement from Zotac, but we're sure this will come in due
memory controller, since Sandy Bridge-E packs a hefty quad- time.
channel (256-bit) DDR3 integrated memory controller. Up to
32 GB of DDR3-2400 MHz (via OC) memory can be installed.
The memory slots are powered by a 4-phase VRM. After having seen Zotac's dual core VIA Nano X2 powered
ZBOX nano at Computex back in June, we were surprised
when the company launched an AMD E-350 powered model
instead of the VIA mode, but lo and behold, the VIA version has
arrived, well, at least in Japan. We have as yet to see an official
announcement from Zotac, but we're sure this will come in due
time.
The size hasn't changed, so we're still looking at a
127x127x45mm cube, although the internals have of course
changed quite a bit. A minor cosmetic change includes a yellow
circle, instead of a green one on the AMD powered model.
Around the front, we're looking at an identical setup as well
with a memory card reader, a pair of audio jacks and an IR
receiver.
Expansion slots include four well spaced-out PCI-Express 3.0
x16 slots, which depending on the way they're populated, are
electrically configured (top to bottom) as x16/NC/x16/NC, or
x8/x8/x8/x8, or x16/NC/x8/x8. Switching is handled by new
ASMedia ASM1480 lane switches, that are PCI-Express 3.0
compliant.
There doesn't appear to have been any changes made to the
rear either, as here we find a DisplayPort, and HDMI port,
two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet jack, an
eSATA port and the Wi-Fi antenna. Internally things are quite
different though, as here we find VIA's Nano X2 U4025 dual
core CPU which is clocked at 1.2GHz with an 18W TDP. It's
been paired up with the VIA VX900H chipset, although we
couldn't find any reference to this specific model, nor the CPU
model on VIA's website.
Other expansion slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x1.
15
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
A single SO-DIMM will accept up to 4GB of DDR3 memory
and there's of course space for a 2.5-inch drive. It also sports
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 and just like with the
AMD model, you get an external IR receiver, a remote control It's clear that being in the foundry business is a risky thing,
and a VESA mounting plate in the box. The VIA powered least not looking at the big ups and downs in the market
model goes under the name of ZBOX nano-VD01 and it's which affects a foundry directly when customers end up with
expected to hit retail in Japan later this month for somewhere too much stock of a certain product. That said, since the
around 10,000 Yen (S$162/US$130), although exact pricing early 1980's the year or year growth for the semiconductor
has as yet not been confirmed. industry has grown from US$15 billion to US$314 billion and
it's expected to grow further as we're moving towards more
Global Foundries GTC Taiwan connected devices. Jim Kupec, the SVP of sales and market at
Global Foundries mentioned that today's biggest driving force
2011 for new devices are teenagers and although this might not be
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/global-foundries-gtc- entirely true, a lot of the devices out there are targeting the
taiwan-2011/13572.html younger end of the market.
September 19th, 2011
Yesterday we attended Global Foundries Global Technology
Conference 2011 in Hsinchu, Taiwan and although the
company didn't reveal anything new in addition to what was
announced at its conference in in Santa Clara a couple of weeks
ago, as we didn't attend that conference, we thought we'd sum
up some of the things the company is working on. As always
with these kind of events, only so many details are revealed,
as much of what Global Foundries does are company secrets,
or it's related to its partners products and as such Global
Foundries can't talk about a lot of the specifics. That said, Global Foundries aren't exactly slowing down their
investments as the company is busy investing in all of its
facilities. It's facility in New York reached its “ready for
Yesterday we attended Global Foundries Global Technology equipment” date two months early and Global Foundries
Conference 2011 in Hsinchu, Taiwan and although the should be kicking off test production here this year, although
company didn't reveal anything new in addition to what was this facility isn't expected to go into full production until early
announced at its conference in in Santa Clara a couple of weeks next year. Fab 1 in Germany has started volume production
ago, as we didn't attend that conference, we thought we'd sum of 32nm parts for AMD earlier this year and it's also doing
up some of the things the company is working on. As always some 28nm production tests and it will transition entirely
with these kind of events, only so many details are revealed, to 28nm in the near future. Fab 7 in Singapore has been
as much of what Global Foundries does are company secrets, upgraded to produce anything between 40 and 65nm and
or it's related to its partners products and as such Global is currently under evaluation to move to 300mm wafers
Foundries can't talk about a lot of the specifics. in the future. It's also worth noting that Global Foundries
have several additional facilities in Singapore which are all
production various kinds of solutions such as MEMS and
special components for the auto industry etc.
16
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 19th, 2011
Right alongside the Trinity demonstration, AMD also showed
off its FX CPUs - with competing Intel CPUs by the side.
Two AMD FX CPUs were shown benchmarked against two
Intel Core CPUs, both times the FX CPUs coming out on top.
However, neither victory was comprehensive.
By next year Global Foundries expects to be ramping its 28nm
products and even start some initial 20nm production at Fab
8 in the US. Furthermore the company is expecting to ramp The first benchmark pegged a AMD FX 8-core CPU against a
capacity in Fab 1, 7 and 8 as the company is expecting demand similarly priced Intel Core i5 in Handbrake. While the exact
for what it calls leading edge technology (65nm and below) to models weren't revealed, it is likely a Core i5 2400/2500
increase and this is also where the company is seeing close to and FX-8100/8120 were benchmarked. A 5 minute standard
70 percent of its revenues from. definition was converted at 223 fps on the FX system against
188fps for the Core i5. The conclusion is simple - AMD has a
19% performance/price lead in Handbrake. While Handbrake
isn't as aggressively multi-threaded as Cinebench or X264, it
does respond to multiple threads, giving AMD's 8-cores an
advantage (albeint disproportionate) over Intel's 4-core, 4-
thread Core i5.
The second benchmark involved Dirt 3 running at 2560x1600
with two Radeon HD 6970 cards in Crossfire. An unnamed
FX CPU scored 82.8fps versus 80.9fps for the Intel Core i7
980X. At such resolutions, games are extremely CPU limited,
and slight performance difference does not reveal much.
The benchmarks don't reveal as much as we would have liked,
but there are signs of status quo - Intel leading on performance
and IPC while AMD winning on performance/$ and especially
multithreaded performance.
Global Foundries also addressed the concerns that some
outside observers have had with regards to its High-k Metal
Gate manufacturing process and the company has produced RIM launches BlackBerry
2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 test chip with its 28nm-SLP technology Torch 9860 and BlackBerry
and hit 3GHz with its 28nm-HPP process. That said, AMD's
Fusion processors in the A-series are also built using Global Torch 9810 Smartphones in
Foundries HKMG manufacturing process and despite being
late, the volumes are ramping, although the company wouldn't
Singapore
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rim-launches-blackberry-torch-9860-
go into any specifics here either due to non-disclosure
and-blackberry-torch-9810-smartphones-in-singapore/13570.html
agreements with AMD. All future processors from AMD for at
September 19th, 2011
least the next 12 months should be based on Global Foundries
32nm HKMG process, including the upcoming FX-series and
AMD's next generation A-series APUs.
AMD benchmarks FX against
Intel CPUs RIM today announced the launch of two new BlackBerry 7
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-benchmarks-fx-against-intel- OS smartphones in Singapore, the BlackBerry Torch 9860
cpus/13571.html and BlackBerry Torch 9810. Pre-order for both smartphone
17
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
models start today, with expected availability in Singapore on For more information, visit http://sg.blackberry.com/
September 22nd.
The new BlackBerry 7 operating system has been touted
to offer a significantly faster, and more fluid browsing
IDF Day 2: Mobile Ivy Bridge,
experience. Built on the WebKit browser engine, RIM says its Haswell shows up too
BlackBerry 7 smartphones deliver 40% faster browsing results Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-2-mobile-ivy-bridge-haswell-
than BlackBerry 6 smartphones, as well as optimized zooming shows-up-too/13569.html
and panning for smoother web navigation September 19th, 2011
The ever-popular Mooly Eden keynote show focused on
Sandy / Ivy Bridge ultrabooks and the first showing of working
Haswell system.
The IDF second day is usually as exciting and news-packed as
the first one, especially since other speakers' keynotes may be
more 'liberal' and peppered with more juicy revelations than
what the CEO shows earlier. Mooly Eden, the VP in charge of
the PC Client world - meaning desktops, notebooks and such,
The BlackBerry Torch 9810 is an evolution of the BlackBerry and the man who helped create Centrino, Core and all the way
Torch 9800, which was RIM's first smartphone with a up to Sandy Bridge processors, was there on stage to promote
capacitance touch screen and a slide-out keyboard. Equipped Intel's next big mobile thing, the Ultrabook.
with a significantly faster 1.2 GHz processor under its hood for
a zippy user experience, the Torch 9810 incorporates the same
form factor as older Torch. In addition, the Torch 9810 has
a 3.2" display that sports a VGA resolution of 640 x 480, as
well as a vastly expanded 768MB of RAM and 8GB of onboard
memory.
Now, Mooly has for some time preached a mantra that really
reasonates beyond this whole processor thing: basically, with
the likes of iPod and iPad, and such, the users are becoming
more and more content consumers, not content creators.
The BlackBerry Torch 9860, on the other hand, is a touch-
Then he dabbled into the left brain - right brain balance
only BlackBerry. With a depth of just 11.5mm, the Torch 9860
dilemma, with obvious focus on the right brain, which I have to
comes with an even larger 3.7" display with a WVGA resolution
welcome, myself being a pure 'right brain' left hander. That's
of 800 x 480. The Torch 9860 shares the same 1.2GHz
where the Ultrabook comes as the ideal device - satisfying the
processor and has the same amount of RAM and onboard
practical requirements of the left brain, while providing a tool
memory as the Torch 9810.
to materialise the inspiration from the right brain.
Gregory Wade, Regional Managing Director, East Asia at
RIM, said: "This is an exciting period for RIM and we You may think this doesn't make any sense, but actually it does
are thrilled to introduce two new BlackBerry 7 powered - think carefully, ARM right now has an advantage only in the
smartphones in Singapore. Both of these new BlackBerry 'content viewing' devices like smartphones and tablets, while
Torch smartphones offer a full touch display and feature Intel rules the roost in 'content creation' devices like laptops,
RIM's next generation of hardware and software to deliver the desktops and workstations. ARM wants to somehow go up,
ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity." while Intel wants to expand downwards as well. The promise
18
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
of added creation capability on Ultrabook - a notebook that working fine. Now, we just need more competition to spice up
is barely larger than a tablet, but with full PC capability and the race...
no less sexy looking - appeals to that 'freedom' and 'creativity'
of the right brain. After all, you don't need an 'app store' to
be controlled what you install on an Ultrabook, unlike with a Canon announces new
tablet. LV-8320 LCD multimedia
projector
The technical merits of barely 1 cm thick Ultrabooks still Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-announces-new-lv-8320-lcd-
include a decent dual core X86 CPU, preferably Ivy Bridge multimedia-projector/13568.html
I guess, 13.3 inch or large screen - too bad most are September 19th, 2011
in the infamous moviescreen 16:9 proportion at 1366x768,
unproductive for serious work - and comfortable keyboard
with touchpad for full creative operability. The prizmatic
batteries are now there, instead of curvy ones, and brand
new super thin displays, including the new e-DP kind that
self refreshes the image for lower power use, and thin SSD
drive - the HDD makes little sense here. Knowing that most of Canon Singapore had announced their latest multimedia
these machines will cost above S$ 1,000 in retail, SSD is to be projector, LV-8320, designed for professionals who want to
expected. You can see the various vendors' early models here. do presentations on the go. Weighing 3.4kg, the LV-8320
claims to offer accurate images even under bright conditions,
and features 1280x800 WXGA resolution, 3,000 lumens
brightness and 2,000:1 contrast ratio.
Canon has unveiled the new LV-8320 LCD multimedia
projector that features 1280x800 WXGA resolution, 3,000
lumens brightness and 2000:1 contrast ratio. Weighing only
3.4kg, it is ideal for professionals who need to do presentations
on the go. The projector can project up to 1280 x 800 (WXGA)
resolution and is compatible with modern widescreen laptops
without the need to adjust. At 3000 lumens, projected images
are vivid even under bright environments.
It also incorporates Intelligent Lamp Dimming System that
Frankly, with the 17 W CPU TDP budget in Ultrabooks, yet the adjusts the lamp’s power output to suit the brightness of the
need for performance, I feel the real systems matching all the image, hence reducing power consumption by a significant
requirements will really wait for Ivy Bridge update six months 69%. The projector can also adjust the color to maintain color
from now, not to mention better displays at 1600x900 or even balance at various brightness levels. The lamp has a long
FullHD resolution. lifespan of up to 5,000 hours in Eco mode, and an air filter that
can last 5,500 hours.
Mooly also ran the first fully working Haswell system here, no Users will be able to combine two projections within a single
particular surprises, and the case was closed from the outside. screen, increasing convenience for presenters and adding
The point was that Intel is basically ready, with Ivy Bridge interest to presentations. Users can either choose ‘picture
ramp up not far away, and even Haswell prototypes seemingly in picture’ or ‘picture by picture’. The function also allows
19
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
users to refer to, for example, a video or document, without releasing early in 2012, perhaps announced even as early as
switching out from their presentation. CES 2012 in January.
The projector is also packed with convenient input capabilities
including HDMI, DVI, VGA and S-video. With the Auto Input At this point, a fair bit is known about Trinity. Trinity is
Search, the LV-8320 can automatically identify input signals the successor to Llano, and is likely to be the branded as
without the need to manually switch source input. A built- the next A Series (likely Ax-4xxx). The CPU part of Trinity
in 10W speaker provides amplified audio where needed. The gets a major upgrade, moving from the aging Stars cores to
projector comes with Auto Keystone Correction that can detect AMD's next-gen Piledriver architecture, an enhanced version
the projector’s tilt and correct distorted images. of Bulldozer. Trinity consists to 2-4 Piledriver cores or 1-2
The LV-8320 will be available from 16 September at Piledriver modules. The GPU part gets an upgrade to a Radeon
authorized Canon dealers at the recommended retail price of HD 7000 branded GPU, rumoured to be based on the VLIW-4
S$1,599. architecture currently only available in Radeon HD 6900
series on the desktop. Unlike mobile Llano, which spans
TDPs from 35W to 45W, mobile Trinity is rumoured to scale
AMD demonstrates Trinity from 17W ULV systems all the way to 60W high-performance
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-demonstrates-trinity/13567.html notebooks. While 60W may sound like a lot, it is reasonable
September 19th, 2011 for a quad-core with a full fledged GPU on die.
You can view a video of the demo here, courtesy of Anandtech.
While it doesn't give away much, it does show Trinity running
Deus Ex: HR smoothly with good IQ.
Not far away from IDF, AMD has demonstrated a notebook
running the next-gen Trinity APU, running Deus Ex: Human
Revolution. This is not the first time AMD has showed off Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray
Trinity on a notebook, the first being at the AMD Fusion
Developer Summit back in June. While that was just a video Review: A sleek and elegant
playback, running a modern DX11 game shows that Trinity is Android phone
up and running in force. If all goes well, we could see Trinity Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-ray-review-a-
releasing early in 2012, perhaps announced even as early as sleek-and-elegant-android-phone/13523.html
CES 2012 in January. September 19th, 2011
Last month, VR-Zone was in Tokyo, Japan to learn more about
the design concept and engineering of the new Sony Ericsson
Xperia ray. We also managed to get a a unit for review. So how
good is the Xperia ray with its fairly small 3.3-inch screen and
how does it compare to its larger screen competitors? Read on
to find out.
Not far away from IDF, AMD has demonstrated a notebook
running the next-gen Trinity APU, running Deus Ex: Human
Revolution. This is not the first time AMD has showed off
Trinity on a notebook, the first being at the AMD Fusion
Developer Summit back in June. While that was just a video
playback, running a modern DX11 game shows that Trinity is
up and running in force. If all goes well, we could see Trinity
20
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
"Phone Story" app gets ban in
Apple iTunes Store
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-phone-story-app-gets-ban-in-apple-
itunes-store/13566.html
September 19th, 2011
Developing an iPhone app that criticized how Apple does
business, it is no wonder such app would get the ban. Phone
Story, is the latest victim to be on Apple's ban list as it criticizes
the company in the form of four games with regards to human
rights violation, gadget consumerism and creating e-waste.
Android is growing steadily with recent statistics showing that
the Google mobile operating system has taken 40 percent of
the US smartphone market compared to 28 percent for Apple's
iOS. This year, while we see a lot of new tablet devices, the
phone makers are still churning out new smartphones which
are slimmer and have large displays, and are incorporating
features such as scratch-resistant glass, 3D technologies as
well as high-tech LCD touchscreens for superb clarity and
colors, while maintaining a low power consumption.
Sony Ericsson launched their flagship Xperia arc earlier this
year which measures just 8.7mm thick, has a 4.2-inch display
and weighs 117g. In June, the company unveiled their new
range of phones consisting of the Xperia ray, Xperia active Produced by Molleindustria, Phone Story is a smartphone
and the txt. In this review, we're taking a closer look at the game that "attempts to provoke a critical reflection on its
Sony Ericsson Xperia ray, but before we proceed, here's a quick own technological platform". From the game description,
breakdown of the specifications:- it consists of four educational games whereby player
symbolically complicit in coltan extraction in Congo,
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray
outsourced labor in China, e-waste in Pakistan and gadget
CPU 1GHz Scorpion processor consumerism in the West.
