VR-Zone Tech News for the Geeks Sep 2011 Issue 2

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September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone channel HD audio CODEC, but it's wired to a 6-channel audio jack cluster. Those seeking 8-channel output can still use the TOSLINK connector, which gives out 7.1 channel optical SPDIF output. Other connectivity includes one gigabit Ethernet connection, two USB 3.0 ports, and a Firewire port apart from a number of USB 2.0 ports on the rear panel, and viainternalheaders.Wedon'texpecttheASUSE45M1-MPRO to be priced significanly higher than the E35M1-M PRO. Images Credit ASUS Intel gives up MeeGo development; Samsung eyes to take over Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-gives-up-meego-development- The MeeGo platform has suffered a huge blow, especially when Nokia has announced their Windows Phone in February this year. This means that the production quantity of 6 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- Reallusion unveils Visualize image editing tool for iPad Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/reallusion-unveils-visualize-image- editing-tool-for-ipad/13493.html September 6th, 2011 Reallusion has unveiled their new Visualize application which is designed for Apple iPad users who want to do some image editing on their tablet device. Visualize is an image editing tool that allows users to make cutouts and stylized image composition. You can give this software a try; Visualize is now available in iTunes store. 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 onboardgalleryfolders,toexpandthecurrentcollection,orbe 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 pixel-accuratepositioning.Thesamecanbedoneforchanging

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September 6th, 2011 color settings, and adjusting edge properties with special effects such as feathering, shadowing, or white edging. Users can now import snapshots and clippings directly from online websites with the use of a rectangular cropping tool. 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 simply typing and later adjusting the background and font settings.Lastbutnotleast,youcanalsofurthercustomizeyour projects by dropping in background images with added spotlight, and color effects to enhance the look. When ready, simply export the projects to Facebook, Picasa, Dropbox or send them as a email attachment to colleagues. You can download the latest trial in your iTunes Stores - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/visualize-free/ The Angry Birds Seasons has been rather quiet with no new update until few days ago. Well, there are only so many festivities in a year and we would assume that there won't Published by: VR-Zone are also eight hidden pieces of mooncakes in the stages. Find all eight mooncakes and you will be rewarded with another bonus level. The Angry Birds Seasons - Mooncake Festival is available for download on the iPhone, iPad, Android and Symbian devices. In addition, the Angry Birds Seasons also gets another the Mighty Eagle like the regular version. The Mighty Eagle is a one-time in-app purchase and costs US$0.99 / £.59 / €.79. Basically, you can use the Mighty Eagle to skip a level, unlock the next level so as to advance in the game. However, you are only entitled to skip one level every hour. The Mighty Eagle also lets you attain new highscores and achievements. 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 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vmware-to-bring-business-capabilities- onto-samsung-smartphones-tablets/13482.html 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

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8 September 6th, 2011 AnnouncedatVMwareconferencelastweek,VMwareHorizon Mobile is a way for businesses to securely manage an employee's mobile work environment separately from their personal space. This means that workers can continue to use and customize their Android-based phones without having to worry about messing up their company's settings and configurations. Moreover, personal emails and apps will not beinterspacedwithwork-relatedones,allowingemployeesthe freedom and flexibility to use a single Android device for both work and play. Within the mobile work environment, IT admins retain the full ability to remotely manage installed applications and configurations. Everything here is saved within an encrypted virtual container that can only be accessed after keying in a password - including new notifications. It is clear that this technology offers enhanced protection against misplaced or stolen devices, even as its sandboxed nature eliminates traditional fears of invasion of privacy when allowing the IT department full access to personal devices. One criticism about VMware Horizon Mobile however, is the potential performance reduction that running Android on top of Android. On its part, VMware has asserted that the performance reduction is only 10 percent, and that the companyhasn'theardanycomplaintspertainingonthatfront. No specifics have been offered about which Samsung phones mightincorporatethetechnology,thoughitisunderstoodthat LG also plans to make phones available with the technology. In the meantime, VMware has put together a short video clip where you can see VMware Horizon Mobile in action on an Android smartphone here . Intel's new Sandy Bridge CPU lands, others receives price cut Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-new-sandy-bridge-cpu-lands- others-receives-price-cut/13490.html September 6th, 2011 Remember all those new Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs we've been writing about over the past couple of months that were 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, although one or two of them as we've already mentioned, might be worth a closer look. Remember all those new Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs we've been writing about over the past couple of months that were supposed to launch in September, well they've arrived. Now please don't panic, as none of the models are likely to cause Published by: VR-Zone much of a stir as we're looking at minor updates at the most, although one or two of them as we've already mentioned, might be worth a closer look. Let's start with the desktop models where we have a new, slightly faster mid-range Core i5 model, a new top of the range Core i3 model, a new Core i3 model with HD3000 graphics and a new slightly faster power efficient Core i3 model, all as per the table below. We also have two new, faster Pentium models alongside a new slightly faster low power Pentium model. Possibly the most important new chips though are the firstSandyBridgeCeleronswhichmeansyoucangetdualcore Sandy Bridge action for sub US$50, although with quite a few features snipped off. Desktop CPUs Core i5-2320 6M cache, 4 Cores, 4 Threads, 3.00GHz, 95W TDP Core i3-2130 3M cache, 2 Cores, 4 Threads, 3.40GHz, 65W TDP Core i3-2125 3M cache, 2 Cores, 4 Threads, 3.30GHz, 65W TDP Core i3-2120T 3M cache, 2 Cores, 4 Threads, 2.60GHz, 35W TDP Pentium G860 3M cache, 2 Cores, 2 Threads, 3.00GHz, 65W TDP Pentium G630 3M cache, 2 Cores, 2 Threads, 2.70GHz, 65W TDP Pentium G630T 3M cache, 2 Cores, 2 Threads, 2.30GHz, 35W TDP Celeron G540 2M cache, 2 Cores, 2 Threads, 2.50GHz, 65W TDP Celeron G530 2M cache, 2 Cores, 2 Threads, 2.40GHz, 65W TDP Celeron G440 1M cache, 1 Cores, 1 Thread, 1.60GHz, 35W TDP Celeron G530T 2M cache, 2 Cores, 2 Threads, 2.0GHz, 35W TDP Price US$ $177 $138 $134 $127 $86 $75 $70 $52 $42 $37 $47 On the mobile side we have three new quad cores, of which one is an Extreme Edition part which is 200MHz faster than its predecessor with a 200MHz higher Turbo clock. The other two quad cores also receive a 200MHz speed increase over their predecessors, with the rest of the features seemingly remaining the same. There's also a new dual core Core i7 model,butherewe'relookingatamoremodest100MHzspeed increase. Finally we have a 300MHz faster Celeron model. Mobile CPUs Price US$

