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

September 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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

Google urges Gmail users
in Iran to change their
passwords
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-urges-gmail-users-in-iran-to-
change-their-passwords/13544.html
September 14th, 2011

To begin with, Foxconn did some rearrangement in the
bottom-half of the PCB. On the sample we saw at Computex,
expansion slots were arranged (from top to bottom) as PCIe You may have read about the digital break-in at Dutch
x4, PCIe x16 (electrical x16/x8), PCIe x16 (electrical x8), legacy certificate authority DigiNotar, and the subsequent revelation
PCI, PCIe x16 (electrical x16/x8), and PCIe x16 (electrical x8). that an Iranian hacker who goes by the name of
With the new version, they're arranged as PCIe x16 (electrical "Comodohacker" having made away with fraudulent digital
x16/x8), PCIe x4, PCIe x16 (electrical x8), PCIe x16 (electical certificates for hundreds of popular Internet destinations. This
x16/x8), legacy PCI, and PCIe x16 (electrical x8). The new ranges from websites such as Google, Yahoo, Mozilla and
expansion slot layout is a notch better, as it makes room for Skype; social networks such as Facebook, Twitter; and even
three graphics cards that are two slots thick, to be installed. domains belonging to the CIA and Mossad, the Israeli Secret
Service.

It is still unclear if Comodohacker is doing it for glory or
personal profit - such as by reselling the illicitly obtained email
communications to the Iranian government, for example.
According to Google, the perpetrator behind the attack
on DigiNotar appeared to be interested in intercepting the
communications of Gmail users and customers residing in
Iran. With this in mind, Google has taken the offensive and is
now advising its Iranian users to change their email passwords
Moving on, Foxconn didn't have the PCH (X79 chipset) to protect themselves from online attacks.
heatsink design in mind when designing the older iteration.
In a blog post last week, Eric Grosse, the VP Security Engineer
The new one makes room for the heatsink, pushing aside most
at Google, wrote: "We learned last week that the compromise
tall components. For example, the three EEPROM chips that
of a Dutch company involved with verifying the authenticity of
were arranged in a file are now pushed to the bottom-right
websites could have put the Internet communications of many
corner, along with the two tall capacitors. This change doesn't
Iranians at risk, including their Gmail." Emphasizing that
take away anything from the older iteration, just relocates
the internal systems of the search giant itself have not been
it. There's now a small speaker for beep diagnostics that
compromised, Grosse urged all users in Iran to take "concrete
wasn't found on the older board, the numerical diagnostic-
steps" to secure their accounts.
LED display is still there. The rest are cosmetic changes, such
as certain chips being moved around. With the final revision, As expected, this includes the changing of their passwords,
it is expected that the SAS (serial-attached SCSI) ports will be which will prevent harvested passwords from being used for
removed, leaving behind around 8 SATA ports. further unauthorized access. Moreover, Grosse also encourage
users to preempt future problems by verifying and updating
The Quantum Force X79 is positioned to be a high-end
their account recovery options. As in the case of any hacked
socket LGA2011 motherboard. The processor is powered by
email account, the changing of a password does nothing
a 14-phase VRM that makes use of DirectFET MOSFETs,
to protect old email messages that may already have been
which when backed by a good I2C-capable VRM controller
pilfered by a malicious party. In the event of a suspected break-
have known to provide smooth voltage control. Such FETs
in, however, changing one's password would at least be useful
have been used on older Quantum Force motherboards and
to foil ongoing snooping.
BIOSTAR's TPower series models. Other overclocker-friendly

17


reads and 490 MB/s writes; and just one set of random access
throughput, up to 40,000 IOPS read and 45,000 IOPS write.
These figures are known to vary between the different variants,
Intel SSD 520 Cherryville The and so we'll have to wait for the final specifications that are
Faster, Tougher Successor of specific to variants.

SSD 510 Available in the 2.5-inch SATA form-factor, the drives will
make use of 25 nm multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-ssd-520-cherryville-the-faster-
made by Intel. Its controller will be compliant will the latest
tougher-successor-of-ssd-510/13542.html
in client SSD technologies. To begin with, there are bare
essentials such as SMART, that reports if the drive is failing,
TRIM, that works to minimize write performance degradation,
and NCQ, which queues commands on the drive's cache. The
drive supports native 256-bit AES data encryption, and end-
to-end data protection.
Its physical durability is characterized by 1.2 million hours
As an established player in the solid state drive (SSD) industry, MTBF (mean time before failure) rating, an operating
Intel has at its disposal a market which it can address temperature range of 0 to 70 oC, and 2.7 G (rms) vibration
with the same breakneck product-cycle as its much larger tolerance.
x86 processor product lines. The most recent roadmap slide
and accompanying information we scored suggests that a Intel is expected to begin production of the SSD 520 series in
successor is already around the corner for Intel's well-received the fourth quarter of 2011.
SSD 510 series high-performance client SSDs that use the
SATA 6 Gbps interface.
ASUS ROG Maximus IV GENE-
As an established player in the solid state drive (SSD) industry,
Intel has at its disposal a market which it can address Z Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-rog-maximus-iv-gene-z-
with the same breakneck product-cycle as its much larger
review/13491.html
x86 processor product lines. The most recent roadmap slide
and accompanying information we scored suggests that a
successor is already around the corner for Intel's well-received
SSD 510 series high-performance client SSDs that use the
SATA 6 Gbps interface.

Probably one of the most anticipated ROG boards ever, the
ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z has hit the market right in time
to bring users all the benefits the Z68 chipset has to offer, as
well as a plethora of overclocking features and connectivity in
a micro-ATX form factor.
Today we take a look at one of the best priced Sandy Bridge
boards to date, the ASUS ROG Maximus IV Gene-Z, a powerful
overclocking board in a tiny package.
To begin we would like to show you a block diagram provided
by Intel, of how the Z68 PCH(platform controller hub)
connects to the rest of the system.

Codenamed "Cherryville", Intel's new high-end client SSD
series is called SSD 520. Its main design goals look to be to
spread the series in capacities both higher and lower than what
the SSD 510 series could address. While SSD 510 is available
only in 120 GB and 250 GB variants, the new SSD 520 will add
a higher capacity variant, 480 GB, and a lower capacity one,
60 GB. A new 160 GB variant is added in the middle, and 250
GB is replaced by 240 GB.
With client SSDs and client environment in general, sequential
transfer speeds are the king, Intel gave out just one set of
sequential transfer rates for the SSD 520 series, 530 MB/s

18


Dual Channel Memory
Architecture

Supports Intel® Extreme
Memory Profile (XMP)

* Hyper DIMM support
is subject to the physical
characteristics of individual
CPUs.

