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March 5th, 2011                                                                                                           Published by: VR-Zone




VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
                                                                         The vast majority of users are simply not aware of the
  VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication               presence of power supplies because they are integrated into
  covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.                   the equipment. Most of them are not replaceable because
                                                                         those devices have no expandability or upgradeability and
                                                                         are (hopefully!) designed to exceed the product's lifetime. For
How power supplies work                                                  example, you cannot replace the power supply of your TV
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/how-power-supplies-work/11366.html   because there is no way to upgrade or expand your TV and
March 5th, 2011                                                          force it to require more power, meaning that ultimately there
                                                                         is no reason to perform a power supply upgrade. Computers
                                                                         are an entirely different matter; they are fully expandable
                                                                         and customizable, meaning that not only each and every one
                                                                         of them has different power needs but that the needs of
                                                                         every single computer can be altered several times during its
Even though power supply units are the most critical part of             operational lifetime.
almost every electronic device, being a component absolutely             A power supply transforming the utility grid AC voltage to
vital to their operation, they rarely are given the attention            DC voltage for the equipment to use must perform certain
they deserve. Almost no technology equipment can operate                 functions at the highest possible efficiency and at the lowest
without them since electronic devices cannot operate using the           possible cost. The basic functions usually are:
utility grid AC voltage, which also varies in level and frequency
depending on your position on the planet. There are more                   1. Rectification - Convert the input AC voltage to DC
than eight types of power supplies currently available; in this               voltage.
article we are going to focus on only the two types available              2. Voltage transformation - Adjust the supplied voltage to
for household and business equipment: linear and switching                    the required levels.
power supplies.
                                                                           3. Filtering - Smoothen the ripple of the supplied voltage.
Even though power supply units are the most critical part of
almost every electronic device, being a component absolutely               4. Regulation - Control the supplied voltage regardless of
vital to their operation, they rarely are given the attention                 line, load and / or temperatures changes.
they deserve. Almost no technology equipment can operate                   5. Isolation - Electrically isolate the input voltage source
without them since electronic devices cannot operate using the                from the output.
utility grid AC voltage, which also varies in level and frequency
                                                                           6. Protection - Prevent any damaging power phenomena
depending on your position on the planet.
                                                                              from reaching or take effect at the output.
There are more than eight types of power supplies currently
available; in this article we are going to focus on only the two
types available for household and business equipment: linear
and switching power supplies.
                                                                         IT Show 2011 Promotions:
Several people may believe the power supplies are limited to
computer applications. That is incorrect since almost every              ASUS
piece of technology need a power supply to operate. Some                 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-
examples include and are not limited to your phone charger,              asus/11436.html
your TV and your alarm clock. As we mentioned before, no                 March 5th, 2011
electronic equipment can operate on AC voltage. It is the
power supply's job to convert AC voltage to another form,
suitable for the equipment. Or, to be even more accurate,
the definition of a power supply is that "it is an apparatus
designed to convert one form of electric energy to another".




                                                                                                                                             1
March 5th, 2011                                                                                               Published by: VR-Zone

Aside from attractive discounts and promotions, ASUS will        ASUS Easy User Interface
also be launching some new products at next week's IT Show       Enjoy Simultaneous printing and scanning by connecting an
2011 at Suntec City Convention Centre. Read on for the various   All-in-one printer to the router via the USB port. Also, connect
star products that will be sold at their booth. Booth Location   external hard disks to enjoy instant file sharing with family and
(Level, Booth Number) Level 4, Hall 402 & 403, Booth 8220        friends.
(ASUS) Update: Added ASUS laptops and netbooks                   300,000 Sessions Perfect for P2P Download
                                                                 Download Master provides up to 300,000 sessions for
                                                                 unparalleled P2P performance – offering an unprecedented
                                                                 20 times larger bandwidth than traditional routers. Such
                                                                 a large volume of P2P or BitTorrent downloads are
                                                                 accomplished rapidly with assurance of complete data
                                                                 transfers throughout the day – even when the users’ PCs are
                                                                 turned off.
                                                                 Solid Wireless Performance
                                                                 Combined with its powerful CPU, the ASUS RT-N16 delivers
                                                                 maximum bandwidth, ensuring effortless synchronous file
                                                                 transfers and downloads, flawless video streaming, incredibly
                                                                 low-ping wireless gaming and VoIP calls with minimized jitter.
                                                                 Usual price: S$189
ASUS RT-N56U Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router
                                                                 IT Show price: TBA
Dual-band for Lag-free Entertainment
Double your wireless performance and bandwidth with
simultaneous 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands speed up to 300Mbps
concurrently. While basic internet applications like browsing
or file downloading can occur in 2.4GHz, wireless high
definition content streaming takes place in the 5GHz band at
the same time.
Plug-n-surf and Hassle-free Management
ASUS EZ UI offers you an intuitive router setup without read
manuals. What’s more, you can enjoy simultaneous printing
and scanning by connecting an All-in-one printer to the router
via the USB port. You can also connect external hard disks to    ASUS O!Play MINI Media Player
enjoy instant file sharing with family and friends.
                                                                 Mini in Size – Massive on Entertainment
Multi-Function Twin USB Ports                                    ASUS O!Play MINI media player fits a wealth of high definition
With effortless connectivity to a range of devices and FTP,      content and features in a single small device. It offers true high
SAMBA, UPnP AV server and DLNA standard compatible all           definition (HD) video and 7.1-channel audio for you to enjoy
supported, sharing and networking become easier than ever.       great movies, music and photo-sharing with your family and
Plus, the RT-N56U can continue downloading FTTP, FTP and         friends.
BitTorrent file to the USB disk all day even when your PC is
                                                                 The most powerful decoding and most popular media formats
turned off. Additionally, the twin USB ports allow the router
                                                                 supported
to offer printer and file server functions.
                                                                 The O!Play MINI brings new HD experiences to viewers, free
Usual price: S$259                                               from format compatibility worries. It supports Blu-ray Disc
IT Show price: TBA                                               ISO, MKV, RMVB (1080p), H.264, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD
                                                                 MA, OGG, FLAC and many others.
                                                                 Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Channel surround and full HD 1080p bring
                                                                 you theater-like enjoyment
                                                                 Dolby TrueHD digital surround decoding and passthrough
                                                                 take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc quality with 7.1-Channel
                                                                 audio output. Full HD 1080p video through HDMI offers up
                                                                 to six times the resolution of traditional DVD, browse photos,
                                                                 even listen to music.
                                                                 IT Show price: TBA




ASUS RT-N16 Wireless Router

                                                                                                                                 2
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                    Published by: VR-Zone

                                                                 Easy Wireless File Sharing - No more difficult set-up process!
                                                                 Enjoying your PC file is so easy
                                                                 The ASUS O!Play Air provides users with the easiest way to
                                                                 share files wirelessly. If you have the AP, all you need to do is
                                                                 to click the “infrastructure” item and that’s it.
                                                                 Enjoy more Internet media contents in the living room
                                                                 The On-line Media feature allows you to browse over 100
                                                                 Internet TV channels, 20,000 Internet radio stations, Internet
                                                                 photo sharing sites, and weather updates directly streamed
                                                                 over the Internet to your O!Play.
                                                                 Internet TV: ABC, BBC News, NBC, fox sports, NHK…over
                                                                 5,000 stations
                                                                 Internet Radio: Over 20,000 stations

ASUS O!Play HD2                                                  Weather: You can search World Weather by geographical
Experience the World’s first USB 3.0 Media Player                Region or country
Install any 3.5-inch hard disk and O!PLAY HD2 instantly          Usual price: S$249
becomes a large-capacity mobile storage device . Transfer        IT Show price: TBA
media via USB 3.0 from PC to the O!PLAY HD2 boasts up to
10 times faster than USB2.0.
3.5-inch Hard Disk Storage Capacity With Networking-
                                                                 ASUS introduces WL-330N3G
Attached Storage (NAS) Support                                   6-in-1 Wireless-N mobile router
O!Play HD2 offers extensive media center features with           Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-introduces-wl-330n3g-6-in-1-
server functionality for iTunes, Samba and more for fast local   wireless-n-mobile-router/11474.html
network file access and management.                              March 5th, 2011

Use your iPhone as a remote control
The On-line Media feature allows you to browse over 100
Internet TV channels, 20,000 Internet radio stations, Internet
photo sharing sites, and weather updates directly streamed
over the Internet to your O!Play.
Internet TV: ABC, BBC News, NBC, fox sports, NHK…over              The ASUS WL-330N3G offers all the benefits of a standard
5,000 stations                                                   wireless router, with multi-role functionality and an extremely
Internet Radio: Over 20,000 stations                             user-friendly setup. All of these features fit in a tiny device that
                                                                 is easy to carry, making the WL-330N3G ideal for travelers and
Weather: You can search World Weather by geographical            business people who wish to extend their internet access when
Region or country                                                on the road.
Pricing to be announced                                          Singapore (March 5, 2011) - The ASUS WL-330N3G offers
                                                                 all the benefits of a standard wireless router, with multi-role
                                                                 functionality and an extremely user-friendly setup. All of these
                                                                 features fit in a tiny device that is easy to carry, making the
                                                                 WL-330N3G ideal for travelers and business people who wish
                                                                 to extend their internet access when on the road.


                                                                 Incredible flexibility
                                                                 The first thing to note about the WL-330N3G is its compact
                                                                 size - its footprint is smaller than a business card. While this
                                                                 makes it very easy to carry and literally pocket sized, it does
                                                                 not come at the expense of functionality. This is a full wireless
                                                                 router designed for those on the move, especially students,
                                                                 commuters and mobile professionals.
ASUS O!Play Air HDP-R3 Media Player
Full HD 1080p and Full Format Support (including RMVB)
O!Play Air takes the trend to bring new HD experience to
viewers in the living room. Users do not have to worry about
the compatibilities of file formats to the most formats of the
video, music and picture.
                                                                                                                                         3
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                     Published by: VR-Zone

                                                                   button, and a 10/100 Ethernet connection for hooking up with
                                                                   modems, other routers and various Ethernet-enabled devices.
                                                                   For those looking to replace a fixed line, or to simply take
                                                                   their broadband connection with them when traveling or
                                                                   commuting, the WL-330N3G offers a perfect balance of value
                                                                   and performance.


                                                                   Specifications
                                                                   Ethernet                                • WAN / LAN x1, RJ-45
                                                                                                             for 10/100 BaseT
                                                                                                           • Ethernet and 802.3 with
                                                                                                             max. 10/100Mbps bit
                                                                                                             rate and auto crossover
Six-in-one multi-role functionality for multi-user sharing                                                   function (MDI-X)
Delivering spectacular utility and value, the WL-330N3G            Power adapter                           • AC input 100V - 240V,
works as six different devices rolled into one.                                                              50 - 60Hz
First and foremost, it is a mobile wireless router, connecting
                                                                                                          • DC output 5V, 2A max.
devices such as notebooks and smartphones to one broadband
internet service. Second, it can be used as a universal repeater   Operating frequency                 2.4GHz
in conjunction with other routers to extend the range of an        Data rate                              • 802.11n: Up to 150Mbps
existing connection. Third, the WL-330N3G also functions as                                                • 802.11g: 6 - 54Mbps
an access point when combined with a broadband modem,
enabling connectivity for a host of devices.                                                              • 802.11b: 1 - 11Mbps
                                                                   Encryption / authentication         Supports 64 / 128-bit WEP,
                                                                                                       WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK
                                                                   Management                             • DHCP server
                                                                                                           • Web-based
                                                                                                             administration
                                                                                                           • System event log
                                                                                                           • Firmware upgrade
                                                                                                          • Save / restore
                                                                                                            configuration file
                                                                   Internet connection type            Automatic IP, static IP,
                                                                                                       PPPoE (MPPE supported),
                                                                                                       PPTP, L2TP, HSDPA
The WL-330N3G can also be deployed as an Ethernet adapter          USB application                     3G USB adapter
for Ethernet-capable devices like game consoles, printers and      Dimensions                          90 x 38.9 x 12.8mm
cable set-top boxes.
Finally, the WL-330N3G has both hotspot and 3G sharing
                                                                   Source: ASUS Press Release
modes built in. As a hotspot, it can serve as a mobile Wi-
Fi connection for several PCs, while in 3G sharing mode, it
provides internet connectivity for several devices through the
3G network. This mode works in conjunction with a 3G USB
adapter                                                            Rumor: BlackBerry Messenger
                                                                   Will Run On Android and iOS
                                                                   Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumor-blackberry-messenger-will-run-
Superior coverage and speed made simple
                                                                   on-android-and-ios/11468.html
The WL-330N3G with up to 150Mbps data rate is easy to              March 5th, 2011
configure. The fast process is extremely simple thanks to ASUS
Plug-n-Surf and network detection. Plus, the numerous ways
this coverage can be extended to a host of different devices,
all in a very portable manner, makes the WL-330N3G a very
powerful connectivity enabler.
With its streamlined design, the only buttons and connections
on the WL-330N3G are the power port, USB port, reset


                                                                                                                                          4
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                             Published by: VR-Zone