Memory Internal: Up to 300MB free;
RAM: 512MB The developer claims that Phone Story is intended to serve
as a reminder for users of the impact, though indirectly
Screen 3.3-inches (WVGA)
accusing Apple of human rights violation via dangerous
Graphics 854 x 480 extraction of coltan, a mineral used in manufacturing
Display Resolution 8-megapixel camera w/ auto of consumer electronics products, worker abuse under
focus, LED flash questionable conditions at companies such as Foxconn, and
Connectivity 3.5mm audio, microUSB, launching new products every year thus creating more e-
802.11b/g/n waste. Apple has thus ban the app citing reasons including the
Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, aGPS depiction of violence or abuse against children and excessively
Expansion Slot microSD up to 32GB objectionable or crude content.
Battery life 1500mAh rechargeable
Lithium-ion Razer to design the ultimate
Talk time Up to 440 hour standby time;
Up to 420 min talk time Xbox 360 arcade stick with
Platform Android 2.3 Gingerbread community effort
Dimensions 111 x 53 x 9.4 mm Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-to-design-the-ultimate-
Weight 100g xbox-360-arcade-stick-with-community-effort/13565.html
September 19th, 2011
21
September 19th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
At this year Tokyo Game Show, peripheral maker Razer has
announced co-development program with the arcade stick
community to come up with the ultimate arcade stick for
the Microsoft Xbox 360 game console. Beta testing of the
prototype will commence soon.
Razer has announced a program to co-develop the ultimate
arcade stick for the Microsoft Xbox 360 game console together
with the arcade stick community. The arcade stick, developed
with pro-gamer feedback, is currently at the prototype stage.
Up to 200+ specially selected top-seed Street Fighter IV
pro-gamers, influential modders, and members of the arcade
enthusiast community will each be given a Razer arcade stick
to test and provide feedback to further improve it to perfection,
whereupon the final design will then proceed to production.
Members of the arcade community worldwide interested
in participating in this beta program are encouraged to
contribute ideas at www.razerzone.com/bredtofight, along
with a short description as to why they should be selected for
prototype testing. Registrants can also nominate other people
to the program. Up to 200+ successful applicants worldwide
will receive an arcade stick prototype delivered directly to their
homes.
Razer will be launching this non-retail arcade stick closed beta
community program at Tokyo Game Show. Select pro-gamers
and key modders will also be approached to begin beta testing
the prototype.
For more information on the arcade stick or the community
program, please visit www.razerzone.com/bredtofight
22
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
The recent public demonstrations of their Atom solutions over
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication at Intel Developer Forum and Microsoft BUILD conference
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks. also clearly showed Intel is fully behind their Atom chips.
At IDF, Intel has showed a Medfield powered smartphone
and at BUILD, Microsoft has showed a tablet powered
Intel Remains Committed to by a 32nm Atom chip which we believe is a Medfield.
the Atom Brand According to our sources, Medfield is a single-core chip
supporting HyperThreading and Clover Trail is essentially a
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-remains-committed-to-the-atom-
SoC version of Cedar Trail which is dual-core chip supporting
brand/13624.html
HyperThreading.
September 23rd, 2011
AU by KDDI to carry Apple
iPhone 5 in Japan early 2012
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/au-by-kddi-to-carry-apple-iphone-5-in-
japan-early-2012/13623.html
DigiTimes today ran a story about Intel's plans to rename the September 23rd, 2011
Atom brand under the upcoming Cedar Trail platform in 2012,
due to poor brand image of Atom CPUs. We contacted an Intel
spokesperson who responded by saying that there are no plans
to change the Atom brand and that they are on track to launch
new Atom processors in Q4 and more next year. VR-Zone also
had an opportunity to talk to Brian Fravel, Intel’s Director of
Marketing for Brand Strategy and Management who oversees Japanese mobile phone carrier, AU by KDDi, has
the Atom brand. Read more for the interview... recently spilled the beans about the upcoming Apple iPhone
5, as reported by Nikkei Business. However, as opposed to its
DigiTimes today ran a story about Intel's plans to rename the
earlier report that AU by KDDI would be selling the phone in
Atom brand under the upcoming Cedar Trail platform in 2012,
early November, Nikkei said that the telco operator would be
due to poor brand image of Atom CPUs. We contacted an Intel
selling in early 2012 instead,
spokesperson who responded by saying that there are no plans
to change the Atom brand and that they are on track to launch
new Atom processors in Q4 and more next year.
Currently under the Atom brand, there are currently 5
processors series; D, N, Z, E and CE where D is for
performance segment, N and E is for mainstream, Z is for
Battery Optimized and CE is for Consumer Electronics.
VR-Zone had an opportunity to talk to Brian Fravel, Intel’s
Director of Marketing for Brand Strategy and Management
who oversees the Atom brand. He confirmed that Intel
remains extremely committed to the Atom brand and will
continue to do so for 2012 and beyond.
According to Fravel, Atom is doing well in segments such
as Smart TVs where Intel Atom CE 4100 (Sodaville) chips are
powering Google TV and Sony Internet TV. In the mobility
space, Atom will continue to make in-roads into the netbook/ Nikkei Business has earlier reported that AU by KDDI will
entry level desktop space with 32nm Cedar Trail which is be selling the new iPhone 5 in early November. But it seems
expected to launch in Q4 this year. Tablet/smartphones that Nikkei, the sibling entity of Nikkei Business, said that the
with 32nm Medfield SoC are slated for a H1 2012 release, operator would only be selling the highly anticipated Apple
and a tablet/hybrid 32nm Clover Trail succeeding Oak Trail iPhone 5 in early 2012 instead. Softbank has been the exclusive
sometime next year.
1
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
telco operator for the iPhone in the past three years, but it means that we could see the Samsung Galaxy Skin in stores
seems that AU by KDDI, who is the second largest mobile before end 2012.
phone carrier to NTT DoCoMo, has managed to seal the
contract to sell the iPhone 5 in Japan. This could be good news
to AU users, especially those who have switched to Softbank Source: androidpit, gadgets and gizmos
because of the iPhone.
Samsung to launch Galaxy
Skin with flexible AMOLED
screen next year?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-to-launch-galaxy-skin-with-
flexible-amoled-screen-next-year-/13622.html
September 23rd, 2011
The Samsung Galaxy Skin was unveiled at CES 2011 and
features a bendable and foldable display that is able to
withstand hard blows. However, the phone was still in
conceptual stage, though if reports are true, the Samsung
Galaxy Skin could become commercial next year.
Samsung open doors to new
Featuring a bendable, foldable AMOLED display, the Samsung memory fab, starts churning
Galaxy Skin is probably the most flexible mobile phone to
date. Well, if it goes to retail that is. This new conceptualized out 2Xnm DDR3
phone was showcased at Hongik University in South Korea last Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-open-doors-to-new-memory-
June, and at CES 2011. According to Samsung, the Galaxy Skin fab-starts-churning-out-2xnm-ddr3/13621.html
incorporates flexible AMOLED displays, instead of glass, and September 23rd, 2011
is said to use a plastic polyimide substrate. The tests showed
that the displays are able to bend around a cylinder, measuring
just an inch in diameter.
In terms of specifications, the Samsung Galaxy Skin will
sport a 4-inch bendable AMOLED display (800x400), 8- Back in May last year Samsung started building its Line-16
megapixel rear and VGA front cameras, 1.2GHz processor, memory fab and trial production kicked off back in June this
1GB memory, and supports Bluetooth 3.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/ year, followed by mass production in August and the company
g/n connectivity. The phone may not run the new Android has now announced that the Fab has gone into full production.
Ice Cream Sandwich, but a new mobile operating system According to Samsung this is the world's largest memory Fab
called Android Flexy. According to news sources, Samsung and that in itself might be impressive, but what we're more
has already confirmed that the production of these flexible interested in is Samsung new 20nm "class" DDR3 memory and
AMOLED displays will begin in the Q2 2012 next year, which NAND flash which is being made in the Fab.
2
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Back in May last year Samsung started building its Line-16 appears to be pretty much it. We'd expect the chipset heatsink
memory fab and trial production kicked off back in June this to change before the board goes on sale.
year, followed by mass production in August and the company
has now announced that the Fab has gone into full production.
According to Samsung this is the world's largest memory Fab
and that in itself might be impressive, but what we're more
interested in is Samsung new 20nm "class" DDR3 memory and
NAND flash which is being made in the Fab.
As you'd expect, the new Fab is located in Korea and is a part
of Samsung's Nano City complex in Hwaseong. It has 198,000
square meters of workspace and is a 12 story building. In the
Fab Samsung can manufacture over 10,000 12-inch wafers of
2Xnm NAND flash plus an unknown amount of DDR3 wafers.
That's a serious amount of memory and it's easy to see why
Samsung is one of the leading memory manufacturers in the
world.
Samsung is also expecting to move to 10nm class NAND
flash production at the Fab come next year. Additionally the
company will move from 2Gbit DDR3 DRAM chips to 4Gbit
chips later this year, which will be used in 4, 8, 16 and 32GB Around the back the board has four USB 3.0 ports, two
DDR3 DIMMs, although apparently we'll have to wait until USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an eSATA port, three
next year before these hit retail. Samsung is expecting to analogue audio jacks, optical S/PDIF out and a DVI and HDMI
output 50 percent more memory chips by moving from 3Xnm port. It's good to see that Gigabyte has finally given up on the
to 2Xnm and claims that the 2Xnm chips will use up to 40 D-sub connector, although we'd presume that the DVI port
percent less power than its 3Xnm chips. Hopefully from a allows for a D-sub display to be used via an adaptor.
consumer perspective this means that we can look forward to
more affordable SSDs and sustained memory prices over at
least the next 12 months.
Gigabyte's GA-A75N-USB3
mini-ITX motherboard pictured
ahead of launch
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-s-ga-a75n-usb3-mini-itx-
motherboard-pictured-ahead-of-launch/13618.html
September 23rd, 2011
We did find a price as well, as the board is listed for pre-
The GA-A75N-USB3 was announced quite some time ago, order with some online retailers. In Europe the board should
although nothing much have been heard about the product retail for around €100 (S$176) which about on par with the
since. Now picture of an early revision of the mini-ITX competition, although it doesn't make it a bargain, especially
motherboard has appeared over on a Japanese website and considering its fairly basic feature set. We'll have to wait and
although we expect some minor cosmetic changes before see what the official pricing will be once Gigabyte officially
launch, we can't be too far from an official unveiling. launches the board.
The GA-A75N-USB3 was announced quite some time ago,
although nothing much have been heard about the product
since. Now picture of an early revision of the mini-ITX Intel's upcoming Core
motherboard has appeared over on a Japanese website and
although we expect some minor cosmetic changes before
i7-2700K expected to cost
launch, we can't be too far from an official unveiling. more than the 2600K
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-upcoming-core-i7-2700k-
The A75N-USB3 is a fairly basic motherboard, but as such it
expected-to-cost-more-than-the-2600k/13616.html
should also be quite affordable. Standard features include two
DIMM slots, four SATA 6Gbps ports and a x16 PCI Express
slot. We can also spot a front USB 2.0 pin header, but that
3
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 23rd, 2011 This year is The Body Shop's 35th anniversary and
the cosmetic company will be launching their iButterfly Asia
iPhone application in Singapore tomorrow. The iButterfly
Asia iPhone app is designed to engage and reach out to
potential customers with electronic discount coupons, product
giveaways and useful content.
For the longest of times Intel has follow a very linear pricing
model with new faster models entering its price lists at the
same price point as its previously fastest model. However, it
seems like this is all about to change with the introduction of
the Core i7-2700K which is set to launch in about a months'
time, as according to information VR-Zone has been privy to,
the 2700K will be pricier than the 2600K.
For the longest of times Intel has follow a very linear pricing
model with new faster models entering its price lists at the
same price point as its previously fastest model. However, it
seems like this is all about to change with the introduction of
the Core i7-2700K which is set to launch in about a months'
time, as according to information VR-Zone has been privy to,
the 2700K will be pricier than the 2600K.
Sadly we can't reveal the exact price point of the 2700K as it
would get our source in a lot of trouble, but suffice to say, it'll Cosmetic company The Body Shop will be launching the
not end up at the US$317 list price of the 2600K. We'd expect iButterfly Asia iPhone app tomorrow, 23 September, in
the actual retail price of the 2700K to end up somewhere close Singapore. This is the first time the app is coming here,
to US$340-350 at launch, not massive increase in price, but following recent successes in Tokyo and Hong Kong.
still an unusual move by Intel. It's possible that the company The campaign will be running from 23 September to 16
isn't ready to replace the 2600K, although if this is the case, October,coinciding with the ethical beauty brand’s 35th
then this will be the first time we see two K SKU CPUs in the birthday celebrations.
same sub family of CPUs from Intel. The iButterfly Asia iPhone app is designed to engage, capture
The Core i7-2700K will have a base clock of 3.5GHz, up and reach out to potential users via a paper-less "coupon
100MHz from the 2600K, although it's otherwise identical to entertainment". The objective is to catch the "butterflies"
the 2600K. This also means that the highest multiplier is still with each containing a variety of discount coupons, product
stuck at 57x, but we've also heard via the grapevine that the giveaways and beneficial content. The application can be
2700K is proving to be a better overclocker than the 2600K. downloaded for free at the Apple iTunes App Store, and
Intel is apparently cherry picking the best of the best of its supports iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices (with iOS4.2
Sandy Bridge cores for the 2700K, which helps when it comes and above). It works withiin 150m radius of the vicinity of
to the overclocking potential. We shouldn't have to wait too any of The Body Shop stores in Singapore whereby you can
long to find out, as Intel is expect to launch the CPU on the catch the "butterflies". These butterflies are air tags created
24th of October. using augmented reality and location information elements.
The smartphone‘s global positioning system (GPS) and their
Update:Fudzilla seems to have found out a more accurate price motion sensors are then used to "catch" the butterflies. Once
point and claim that the Core i7-2700K should retail for US users have captured their butterflies, they will be able to
$331. redeem for free prizes and great discounts off products at any
The Body Shop outlet. Each butterfly is unique to The Body
The Body Shop to launch Shop brand.
the iButterfly Asia iPhone Throughout the campaign period, consumers can catch these
butterflies using their iPhones and take advantage of iButterfly
application tomorrow Asia-exclusive offers, including 10 grand prizes of S$500
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-body-shop-to-launch-the- worth of The Body Shop products. These special edition
ibutterfly-asia-iphone-application-tomorrow/13613.html butterflies will make appearances throughout the campaign.
September 23rd, 2011 The public can follow The BodyShop Singapore on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/thebodyshopsingapore starting 23rd
September to get instant updates and how-to information on
The Body Shop iButterfly Asia campaign.
4
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
the 64GB model has a max write speed of up to 490MB/s while
the 128GB should be slightly faster at up to 510MB/s. The max
IOPS are slightly lower than for OCZ's other SSD's based on the
OCZ announces second SSD SandForce SF-2281 controller which is surprising, although
caching solution with the the difference isn't that big.
Synapse series OCZ doesn't supply much information with regards to how the
Dataplex caching software works, only that it takes some time
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-announces-second-ssd-caching-
for it to build up the cache, as per any other caching system.
solution-with-the-synapse-series/13614.html
One slightly different feature is that the Dataplex software can
September 23rd, 2011
dynamically handle which is stored on the SSD and the hard
drive, which seems to suggest that frequently used software
might be stored on the SSD rather than the hard drive.
OCZ claims that the drives are available as of now, but we
haven't found anyone listing them for sale and OCZ didn't
reveal pricing. We're going to try to get a unit in for review and
do a comparison with other SSD caching solutions.
If OCZ's RevoDrive Hybrid is outside of your budget, then
its new Synapse series of SSDs might appeal to you as the
new range of drives have been designed specifically for SSD
caching. The good news is that you don't need chipset level
Nikon COOLPIX P7100,
support to take advantage of the SSD caching feature either, as P1200pj, S6200, S8200 on sale
OCZ has integrated software from Dataplex that handles the
caching part.
now
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-p7100-p1200pj-s6200-
s8200-on-sale-now/13612.html
If OCZ's RevoDrive Hybrid is outside of your budget, then September 23rd, 2011
its new Synapse series of SSDs might appeal to you as the
new range of drives have been designed specifically for SSD
caching. The good news is that you don't need chipset level
support to take advantage of the SSD caching feature either, as
OCZ has integrated software from Dataplex that handles the
caching part.
So what makes the Synapse series of SSD's different from Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date for
any other SSD? Well, OCZ are selling them as 64 and 128GB COOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200 officially start
models, but you only get half of that space thanks to 50 today, 22nd September 2011, Thursday. They are going for S
percent overprovisioning. This means that the drive is likely $799, S$629, S$349 and S$519 respectively.
to last longer than the hard drive it'll work in tandem with Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date for
and OCZ claims a MTBF time of 2 million hours, which oddly COOLPIX P7100, P1200pj, S6200 and S8200 officially start
enough isn't higher than OCZ's other SSD's, despite the high today, 22nd September 2011, Thursday.
overprovisioning.