* Refer to www.asus.com or
user manual for the Memory
QVL (Qualified Vendors
Lists).
* Due to CPU behavior, DDR3
2200/2000/1800 MHz
memory module will run at
DDR3 2133/1866/1600 MHz
frequency as default.
Compared to the earlier P67, the Z68 chipset adds Intel Multi-GPU Support Supports NVIDIA® SLI™
HD Graphics support, as well as Intel Smart Responce Technology
Technology(SSD Caching). Intel probably should have skipped Supports AMD CrossFireX™
P67 and just come out with the Z68 PCH. We see that ASUS Technology
has taken the better route and used the more expensive Intel
PHY for LAN connectivity, and avoided the cheaper Realtek Supports LucidLogix®
chipsets we see on other boards. This motherboard also has Virtu™ Technology
Lucid Virtu technology which allows for switchable graphics, Expansion Slots 2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x16 or dual
but only a HDMI port is used, so maximum resolution will be x8)
1920x1080 for those of you who want to use i-Mode Virtu to 1 x PCIe 2.0 x4
save power. Storage Intel® Z68 chipset :
2 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), red
ASUS ROG Maximus IV
GENE-Z
4 x SATA 3Gb/s port(s), gray
CPU Support Intel® Socket 1155 for
2nd Generation Core™ Support Raid 0, 1, 5, 10
i7/Core™ i5/Core™ i3
Processors Support Intel® Smart
Supports Intel® 32 nm CPU Response Technology on
2nd generation Intel® Core™
Supports Intel® Turbo Boost processor family
Technology 2.0 JMicron® JMB362
* The Intel® Turbo Boost controller : *1
Technology 2.0 support 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s port(s), red
depends on the CPU types. LAN Intel®, 1 x Gigabit LAN
Chipset Intel Z68 Controller
Graphics Integrated Graphics Audio SupremeFX X-Fi 2 built-in
Processor 8-Channel High Definition
VGA output support : HDMI Audio CODEC
port - Supports : Jack-detection,
Multi-streaming, Front Panel
- Supports HDMI with max. Jack-retasking
resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60
Hz Audio Feature :
- X-Fi® Xtreme Fidelity™
Memory 4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3
2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1600/1333
- EAX® Advanced™ HD 5.0
Hz Non-ECC, Un-buffered
Memory
- THX® TruStudio PRO™

19


Mem TweakIt
- Creative ALchemy ROG Extreme OC kit :
- Debug LED
- Blu-ray audio layer Content
Protection ProbeIt
UEFI BIOS features :
- Optical S/PDIF out port(s) - ROG BIOS Print
at back panel
USB ASMedia® USB 3.0 - GPU.DIMM Post
controller :
4 x USB 3.0 port(s) (2 at back GameFirst
panel, blue, 2 at mid-board) iROG
Extreme Tweaker
Intel® Z68 chipset : Loadline Calibration
12 x USB 2.0 port(s) (8 at Overclocking Protection :
back panel, black, 4 at mid- - COP EX (Component
board) Overheat Protection - EX)
FireWire
- ASUS C.P.R.(CPU
ASUS Unique Features ASUS TurboV EVO :
Parameter Recall)
- CPU Level Up
Back Panel I/O Ports 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse
ASUS Exclusive Features : combo port(s)
- MemOK! 1 x HDMI

- Onboard Button : Power/ 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s
Reset/Clr CMOS (at back IO)
1 x LAN (RJ45) port(s)
ASUS Quiet Thermal
Solution : 2 x USB 3.0
- ASUS Fan Xpert
8 x USB 2.0 (white port can
ASUS EZ DIY : be switched to ROG Connect)
- ASUS Q-Shield
1 x Optical S/PDIF out
- ASUS O.C. Profile
6 x Audio jack(s)
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
1 x Clear CMOS button(s)
- ASUS EZ Flash 2 Internal I/O Connectors 1 x USB 3.0 connector(s)
support(s) additional 2 USB
- ASUS MyLogo 2 3.0 port(s)
2 x USB 2.0 connector(s)
ASUS Q-Design : support(s) additional 4 USB
- ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, 2.0 port(s)
VGA, Boot Device LED)
2 x SATA 6Gb/s connector(s)
- ASUS Q-Slot
4 x SATA 3Gb/s connector(s)
- ASUS Q-DIMM
2 x CPU Fan connector(s)
- ASUS Q-Connector)
Overclocking Features ROG Connect 3 x Chassis Fan connector(s)
Extreme Engine Digi+ :
- 8 -phase CPU power design 1 x S/PDIF out header(s)
+ 4 -phase iGPU power
design 1 x 24-pin EATX Power
connector(s)
- 2 -phase Memory power
design 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Power
connector(s)

20


1 x Front panel audio * Kaspersky® Anti-Virus 1-
connector(s) (AAFP) year license
Form Factor uATX Form Factor
1 x System panel(s) 9.6 inch x 9.6 inch ( 24.4 cm x
24.4 cm )
6 x ProbeIt Measurement As you can obviously see the laundry list of features is longer
Points than that of most full sized ATX boards. For a sub $200
motheboard, this has to be one of the most feature packed
1 x Power-on button(s) and value for money product in the market. Of course this
only applies if you are on the Intel side of things, as AMD
1 x Reset button(s) motherboards generally run cheaper.

1 x ROG Connect switch(es)
Sony introduces new VAIO S
1 x Go Button(s)
series notebook with larger
1 x Clear CMOS jumper(s) display
Accessories User's manual Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-introduces-new-vaio-s-series-
I/O Shield notebook-with-larger-display/13541.html
2 x SATA 3Gb/s cable(s)

1 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s)

1 x SLI bridge(s)

1 x Q-connector(s) (2 in 1) With the success of their VAIO S series laptops, Sony
Electronics Asia Pacific has announed their new line-up for
1 x ROG Connect cable(s) the series with slimmer form factor, higher performance and a
larger display. According to the manufacturer, the new VAIO
1 x Cable ties pack(s) S will be available this month.