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Published by: VR-Zone September 6th, 2011 Core i7-2960XM (8M cache, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.70 GHz 32nm Core i7-2860QM (8M cache, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.50 GHz 32nm Core i7-2760QM (6M cache, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 2.40 GHz 32nm Core i7-2640M (4M cache, 2 Cores, 4 Threads, 2.80 GHz 32nm Celeron B840 (2M cache, 2 $1,096 $568 $378 $346 $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. TYAN Intros S5515 Single- Socket LGA1155 Server Board Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tyan-intros-s5515-single-socket- lga1155-server-board/13489.html September 6th, 2011 As more businesses move online, the hosting industry is only set for growth. With dedicated hosting, leasing a single multicore processor-powered server is an ideal option for small businesses. Often it's boards such as the TYAN S5515 released today, that make up such servers. The S5515 is a micro-ATX motherboard based on the Intel Q67 Express chipset,whichtakesinsecondgenerationCorei3/i5/i7"Sandy Bridge", and Xeon E3-1200 series processors in the LGA1155 package. TYAN is known most for its vast portfolio of enterprise motherboards of all shapes and sizes, all architectures and sockets. At the outset the S5515 could look like a sub-par desktop board, but closer inspection reveals that everything is located in the right place for server setups. Intel Q67 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 Technology (TXT) with supported processors, Intel Active ManagementTechnolgy(AMT),andthenearly-universalIntel Rapid Storage Technology (RST). Active Management Technolgy gives network administrators a wealth of remote management tools, including hardware KVMovernetworkhelpingwithremoterepairsandhostbased setup. Trusted Execution Technology ensures a high degree of trust and control over the machine and adds a line of defence against software-based attacks aimed at stealing data. Rapid Storage Technology allows administrators to build and servicestoragevolumesconnectedtothechipsetAHCI/RAID- compatible SATA controller. Measuring 243.8x243.8 mm, the TYAN S5515 complies with the micro-ATX form-factor. There are four expansion slots, including a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 wired to the processor, a close-ended PCI-Express x8 that's electrically x4 and wired to the chipset, a PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and a legacy PCI. In terms of storage connectivity, there are six SATA ports, the two ports colored blue run at a max speed of 6 Gb/s, while the rest run at 3 Gb/s. RAID modes 0, 1, 10, and 5 are supported, and can be managed over RST. The LGA1155 processor is powered by a 3+1 phase voltage regulation circuitry, there isn't any exotic digital PWM stuff here, but one can count on the board to be making use of high- grade chokes and MOSFETs. The four DDR3 DIMM slots are wired to the processor, and support up to 32 GB of unbuffered non-ECC DDR3-1333/1066 MHz memory. There are two gigabit Ethernet connections, handled by Intel 82583 controller that comes with a suite of network management tools and a driver that spreads processing loads 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

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September 6th, 2011 connections include DVI, D-Sub (VGA) and DisplayPort. Miscellaneous connectivity includes two USB 3.0 SuperSpeed ports, serial (COM) over header, and a number USB 2.0 ports. The TYAN S5515 is available now. Image Courtesy TYAN Sony Singapore unveils new NWZ-A860 Walkman MP3 player Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-singapore-unveils-new-nwz- a860-walkman-mp3-player/13486.html September 6th, 2011 Even though many users do use their smartphones to listen to their favorite songs, there still exist a group who prefer to rely on the dedicated portable MP3 player. Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has recently unveiled their new NWZ-A860 Walkman MP3 player that features a stylish exterior design, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, and claims to deliver premium sound quality for audiophiles on the move. Published by: VR-Zone and video viewing. Transferring music from Windows Media Player or iTunes is an easy task, thanks to the Sony Media Go application. And with SensMe Channel, it automatically 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 volume of vocals for party time sing-alongs, and Synchronised Lyric Features let users follow along as they learn the words to their favorite songs. Intel SSD 710 Lyndonville for Enterprise Detailed Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-710-lyndonville-for- enterprise-detailed/13485.html September 6th, 2011 Intel's latest generation of solid state drives has come full circle with new enterprise-grade SSDs in the 2.5-inch SATA form-factor. Called the Intel SSD 710 series, and codenamed "Lyndonville", the new series succeeds previous-generation X25-E series in a similar way SSD 320 series does to the 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

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September 6th, 2011 Intel's SSD 710 drives come in three capacities - 100 GB, 200 GB and 300 GB - and the endurance rating varies between the three. With 4 KB write endurance, while the 100 GB model is rated to offer 500 TB (900 TB with 20 GB overprovisioned, leaving 80 GB unformatted capacity), and the 200 GB model offers 1 PB or 1000 TB (1.5 PB with 40 GB overprovisioned, leaving 160 GB), the 300 GB model tops the charts with 1.1 PB endurance (3.0 PB with 60 GB overprovisioned, leaving 240 GB). The SSD 710 300 GB gets very close to X25-E 64 GB with 4K write endurance and 4K random write performance in IOPS. The figures paint SSD 710 to have most durable MLC NAND flash ever made, and should build confidence in server builders. Apple iPhone 5 cases spotted in China hints a "Tear drop" design, similar to Macbook Air Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-iphone-5-cases-spotted-in-china- hints-a-tear-drop-design-similar-to-macbook-air/13484.html With the launch of the highly anticipated Apple iPhone 5 drawing closer each day, it looks like there a new batch of iPhone cases have been spotted even before the phone is available. From the looks of the cases, it hints at the iPhone 5 may be adopting a Macbook Air-like "Tear drop" design. Published by: VR-Zone Yes,itlookslikeanothernewbatchesofApplecaseshavebeen spotted in China. Unlike the ones that were reported from a company in Shenzhen, China, which have thinner form factor and larger display, the latest cases showed that the iPhone 5 may have a "Tear Drop" design, which is similar to the MacbookAir.Thecaseshaveathinnerpointclosertothehome button end of the iPhone and it looks to become thicker as you go up the body to the camera and power button. This may mean that the phone could be adopting a Macbook Air- inspired design. From the reports, the cases are currently in mass production, though it is still unknown whether they are designed for the new iPhone 5, iPod Touch or even a new device from Apple. Let's wait and see. Logitech introduces Bedside Dock for iPad and New Tablet Speaker Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-introduces-bedside-dock-for- ipad-and-new-tablet-speaker/13483.html September 6th, 2011 September 6th, 2011 Logitech Singapore has introduced their new Apple accessories which include the Bedside Dock for iPad and Tablet speaker. The Bedside Dock comes with a speaker that produces full stereo sound and includes a bass enhancer, and lets you wake up to your own music or FM radio, The Logitech 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

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September 6th, 2011 The Logitech Bedside Dock features an alarm that lets you wake up to your own music, tone or FM radio. The internal clocksyncswiththeclockonyouriPad,soitisalwaysaccurate. The speaker offers full stereo sound and includes a bass The Logitech Tablet Speaker is a compact, clip-on, rechargeable speaker that offers maximum convenience and portability.Attach your iPad or other tablet devices securely with the rubberized clip and plug the 3.5mm audio cable into the headphone jack. It features with up to eight hours of batterylifedependingonusage,whichisgoodenoughtowatch a full-length movie or two. The speaker also charges over USB, which means you never need to worry about replacing batteries. Pricing and Availability The Logitech Tablet Speaker is expected to be available in Singapore by mid September, for a suggested retail price of S $59. 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 forISOandVHDfiles.Inaddition,Sinofskytouchedonatopic of immense interest when he wrote about the GUI (Graphic UserInterface)thisweekthatwecanexpecttoseeinWindows 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 getting many things done." Moreover,hecitedthepopularityofremotedesktopprograms for tablets and phones as evidence of the desktop's versatility. With these considerations in mind, Microsoft has opted for a more nuanced approach in the form of a Metro style interface that will work well with touch (and which includes the mouse and keyboard), in addition to support for a desktop interface. What I found interesting though, was the revelation that it will be possible to stay "permanently immersed in the Metro world" as Sinofsky puts it. Users who opt for such an experience will work exclusively in Metro, without ever 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

