gadgets, geeks, technology, internet, social media

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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

The Daily VR-Zone NewsSummary - 7 April 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--7-

april-2011/11455.html

April 7th, 2011

In today's news roundup: • GIGABYTE G1.Assassin (Intel X58Express) gaming motherboard review; • Toshiba introducessmall but SmartNAND chips; • Google to finance $100 millionworth of original programs for YouTube ; • Sophisticated cyberthieves behind Epsilon attack; • Sony PlayStation Portableholiday release may be dDelayed by Japan disaster, and •SEGA today unveiled a teaser trailer for a new Sonic game.

Hardware news

Description: This board is the G1.Assassin; part of the G1 Killerline-up. When you pick this board up you get an X58 chipset,a Creative labs X-Fi audio card and a Killer NIC built onto theboard. You all get this for US$529.99 on NewEgg.com whichcomes in a little less than buying the parts separately.

Description: The Sapphire Radeon HD 6790 sits in thatentry gamer market. The Radeon 6790 looks to edge outthe competition with increased performance. It features a840MHz core clock, 1050MHz memory clock, 800 Streamprocessors, and 40 texture units. Onboard there is 1GB ofDDR5 memory with a 256-bit interface.

Description: With the Rampage III Black Edition, ASUS has anew flagship in its portfolio. This board embodies the furtherdevelopment of the already very successfull Rampage IIIExtreme. The new kid on the block will try to win gamers andoverclockers hearts with a very extensive delivery and lots offeatures.

Description: The Hydro Series from Corsair has been king ofhill for pre-built sealed kits since it came out. It seems thatwith Antec teamed up with Asetek now in the cooler marketthe hill now belongs to them. With that being said, the H60is a good cooler. It is well built, quieter than previous Hydro

Series coolers and I really like the new mounting system forthe pump/coldplate

Description: Toshiba is replacing its current 32nm processflash chips with 24nm SmartNAND: flash with on-chip errorcorrection. The new chips will have faster controllers anddeliver faster read and write speeds, although no numbershave been supplied.

Description: Even though it is well known thatAdvanced Micro Devices has strong intentions to startcommercial shipments of its FX-series code-named "Zambezi"microprocessors based on Bulldozer micro-architecture,the intrigue remains when exactly the company formallyintroduces new chips and reveal its levels of performance.

Consumer Electronics and Software news

Description: The Xoom Android tablet and Atrix smartphoneare being called out as poor performers, despite heavymarketing campaigns launched by Verizon Wireless andAT&T, respectively.

Description: Google plans to create 20 special channels on itsYouTube site, and will spend $100 million to create originalprogramming to populate them.

Description: Moody's cut its credit rating on Nokia, citing theFinnish mobile phone company's weakening market positionand uncertainty over its transition to Microsoft's WindowsPhone software.

Description: An online marketing firm hit by what may beone of the biggest data thefts ever was the victim of "highlysophisticated cyber thieves," according to its parent company.Alliance Data Systems Corp. also reiterated that only thenames and email addresses of customers were stolen inthe attack on its subsidiary, Epsilon, and not credit cardinformation or social security numbers.

Description: Chrome already has a "Safe Browsing" mode,which Google said "has done a lot of good for the Web," butthere is still plenty of harmful content floating around on theInternet.

Description: In this review I’ll be taking a look at a reallyunusual set of Gaming headgear called the ISURUS in-eargaming headset. Thermaltake have taken the headset era toanother level by giving the end user the option of using asleeker in-ear headset that won’t over time give you thatuncomfortable ache you can have using a bulky traditionaldesigned headset

Gaming news

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Description: Atari Greatest Hits includes Pong for free, andincludes 99 games from the Atari 2600 and arcade systemfor purchase. By Jared Newman, Technologizer You may nowcount Atari among the classic video game systems to find ahome in the iOS App Store.

Description: The new PlayStation Portable, dubbed “NGP,”may be introduced in a single region this year instead ofstarting sales in Asia, Europe and the U.S. in time forthe end-of-year holiday shopping season, said Jack Tretton,president of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, citingproduction problems related to the March 11 disaster.