1 x ROG theme label(s)

1 x 12 in 1 ROG Cable Label(s)
BIOS 64Mb Flash ROM, EFI AMI
BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0,
SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI2.0a
Multi-Language BIOS
Manageability WfM2.0, DMI2.0, WOL by
PME, WOR by PME, PXE
Support Disc Support DVD:
- Drivers and applications

* ASUS AI Suite II Sony has announced a new slim, power-packed 15.5-inch
notebook to their VAIO S Series. The new model incorporate
* ROG CPU-Z Intel Core i7 processor and AMD Radeon HD 6630M GPU
with 1GB VRAM and claims to offer superb performance for
* ROG GameFirst Utility both work and play. It features a Performance Switch that
supports Dynamic Hybrid Graphic System which allows users
* Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 to choose between "Speed" and "Stamina" mode for fastest
Utility performance or longer battery life respectively. The VAIO S
Series 15.5-inch offers approximately five hours of battery life
* ROG Mem TweakIt Utility and with an optional Sheet Battery, that can double to 10
hours.
* ASUS AI Charger+
The VAIO S has a 15.5-inch wide screen of 1920x1080 full
* DAEMON Tools Pro high definition VAIO Display Plus with anti-reflective glossy
Standard finish, weighs 1.96kg, and comes with aluminium palm rest

21


and magnesium body. It also has backlit keyboard, which
makes it easier to type in dim lit rooms. The new line-up of
VAIO S Series notebooks will be available in Singapore from
September 2011. Pricing details to be announced closer to
launch date.

AMD FX-Series prices revealed
- listed for pre-order
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-fx-series-prices-revealed--listed-
for-pre-order/13540.html

If you are the owner of the stylish Apple iPod Nano, you would
probably want this cool watch kit to make the portable media
The first AMD FX CPUs have shown up for pre-order at
player into a watch. Launched at the recent COMEX Show
Shopblt.com. The three SKUs listed are FX-8150, FX-8120 and
in Singapore, and carried by Tat Chuan Acoustic Pte Ltd in
FX-6100 priced at $266, $222 and $189 respectively. The good
Singapore, the LunaTik is a premium conversion kit designed
news is that the pricing is lower than expected - previously
for those want to convert their iPod Nano as a wristwatch. The
rumoured to be in the $300 to $320 range for the top CPU. The
product comes with a tool kit that lets you screw in the nano
bad news is that such pricing suggests the FX-8150 is unlikely
into the wristband. The LunaTik case is forged from aircraft-
to beat Core i7 2600 in many situations.
grade aluminium with great durability and the straps are made
The first AMD FX CPUs have shown up for pre-order at from compression moulded high-grade silicone rubber with
Shopblt.com. The three SKUs listed are FX-8150, FX-8120 and anti-dust coating while the hardware is made from stainless
FX-6100 priced at $266, $222 and $189 respectively. The good steel. Available in silver, black and red, the LunaTik is retailing
news is that the pricing is lower than expected - previously at S$129 (with GST).
rumoured to be in the $300 to $320 range for the top CPU. The
bad news is that such pricing suggests the FX-8150 is unlikely
to beat Core i7 2600 in many situations.
As always, pre-order prices are normally higher than launch
prices. Hence, we can expect the FX CPUs to sell for even
lesser.
The three CPUs are much the same as revealed by Gigabyte
earlier. FX-6100 and FX-8150 have a TDP of 95W and 125W
respectively. However, FX-8120 has a TDP of 125W at launch,
while a future revision will drop the TDP of FX-8120 down to
95W. There's no indication of shipping dates as of now.

LunaTik lets you wear your
iPod Nano on your wrist
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lunatik-lets-you-wear-your-ipod-nano-
on-your-wrist/13539.html
The other model, which is called TikTok, has a simple
snap-in design that allows the user to quickly and securely
snap the iPod Nano in and out of the wrist dock. It
integrates the media player and transforms it into a modern
multi-function timepiece. TikTok is designed for those who
want to easily transition from clip mode to watch mode.
Moulded from reinforced PC/ABS, the straps are made from
compression moulded high-grade silicone rubber with anti-
With LunaTik's creative watch-kit, you can transform your dust coating and the hardware is stainless steel. The TikTok
Apple iPod Nano into the world's coolest multi-touch wrist is available in black or white at S$69 (with GST).
watch. Distributed by Tat Chuan Acoustic in Singapore, two
models of LunaTik are available now - TikTok and LunaTik.

22


Microsoft Comfort Mouse 6000
Review: Affordable mouse
that can track on almost all
surfaces
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-comfort-mouse-6000-
review-affordable-mouse-that-can-track-on-almost-all-surfaces/13054.html

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

Specification:
- Right-handed control
- BlueTrack Technology
- Five customizable buttons
- Detent scroll wheel

First look:
Out of the box, the Microsoft Comfort Mouse 6000 looks like
the Razer DeathAdder (except without the Razer logo) but in
fact iti s actually designed after its Intellimouse Explorer 3.0
older sibling. The mouse features a smooth black plastic body
with rubberized side grips and comes with five customizable
buttons - left, right, two on the side and the scroll wheel. It
feels very lightweight as though it is hollow.

23


The Comfort Mouse 6000 has two well-positioned side
buttons which you can use to go back and forward through
webpages and document with ease.

Sharp launches AQUOS
SH8298U glasses-free 3D
smartphone
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharp-launches-aquos-sh8298u-
glasses-free-3d-smartphone/13538.html

Inside the box, we also find a start guide, a product guide and Sharp has announced their new AQUOS SH8298U glasses-
technical specifications. free 3D smartphone which looks to compete with the LG
Optimus 3D and the HTC Evo 3D. The AQUOS SH8298U will
soon retail in Japan though there is no word as to whether it
will be available in other parts of the world.