Are you a big fan of RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger, but have a               Description: NZXT's Sentry LXE is a unique and well-executed
change of heart lately? No worries, we just learned that RIM              product that allows the PC enthusiast a wide range of
is planning to bring its famous BlackBerry Messenger app to               monitoring and fan control options in an attractive remote
Android and iOS devices.                                                  unit. The fit and finish is excellent and the functionality is first-
                                                                          rate with an intuitive layout incorporated into the touch screen
                                                                          LCD display.
                                                                          Consumer Electronics and Software News:
                                                                          Description: The company announced the service, which is
                                                                          available only in the US, on the Bing blog yesterday. The post
                                                                          said that Bing deals will launch with “more than 200,000
                                                                          unique offers in over 14,000 cities and towns across the US”.
                                                                          Description: A wave of distributed denial of service (DDoS)
                                                                          attacks have targeted popular blogging site WordPress.com,
                                                                          the site and security researchers said.
It is still unclear what RIM’s strategy is, but it looks like they
                                                                          Description: Sony has admitted that PlayStation 3 consoles
will offer a light version of BlackBerry Messenger to other
                                                                          have been seized by customs officers in the Netherlands.
platforms. Meaning, additional features like photo and file
sharing only available to BlackBerry users.                               Description: The system consists of a head or base unit and
                                                                          two bookshelf style speakers that combine to make decent little
So far no details on timing yet, but Android and iOS users can
                                                                          audio system. It’s also an alarm clock with a built-in snooze
look forward to some time this year.
                                                                          button so the system can even wake you up. The Micro System
                                                                          allows you instant access to hundreds of channels of music so
The Daily VR-Zone News                                                    you’ll always find something for you or your family and friends
                                                                          to listen to.
Summary - 04 Mar 2011                                                     Description: A top South Korean cybersecurity company
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--04-
                                                                          says about 40 government and private websites are under
mar-2011/11471.html
                                                                          cyberattack.
March 5th, 2011
                                                                          Gaming News:
                                                                          Description: The ex-Blizzard employees of Runic Games, have
                                                                          done the unthinkable and brought their 2009 PC sleeper hit
                                                                          Torchlight to the Xbox Live Arcade.
And rounding up the news for the week: Review of the Patriot              Description: The Gears of War series has appeared exclusively
XRB 64GB Solid State Drive; Diamond All-In-Wonder HD                      on the Xbox 360 for four years, but that hasn’t deterred Epic’s
Premium AIW5000 review; Microsoft's Bing launches deals                   desire to get the third-person shooter onto PlayStation.
service; Sony says PS3 consoles seized in Netherlands , and
Epic Would “Love” to Bring Gears of War series to PlayStation .
                                                                          LUXA2 ready to accessorise
Hardware News:
Description: SSDs are expensive. However, you can help
                                                                          your iPad 2
                                                                          Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/luxa2-ready-to-accessorise-your-
alleviate this wallet pressure by getting one without too much
                                                                          ipad-2/11472.html
storage space. Today we look at one of the smallest available
                                                                          March 5th, 2011
SSD sizes, a 64GB from Patriot known as the Torqx TRB.
Description: The Battle Hero with its bold graphics is squarely
aimed at gamers. Solid aluminum construction gives it a solid
feel and also helps to dissipate heat. Pop out storage drawers
and twin cooling fans should keep most people satisfied
beyond just the cooling performance.                                      Thermaltake's LUXA2 branding announced the pre-launch of
Description: The Zotac GTX 560 Ti AMP! is a heavily pre-                  Apple iPad 2 product line on the same day Apple revealed their
overclocked video card. The Zotac GTX 560 Ti AMP! Edition’s               upcoming iPad 2. And according to them, they're products are
core clock weighs in at 950 MHz, 128 more from the stock 822              good to go as soon as Apple's iPad 2 go on sale.
MHz. The Zotac GTX 560 Ti’s memory clock also gets bumped
up from 4004 MHz to 4400 MHz.
Description: The HD Premium 5000 (aka AIW5000) bundles
an ATI HD5570 graphics card with an ATI HD 750 tuner. This
duo has the power to handle the most frequently used video
signals for viewing, recording and other routine multimedia
tasks.
                                                                                                                                                 5
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                    Published by: VR-Zone




LUXA2 might not ring any bells to most people yet, but
how about Thermaltake? Yes, LUXA2 is indeed a division of               Have you started using Apple's new Mac App Store to handle
Thermaltake which specialise in exquisite design with a touch           software downloads on OS X? Well, if you do, you might have
of luxury. They has been manufacturing accessories for iOS              noticed that a new addition was made to Apple's software
devices for about 2 years and according to their press release,         repository today. Apparently, Opera's browser has just been
they are ready to spoil customers with their wide range of iPad         approved by Apple's App Store team, and is now currently
2 accessories.                                                          available for download from the aforementioned service.
Besides offering standard protective cases in different                 However, it will also seem that Apple has imposed some
materials, they also have a iPad car mount and iPad stand               restrictions on who can download Opera's web browser onto
which allows your tablet to sit upright for your hands-free             their Macs. Indeed, a quick look at some of the requirements
reading or viewing pleasure. And according to their Director,           listed by Apple on Opera's product page in its Mac App
"(they) will be ready to launch our incredible accessory line           Store has revealed an interesting fact; the company clearly
when Apple releases iPad 2,”                                            thinks that web browsers have the potential to frequently
                                                                        feature suggestive or severe adult themes, and has taken action
                                                                          to stem the flow of undesirable content by requiring that
Opera approved for Mac App                                              downloaders be at least 17 years of age.
Store; users under the age of                                           To prove that we are not trying to pull a fast one on you, here
                                                                        is a screenshot of the very requirement, taken from iTunes
17 need not apply                                                       Japan:
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/opera-approved-for-mac-app-store-
users-under-the-age-of-17-need-not-apply/11469.html
March 5th, 2011




Is the browser business moving into adult territory? Well,
Apple apparently thinks so: while it has approved of Opera's
free web browser being listed in its Mac App Store for users to
download and use, the company has also posted a requirement
that users must of a certain age before they can be allowed to do
so. Who'd have guessed that dowloading a simple web browser
could be such serious business?




                                                                        The good news is that existing Opera owners need not fret: the
                                                                        copy of Opera available from Apple's App Store is the exact
                                                                        version that is currently being offered for download directly
                                                                        from Opera's home page.




                                                                                                                                      6
March 5th, 2011                                                                                               Published by: VR-Zone

Still, it should probably come as no surprise that Opera had       The wireless HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One E710n
some rather interesting things to say about its browser being      produces laser-quality color documents at a low cost per
flagged out as unfit for OS X users under the age of 17.           page that allows SOHO and SMB users to print high-impact
                                                                   marketing materials in-house. Featuring HP ePrint, users can
"Seventeen is very young, and I am not sure if, at that age,
                                                                   print anytime, anywhere using any mobile device. The HP
people are ready to use such an application. It's very fast,
                                                                   Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n also uses 40% less energy
you know, and it has a lot of features. I think the download
                                                                   than comparable laser printers and has an automatic two-
requirement should be at least 18," quipped Jan Standal, VP
                                                                   sided printing function which helps cut paper usage by up
of Desktop Products for Opera Software.
                                                                   to 50%. The printer also has a 2.36-inch color touchscreen
So what happens for potential Opera users who fail the age         display to easily copy, fax, print, scan and access apps.
verification check? Simple: bypass the check by downloading
                                                                   Key features:
the browser direct from the company's home page.
                                                                      • Achieve laser performance at a low cost per page
                                                                           o   Get great value, using individual, high-capacity ink
                                                                               cartridges designed for the office.
                                                                           o   Print at up to 32ppm black/31ppm color and
                                                                               at laser-comparable (ISO) speeds up to 10ppm
                                                                               black/7ppm color.
                                                                           o   Print borderless documents with vivid color
                                                                               graphics and sharp text, using HP Officejet inks.
                                                                      • Stay connected whether you’re in or out of the office
                                                                           o   With HP ePrint, you can print from anywhere,
                                                                               anytime by emailing to your HP Officejet 6500A
                                                                               Plus eAIO E710n.
IT Show 2011 Promotions: HP                                                o   Connect to your network with built-in Ethernet or
                                                                               to your PC with Hi-speed USB 2.0.
(Printers)                                                            • Reduce your impact and protect your bottom line
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-hp-
printers-/11465.html                                                       o   Use up to 40% less energy than comparable laser
March 5th, 2011                                                                products, with an ENERGY STAR qualified all-in-
                                                                               one.
                                                                           o   Cut paper usage by up to 50% with the automatic
                                                                               two-sided printing and PC Fax Send which enables
                                                                               paperless fax sending and archiving.

                                                                   Usual price: S$399
HP will be participating in this year's IT Show, and needless      HP Photosmart Wireless e-All-in-One Printer B110a
to say its offerings will consist of both computing devices like
desktop and notebook PCs, as well as a wide range of imaging
solutions in the form of printers. In this post, we shall take a
look at the latter of HP's IT Show 2011 lineup. HP's booth can
be found at Level 4, Booth 8150, Hall 401.
HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAiO Printer E710n




                                                                   Print lab-quality photos, everyday documents and web content
                                                                   on the fly, without using a PC. HP ePrint combined with
                                                                   affordable individual inks lets you easily produce impressive
                                                                   prints from anywhere, anytime.
                                                                   Key features and benefits:


                                                                                                                                 7
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                   Published by: VR-Zone

    • Print when it’s most convenient for you from across the
      world or across the room. With HP ePrint, simply email a
      photo or document to your printer and pick up the pages
      later.
    • Create impressive photo projects, and even print directly
      from the device itself with integrated memory card slots.
    • The HP TouchSmart frame allows you to print photos,
      scan, copy and print web content without the use of a PC.
    • Boost productivity with wireless connectivity at a press of
      a button, allowing you to share this all-in-one with other
      Wi-Fi enabled PCs from anywhere in your house.

Usual price: S$229                                                    The Core i5-2410M is slightly faster at 2.3GHz, but as this
                                                                      is an i5, it will also turbo to either 2.6GHz for both cores
First Core i3-2310 and i5-2410                                        or 2.9GHz on one core. It has the same base graphics core
                                                                      clock of 650MHz as the Core i3-2310M, but it will turbo a
notebooks go on sale                                                  little bit faster to 1200MHz. So what's different between these
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-core-i3-2310-and-i5-2410-   two OEM models and the other models that Intel includes
notebooks-go-on-sale/11466.html                                       on its price list? Well compared to the Core i5-2520M the
March 5th, 2011                                                       turbo speed boost is much lower, as this 2.5GHz processor
                                                                      will go all the way to 3GHz with both cores working, that's a
                                                                      500MHz boost compared to 300MHz for the Core i5-2410M.
                                                                      The graphics will also turbo to 1300MHz, although this is
                                                                      unlikely to be as useful. Finally the Core i5-2410M lacks
                                                                      support for Intel's AES, TXT and vPro technology and this to
                                                                      us suggests that Intel has designed it as a consumer CPU, but
The first notebooks with Intel's dual core mobile Sandy Bridge        as a model with turbo boost, something the Core i3's lack.
processors have just started to arrive at retailers, at least if      As for the notebooks, well, Acer has equipped both models
you're lucky enough to live in Taiwan, although other countries       with Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics with 1GB of memory,
should have them soon too and the first two models we've              a 640GB hard drive, an optical drive, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi,
spotted are both from Acer. Intel's little chipset snafu has          Bluetooth 3.0 and handily a USB 3.0 port as well. Other
delayed the shipment a bit, although the dual core models             features include Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI out, a pair of USB
weren't really expected until about now anyhow.                       2.0 ports, a webcam and various other standard features you'd
                                                                      expect to find on a modern notebook. The Aspire 4750G
                                                                      weighs in at 2.25kg and comes with a 6-cell 4400mAh 48Wh
The first notebooks with Intel's dual core mobile Sandy Bridge
                                                                      battery which Acer claims is good for up to 4.5h of battery life,
processors have just started to arrive at retailers, at least if
                                                                      while the Aspire 5750G weighs in at 2.6kg and features the
you're lucky enough to live in Taiwan, although other countries
                                                                      same battery.
should have them soon too and the first two models we've
spotted are both from Acer. Intel's little chipset snafu has
delayed the shipment a bit, although the dual core models
weren't really expected until about now anyhow.
So what we're looking at is the Acer Aspire 4750G and the
Aspire 5750G. The first model is a 14-incher while the second
one is a 15.6-incher and both models are available with either a
Core i3-2310 or a Core i5-2410. We should point out that both
of these CPUs differ somewhat from Intel's other announced
35W dual core mobile processors, but more on that a little bit
later. The Core i3-2310M clocks in at 2.1GHz and it sports Intel
HD Graphics 3000 with a base clock speed of 650MHz and it
will turbo all the way up to 1100MHz when needed.

                                                                      Price wise you're looking at S$1,115 for the Aspire 4750G
                                                                      with the Core i3-2310 processor and S$1,249 for the same
                                                                      model with the Core i5-2410M. The Aspire 5750G starts at S
                                                                      $1,163 with the Core i3-2310, but costs the same as the Aspire
                                                                      4750G with the Core i5-2410M processor. Acer is currently
                                                                      the only notebook manufacturer to offers Sandy Bridge based
                                                                      notebooks in Taiwan with the B3 stepping chipset from Intel,

                                                                                                                                     8
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                       Published by: VR-Zone

but it shouldn't take long for other manufacturers to get their        • Keeps you safe and connected
products ready as well.                                                       o   VeriFace face recognition software – an interesting
                                                                                  and secure way to log in to your PC, and also great
IT Show 2011 Promotions:                                                          conversation starters

Lenovo                                                                            Integrated Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity for internet
                                                                              o

                                                                                  on the move
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-
lenovo/11464.html                                                   Usual price: starting at S$1,449
March 5th, 2011
                                                                    Lenovo G470




If you are heading to this month's IT Show with the objective
of netting a new PC, you might want to make a note not to miss
Lenovo's booth this year. Up on Lenovo's list of offers are a
couple of notebook PCs and a desktop machine up for grabs at
discounted prices. Lenovo's booth will be situated at Level 4,
Hall 401, Booth 8358.