Product Colors Recommended
Specifications
Name Available & Major Retail
Features Price
COOLPIX • Black • 10.1 $799
P7100 megapixels
with 3”
LCD
• 7.1 optical
zoom
• 28mm
wide-angle
to 200mm
telephoto
lens
• Faster
response
and lesser
The Synapse series features SATA 6Gbps interface and both noise
models have a rated max read speed of up to 550MB/s whereas
5
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
• Special COOLPIX • Silver • 16.1 $519
Effect S8200 megapixels
• Black
mode with
• Red
• Tone level • 14x
information optical
display zoom with
• Full HD 25mm
movie wide-angle
recording • Backside
with stereo illumination
sound CMOS
COOLPIX • Black • 14.1 $629 sensor
P1200pj megapixels • High-
• Pink
with 3” speed
LCD response
• 5x optical • Target
zoom with finding AF
28mm function
wide-angle
•
• Brighter Continuous
projection shooting
up to 60” function
display
• Smile
• Project timer
images via continuous
iPhone, mode
iPad or
iPod • Night
Touch* Scene
mode
• Special
Effect • Special
mode and Filter
effect mode
*via
dedicated • Easy
cable Panorama
COOLPIX • Silver • 16.0 $349 • HD movie
S6200 megapixels recording
• Black
with 2.7”
• White • Still
LCD
image
• Blue • 10x during
• Red optical movie
zoom with recording
• Pink 25mm
wide-angle
• High-
Sony ICF-DS15iP clock radio
speed offers great audio experience
response
and alarm to wake you up
• Special Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-icf-ds15ip-clock-radio-offers-
and Filter great-audio-experience-and-alarm-to-wake-you-up/13610.html
Effects September 23rd, 2011
mode
• Hand-
held/tripod
night
landscape
detection
6
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has launched their ‘all-in-one’
clock radio, the ICF-DS15iP, which is sleek, has large volume
output and is compatible with Apple iPod and iPhone devices.
It features Mega Bass and Mega Xpand Sound system, and
comes with a remote control to access the playback and alarm
options easily.
Samsung has unveiled their new ultra slim and stylish
MultiView MV800 camera that features enhanced picture
quality and touch screen technology. The MultiView MV800
builds on the success of Samsung’s dual screen technology and
is the first premium compact model to feature a 3-inch wide
flip-out touch display for flexibility, enjoyment and creativity.
Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has announced their latest clock You can snap a high-angle shot over the crowd or low-angle
radio - the ICF-DS15iP - that features a docking station for shot on the ground to effortlessly frame and capture pictures.
Apple iPod and iPhone devices. With a sleek finish, the new For self-portraits, simply spin the display around. In terms of
clock radio dock may seem small but it is capable of providing specifications, the MV800 features an 16.1-megapixels sensor
more sound options with its Mega Bass and Mega Xpand and 5x optical and 26mm wide-angle zoom lens that can shoot
Sound system and large volume output. Additionally, users superior quality images.
are now able to control the music from anywhere in the room
using the supplied remote control, giving them the freedom to
change the music or turn off an alarm without having to be With the Live Panorama function, you can take photos
in close proximity to the clock radio. The new ICF-DS15iP is of large groups or panoramic view by holding the camera
available in both black and silver and will be available in Asia shutter button, and then preview the entire scene on the LCD
Pacific from October 2011 onwards. touch display. Other features include the Smart Touch 3.0
with Wallpaper user interface that allows user to drag and
scroll through menu options to launch the required feature
Samsung introduces intuitively with just a touch; Magic Frame feature with 12
fun background templates; and Funny Face feature that lets
MultiView MV800 compact you bend, stretch and manipulate portraits by tapping and
camera with flip-out touch dragging to radically distort facial characteristics.
display
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-introduces-multiview- Renesas passes USB-IF
mv800-compact-camera-with-flip-out-touch-display/13609.html
September 23rd, 2011
certification, again
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/renesas-passes-usb-if-certification-
again/13608.html
September 23rd, 2011
Flip-out display on a digital camera for user to capture
pictures even in an awkward angle, isn't a new feature,
However, Samsung has implemented the flip-out touch Although we're not entirely surprised, Renesas has passed
display (including some of the buttons) on the their new the USB-IF certification for its most recent USB 3.0 host
MultiView MV800 compact camera. controllers, the µPD720201 and the µPD720202. We're most
likely looking at the last host controllers to get certification
this year, although we know that both Etron and ASMedia are
looking at the four port market.
7
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Zotac set to launch AMD A75
Although we're not entirely surprised, Renesas has passed
the USB-IF certification for its most recent USB 3.0 host ZBOX, motherboard too
controllers, the µPD720201 and the µPD720202. We're most Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zotac-set-to-launch-amd-a75-zbox-
likely looking at the last host controllers to get certification motherboard-too/13607.html
this year, although we know that both Etron and ASMedia are September 23rd, 2011
looking at the four port market.
Back in March Renesas said it would kick off mass production
of the µPD720201 and the µPD720202 come September and Showing off sneak peeks of upcoming products have become
having passed USB-IF certification it looks like the company quite the trend these days, either on Facebook or Twitter and
is ready to go. Considering that the company (then under the according to Zotac's Facebook page, the company is going to
banner of NEC Electronics) was the first to launch a USB introduce at least one new product tomorrow. So far there are
3.0 host controller, the speedy certification might not be so only a couple of pictures that don't give away too much detail,
surprising, although we have a feeling that the company got just enough to tell us that it's an AMD A75 based product. This
VIP treatment by the USB-IF as well because of its special piqued our interest and we managed to dig up quite a lot of
standing with the USB-IF. details on what Zotac is getting ready to announce.
Showing off sneak peeks of upcoming products have become
quite the trend these days, either on Facebook or Twitter and
according to Zotac's Facebook page, the company is going to
introduce at least one new product tomorrow. So far there are
only a couple of pictures that don't give away too much detail,
just enough to tell us that it's an AMD A75 based product. This
piqued our interest and we managed to dig up quite a lot of
details on what Zotac is getting ready to announce.
We're not quite sure if we'll see more than one announcement
tomorrow, but from what we've managed to dig out, Zotac
will be offering a new ZBOX in the shape of the A75ITX-A as
well as a new mini-ITX motherboard called the A75ITX. The
motherboard in question will of course be the one fitted inside
The two new host controllers will offer two or four ports the new ZBOX. Zotac's Facebook page managed to give away
depending on model and Renesas claim that it offers the the fact that we're looking at a pair of Gigabit Ethernet ports
world's lowest power consumption when it comes to USB 3.0 as well as eight USB 3.0 ports, but nothing much else was
host controllers. This should hopefully mean more interest revealed.
from notebook manufacturers, as USB 3.0 is still far from a
standard feature even on high-end notebooks. The new chips
are also smaller, at 7x7 or 8x8mm compared to 10x10mm for
the previous generations and Renesas has moved away from
expensive BGA packaging to more affordable QFN packaging.
Add to that a claimed performance increase of 20 percent
for reads and 40 percent for writes and it looks like Renesas
has an appealing product on hand. Sadly we didn't see these
kinds of performance boosts in our USB 3.0 host controller As we're looking at yet another mini-ITX board from Zotac,
roundup in which Renesas kindly lent us a µPD720201 host but as always the company has packed in as many features
controller. That said, our SATA 6Gbps bridge combined with as it possibly can. The board has four SATA 6Gbps ports, two
early drivers are likely part of the issue here, although that is DIMM slots and a single x16 PCI Express slot and this is pretty
just speculation from our side for now. much the norm for a mini-ITX board. However, in typical
We haven't heard anything with regards to motherboard Zotac manner, we find a mini PCI Express slot that houses an
manufacturers picking up the new host controllers from 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi card with Bluetooth 3.0, a pin-header for
Renesas, but we have a feeling MSI is in line to move on to two front USB 3.0 ports as well as for two front USB 2.0 ports.
something newer and faster, as the company is still using the Around the back is a single PS/2 port, an additional six USB
older models from Renesas on its motherboards. We'll simply 3.0 ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, the Wi-Fi antennas, a
have to wait and see what host controllers the final X79 boards clear CMOS button, 7.1-channel analogue audio jacks with an
will feature, as that should give us a good idea as to who optical S/PDIF out and a DVI and HDMI port. Oddly enough
Renesas new partners are. No official press release have been there's a jumper on the board that allows the user to select
issued as yet, but both models are listed over at the USB-IF as between DVI or D-sub output for the DVI port, a feature we've
certified. never seen before and that of course still requires a converter.
8
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
definitely worthwhile for customers to purchase V4 now. ESET
NOD32 Antivirus 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$26 while
ESET Smart Security 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$36 on
version 2 estore.
Bose launches Companion 20
multimedia speaker system in
Singapore
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/bose-launches-companion-20-
multimedia-speaker-system-in-singapore/13605.html
Sadly we don't have any details as to what the new ZBOX will September 23rd, 2011
look like, as presumably it'll be bigger than Zotac's current
models due to the more powerful and hotter running CPU. We
can't think of a current ZBOX that would be able to house a
suitable cooler, as not even the 65W APU's would work. As
such we're simply going to have to wait and see what Zotac
launches tomorrow.
Fancy looking for a high-quality audio speakers for your PC?
Well, Bose has launched their new Companion 20 multimedia
Free upgrade to ESET NOD32 speaker systems in Singapore that boast superb performance
Antivirus 5 & Smart Security 5 without the need of a subwoofer. The Bose Companion 20 is
now available at authorized retailers.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/free-upgrade-to-eset-nod32-
antivirus-5--smart-security-5/13606.html
September 23rd, 2011
ESET is set to launch NOD32 Antivirus 5 and Smart
Security 5 in Singapore on 1st October. Meanwhile, customers
who purchase V4 will get FREE upgrade to V5. No pricing
information is being released at this point of time but it is
expected to cost higher than the current V4. Therefore, it is
definitely worthwhile for customers to purchase V4 now. ESET
NOD32 Antivirus 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$26 while
ESET Smart Security 4 (1-User, 1-Year) is going for S$36
on version 2 estore. Atlas Sound & Vision, one of Singapore’s premium audio
visual retailer and distributor, has introduced the latest Bose
Companion 20 multimedia speaker system, which claims to
deliver a new level of performance for two-piece computer
speakers. You can enjoy natural sound without the need for a
separate subwoofer. The Companion 20 system features a new
driver and advanced port to reproduce music across the full
frequency range. Each speaker fits neatly to the right and left
of a laptop or monitor, with the acoustic image being expanded
by a sophisticated implementation of Bose TrueSpace stereo
digital signal processing. The perceived soundstage is wide and
spacious, even with the speakers’ narrow placement.
Additional proprietary digital signal processing and active
electronic equalisation ensures accurate sound reproduction.
At the highest listening levels, there is no distortion – and
when played quietly, music still can be enjoyed with detail and
ESET is set to launch NOD32 Antivirus 5 and Smart Security realism. The new Companion 20 operation is made easy with
5 in Singapore on 1st October. Meanwhile, customers who a small, circular control pod that lets users adjust volume and
purchase V4 will get FREE upgrade to V5. No pricing access one-touch muting. It also offers a headphone jack and
information is being released at this point of time but it is input for an additional audio source; for example an iPhone,
expected to cost higher than the current V4. Therefore, it is iPod or other portable devices.
9
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Pricing and Availability
The Bose Companion 20 multimedia speaker system is
available in silver and retail at S$539 from selected partners
and the Atlas Experience AudioVisual Boutique @ TripleOne
Somerset, and Bose @ Millenia Walk.
Nikon announces new Nikon 1
advanced mirrorless cameras
with interchangeable lens
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-announces-new-nikon-1-
advanced-mirrorless-cameras-with-interchangeable-lens/13603.html
September 23rd, 2011
The Nikon J1 and V1 both feature the new Nikon 1 mount
lens system, 13.2 x 8.8mm CMOS sensor that supports 10.1-
megapixel resolution and high speed EXPEED 3 imaging-
If you have been following the news recently, rumors have processing engine. The J1 is about the size of most mainstream
suggested that Nikon could be announcing new mirrorless compact digital cameras, weighing about 277g (with battery
cameras. And today, in Singapore, the word is finally out. and memory card but without body cap), and features dust
The camera maker has officially unveiled their new Nikon 1 shield glass, electronic shutter and pop-up flash.
advanced mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lens, J1
and V1.
The rear holds the 3-inch LCD display, mode dial
(still image, Smart Photo Selector, movie and Motion
With other camera manufacturers coming up with their Snapshot) and standard buttons including Display, Playback,
mirrorless cameras, it was just a matter of time Nikon would Menu, zoom etc.
launch theirs, and launch they did. The Nikon 1 brand is an
advanced camera with interchangeable lens that claims to
"propose new forms of imaging expression and enjoyment".
The new brand joins the existing Nikon D-series digital SLR
cameras and COOLPIX line of compact digital cameras in
Nikon's portfolio. At launch, the company showcased the
J1 with a minimalistic design and five colors (black, white,
silver, red and pink) that would appeal to casual users; and
the V1 (in black or white) is designed for photographers
enthusiasts and comes with an electronics viewfinder. With
this announcement, one can't help but wonder if Canon would
also be going the mirrorless camera way.
*Above pic - the Nikon V1 with the Olympus E-P3 and the
Olympus XZ-1
10
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
We noticed that the shooting modes like Programmable,
Manual, Aperture and Shutter Priority are not found on the
mode dial of both the J1 and V1. Apparently, these modes are
located within the onscreen menu options, which can be a
slight hassle for photographers who want to access them.
Report: AMD FX release date
and prices
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-fx-release-date-and-
prices/13604.html
September 23rd, 2011
The Nikon V1 is a little bigger than the J1 sibling and has a
protrusion at the top that houses the electronic viewfinder. It
Earlier this month, shopblt.com jumped the gun and listed
also does not have the pop-up flash, although in its place is a
AMD FX CPUs for pre-orders (the listing has since been
Nikon 1 proprietary hot shoe for other camera accessories such
pulled) giving us an idea of prices for the first FX CPUs.
as an external flash unit. It would be interesting to see how
DonanimHaber now reports prices for the same three SKUs.
well the Nikon V1 would sell as compared to the J1, especially
The top FX-8150 will purportedly retail for $245, FX-8120 at
when it does not have a built-in flash for users who may want
$205 and FX-6100 at $175. These three CPUs are set to release
to shoot pictures at dim lighting environment. At press time,
on October 12th.
the company did not announce the local retail price, and as for
availability, both the J1 and V1 are scheduled to be available in Earlier this month, shopblt.com jumped the gun and listed
end October (or later). AMD FX CPUs for pre-orders (the listing has since been
pulled) giving us an idea of prices for the first FX CPUs.
DonanimHaber now reports prices for the same three SKUs.
The top FX-8150 will purportedly retail for $245, FX-8120 at
$205 and FX-6100 at $175. These three CPUs are set to release
on October 12th.
This pegs the FX-8150 somewhere between Core i5 2500K and
Core i7 2600K. However, with the Core i7 2700K incoming,
the Core i7 2600K might just drop in price to compete with
FX-8150. The FX-8120 will directly compete with Core i5
2500(K), while the FX-6100 will directly replace the Phenom
II X6 1100T - which features the same number of cores at an
identical clock speed - and take on the recently released Core
i5 2320.
11
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Quad-core FX-4100 series CPUs are expected to release later the mobile phone market. Prior to the news of acquisition,
in the year, with a family-wide refresh (rumoured to be with Samsung increased its support for other operating systems -
a new stepping) expected in Q1 2012. Featuring high clocks the company will be launching three new Bada smartphones
and reasonable prices, FX-4100 series could be an interesting in October.
choice for gamers on a budget.
Diablo 3 Closed Public Beta
Samsung to open source Commences
Bada, rely less on Google Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/diablo-3-closed-public-beta-
Android commences/13600.html
September 23rd, 2011
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-to-open-source-bada-rely-
less-on-google-android/13602.html
September 23rd, 2011
If you have signed up for Blizzard's Diablo 3 closed public beta,
you may want to check your email now; you could be selected
to participate in this game test. As a beta participant, you will
With Google acquiring Motorola, it looks like Korean company
get to play as one of the five heroes classes and part of Act I
Samsung plans to open source its Bada platform next year.
of the game.
The move is to get more manufacturers and developers to help
grow the Bada ecosystem, and also to be less reliant on the
Android mobile operating system.
It was a long wait, but the highly anticipated Diablo III role-
playing game from Blizzard may be launched soon. Today, the
company has launched their closed public beta for the game,
and if you have signed up for it, check your email or log in to
your Battle.net account now. You could be the lucky selected
participant for the game test.
Google's acquisition of Motorola has created a huge impact, According to the email from Blizzard, the selected beta tester
especially to mobile phone makers. And Korean company will get to check out all the five hero classes -- barbarian, witch
Samsung is planning to open source its Bada platform doctor, wizard, monk, and demon hunter - and fight his or
next year to garner support from other manufacturers and her way through part of Act I and go head-to-skull against
developers, and to be less reliant on the Android operating the Skeleton King either alone or in cooperative mode with
system. Although no concrete details is available at press other adventurers. On top of that, the tester will also get to
time, Samsung currently has no intention to acquire software meet up with some of the artisans, followers, and other key
company; not even HP's webOS. characters from Sanctuary, and try out the game's skill and
crafting systems.