24


It started from Cupcake (1.5) and then Donut (1.6), Eclair
(2.0/2.1), Froyo (2.2), Gingerbread (2.3), Honeycomb (3.0)
Sharp has recently launched a press conference to announce to the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich. And yes, these are the
their new Android smartphones, and all eyes were on the codenames of the popular Google Android operating system
AQUOS SH8298U which not only features glasses-free 3D and it looks like the next version could well be called "Jelly
technology, but it also has two rear built-in 8-megapixle Bean". According to a reliable source from ThisIsMyNext, that
cameras to capture images and videos in 3D. The AQUOS would be the name of the next version and that it could be
SH8298U sports a 4.2-inch qHD touchscreen display and available to both smartphone and tablet. However, Google has
incorporates 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 512MB yet to finalize the naming convention, although the choice with
RAM, 2GB storage and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. the letter "J" is limited and that Jellybean is most likely to be
According to sources, the Sharp AQUOS SH8298U would be selected.
available in red or white and retail at approximately US$705.
It should be arriving in Japan soon, though there's no word as Meantime, the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich claims to offer
to whether it will be available in other countries. some "game-changing" features, though we would have to wait
till it is available to know, which could be fairly soon. And by
them, Microsoft may have also launched their Windows Phone
Could the next version after "Mango" and Apple, their iOS 5.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich
be Jellybean? Thermaltake Challenger Pro
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/could-the-next-version-after-android- Gaming Keyboard & Black
ice-cream-sandwich-be-jellybean-/13537.html
Gaming Mouse review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-challenger-pro-gaming-
keyboard--black-gaming-mouse-review/13536.html

Google is known for using sweet treats as codenames for the
various versions of theiir popular Android mobile operating
system. And while many of us are anticipating the upcoming
"Ice Cream Sandwich" which claims to offer the best of Tt eSPORTS is a relatively newly found subsidiary company of
Honeycomb, the Android tablet OS, and make them useable Thermaltake, aiming to develop, manufacture and ultimately
on smartphones, it seems that the search engine giant has provide gamers with high quality gaming peripherals. The
already started work on their new version which could be company currently has a long list of high performance
called "Jellybean". keyboards, mice, headsets and other parts. Today we are
having a close look on two of their more popular products,
the Challenger Pro Gaming Keyboard and the Black Gaming
Mouse.

Tt eSPORTS is a relatively newly found subsidiary company of
Thermaltake, aiming to develop, manufacture and ultimately
provide gamers with high quality gaming peripherals. The
company currently has a long list of high performance
25


keyboards, mice, headsets and other parts. Today we are • Body Dimension: 120mm (length) x 70mm (width) x
having a close look on two of their more popular products, 40mm (height).
the Challenger Pro Gaming Keyboard and the Black Gaming
Mouse.

Manufacturer features and specifications
Challenger Pro Gaming keyboard

• Red illumination back light
• 2 x USB 2.0 ports
• User Interface
• Macro Keys
• Multimedia Keys
• 64KB On Board Memory
• On Board Profile Switch
• Backlight switch
• Fan Device
• Windows Dummy Keycaps
• 8 additional removable keycaps
• Tt. Breakaway Gold-Plated USB Connection Cable(2
Meters in Length)
• Tt eSPORTS Dragon-Red key backlighting
• 6 Easy Access Multimedia Keys
• 10 Customizable Macro Keys
• 10 Million Keystroke Lifespan
• Body dimensions (LxWxH): 505x 195x 27mm
• 6,000 RPM Tt. Breeze Hand Cooling Fan (Life
Expectancy of 50,000 hours)

Black Gaming mouse

• Model: BLACK Gaming Mouse (MO-BLK002DT)
• Dominating Gaming Laser Sensor 4000 DPI Engine
(400/800/2000/4000 DPI Adjustable), with Visual
Indicator.
• Ideal for FPS or MMORPG Game Genres, equipped
with Philips 4000 Laser Engine for Optimal Precision &
Accuracy.
• 1.8 meters Braided USB Cable with Gold-Plated
Connector.
• Teflon Material Feet as Extra Layer of Durability and
High Degree of Mouse Handling.
• Superb Customizable Graphical UI for Macro Keys,
Advanced Performance, and Lighting-Effect Options.
• Industrial Grade Rubber-Coating Finish for better Hand
Grip.
• On-Board 64kb Memory Storage for 18 Macro Keys in 3
Game Profiles.
• Weight-In Design for Perfect Handling Mouse
Movement: (5 x 4.5g, up to 22.5g max)
26


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

Nikon to launch a new
mirrorless standard this
week?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-to-launch-a-new-mirrorless-
standard-this-week-/13591.html

Internally we should expect to see Nikon’s Expeed 3 processor
capable of processing 600 Megapixels per second. Both
models are said to shoot video at 1080i60, 1080p30, 720p60,
Several rumours are suggesting that Nikon is about to unveil as well as 640x240 at 400fps and 320x120 at a crazy 1200fps.
its first mirrorless cameras on Wednesday, although so far we Around the back we have a 3in LCD screen with unknown
don’t have a complete picture of what to expect. What is clear resolution and the V1 will also sport an EVF (Electronic View
is that the expected two new camera bodies not will feature an Finder). Neither model will support Nikon’s standard Flash
APS-C size sensor, instead we can expect something that ends hotshoe, but the V1 is said to have some kind of accessory port,
up somewhere between compact digital cameras and the 4/3 whereas the J1 will feature a built in flash.
format. Four new lenses are said to launch alongside the new cameras
system, a 10mm f/2.8 pancake lens, a 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 VR
lens, a 10-110mm f/4.5-5.6 VR lens and a 30-110mm VR lens.
Several rumours are suggesting that Nikon is about to unveil There will also be an adapter for Nikon’s F-mount lenses.
its first mirrorless cameras on Wednesday, although so far we
don’t have a complete picture of what to expect. What is clear Both models are said to come in several colour options, with
is that the expected two new camera bodies not will feature an the V1 being available in black or white and the J1 in red,
APS-C size sensor, instead we can expect something that ends pink, silver, black and white. We shouldn’t have to wait long
up somewhere between compact digital cameras and the 4/3 to see how this plays out, but it’s getting a little bit annoying
format. with all these new lens mount systems, as they’re anything
but interchangeable. In as much as the m4/3 standard has
The first two cameras in what is likely to be called the Nikon CX its flaws, it’s at least a standard supported by more than one
line of cameras should simply be called the V1 and J1. The new company and we’d really like to see the camera manufacturers
cameras are rumoured to have a crop factor of 2.6x compared work towards more common standards, especially considering
to the 4/3 formats 2x crop factor. Nikon hasn’t gone crazy the cost of lenses which is the only investment that’ll last you
with the Megapixel count either, as the new cameras get to through several camera bodies.
make do with 10.1 Megapixels, which is probably a good thing
considering the relatively small sensor. What isn’t clear is if
we’ll see a CCD or CMOS sensor, so that’s something we’re Gears of War 3 Singapore
going to have to wait and find out about.
Launch
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gears-of-war-3-singapore-
launch/13590.html