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September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Toshiba Smartens STOR.E TV For Living Room Goodness Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-smartens-stor.e-tv-for-living- room-goodness/13474.html September 6th, 2011 Content consumption media is in a state of flux. From disc players to media players that take USB mass storage devices, the evolution is on at breakneck pace. Hard disk drive vendors such as Toshiba and WD have taken the initiative to combine theirexternalharddriveexpertisewithmediacenterhardware to eat into the markets of both HTPCs and media players in one go. At this year's IFA event, Toshiba unveiled its 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 consumption. The consumer electronics giant unveiled two models: STOR.E TV 2 and STOR.E TV Pro. Check them out on the next page. Content consumption media is in a state of flux. From disc players to media players that take USB mass storage devices, the evolution is on at breakneck pace. Hard disk drive vendors such as Toshiba and WD have taken the initiative to combine theirexternalharddriveexpertisewithmediacenterhardware to eat into the markets of both HTPCs and media players in one go. At this year's IFA event, Toshiba unveiled its 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 consumption. The consumer electronics giant unveiled two models: STOR.E TV 2 and STOR.E TV Pro. 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. Ratherthantheprospectofableakpost-PCworld,aWindows 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 to the web, and allows web-browsing. Both come in variants based on the capacity of the hard drives they pack: 500 GB, 1 TB, 1.5 TB and 2 TB. Both drives connect to your TV using HDMI and composite. Apart from the in-built hard drive, the devices provide one USB 2.0 port, with which you can plug in anyUSBmassstoragedevice(aflashdriveoranotherportable 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 video formats, including H263/H264, MPEG4, DivX/XviD, VC1/WMV, VP8; and audio formats including MPEG,OGG, MP3/MP2, WMA, WAV, APE, FLAC, AAC, and PCM.Video is streamed out at 1080p, and the digital audio passed through supports Dolby Digital, DTS 2.0+ formats. Things take a turn for the awesome with STOR.E TV Pro. This device provides all features of the STOR.E TV 2, but adds an ethernet port with which it can connect to the web, or a network. Toshiba bundles a compact bluetooth remote that features a QWERTY keyboard and a trackpad. The hard drive allows web-browsing at 1080p resolution. Toshiba however didn't mention in its press release if it supports Adobe Flash, giving it access to a wealth of online videos. "The vast majority of TVs in the home do not provide web access," said Marco Perino, General Manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba Europe GmbH. "We've been looking for a plug-and-play approach to connect these 'stand-alone' TVs to the web and designed the multimedia console STOR.E TV PRO," he added. Toshiba expects a market release of these two in the fourth quarter of 2011. Show Babes @ Comex 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/show-babes--comex-2011/13480.html September 6th, 2011 WetakealookattheshowbabesthatareinComex2011.Sadly, our favourite from ACRyan isn't here this time. Enjoy! 13

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Published by: VR-Zone September 6th, 2011 A new legend is born however, A.C Ryan gets a new show babe in Comex. Yes, she is rather tall and slim ^^ 14 Toshiba babe in red

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Published by: VR-Zone 15 September 6th, 2011 Babe in 3D holds a LG Optimus 3D Urbanears

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September 6th, 2011 Canon, delighting you always Samsung announces Wi-Fi optical drive and then some Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-wi-fi-optical- drive-and-then-some/13479.html September 6th, 2011 Over the years we've seen a lot of peculiar bits of 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 beyond being able to connect to a PC over Wi-Fi, it also works with tablets and smartphones. 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 beyond being able to connect to a PC over Wi-Fi, it also works with tablets and smartphones. 16 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 connectivityanditwillalsoworkaseitheraWi-Fiaccesspoint 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 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 on the SE-208BW. Despite the slightly bizarre nature of the SE-208BW, we have to applaud Samsung for creating a truely unique convergence device, the question is, is there a market for it? Powered by USB to a green future Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/powered-by-usb-to-a-green- future/13478.html September 6th, 2011 Today we're kicking off something new here at VR-Zone with the introduction of the first feature written by a guest writer. If this proves to be popular we'll be doing more of these kinds of stories about various topics written by industry insiders from a wide range of technology companies. So please click on through and let us know if this is the kind of thing we should do more of in the future.

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September 6th, 2011 Our first guest writer is René F. Koch, the CTO of Leader Electronics Inc. which is one of the largest OEM/ODM designers and manufacturers of power adapters and various types of power supplies. Leader Electronics Inc. has over 40 years of experience in the industry making product ranging from phone chargers, to notebook chargers all the way to variousindustrialsolutions.RenéhasbeenworkingforLeader Electronics Inc. for over a decade in various positions at the company and his guest feature is about where things seem to be heading as far as device charging is concerned and why we’re heading in that direction. The Universal Serial Bus, or simply USB, has from its launch alwaysbeenabletoprovidepowertotheconnecteddeviceand it’s now transforming into the new Universal Power delivery system, according to a recent publication from the USB implementers forum. The strength of USB has always been its ability to provide power, next to a means of being an interface, as this allowed for a single cable connection to be used with a wide variety of devices like Human Interface Devices (mice, keyboards, etc.), microphones, speakers, storage devices and so on. Until recently, the current limit was 500mA for configured high-power devices and 100mA for un-configured or low- power devices; with a standardized bus voltage of 5V this results in a maximum power of 2.5W, similar to the power needed for a normal mobile phone charger. The European Union was interested in making this the mandatory mobile phone charger standard , as that could result in major "Green" benefits. Most people have had multiple mobile phones over the past decade; as functionality increased, people would buy new models, leaving their old phone with a still functional charger as waste, while buying multiple chargers, for home, work and in the car for example. Waste is a growing concern, especially in electronic goods; the EU therefore, figured this a good opportunity to reduce the amount of waste, as the chargers do not offer any additional functionality with newly released phone models. Although most major mobile phone brands agreed to the proposed standard and signed the MOU that was initiated by the EU, most of them are not yet willing to ship their Published by: VR-Zone products without a charger; this is especially true for higher- value products. The rationale is that a lower quality charger, which does not completely comply with the requirements, could render mobile phones useless or even worse, making the battery explode as seen in the past. Nevertheless, the future trend is set for a universal charger and is destined to become reality. Other types of products take advantage from this initiative, especially those that are battery operated and are charged by USB; look at Digital Cameras, tablets and smartphones. Even products that do not even need to 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 wasaddedtotheUSBstandardinordertoprovidemorepower 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 dedicatedUSBmodewhichisinitiatedbyaresistivepull-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 now the limiting factor to deliver more current and, as the voltage is standardized to 5V, also to power. This is where the new power delivery standard will come in, as the Voltage will be negotiable in the future, by digital communication between the host and connected device, and could go as high as 60V DC; limited for safety reasons to the maximum Voltage of a Safe Electrical Low Voltage (SELV); a Voltage that does not result in a shock hazard when touched. Intheorythiscouldmeanupto100W,withthe1.8Aofcurrent handling capability as maximum limit (1.8A * 60V = 108W). Handling higher currents, like the absolute limit of 5A, as definedinallUSBspecifications,evenifconnectorsandcables could handle this current, is however not a good solution for energy efficient transport of power. Current creates losses in cables and connections; the lower the current, the lower the power loss. (P loss = I 2 * R). As such 100W would be the maximum power that could be delivered over a single USB port, which means that when using a 4-port USB hub, up to 400W could be delivered. This power level goes way beyond the practical needs of most computing equipment; dedicated gaming or CAD computers, or their imaging peripherals might need more power, but then again, this power delivery system is not meant to power computer systems but rather peripherals, with a possible extension to charge notebook computers or other handheld battery operated devices. Thinking about the opportunities and possibilities this power delivery standard could offer, it could very well change the world of power electronics, and power delivery as we know it. 17