Once the Bada platform has been made open-source, mobile
phone and set-top box manufacturers are free to use and For those who have signed up for the Diablo 3 closed public
modify the system, and hopefully attract more developers beta, simply log in to Battle.net and click the "Account" button.
to create applications and grow the Bada ecosystem. In If you have been selected, the Diablo III Beta game account
August, Google acquired Motorola for US$12.5 billion and should be listed under "Your Game Accounts". And for this
critics are worried that Motorola would be the search engine group of users, simply verify their age and select the operating
giant's "direct descendant" with priority to the latest version system to download the beta client (Windows or Mac). (Sorry
of Android. If Samsung continues to rely too heavily on for those who didn't get selected).
Android, it could put the company at a disadvantage in
12
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Nvidia unveils fifth core in Kal-
El
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-unveils-fifth-core-in-kal-
el/13599.html As such, the companion core has a maximum clock speed of
September 23rd, 2011 500MHz according to a whitepaper that Nvidia also published
today. It's still a Cortex-A9 core, but it's meant to be a power
sipping alternative to the other four cores which will run at
XGHz. Nvidia calls this Variable Symmetric Multiprocessing,
or vSMP for short. The entire core is also built in low power
process technology instead of more performance focused
process technology for the other four cores, although we're not
In a blog post, Nvidia unveiled that its upcoming Tegra SoC entirely sure how Nvidia has managed to pull this one off, as
currently codenamed Kal-El is not a quad core CPU but rather it's generally not possible to mix and match process technology
a quintuple core CPU. That said, the fifth core is quite different inside a chip.
to the first four and it's apparently also patented. The companion core also means lower power consumption in
standby mode, as the four main cores are all switched off and
only the companion core is active. The only thing that isn't
In a blog post, Nvidia unveiled that its upcoming Tegra SoC very clear is how Nvidia handles the switching between the
currently codenamed Kal-El is not a quad core CPU but rather companion core and the other four cores, as the companion
a quintuple core CPU. That said, the fifth core is quite different core can't be enabled at the same time as any of the four main
to the first four and it's apparently also patented. cores. The whitepaper mentions that the L2 cache is shared
Nvidia has put a really interesting twist on things by adding between the companion core and the main cores and as such
what it calls a "companion core". You might think that this there should be little to no noticeable lag for the user when
means it's meant to handle various things that the main cores core switching takes place.
shouldn't have to be bothered with, but this isn't quite the
case. Instead, the companion core will take over the entire
device when simple tasks such as audio and video playback,
web browsing (basic web pages) or other similar things that
doesn't require the power of the four main cores.
Nvidia is also making some bold claims with regards to power
savings compared to its current dual core Tegra 2 SoC. Even at
40nm, Nvidia claims that Kal-El is some 14 to 61 percent more
13
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
power efficient thanks to vSMP. The biggest power saving
numbers comes from HD video playback, with the smallest
gain being during music playback. The company goes on to
make claims of being two to three times more power efficient
that its competitors, although that is of course current models,
in this case from TI and Qualcomm.
If you're interesting in reading up on the power saving benefits
of Kal-El we suggest you head over to the blog post linked
below and check out the whitepapers for yourself. It'll be
interesting to see how Nvidia's competitors respond to this,
but it seems like a very logical way forward, especially in
mobile devices that spend a lot of their time in idle mode, or at
least most of their time running at far lower speeds than what
today's and tomorrow's SoC's are capable of. The phone itself feels solid, but also quite heavy for its size at
130g, especially as it only has a 3.7-inch Super LCD screen,
albeit with WVGA (800x480) resolution. We're not quite sure
HTC Rhyme first impression what HTC tried to do when they designed the Rhyme, but it
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-rhyme-first-impression/13597.html only has a power button and a volume rocker and a dedicated
September 23rd, 2011 camera button would've been a useful addition. The micro USB
port is hidden behind a flap, although this flap is part of the
rear cover and it's fiddly to open and close. Behind the rear
cover you'll find the easily accessible SIM card and microSD
card slots, but oddly enough, the battery is not removable.
A quick breakdown of the specs include a 1GHz single core
Qualcomm processor, 768MB of RAM and 4GB of built in
The HTC Rhyme is something of a delicate matter, as it's HTCs storage, although only about 1GB is available for the user. You
first phone that is said to have been designed with a female do of course get features like 8021.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
audience in mind, yet it comes in dull colours and look quite 3.0 and GPS as well. The rear 5 Megapixel camera is meant to
a lot like every other HTC handset we've seen so far. Sure, it's have a back side illuminated sensor and a 28mm F2.2 lens and
not black, but it's unlikely to set anyone's world on fire in terms although it's better than most phone cameras, it can't compete
of look and feel. So what makes this handset so special then? with higher-end phones in terms of quality. There's also a front
Well, we're not quite sure to be honest, but click on through mounted camera for video calls and the rear camera has an
for our first impression of HTC's latest handset. LED flash.
The HTC Rhyme has a pair of unusual features, the first one
is the charm indicator which is short is an LED at the end of
a wire and the other being a “wireless” charger dock. Ok, so
maybe we're being a bit blunt about it, but the charm indicator
really is just that, a small LED in some plastic attached to a
wire that connects to the headphone socket. The LED will then
pulsate to let you know find your phone when lost in your
handbag or flash when you have an incoming call. We should
also point out that the charm indicator can't be plugged in at
the same time as the headset.
The wireless charger doesn't rely on some fancy induction
charger technology; instead it has a small row of connectors at
the back of the phone which interface with the dock and thus
charges the battery. HTC is also bundling a Bluetooth headset
as well as a wired headset with flat cables (not by Beats Audio),
a Bluetooth car speaker (quite an unusual accessory) and an
arm pouch for the phone for when you take it with you on a
jog. Sadly we didn't get a chance to play with the accessories In use the HTC Rhyme feels snappy enough, although the
and it's possible that the bundle will differ between markets. HTC Sense 3.5 UI means that a lot of things have been moved
around, so users of other HTC Android phones will have to re-
familiarize themselves a bit. The most obvious change is that
the little bar on the bottom is now gone in lieu of a pair of
circles, one which access the apps and one for the phone menu.
The personalize settings can be found inside the options menu.
HTC has also come up with a new widget called Shortcuts and
Clock and it adds five shortcuts on the left hand side of the
14
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
screen, all of which can be customized, alongside a clock and
current weather conditions. Jabra showcases new range
HTC has also thrown in FriendStream, its Locations app, HTC of Bluetooth headsets
Deals, HTC Listen, Facebook, Twitter and a few other more or Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/jabra-showcases-new-range-of-
less useful apps as standard. The supplied desktop wallpapers bluetooth-headsets/13595.html
are also quite nice, but some logic is missing in terms of how September 23rd, 2011
some of the HTC specific apps and settings work. We also
didn't notice any female specific apps, although we're not quite
sure what these would be in the first place.
This afternoon, Jabra showcased their latest range of
Bluetooth music products including Jabra Street2, Jabra
Halo2 and Jabra Sport, as well as high-end Bluetooth headset,
Jabra Supreme, in Singapore. The Jabra Halo2 and Street2 are
already available, while the Jabra Sport and Jabra Supreme
will be available in October.
This afternoon, the media is treated to a showcase of the
latest range of Bluetooth products by Jabra Singapore which
include (from left) the Jabra Halo2, Jabra Street2, Jabra Sport
and Jabra Supreme. The Jabra Halo2 has a foldable design
and feature AM3D Virtual Surround Sound and Power Bass
for an enhanced listening experience, while the Jabra Street2
The time we spent using the Rhyme didn't convince us that lets users enjoy their favourite audio tracks wirelessly, without
there was anything specific about the handset that would having to worry about missing a single voice call. The Jabra
make it appeal to a female audience, instead it's just another Sport is rain-resistant, shock-resistant and dust-resistant,
Smartphone from HTC that doesn't really stand out from the which is ideal for active music lovers who are into sports and
crowd. The Rhyme is by no means a bad phone, but if you outdoor activities. Last but not least, the Jabra Supreme is the
get it on a two year contract today, by the time that contract high-end Bluetooth headset with Active Noise Cancellation,
is up, it's going to have close to a budget category handset. Noise Blackout and Wind-Noise reduction technologies that
Price wise the Rhyme will retail in the US for $199 (S$250) provide great clarity during conversation.
on contract, although we've also seen mentions of European
pricing without a contract at €479 (S$827) which is simply just
too much for this handset, despite the accessory bundle. As
such we can only conclude that the Rhyme feels like it offers
too little, is too unfocused and is arriving too late to make any
kind of impact.
15
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Jabra Sport comes in both wired and wireless versions,
and you can get it in any color as long as it is yellow. The
company did mention that it may release other colors for the
Jabra Sport in future. The Jabra Sport will be retailing in stores
in early October - S$148 for the Jabra Sport wireless version; Theis Mørk, senior product manager of the mobile division in
S$168 for the Jabra Sport wireless version (Made for iPhone, Jabra (based in Denmark) was also present to introduce the
iPad and iPod); S$98 for Jabra Sport wired version and also features of the company's new offerings.
the wired version (Made for iPhone, iPad and iPod).
Kensington Delivers Physical
Security for iPad 2
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kensington-delivers-physical-security-
for-ipad-2/13596.html
September 23rd, 2011
Kensington, the company that invented the Kensington Slot
that has long become synonymous with cabled security for
laptops, has just announced its new family of SecureBack
Security Cases for the iPad 2. Designed to secure Apple's 2nd-
generation tablet in public places, the Kensington SecureBack
Jonathan Tang, managing director, APAC Mobile for Jabra, Security Case features a unique three-piece design with a
gave a brief overview of the company and talked about how patent-pending rail system that snaps into place to quickly and
Jabra is doing. "2011 is a good year for us as we see explosive easily protect the iPad against theft.
growth pretty much everywhere in the region including
According to Kensington, the SecureBack Case was designed
Australia and India. Mobile devices and technology platforms
as a first line of defense for an iPad-toting workforce, with a
are changing, becoming more stylish, pervasive and easy to
unique design that preserves its slim form factor. Moreover,
use. At the same time, you have abundant content available
the case provides full access to the iPad 2's ports, speaker, and
including cloud, social music and all kinds of entertainment
cameras.
and educational that is becoming more needed and accessible
by the consumers. With more devices and content, users may There are two main models of the SecureBack Security Case:
own more than two mobile devices. And these devices need Kensington SecureBack Security Case (with ClickSafe Lock)
handsfree communication," Tang said.
16
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Apple to launch two new
iPhone models?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-to-launch-two-new-iphone-
models-/13594.html
September 23rd, 2011
The Kensington SecureBack Security Case features a one-
click security packaged in a sleek form factor suitable for With the iPhone 5 launch date drawing closer, it is inevitable
handheld use. An adjustable slider bar allows quick access to to see more news (and rumors) about the upcoming fifth
the ClickSafe Security Anchor for easy security. This model generation iPhone. Mark Moskowitz, an analyst from JP
is "ClickSafe ready" and can be purchased with or without the Morgan, said that Apple will be launching two new iPhones,
ClickSafe Lock. with one of them being a higher-end version that will support
GSM and CDMA.
The Kensington SecureBack Security Case with 2-way Stand
(& ClickSafe Lock)
Similar to the SecureBack Security Case, the Kensington
SecureBack Security Case with 2-way Stand incorporates an
additional 2-way extendable stand with the flexibility for
either landscape or portrait mode. This model is "ClickSafe Moskowitz said that the upcoming iPhone will support GSM
ready" and can be purchased with or without the ClickSafe and CDMA, but not 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), and that
Lock. the iPhone 5 will be slimmer and lighter. Apple will also unveil
the upgrade model of the iPhone 4 with a lower price tag and
could be named iPhone 4+ or iPhone 4s. On top of that, the
The ClickSafe Lock is another Kensington invention that iPhone shipment will also rise in this quarter. Ending the third
allows the lock to be clipped into place without any quarter in June, iPhone has reached 228 carriers which is
cumbersome aligning or twisting common to the original an increase of 42 from last quarter, and shipments exceeding
Kensington Slot design. 20 million. With the joining of Sprint-Nextel, as well as the
upgraded model of the iPhone 4 that would be sold in China,
Brian Baltezore, Senior Global Product Manager at Apple is expected to increase their shipment in Q4 this year.
Kensington observed in a statement: "Tablet users need
security that will complement, not hinder, their use of the iPad.
SecureBack is a design that truly pays respect to the tablet's QNAP unveils two new models
style and functionality, so that when an iPad user inevitably
does have to walk away from their device, they can do so with for its Business Series Turbo
confidence." NAS Line
The Kensington SecureBack Security Case line of products is Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/qnap-unveils-two-new-models-for-its-
currently available for pre-order direct from Kensington.com business-series-turbo-nas-line/13593.html
and major retailers. September 23rd, 2011
17
September 23rd, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Storage company QNAP Systems has enhanced its Business
Series of Turbo NAS line with two new models for up to 24TB
of storage capacity in a single unit. The more powerful TS-
EC879U-RP is powered by a quad-core Intel Xeon Processor
with 4GB DDR3 ECC RAM and 4x Gigabit LAN ports, while
the TS-879U-RP has a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor with
2GB DDR3 RAM and 2x Gigabit LAN ports.
Both models are 2U rackmount units with hot-swappable slots
for eight disk drives, which can be 6Gbps 3.5-inch SATA
hard disk drives or 2.5-inch solid-state drives. With an eye
towards enterprise-grade reliability, both the TS-EC879U-RP
and TS-879U-RP NAS come with redundant power supply and
two expansion slots for storage and network expansion. Both
models are backed with a 3 year warranty and optional 10GbE Developed by Sony Online Entertainment, DC Universe
networking for up to 1,000MB/sec and 100,000 IOPS of data Online is a massive multiplayer (MMO) game whereby players
throughput. get to choose to be virtual heroes or villains, as well as a mentor
for their character - from Superman, Batman and Wonder
A large number RAID configurations are supported under the Woman for heroes, and Lex Luthor and The Joker for villains.
hood, such as RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 6, 5+ hot spare, 6+ hot spare, DC Universe Online was released in January as a monthly
10+ hot spare, single disk and JBOD. With Global Hot Spare, subscription-based game (US$15 a month), but it looks like the
a spare drive can be assigned to automatically replace a failed company has decided to make it free-to-play, starting October
drive on any RAID volume for data rebuilding. Supported next month.
environments include file sharing in mixed Windows, Mac,
Linux and UNIX, as well as private cloud storage and for high- The market for MMO games is extremely competitive and it
performance computing applications. is tough for traditional MMO to compete with free-to-play
social games including Mafia Wars and Maple Story that profit
In addition, QNAP says the two NAS models are ideal from selling virtual items and power-ups. Sony said it will offer
for virtual server environments using iSCSI, and has been three tiers of service for DC Universe Online — free, premium
certified to be VMware Ready, Citrix XenServer Ready and and legendary. The free tier comes with limits on how many
Windows Hyper-V compliant. characters and items players can hold in their inventory;
"QNAP's new lineup designed for high-end SMB delivers premium access gives players slightly more capacity. And
stunning performance with optional 10 GbE card and those who continue to pay US$15 a month will get maximum
comprehensive business features at competitive prices to features.
fulfill the growing needs of efficient storage solutions for high-
end SMBs," said David Tsao, product manager of QNAP in a
statement.
"Redundant power supplies are provided on all new models
to ensure continuous system up-time," Tsao added. "The
TS-EC879U-RP with ECC RAM further enhances system
reliability."
Both the TS-EC879U-RP and TS-879U-RP are now shipping.
DC Universe Online will be
free to play from October
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dc-universe-online-will-be-free-to-
play-from-october/13592.html
September 23rd, 2011
Gamers who are also fans of DC comic superheroes would
know the Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) game , DC
Universe Online. Released early this year with a monthly
subscription fee, online sources reported that the popular DC
Universe Online will be free to play from October. (Hooray!)
18
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
Kindle Fire Tablet unveiled :
Amazon tries to take the
tablet market by storm.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kindle-fire-tablet-unveiled--amazon-
tries-to-take-the-tablet-market-by-storm./13663.html
September 28th, 2011
Amazon Kindle Touch Amazon Kindle
The price and value are unbelievably low but will the Kindle
Fire manage to take the market by storm? We honestly doubt
it. Yes, it grants access to a ludicrous database of books,
Amazon unveiled today in New York their new Kindle Fire 7- movies, audio files and God-knows-what-else but the tablet
inch display tablet which runs a customized version of Android runs a customized version of Android highly dissimilar to the
and has a dual core processor. The new tablet is available for one users are accustomed to lacks a huge number of features
pre-order for an amazingly low price of 199$ USD and will start available on other, albeit far more expensive models. For
shipping on the 15th of November. Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos, example, there is no camera, no microphone and there is no 3G
stated "We're making millions of these", clearly expressing the model. It may offer access to a large database of video content
company's aim to dominate in the low-end (value) segment of but most users would rather watch their movies on a much
the market. Amazon also released... larger screen, or at least on a 10 inch tablet which is no less
than 45% larger.
Amazon unveiled today in New York their new Kindle Fire 7-
inch display tablet which runs a customized version of Android Is it a great value? It definitely is. But we doubt that it is going
and has a dual core processor. The new tablet is available for to halt the sales of premium models, such as the iPad, the
pre-order for an amazingly low price of 199$ USD and will start Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Xoom; many more sub
shipping on the 15th of November. Amazon also released three 249$ USD 7" tablets (such as the Nook Color, Huawei S7 and
more Kindle models, the Kindle Touch (99$ USD sponsored the Archos Arnova) were already available ever since a year
version, 139$ USD without ads), Kindle Touch 3G (149$ USD ago, none of them had any impact on the ever-growing sales
sponsored version, 189$ USD without ads) and the Kindle of the premium tablets.