1


Good news for fans of the Xbox 360 Gears of War series. This The fans turned up in full-swing, and it was even more
evening, at Funan DigitaLife Mall in Singapore, marked the amazing to see the number of people who didn’t pre-order the
launch of the highly anticipated third-person shooter game, game lining up to get it” said Ben Tan, general manager of
which is also the last of the trilogy. So, have you ordered your Microsoft’s retail sales and marketing division, Asia Pacific,
copy? presenting the Epic Edition box to Ten.
A look at the Gears of War 3 babes:-

At the Funan DigitaLife Mall in Singapore, over 1,000
fans stood in line at the main atrium for the highly anticipated
Xbox 360 game, Gears of War 3. Apparently, the queue began
to form on 3pm Sunday, 18 September with hardcore fans Canon PowerShot SX150 IS
waiting to be the first to get their hands on the game, which
officially launched at 8pm today. On top of that, fans also
selling for $369
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-powershot-sx150-is-selling-
get a first-look at the game, hands-on gameplay and on-stage
for-369/13589.html
activities including a special appearance by Marcus Fenix.
Here's a video of the countdown of the Gears of War 3 launch:-

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

22-year old William Ten was the first person in Singapore to
receive the Gears of War 3 Epic Edition from Marcus Fenix
and Microsoft representatives. Ten also get the survivor kit, an
autographed poster and a “Gears of War 3” hoodie, worth close
to S$200. An additional 50 fans who were amongst the first
in queue also walked away with an autographed poster and a
“Gears of War 3” hoodie.
"While Gears of War 3 was one of the most anticipated games
of the year, the turnout today far surpassed all expectations.

2



Another Optimus smartphone has emerged from Korean
manufacturer LG, and this time it is the Optimus Q2. The
Optimus Q2 is based on Google's Android operating system
and features Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and has a
slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS, Canon's latest addition to the
family of long-zoom PowerShot cameras. The 14.1 megapixel
PowerShot SX150 IS is an affordable all-rounder camera that
delivers high zoom shooting with 12x optical zoom capabilities,
HD movie recording and offers you creative freedom with Full
Manual controls.
Today, LG has unveiled their latest Optimus Q2 high-end
• 12x optical zoom Android smartphone with a slide-out keyboard. The new
• 14.1 megapixels member in their LG Optimus line of smartphones features
1.2GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and 4-inch IPS
• Intelligent IS touchscreen display. The 4-inch IPS screen boasts 700 nits
brightness which offers a clear view even under sunlight.
The SX150 IS is priced at $369, and is currently available for
The smartphone also incorporates a 5-megapixel rear and
retail. More information here.
VGA front cameras, Wi-Fi Direct capabilities that allow Wi-Fi
devices to talk to each other without the need for access points.
LG unveils Optimus Q2 The LG Optimus Q2 is reported to launch soon in USA and
carried by Sprint.
Android phone with QWERTY
keyboard
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-unveils-optimus-q2-android-phone-
with-qwerty-keyboard/13588.html

3


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

Canon Singapore launches
PowerShot SX150 IS compact
camera
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-singapore-launches-powershot-
sx150-is-compact-camera/13586.html

Lode Runner X to be exclusive
on Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY,
and other Xperia devices Canon Singapore has announced the new PowerShot SX150
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lode-runner-x-to-be-exclusive-on-sony-
IS compact digital camera that features one-touch high
ericsson-xperia-play-and-other-xperia-devices/13587.html
definition (HD) movie button and long-zoom capabilities at an
affordable price. The PowerShot SX150 IS is available now at
all Canon authorized dealers.

Owners of Sony Ericsson Xperia range of Android phones
would be pleased to know that the Lode Runner X game from
Tozai Games will be exclusive on the smartphones. The Lode
Runner X game is scheduled to be available from November
this year.

Canon Singapore has unveiled the PowerShot SX150 IS
compact camera which claims to offer 14.1-megapixel sensor,
12x optical zoom (28-336mm), and has a dedicated Movie
Button to record 720p high definition (HD) movies. With a
powerful 12x zoom, 28mm wide-angle lens, it lets users shoot
landscapes, building and people easily. The digital camera
Lode Runner is a popular 1983 platform game which was first also incorporates electronic wind filter that can suppress wind
published by Brøderbund. It is one of the first early games noise that muffles or distorts sound, and built-in Intelligent IS
to be released with a level editor which supports keyboard (Image Stabilizer) for minimized camera shake.
and joystick controls. (Tozai Games and Lode Runner are The Powershot SX150 IS comes with 32-Smart Auto Scene
trademarks of Tozai, Inc. registered or protected in the US and detection options including sunset, clear skies, and backlit
other countries). that provide optimized camera settings for best results.
Sony Ericsson has announced their collaboration with Tozai Photographers can also enhance their images using the eight
Games to bring the critically acclaimed console hit and gaming in-camera Creative Filters to add effect to the original images -
franchise “Lode Runner” to Android devices, for the first time, Toy Camera, Monochrome, Miniature, Fish-eye, Super Vivid,
and helps to build the Xperia PLAY's list of over 150 optimized Poster, Color Swap and Color Accent. There is also the new
titles. The Lode Runner X will be available from November Photo Book function that allows users to pre-select their
2011 and exclusive on the Xperia PLAY and other Xperia favorite shots in-camera to facilitate the easy creation of photo
devices. The Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY has recently gone books. The new Canon PowerShot SX150 IS also operates

4


on AA batteries for added convenience and comes with the updated graphics and multimedia processing hardware in the
optional high power flash HF-DC2 slim and portable slave upcoming Ivy Bridge series of processors, expected to hit the
flash with enhanced sync performance and a wider flash shelves about half a year from now.
coverage of up to 24mm (with attached wide panel).
It wasn't the fact that the new chip will have graphics far
The Canon PowerShot SX150 IS is now available at all
faster - some expect at least double, and much more in some
authorized Canon retail stores at the recommended retail
operations - than the Sandy Bridge, or the full DirectX 11
selling price of S$369. Pricing and availability of the optional
and DirectCompute capability, with an OpenCL port to follow.
high power flash HF-DC2 will be confirmed at a later date.
Neither was it the much tighter connection to the L3 cache for
more usability in graphics tasks.
LG to introduce Street Fighter
IV on upcoming high definition
smartphones
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-to-introduce-street-fighter-iv-on-
upcoming-high-definition-smartphones/13585.html

LG Korea has announced that it has entered into an exclusive
deal with Japanese game developer Capcom to introduce
their popular Street Fighter IV game on their high definition
Android smartphone. Details inside.