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September 6th, 2011 Energy Performance standards, which are mandatory in most western parts of the world, focus on active mode energy efficiency and off-mode, stand-by and no-load power consumption. Active mode energy efficiency is quite clearly the capability of the system to perform a certain action while limiting the energy required doing so. Although actions are not always easily translated into power, the EU tries to generalize actions and reflect a certain calculation on them in order to establish the system performance of that action in relation to the used power consumption to perform said action. (The U.S.D.O.E. is starting similar activities) 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. Basically, any energy draw during these three modes of operation is waste, as there is no action being performed. An additional state of non-active mode is now added to the scope, which is referred to as “networked stand?by”. This mode comes into scope when thinking about all the USB powered devices that do not have their own power supply. At this time, each connected device needs to draw less than 500mW of power while in a non-active mode according to mandatory energy efficiency regulations. The USB standard actually defines a “suspend” mode in which no more than 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. Acer unveils its first Ultrabook, the Aspire S3 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-unveils-its-first-ultrabook-the- aspire-s3/13477.html September 6th, 2011 It turns out the leaked pictures of Acer's Ultrabook turned out to be the real deal after all, as the company has unveiled its AspireS3seriesofUltrabooksatIFAinBerlintoday.Thepress 18 Published by: VR-Zone release makes bold claims of 1.5 second resume times (from sleep) and up to 50-days battery life (this time in deep sleep mode), something that will be interesting to see if Acer can really deliver on. 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 AspireS3seriesofUltrabooksatIFAinBerlintoday.Thepress release makes bold claims of 1.5 second resume times (from sleep) and up to 50-days battery life (this time in deep sleep mode), something that will be interesting to see if Acer can really deliver on. Ace is still being coy with regards to some aspects of the specifications of the Aspire S3 and there are a few blanks in thepressrelease.However,whatwedoknowisthataswithall the other Ultrabooks, Acer will be using Intel's ULV Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. In the storage department we're looking at a 320 or 500GB hard drive, or a 240GB SSD options. It's worth noting that Acer has implemented what it calls Green Instant On which is some kind of SSD caching technology but we're not sure if this is Intel's Smart Response technology or a different solution like the one used by Samsung in its Series 7 notebooks. 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 features include a 1.3 Megapixel webcam, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0+HSR. The notebook itself is a mere 13mm thickandweighsinat1.4kg.Ithasasimilarchicletkeyboardto that found on the current TimeLineX series of notebooks from Acer, but it has a much larger touchpad.

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September 6th, 2011 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 COOLPIX S100 @ S$449 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-coolpix-s100--s-449/13475.html September 6th, 2011 Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date for COOLPIX S100 officially starts on, 1st Sept, 2011, Thursday and the recommended retail price for the COOLPIX S100 is S$449. Price and Sales Date for the remaining models (COOLPIXAW100,P7100,P1200pj,S4150,S6150,S6200and S8200) will be announced at a later date. Published by: VR-Zone Nikon Singapore is pleased to announce that the sales date for COOLPIX S100 officially starts on, 1st Sept, 2011, Thursday and the recommended retail price for the COOLPIX S100 is S $449. Product Name Colors Available & Major Features Specifications Recommended Retail Price COOLPIX S100 • Silver • Black • Gold • Red • Pink • Purple and stylish design • 16.0 megapixels with 3.5” OLED touch panel • 18.1mm slim S$449 Note: This model was launched exclusively during COMEX Show 2011. • 5x optical zoom with 28mm wide- 2011 onwards, it will be • Backside illumination CMOS sensor sale. • Full HD movie recording 19

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September 6th, 2011 20 • 3D photography scene mode • Filter Effect mode Price and Sales Date for the remaining models (COOLPIX AW100, P7100, P1200pj, S4150, S6150, S6200 and S8200) will be announced at a later date. Product Name COOLPIX AW100 Colors Available • Black • Blue • Orange Specifications & Major Features • Nikon 1st AW Series compact camera • Camouflage • Waterproof, shockproof, cold-resistant • 16.0 megapixels with 3” LCD • 5x optical zoom with 28mm wide- angle • Backside illumination CMOS sensor • Full HD movie recording • Built-in GPS and electronic compass COOLPIX P7100 • Black • 10.1 megapixels with 3” LCD • 7.1 optical zoom • 28mm wide-angle to 200mm telephoto lens • Faster response and lesser noise • Special Effect mode • Tone level information display Published by: VR-Zone • Full HD movie recording with COOLPIX S100 • Silver • Black • Gold • Red • Pink • Purple stereo sound • 18.1mm slim and stylish design • 16.0 megapixels with 3.5” OLED touch panel • 5x optical zoom with 28mm wide- angle • Backside illumination CMOS sensor • Full HD movie recording • 3D photography scene mode • Filter Effect mode COOLPIX S1200pj • Black • Pink • 14.1 megapixels with 3” LCD • 5x optical zoom with 28mm wide- angle • Brighter projection up to 60” display • Project images via iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch* • Special Effect mode *via dedicated cable COOLPIX S4150 • Silver • Black • Bronze • Red • Purple • 14.0 megapixels with 3" LCD • 5x optical zoom with 26mm wide- angle • Pet Portrait Mode

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September 6th, 2011 • Filter Effect Mode • Built-in original animated COOLPIX S6150 COOLPIX S6200 • Silver • Black • Red • Pink • Violet • Silver • Black • White • Blue • Red • Pink characters • 16.0 megapixels with 3” LCD • 7x optical zoom with 28mm wide- angle • Touch Shutter, Subject Tracking • Pet Portrait Mode • Filter Effect Mode • HD movie recording • 16.0 megapixels with 2.7” LCD • 10x optical zoom with 25mm wide- angle • High-speed response • Special and Filter Effects mode • Hand-held/ COOLPIX S8200 • Silver • Black • Red • 16.1 megapixels with • 14x optical zoom with 25mm wide- angle 21 Published by: VR-Zone • Backside illumination CMOS sensor • High-speed response • Target finding AF function • Continuous shooting function • Smile timer continuous mode • Night Scene mode • Special and Filter effect mode • Easy Panorama • HD movie recording • Still image during movie recording Tablets promotion @ COMEX Show 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tablets-promotion--comex- show-2011/13473.html September 6th, 2011 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 GalaxyTab10.1,ASUSEeePadSliderandMotorolaXoomand we have noted them down in the next page. ASUS

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September 6th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone +EDR, high definition audio CODEC, stereo speaker, 1.2- megapixel front and 5-megapixel rear cameras, and up to 8hr batterylife.AccordingtoASUS,theEeePadSliderispreloaded with Android 3.1 though it will be upgradeable to Android 3.2 in the near future. The ASUS Eee Pad Slider is retailing at a S$759 (U.P. S$899) for this show. Samsung sold in some countries (yet), the highly-anticipated tablet device is fortunately selling here in Singapore, and also at the COMEX Show 2011. Weighing just 565g and measuring 8.6mm, the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is equipped with 1GHz dual core processor, support for Flash Player 10.3, 3- megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 2-megapixel front camera, and preinstalled with Android 3.1. The GALAXY Tab 10.1 is selling at S$848 without contract and comes with free 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 Acer is known for their range of desktop and notebook PCs, though recently the company also came out with their tablet devices. The 10.1-inch Acer Iconia Tab A500 tablet incorporatesNvidiaTegra250dual-coreprocessor,andcomes with 1GB DDR2 memory (and 32GB eMMC memory), ultra low power GeForce GPU, Acer Nplify 802.11b/g wireless, 5- megapixel rear camera with auto focus and 2-megapixel front 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 The new Huawei MediaPad claims to be the world's first tablet to be preinstalled with Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system. It has an aluminium uni-body chassis, 1.2GHz dual core processor, 7-inch 217ppi ultra clear screen and supports 1080p full high definition video playback (up to six hours). The MediaPad is not available for sale yet, but at this COMEX Show 2011, you can preorder it at S$598 (U.P. S 22

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September 6th, 2011 $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 Mac which claim to provide Mac OS X Lion user experience evenonWindowsplatformwhichisrunningonMacmachines. The upgrade is available today for current Parallels Desktop users (you can purchase at Nubox booth at the COMEX Show 2011), while the retail package and downloadable version are going to be available next week. According to Parallels, there is a growing number of Mac users, both home and business, who want to run Windows applications on their machines. And if you are looking to get a software that can run both Mac and Windows applications side-by-side without rebooting, check out the latest Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac. It offers Mac OS X Lion functionality including full screen, launch pad and mission control for your Windows prograns; run multiple copies of OS X Lion 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 Published by: VR-Zone The Parallels Mobile app is compatible with the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices and allows users to have complete remote access of their Mac anytime, anywhere. The Parallels Mobile also works with Parallels Desktop 7, which means you can run Flash videos and audio from Windows on your Mac, via your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch devices. The Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available today as 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 purchased Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac from an authorized reseller on or after 1 August, you will be eligible for free upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac. The Parallels Mobile app is available in the Apple iTunes App Store with an introductory price of US$4.99; the standard retail price is US$19.99. Current users of free Parallels Mobile app will get a free upgrade to the new functionality via an update on their devices.