(79$ USD sponsored version, 109$ USD without ads).
NVIDIA sampling Kepler -
GK107
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-sampling-kepler--
gk107/13662.html
September 28th, 2011
Amazon Kindle Fire NVIDIA has engineering samples out for its first chip based
on the next-gen Kepler architecture. The chip is the same as
revealed by SemiAccurate last week - GK107. As suggested
by the nomenclature, this isn't the flagship GK100 we are
all waiting for. Instead, NVIDIA is executing a bottom-to-top
release, first releasing a smaller chip, GK107, which will find
its way into notebooks.
1
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
NVIDIA has engineering samples out for its first chip based It's easy to forget that Sapphire makes motherboards, as
on the next-gen Kepler architecture. The chip is the same as the company isn't exactly making a lot of noise about its
revealed by SemiAccurate last week - GK107. As suggested motherboard products. The company has sneaked out yet
by the nomenclature, this isn't the flagship GK100 we are another new model and this time we're looking at its second
all waiting for. Instead, NVIDIA is executing a bottom-to-top AMD A75 motherboard, the Pure Platinum A75P. This is
release, first releasing a smaller chip, GK107, which will find a lower-end version to the Pure Platinum A75, although it
its way into notebooks. does seem to have a couple of advantages over its higher-end
sibling.
GK107 is set to feature in four mobile GeForce SKUs - N13P-
LP, N13P-GS, N13P-GT and N13E-GE. If these codenames It's all a bit of a head scratcher, as the Pure Platinum A75P
sound familiar, it is because they have previously appeared in appears to have more power phases, but it might just be using
a leaked 28nm mobile GPU line-up. GK107 features a 128-bit a different PWM layout, it has more PCI Express x1 slots, it
memory interface, and supports DDR3 and GDDR5 memory. has a second x16 PCI Express slot and it's got six SATA ports
The first three GK107 based SKUs (with a "P" suffix) will likely So ok, the x16 slot still only gets four lanes from the chipset
succeed the GeForce GT 500M series, and will presumably be and the additional x1 PCI Express slot is most likely going to
branded GeForce GT 600M series. The top GK107 part, N13E- be blocked by the graphics card if one is installed, but these
GE, may succeed GTX 560M and be part of the GTX 600M are still features we'd expected to see on the high-end model,
series, as denoted by the "E" suffix (Enthusiast). In addition, rather than the mid-range one.
GK107 will also be part of mobile Quadro SKUs - N14P-Q1 and
N14P-Q3.
GK107 marks the first time NVIDIA has moved to a new
process and a new architecture simultaneously in a long time
- mostly due to the cancelation of TSMC's 32nm process.
NVIDIA's transition to TSMC's 40nm process featured a
bottom-to-top strategy as well, with smaller GT21x shrinks
leading up to the big Fermi dies. However, this is the first time
that NVIDIA is releasing a new generation of GPUs with a
mainstream part. Between reports of AMD's next-gen GPUs
being pushed back to 2012 to now NVIDIA starting off with a
small die, all evidence points towards the same conclusion -
TSMC's 28nm process is promising to be just as troublesome
as the infamous 40nm (if not more so).
GK107 engineering samples are out now, with production
samples due in January 2012 if all goes well. Unfortunately,
there is no news about the more exciting Kepler chips, and
there are no signs of them appearing in GeForce GPUs any
time soon.
Sapphire launches its second
AMD A75 motherboard
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sapphire-launches-its-second-amd-
a75-motherboard/13661.html
September 28th, 2011
Plenty of things are missing though, as the Pure Platinum A75P
only has two DIMM slots, but this is hardly a major issue with
the price of 4GB DIMM's these days. The mini PCI Express slot
It's easy to forget that Sapphire makes motherboards, as
is also missing, but considering that this is a mostly useless
the company isn't exactly making a lot of noise about its
feature on a desktop motherboard, we don't see this as a big
motherboard products. The company has sneaked out yet
deal either. The Marvell network controller has been swapped
another new model and this time we're looking at its second
for a cheaper model from Realtek, although on the upside,
AMD A75 motherboard, the Pure Platinum A75P. This is
Sapphire has moved the various buttons on the motherboard
a lower-end version to the Pure Platinum A75, although it
to the front of the PCB rather than putting them below the
does seem to have a couple of advantages over its higher-end
bottom PCI slot.
sibling.
Having a look at the rear ports it's clear that a feature thinning
has taken place, although there are still four USB 2.0 ports,
2
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
two USB 3.0 ports (with an additional two via an internal pin-
header), a PS/2 port, Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1-channel audio and
a D-sub, DVI (single link only) and HDMI port. It's a shame
that the DisplayPort had to make room for a D-sub connector
and the Bluetooth dongle of the Pure Platinum A75 was a neat
addition, although we'd rather have the extra internal SATA
port over the eSATA port.
A new feature has also been added which Sapphire calls the
"Memory Free button" but we have to be honest and say that
we have no idea what this does and there are no details about
what it does on Sapphire's website either. Overall this looks The distinction between consumer-grade and business-grade
like a decent enough product if the price is right, but once notebooks have blurred over the years, and for good
again Sapphire hasn't really managed to create something that reason. Thanks to technological advancements in computer
makes it stand out from the competition. No word on pricing design and hardware, most OEMs are now able to tout
or availability as yet, so it's really quite hard to say how well their consumer-grade offerings boasting nigh-equal levels of
the Pure Platinum A75P will do. Sapphire is also working on a stability and robustness, while business notebooks have been
pair of AMD A55 models and at least one AM3+ board, but we given design overhauls to make them appear more sleek and
have no word on as to when these will be announced. sophisticated to potential business users.
However, this also has an unintended result of leaving OEMs
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 notebook in a quandary of sorts. If consumer notebooks, which typically
offer more computing and graphical horsepower for their
review: Thin and flat is where buck, now boast stability similar to business notebooks, logic
should dictate that cost-conscious business users will attempt
it is at to maximize their dollars by opting for the former. And from
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-notebook-review- the looks of it, Lenovo appears to be trying to avoid such
thin-and-flat-is-where-it-is-at/13346.html a situation by making the business notebook relevant again,
September 28th, 2011 especially if the release of its new ThinkPad X1 laptop is of any
indication.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1
laptop PC hardware
specifications
Processor Intel Core i5-2220M clocked
Ultrathin notebooks are the dreams of every style-conscious at 2.5GHz (3.2GHz under
consumer, and for good reason. Boasting extremely portable TurboBoost)
packages and designs that would make just about anybody Chipset Intel QM67 Chipset
swoon over, it would seem that there is nothing which Graphics Card Integrated Intel HD Graphics
the ultraportable notebook cannot achieve (safe for top- 2000
notch performance levels). And leave it to Lenovo to take Display 13.3-inch HD Super Bright
ultraportable mobile business computing to the next level with LCD screen (1366 x 768) with
the introduction of the ThinkPad X1 notebook, which we have integrated camera
put to the test in this review to see how it holds up for business
Operating System Windows 7 Professional (x64
users.
version)
Memory 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1 x 4GB
DIMM)
Hard Disk capacity 256GB Intel
SSDSA2M160G2LE solid
state drive
Battery 4-cell built-in lithium-ion
battery pack
3
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Logitech announces new
lineup of wireless headsets in
Singapore
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-announces-new-lineup-of-
wireless-headsets-in-singapore/13660.html
September 28th, 2011
Logitech has unveiled their new wireless headsets -
H800, H600, and wireless headset for Apple iPad users in
Singapore. The new range of wireless headsets are designed
to offer comfort, flexibility and enhanced experience. With The Logitech Wireless Headset H600 allows users to make
batteries that can last up to six hours, the headsets feature wireless audio for calls and listen to their favorite music
laser-tuned equalizers and tiny nano receivers for users are from the PC. It comes with laser-tuned drivers that minimize
enabled to enjoy their music in comfort and ease. distortion so that you can enjoy clear calls and stereo sound,
while the noise-canceling microphone reduces background
noise. The H600 also has a rechargeable battery lets you listen
and chat for up to six hours, lets you move up to 10 metres
away from your computer, and it also folds like sunglasses for
easy storage.
Logitech has introduced three new wireless headsets that
boast crisp audio that can be enjoyed comfortably for hours.
The Logitech Wireless Headset is compatible with the Apple
iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and other Bluetooth devices, with
up to 10 metres from your device. The headset features laser-
tuned drivers that provide rich stereo audio while minimizing The Logitech Wireless Headset H800 with laser-tuned drivers
distortion, which is great for music, videos, games and calls. and built-in equalizer give you rich digital stereo, and a noise-
The rechargeable battery lets you listen and chat for up to canceling microphone that can reduce background noise. It is
six hours. The headset has adjustable headband and foam ear easy to connect to your computer, tablets and smartphones
cups, and can be fold ed easily like a pair of sunglasses for and has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to six hours. The
convenience of storage. H800 also offers padded headband and ear cups to keep you
comfortable.
The Logitech Wireless Headset is expected to be available
in Singapore in mid October at a suggested retail price of S
$99. The Logitech Wireless Headset H600 is expected to be
available in mid October at S$79, while the Logitech Wireless
Headset H800 is available now at S$149.
4
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
If you are looking to purchase a new Blu-ray player, check out
Intel, Samsung and Linux Philips latest offerings - BDP9600, BDP5200 and BDP3200.
groups collaborate to develop Available in retail stores now, all three players claim to offer
full high definition entertainment experience you need in your
Tizen platform for phones living room.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-samsung-and-linux-groups-
collaborate-to-develop-tizen-platform-for-phones/13659.html
September 28th, 2011
It looks like Samsung may have another trick up its sleeves.
It was just last week that the Korean manufacturer said that
it plans to open source their Bada platform to rely less on
Android operating system. And it looks like the company is
collaborating with Intel and Linux groups to develop a new
Linux software for the phones.
The Philips’ new range of Blu-ray players - BDP9600,
BDP5200 and BDP3200 - promises convenience for users to
watch their favorite movies in virtually any popular format
available in the market today at the comfort of their home.
The players support all commonly-used formats including
BD Video, BD-ROM and High Definition video formats such
as DivXPlus HD and AVCHD. These media files can be
conveniently accessed using the High Speed USB 2.0 port
located at the front of these players.
With the BD-Live function in the top-end models,you can
enjoy up-to-date versions of exciting content provided by
Philips, just by connecting to the Internet. Your Philips Blu-
ray player can also be updated automatically when connected,
According to Reuters, two Linux software groups have come and the built-in Wi-Fi on these players will give you access to
together to develop a new platform for phones and other a world of entertainment. Additionally, the Philips BDP9600
devices in collaboration with Intel and Samsung. Known as and BDP5200 are DLNA certified, which means you can
Tizen, the new platform is developed to attract developers connect them to your home network to stream videos, music
and manufacturer support to compete with Apple iOS and and photos from your computers wirelessly.
Google Android mobile operating system. The Tizen platform Philips BDP3200
is open-source software platform that supports multiple
The Philips BDP3200 offers a full high definition (HD) viewing
devices including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, netbooks
experience with sharp images in full HD 1080p to give you
and in-vehicle "infotainment" systems. The initial release
cinema-quality images. It also presents near-HD images for
is planned for the Q1 of 2012 next year, while the first
DVD videos withup-scaling to 1080p via HDMI. The BDP3200
devices incorporating the Tizen platform are expected to come
is Wi-Fi ready, and users can also view their favorite videos
to market in mid 2012. For Samsung, this would be a new
on YouTube by connecting their Philips Blu-ray player to the
platform in addition to their offerings of Windows Phone 7,
Internet.
Android and Bada mobile operating system.
Philips launches BDP9600,
BDP5200 and BDP3200 Blu-ray
players
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/philips-launches-bdp9600-bdp5200-
and-bdp3200-blu-ray-players/13658.html
September 28th, 2011
5
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Philips BDP5200 launch of their long-awaited Windows Phone 7.5 (formerly
codenamed "Mango"). The update for existing Windows
The Philips BDP5200 supports Blu-ray 3D Disc playback to
Phone 7 will begin today and available to most customers by
offer viewers a full HD 3D experience at home. For viewers
end of October. HTC and Samsung were also at the event to
who like their pictures blown up big, the BDP5200 offers
unveil their new phones based on Windows Phone 7.5 - HTC
a widescreen experience without any missing subtitles. It
Radar and Samsung Omnia W.
is also DivX Plus HD Certified which offers the latest in
DivX technology to let you enjoy HD videos and movies
from the Internet direct to your Philips HD TV or PC. The
BDP5200 also comes with build-in Wireless-N for faster
wireless performance and offers DTS-HD Master Audio and
DolbyTrueHD to deliver 7.1-channel audio.
Philips BDP9600
This top-of-the-line Philips BDP9600 Blu-ray Disc player
is not only sleek and stylish, but it also comes
with 3D functionality and offers spectacular audio-visual
entertainment for a full HD 3D experience at home.
The BDP9600 also features TI Burr-Brown Digital-to-
Analog Converters (DACs) which offers high-quality audio
reproduction by capturing more information from the original
analog sound wave form to offer a much richer sound
performance. Viewers can enjoy video on-demand with Net TV
that allows them to enjoy movies,pictures, infotainment and
other online content directly on to their TV viatheir Philips
Blu-ray Disc player.
The Philips BDP3200, BDP5200 and BDP9600 Blu-ray
players are available now at all leading electronics retailers at
S$249, S$299 and S$699 respectively. Samsung and HTC are the only partners at the Microsoft
Windows Phone 7.5 launch event this morning. The Taiwanese
Windows Phone 7.5 officially
manufacturer unveiled the HTC Radar which has an
aluminium unibody, features 3.8-inch touchscreen display
launched in Singapore; and 5-megapixel rear camera. The HTC Radar also comes
with the proprietary HTC Hub, which offers applications and
Samsung Omnia W to retail in utilities such as weather and stocks application, and HTC
Q4 Watch that allows users to discover the latest video content.
The HTC Radar is scheduled to retail in October at a suggested
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/windows-phone-7.5-officially-
retail price of S$569.
launched-in-singapore-samsung-omnia-w-to-retail-in-q4/13657.html
September 28th, 2011
Good news to users who are using Windows Phone 7. This
morning, Microsoft Singapore has officially announced the
6
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
John Fernandes, marketing and operations director of
Microsoft Singapore, introduced the new Windows Phone 7.5
and talked about the features the new version brings. "About
a year ago, we launched Windows Phone 7 which we started
afresh. It gave a new set of experiences and our approach
towards the mobile platform. Over that year, we listened to
our customers, users and partners, and we got some good
feedback. Microsoft thinks in terms of the Windows ecosystem
- PC, phone and web coming together. And so, Windows Phone
7.5 is a key point in our overall strategy here and globally.
With the launch of Windows Phone 7.5, we also opened up the
Marketplace. And today we have over 30,000 applications in
the Marketplace" said Fernandes.
Acer launches the Aspire S3 in
The Samsung Omnia W has a smaller 3.7-inch Super AMOLED
touchscreen, compared to the HTC Radar. The Omnia W has
a metallic finish and is equipped with a 1.4GHz processor. Taiwan
Samsung has also included their exclusive apps such as Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-launches-the-aspire-s3-in-
Samsung AllShare which offers seamless content transfer taiwan/13656.html
between smartphone and other DLNA-enabled devices, and September 28th, 2011
upgraded Samsung eBook client for your ebook reading
pleasure. With Windows Phone 7.5, you can access the
multitask screen, though it only shows up to five applications.
There's also no option to close the application. The Samsung
Omnia W will retail next month at S$498 (inclusive of GST)
without line contract. The Windows Phone 7.5 update for
existing Windows Phone 7 will begin today and available to
most customers by end of October Acer isn't resting on its laurels and the company might very
well be the first of Intel's Ultrabook partners to get a product
into the market with the Aspire S3 which officially launched in
Taiwan today. It looks like Acer decided to keep things simple
with only two SKU's, at least in the Taiwanese market. VR-
Zone was of course on location at the launch event to get an
early hands-on with the new Ultrabook from Acer.
Acer isn't resting on its laurels and the company might very
well be the first of Intel's Ultrabook partners to get a product
into the market with the Aspire S3 which officially launched in
Taiwan today. It looks like Acer decided to keep things simple
with only two SKU's, at least in the Taiwanese market. VR-
Zone was of course on location at the launch event to get an
early hands-on with the new Ultrabook from Acer.
7
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
disappointed, as one of the selling points of Ultrabooks was
better battery life, something the Aspire S3 doesn't have.
Price wise the Aspire S3 will launch at NT$34,900 (S$1,479/
US$1,149) with the 320GB hard drive, a fair bit more than
Intel's US$999 sweet spot. The 240GB SSD model is of course
even pricier at NT$44,900 (S$1,900/US$1,475). The question
is how well this will compare with competing products,
especially Asus' UX31 which features a higher resolution
1600x900 display. Overall we can't say that we're blown away
by Acer's first stab at an Ultrabook as there's really very little
go get excited about.
The Aspire S3 didn't strike us as a revolutionary product,
instead it came across more as a next generation TimeLineX
notebook that shed some of its bulk, but with the tradeoff being
overall lower performance. The keyboard is nearly identical
to the current TimeLineX notebooks which means that we're
looking at a chiclet type keyboard. One huge improvement
(pun intended) is the massive trackpad, as the TimeLineX
series has suffered from tiny and almost unusable trackpads.