                                                                       • Polished and Ergonomic
                                                                              o   Sleek exterior design with smooth top cover and
                                                                                  single-piece brush-metal interior paneling around
Now that the world we live in is becoming increasingly                            the keyboard providing a cool-to-touch surface
digitized, it should probably be of little surprise that the
                                                                              o   Multi-touch touchpad to move things around with
humble desktop and notebook PC have been elevated from
                                                                                  two or more fingers
being luxury toys to essential tools needed to perform a wide
variety of tasks today. And if one is going to invest in a PC for             o   AccuType keyboard with individual rounded keys
both work and play, why not take a look at what Lenovo has                        for comfortable and accurate typing
got to offer consumers in this year's IT Show?                         • Hassle-free and Fun Technology

Notebooks
                                                                              o   14.0” HD screen (1366x768), 16:9 widescreen

Lenovo IdeaPad Z460
                                                                              o   Integrated Bluetooth (optional) & 802.11n Wi-Fi
                                                                              o   DirectShare – easily synchronize your files with
                                                                                  another notebook without connecting to the
                                                                                  internet
                                                                       • User-friendly Security
                                                                              o   OneKey Rescue System – makes data backup and
                                                                                  recovery simple so you can spend time on more
                                                                                  enjoyable tasks
                                                                              o   Energy Management – protects the long-term
                                                                                  durability of the battery and uses advanced energy-
                                                                                  saving technology to increase time spent between
                                                                                  charges

                                                                    Usual price: starting at S$1,599
   • Trendy and smart-looking
          o   Chiclet keyboard with individual rounded keys         Samsung Stealth spotted at
              Hairline metallic effect cover
                                                                    FCC
          o

   • Entertainment on the go                                        Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-stealth-spotted-at-
          o   With OneKey Theater II, optimized audio-visual        fcc/11463.html
              settings for brighter images and richer audio are
              enabled at the press of a button
                                                                                                                                         9
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                 Published by: VR-Zone

March 5th, 2011                                                      March 5th, 2011




Samsung has showcased a 4G handset at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. Now it looks        It's a wonder to me that there weren't more Windows 7 tablets
like the phone could be launching soon, since it was recently        in the market like the BModo12G. The prevailing logic is
spotted at Federal Communications Commission (FCC).                  that if you need to do "real work", you're better off with a
                                                                     laptop. However, despite having an Apple iPhone 4 and iPad,
                                                                     my experience is that there are quite a few things you do
                                                                     wish could have been better supported by the Apple line-up,
                                                                     and not have to always hunt for ‘alternatives’ to simple tasks
                                                                     like transferring files (e.g. Dropbox), watch Flash videos (e.g.
                                                                     Skyfire Browser), print documents (e.g. Airprint) and using
                                                                     mobile broadband USB sticks with unlimited and inexpensive
                                                                     data plans (separate 3G plan or Sim card cutting). So how does
                                                                     the BModo12G compare with other tablet devices? Read on.




Samsung unveiled their first 4G LTE phone at CES in January,
which was the temporary codename then, though it will
have a formal name when it goes on retail. Recently, a 4G
Samsung handset was spotted at the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), called Samsung Stealth, model SCH-I510.
From the FCC documentation, this phone and the Samsung
4G LTE look different and it is likely both are not one and the
same. Earlier news reports stated that the Samsung I510 will
feature a 4.3-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display
(800x480 resolution), 8-megapixel rear camera, supports Wi-
Fi and runs Android 2.2 Froyo mobile operating system. The
                                                                     Bmodo12G: A Windows 7 Touchscreen Tablet
Samsung SCH-I510 is said to be available in Q2 this year.




A new Windows 7 tablet with a
difference: the BModo12G                                             Unboxing the BModo12G: Quick Start Guide and Power Cord
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-new-windows-7-tablet-with-a-
difference-the-bmodo12g/11367.html
                                                                     To my pleasant surprise, Bmodo has not fallen into the trap
                                                                     of delivering a crippled product just to save a few dollars
                                                                     (which is in my opinion what a few other tablets have done
                                                                     and ended up being cheap but irrelevant). The Bmodo screen
                                                                     is capacitive (read: pretty responsive) with an acceptable
                                                                     screen resolution. After a few hours with it, I realised that

                                                                                                                                  10
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                     Published by: VR-Zone

given the Windows interface, Bmodo’s screen size of 11.6-inch      Audio                               1 x Built-in Speaker (1.5W) x
is probably the optimal size (The smaller 10-inch Windows                                              2, Mic x 1
touchscreen tablets may be uncomfortable for some users). If       Battery                             Embedded Lithium-ion
the screen were any smaller, I feel that sidebar scrolling would                                       Polymer 2 cell (7.4V,
be quite impossible with adult fingers. Tapping on small icons                                         5000mAH, 2S1P)
and tabs will also be difficult on a smaller screen size.          Size Weight                         295mm x 195mm x 14mm,
 The netbook-like specifications on the BModo12G just means                                            990g
that you’re not going to be playing Mass Effect 2 or other
serious First Person Shooter (FPS) games on it anytime soon.
However, anything that runs on a netbook will run on the
Bmodo tablet. You will probably want to plug in a mouse for
moderate gaming requirements, since the on-screen keyboard         The Daily VR-Zone News
could otherwise make things a little tricky.
Here's a look at its hardware specifications:
                                                                   Summary - 03 Mar 2011
                                                                   Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--03-
LCD Module                      Capacitive Multi Touch LCD         mar-2011/11461.html
                                TFT 11.6-inch HD Glare (1366       March 5th, 2011
                                x 768)
OS                              Microsoft Windows 7 Home
                                Premium
Processor Type                  Intel Atom Pineview-M N450
                                + ICH8M; 1.66GHz, 677Mhz,
                                512K L2
Memory                          1GB DDR2 800MHz                    In today's news roundup: AMD has reportedly contracted
Internal Mass Storage           SSD 32GB                           Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to
                                                                   manufacture its Hudson-series chipsets, which support the
Bluetooth                       2.1 + EDR
                                                                   new Brazos platform; Two of ECS's motherboards, the ECS
Wi-Fi                           Integrated 802.11 b/g/n            H67H2-M Black Deluxe and the H57H-MUS, get reviewed;
GPS                             Mini PCI Interface GPS card.       Rumours about what users can expect in an upcoming 'iPad
                                Support A-GPS and S-GPS            3' have started circulating online; Android pushes ahead of
                                function                           iOS and RIM to become the world's most widely used mobile
WWAN Module (3G)                HSPA/HSUPA/WCDMA                   operating system, and Epic Games launches a free expansion
                                2100/1900/900/850 Mhz:             pack for Infinity Blade while dropping off 50% of the game's
                                Compliant with 3GPP                retail price.
                                TS25.101 (R6). GSM/GPRS/
                                                                   Hardware News:
                                EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
                                Mhz: Compliant with 3GPP           AMD contracts TSMC to make Hudson chipset, says paper
                                TS 05.05 (R99)                     Description: AMD has contracted Taiwan Semiconductor
Camera                          1.3 M pixel Webcam                 Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture its Hudson-
                                                                   series chipsets, which support the new Brazos platform,
G-Sensor                        Display Orientation (3-axis
                                                                   according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
                                sensing)
                                                                   The paper did not name its source.
Graphics                        Integrated Graphics Media
                                Accelerator 500 with Discrete      In Win Track Computer Case Review @ Tweaknews
                                1080p HD Video Accelerator         Description: With good cooling performance from the four
I/O Interface                   1 x DC-in                          included fans and an innovative front panel design, In Win's
                                                                   Track chassis is an interesting mid-tower chassis that also
                                2 x USB2.0 Ports                   includes several tool-free features and a blacked-out interior
                                1 x OMTP Jack (Audio Jack)         and rear panel. The big 220mm side panel intake fan keeps the
                                                                   graphics and CPU nice and cool and also boasts blue LEDs that
                                1 x SD/SDHC (32GB Max)             can be switched on or off from the panel mounted switch.
                                Slot
                                                                   Exceleram EP3001A PC3-10666 2x2GB Memory Review @
                                1 x SIM Card Slot (unlock)         Madshrimps
                                1 x Mini HDMI                      Description: The new EP3001A memory modules from
                                                                   Exceleram are using Powerchip Rev D 128x8 and even if the
                                1 x Hotkey
                                                                   rating is PC3-10666, they are very overclockable and come at
                                1 x 26-Pin Connector (For          a very affordable price.
                                docking station. Sold
                                                                   Antec P193 Review - XSReviews
                                Separately)
                                                                   Description: Antec recently announced a refresh to their
                                                                   performance one line of cases and they were kind enough to

                                                                                                                                        11
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                   Published by: VR-Zone

send a few for us to take a look at. Today we're reviewed the        gaming keyboard well-suited to virtually any style of PC game
P193, the top of the performance pile. Let's see how it's features   —MMO or otherwise.
stack up.                                                            Mobile editing in Google Docs now in 45 languages
Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 Mini-ITX Motherboard Review                   Description: Last November, we launched the ability to edit
@Hi Tech Legion                                                      mobile docs in English. Today we’re excited to announce that
Description: The Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 is Gigabyte's first          you can now edit your docs on the go in 44 more languages.
attempt at the Brazos platform. The GA-E350N-USB3 is on              Tablets of 2011: What to Look For
the upper tier of the Brazos line, featuring the E350 processor.     Description: Last year promised to be the year of the tablet,
This CPU is dual core clocked at 1.6Ghz and has 1MB L2 cache.        and at least for Apple, it was indeed. The nearly ubiquitous
Paired on the same die is a Radeon HD 6310. This GPU is              iPad managed not only to outsell every other tablet on the
clocked at 500MHz and has 80 stream processors. On the               market by a wide margin, it also exceeded Mac sales in the
board we get all of the usual Gigabyte features as well. There's     last quarter. But even if Apple is not likely to lose its throne
the 2x copper PCB to reduce electrical waste and improve             anytime soon, competition is finally making itself present. If
signal quality. Installed are 50,000hr. Japanese solid state         Android's gains in the smartphone market serve any indication
capacitors. Gigabyte includes their 3/3/3 technology, which          it should be an interesting year for tablets as well.
means USB 3.0, SATA3, and 3x powered USB ports. The extra
power to the USB ports allows greater stability, compatibility,      OvisLink AirLive N.MINI 300Mbps Wireless-N Mini-AP
and the auto charge feature.                                         review @ Madshrimps
                                                                     Description: The AirLive N.MINI AP multifunctional device
ASUS Rampage III Extreme Black Edition - Layout and Design           (Router, AP or Client) from OvisLink has very small
@ ocaholic                                                           dimensions and can be used in various situations like building
Description: With the Rampage III Extreme Black Edition,             a small hot-spot in an area that has only Ethernet available, or
ASUS is planning the next strike in the high-end gaming              we can use it as a regular Wireless LAN adapter, connected to
and overclocking market. This board will come with a lot of          our computer via UTP.
features like for example an additional Xonar soundcard as
well as a Bigfoot Killer NIC network card. For overclockers          iPad 2 Rumors: Which Were True & Which Will Wait for the
they further refined the power design and they've also               iPad 3
overworked the BIOS and added some new options.                      Description: Since the launch of the original iPad, we’ve been
                                                                     keeping you apprised of rumors surrounding the iPad 2. Now
Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer 6GB (3x2GB) PC3-12800 Kit             that the iPad 2 has been unveiled, we can officially start
Review @ Bigbruin.com                                                speculating about the iPad 3 — because as far as the Apple
Description: The Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer 6GB (3x2GB)          rumor mill is concerned, it’s never too soon to start gossiping
PC3-12800 kit is very stable and offers solid performance.           about gadgets.
The extra features that Crucial have added to their standard
Ballistix sticks not only give the consumer more bang for the        Android Pulls Ahead, While HTC Enjoys The Ride
buck, but make this a very attractive kit, considering that          Description: Android in the U.S. pushed ahead of smartphone
they're priced right in line with other 1600MHz triple channel       platform rivals iOS and Blackberry in January, according
kits.                                                                to Nielsen Wire, and is finding more popularity among
                                                                     younger consumers. That has helped HTC become the third
ECS H67H2-M Black Edition Motherboard Review @ Legit                 largest smartphone manufacturer in the U.S. after Apple and
Reviews                                                              Research In Motion, winning both the Android and Windows
Description: The ECS H67H2-M Black Deluxe motherboard                Phone 7 manufacturing race ahead of rivals Motorola and
is a very solid board all the way through. Its performance           Samsung.
rivaled that of the Intel P67 Burrage motherboard and at times
outperformed it. We expected performance to suffer a bit while       How It’s All Coming Together for Ubuntu as the Cloud OS
the on-board graphics were being used but that was not the           Description: Canonical, purveyor of the Ubuntu Linux
case. Intel and ECS have done a brilliant job of sorting out the     distribution, is on a quest to make Ubuntu the go-to server
usability of this system....                                         operating system for cloud computing. If it succeeds, it will
                                                                     validate the stance that there is a definite place for open source
ECS H57H-MUS (V1.0A) LGA1156 Motherboard Review @                    in cloud computing, and it’s at the layers where differentiation
Madshrimps                                                           might well become a non-factor in the years to come.
Description: Designed to support latest Intel CPUs with
integrated graphics and built around Intel's H57 chipset, the        Gaming News:
H57H-MUS board from ECS also features a complete bundle              GDC: Magicka: Vietnam – Wizards with Napalm
composed of a USB 3.0 and SATA 6G expansion card, which              Description: When Arrowhead Game Studios' Magicka came
makes the board a future-proof powerful computing platform,          out earlier this year, it took up the number one slot on a lot of
in a mATX board format                                               digital distribution sales sites. Though it may look at a glance
Consumer Electronics and Software News:                              like a Diablo-style game, that's not an especially accurate
                                                                     description. The gameplay is surprisingly involved, requiring
Razer Anansi MMO gaming keyboard review at Examiner                  you to tap in combinations of eight magical elements and then
Description: The Razer Anansi MMO gaming keyboard may                activate them for various effects.
not be revolutionary, but it’s still a capable (and colorful)
                                                                     The challenge of remaking Azeroth

                                                                                                                                    12
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                 Published by: VR-Zone

Description: Blizzard game director Tom Chilton on the tough       special kind of chokes and the board is also equipped with a
choices that had to be made when rupturing World of Warcraft       user selectable dual BIOS and a POST80 debug LED display.
with Cataclysm, and what they got right (and what they didn't).
Epic Games Launches Free Infinity Blade Expansion, Cuts Full
Game Price 50%
Description: Deals. You love 'em, we love 'em, and as such,
we feel it's our duty to direct your attention to an App Store
near you. Epic's award-winning touchscreen triumph, Infinity
Blade, is now half-off, and a free expansion released today
nearly doubles the size of the game.