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September 6th, 2011 John Eng, vice president, marketing and alliances for Parallels, said that the company has 75% market share in desktop virtualization - running Windows and Mac operating system side-by-side without the need of rebooting. Eng said that 50% of the customers who go to Nubox, who is also a partner of the company, are new to Mac, and want to get a Mac but still want to run the Windows applications. "You may ask what kind of applications do people run on the Mac? We did a poll of about half a million of our users and found that there are more than 10,000 discrete (Windows) applications that they use," says the vice president. HTC announces HTC Radar Windows Phone 7 with Mango update Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-announces-htc-radar-windows- phone-7-with-mango-update/13471.html September 6th, 2011 be out in Q4 this year, it looks like some phone makers may have theirs out earlier than the Finnish company. Today, HTC has announced their first Windows Phone 7 with the highly- anticipated Mango update, which comes in the form of HTC Radar.TheHTCRadarisscheduledtogoonretailinSingapore in October. Published by: VR-Zone Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC has unveiled their Windows Phone HTC Radar which is designed to keep you close to friends, family, news and entertainment that matter to you. The HTC Radar is the company's first Windows Phone 7 with Mango update. It features a compact aluminium uni- body, a built-in 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture, 28mm wide-angle lens and back-illuminated sensor for improved low-light performance. The HTC Radar can also capture 720p high definition videos. The smartphone also incorporates Virtual 5.1 surround sound for a rich audio experience,andwebbrowsingisfastandsmoothwithHTML5 support. You can also get an amazing mobile gaming with Xbox LIVE that lets you access to a great selection of games for Windows Phones. Creative announces quad core sound cards Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-announces-quad-core-sound- cards/13470.html September 6th, 2011 EventhoughNokiahassaidthattheirWindowsPhone7would 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 announceditsfirstquadcoresoundcardsbasedonitsrecently 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 announceditsfirstquadcoresoundcardsbasedonitsrecently 24

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September 6th, 2011 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 AdvancedHD5.0isstillpartofthepackagethough,sogamers 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 Crystalizer treatment, a throwback to the X-Fi days, surround sound support, a smart volume feature, something called dialog plus which enhances the voices in games and movies and finally a bass enhancer. Creative's first PCI Express card, although the PCB looks extremelyvoidofcomponentsforasoundcard.We'renotsure if the chunk of metal in the centre of the card has any kind of function,asthere'sasmallCreativebrandedchipfurtherdown on the PCB which we suspect is the Sound Core3D rather than somethinghidderunderthepurportedheatsink.Astothepin- headers, your guess is as good as ours as to what they're for. Next up we have the shrouded Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional which comes with the beam-forming microphone and a nice pieceofmetalwrappedaroundthePCBwithasmallwindowin it. This brings us to the Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion of which we have as yet to see a picture. This should be the same card as the Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional, but with an I/O drive that sports headset jacks, volume control and various other audio jacks. 25 Published by: VR-Zone The fourth and final product, the Recon3D USB which is quite different from the PCI Express cards, as although this is a USB audiodeviceitpacksconnectivityforaheadset,linein/outand an S/PDIF input. The S/PDIF input allows for Dolby Digital 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 However, the features don't stop here, as the Recon3D USB can be upgraded with wireless connectivity and it can be connected to Creative's Tactic3D Omega headset and Creative willofferabundleofthetwolaterthisyear.TheRecon3DUSB is expected to hit retail in October for a price of US$129.99 (S $157). As for the PCI Express cards, Creative didn't mention any actual launch date, although the press release stated that the Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion won't be available until Q1 next year. As a side note, apparently both Gigabyte and MSI has singed up as OEM partners for the Sound Core3D, so it'll be interestingtoseewhatkindofonboardaudiosolutionsthetwo companies can come up with in the future.

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September 6th, 2011 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 sensitivecontrols, butit seems like a step inthe right direction compared to some of its past products. In fact, the Zen X-Fi3 seemstobethebiggerbrotheroftheZenStylewhichlaunched 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 sensitivecontrols, butit seems like a step inthe right direction compared to some of its past products. In fact, the Zen X-Fi3 seemstobethebiggerbrotheroftheZenStylewhichlaunched back in May. What we're looking at is a tiny 65x45.5x12.5mm portable media player that weighs in at a mere 45g, although Creative hassomehowmanagedtopackina262kcolourscreenalbeitat a mere 2-inches large with an unspecified resolution, but this isjustthestart.Aroundthescreenyou'llfindasetofcapacitive touch buttons that gives you access to the menu and handles navigation and playback. There are a pair of volume controls on the right hand side, with a micro SD card on the left side, a headphone jack and a microphone at the top and finally an A/V jack, a mono speaker and somewhat strangely enough a mini USB connector at the bottom, were we really would've expected a micro USB connector by now. Published by: VR-Zone TheZenX-Fi3alsopacksBluetooth2.1withAVRCPandA2DP support, but maybe more importantly the apt-X audio codec whichismeanttovastlyimproveaudioqualitywhencombined with an apt-X compatible Bluetooth headset. As the name suggests Creative has of course added support for its X-Fi technology and the Zen X-Fi3 packs X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi Expand. An 8GB and a 16GB model will be on offer, although ifthat'snotenough,upto32GBmicroSDcardsaresupported. Let's not forget the built in FM radio as well as the ability to output video to a TV via the A/V jack in the bottom, although you'll have to splash out extra on the composite video cable. Asformediasupport,theZenX-Fi3willplaybackmostdigital audio formats such as FLAC, DRM free AAC, MP3, WMA, WAV and Audible files, although we're missing support for OGG.Ifyouwanttogoblind,youcanalsowatchmoviesonthe 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 $189forthe16GBversion,bothofwhichwillbeavailablefrom the end of October. 26

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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.

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Published by: VR-Zone September 14th, 2011 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. Gelid GX-7 CPU Cooler review Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gelid-gx-7-cpu-cooler- review/13564.html September 14th, 2011 Gelid is one of the few companies which focus entirely on designing and supplying cooling solutions for PC systems; at 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. Gelid is one of the few companies which focus entirely on designing and supplying cooling solutions for PC systems; at 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. Manufacturer features and specifications • Wing 12 PL Blue Fan • PWM Fan Control • 3 Years Warranty Air Flow (CFM/CMH): Bearing: Cable Length (mm): Current (A): DC Voltage (V): Fan Dimensions (mm) Fan Speed (RPM): Heat Sink Dimensions (mm): LED Color: 75.6 / 128.6 Nanoflux Bearing 500 0.45 12 120 (l) x 120 (w) x 25 (h) 600 - 1800 130(l) x 65 (w) x 159 (h) Blue Life time MTTF at 40C (h): Noise Level (dBA): Number of LED: Static Pressure (mmAq): Warranty (years): Weight (g): Applications: Intel Socket 775, 1366, 1155 and 1156: AMD Socket AM2/ AM2+/ AM3/ AM3+/ FM1: 100'000 10 - 26.8 4 2.66 3 720 (heatsink and fan) All Pentium D/ Pentium 4/ All Celeron D All Pentium Dual-Core/ Extreme/ All Core 2 Extreme/ Core 2 Quad/ Core 2 Duo, Core i5, Core i7 All Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 All Athlon II, All Sempron, Phenom, Phenom II All A Series AMD APU Llano Photos of Gigabyte's X79 motherboards from IDF 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 By asking nicely, we were sent some pictures from IDF of Gigabyte's upcoming X79 motherboards, well, at least four out of the five models we understand the company is going to launch come November. That said, these aren't the final boards, thanks to Intel's last minute SCU errata, so Gigabyte will have to implement a few changes before these boards hit retail. By asking nicely, we were sent some pictures from IDF of Gigabyte's upcoming X79 motherboards, well, at least four out of the five models we understand the company is going to launch come November. That said, these aren't the final boards, thanks to Intel's last minute SCU errata, so Gigabyte 1