In as much as the Aspire S3 is a very slim and lightweight
notebook at 13mm thin and 1.35kg, we can't understand why
it still has the same fat screen bezel as the first generation
TimeLineX notebooks, it really ruins the overall looks of the
notebook.
Feature wise we're looking at a Core i5-2467M ULV processor
which is clocked at 1.6GHz , but which will turbo up to 2.3GHz.
It comes paired up with a single 4GB stick of memory and it
doesn't seem to be any simple way of upgrading this, as well
as either a 7mm 320GB hard drive or a 240GB SSD. The 13.3-
inch screen is a standard, glossy, 1366x768 affair, so nothing
to get excited about here. The connectivity options are also
fairly meager with two USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI port as
well as 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0+HS. The only
other features are a 1.3Megapixel webcam, a memory card
reader and a single combined headphone/mic jack. The 3-cell
battery will keep the weight down, but with a rated 6h battery
life for the hard drive model and 7h for the SSD model, we're
8
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The DZ68ZV is in actual fact using the same PCB as the
DP67BG motherboard, something that keeps R&D costs at a
minimum and you can get a product out in the market quickly.
If you've been following the motherboard market this year,
Intel launches new Z68 you might know that Gigabyte did something similar when
motherboards, more to come the Z68 chipset launched to get motherboards with the new
chipset out in the market quickly. However, in the case of the
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-launches-new-z68-motherboards-
DZ68ZV we're close to five months on from the launch and it
more-to-come/13655.html
feels like Intel had decided to just throw together a product
September 28th, 2011
that's slightly more appealing than its P67 equivalent.
When it comes to its own brand motherboards Intel have been
very quiet since the Sandy Bridge launch and the company
has quietly slipped out two new Z68 models with another
two coming in about a months' time. The two currently
available models are the DZ68BC and the DZ68ZV, with the
two upcoming models being the DZ68PL and the DZ68AF. In
an interesting turn of events, it looks like Intel is also getting
ready to add support for its Smart Response SSD caching
technology to some of its P67 models.
When it comes to its own brand motherboards Intel have been
very quiet since the Sandy Bridge launch and the company
has quietly slipped out two new Z68 models with another
two coming in about a months' time. The two currently The DZ68BC is what we'd call Intel's first high-end Z68 and
available models are the DZ68BC and the DZ68ZV, with the in fact, it is Intel's second Z68 board. It carries the skull
two upcoming models being the DZ68PL and the DZ68AF. In logo that signifies that it's part of Intel's Extreme series of
an interesting turn of events, it looks like Intel is also getting motherboards, although we're not sure it's all that extreme.
ready to add support for its Smart Response SSD caching Sadly we didn't manage to find a good quality picture of the
technology to some of its P67 models. board, so you'll have to make do with what we managed to dig
up. Even though this board didn't blow our minds, it's a much
Let's start with the DZ68ZV, a peculiar board to say the least, more impressive board than the DZ68DB which was Intel's
especially as Intel has been busy pushing the merits of graphics first and for a very long time, only, Z68 motherboards.
support combined with overclocking as one of the major
features of the Z68 chipset. Well, the DZ68ZV doesn't have What we have is a pretty standard looking motherboard with
any display connectivity, nor does it seem to have the extra a pair of x16 slots, where the secondary slot runs in x8 mode
power phases in place that are needed to take advantage of its when enabled, two x1 PCI Express slots and three PCI slots.
Quick Sync technology, something we've seen on a few other The board appears completely littered with components and
Z68 boards that lacked display connectivity. This seems like a it looks quite messy. In addition to the two SATA 6Gbps ports
very strange move by Intel, but there's an easy explanation for and four SATA 3Gbps ports, Intel has added a second pair of
it all, Intel did a Gigabyte. Let us explain what we mean by that. SATA 6Gbps ports via what we presume is a Marvell controller.
There are several pin-headers that add eight USB 2.0 ports,
9
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
two USB 3.0 ports and a single FireWire port. The board also seem to be the next common standard, the current limit of the
features power and reset buttons as well as a POST80 debug Wi-Fi standard. TP-Link is now finally joining the part with
LED. its TL-WR2543ND, rather than the TL-WR2843ND which we
spotted back at Computex in early June. It's the company's
first dual-band router, but it has a slight drawback compared
to the TL-WR2843ND.
Wireless routers are a dime a dozen these days, but we're
quickly moving towards faster devices and 450Mbps routers
seem to be the next common standard, the current limit of the
Wi-Fi standard. TP-Link is now finally joining the part with
its TL-WR2543ND, rather than the TL-WR2843ND which we
spotted back at Computex in early June. It's the company's
first dual-band router, but it has a slight drawback compared
to the TL-WR2843ND.
The rear I/O consists of six USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0
ports, an eSATA port, a FireWire port, a Gigabit Ethernet
port, 7.1-channel analogue audio with optical S/PDIF out, a
DisplayPort, DVI and HDMI port and clear CMOS button. For
an Intel board this isn't half bad and Intel also throws in a USB
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module and a copy of LucidLogix Virtu
software for good measure. The DZ68BC is available right now
for around US$225 which is a very steep price compared to
what you can get competing products for from any of the big
motherboard makers. We haven't managed to track down a
price for the DZ68ZV as yet, although as far as we know, it's
not meant to have launched quite as yet, despite being up on
Intel's website.
As for the DZ68PL and DZ68AF, we sadly only have the
model names at hand, but both should launch before the end
of next month. Towards the end of next month Intel should
also be adding support for its Smart Response technology, The TL-WR2543ND looks rather stylish in silver and black
i.e. SSD caching to its DP67BA and DP67DE motherboards, rather than the glossy red and black TL-WR2843ND that was
two distinctly mid-range products, a very peculiar move as on display at Computex. The TL-WR2543ND is a dual-band
according to Intel itself, the P67 chipset couldn't possibly 2.4 and 5GHz router with four Gigabit LAN ports and one
support Smart Response. We'll be asking Intel about this one Gigabit WAN port as well as a USB 2.0 port. The downside of
and we might be seeing updates for other P67 motherboards in the TL-WR2543ND is that it's not a simultaneous dual-band
the future as well. If nothing else, it goes to show how many of router, so you either end up with it running at 2.4GHz or 5GHz
the chipset related features are simply just added for product which is a bit of a downside if you have devices that don't work
differentiation and nothing else. on the 5GHz band.
TP-Link launches its first dual-
band router
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tp-link-launches-its-first-dual-band-
router/13654.html
September 28th, 2011
Wireless routers are a dime a dozen these days, but we're
quickly moving towards faster devices and 450Mbps routers
10
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Overall, the TL-WR2543ND seems to be very similar to TP-
If you are a graphics designer or a hobbyist who enjoys
Link's older TL-WR1043ND, but with a new chassis and the
drawing, then you might be familiar with the pen tablet
addition of the 5GHz band option. There's no mention of what
products from Wacom. This afternoon, the company unveiled
hardware is inside the router, but some information we found
their third generation of Bamboo pen tablet devices for the
online seems to point towards it being an Atheros based router.
social and creative computer users. The new range include
No word on pricing as yet either we're afraid, but judging
the Bamboo Pen (small), Bamboo Pen & Touch (small) and
by TP-Link's usually affordable pricing, we'd imagine the TL-
Bamboo Fun (medium). Both the Bamboo Pen & Touch and
WR2543ND will be competitively priced, just make sure you
the Bamboo Fun are wireless capable which allow users to
understand what you're buying if you're getting one, or wait
work without the hassle of connecting cable.
for the TL-WR2843ND which offer simultaneous dual-band
operation.
Wacom Singapore introduces
new Bamboo tablets and
Cintiq 24HD interactive pen
display
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/wacom-singapore-introduces-new-
bamboo-tablets-and-cintiq-24hd-interactive-pen-display/13653.html
September 28th, 2011
The Bamboo Pen is designed for basic drawing, writing and
This afternoon, pen tablet manufacturer Wacom has launched
annotating of documents, while the Bamboo Pen & Touch
their third generation Bamboo series of multi-touch and pen
offers combination of high quality pen input with multi-touch.
tablet devices. On top of that, the company also unveiled the
The Bamboo Fun also comes with multi-touch and wireless
new Cintiq 24HD interactive pen display designed for creative
capability and is slightly larger than the Pen & Touch, and
professionals.
is ideal for users who like to draw and sketch or do creative
work including retouching and editing. All three pen tablets
have black and lime green exterior and will be available from
today, with the Bamboo Pen having a retail price of S$135;
the Bamboo Pen & Touch at S$185 and the Bamboo Fun at S
$335. The wireless accessory kit for Bamboo Pen & Touch and
Bamboo fun is selling at S$65.
11
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Battlefield 3 BETA :
Performance Preview,
Screenshots and HD video
walkthrough
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/battlefield-3-beta--performance-
preview-screenshots-and-hd-video-walkthrough/13625.html
September 28th, 2011
DICE's latest installment of the Battlefield series of
multiplayer shooters has finally arrived. We did a quick
performance preview using graphics cards like Nvidia GTX
580 and AMD 6990 in Quadfire at Full HD1080p Ultra preset,
Besides the pen tablets, Wacom also showcased their new captured high resolution screenshots and recorded a HD video
Cintiq 24HD interactive pen display. Based on the popularity walkthrough of the MP Beta's Operation Metro map for your
of the Cintiq 24UX and Cintiq 12WX, the Cintiq 24HF is for viewing pleasure.
designers, illustrators, animators, video editors and creative
professionals who want the most advanced pen-on-screen BF3 BETA Performance Preview
experience. It has a 24-inch full high definition (1920 x 1200)
widescreen display, significantly improved color gamut (92% With no formal benchmarking tool and just using FRAPS in an
Adobe RGB), supports HDCP protocol and features 2048 empty server on the Operation Metro beta map, we observed
levels of pressure sensitivity and 40-degree of tilt control. the following:
The Cintiq 24HD also comes with 10 ExpressKeys, two Touch
Rings and a USB port.
However, for such a huge interactive pen display, the price
doesn't come cheap; the Cintiq 24HD has a price tag of S
$4,269 and will be available in October next month.
CPU - Any modern quad coreprocessor of at least 3.2GHz will
not bottleneck the framerates in the game. The workload is
evenly distributed between threads and more surprisingly, we
did not see any noticable scaling when we upped the frequency
Noburu Fujisaki, managing director of Wacom or core count. Neat.
Singapore, gave a brief introduction about the company, their
product portfolio and also mentioned that the company
has market share of over 80%, which makes Wacom the
market leader in this segment.
12
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Lowering the resolution and quality preset (low, medium,
high ultra and custom) will get you more consistent frame
rates, and a mid-range DX11 card like AMD 6850/Nvidia
Memory Usage - The bf3.exe process used over 1GB of GTX560 should achieve a smooth ~ 80 to 100fps in 720p
memory. Having at least 4GB of RAM and running a 64-bit medium resolution. Entry level DX11 or last generation DX10
operating system should take care of things. GPUs should be able to run this game, albeit not at high
definition resolutions. We also noticed Stereo 3D and Eyefinity
GPU - We ran the tests using the latest beta drivers from both support, but using these features would definitely require a
AMD (Catalyst 11.10 Preview) and Nvidia (285.38). This game high-end multi-GPU setup.
absolutely scales with multi-core GPU setups and shaders
count/clockspeeds. GPU usage during monitoring was hitting Expect Nvidia and AMD to come out with more optimized
the roof at 99% for the duration of the testing - something that drivers for BF3, especially when the final retail game is out
we haven't seen in recent (shoddy) console ports. a month from now on 28th October. After that, VR-Zone
will explore BF3 performance across the whole spectrum of
graphics cards (from GTX260 to 6990 Quadfire/MARS II in
SLi) and CPUs (Llanos, Zambezis, SB-Es...) in a mega roundup
article.
Building / Upgrading your gaming rig today? Read our
guide for Battlefield 3 systems. We have also prepared a
short feature on BF3 running on dual core laptops which was
released earlier.
At 1080p Ultra settings (with everything graphics details
set to maximum), we get an average of around 50fps for a
single AMD 6970/GTX580, 80fps for a AMD 6990 (2 GPU
crossfire) and 140fps for a AMD 6990 in Quadfire, which
is actually quite similar to the one-year old Battlefield: Bad
Company 2 on maximum settings. It also needed around 1.3GB
of GPU framebuffer for the ultra preset textures. A side-by-
side monitor test showed indistinguishable image quality from
both AMD and Nvidia solutions (drivers at default settings),
so we know that there is no quack3.exe foul play yet.
13
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
other hand, we can see a lot of businesses buying into this over
Sandy Bridge-E will launch on Intel's more costly Xeon option.
the 14th of November, not the
15th Intel's new desktop Atom
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandy-bridge-e-will-launch-on-
the-14th-of-november-not-the-15th/13652.html
processors are here
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-new-desktop-atom-processors-
September 28th, 2011
are-here/13647.html
September 28th, 2011
There have been a fair few rumours about when Intel will be
launching the Sandy Bridge-E processors and its X79 chipset It's hard to get excited about new Atom processors, but Intel's
and admittedly we've been privy to rumours that didn't pan latest additions to its Atom family of processors, the D2500
out. However, we can now reveal that the actual launch date and D2700 is a big step forward for the company, as we're
will be the 14th of November, not the 15th as suggested earlier. finally getting a platform that's almost competitive. Not only
are we looking at a vastly superior graphics core than past
offerings, but we're also finally getting features like HDMI
There have been a fair few rumours about when Intel will be
output and HD video playback, something the Atom platform
launching the Sandy Bridge-E processors and its X79 chipset
has lacked so far.
and admittedly we've been privy to rumours that didn't pan
out. However, we can now reveal that the actual launch date It's hard to get excited about new Atom processors, but Intel's
th th
will be the 14 of November, not the 15 as suggested earlier. latest additions to its Atom family of processors, the D2500
and D2700 is a big step forward for the company, as we're
According to information that has reached us, the first Sandy finally getting a platform that's almost competitive. Not only
Bridge-E processor will be on sale on the 14th of November, are we looking at a vastly superior graphics core than past
oddly enough though, not alongside Intel's own DX79SI and offerings, but we're also finally getting features like HDMI
DX79TO motherboards as they won't arrive until December. output and HD video playback, something the Atom platform
This is as far as we're aware, the first time Intel hasn't launched has lacked so far.
motherboard products alongside new processors, especially
when it comes to an entirely new platform. We'd expect Intel's The netbook Atom's are still nowhere to be seen, but we
motherboard partners to be happy about this move though, can't imagine Intel is going to wait too long until it launches
even though Intel's own brand motherboards are far from the them, as we're getting awfully close to the holiday season
most popular option out there. It's possible that part of the which is usually a time when companies want to have their
reason for the delay here is the last minute changes to the X79 new products in the market. So for now we'll have to make
chipset, although we know for sure that the DX79SI will have do with Intel's new desktop parts, the 1.86GHz D2500 and
a total of eight internal SATA ports. the 2.13GHz D2700. The D2700 isn't Intel's first Atom over
2GHz, as that honour went to a very expensive Z-series Atom
As for Intel's CPU coolers from the LGA-2011 platform, well
CPU called the Z560 (although the Z550 was close at an even
the air cooler should retail for somewhere around US$25-30,
2GHz), but it is Intel's first D-series Atom processor to break
whereas the sealed unit watercooler should come in just under
the 2GHz barrier.
US$100, if our sources prove to be correct. The new air cooler
is lighter than the one currently shipping with Intel's XE
desktop parts which is quite surprising, but as we don't know
Despite not offering DX10 drivers at launch, we expect the
what Intel has changed yet, we'll just have to wait and see what
new Atom processor to offer several benefits over the current
it ends up looking like, as it's possible it's not the same cooler
models. For starters the TDP is down by 3W compared to the
as what was shown at IDF. As far the watercooling solution,
previous dual core D-series Atom processors and both models
we have a good idea of what it'll look like after Intel's demos
are fully 64-bit compatible. The new Atom's are still missing
of it at IDF.
support for Virtualization though, which might not be a major
The real question which we're still waiting to find out is if there issue for most of us, but it's a strange omission. On the upside
will be enough demand for Intel's new platform. We're already we're finally seeing support for faster memory, albeit DDR3
hearing murmurings from the motherboard manufacturers 1066MHz can hardly be called lightning fast.
that they're considering cutting down their sales estimations
and it's widely believed that X79 motherboards will not be as
popular as the current X58 boards. Things might change next However, in our mind, the best feature is the price point,
year when a revised X79 chipset is expected to appear that will the Atom D2500 is priced at US$42 in quantities of 1,000
bring a working SCU with SAS support, but we're not sure this units, with the D2700 coming in at US$52, which should be
is enough to make this a popular enthusiast platform. On the compared to US$63 for the Atom D525. Both of the CPUs will
14
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
rely on the fairly basic NM10 chipset, but we'd expect the old series. The new SSD 520 series will be available in capacities
ICH9 to work as well, which might see the new Atom processor as high as 480 GB and as low as 60 GB; provide trasfer rates
appear in some vertical solution as well as in low-end desktop of 520 MB/s sequential read, 500 MB/s sequential writes
systems. No word on new motherboards from Intel yet, but (compared to 500/315 MB/s on SSD 510), and 40,000 IOPS
we're sure they'll crop up on Intel's website shortly. read/write 4K random access throughput.