Sapphire's Z68 unveiled at
CeBIT
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sapphire-s-z68-unveiled-at-
cebit/11462.html                                                   One other interesting feature we spotted is that Sapphire
March 5th, 2011                                                    has fitted a Proadlizer to the PWM, a feature that so far
                                                                   only appears to be popular on high-end graphics cards.
                                                                   Around the back we find a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports,
                                                                   two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Bluetooth
                                                                   dongle, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and D-sub connectors and
                                                                   7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out. Overall we're not
                                                                   sold on this board, it has some interesting features, but the slot
It's easy to forget that Sapphire is back in the motherboard       layout isn't what we'd hope to see on a Z68 board.
business, as so far the company has only launched three            The mini-ITX H67 board is as far as we can tell currently called
boards, but at CeBIT Sapphire was showing off two additional       IPC-CI7S1DH67 but again, we're expecting a much better
models for Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, one full size ATX        retail name. Sapphire decided to go with a single x16 slot for
board with the Z68 chipset and one mini-ITX board with the         this design, which is pretty much all you can fit to a mini-
H67 chipset. Neither board appeared to be retail ready, but        ITX board, although hidden at the bottom of the board is a
we'd expect the mini-ITX board to be available before the Z68      mini card PCI Express slot into which something like a Wi-Fi
board.                                                             card can be installed. You also get two SATA 6Gbps and two
                                                                   SATA 3Gbps ports and two headers for an additional four USB
                                                                   2.0 ports. Around the back Sapphire has managed to squeeze
It's easy to forget that Sapphire is back in the motherboard
                                                                   in four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet
business, as so far the company has only launched three
                                                                   port, a Bluetooth dongle, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and a D-
boards, but at CeBIT Sapphire was showing off two additional
                                                                   sub connector as well as 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF
models for Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, one full size ATX
                                                                   out.
board with the Z68 chipset and one mini-ITX board with the
H67 chipset. Neither board appeared to be retail ready, but
we'd expect the mini-ITX board to be available before the Z68
board.
The Z68 appears to be going under the name of PI-CI7S33Z68
as for now, but Sapphire tends to have much better retail
names for their boards, so we'll have to wait until the launch
to find out what it'll be. We're not quite followings Sapphire's
design either, as the board has three x16 PCI Express slots of
which the second one only work in dual x8 mode while the
third one is limited to four lanes worth of bandwidth. This is
all fine and good, but the only other expansion slots are three
PCI slots, of which two will be unusable in CrossFireX or SLI
and there doesn't appear to be a reason why the topmost slot
is missing.                                                        Sapphire's boards are still looking a bit rough and ready, but
                                                                   given some time we're confident that Sapphire will come out
Sapphire has added two additional SATA 6Gbps ports via a
                                                                   with some excellent boards as long as the company listens
third party controller for a total of four SATA 6GBps ports and
                                                                   to customer feedback. We're quite eager to find out what
four SATA 3Gbps ports. We're not quite sure why Sapphire put
                                                                   Sapphire is working on for AMD's upcoming platforms as well,
the additional two ports so far away from the six connected to
                                                                   since Sapphire is a strong AMD partner on the graphics card
the Intel chipset, but at least it should reduce confusion as to
                                                                   side.
which ports goes where. There are also headers for eight USB
2.0 ports and as with previous models Sapphire is using its

                                                                                                                                  13
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                    Published by: VR-Zone

                                                                          by the year 2011. This would probably be the highest in the
LG launches Optimus 2X                                                    world.," Lim says.
and Optimus Black Android                                                 At the event, VR-Zone has the opportunity to hands-on the
smartphones                                                               Optimus Black and Optimus 2X.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-launches-optimus-2x-and-optimus-   LG Optimus Black
black-android-smartphones/11449.html
March 5th, 2011




This afternoon, LG Singapore held a media event to launch the
highly anticipated Optimus 2X and Optimus Black Android
smartphones. (Nope, no sign of Optimus 3D for this event).
Both smartphones are going to be available soon.


                                                                          The LG Optimus Black features a 4-inch NOVA display that
                                                                          boasts 700 nits brightness. This means even if you are under
                                                                          the outdoor sun, you will have no problem looking at the
                                                                          screen and navigate the various phone functions you want.




James Park, president of LG Southeast Asia, region
representative, said that the LG Optimus devices that are
introduced today feature world's first technological and
innovative designs that set new standards for the user
experience.
                                                                          At the top, we find the power button, micro USB and 3.5mm
                                                                          audio connectors. Above the display is the 2-megapixel camera
                                                                          for video calls. The Optimus Black is also extremely slim,
                                                                          measuring approximately 9.2mm.




Augustine Lim, director for Mobile Communications, LG
Electronics Singapore, was there to share the company's
aggressive vision to be the leader in the smartphone market.
"Starting from today, LG will set new standards for
                                                                          On the right are the volume controls and a unique "G" button
smartphones in 2011. The range of Optimus devices will ensure
                                                                          (or Gesture button). Pressing and holding the G button allows
that there will always be a device to meet your requirements.
                                                                          user to do various things with the phone by touching or
From 2009 to 2010, the world has experienced exponential
                                                                          shaking the phone.
growth in the smartphone segment - approximately 67%. This
phenomenon growth rate will also be seen here in Singapore
where we expect in excess of 70% adoption of smartphones
                                                                                                                                     14
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                               Published by: VR-Zone

                                                                           802.11n networking gears are now widely used since the
                                                                           approval of IEEE 802.11n standards in October 2009. 802.11n
                                                                           offers wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps as compared to
                                                                           802.11a/g which is only up to 54Mbps.
                                                                           Right now, Wireless-N routers can be found at less than 100
                                                                           (Singapore) dollars, making it a good time for users to upgrade
                                                                           from their obsolete Wireless-G ones. In this shootout, we will
                                                                           compare two economically-priced Wireless-N routers, the TL-
                                                                           WR1043ND from TP-LINK and the ESR-9850 from EnGenius
                                                                           which are both below the hundred dollar mark.


Opening the rear cover reveals the 3.7V 1500 mAh Lithium-
                                                                           MSI releases R6950 Twin
ion rechargeable battery, the SIM card slot which is beside the            Frozr III Power Edition
rear 5-megapixel camera, and the microSD card slot.                        Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-releases-r6950-twin-frozr-iii-
The LG Optimus Black will be available in April 2011 at a                  power-edition/11404.html
recommended retail price of S$768 (before telco subsidies). It             March 5th, 2011
is currently running Android 2.2 Froyo, though LG mentioned
that it will receive upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread in the
near future.


Budget Wireless-N Router
Comparison: EnGenius                                                       MSI has launched the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition
                                                                           graphics card, featuring AMD's Radeon HD 6950 GPU. The
ESR-9850 vs. TP-LINK TL-                                                   new R6950 features MSI's latest Twin Frozr III dual fan
WR1043ND                                                                   thermal solution, 6+2 phase power delivery and triple over-
                                                                           voltage support for extreme overclocking.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/budget-wireless-n-router-comparison-
engenius-esr-9850-vs.-tp-link-tl-wr1043nd/11375.html
March 5th, 2011




802.11n networking gears are now widely used since the
approval of IEEE 802.11n standards in October 2009. 802.11n
offers wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps as compared to
802.11a/g which is only up to 54Mbps. Right now, Wireless-                 MSI has launched the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition
N routers can be found at less than 100 (Singapore) dollars,               graphics card, featuring AMD's Radeon HD 6950 GPU. The
making it a good time for users to upgrade from their obsolete             new R6950 features MSI's latest Twin Frozr III dual fan
Wireless-G ones. In this shootout, we will compare two                     thermal solution, 6+2 phase power delivery and triple over-
economically-priced Wireless-N routers, the TL-WR1043ND                    voltage support for extreme overclocking.
from TP-LINK and the ESR-9850 from EnGenius.

                                                                           20% More Airflow with Exclusive Propeller Blade Technology


                                                                           The MSI-exclusive Propeller Blade technology found on the
                                                                           latest Twin Frozr III thermal solution features air channels
                                                                           on the edge of the blades to improve total airflow by up to
                                                                           20%. The dual 80mm PWM-controlled fans, heat pipes, large
                                                                           nickel-plated copper base and high fin density all serve to
                                                                           rapidly dissipate heat from the GPU. Under full load, the
                                                                           R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition's GPU runs 11?C cooler
                                                                           than the reference AMD card, and noise level is lowered by 13.9
                                                                           dB. The large improvements shown underlines the cooling
                                                                           efficiency of the Twin Frozr III.

                                                                                                                                                    15
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                   Published by: VR-Zone


                                                                An iPad 2, you say? Well,
To cater to the needs of various user groups, MSI developed     China got the real deal two
the exclusive P/S Switch function for controlling the speed
of the fans. The Performance Mode provides optimal cooling      days ago!
performance, where low GPU temperature is a priority. On        Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/an-ipad-2-you-say-well-china-got-the-
the other hand, the Silent Mode can be used while watching      real-deal-two-days-ago-/11444.html
movies or even during gaming when fan noise is required to      March 5th, 2011
be as low as possible.


21% more performance than reference Board with Triple
Overvoltage and 6+2 phase VRM                                   So Apple has unveiled their new iPad 2 tablet to loads of
                                                                fanfare from the Apple faithful. That is fine, but it would
                                                                seem that all the hype that arose from the tablet's veil of
                                                                secrecy never made it into China intact. Apparently, a Chinese
                                                                IT website known as DGtle had managed to get their hands
                                                                on the real deal as early as two days ago, and even has the
                                                                photographic evidence to back up its claims. But is that iPad
                                                                2 in its article really the actual iPad 2 that was released this
                                                                morning?



Triple Overvoltage is implemented to greatly improve
overclockability by allowing users to utilize the popular MSI
Afterburner overclocking utility to adjust the VGPU, VMEM
and VDDCI. To achieve maximum performance, the 6+2
phase voltage regulation module (VRM) delivers 37% more
power than the reference design, providing more stability
at high loads. When overclocked, the R6950 Twin Frozr III       Apple may have just released its brand new tablet device today,
Power Edition offers up to 21% more performance than the        but chances are that most people who have been keeping up
reference card.                                                 with the rumour mill regarding information about the iPad 2
                                                                would have had quite a good idea as to what the average user
                                                                to expect from Apple's new new device. Add that to the fact
Handpicked components for the best quality and stability        that leaked renders of the iPad 2 were reportedly making their
                                                                way around the depths of cyberspace before the actual launch
                                                                event, and it should probably come as little surprise that many
                                                                would have had a mental image of how the product would look
                                                                like as well.
                                                                However, it also seems that no one can beat the Chinese when
                                                                it comes to digging out Apple's secrets, and a recent article
                                                                posted a couple of days ago on a Chinese website known as
                                                                DGtle seems to confirm that fact. Apparently, DGtle was able
                                                                to obtain actual photographs of the iPad 2 two days before its
                                                                launch, and had posted them all on its website for readers to
MSI's Military Class graphic cards became a favorite among      make some comparisons. Here are some of the images:
enthusiasts for its military-grade components. To get closer
to perfecting board design, MSI has now introduced the next-
generation Military Class II components, including tantalum
core Hi-C capacitors that last eight times longer, Super
Ferrite Chokes (SFC) that deliver 30% more power, and solid
capacitors which have a lifespan of up to 10 years.


Reference: MSI Press Release




                                                                                                                                       16
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                  Published by: VR-Zone




                                                                What do you think? Did DGtle really get its hands on actual
                                                                images of the iPad 2 while it was in its final stage of product
                                                                development, or is that device we see nothing more than a very
                                                                well-crafted clone?
                                                                Source and images courtesy of DGtle


                                                                IT Show 2011 Promotions:
                                                                Lexmark
                                                                Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-
                                                                lexmark/11443.html
                                                                March 5th, 2011




                                                                Are you in need of a new printer? Well, Lexmark will be one
                                                                of the companies taking part in this year's IT Show, and you
                                                                can be sure that they will have some cool products up their
                                                                sleeve to offer consumers. Let's take a look at what they have.
                                                                Lexmark's booth will be located at Level 6, Hall 601, Booth No.
                                                                6137, so be sure to look out for it.
                                                                Star Buy: Lexmark X5650 All-in-One printer




To ensure that we were not being taken along for a ride, we
                                                                   • A Wireless all-in-one with Quick Connect laptop port for
compared some of the pictures with those that were posted
                                                                     easy connectivity and set-up.
in Engadget's hands-on with the actual iPad and it turns out
that the similarities were rather striking. In fact, the only      • Delivers print speeds of up to 25 ppm black and 18 ppm
inconsistency we spotted between DGtle's and Engadget's              color with 25-page automatic document feeder.
images was that DGtle's device had a black bezel, while the        • Easy-print from a camera or memory device with lab-
official iPad 2 sports a white-coloured bezel instead.               quality sharpness.

                                                                                                                                   17
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                              Published by: VR-Zone

Usual price: S$129                                                          March 5th, 2011

Lexmark Prevail Pro 708




                                                                            For those who want to see how Steve Jobs wow the audience
                                                                            with the announcement of iPad 2 and more, now you can.
                                                                            Apple has just posted the QuickTime video for the iPad 2
                                                                            keynote address that happened earlier.