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September 14th, 2011 will have to implement a few changes before these boards hit retail. Published by: VR-Zone boardandwe'realsolookingattantalumcapacitors.Theboard 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- UD5isthewaytogo,asthisboardsportsatotalofeightDIMM 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. NextupwehavetheGA-X79-UD7andasyoumight'venoticed 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 thatGigabytehascrammedinafewextrapowerphasesonthis 2

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September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone 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 rearandtwofrontUSB3.0ports,allviaFrescoLogicchipslike the previous models. 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 twoSATA6GbpsportsandfourSATA3Gbpsports,butbeyond this we don't really know what Gigabyte will offer. We spotted additionalMarvellchipsforapairofextraSATAportsonsome of the boards and it's very likely that Gigabyte will add more thanjustapairofadditionalSATA6GbpsportstoallofitsX79 boards. We'll make sure we get a closer look at the new boards comeNovember,asbythenGigabyteshouldhaveclosetofinal boards to show us. The missing model that wasn't on display atIDFshouldbetheGA-X79-D3,butwedon'thaveanydetails about this model as yet. We'veaddedafewadditionalpicturesonthenextpageaswell. 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 theUD7thisistheonlyboardwithsevenslotsanditappearsto be able to be kitted out with four x16 cards, although we're not At the Tokyo Game Show 2011 press conference today, Sony Computer Entertainment has announced the limited edition "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 consoleisarefreshingmetallicbluecolorwhichisreminiscent 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

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September 14th, 2011 Intel, McAfee unveil DeepSafe hardware-assisted security technology Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-mcafee-unveil-deepsafe- hardware-assisted-security-technology/13561.html AttheIntelDeveloperForum(IDF)heldthisweek,chipmaker IntelfinallygavetheworlditsfirstglimpseofthefruitofitsUS $7.68billionacquisitionofsecurityvendorMcAfee,whichwas completed in February this year. Demonstrated during Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini's keynote, the technology dubbed DeepSafe is a revolutionary blend of software and hardware designed to deliver a level of security protection that is simply not possible with a software-only approach. The idea revolves around building a "deeper" security 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 rootkitscurrentlyinexistenceand1,200newrootkitsdetected 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." Intel says it has no plans to embed McAfee software directly into its processors, but will focus instead on creating software products and services that take advantage of the embedded security capabilities. As the requisite hardware components are available for use by any developers, James told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that Intel expects competitors to introduce similar technology for Intel processors. Technical information and product details were sparse at this point, though Intel says products utilizing DeepSafe will be availableforsalelaterintheyear. Don'texpecttoseeitinyour home PC anytime soon however, as the technology will first roll out in enterprise products. Published by: VR-Zone IDF Day 1: Many bridges abound... Sandy, Ivy, and more Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-1-many-bridges-abound...- sandy-ivy-and-more/13560.html September 14th, 2011 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 before. Today's Intel CEO keynote at IDF referred many times to the new Socket 2011 Xeons and their desktop brethren, for cases such as reconstructing the St Peter Rome Church interior in full 3-D from millions of photographs - where Intel claims the new Xeons do the job 50% faster than the old Westmere- based 6-core ones, to Dreamworks' Jeff Katzenberg testimony about the new generation processors for their 3-D animation renderings. There were both single and dual socket 2011 platforms on the show floor, the single-processors ones open for everyone to see. And, both Intel and MSI had desktop boards with whopping8(eight)memorysocketsonX79chipsetsfor64GB RAM desktops! Now, the question is why would most users need such high capacity, but then, there are users who don't needtoomanyCPUcores,justneedalotofmemory.Thisisthe answer to them. Otherwise, the usual X79 Socket 2011 boards with 4 DIMMs, means one per channel, can fine tune their tracing easier for slightly better memory performance. Let'scuttothechase:theIvyBridgetechnicalpresentationwas the most interesting one. Have a look at the key points here, in summary, after the discussions post presentation. 4

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September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone 1 - Process advantage: the tri-gate 22 nm CMOS process will giveIvyBridgebothpowerandperformanceadvantage,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

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September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone 6

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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 Withtherisingnumberofdevicesandapplicationsforusersto 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 theirlatestNortonInternetSecurity2012andAntiVirus2012. NortonbySymantectodayunleashedthenewNortonInternet Security (NIS) and Norton AntiVirus (NAV) 2012 with new featuresdesignedtoenhancetheoveralluserexperiencewhile 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 andserviceswhichwillbelaunchedinthecomingmonthswith plans to support mobile and tablet devices for both Android and iOS platforms. 7

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September 14th, 2011 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 is S$39, which provides one year of protection for one PC. The Norton 2012 products support Microsoft Windows XP (32-bit) Home/Professional/Tablet PC/Media Center with Service Pack 2 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit) and Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) both for Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Business/Ultimate editions. Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus 2007 or later users with a valid product subscription are eligible to receive the latest product updates via the subscription service model. For more information, visit the Norton Update center at http://updatecenter.norton.com . Jabra HALO2 brings virtual surround sound and powerful bass for users on the move Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/jabra-halo2-brings-virtual-surround- sound-and-powerful-bass-for-users-on-the-move/13557.html September 14th, 2011 With the Jabra HALO2 Bluetooth stereo headset, you can enjoy good quality audio as well as make and receive phone callswirelessly.ItfeaturesAM3DVirtualSurroundSoundand Power Bass, and is available in Challenger stores and Apple premium resellers this Friday. Published by: VR-Zone Launching from the Jabra music series, the Jabra HALO2 is the new Bluetooth stereo headset which claims to be the ultimate smart phone companion. The sleek metallic finish HALO2 includes new features like AM3D Virtual Surround Sound and Power Bass for an enhanced listening experience. It supports Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR technology and users can make and answer phone calls wirelessly as well as play the favorite songs from their smartphones. The HALO2 also incorporates AM3D Virtual Surround Sound and Power Bass for enhanced audio experience. Jabra HALO2 boasts advanced Multipoint technology which 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 you adjust the overall volume with just a swipe of a finger, while the wireless stereo sound AVRCP technology lets you control music all by touch - skip tracks, play, and pause songs. Weighing 80g, the HALO2 gives a talk-time of up to eight hours (and separate music time, up to 8 hours). It features Noise Blackout technology with dual microphones, so that 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 and other authorized Jabra resellers. Key specifications of Jabra Halo2: - Bluetooth 3.0 EDR+eSCO wireless technology, up to 10m - A2DP for music streaming - AM3D Virtual Surround Sound 2.0 and PowerBass - AVRCP for remote controls (skip track, pause, etc.) - Noise Blackout technology with dual microphones - Foldable headband and carrying pouch 8