In related news, we hear the codename of the successor to SSD
Intel SSD 520 Cherryville 520 "Cherryville" is codenamed "King Crest", and is slated for
Launches This November, the second quarter of 2012.
Curtains for SSD 510
Battlefield 3 BETA - Can an
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-520-cherryville-launches-
this-november-curtains-for-ssd-510/13646.html
September 28th, 2011
Intel dual core laptop with
AMD discrete GPU run BF3?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/battlefield-3-beta--can-an-intel-dual-
core-laptop-with-amd-discrete-gpu-run-bf3-/13628.html
September 28th, 2011
A little earlier this month, we revealed key details of
Intel's next enthusiast solid state drive series, the SSD 520,
codenamed Cherryville. In the older article talked about its
specifications to great lengths. Fresh tips from our sources
suggests to important bits of information, its launch date and
market positioning. We answer one of life's greatest mysteries - can an aging
A little earlier this month, we revealed key details of Intel i5-450m dual core laptop with AMD Mobility Radeon
Intel's next enthusiast solid state drive series, the SSD 520, 5650 graphics run the upcoming Battlefield 3 shooter with
codenamed Cherryville. In the older article talked about its playable fps? Read on.
specifications to great lengths. Fresh tips from our sources Strangely, I get asked this question a lot. So let's put it to the
suggests to important bits of information, its launch date and test -
market positioning.
Machine Specifications:
Intel Core i5-450m processor, AMD Mobility Radeon 5650
graphics and 4GB DDR3 memory.
The SSD 520 "Cherryville" family is slated for this November,
the 4th of November to be precise. That is when one can expect
market-availability. The second important bit of information CPU-Z - this chip has 3MB cache and can "turbo" up to
is that SSD 520 is poised to displace the SSD 510 "Elmcrest" 2.66GHz
series, that's currently out in the market, available at 120 GB
and 250 GB capacities.
SSD 520 series, according to fresh information, is built around
the idea of providing more capacity choices to the consumer,
higher throughput, and lower latencies, compared to SSD 510
15
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
FPS (in an empty server):
See the top left number
GPU-Z - this mobile part is equivalent to the desktop Radeon
5570/GT440 and the mobility GT335M
Video of the action:
(Obvious) Conclusions:
You CAN play Battlefield 3 on a Core i5 dual core system with
an entry level AMD GPU. However, if you are going to have
any serious multiplayer sessions on this laptop, my only advice
is prepare to lose, BADLY.
To play BF3 well with high frame rate per second on a
notebook PC, it needs to be at least equipped with a high
frequency Quad Core processor (2630QM and above) and a
Mobility Radeon 5850/GTX560M; the new gaming laptops
such as ASUS G73SW and Dell Alienware M14x should have
no problem running the game.
Next up, we'll be testing on the AMD Llano A8 APU based
Game Settings: notebooks, and a supermassive 1500W EVGA W555 SR-2 with
2x X5680 @ 5Ghz and 2x Radeon 6990 in Quadfire.
For the test, we set the graphics quality preset to custom ,
fullscreen resolution to 1366x768 (which is the laptop
native display resolution) and used the lowest setting for every
option.
Olympus prepares Pen mini
E-PM1 for 7 October retail in
Japan
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/olympus-prepares-pen-mini-e-pm1-
for-7-october-retail-in-japan/13645.html
September 28th, 2011
Are you looking to get a new digital camera? Olympus has
announced 7 October as the retail date for their new Pen Mini
E-PM1 interchangeables lens mirrorless camera in Japan. The
16
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Pen E-PM1 was unveiled together with E-P3 and E-PL3 in
June this year, though the launch of the product came later
than its siblings.
If the recent reports are of any indication, Windows Phone 7.5
(also known as Mango) is arriving earlier than expectation.
And Korean company Samsung has recently announced the
launch of their new smartphone based on the Windows Phone
Olympus has announced the retail date for their Micro Four
7.5 mobile operating system, the Omnia W.
Thirds system OLYMPUS PEN mini E-PM1, on 7 October in
Japan. The estimated retail price is around 70,000 yen (US
Measuring 115.9 x 58.8 x 10.9mm and weighing 115.3g,
$916) with kit lens; 90,000 yen (US$1,177) for twin lens kit;
the Samsung Omnia W sports a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED
and 60,000 yen (US$785) for the camera body alone. The
touchscreen (800x480 pixel resolution). It is equipped with
E-PM1 will be available in six colors - white, silver, black,
a 1.4GHz processor, 8GB storage, 5-megapixel camera and
pink, purple and brown. The standard zoom kit lens is M.
supports 14.4Mbps HSDPA networks. The Omnia W will
ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II R, while the twin lens
retail at around US$420 before taxes and subsidies, and
kit consist of the standard zoom and M. ZUIKO DIGITAL
commercially available starting in Italy from end of October
17mm F2.8.
and then gradually rolled out to other parts of Europe, CIS,
The Olympus Pen E-PM1 incorporates high-speed 12.3- Latin America, Africa, South East and South West Asia.
megapixel Live MOS sensor with formula sensor shift image
stabilizer, ISO sensitivity of ISO 200 to 12800, and supports
AVCHD video recording. It does not come with integrated Western Digital introduces WD
flash, though you can use an external flash unit. The E-PM1
measures 109.5 × 63.7 × 34mm and weighs 265g with battery
2go and WD 2go Pro mobile
and memory card. According to local retailers, the Olympus apps for My Book Live
Pen mini E-PM1 should retail next month. Pricing details not Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/western-digital-introduces-wd-2go-
available at press time. and-wd-2go-pro-mobile-apps-for-my-book-live/13643.html
September 28th, 2011
Samsung launches affordable
Omnia W Windows Mango
smartphone
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-launches-affordable-omnia-
w-windows-mango-smartphone/13644.html Western Digital has recently introduced two mobile
September 28th, 2011 applications for its My Book Live personal cloud storage
solution - WD 2go and 2go Pro. The apps offer users easy
access to files stored on the My Book Live drive using an iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch or Android devices.
Samsung has unveiled their new Windows 7.5
(Mango) smartphone which comes in the form of Omnia W,
and it will have a price tag of approximately US$420. The
Omnia W will ship from end October in Italy and slowly to
other countries including Asia.
17
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The WD 2go is free for download while the WD 2go Pro
is priced at US$2.99. Both apps are currently available
for download from the iTunes Store and Android Market.
My Book Live personal cloud storage is available at
selected retailers and resellers and is distributed by Achieva
Technology Pte Ltd and SiS Technology Pte Ltd in Singapore.
MSRP is S$209 for 1TB, S$239 for the 2TB, and S$299 for
3TB.
AMD also releases special
driver (Catalyst 11.10 Preview)
for Battlefield 3
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-also-releases-special-driver-
catalyst-11.10-preview-for-battlefield-3/13642.html
September 28th, 2011
Western Digital has introduced its WD 2go and WD 2go Pro
mobile apps for its My Book Live personal cloud storage
solution. The WD My Book Live drive can connect to the home
network and users can share files, stream media, and access
content anywhere safely with no monthly fees. Secure remote
access to the My Book Live is available on any computer Hot on the heels of their green rivals, AMD also released a
through www.WD2go.com, while the WD 2go apps provide special driver just in time for the Battlefield 3 Open Beta today,
mobile access to files stored on the drive using an iPad, iPhone, and claims performance increases in both single card and
iPod Touch or Android devices. crossfire scenarios.
The WD 2go apps support a variety of media file formats • Improves performance in Battlefield 3 Open Beta release
for streaming movies and music or accessing files such as for both non-Anti-Aliasing, and application enabled
Microsoft Office documents. In addition to all of the features Anti-Aliasing cases on the AMD Radeon™ HD 6000
currently available in the free WD 2go app, the WD 2go Pro and AMD Radeon™ HD 5000 Series for single GPU
app includes several advanced features, including: configurations
- Clipping: Users can clip files, photos, songs, videos or folders • Improves performance in Battlefield 3 Open Beta release
to download a copy from the My Book Live drive to a mobile for both non-Anti-Aliasing, and application enabled
device, enabling subsequent access even without an Internet Anti-Aliasing cases on CrossFire configurations using
connection. the AMD Radeon™ HD 6000 and AMD Radeon™ HD
- Automatic sync: New or modified files added to the My Book 5000 Series
Live automatically sync to mobile devices.
• Enables support for Eyefinity 5x1 display (portrait and
landscape) configurations using the AMD Radeon™ HD
- Content sharing: The WD 2go Pro app allows users to email
6000 and AMD Radeon™ HD 5000 Series
files, share files as a link, print and open files with third party
apps. • Vision Engine Control Center: User Interface
enhancements have been implemented for the
- Additional security: Users can leverage an additional layer of CrossfireX, GPU Overdrive, and Information Center
security by locking mobile access to the My Book Live drive pages.
with a four digit pass code.
In addition to remote and mobile access to the personal
cloud, WD’s My Book Live features a built-in media server Fujitsu-Toshiba launches
that streams music, photos and movies to any DLNA-certified
multimedia device such as a WD TV Live network media
720p screen touting Arrows Z
player, Blu-ray Disc player, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Android handset in Japan
connected TV. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujitsu-toshiba-launches-720p-screen-
touting-arrows-z-android-handset-in-japan/13641.html
My Book Live personal cloud storage is available in capacities
of 1TB, 2TB and3 TB and is compatible with Windows
XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X Leopard, Snow
Leopard, or Lion, as well as DLNA/UPnP enabled devices.
Price and Availability
18
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 28th, 2011 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, although somewhat disappointingly it
only has Bluetooth 2.1. In typical retro Japanese style it also
has support for IrDA. 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage memory
is pretty much par for the course, although the 13 Megapixel
CMOS camera with a Sony Exmor R for mobile sensor is quite
impressive. There's also a front mounted 1.3 Megapixel camera
for video calls, an FM transmitter, an HDMI port, a micro USB
Once again Japan gets the latest and greatest toys to play with port and a micro SDHC card slot.
ahead of the rest of the world and if the latest Android handset
from Fujitsu-Toshiba's soon to end mobile partnership is
anything to go by, the future is, uhm, pink? Ok, so there is a
pink option, but the real selling point of the new handset is 4.3-
inch 1280x720 resolution display and the 1.2GHz dual core
TI OMAP4430 SoC at its core, features that should become
commonplace on high-end smartphones next year.
Once again Japan gets the latest and greatest toys to play with
ahead of the rest of the world and if the latest Android handset
from Fujitsu-Toshiba's soon to end mobile partnership is
anything to go by, the future is, uhm, pink? Ok, so there is a
pink option, but the real selling point of the new handset is 4.3-
inch 1280x720 resolution display and the 1.2GHz dual core
TI OMAP4430 SoC at its core, features that should become
commonplace on high-end smartphones next year.
Another disappointing feature, despite its fairly large size at
128x64x10mm, the 134g heavy Arrows Z only sports a meagre
1,460mAh battery which is a poor show on what is otherwise
a very high-end handset. Still, most of the features on offer
isn't like to appear on any single competing handset for now,
although we do expect to see more devices with 1280x720
screens by the end of this year or early next year. Some of the
other features, not so much, especially as many of them are
unique to the Japanese market.
Source: KDDI au
More Sandy Bridge-E
overclocking details come to
The new handset is called Arrows Z and launched today on
KDDI au in Japan. It's highly unlikely that there will be a
version of the handset for sale outside of Japan though, so light
we're just going to have to kick back and wait for something Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-sandy-bridge-e-overclocking-
similar to come out from one of Google's other Android details-come-to-light/13639.html
partners. That said, the Arrows Z is already far from the fastest September 28th, 2011
phone out there, but it does have a few features that stand
out such as a waterproof body, a built in digital TV-tuner,
an e-wallet function and support for DRM protected video
streaming.
The Arrows Z also supports WiMAX and CDMA 1xEV-DO
and 14.4Mbit/s HSDPA connectivity. It does of course sport Last week some details on how to overclock Intel's upcoming
Sandy Bridge-E CPU were posted over at bit-tech and in as
19
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
much as it covered the basics, details from a Taiwanese website
that leaked almost simultaneously puts all of the puzzles pieces
together. If and that's is a big if, someone can hit Intel's
theoretical maximum clock speed for the upcoming Sandy
Bridge-E processors, then we can expect to see CPU running
at a massive 9.5GHz.
Last week some details on how to overclock Intel's upcoming
Sandy Bridge-E CPU were posted over at bit-tech and in as
much as it covered the basics, details from a Taiwanese website
that leaked almost simultaneously puts all of the puzzles pieces
together. If and that's is a big if, someone can hit Intel's
theoretical maximum clock speed for the upcoming Sandy
Bridge-E processors, then we can expect to see CPU running
at a massive 9.5GHz.
So far only details of the turbo frequency for the Sandy Bridge-
E processor have leaked, but with the help of all the additional
details, we finally have a clearer picture of what to expect. At least the good news is that the PEG and DMI clocks can be
It seems like Intel decided to drop at least one or two of locked at lower multipliers, as this will prevent PCI Express
the multipliers we heard were available on early engineering devices and the chipset to cause overclocking limitations. For
samples of the Sandy Bridge-E CPUs and as such we're stuck those that want to run multiple graphics cards, it appears
with 1.25 and 1.67, although just like with the current Sandy that Intel had managed to get Nvidia to agree to give the
Bridge processors, the BCLK can be adjusted in increments of X79 chipset support for 4-way SLI without the need of any
1MHz. additional chips. On the not so good news front we're hearing
rumblings that the 3960X might end up costing more than US
$999, although we haven't been able to verify this as yet, and
yes, that is without a CPU cooler still. Interestingly it looks
like the 3930K might still come with a CPU cooler, but this is
again something we haven't managed to verify, but according
to information we've been privy to, the two CPUs are shipping
in different boxes where the 3930K comes in a much larger box
than the 3960X.
One slight snag is that we're stuck with the same 57x multiplier Source: bit-tech.net and Top PC
limit that we see on the current Sandy Bridge CPUs, although
this does of course only apply to the 3960X and the 3930K,
as the quad core 3820 is limited to a 45x multiplier. As things
Be Quiet! released the all-new
go, the 3820 can be overclocked six bins over its top Turbo Pure Power L8 PSU line
multiplier which is 39x, although if Intel's "coarse" BCLK Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/be-quiet-released-the-all-new-pure-
multipliers work as intended, it looks like speeds of a lot more power-l8-psu-line/13638.html
than 4.5GHz can be achieved even here, with Intel hinting at September 28th, 2011
speeds of between 5.9 and 7.5GHz. Not bad for a CPU which is
expected to retail for US$294 in quantities of 1,000.
According to a slide from IDF posted over at bit-tech, we can
expect to see core power limit overrides on Sandy Bridge-E and
Be Quiet!, the well known German manufacturer of PC
this explains what we heard earlier about the CPUs drawing
components and designer of PC power supplies announced
some serious power. What we don't know is to what degree the
today the release of the new L8 Pure Power line. The new L8
power enveloped can be pushed, or how much it needs to be
series boasts features which were available only on premium
pushed, but we're sure there are plenty of eager overclockers
models, such as a modular design and a "Silent Wings" fan.
out there waiting to find out. If some screen shots posted at
At the same time Be Quiet! enriched their older L7 series with
bit-tech is anything to go by, we're looking at something crazy
more powerful units. The new L8 series consists of...
like 300W, no wonder Intel decided to create a watercooling
solution for Sandy Bridge-E Be Quiet!, the well known German manufacturer of PC
components and designer of PC power supplies announced
today the release of the new L8 Pure Power line. The new L8
series boasts features which were available only on premium
models, such as a modular design and a "Silent Wings" fan.
20
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
At the same time Be Quiet! enriched their older L7 series with
more powerful units. The new L8 series consists of four new
models, ranging from 430W and up to 730W.
All models are 80Plus Bronze certified, modular and are using
Be Quiet's premium "Silent Wings" cooling fans. The MSRP
is 69.9€ for the 430W model and up to 109.9€ for the 730W
model (including taxes). Compared to the older E7 730W
The LGA1155 socket supports 2nd generation Core i3/i5/i7
power supply which has an MSRP of 89.9€, many enthusiasts
processors. The CPU is powered by a 5-phase VRM, and
might be willing to pay the extra price in order to get a modular
is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel DDR3
unit.
memory connectivity. The VRM uses a simpler design than
what we'd expect from Gigabyte, it draws power from a 4-pin
Source : Company Press Release
12V connector, apart from the usual 24-pin one. Expansion
slots include one PCI-Express 2.0 x16, two PCI-Express 2.0
Gigabyte Gives H61 Platform a x1, and three legacy PCI slots, wired to an iTE-made bridge
chip. Gigabyte made full use of the connectivity options the
Touch of 'Legacy' superIO chip provides, including an LPT (parallel) port, and
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-gives-h61-platform-a-touch- a COM (serial) port. Then there's the usual PS/2 combo port
of-legacy-/13637.html that Gigabyte is reluctant to let go of, on its boards.
September 28th, 2011
Gigabyte released a new socket LGA1155 motherboard based
on the Intel H61 Express chipset, which features legacy
connectivity otherwise rare for the platform. Called the GA-
P61-USB3P, the name could lead some to believe it's based on
a "P61" chipset, since Gigabyte traditionally makes the chipset
model clear in the product name. In reality, there is no "P61"
chipset.