   • A Wireless 3-in-1 with fax inkjet printer for
     environmentally-conscious and budget-conscious users
   • Offers the industry’s lowest black printing cost at
     SGD7.90 for 510 pages
   • Delivers Wireless-N capability for longer range and more
     reliable signals for faster file transfer rates

Usual price: S$449
Lexmark E260D laser printer
                                                                            IT SHOW 2011 Lucky Draw
                                                                            Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-lucky-draw/11440.html
                                                                            March 5th, 2011

                                                                            1st Prize: S$ 20,000 cash
                                                                            2nd Prize: S$ 3,000 cash

                                                                            3rd Prize: S$ 2,000 cash

                                                                            4th Prize: S$ 1,000 cash

                                                                            5th Prize: S$ 900 cash

                                                                            6th Prize: S$ 800 cash

                                                                            7th Prize: S$ 700 cash
   • An A4 monochrome laser printer that boasts
     professional print quality and rapid print speeds of 33
                                                                            8th Prize: S$ 600 cash
     pages per minute (ppm)
   • Offers efficient desktop printing for individual users or              9th Prize: S$ 500 cash
     small groups with a print quality of 1200 x 1200 dpi
   • Environmentally friendly with built-in duplex printing                 10th Prize: S$ 400 cash
     feature and replacement toner cartridge with a 3,500
     page yield                                                             11th Prize: S$ 300 cash

Usual price: S$299                                                          12th Prize: S$ 200 cash

                                                                            (* Remember to redeem your IT SHOW lucky draw coupons
Apple's iPad 2 Media Event                                                  @ Level 6 - Hall 602 of Suntec Singapore)
streaming video now available
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-ipad-2-media-event-streaming-   IT Show 2011 Promotions:
video-now-available/11441.html
                                                                            Microsoft
                                                                            Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-
                                                                            microsoft/11437.html

                                                                                                                                                 18
March 5th, 2011                                                                                                 Published by: VR-Zone

March 5th, 2011




As always, Microsoft will be making an appearance in this
year's IT Show, which will take place at the Suntec City
Convention Centre from 10 to 13 March. So what does the
Redmond giant have in store for bargain hunters this year?
Let's take a look.
The mouse and keyboard combination is an essential tool for
computing, and there is no doubt that you'd want to have the
best tools when it comes to carrying out your daily computing
needs, right? Well, Microsoft has got a wide variety of electrical   The Arc Mouse is designed to be just as fashionable as it
rodents and keyboards in store for this year's IT Show, so you       is functional. With a revolutionary crescent moon shape,
are bound to find something that strikes your fancy.                 Arc folds shut by almost half, providing consumers with the
                                                                     comfort of a full-size mouse with the portability of a notebook
Microsoft Mice
                                                                     mouse.
Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse
                                                                     When flipped shut, Arc automatically turns off and can easily
                                                                     be slipped into a bag, or placed in the included black carrying
                                                                     case to protect the mouse while on the go.
                                                                     Usual price: S$89.00
                                                                     Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000




The new Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is revolutionary mouse
design, powered by the award-winning BlueTrack sensor that
tracks better than laser or optical. Put your finger on the touch
strip and zip through your documents with absolute ease.
Flatten the Arc Touch to power off and slip into any pocket.

   • New! Unique design pops up for comfort and folds flat
     for portability.
   • New! Touch strip offers flick scrolling and customizable
     touch buttons.
                                                                        • Proprietary Microsoft BlueTrack sensor that exceeds
   • BlueTrack Technology allows people to ditch their mouse
                                                                          laser and optical technology. Tracks precisely on surfaces
     pads and use their mice on virtually any surface,
                                                                          like polished marble, carpet and wood.
     including granite, marble, carpet and wood.
                                                                        • Side Button for increased productivity
   • Snap-in Nano transceiver gives consumers the option
     to leave the transceiver plugged into the computer or              • Plug-and-go nano receiver that you can leave in your
     conveniently store it magnetically under the mouse.                  laptop’s USB port.
   • 2.4GHz wireless technology gives consumers a confident             • Up to 10 months battery life.
     wireless connection.                                               • Battery status indicator light lets you know when your
   • Two-color battery light indicator warns consumers when               battery is running low
     it’s time to replace the battery.                                  • Confident 2.4GHz Wireless has up to a 9m wireless range
   • Ambidextrous design and rubber side grips give                     • Available in 7 colors
     consumers comfort and durability.
                                                                     Usual Price: S$59.90
Microsoft Arc Mouse (original design)
                                                                     Microsoft Wireless Mouse 5000




                                                                                                                                  19
VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #9
VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #9
VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #9
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VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #9