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

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

Post-IDF bites: Ivy Bridge GPU
to support 4Kx4K displays!
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/post-idf-bites-ivy-bridge-gpu-to- Not only can the MFX engine display up to 4096 x 4096 pixels
support-4kx4k-displays-/13584.html on a single monitor, but it can also handle video processing
September 19th, 2011 for 4K QuadHD video as well. Remember when, two years ago,
With all the hustle and bustle of IDF, one piece of news, gently Jen Hsun Huang at Nvidia for the first time encouraged 4K
unveiled in one of side technical sessions at the conference, resolution - at that time 3840x2400 or as he called it XHD2,
mostly passed unnoticed. It was a particular detail about the for ultra realistic gaming too, to use the extra pixels to justify

5


the high end card need? Now, what a fate, Intel is making it real • Dual 12cm viper yellow fans
on the - integrated graphics platform, of all. Now, can we have
back those 16:10 3840x2400 or, better, 4096x2560 monitors? Socket type Intel LGA775, LGA1155,
LGA1156, LGA1366 &
LGA2011
AMD Socket AM2, AM2+,
AM3 & FM1
Cooler dimensions 131 (W) x 129.5 (D) x 163.5
(H) mm
Heatsink material High grade aluminium fins,
copper heatpipes
Weight 1065g
Installation Screws and backplate (Intel &
AMD)
Fan dimension 120 x 120 x 25mm
Fan speed 600-1900 RPM (PWM
controlled)
Max airflow 83.63 CFM
Max air pressure 2.98 mm H2O
Noise level 6.9 - 28.9 dB(A)
Voltage rating 12V DC
Bearing type HDB (Hydro Dynamic)
Akasa Venom Voodoo CPU Fan life expectancy 50,000 hours
Cooler Review Fan connector 4pin PWM
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/akasa-venom-voodoo-cpu-cooler- Product code AK-CC4008HP01
review/13583.html

Logitech G9x Gaming Mouse
Review: With interchangeable
grips and weight-tuning
Adept PC users are rarely satisfied with the factory options
bundled CPU cooler, being it because of the performance, Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-g9x-gaming-mouse-review-
noise and/or aesthetics, creating a great demand for good with-interchangeable-grips-and-weight-tuning-options/13233.html
aftermarket cooling solutions. Out of the many products September 19th, 2011
currently available, today we are having a close look at the
latest offering from Akasa, the Venom Voodoo CPU cooler,
which is boasting exceptional performance and socket LGA
2011 support.

Adept PC users are rarely satisfied with the factory bundled Logitech, one of world's largest manufacturers of computer
CPU cooler, being it because of the performance, noise and/ peripherals from mice to multimedia speakers, is known
or aesthetics, creating a great demand for good aftermarket for their line of "G-series" gaming peripherals. What we
cooling solutions. Out of the many products currently have today is the not-so-new Logitech G9x which features
available, today we are having a close look at the latest offering interchangeable grips, weight-tuning options and more. Let's
from Akasa, the Venom Voodoo CPU cooler, which is boasting go into the details.
exceptional performance and socket LGA 2011 support.
Introduction:
The gaming market is booming, and it is no wonder
Manufacturer features and specifications peripherals makers like Logitech is coming up with more
gaming products for the hardcore gamers. Their G series mice
• Performance 12cm PWM fan in killer Viper yellow are widely received and this year, the company has given their
• 6 high capacity heatpipes with direct CPU contact G9 an upgraded sensor and called it the G9x. The G9x claims
to have sensitity of up to 5700 dots per inch (DPI). The
• Award winning S-FLOW fan blades provide 30% more Logitech G9x comes packed in fancy green and orange box
airflow with a large transparent area that displays the mouse and

6


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

Features and Specification :
Interchangeable grip
Next-generation gaming laser
Onboard memory
Weight-tuning system
Custom-colour LEDs
On-the-fly adjustable DPI

Resolution 200-5700 DPI
Image processing 12 Megapixels/second
Maximum acceleration 30G
Maximum speed Up to 165 inches (4.19m)/
second
Polling rate 1000 Hz
Dynamic coefficient of 0.09
friction
Static coefficient of friction 0.14
Tuning weight Up to 28 grams
Button durability (Left/Right) 8 Million clicks
Mousefeet durability 250 Kilometres
Inside the packaging, there is a small tin box and an envelope
containing a user's guide, a Logitech Setpoint disc, a quick
guide, a USB usage and Logitech contact leaflets.

7


ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCU Memory
Type
DDR3 GDDR5

Silent Review Memory 1GB
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-engts450-directcu-silent- Size
review/13157.html The full specifications of the ASUS ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent
September 19th, 2011 are as follows:
Nearly all modern GPUs are designed for use with active Graphics Engine NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
cooling systems, in order to allow for desirable levels of Bus Standard PCI Express 2.0
performance within a reasonable form factor. To take a GPU
Video Memory GDDR3 1GB
intended for active cooling and cool it passively would entail a
compromise in performance, size, or both. Engine Clock 594 MHz
Shader Clock 1189 MHz
The passive graphics card we're looking at today is ASUS'
Memory Clock 1.6 GHz ( 800 MHz GDDR3 )
ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent. While the GeForce GTS 450 is
by no means the fastest GPU around, its relatively low TDP Memory Interface 128-bit
of 106W (for NVIDIA's reference design) makes it a good Interface D-Sub Output : Yes x 1
candidate for passive cooling. DVI Output : Yes x 1 (DVI-I)

HDMI Output : Yes x 1
Software ASUS Utilities & Driver /
AIWI software
ASUS Features DirectCU Silent Series
Dimensions 5.936 " x 4.375 " Inch
Note This card doesn't need extra
power supply,
it's the best choice for user to
upgrade

Qualcomm reveals future
plans, we give you the details
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/qualcomm-reveals-future-plans-we-
give-you-the-details/13581.html