Gigabyte released a new socket LGA1155 motherboard based
on the Intel H61 Express chipset, which features legacy
connectivity otherwise rare for the platform. Called the GA- Interestingly, Gigabyte didn't carry its legacy initiative
P61-USB3P, its name could lead some to believe it's based on forward, going on to add floppy and IDE connectors. Granted,
"P61" chipset, since Gigabyte traditionally makes the chipset an IDE would have required a larger (pin-count) SATA
model clear in the product name. In reality, there is no "P61" controller that also supports two IDE channels, but FDD is
chipset. doable, since it's handled by the superIO chip. Moving on
to its modern connectivity, we find two SATA 6 Gbps ports
handled by a Marvell 88SE9172 chip, which supports RAID 0,
1, 0+1; four SATA 3 Gbps ports wired to the H61 PCH; two
USB 3.0 ports on the rear panel driven by an Etron EJ168
controller; 6-channel HD audio surprisingly driven by the
high-end Realtek ALC889 CODEC; and one gigabit Ethernet
connection handled by Realtek 8111E. The sole display output
is an analog D-Sub connector. Gigabyte regular DualBIOS with
HybridEFI (capability to boot from volumes bigger than 2.2
21
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
TB) finds room. While announced, Gigabyte didn't give out its 460 v2, GeForce GTX 460, GeForce GTS 450, GeForce GT 440,
pricing. GeForce GT 430, GeForce GT 420, GeForce 405
NVIDIA GeForce 285.38 GeForce 300 Series
Drivers Now Downloadable - GeForce GT 340, GeForce GT 330, GeForce GT 320, GeForce
In Time For Battlefield 3 Open 315, GeForce 310
Beta Tomorrow
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-285.38-drivers-now-
GeForce 200 Series
downloadable--in-time-for-battlefield-3-open-beta-tomorrow/13636.html
September 28th, 2011
GeForce GTX 295, GeForce GTX 285, GeForce GTX 280,
GeForce GTX 275, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce GTS 250,
GeForce GTS 240, GeForce GT 230, GeForce GT 240, GeForce
GT 220, GeForce G210, GeForce 210, GeForce 205
GeForce 100 Series
NVIDIA has just released their 285.38 BETA drivers, claiming
up to 38% performance increases and other improvements for GeForce GT 140, GeForce GT 130, GeForce GT 120, GeForce
the Battlefield 3 Open Beta which will be available to privileged G100
early access users in less than 23 hours' time.
• Supports GeForce 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500- GeForce 9 Series
series desktop GPUs as well as ION desktop GPUs.
GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX/GTX+, GeForce
• Supports OpenGL 4.2 for GeForce 400 series and 500 9800 GT, GeForce 9600 GT, GeForce 9600 GSO, GeForce
series GPUs and OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and 9600 GSO 512, GeForce 9600 GS, GeForce 9500 GT, GeForce
later GPUs. 9500 GS, GeForce 9400 GT, GeForce 9400, GeForce 9300 GS,
GeForce 9300 GE, GeForce 9300 SE, GeForce 9300, GeForce
• Supports multiple languages and APIs for GPU
9200, GeForce 9100
computing: CUDA C, CUDA C++, CUDA Fortran,
OpenCL, DirectCompute, and Microsoft C++ AMP.
• Supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI technology GeForce 8 Series
on DirectX 9, DirectX 10, DirectX 11, and OpenGL,
including 3-way SLI, Quad SLI, and SLI support on SLI- GeForce 8800 Ultra, GeForce 8800 GTX, GeForce 8800 GTS
certified Intel and AMD motherboards. 512, GeForce 8800 GTS, GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce 8800
GS, GeForce 8600 GTS, GeForce 8600 GT, GeForce 8600
GS, GeForce 8500 GT, GeForce 8400 GS, GeForce 8400 SE,
GeForce 8400, GeForce 8300 GS, GeForce 8300, GeForce
ION (Desktops) 8200, GeForce 8200 /nForce 730a, GeForce 8100 /nForce
ION 720a
ION LE (Desktops) GeForce 7 Series
ION LE GeForce 7025 / NVIDIA nForce 630a, GeForce 7050 PV /
NVIDIA nForce 630a, GeForce 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 610i,
GeForce 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA
GeForce 500 Series nForce 630i, GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 620i, GeForce
7100 GS, GeForce 7150 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, GeForce 7300
GeForce GTX 590, GeForce GTX 580, GeForce GTX 570, SE / 7200 GS, GeForce 7300 LE, GeForce 7300 GS, GeForce
GeForce GTX 560, GeForce GTX 560 Ti, GeForce GTX 550 Ti, 7300 GT, GeForce 7350 LE, GeForce 7500 LE, GeForce 7550
GeForce GT 545, GeForce GT 530, GeForce GT 520 LE, GeForce 7600 LE, GeForce 7600 GS, GeForce 7600 GT,
GeForce 7650 GS, GeForce 7800 GS, GeForce 7800 GTX,
GeForce 7800 SLI, GeForce 7900 GS, GeForce 7900 GT/GTO,
GeForce 400 Series GeForce 7900 GTX, GeForce 7950 GT, GeForce 7950 GX2
GeForce GTX 480, GeForce GTX 470, GeForce GTX 465,
GeForce GTX 460 SE v2, GeForce GTX 460 SE, GeForce GTX GeForce 6 Series
22
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
GeForce 6100, GeForce 6100 nForce 400, GeForce 6100 HP announces new displays
nForce 405, GeForce 6100 nForce 420, GeForce 6150, for creative professionals and
GeForce 6150 LE, GeForce 6150LE / Quadro NVS 210S,
GeForce 6150SE nForce 430, GeForce 6200, GeForce 6200 SMBs
A-LE, GeForce 6200 LE, GeForce 6200 TurboCache(TM), Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-announces-new-displays-for-
GeForce 6200SE TurboCache(TM), GeForce 6250, GeForce creative-professionals-and-smbs/13634.html
6500, GeForce 6600, GeForce 6600 GT, GeForce 6600 LE, September 28th, 2011
GeForce 6600 VE, GeForce 6610 XL, GeForce 6700 XL,
GeForce 6800, GeForce 6800 GS, GeForce 6800 GS/XT,
GeForce 6800 GT, GeForce 6800 LE, GeForce 6800 Ultra,
GeForce 6800 XE, GeForce 6800 XT
Despite the recent dismissal of their CEO and appointing
a new one, HP has continued to unveil their new range of
HTC plans to develop products. This time, it is their new displays which include
proprietary mobile operating the performance series featuring LED backlit IPS panels
- ZR2740w, ZR2440w, ZR2240w and ZR2040w; the HP
system Compaq LE2202x Essential Display and the HP Compaq
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-plans-to-develop-proprietary- LA2206xc WLD backlit LCD Monitor.
mobile-operating-system/13635.html
September 28th, 2011
It was just last week that Samsung mentioned that it would
open-source its Bada platform for other manufacturers and
developers. And it seems like Taiwanese manufacturer HTC is
planning to develop a mobile operating system of their own
too.
HP has announced new additions of affordable and powerful
displays to its portfolio, designed for creative professionals
and businesses. The displays include the company’s first 27-
inch performance display with more than 1 billion colors,
and the industry’s first sub-US$200 display with in-plane
switching (IPS) technology.
The four new HP ZR-series Performance Displays - HP
ZR2740w, ZR2440w, ZR2240w and ZR2040w - are aimed
According to Jack Tong, president of HTC North Asia, in at professionals in animation, game development, broadcast,
Seoul, Korea, the company has plans to develop its own mobile computer-aided design, design and graphic arts. They come
operating system though will still continue to strengthen with light-emitting diode (LED) backlights for a slim industrial
the collaboration with Microsoft and Google. In order to design, more robust colors and the elimination of mercury. All
go head on with Apple's iOS and be less reliant on Google of HP’s ZR series displays employ IPS technology for ultrawide
Android OS, Samsung was recently reported that it will open- viewing angles and offer up to 10 times higher contrast ratios
source the Bada platform next year, which will allow other when viewed from an angle as compared to mainstream
manufacturers and developers to help grow the ecosystem. monitors that use twisted nematic (TN) technology.
However, HTC has made little headway in the development
of their own proprietary operating system. It is likely that the The HP Compaq LE2202x features LED technology for
company could acquire a mobile OS and incorporate it into enhanced color performance and a thinner profile than
their products, though experts predict disastrous results if the previous HP Essential Displays. The LE2202x provides
mobile OS fails. full high definition 1920 x 1080 native resolution with
3,000,000:1 DCR, 170°/160° viewing angles, and fast 5ms
response times that offer crisp and detailed views. It sports
a small footprint and comes with Display Assistant Software
23
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
that enables intelligent theft deterrence, impactful energy wouldn't want to crash out during a personal best high scoring
savings, convenient desktop partitioning, and customizable multiplayer session.
picture quality. The 21.5-inch diagonal panel is BFR/PVC-,
mercury- and arsenic-free, and the display’s flat packaging
reduces waste and shipping cost. Barnes & Noble to launch new
The HP Compaq LA2206xc WLD backlit LCD monitor Nook Color tablet?
is designed for businesses looking to improve the way Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/barnes--noble-to-launch-new-nook-
they collaborate and communicate with team members color-tablet-/13632.html
and customers, while saving time and money. The 21.5- September 28th, 2011
inch widescreen monitor comes with a built-in webcam using
HP MyRoom for real-time collaboration right from your
desk. Pricing and availability for the HP displays in Asia Pacific
will be announced in the coming weeks.
Guide To Building A Gaming With the success of their Nook tablets, it could be true that
Rig For Battlefield 3 Barnes & Noble could be planning to launch a new one under
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/guide-to-building-a-gaming-rig-for- the same line. And if reports are true, we may see the new tablet
battlefield-3/13633.html in stores in the next quarter, which is timely for end of year
September 28th, 2011 Christmas shoppers.
There has been literally too many uninformed gues-timations
being thrown around in forums everywhere about this topic.
We're less than 24 hours away from the BF3 beta and here
are the configurations we came up with for different tiers of
gamers.
What if I have unlimited money to spend and must play in
ultra/4k resolutions/eyefinity/stereo 3d/contribute to global
warming:
Processor: EVGA W555 SR-2 with 2 x Xeon X5680 @ 4.6Ghz
Graphics Card: 2 x AMD Radeon 6990 in Quadfire or 2 x
Nvidia GTX 590 sli or 2 x ASUS MARS II
If news from The Digital Reader are believed to be true, Barnes
& Noble could be launching three new tablets this year, with
I have 0 friends / Not going to play online: one of them being an update to the Nook Color. The Nook
(same as the advertised minimum system requirements) Touch and Nook Color would retain their US$139 and US$249
price tags respectively, and the two Nook Color tablets would
Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core (Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHZ or Althon have higher price points. The Encore and Acclaim tablets will
X2 2.7 GHz) be priced at US$249 and US$349, and note that Acclaim is a
new codename for the tablet. It is likely that Encore could be
Graphics Card (AMD): DirectX 10.1 compatible with 512 MB the new update to the Nook Color, seeing the similar pricing.
RAM (ATI RADEON 3000, 4000, 5000 OR 6000 series, with Unfortunately, no specifications were given, though it was
ATI RADEON 3870 or higher performance) mentioned that the new tablets would be out in the next
quarter, which could be as early as October.
Graphics Card (NVIDIA): DirectX 10.0 compatible with 512
MB RAM (NVIDIA GEFORCE 8, 9, 200, 300, 400 OR
500 series with NVIDIA GEFORCE 8800 GT or higher Antec Kuhler H2O 620 Water
performance)
Cooler Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/antec-kuhler-h2o-620-water-cooler-
review/13630.html
Remember to run Linpack on your CPUs and Furmark on your
GPUs to test for stability/cooling efficiency at full load. You
24
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 28th, 2011 o 151 mm (H) x 120 mm (W) x 27 mm (D)
• Fan Dimensions:
o 4.7" x 1.0" / 120 mm x 25 mm
• Air Flow:
o 81.3 CFM
In the world of home computing, using water cooling started
• Cold Plate + Pump Height:
off when a couple of enthusiasts tried to achieve high
overclocking performance on their (at the time) top of the line o 1.1" / 27 mm
486DX processors. Within a few months the trend took off • Net weight: 1.5 lbs / 0.7 kg
and many enthusiasts and overclockers were designing and
building their own parts, when companies offering ready parts • AQ3 - Antec Quality 3 year limited warranty on parts and
and even ready to assemble kits began to emerge. It was not labor
until years later that companies released closed, ready to run
water cooling solutions and still only a few are available in the
market today. Antec has just released such a water cooler, the Leaked AMD roadmaps
very compact Kühler H2O 620, which also comes with a very
interesting retail price tag. Will it manage to outperform the suggests Llano replacement in
humongous air coolers available today? We will find out in this Q1'12
review. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/leaked-amd-roadmaps-suggests-llano-
In the world of home computing, using water cooling started replacement-in-q1-12/13631.html
off when a couple of enthusiasts tried to achieve high September 28th, 2011
overclocking performance on their (at the time) top of the line
486DX processors. Within a few months the trend took off
and many enthusiasts and overclockers were designing and
building their own parts, when companies offering ready parts
and even ready to assemble kits began to emerge. It was not
until years later that companies released closed, ready to run
water cooling solutions and still only a few are available in the If what appears to be a legit leak of a mobile product roadmap
market today. Antec has just released such a water cooler, the from AMD is the real deal, then we can expect Llano's
very compact Kühler H2O 620, which also comes with a very replacement, Trinity, to arrive in Q1 next year. As with Llano,
interesting retail price tag. Will it manage to outperform the Trinity will have four different main SKUs, although so far no
humongous air coolers available today? We will find out in this specific models are listed. Trinity will be based on AMD's new
review. Pilderiver core which is derived from Bulldozer, the same core
which we'll see in the soon to launch AMD FX series of CPUs.
If what appears to be a legit leak of a mobile product roadmap
Manufacturer features and specifications
from AMD is the real deal, then we can expect Llano's
• CPU Socket Compatibility: replacement, Trinity, to arrive in Q1 next year. As with Llano,
Trinity will have four different main SKUs, although so far no
o Intel LGA 775, 1155 / 1156, 1366, AMD AM2, AM3, specific models are listed. Trinity will be based on AMD's new
AM2+, AM3+ Pilderiver core which is derived from Bulldozer, the same core
• Low profile pump ensures exceptional liquid circulation which we'll see in the soon to launch AMD FX series of CPUs.
while preserving internal airflow
The platform will be known as Comal and initially it'll co-exist
• Non-corrugated easy-bend tubes for maximum with the Sabine platform which is the current mobile Llano
flexibility in radiator positioning APUs combined with the A70M and A60M chipsets. Comal
• Intelligent noise / speed-control fan for quiet, efficient will continue to use the same chipsets and as far as we can
cooling tell, the same socket. We'll also be seeing improved graphics,
currently codenamed London. Beyond that, details are very
• Latest generation copper cold plate for optimal
sketchy, but what we do know is that the TDP will remain the
conduction
same as for the current APUs.
• Cooling Liquid - Safe, environmentally-friendly, anti-
corrosive
• Fan Speed: 1450 - 2000 RPM
• Tubing Length: 13.0" / 330 mm
• Radiator Dimensions:
o 5.6" (H) x 4.7" (W) x 1.1" (D) /
25
September 28th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Later next year we'll see the introduction of Wichita and The roadmap also contains some details of what AMD is
Krishna, both part of the Deccan platform. Both SKUs will planning for 2013. At the top we have Kaveri which is Trinity's
feature Bobcat core, i.e. the same CPU cores as AMD current replacement which will feature Steamroller CPU cores and a
Zacate and Ontario entry level APUs. However, the graphics yet unknown graphics core. Below that we have Kabini which
core will be the same as for Trinity, albeit we'd expect to see will feature Jaguar cores, a feature it shares with the tablet
far fewer shader units compared to Trinity. Interestingly AMD friendly Samara APU. Kaveri will be teamed up with the Bolton
has developed a new FCH for Wichita and Krishna called Yuba FCH, while Kabini gets the integrated Yangtze FCH and finally
which incorporates two SATA 6Gbps ports, two USB 3.0 ports, Samara will feature the integrated Salton FCH.
10 USB 2.0 ports, 4 PCI Express x1 lanes, a built in SDHC
controller and various other basic chipset features. Yuba will Let's hope AMD can deliver on this roadmap, as this year has
replace the A50M FCH in this product category. The Deccan been a bit of a disaster for AMD. That said, at least for next
platform should launch sometime in Q2 next year. year we should be looking at 32nm parts and by then AMD and
Global Foundries should've gotten yield rates up to expected
levels. With a Bulldozer core at the heart of Trinity we should
also see a decent jump in raw CPU performance over Llano and
its aging Husky cores.
Source: 3DCenter forums
As for the "ultra low power" segment we're looking at Hondo,
a next gen Desna APU which brings the power down from
5.9W to 4.5W. Honda incorporates two Bobcat cores, the same
Loveland graphics as the current range of entry level APUs
and the same FT1 BGA package. The platform will be known
as Brazos T and as AMD is targeting tablets, we'll be seeing a
new FCH here too, called A55T. The A55T is a very small and
simplified FCH with a single SATA port, SDIO support and
eight USB 2.0 ports.
26