  • 1. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks! The vast majority of users are simply not aware of the VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication presence of power supplies because they are integrated into covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks. the equipment. Most of them are not replaceable because those devices have no expandability or upgradeability and are (hopefully!) designed to exceed the product's lifetime. For How power supplies work example, you cannot replace the power supply of your TV Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/how-power-supplies-work/11366.html because there is no way to upgrade or expand your TV and March 5th, 2011 force it to require more power, meaning that ultimately there is no reason to perform a power supply upgrade. Computers are an entirely different matter; they are fully expandable and customizable, meaning that not only each and every one of them has different power needs but that the needs of every single computer can be altered several times during its Even though power supply units are the most critical part of operational lifetime. almost every electronic device, being a component absolutely A power supply transforming the utility grid AC voltage to vital to their operation, they rarely are given the attention DC voltage for the equipment to use must perform certain they deserve. Almost no technology equipment can operate functions at the highest possible efficiency and at the lowest without them since electronic devices cannot operate using the possible cost. The basic functions usually are: utility grid AC voltage, which also varies in level and frequency depending on your position on the planet. There are more 1. Rectification - Convert the input AC voltage to DC than eight types of power supplies currently available; in this voltage. article we are going to focus on only the two types available 2. Voltage transformation - Adjust the supplied voltage to for household and business equipment: linear and switching the required levels. power supplies. 3. Filtering - Smoothen the ripple of the supplied voltage. Even though power supply units are the most critical part of almost every electronic device, being a component absolutely 4. Regulation - Control the supplied voltage regardless of vital to their operation, they rarely are given the attention line, load and / or temperatures changes. they deserve. Almost no technology equipment can operate 5. Isolation - Electrically isolate the input voltage source without them since electronic devices cannot operate using the from the output. utility grid AC voltage, which also varies in level and frequency 6. Protection - Prevent any damaging power phenomena depending on your position on the planet. from reaching or take effect at the output. There are more than eight types of power supplies currently available; in this article we are going to focus on only the two types available for household and business equipment: linear and switching power supplies. IT Show 2011 Promotions: Several people may believe the power supplies are limited to computer applications. That is incorrect since almost every ASUS piece of technology need a power supply to operate. Some Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions- examples include and are not limited to your phone charger, asus/11436.html your TV and your alarm clock. As we mentioned before, no March 5th, 2011 electronic equipment can operate on AC voltage. It is the power supply's job to convert AC voltage to another form, suitable for the equipment. Or, to be even more accurate, the definition of a power supply is that "it is an apparatus designed to convert one form of electric energy to another". 1
  • 2. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Aside from attractive discounts and promotions, ASUS will ASUS Easy User Interface also be launching some new products at next week's IT Show Enjoy Simultaneous printing and scanning by connecting an 2011 at Suntec City Convention Centre. Read on for the various All-in-one printer to the router via the USB port. Also, connect star products that will be sold at their booth. Booth Location external hard disks to enjoy instant file sharing with family and (Level, Booth Number) Level 4, Hall 402 & 403, Booth 8220 friends. (ASUS) Update: Added ASUS laptops and netbooks 300,000 Sessions Perfect for P2P Download Download Master provides up to 300,000 sessions for unparalleled P2P performance – offering an unprecedented 20 times larger bandwidth than traditional routers. Such a large volume of P2P or BitTorrent downloads are accomplished rapidly with assurance of complete data transfers throughout the day – even when the users’ PCs are turned off. Solid Wireless Performance Combined with its powerful CPU, the ASUS RT-N16 delivers maximum bandwidth, ensuring effortless synchronous file transfers and downloads, flawless video streaming, incredibly low-ping wireless gaming and VoIP calls with minimized jitter. Usual price: S$189 ASUS RT-N56U Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router IT Show price: TBA Dual-band for Lag-free Entertainment Double your wireless performance and bandwidth with simultaneous 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands speed up to 300Mbps concurrently. While basic internet applications like browsing or file downloading can occur in 2.4GHz, wireless high definition content streaming takes place in the 5GHz band at the same time. Plug-n-surf and Hassle-free Management ASUS EZ UI offers you an intuitive router setup without read manuals. What’s more, you can enjoy simultaneous printing and scanning by connecting an All-in-one printer to the router via the USB port. You can also connect external hard disks to ASUS O!Play MINI Media Player enjoy instant file sharing with family and friends. Mini in Size – Massive on Entertainment Multi-Function Twin USB Ports ASUS O!Play MINI media player fits a wealth of high definition With effortless connectivity to a range of devices and FTP, content and features in a single small device. It offers true high SAMBA, UPnP AV server and DLNA standard compatible all definition (HD) video and 7.1-channel audio for you to enjoy supported, sharing and networking become easier than ever. great movies, music and photo-sharing with your family and Plus, the RT-N56U can continue downloading FTTP, FTP and friends. BitTorrent file to the USB disk all day even when your PC is The most powerful decoding and most popular media formats turned off. Additionally, the twin USB ports allow the router supported to offer printer and file server functions. The O!Play MINI brings new HD experiences to viewers, free Usual price: S$259 from format compatibility worries. It supports Blu-ray Disc IT Show price: TBA ISO, MKV, RMVB (1080p), H.264, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, OGG, FLAC and many others. Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Channel surround and full HD 1080p bring you theater-like enjoyment Dolby TrueHD digital surround decoding and passthrough take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc quality with 7.1-Channel audio output. Full HD 1080p video through HDMI offers up to six times the resolution of traditional DVD, browse photos, even listen to music. IT Show price: TBA ASUS RT-N16 Wireless Router 2
  • 3. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Easy Wireless File Sharing - No more difficult set-up process! Enjoying your PC file is so easy The ASUS O!Play Air provides users with the easiest way to share files wirelessly. If you have the AP, all you need to do is to click the “infrastructure” item and that’s it. Enjoy more Internet media contents in the living room The On-line Media feature allows you to browse over 100 Internet TV channels, 20,000 Internet radio stations, Internet photo sharing sites, and weather updates directly streamed over the Internet to your O!Play. Internet TV: ABC, BBC News, NBC, fox sports, NHK…over 5,000 stations Internet Radio: Over 20,000 stations ASUS O!Play HD2 Weather: You can search World Weather by geographical Experience the World’s first USB 3.0 Media Player Region or country Install any 3.5-inch hard disk and O!PLAY HD2 instantly Usual price: S$249 becomes a large-capacity mobile storage device . Transfer IT Show price: TBA media via USB 3.0 from PC to the O!PLAY HD2 boasts up to 10 times faster than USB2.0. 3.5-inch Hard Disk Storage Capacity With Networking- ASUS introduces WL-330N3G Attached Storage (NAS) Support 6-in-1 Wireless-N mobile router O!Play HD2 offers extensive media center features with Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-introduces-wl-330n3g-6-in-1- server functionality for iTunes, Samba and more for fast local wireless-n-mobile-router/11474.html network file access and management. March 5th, 2011 Use your iPhone as a remote control The On-line Media feature allows you to browse over 100 Internet TV channels, 20,000 Internet radio stations, Internet photo sharing sites, and weather updates directly streamed over the Internet to your O!Play. Internet TV: ABC, BBC News, NBC, fox sports, NHK…over The ASUS WL-330N3G offers all the benefits of a standard 5,000 stations wireless router, with multi-role functionality and an extremely Internet Radio: Over 20,000 stations user-friendly setup. All of these features fit in a tiny device that is easy to carry, making the WL-330N3G ideal for travelers and Weather: You can search World Weather by geographical business people who wish to extend their internet access when Region or country on the road. Pricing to be announced Singapore (March 5, 2011) - The ASUS WL-330N3G offers all the benefits of a standard wireless router, with multi-role functionality and an extremely user-friendly setup. All of these features fit in a tiny device that is easy to carry, making the WL-330N3G ideal for travelers and business people who wish to extend their internet access when on the road. Incredible flexibility The first thing to note about the WL-330N3G is its compact size - its footprint is smaller than a business card. While this makes it very easy to carry and literally pocket sized, it does not come at the expense of functionality. This is a full wireless router designed for those on the move, especially students, commuters and mobile professionals. ASUS O!Play Air HDP-R3 Media Player Full HD 1080p and Full Format Support (including RMVB) O!Play Air takes the trend to bring new HD experience to viewers in the living room. Users do not have to worry about the compatibilities of file formats to the most formats of the video, music and picture. 3
  • 4. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone button, and a 10/100 Ethernet connection for hooking up with modems, other routers and various Ethernet-enabled devices. For those looking to replace a fixed line, or to simply take their broadband connection with them when traveling or commuting, the WL-330N3G offers a perfect balance of value and performance. Specifications Ethernet • WAN / LAN x1, RJ-45 for 10/100 BaseT • Ethernet and 802.3 with max. 10/100Mbps bit rate and auto crossover Six-in-one multi-role functionality for multi-user sharing function (MDI-X) Delivering spectacular utility and value, the WL-330N3G Power adapter • AC input 100V - 240V, works as six different devices rolled into one. 50 - 60Hz First and foremost, it is a mobile wireless router, connecting • DC output 5V, 2A max. devices such as notebooks and smartphones to one broadband internet service. Second, it can be used as a universal repeater Operating frequency 2.4GHz in conjunction with other routers to extend the range of an Data rate • 802.11n: Up to 150Mbps existing connection. Third, the WL-330N3G also functions as • 802.11g: 6 - 54Mbps an access point when combined with a broadband modem, enabling connectivity for a host of devices. • 802.11b: 1 - 11Mbps Encryption / authentication Supports 64 / 128-bit WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK Management • DHCP server • Web-based administration • System event log • Firmware upgrade • Save / restore configuration file Internet connection type Automatic IP, static IP, PPPoE (MPPE supported), PPTP, L2TP, HSDPA The WL-330N3G can also be deployed as an Ethernet adapter USB application 3G USB adapter for Ethernet-capable devices like game consoles, printers and Dimensions 90 x 38.9 x 12.8mm cable set-top boxes. Finally, the WL-330N3G has both hotspot and 3G sharing Source: ASUS Press Release modes built in. As a hotspot, it can serve as a mobile Wi- Fi connection for several PCs, while in 3G sharing mode, it provides internet connectivity for several devices through the 3G network. This mode works in conjunction with a 3G USB adapter Rumor: BlackBerry Messenger Will Run On Android and iOS Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumor-blackberry-messenger-will-run- Superior coverage and speed made simple on-android-and-ios/11468.html The WL-330N3G with up to 150Mbps data rate is easy to March 5th, 2011 configure. The fast process is extremely simple thanks to ASUS Plug-n-Surf and network detection. Plus, the numerous ways this coverage can be extended to a host of different devices, all in a very portable manner, makes the WL-330N3G a very powerful connectivity enabler. With its streamlined design, the only buttons and connections on the WL-330N3G are the power port, USB port, reset 4
  • 5. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Are you a big fan of RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger, but have a Description: NZXT's Sentry LXE is a unique and well-executed change of heart lately? No worries, we just learned that RIM product that allows the PC enthusiast a wide range of is planning to bring its famous BlackBerry Messenger app to monitoring and fan control options in an attractive remote Android and iOS devices. unit. The fit and finish is excellent and the functionality is first- rate with an intuitive layout incorporated into the touch screen LCD display. Consumer Electronics and Software News: Description: The company announced the service, which is available only in the US, on the Bing blog yesterday. The post said that Bing deals will launch with “more than 200,000 unique offers in over 14,000 cities and towns across the US”. Description: A wave of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have targeted popular blogging site WordPress.com, the site and security researchers said. It is still unclear what RIM’s strategy is, but it looks like they Description: Sony has admitted that PlayStation 3 consoles will offer a light version of BlackBerry Messenger to other have been seized by customs officers in the Netherlands. platforms. Meaning, additional features like photo and file sharing only available to BlackBerry users. Description: The system consists of a head or base unit and two bookshelf style speakers that combine to make decent little So far no details on timing yet, but Android and iOS users can audio system. It’s also an alarm clock with a built-in snooze look forward to some time this year. button so the system can even wake you up. The Micro System allows you instant access to hundreds of channels of music so The Daily VR-Zone News you’ll always find something for you or your family and friends to listen to. Summary - 04 Mar 2011 Description: A top South Korean cybersecurity company Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--04- says about 40 government and private websites are under mar-2011/11471.html cyberattack. March 5th, 2011 Gaming News: Description: The ex-Blizzard employees of Runic Games, have done the unthinkable and brought their 2009 PC sleeper hit Torchlight to the Xbox Live Arcade. And rounding up the news for the week: Review of the Patriot Description: The Gears of War series has appeared exclusively XRB 64GB Solid State Drive; Diamond All-In-Wonder HD on the Xbox 360 for four years, but that hasn’t deterred Epic’s Premium AIW5000 review; Microsoft's Bing launches deals desire to get the third-person shooter onto PlayStation. service; Sony says PS3 consoles seized in Netherlands , and Epic Would “Love” to Bring Gears of War series to PlayStation . LUXA2 ready to accessorise Hardware News: Description: SSDs are expensive. However, you can help your iPad 2 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/luxa2-ready-to-accessorise-your- alleviate this wallet pressure by getting one without too much ipad-2/11472.html storage space. Today we look at one of the smallest available March 5th, 2011 SSD sizes, a 64GB from Patriot known as the Torqx TRB. Description: The Battle Hero with its bold graphics is squarely aimed at gamers. Solid aluminum construction gives it a solid feel and also helps to dissipate heat. Pop out storage drawers and twin cooling fans should keep most people satisfied beyond just the cooling performance. Thermaltake's LUXA2 branding announced the pre-launch of Description: The Zotac GTX 560 Ti AMP! is a heavily pre- Apple iPad 2 product line on the same day Apple revealed their overclocked video card. The Zotac GTX 560 Ti AMP! Edition’s upcoming iPad 2. And according to them, they're products are core clock weighs in at 950 MHz, 128 more from the stock 822 good to go as soon as Apple's iPad 2 go on sale. MHz. The Zotac GTX 560 Ti’s memory clock also gets bumped up from 4004 MHz to 4400 MHz. Description: The HD Premium 5000 (aka AIW5000) bundles an ATI HD5570 graphics card with an ATI HD 750 tuner. This duo has the power to handle the most frequently used video signals for viewing, recording and other routine multimedia tasks. 5
  • 6. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone LUXA2 might not ring any bells to most people yet, but how about Thermaltake? Yes, LUXA2 is indeed a division of Have you started using Apple's new Mac App Store to handle Thermaltake which specialise in exquisite design with a touch software downloads on OS X? Well, if you do, you might have of luxury. They has been manufacturing accessories for iOS noticed that a new addition was made to Apple's software devices for about 2 years and according to their press release, repository today. Apparently, Opera's browser has just been they are ready to spoil customers with their wide range of iPad approved by Apple's App Store team, and is now currently 2 accessories. available for download from the aforementioned service. Besides offering standard protective cases in different However, it will also seem that Apple has imposed some materials, they also have a iPad car mount and iPad stand restrictions on who can download Opera's web browser onto which allows your tablet to sit upright for your hands-free their Macs. Indeed, a quick look at some of the requirements reading or viewing pleasure. And according to their Director, listed by Apple on Opera's product page in its Mac App "(they) will be ready to launch our incredible accessory line Store has revealed an interesting fact; the company clearly when Apple releases iPad 2,” thinks that web browsers have the potential to frequently feature suggestive or severe adult themes, and has taken action to stem the flow of undesirable content by requiring that Opera approved for Mac App downloaders be at least 17 years of age. Store; users under the age of To prove that we are not trying to pull a fast one on you, here is a screenshot of the very requirement, taken from iTunes 17 need not apply Japan: Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/opera-approved-for-mac-app-store- users-under-the-age-of-17-need-not-apply/11469.html March 5th, 2011 Is the browser business moving into adult territory? Well, Apple apparently thinks so: while it has approved of Opera's free web browser being listed in its Mac App Store for users to download and use, the company has also posted a requirement that users must of a certain age before they can be allowed to do so. Who'd have guessed that dowloading a simple web browser could be such serious business? The good news is that existing Opera owners need not fret: the copy of Opera available from Apple's App Store is the exact version that is currently being offered for download directly from Opera's home page. 6