In the case of the ENGTS450 DirectCU Silent, ASUS has Earlier this week Qualcomm hosted its Innovation Qualcomm
decided to sacrifice performance instead of size. The core event in Istanbul where the company unveiled details of some
clock on this card is ~25% slower than NVIDIA's reference of its upcoming products, including a 2.5GHz next generation
speed. ASUS has also opted to use DDR3 memory, which has Snapdragon SoC. However, a lot of details were left out, but
lower power consumption but also much lower bandwidth VR-Zone is here to help fill in the blanks as to what to expect
than GDDR5 memory. from Qualcomm over the next couple of years.
In terms of performance, the reference GTS 450 sits roughly
in between AMD's HD 5770 and HD 5750 (now renamed the From the event we know that Qualcomm is getting ready to
HD 6770 and HD 6750 respectively). launch a 28nm SoC with clock speeds of up to 2.5GHz in
ASUS NVIDIA Gainward single, dual and quad core versions, all with next gen Adreno
ENGTS 450 GeForce GeForce dual or quad core graphics. However, the company didn't say
DirectCU GTS 450 GTS 450 GS much more and some publications made the assumption that
Silent GLH Qualcomm would have a quad core solution for phones out by
Core Clock 594MHz 783MHz 930MHz early next year. Well, sadly this isn't the case for those of you
that are longing to get your hands on a quad core phone, but
Shader 1188MHz 1566MHz 1860MHz
let's not get ahead of ourselves, instead, let's start from the top.
Clock
Memory 800MHz 902MHz 1000MHz The current series of Snapdragon SoC's from Qualcomm are
Clock (1600MHz) (3608MHz) (2000MHz) known as the S3 class, also known as Scorpion and here we're
(effective) talking about chips like the current MSM8660 and MSM8260
as well as the APQ8060 which lacks baseband support. These
Memory Bus 128-bit
8


SoC's can be found in a wide range of devices from HP's now where there's room for additional chips that will handle the
defunct TouchPad to HTC's Sensation and EVO 3D. They're connectivity. The APQ8064 is similar to the MSM8960, as it's
all 45nm dual core parts with Adreno 220 graphics and a core a 1.5 to 1.7GHz SoC, although with a pair of additional cores
clock speed of between 1.2 and 1.5GHz. and 2MB L2 cache. It features Adreno 320 graphics, but it
also offers SATA and PCI Express connectivity, something the
MSM chips lack.
Things brings us to the 2.5GHz monster, well, it might in fact
be even faster as it's not expected to arrive until the second
half of 2013. The model in question is the APQ8094 and it'll
support either 800MHz dual channel LPDDR3 memory, or
dual channel 1333MHz PCDDR4 memory, or in other words,
standard desktop DDR4 memory. Apparently by then, desktop
memory will be so low power that it will be just as good to use
in a tablet as low power mobile memory. Here we're looking
at an Adreno 420 GPU which is said to be capable of 400
million triangles per second. Beyond that we don't' have too
many details about this upcoming chip, but it'll offer SATA
connectivity just like its predecessor and apparently it'll do 3D
video at 60fps in 1080p.
The next generation of Snapdragon chips will be the S4 class, We'll be following up this article with a closer look at
as Qualcomm are keeping things simple when it comes to its Qualcomm's more affordable options next week, although as
naming schemes, although these chips are more commonly always when we're diving into roadmaps, things are likely
known as Krait. The first new Krait SoC's to arrive is the going to change before most of these products arrive and we've
MSM8260A, MSM8660A and the MSM8960, all of which are already seen that some of the models covered here have had
28nm dual core parts with a clock speed of 1.5 or 1.7GHz and their specs changed from earlier roadmaps. That said, it looks
1MB of L2 cache. All three models sports support for dual like Qualcomm has some interesting products coming over the
channel 500MHz LPDDR2, faster Adreno 225 graphics said to next couple of years, but the real question is, is it going to
be good for 125 million triangles per second. The MSM8960 be good enough, as the company is getting more and more
should also come in a version with a faster Adreno 330 GPU competitors and none of them are resting on their laurels.
capable of some 200 million triangles. Image courtesy of Pocket-Lint
The main difference between the MSM8260A and
MSM8660A is that the 8260A supports dual-cell HSPA+ and
TD-SCDMA, whereas the 8660A supports HSPA+ and various IDF Day 3: Multi Core, Many
EV-DO standards mostly used in the US. The MSM8690
sports LET in addition to the connectivity options on the
Core and Many More
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/idf-day-3-multi-core-many-core-and-
other two models and will be available with either CDMA or
many-more/13580.html
UMTS in addition to LTE. All three models should enter mass
production next quarter, although devices based on these dual
core SoC's aren't expected until the second quarter of next
year.
As far as phones are concerned, this is as much as we get for
all of 2012, but in early 2013 Qualcomm is expecting to launch
its first quad core phone SoC, the MSM8974. This isn't the More apps coming, according to Intel's Justin Rattner. Look
2.5GHz chip the company has been talking about, but instead at China Mobile LTE 4G base station in a multi-core PC, and
a slightly slower 2GHz part with 2MB L2 cache. It will support Pentium-class mini PC running off a small solar cell
dual channel 800MHz LPDDR3 memory and comes with a The last day of every IDF is usually reserved for a more
faster Adreno 330 GPU core which is capable of 200 million relaxed 'future looking' keynote, delivered as usual by Intel's
triangles per second. It will support the latest LTE and CD- CTO Justin Rattner - a happy research bloke whose cheerful
HSPA+ MIMO standards and it'll be Qualcomm's first phone disposition, enormous breadth of knowledge, and oh so slight
SoC to sport USB 3.0 connectivity. Some of the more crazy facial similarity to the actor doing the Senator Palpatine role
features Qualcomm is planning to add is 4K x 2K video at in early Star Wars movies, gives him regular following at IDF.
24fps, 1080p video at 120fps or 1080p 3D video at 60fps.
If you're still waiting for the 2.5GHz part, then please bear
with us a little bit longer, as we'll get there in just a
second. Qualcomm's first quad core SoC will be the APQ8064
and as you may or may not know, the APQ models don't
feature any built in baseband technology. As such, the APQ
chips tend to be used in many devices that don't require
internet connectivity, or more commonly as of lately, in tablets
9


Finally, they are pushing the generic multi-core PC CPU
infrastructure into almost any app - here you see the joint
effort with China Mobile to program the complete LTE 4G
mobile base station software stack into a standard 4-core
Sandy Bridge PC, using the SSE and AVX extensions as a
kind of DSP feature, and reducing the cost of LTE deployment
substantially.