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September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Media processor and platforms company ZiiLabs has unveiled the Jaguar3, its 3rd generation of reference designs for Android 3.2 tablets that incorporate over a decade of designing experience in portable mobile devices from Creative Technology. Based on a motherboard concept, the designs were first demonstrated at Computex 2011 in May this year, and were made possible for an OEM or ODM to bring Android 3.x tablets to market in the shortest possible time. The Jaguar3 features the ZMS-20 StemCell processor, a system-on-chip (SoC) based on the dual-core 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A9. With the presence of an additional 48 StemCell processing cores, the ZMS-20 is effectively a 50- coreprocessor. Inaddition,OEMcustomersbuildingJaguar3 tablets will have the option of upgrading to the 4th generation ZMS-40SoCchip,whichwillfeatureaquad-coreARMCortex- A9 and 96 StemCell processing cores for a 100-core processor when available in the next quarter. According to ZiiLabs, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creative Technology, the Jaguar3 design features massive integration ofI/Odevicesandprocessorswithina"granddaughter-board" in order bring its dimensions down to a mere 2.44" (62 mm) x 4.64" (118 mm). Designed with 10-inch tablets in mind, the Jaguar3 consumes just 1W of power, making it possible to achieve extremely slim designs of 7.4mm or weighing just 480 grams. - 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 Technologysaidinapreparedstatement:"Theexplosivetablet 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 tablet market instantly and economically, while at the same time reducing their risks significantly. A high-end Jaguar3 configuration will support advanced capabilities such as: • Dual camera system of up to 12 megapixel for rear facing image capture and high definition (HD) front facing • Easy-to-use 40 Megapixel panoramic photography • Advanced video playback with trick modes such as rewind play, frame-by-frame advance and reverse • Dual microphone array for noise-free recording and video conferencing • Creative Sound Blaster's famed X-Fi audio effects ZiiLabs said that the Jaguar3 breaks new ground by offering different "flavors" to snag various crowns such as the most powerful,thelightest,theslimmest,themostcompleteandthe lowest cost Android 3.2 tablet reference designs currently on the market. The Jaguar3 reference design kits are expected to sample to select customers in October 2011. 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

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September 14th, 2011 September 14th, 2011 Singapore on 27 September. The ThinkPad X121e features easy-to-use voice and video tools, spill-resistant keyboard and optional fingerprint reader for secure log in. Lenovo Singapore has announced the ThinkPad X121e ultraportable laptop designed for mobile professionals. It claims to offers business-class performance with choices 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 withvarioussecurityfeaturessuchasself-encryptingUSBand 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 boasts over nine hours on a single charge. It is also equipped with advanced tools including a low-light sensitive web camera, noise suppressing keyboard, microphone mute key and the ThinkVantage Communications Utility 2.0; users can 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 Published by: VR-Zone AMD demonstrates 28nm GPU 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,thecompanyhasannouncedthatthestylishfull-feature ultraportable for mobile professionals will be available in Proving IDF is not all about Intel, AMD has demonstrated the first working 28nm GPUs to the public. The development 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 the first working 28nm GPUs to the public. The development platform was notebook based, thus the working product was a "28nm next gen notebook discrete GPU". Thenext-genGPUranDirt3,andwasdemonstratedbyAMD's Director of Technology Management for GPU Division, David Cummings. Not much else is known about the 28nm GPU itself, but unsurprisingly, we know it is up and running. Now it is up to TSMC to ramp up 28nm production.

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September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone MSI introduces stylish Wind Box DC100 with dual-core performance Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-introduces-stylish-wind-box- dc100-with-dual-core-performance/13554.html September 14th, 2011 MSI has unveiled the updated Wind Box DC100, which made its first appearance in CeBit 2009. The small form factor PC is now equipped with the latest AMD Brazos platform E-450 dual-core processor and A50M chipset for superior performance, compared to the Intel Atom processor incorporated two years ago. TheMSIWindBoxseriesisdesignedwithsuperbperformance 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. The small form factor PC features AMD Radeon HD 6320 discrete class graphics that support output resolutions of up to 1080p, and supports DirectX 11 image processing technology for high-definition video playback. The Wind Box DC100 features VGA and HDMI output Incorporating 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 Operating Systems Processor Chipset System Memory Graphics Wireless Hard Drive Audio Audio Chipset I/O Card Reader Adapter Power Dimension Weight Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit AMD Brazos Dual Core E-450 (1.65GHz) AMD A50M (Hudson M1) DDR3 2GB , 1333 MHz (2GB x1) ; DDR3 SO-DIMM x 1 slot Max to 4GB AMD Radeon HD 6320 Discrete Networking 802.11 b/g/n 320G 2.5-inch SATA II 5400 rpm 5.1-channel Audio(SPDI/F adapter) Realtek ALC662 HDMI out x1; VGA outx 1; USB x6 (front x4, rear x2); Front mic-in/Headphone out x1 /1; Line-out x1; SPDIF-out x1; LAN x1 6-in-1 (XD, SD ,mini SD ,Micro SD, MMC, MS) HD (30fps@720p) 40W 191.8 X 150.93 X 34.94mm 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 Sony Singapore had recently announced their NWZ-A860 Walkman. And at the recent IFA 2011 trade fair for consumer electronics and household appliances in Berlin, Germany, the company showcased the new NW-Z1000 Android Walkman which claims to run Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.

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September 14th, 2011 At the IFA 2011 trade show in Berlin, Sony has unveiled their new Walkman portable media player (PMP), the NW- Z1000. It claims to be the company's first PMP to incorporate Google's popular Android mobile operating system that is usually found on smartphones and tablet devices. The NW- Z1000 runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is equipped with Nvidia dual-core Tegra 2 processor and 512MB RAM. It sports a 4.3-inch display (480x800 pixel resolution) and features a digital amplifier “S-Master MX” to provide improved audio quality. Sony claims that the NW-Z1000 has a battery life of 20 hours for non-stop music enjoyment, or five hours of video playing. Other features include Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth with A2DP, HDMI output, DLNA compatibility and built-in GPS. What Intel won't tell you about 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 September 14th, 2011 Intel isn't having a good year when it comes to its integrated controllers this year, first with the SATA 3Gbps issue in the 6-series chipset and now news has reached us that in the end we won't be seeing any additional SAS/SATA ports in the X79 chipset. Apparently this is because of a “quality issue” in the SCU which would've been home to the four additional SAS/ Intel isn't having a good year when it comes to its integrated controllers this year, first with the SATA 3Gbps issue in the 6-series chipset and now news has reached us that in the end we won't be seeing any additional SAS/SATA ports in the X79 chipset. Apparently this is because of a “quality issue” in the SCU which would've been home to the four additional SAS/ SATA ports. Published by: VR-Zone We're not sure what the exact problem is, but combine this withrumoursofadelayofIntel'sSandyBridge-EPserverparts 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,aswe'restillabouttwomonthsawayfromtheofficial 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. We're afraid that the bad news doesn't end there though, as Intel won't even guarantee PCI Express 3.0 compliance for the WaimeaBayplatformwiththecompanyclaimingthatthefirst generation of Sandy Bridge-E processor might not be able to cope with the high speed of the PCI Express 3.0 interface. In other words, it'll be a bit of a hit and miss as to which PCI Express3.0add-incardswillactuallyworkwiththefirstSandy Bridge-E processors. And if you were hoping for Ivy Bridge-E to sort this out next year, well, then we have really bad news, as Ivy Bridge-E isn't schedule to arrive until 2013 now. On the upside, Intel expects Ivy Bridge-E to be fully compatible with PCI Express 3.0. 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 arrive this year, as it'll only go into production at the very end of 2011. Can it possibly get any worse for Intel? SanDisk is pushing for new, 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 efficient enough for mobile devices and the company is now proposing that a new low power SATA standard should be developed. The company wants to cut the power consumption ofmobileSSDsby10times,whichisnomeanfeat,butSanDisk expects this to be perfectly doable. SATA ports. According to SanDisk, the SATA standard just isn't power efficient enough for mobile devices and the company is now proposing that a new low power SATA standard should be developed. The company wants to cut the power consumption ofmobileSSDsby10times,whichisnomeanfeat,butSanDisk expects this to be perfectly doable. SanDisk claims that today's best-in-class low power SSDs consume 50mW and apparently part of the reason for this “high” power usage is because the SATA interface doesn't 12