  • 7. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Still, it should probably come as no surprise that Opera had The wireless HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One E710n some rather interesting things to say about its browser being produces laser-quality color documents at a low cost per flagged out as unfit for OS X users under the age of 17. page that allows SOHO and SMB users to print high-impact marketing materials in-house. Featuring HP ePrint, users can "Seventeen is very young, and I am not sure if, at that age, print anytime, anywhere using any mobile device. The HP people are ready to use such an application. It's very fast, Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n also uses 40% less energy you know, and it has a lot of features. I think the download than comparable laser printers and has an automatic two- requirement should be at least 18," quipped Jan Standal, VP sided printing function which helps cut paper usage by up of Desktop Products for Opera Software. to 50%. The printer also has a 2.36-inch color touchscreen So what happens for potential Opera users who fail the age display to easily copy, fax, print, scan and access apps. verification check? Simple: bypass the check by downloading Key features: the browser direct from the company's home page. • Achieve laser performance at a low cost per page o Get great value, using individual, high-capacity ink cartridges designed for the office. o Print at up to 32ppm black/31ppm color and at laser-comparable (ISO) speeds up to 10ppm black/7ppm color. o Print borderless documents with vivid color graphics and sharp text, using HP Officejet inks. • Stay connected whether you’re in or out of the office o With HP ePrint, you can print from anywhere, anytime by emailing to your HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAIO E710n. IT Show 2011 Promotions: HP o Connect to your network with built-in Ethernet or to your PC with Hi-speed USB 2.0. (Printers) • Reduce your impact and protect your bottom line Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions-hp- printers-/11465.html o Use up to 40% less energy than comparable laser March 5th, 2011 products, with an ENERGY STAR qualified all-in- one. o Cut paper usage by up to 50% with the automatic two-sided printing and PC Fax Send which enables paperless fax sending and archiving. Usual price: S$399 HP will be participating in this year's IT Show, and needless HP Photosmart Wireless e-All-in-One Printer B110a to say its offerings will consist of both computing devices like desktop and notebook PCs, as well as a wide range of imaging solutions in the form of printers. In this post, we shall take a look at the latter of HP's IT Show 2011 lineup. HP's booth can be found at Level 4, Booth 8150, Hall 401. HP Officejet 6500A Plus eAiO Printer E710n Print lab-quality photos, everyday documents and web content on the fly, without using a PC. HP ePrint combined with affordable individual inks lets you easily produce impressive prints from anywhere, anytime. Key features and benefits: 7
  • 8. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone • Print when it’s most convenient for you from across the world or across the room. With HP ePrint, simply email a photo or document to your printer and pick up the pages later. • Create impressive photo projects, and even print directly from the device itself with integrated memory card slots. • The HP TouchSmart frame allows you to print photos, scan, copy and print web content without the use of a PC. • Boost productivity with wireless connectivity at a press of a button, allowing you to share this all-in-one with other Wi-Fi enabled PCs from anywhere in your house. Usual price: S$229 The Core i5-2410M is slightly faster at 2.3GHz, but as this is an i5, it will also turbo to either 2.6GHz for both cores First Core i3-2310 and i5-2410 or 2.9GHz on one core. It has the same base graphics core clock of 650MHz as the Core i3-2310M, but it will turbo a notebooks go on sale little bit faster to 1200MHz. So what's different between these Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-core-i3-2310-and-i5-2410- two OEM models and the other models that Intel includes notebooks-go-on-sale/11466.html on its price list? Well compared to the Core i5-2520M the March 5th, 2011 turbo speed boost is much lower, as this 2.5GHz processor will go all the way to 3GHz with both cores working, that's a 500MHz boost compared to 300MHz for the Core i5-2410M. The graphics will also turbo to 1300MHz, although this is unlikely to be as useful. Finally the Core i5-2410M lacks support for Intel's AES, TXT and vPro technology and this to us suggests that Intel has designed it as a consumer CPU, but The first notebooks with Intel's dual core mobile Sandy Bridge as a model with turbo boost, something the Core i3's lack. processors have just started to arrive at retailers, at least if As for the notebooks, well, Acer has equipped both models you're lucky enough to live in Taiwan, although other countries with Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics with 1GB of memory, should have them soon too and the first two models we've a 640GB hard drive, an optical drive, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, spotted are both from Acer. Intel's little chipset snafu has Bluetooth 3.0 and handily a USB 3.0 port as well. Other delayed the shipment a bit, although the dual core models features include Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI out, a pair of USB weren't really expected until about now anyhow. 2.0 ports, a webcam and various other standard features you'd expect to find on a modern notebook. The Aspire 4750G weighs in at 2.25kg and comes with a 6-cell 4400mAh 48Wh The first notebooks with Intel's dual core mobile Sandy Bridge battery which Acer claims is good for up to 4.5h of battery life, processors have just started to arrive at retailers, at least if while the Aspire 5750G weighs in at 2.6kg and features the you're lucky enough to live in Taiwan, although other countries same battery. should have them soon too and the first two models we've spotted are both from Acer. Intel's little chipset snafu has delayed the shipment a bit, although the dual core models weren't really expected until about now anyhow. So what we're looking at is the Acer Aspire 4750G and the Aspire 5750G. The first model is a 14-incher while the second one is a 15.6-incher and both models are available with either a Core i3-2310 or a Core i5-2410. We should point out that both of these CPUs differ somewhat from Intel's other announced 35W dual core mobile processors, but more on that a little bit later. The Core i3-2310M clocks in at 2.1GHz and it sports Intel HD Graphics 3000 with a base clock speed of 650MHz and it will turbo all the way up to 1100MHz when needed. Price wise you're looking at S$1,115 for the Aspire 4750G with the Core i3-2310 processor and S$1,249 for the same model with the Core i5-2410M. The Aspire 5750G starts at S $1,163 with the Core i3-2310, but costs the same as the Aspire 4750G with the Core i5-2410M processor. Acer is currently the only notebook manufacturer to offers Sandy Bridge based notebooks in Taiwan with the B3 stepping chipset from Intel, 8
  • 9. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone but it shouldn't take long for other manufacturers to get their • Keeps you safe and connected products ready as well. o VeriFace face recognition software – an interesting and secure way to log in to your PC, and also great IT Show 2011 Promotions: conversation starters Lenovo Integrated Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity for internet o on the move Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions- lenovo/11464.html Usual price: starting at S$1,449 March 5th, 2011 Lenovo G470 If you are heading to this month's IT Show with the objective of netting a new PC, you might want to make a note not to miss Lenovo's booth this year. Up on Lenovo's list of offers are a couple of notebook PCs and a desktop machine up for grabs at discounted prices. Lenovo's booth will be situated at Level 4, Hall 401, Booth 8358. • Polished and Ergonomic o Sleek exterior design with smooth top cover and single-piece brush-metal interior paneling around Now that the world we live in is becoming increasingly the keyboard providing a cool-to-touch surface digitized, it should probably be of little surprise that the o Multi-touch touchpad to move things around with humble desktop and notebook PC have been elevated from two or more fingers being luxury toys to essential tools needed to perform a wide variety of tasks today. And if one is going to invest in a PC for o AccuType keyboard with individual rounded keys both work and play, why not take a look at what Lenovo has for comfortable and accurate typing got to offer consumers in this year's IT Show? • Hassle-free and Fun Technology Notebooks o 14.0” HD screen (1366x768), 16:9 widescreen Lenovo IdeaPad Z460 o Integrated Bluetooth (optional) & 802.11n Wi-Fi o DirectShare – easily synchronize your files with another notebook without connecting to the internet • User-friendly Security o OneKey Rescue System – makes data backup and recovery simple so you can spend time on more enjoyable tasks o Energy Management – protects the long-term durability of the battery and uses advanced energy- saving technology to increase time spent between charges Usual price: starting at S$1,599 • Trendy and smart-looking o Chiclet keyboard with individual rounded keys Samsung Stealth spotted at Hairline metallic effect cover FCC o • Entertainment on the go Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-stealth-spotted-at- o With OneKey Theater II, optimized audio-visual fcc/11463.html settings for brighter images and richer audio are enabled at the press of a button 9
  • 10. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone March 5th, 2011 March 5th, 2011 Samsung has showcased a 4G handset at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. Now it looks It's a wonder to me that there weren't more Windows 7 tablets like the phone could be launching soon, since it was recently in the market like the BModo12G. The prevailing logic is spotted at Federal Communications Commission (FCC). that if you need to do "real work", you're better off with a laptop. However, despite having an Apple iPhone 4 and iPad, my experience is that there are quite a few things you do wish could have been better supported by the Apple line-up, and not have to always hunt for ‘alternatives’ to simple tasks like transferring files (e.g. Dropbox), watch Flash videos (e.g. Skyfire Browser), print documents (e.g. Airprint) and using mobile broadband USB sticks with unlimited and inexpensive data plans (separate 3G plan or Sim card cutting). So how does the BModo12G compare with other tablet devices? Read on. Samsung unveiled their first 4G LTE phone at CES in January, which was the temporary codename then, though it will have a formal name when it goes on retail. Recently, a 4G Samsung handset was spotted at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), called Samsung Stealth, model SCH-I510. From the FCC documentation, this phone and the Samsung 4G LTE look different and it is likely both are not one and the same. Earlier news reports stated that the Samsung I510 will feature a 4.3-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display (800x480 resolution), 8-megapixel rear camera, supports Wi- Fi and runs Android 2.2 Froyo mobile operating system. The Bmodo12G: A Windows 7 Touchscreen Tablet Samsung SCH-I510 is said to be available in Q2 this year. A new Windows 7 tablet with a difference: the BModo12G Unboxing the BModo12G: Quick Start Guide and Power Cord Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-new-windows-7-tablet-with-a- difference-the-bmodo12g/11367.html To my pleasant surprise, Bmodo has not fallen into the trap of delivering a crippled product just to save a few dollars (which is in my opinion what a few other tablets have done and ended up being cheap but irrelevant). The Bmodo screen is capacitive (read: pretty responsive) with an acceptable screen resolution. After a few hours with it, I realised that 10
  • 11. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone given the Windows interface, Bmodo’s screen size of 11.6-inch Audio 1 x Built-in Speaker (1.5W) x is probably the optimal size (The smaller 10-inch Windows 2, Mic x 1 touchscreen tablets may be uncomfortable for some users). If Battery Embedded Lithium-ion the screen were any smaller, I feel that sidebar scrolling would Polymer 2 cell (7.4V, be quite impossible with adult fingers. Tapping on small icons 5000mAH, 2S1P) and tabs will also be difficult on a smaller screen size. Size Weight 295mm x 195mm x 14mm, The netbook-like specifications on the BModo12G just means 990g that you’re not going to be playing Mass Effect 2 or other serious First Person Shooter (FPS) games on it anytime soon. However, anything that runs on a netbook will run on the Bmodo tablet. You will probably want to plug in a mouse for moderate gaming requirements, since the on-screen keyboard The Daily VR-Zone News could otherwise make things a little tricky. Here's a look at its hardware specifications: Summary - 03 Mar 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--03- LCD Module Capacitive Multi Touch LCD mar-2011/11461.html TFT 11.6-inch HD Glare (1366 March 5th, 2011 x 768) OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Processor Type Intel Atom Pineview-M N450 + ICH8M; 1.66GHz, 677Mhz, 512K L2 Memory 1GB DDR2 800MHz In today's news roundup: AMD has reportedly contracted Internal Mass Storage SSD 32GB Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture its Hudson-series chipsets, which support the Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR new Brazos platform; Two of ECS's motherboards, the ECS Wi-Fi Integrated 802.11 b/g/n H67H2-M Black Deluxe and the H57H-MUS, get reviewed; GPS Mini PCI Interface GPS card. Rumours about what users can expect in an upcoming 'iPad Support A-GPS and S-GPS 3' have started circulating online; Android pushes ahead of function iOS and RIM to become the world's most widely used mobile WWAN Module (3G) HSPA/HSUPA/WCDMA operating system, and Epic Games launches a free expansion 2100/1900/900/850 Mhz: pack for Infinity Blade while dropping off 50% of the game's Compliant with 3GPP retail price. TS25.101 (R6). GSM/GPRS/ Hardware News: EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz: Compliant with 3GPP AMD contracts TSMC to make Hudson chipset, says paper TS 05.05 (R99) Description: AMD has contracted Taiwan Semiconductor Camera 1.3 M pixel Webcam Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture its Hudson- series chipsets, which support the new Brazos platform, G-Sensor Display Orientation (3-axis according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report. sensing) The paper did not name its source. Graphics Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 500 with Discrete In Win Track Computer Case Review @ Tweaknews 1080p HD Video Accelerator Description: With good cooling performance from the four I/O Interface 1 x DC-in included fans and an innovative front panel design, In Win's Track chassis is an interesting mid-tower chassis that also 2 x USB2.0 Ports includes several tool-free features and a blacked-out interior 1 x OMTP Jack (Audio Jack) and rear panel. The big 220mm side panel intake fan keeps the graphics and CPU nice and cool and also boasts blue LEDs that 1 x SD/SDHC (32GB Max) can be switched on or off from the panel mounted switch. Slot Exceleram EP3001A PC3-10666 2x2GB Memory Review @ 1 x SIM Card Slot (unlock) Madshrimps 1 x Mini HDMI Description: The new EP3001A memory modules from Exceleram are using Powerchip Rev D 128x8 and even if the 1 x Hotkey rating is PC3-10666, they are very overclockable and come at 1 x 26-Pin Connector (For a very affordable price. docking station. Sold Antec P193 Review - XSReviews Separately) Description: Antec recently announced a refresh to their performance one line of cases and they were kind enough to 11
  • 12. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone send a few for us to take a look at. Today we're reviewed the gaming keyboard well-suited to virtually any style of PC game P193, the top of the performance pile. Let's see how it's features —MMO or otherwise. stack up. Mobile editing in Google Docs now in 45 languages Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 Mini-ITX Motherboard Review Description: Last November, we launched the ability to edit @Hi Tech Legion mobile docs in English. Today we’re excited to announce that Description: The Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 is Gigabyte's first you can now edit your docs on the go in 44 more languages. attempt at the Brazos platform. The GA-E350N-USB3 is on Tablets of 2011: What to Look For the upper tier of the Brazos line, featuring the E350 processor. Description: Last year promised to be the year of the tablet, This CPU is dual core clocked at 1.6Ghz and has 1MB L2 cache. and at least for Apple, it was indeed. The nearly ubiquitous Paired on the same die is a Radeon HD 6310. This GPU is iPad managed not only to outsell every other tablet on the clocked at 500MHz and has 80 stream processors. On the market by a wide margin, it also exceeded Mac sales in the board we get all of the usual Gigabyte features as well. There's last quarter. But even if Apple is not likely to lose its throne the 2x copper PCB to reduce electrical waste and improve anytime soon, competition is finally making itself present. If signal quality. Installed are 50,000hr. Japanese solid state Android's gains in the smartphone market serve any indication capacitors. Gigabyte includes their 3/3/3 technology, which it should be an interesting year for tablets as well. means USB 3.0, SATA3, and 3x powered USB ports. The extra power to the USB ports allows greater stability, compatibility, OvisLink AirLive N.MINI 300Mbps Wireless-N Mini-AP and the auto charge feature. review @ Madshrimps Description: The AirLive N.MINI AP multifunctional device ASUS Rampage III Extreme Black Edition - Layout and Design (Router, AP or Client) from OvisLink has very small @ ocaholic dimensions and can be used in various situations like building Description: With the Rampage III Extreme Black Edition, a small hot-spot in an area that has only Ethernet available, or ASUS is planning the next strike in the high-end gaming we can use it as a regular Wireless LAN adapter, connected to and overclocking market. This board will come with a lot of our computer via UTP. features like for example an additional Xonar soundcard as well as a Bigfoot Killer NIC network card. For overclockers iPad 2 Rumors: Which Were True & Which Will Wait for the they further refined the power design and they've also iPad 3 overworked the BIOS and added some new options. Description: Since the launch of the original iPad, we’ve been keeping you apprised of rumors surrounding the iPad 2. Now Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer 6GB (3x2GB) PC3-12800 Kit that the iPad 2 has been unveiled, we can officially start Review @ Bigbruin.com speculating about the iPad 3 — because as far as the Apple Description: The Crucial Ballistix Smart Tracer 6GB (3x2GB) rumor mill is concerned, it’s never too soon to start gossiping PC3-12800 kit is very stable and offers solid performance. about gadgets. The extra features that Crucial have added to their standard Ballistix sticks not only give the consumer more bang for the Android Pulls Ahead, While HTC Enjoys The Ride buck, but make this a very attractive kit, considering that Description: Android in the U.S. pushed ahead of smartphone they're priced right in line with other 1600MHz triple channel platform rivals iOS and Blackberry in January, according kits. to Nielsen Wire, and is finding more popularity among younger consumers. That has helped HTC become the third ECS H67H2-M Black Edition Motherboard Review @ Legit largest smartphone manufacturer in the U.S. after Apple and Reviews Research In Motion, winning both the Android and Windows Description: The ECS H67H2-M Black Deluxe motherboard Phone 7 manufacturing race ahead of rivals Motorola and is a very solid board all the way through. Its performance Samsung. rivaled that of the Intel P67 Burrage motherboard and at times outperformed it. We expected performance to suffer a bit while How It’s All Coming Together for Ubuntu as the Cloud OS the on-board graphics were being used but that was not the Description: Canonical, purveyor of the Ubuntu Linux case. Intel and ECS have done a brilliant job of sorting out the distribution, is on a quest to make Ubuntu the go-to server usability of this system.... operating system for cloud computing. If it succeeds, it will validate the stance that there is a definite place for open source ECS H57H-MUS (V1.0A) LGA1156 Motherboard Review @ in cloud computing, and it’s at the layers where differentiation Madshrimps might well become a non-factor in the years to come. Description: Designed to support latest Intel CPUs with integrated graphics and built around Intel's H57 chipset, the Gaming News: H57H-MUS board from ECS also features a complete bundle GDC: Magicka: Vietnam – Wizards with Napalm composed of a USB 3.0 and SATA 6G expansion card, which Description: When Arrowhead Game Studios' Magicka came makes the board a future-proof powerful computing platform, out earlier this year, it took up the number one slot on a lot of in a mATX board format digital distribution sales sites. Though it may look at a glance Consumer Electronics and Software News: like a Diablo-style game, that's not an especially accurate description. The gameplay is surprisingly involved, requiring Razer Anansi MMO gaming keyboard review at Examiner you to tap in combinations of eight magical elements and then Description: The Razer Anansi MMO gaming keyboard may activate them for various effects. not be revolutionary, but it’s still a capable (and colorful) The challenge of remaking Azeroth 12