On the other side of the story, Intel was also rapidly
updating their Sandy Bridge GPU drivers to extract maximum
He covered quite a lot on the multi-core evolution at Intel performance, and they recommend the users downloading
ever since the 2005 Core 2 Duo CPU. Interestingly, he omitted the freshest version with 'substantial performance' increases.
those infamous Netburst generation dual die Pentium 4- Same applies to the OpenGL professional application 3-
generation Presler processors in 2004, which at least had some D for apps like Pro/E or CATIA being certified for the
lovely clock frequency records for a while and yes, were seen Xeon version of Sandy Bridge, the E3-1275, providing
as dual core CPUs from the system point of view. The multi- inexpensive competition to Nvidia and ATI cards in the
core general purpose desktop, mobile and server CPUs were OpenGL workstation space, where often just lots of polygons
covered, as well as the many-core MIC add-on card approach and simple texturing, but with guaranteed error free display,
for supercomputing, where the stated goal is to bring the MIC wins over fancy effects of the 3-D gaming world.
many core approach from the HPC niche to the mainstream.
Note that AMD and Nvidia already do that in the mainstream
- partially only, due to incompatible underlying instruction set Overall, a good event with lots of new things, but the
and need for programming in OpenCL or CUDA, rather than next major launches - the Sandy Bridge E & EP high-end
in-line X86 - with their GPUs for a while already. processors, followed by Ivy Bridge, will be the focus over the
next two quarters. Intel seems happy with their clear long term
performance advantage in the mainstream and high end, and
seems to devote quite a bit of their focus now to the emerging
phone and tablet markets, and attempting an aggressive X86-
based entry there.

Canon unveils PowerShot S100
and PowerShot SX40 HS with
new DIGIC 5 image processor
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canon-unveils-powershot-s100-and-
powershot-sx40-hs-with-new-digic-5-image-processor/13579.html
On the other end of the spectrum, their Extreme Computing September 19th, 2011
team, going beyond all this, showed experiments like very low
voltage threshold transistor usage to create a Pentium-class
(yes, the old P55 MMX Pentium from year 1998 or so, with
matching 13 year old mainboard) processor that takes only 10
mW (miliwatts!) and runs of a single credit card sized solar
cell. The thing ran Windows XP with moving dancing kitten
JPG, but could go up in clock by 10X too, if allowed for the Canon has recently announced two new members in their
voltage to reach the normal level. This all, however, would popular PowerShot series of digital cameras - the PowerShot
need new system infra running at such low voltages too. S100 and SX40. Both cameras incorporate the latest DIGIC
5 image processor that provides enhanced resolution and fast
shooting speeds to photographer enthusiasts.

10


Canon has announced the feature-packed PowerShot S100 The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is the camera you need to
and PowerShot SX40 HS, which comes equipped with the ensure high quality images, be it shooting at a football game
new DIGIC 5 image processor for superb performance and or at the local zoo.
shooting speed. Both cameras also feature HS SYSTEM, Full Some features of the include:
HD video capture, High-speed Burst HQ and Intelligent IS for
clearer smoother images. - 35x optical zoom range (24mm-840mm) with image
stabilizer and a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor; the
The Canon PowerShot S100, successor to the hugely received camera can capture low-light images of enhanced image
PowerShot S95, has improved features such as 4-120mm wide quality up to ISO 3200.
angle lens with 5x optical zoom, GPS functionality and is - 2.7-inch wide vari-angle LCD for easy viewing of images and
capable of achieving improved low-light performance of up menus from almost any angle.
to ISO 6400, and comes with a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image
sensor. - Improved Smart AUTO settings to ensure the settings are
Available in either black or silver, the estimated selling price intelligently selected based upon the cameras 32 predefined
of the Canon PowerShot S100 is US$429.99 and is scheduled shooting situations.
to be available in early November.
- Zoom Framing Assist button helps the user steady the camera
Some features of this camera:-
when tracking a moving subject at extreme telephoto settings
- 3-inch wide LCD screen for easy viewing of images and menu keeping it in focus.
options.
The estimated selling price of the PowerShot SX40 HS Digital
- GPS capabilities where satellites collect data of the latitude,
camera is US$429.99 and is scheduled to be available in late
longitude and altitude of an image's location, which is then
September.
stored to the image's EXIF data. Map utility software is
included with the camera to view the locations where images
were captured.

- A full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW Thermalright Silver Arrow CPU
+ JPEG and a control ring on the front of the camera for quick,
manual adjustment of key functions such as ISO, zoom and
Cooler Review - Dual 140mm
focus. of Air Cooling Greatness
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermalright-silver-arrow-cpu-cooler-
- compatibility with the HF-DC2 High-Power Flash, which review--dual-140mm-of-air-cooling-greatness/10000.html
is an optional flash accessory that operates wirelessly and September 19th, 2011
increases the effective flash range up to approximately 9
metres.

We at VR-Zone test many combinations of motherboards and
CPU platforms throughout the year, often demanding quick
assembly/disassembly of heatsinks and decent air cooling
performance in order to maximize overclocks in the shortest
possible time. One CPU cooler (among many on our shelves)
that we prefer to use in particular, is the Thermalright Silver
Arrow.

11


Introduction
Quick run through of the greatest hits from Thermalright
- SK-6, SLK-900, SP-94/97, Ultra-90, Ultra-120 Extreme,
Venomous X, AXP-140, HR02, Archon (review coming soon).

Measuring 147mm x 122.6mm x 162mm (L x B x H), the Silver
Arrow takes up a huge amount of real estate.

Google Nexus Prime with dual-
core processor to launch end
October?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-nexus-prime-with-dual-core-
processor-to-launch-end-october-/13578.html

It was Nexus One, followed by the Nexus S, and it looks like the
next official Google phone could come in the form of Google
Nexus Prime. If online sources are right, we may see the new
Google Nexus Prime smartphone to launch end October or
early November.
Unpacking the contents of the box, we have:

• the Silver Arrow heatsink,
• two TY-140 fans,
• a few installation leaflets, and
• a sealed accessories pack which includes the mounting
kit and fan clips.

According to TheDroidGuy, the upcoming Google Nexus
Prime smartphone which is manufactured by Samsung, would
be first carried by U.S telco operator Verizon in late October or
early November, and then to other carriers. At a recent Verizon
Developer’s conference in Las Vegas, a Samsung executive
showcased the Nexus Prime, though he forbid attendees to
have a closer look at the Android smartphone, nor allow others
to take picture of it. According to sources, the Nexus Prime is

12

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

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