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September 14th, 2011 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 theindustryismovingtowardsmoreandmorepowerefficient hardware. AMD scores Guinness Book of World Record for fastest CPU Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-scores-guinness-book-of-world- record-for-fastest-cpu/13550.html September 14th, 2011 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.Thisseemstobethelatestwayofscoringconsumer 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. Published by: VR-Zone We don't want to spoil AMD's moment here, but the press release is talking 8-core CPU and several publications are already reporting this as a feat performed with an 8-core CPU, wheninfactsixoftheeightcoresweredisabledduringthetest. This doesn't make the 8.429GHz record any less impressive, but it should be made clear that only two cores were active which most likely helped to improve the overclockability of 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.Thisseemstobethelatestwayofscoringconsumer 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 AMD didn't announce which CPU was used, but at the end of the video (embedded below) there's an AMD FX logo and underneath it there's an 8-core Black Edition AMD FX-8150 Processor logo which suggests that this was mostly likely the CPU used. The record was actually achieved on the 31 st of August,butkeptsecretuntiltoday,possiblyasabitofaspoiler ahead of Intel's IDF conference which kicks off today. For those interested in a few additional details from the event, Nordic Hardware hasashortinterviewwithSamiMäkinenaka macci who scored the Guinness Book or Record on behalf of AMD. 13

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September 14th, 2011 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 Xeon twin from the E5 series, the latter having all eight cores enabled unline only 6 on the desktop Socket 2011 variant. And of course, there is the 22 nm Ivy Bridge, the next mainstream CPU, now almost ready to roll. However, this year, the scope widens to tablets and smartphones - Intel's next target area, where ARM rules solidlyrightnow.WeexpecttoseeplentyofCloverTrail-based solutions for tablet and smartphone designs using this 32 nm SoC dual core Atom flavour with PowerVR graphics, however, either the CEO talk or the follow-on Steve Smith session post lunch should demo, and likely focus on, the follow on 22 nm Bay Trail. The difference? While the Clover Trail may be good enough even for a Full HD resolution tablet - hopefully NOT a 16:9 panel one, the Bay Trail's better process and power savingsshouldmakeitatruesmartphonecandidate.Theissue here is not the processing power - Clover Trail has more than sufficient capabilities there - but the total idle and real load power consumption. Clover Trail is supposed to be close to the 10 hour target battery life on a tablet, but Bay Trail should bring power down sufficiently to have 2 day battery life on an Iphone++ class cellphone. More on all this as the day goes on... HTC to hold media event on 20 September Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-to-hold-media-event-on-20- september/13548.html September 14th, 2011 Taiwanese phone and tablet manufacturer HTC has sent out media invite for an event that will take place in New York, USA, on 20 September. Only the tagline "Come celebrate in style with HTC" is stated, so it is everyone's guess on what the company could be announcing. Published by: VR-Zone HTC's autumn product launch has been confirmed, on 20 SeptemberinNewYork,andtheeventcouldbefocusingonthe latest version of HTC Sense UI, products incorporating Beats by Dr. Dre audio, and female-focused mobile phones. The new HTCSenseUIwillbegreatlyoptimizedandwillbeless"harsh" in terms of hardware requirements; the minimum supported configuration is MSM7227 processor, 384MB RAM, which means that even the older devices like HTC Legend can also support. Last month, HTC used US$300 million to acquire 51% stake in Beats by Dr. Dre. And it is possible that the company will showcase new products incorporating the Beats audio technology. However, it is still not known if the new products would be compatible with Beats headphones. Most of their products are catered to the male users, though this quarter, the HTC Bliss, which was leaked online, is designed for ladies. The HTC Bliss does not only feature mobile phone themes, wallpapers, ring tones and custom software for the female users, but also in the hardware aspect like notification lights. The company could also be announcing the HTC Vigor, HTC Ruby and HTC Holiday. Well, we would only know next week. Trend Micro Singapore launches Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/trend-micro-singapore-launches- titanium-cloud-edition-maximum-security-2012/13546.html September 14th, 2011 Today, Trend Micro Singapore announced the launch of their latest Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 which claimstoprotectusersonlineexperience,beitonlinebanking, 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

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September 14th, 2011 Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 is based in the cloud and claims to offer robust protection againstmaliciousthreats,regardlessofhowtheyaredelivered, where they hide, or what connected device is in use. The security suite features a "set-and-forget" user interface, and provides real-time protection and proactively stops threats. One new feature in Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition MaximumSecurity2012isatoolthatcanvisuallyidentifysafe and malicious links on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The software also offers Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android Personal Edition for mobile security on smartphones and tablets, as well as Trend Micro SafeSync 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 TheTrendMicroMobileSecurityforAndroidPersonalEdition 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 retail partners at the following prices: - 1 Year: S$35.90 - 2 Years: S$59.90 Published by: VR-Zone Terrence Tang, head of digital (Asia Pacific region) and head of consumer business (Southeast Asia region) for Trend Micro Singapore, addressed the media and talked about the various feature of the company's new Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012. "In the last 10 to 15 years, Internet has changed the way users exchange and consume information. New devices have been created to support the new consumer behaviour. And more social networking sites have been established for friends to engageandconnectwithoneanothertoshareinformation.We have our consumer solutions vision to protect our consumer digital lifestyle," Tang said. Myla Pilao, director of TrendLabs, core technology marketing, was also at the event to talk about current and latest evolving threats that users faced today, the technological landscape in 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

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• Blue Published by: VR-Zone September 14th, 2011 September 14th, 2011 The sales for NIKON COOLPIX AW100, S4150 and S6150 officially start now. COOLPIX AW100 is available at all authorized dealers for S$529 while the COOLPIX S4150 is avaibale at Courts for S$229 and S6150 is available at Harvey Norman for S$299. Price and Sales Date for the remaining models(COOLPIXP7100,P1200pj,S6200andS8200)willbe announced at a later date. The sales for NIKON COOLPIX AW100, S4150 and S6150 officially start now. COOLPIX AW100 is available at all authorized dealers for S$529 while the COOLPIX S4150 is avaibale at Courts for S$229 and S6150 is available at Harvey Norman for S$299. Price and Sales Date for the remaining models(COOLPIXP7100,P1200pj,S6200andS8200)willbe announced at a later date. Product Name Colors Available & Major Specifications Recommended Retail Price COOLPIX AW100 Features • Black • Nikon 1st AW Series compact • Orange camera • Camouflage • Waterproof, shockproof, cold-resistant • 16.0 megapixels with 3” LCD • 5x optical zoom with 28mm wide- angle • Backside illumination CMOS sensor • Full HD movie recording • Built-in GPS and electronic compass $529 COOLPIX S4150 • Silver • Black • Bronze • Red • Purple • 14.0 megapixels with 3" LCD • 5x optical zoom with 26mm wide- angle • Pet Portrait Mode • Filter Effect Mode 16 $229 • Built-in original animated COOLPIX S6150 • Silver • Black • Red • Pink • Violet characters • 16.0 megapixels with 3” LCD • 7x optical zoom with 28mm wide- angle • Touch Shutter, Subject Tracking • Pet Portrait Mode • Filter Effect Mode $299 • HD movie recording Foxconn Quantum Force X79 New Version Pictured Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/foxconn-quantum-force-x79-new- version-pictured/13543.html September 14th, 2011 Having first made waves at this year's Computex, it's time for Foxconn's premium socket LGA2011 motherboard, the Quantum Force X79, to get down to business. The channel brand of the OEM giant is gearing up for a Q4 2011 launch, and seems to have made some notable changes to the design we saw in June, on its latest engineering sample. These changes include rearrangement of expansion slots, a finalized design for the heatsink over the X79 chipset, and a slight rearrangement of the front-panel header area. While this is still an engineering sample, there is some progress - for better or worse - as the final release revision takes shape. Having first made waves at this year's Computex , it's time for Foxconn's premium socket LGA2011 motherboard, the Quantum Force X79, to get down to business. The channel brand of the OEM giant is gearing up for a Q4 2011 launch, and seems to have made some notable changes to the design we saw in June, on its latest engineering sample. These changes include rearrangement of expansion slots, a finalized design for the heatsink over the X79 chipset, and a slight rearrangement of the front-panel header area. While this is still an engineering sample, there is some progress - for better or worse - as the final release revision takes shape.