  • 13. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Description: Blizzard game director Tom Chilton on the tough special kind of chokes and the board is also equipped with a choices that had to be made when rupturing World of Warcraft user selectable dual BIOS and a POST80 debug LED display. with Cataclysm, and what they got right (and what they didn't). Epic Games Launches Free Infinity Blade Expansion, Cuts Full Game Price 50% Description: Deals. You love 'em, we love 'em, and as such, we feel it's our duty to direct your attention to an App Store near you. Epic's award-winning touchscreen triumph, Infinity Blade, is now half-off, and a free expansion released today nearly doubles the size of the game. Sapphire's Z68 unveiled at CeBIT Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sapphire-s-z68-unveiled-at- cebit/11462.html One other interesting feature we spotted is that Sapphire March 5th, 2011 has fitted a Proadlizer to the PWM, a feature that so far only appears to be popular on high-end graphics cards. Around the back we find a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Bluetooth dongle, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and D-sub connectors and 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out. Overall we're not sold on this board, it has some interesting features, but the slot It's easy to forget that Sapphire is back in the motherboard layout isn't what we'd hope to see on a Z68 board. business, as so far the company has only launched three The mini-ITX H67 board is as far as we can tell currently called boards, but at CeBIT Sapphire was showing off two additional IPC-CI7S1DH67 but again, we're expecting a much better models for Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, one full size ATX retail name. Sapphire decided to go with a single x16 slot for board with the Z68 chipset and one mini-ITX board with the this design, which is pretty much all you can fit to a mini- H67 chipset. Neither board appeared to be retail ready, but ITX board, although hidden at the bottom of the board is a we'd expect the mini-ITX board to be available before the Z68 mini card PCI Express slot into which something like a Wi-Fi board. card can be installed. You also get two SATA 6Gbps and two SATA 3Gbps ports and two headers for an additional four USB 2.0 ports. Around the back Sapphire has managed to squeeze It's easy to forget that Sapphire is back in the motherboard in four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet business, as so far the company has only launched three port, a Bluetooth dongle, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and a D- boards, but at CeBIT Sapphire was showing off two additional sub connector as well as 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF models for Intel's Sandy Bridge platform, one full size ATX out. board with the Z68 chipset and one mini-ITX board with the H67 chipset. Neither board appeared to be retail ready, but we'd expect the mini-ITX board to be available before the Z68 board. The Z68 appears to be going under the name of PI-CI7S33Z68 as for now, but Sapphire tends to have much better retail names for their boards, so we'll have to wait until the launch to find out what it'll be. We're not quite followings Sapphire's design either, as the board has three x16 PCI Express slots of which the second one only work in dual x8 mode while the third one is limited to four lanes worth of bandwidth. This is all fine and good, but the only other expansion slots are three PCI slots, of which two will be unusable in CrossFireX or SLI and there doesn't appear to be a reason why the topmost slot is missing. Sapphire's boards are still looking a bit rough and ready, but given some time we're confident that Sapphire will come out Sapphire has added two additional SATA 6Gbps ports via a with some excellent boards as long as the company listens third party controller for a total of four SATA 6GBps ports and to customer feedback. We're quite eager to find out what four SATA 3Gbps ports. We're not quite sure why Sapphire put Sapphire is working on for AMD's upcoming platforms as well, the additional two ports so far away from the six connected to since Sapphire is a strong AMD partner on the graphics card the Intel chipset, but at least it should reduce confusion as to side. which ports goes where. There are also headers for eight USB 2.0 ports and as with previous models Sapphire is using its 13
  • 14. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone by the year 2011. This would probably be the highest in the LG launches Optimus 2X world.," Lim says. and Optimus Black Android At the event, VR-Zone has the opportunity to hands-on the smartphones Optimus Black and Optimus 2X. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-launches-optimus-2x-and-optimus- LG Optimus Black black-android-smartphones/11449.html March 5th, 2011 This afternoon, LG Singapore held a media event to launch the highly anticipated Optimus 2X and Optimus Black Android smartphones. (Nope, no sign of Optimus 3D for this event). Both smartphones are going to be available soon. The LG Optimus Black features a 4-inch NOVA display that boasts 700 nits brightness. This means even if you are under the outdoor sun, you will have no problem looking at the screen and navigate the various phone functions you want. James Park, president of LG Southeast Asia, region representative, said that the LG Optimus devices that are introduced today feature world's first technological and innovative designs that set new standards for the user experience. At the top, we find the power button, micro USB and 3.5mm audio connectors. Above the display is the 2-megapixel camera for video calls. The Optimus Black is also extremely slim, measuring approximately 9.2mm. Augustine Lim, director for Mobile Communications, LG Electronics Singapore, was there to share the company's aggressive vision to be the leader in the smartphone market. "Starting from today, LG will set new standards for On the right are the volume controls and a unique "G" button smartphones in 2011. The range of Optimus devices will ensure (or Gesture button). Pressing and holding the G button allows that there will always be a device to meet your requirements. user to do various things with the phone by touching or From 2009 to 2010, the world has experienced exponential shaking the phone. growth in the smartphone segment - approximately 67%. This phenomenon growth rate will also be seen here in Singapore where we expect in excess of 70% adoption of smartphones 14
  • 15. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone 802.11n networking gears are now widely used since the approval of IEEE 802.11n standards in October 2009. 802.11n offers wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps as compared to 802.11a/g which is only up to 54Mbps. Right now, Wireless-N routers can be found at less than 100 (Singapore) dollars, making it a good time for users to upgrade from their obsolete Wireless-G ones. In this shootout, we will compare two economically-priced Wireless-N routers, the TL- WR1043ND from TP-LINK and the ESR-9850 from EnGenius which are both below the hundred dollar mark. Opening the rear cover reveals the 3.7V 1500 mAh Lithium- MSI releases R6950 Twin ion rechargeable battery, the SIM card slot which is beside the Frozr III Power Edition rear 5-megapixel camera, and the microSD card slot. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-releases-r6950-twin-frozr-iii- The LG Optimus Black will be available in April 2011 at a power-edition/11404.html recommended retail price of S$768 (before telco subsidies). It March 5th, 2011 is currently running Android 2.2 Froyo, though LG mentioned that it will receive upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread in the near future. Budget Wireless-N Router Comparison: EnGenius MSI has launched the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition graphics card, featuring AMD's Radeon HD 6950 GPU. The ESR-9850 vs. TP-LINK TL- new R6950 features MSI's latest Twin Frozr III dual fan WR1043ND thermal solution, 6+2 phase power delivery and triple over- voltage support for extreme overclocking. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/budget-wireless-n-router-comparison- engenius-esr-9850-vs.-tp-link-tl-wr1043nd/11375.html March 5th, 2011 802.11n networking gears are now widely used since the approval of IEEE 802.11n standards in October 2009. 802.11n offers wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps as compared to 802.11a/g which is only up to 54Mbps. Right now, Wireless- MSI has launched the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition N routers can be found at less than 100 (Singapore) dollars, graphics card, featuring AMD's Radeon HD 6950 GPU. The making it a good time for users to upgrade from their obsolete new R6950 features MSI's latest Twin Frozr III dual fan Wireless-G ones. In this shootout, we will compare two thermal solution, 6+2 phase power delivery and triple over- economically-priced Wireless-N routers, the TL-WR1043ND voltage support for extreme overclocking. from TP-LINK and the ESR-9850 from EnGenius. 20% More Airflow with Exclusive Propeller Blade Technology The MSI-exclusive Propeller Blade technology found on the latest Twin Frozr III thermal solution features air channels on the edge of the blades to improve total airflow by up to 20%. The dual 80mm PWM-controlled fans, heat pipes, large nickel-plated copper base and high fin density all serve to rapidly dissipate heat from the GPU. Under full load, the R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition's GPU runs 11?C cooler than the reference AMD card, and noise level is lowered by 13.9 dB. The large improvements shown underlines the cooling efficiency of the Twin Frozr III. 15
  • 16. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone An iPad 2, you say? Well, To cater to the needs of various user groups, MSI developed China got the real deal two the exclusive P/S Switch function for controlling the speed of the fans. The Performance Mode provides optimal cooling days ago! performance, where low GPU temperature is a priority. On Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/an-ipad-2-you-say-well-china-got-the- the other hand, the Silent Mode can be used while watching real-deal-two-days-ago-/11444.html movies or even during gaming when fan noise is required to March 5th, 2011 be as low as possible. 21% more performance than reference Board with Triple Overvoltage and 6+2 phase VRM So Apple has unveiled their new iPad 2 tablet to loads of fanfare from the Apple faithful. That is fine, but it would seem that all the hype that arose from the tablet's veil of secrecy never made it into China intact. Apparently, a Chinese IT website known as DGtle had managed to get their hands on the real deal as early as two days ago, and even has the photographic evidence to back up its claims. But is that iPad 2 in its article really the actual iPad 2 that was released this morning? Triple Overvoltage is implemented to greatly improve overclockability by allowing users to utilize the popular MSI Afterburner overclocking utility to adjust the VGPU, VMEM and VDDCI. To achieve maximum performance, the 6+2 phase voltage regulation module (VRM) delivers 37% more power than the reference design, providing more stability at high loads. When overclocked, the R6950 Twin Frozr III Apple may have just released its brand new tablet device today, Power Edition offers up to 21% more performance than the but chances are that most people who have been keeping up reference card. with the rumour mill regarding information about the iPad 2 would have had quite a good idea as to what the average user to expect from Apple's new new device. Add that to the fact Handpicked components for the best quality and stability that leaked renders of the iPad 2 were reportedly making their way around the depths of cyberspace before the actual launch event, and it should probably come as little surprise that many would have had a mental image of how the product would look like as well. However, it also seems that no one can beat the Chinese when it comes to digging out Apple's secrets, and a recent article posted a couple of days ago on a Chinese website known as DGtle seems to confirm that fact. Apparently, DGtle was able to obtain actual photographs of the iPad 2 two days before its launch, and had posted them all on its website for readers to MSI's Military Class graphic cards became a favorite among make some comparisons. Here are some of the images: enthusiasts for its military-grade components. To get closer to perfecting board design, MSI has now introduced the next- generation Military Class II components, including tantalum core Hi-C capacitors that last eight times longer, Super Ferrite Chokes (SFC) that deliver 30% more power, and solid capacitors which have a lifespan of up to 10 years. Reference: MSI Press Release 16
  • 17. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone What do you think? Did DGtle really get its hands on actual images of the iPad 2 while it was in its final stage of product development, or is that device we see nothing more than a very well-crafted clone? Source and images courtesy of DGtle IT Show 2011 Promotions: Lexmark Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions- lexmark/11443.html March 5th, 2011 Are you in need of a new printer? Well, Lexmark will be one of the companies taking part in this year's IT Show, and you can be sure that they will have some cool products up their sleeve to offer consumers. Let's take a look at what they have. Lexmark's booth will be located at Level 6, Hall 601, Booth No. 6137, so be sure to look out for it. Star Buy: Lexmark X5650 All-in-One printer To ensure that we were not being taken along for a ride, we • A Wireless all-in-one with Quick Connect laptop port for compared some of the pictures with those that were posted easy connectivity and set-up. in Engadget's hands-on with the actual iPad and it turns out that the similarities were rather striking. In fact, the only • Delivers print speeds of up to 25 ppm black and 18 ppm inconsistency we spotted between DGtle's and Engadget's color with 25-page automatic document feeder. images was that DGtle's device had a black bezel, while the • Easy-print from a camera or memory device with lab- official iPad 2 sports a white-coloured bezel instead. quality sharpness. 17
  • 18. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone Usual price: S$129 March 5th, 2011 Lexmark Prevail Pro 708 For those who want to see how Steve Jobs wow the audience with the announcement of iPad 2 and more, now you can. Apple has just posted the QuickTime video for the iPad 2 keynote address that happened earlier. • A Wireless 3-in-1 with fax inkjet printer for environmentally-conscious and budget-conscious users • Offers the industry’s lowest black printing cost at SGD7.90 for 510 pages • Delivers Wireless-N capability for longer range and more reliable signals for faster file transfer rates Usual price: S$449 Lexmark E260D laser printer IT SHOW 2011 Lucky Draw Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-lucky-draw/11440.html March 5th, 2011 1st Prize: S$ 20,000 cash 2nd Prize: S$ 3,000 cash 3rd Prize: S$ 2,000 cash 4th Prize: S$ 1,000 cash 5th Prize: S$ 900 cash 6th Prize: S$ 800 cash 7th Prize: S$ 700 cash • An A4 monochrome laser printer that boasts professional print quality and rapid print speeds of 33 8th Prize: S$ 600 cash pages per minute (ppm) • Offers efficient desktop printing for individual users or 9th Prize: S$ 500 cash small groups with a print quality of 1200 x 1200 dpi • Environmentally friendly with built-in duplex printing 10th Prize: S$ 400 cash feature and replacement toner cartridge with a 3,500 page yield 11th Prize: S$ 300 cash Usual price: S$299 12th Prize: S$ 200 cash (* Remember to redeem your IT SHOW lucky draw coupons Apple's iPad 2 Media Event @ Level 6 - Hall 602 of Suntec Singapore) streaming video now available Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-ipad-2-media-event-streaming- IT Show 2011 Promotions: video-now-available/11441.html Microsoft Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-promotions- microsoft/11437.html 18
  • 19. March 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone March 5th, 2011 As always, Microsoft will be making an appearance in this year's IT Show, which will take place at the Suntec City Convention Centre from 10 to 13 March. So what does the Redmond giant have in store for bargain hunters this year? Let's take a look. The mouse and keyboard combination is an essential tool for computing, and there is no doubt that you'd want to have the best tools when it comes to carrying out your daily computing needs, right? Well, Microsoft has got a wide variety of electrical The Arc Mouse is designed to be just as fashionable as it rodents and keyboards in store for this year's IT Show, so you is functional. With a revolutionary crescent moon shape, are bound to find something that strikes your fancy. Arc folds shut by almost half, providing consumers with the comfort of a full-size mouse with the portability of a notebook Microsoft Mice mouse. Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse When flipped shut, Arc automatically turns off and can easily be slipped into a bag, or placed in the included black carrying case to protect the mouse while on the go. Usual price: S$89.00 Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 The new Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is revolutionary mouse design, powered by the award-winning BlueTrack sensor that tracks better than laser or optical. Put your finger on the touch strip and zip through your documents with absolute ease. Flatten the Arc Touch to power off and slip into any pocket. • New! Unique design pops up for comfort and folds flat for portability. • New! Touch strip offers flick scrolling and customizable touch buttons. • Proprietary Microsoft BlueTrack sensor that exceeds • BlueTrack Technology allows people to ditch their mouse laser and optical technology. Tracks precisely on surfaces pads and use their mice on virtually any surface, like polished marble, carpet and wood. including granite, marble, carpet and wood. • Side Button for increased productivity • Snap-in Nano transceiver gives consumers the option to leave the transceiver plugged into the computer or • Plug-and-go nano receiver that you can leave in your conveniently store it magnetically under the mouse. laptop’s USB port. • 2.4GHz wireless technology gives consumers a confident • Up to 10 months battery life. wireless connection. • Battery status indicator light lets you know when your • Two-color battery light indicator warns consumers when battery is running low it’s time to replace the battery. • Confident 2.4GHz Wireless has up to a 9m wireless range • Ambidextrous design and rubber side grips give • Available in 7 colors consumers comfort and durability. Usual Price: S$59.90 Microsoft Arc Mouse (original design) Microsoft Wireless Mouse 5000 19