Description: So you've got an iPad or your shiny new iPad 2and come to the dawning realisation that you've no cash left tobuy any games for it.

Description: SEGA today unveiled a teaser trailer for a newSonic game slated for release later this year for PlayStation 3and Xbox 360. The video, which originated on SEGA's officialSonic Facebook page this morning, doesn't reveal much aboutthe gameplay, only that it may feature both the old and newgeneration of Sonic characters.

Green House AnnouncesPicoDrive F3 USB 3.0 FlashDriveSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/green-house-announces-picodrive-f3-

usb-3.0-flash-drive/11828.html

April 7th, 2011

Tokyo-based Green House has unveiled the PicoDrive F3 flashdrive series. Measuring 73.2 x 19.75 x 9mm and weighing13.5g, they sport a USB 3.0 interface and deliver data transferrates up to 120 Mb/s (read) and 80 Mb/s (write).

Tokyo-based Green House has unveiled the PicoDrive F3 flashdrive series. Measuring 73.2 x 19.75 x 9mm and weighing13.5g, they sport a USB 3.0 interface and deliver data transferrates up to 120 Mb/s (read) and 80 Mb/s (write). Availablein 64Gb, 32Gb and 16Gb capacities, they are available from

major resellers and e-tailers at MSRPs of US$71 (16Gb), US$140 (32Gb), and US$235 (64Gb) in Japan.

News via [Softpedia]

Nexus Debuts SM-8000 SilentMouseSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nexus-debuts-sm-8000-silent-

mouse/11827.html

April 7th, 2011

Nexus Technology has unveiled the SM-8000 Silent mouse,featuring a patented design that eliminates all clicking noiseswhen you press the buttons. Measuring 117 x 76 x 42mm, ithas five buttons, an optical sensor, an auto power save mode,and connects to the PC via a 2.4 GHz wireless Nano receiver.The SM-8000 operates on two AAA batteries and is expectedto start shipping soon.

NEXUS PRESS RELEASE

Nexus Technology introduces the SM-8000 Silent mouse. Nomore clicking noise. After several requests to introduce abigger brother for the SM-7000 we now introduce you theSM-8000, a big 5 button silent mouse. The Nexus SilentMouse SM-8000 is an advanced 2.4G wireless optical mouse,which connects to your PC, Mac or laptop with a super smallnano receiver and has a total of 5 silent buttons. Beside theregular 3 buttons this mouse have two extra buttons on theside which makes it easy browsing forward and backward.

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Patented Switch TechnologyThe switches we have used for the Silent Mouse have apatented construction and lack the clicking sound when youpress them.

You will be amazed how much more relaxing it is when you getrid of this useless sound in your working environment.

Specifications

• Advanced 2.4Ghz wireless technology

• Nano receiver (included)

• 39 channels

• 16 bits mouse

• 5 buttons

• Auto Power save mode

• Red sensor light

• 2x AAA batteries (included)

• 11.7x7.6x4.2 cm

For more information please check this page.

A-Data Launches BN SeriesPSUsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-data-launches-bn-series-

psus/11826.html

April 7th, 2011

A-DATA Technology, well-known for their DRAM modulesand flash memory products, has introduced the BN SeriesPSUs. Available in 400W, 450W, 500W and 550W capacities,these 80Plus Bronze PSUs feature a laminated steel enclosure,active PFC, two 12V rails, a MTBF of 100,000 hours, andare cooled by a 120mm fan. The ADATA BN Series PSUs,compliant with ATX12V Ver.2.3, EuP and Energy Star 5.0, areavailable through selected distributors.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash applicationproducts, today announced the launch of its latest seriesof power supply for personal computers. The BN Series istargeted towards consumer and professional users who arelooking for economical solutions in energy efficient power.

With 80 Plus Bronze certification, the BN series offer up to85% efficiency, while the 95% Active Power Factor Correction(PFC) minimizes power loss. The series comes in four wattagemodels to meet a wide range of individual user needs, and

all models meet both the European Energy Using ProductsDirective (EuP) and The American Energy Star 5.0 standard.The units run quietly and emit extremely low levels ofinterference.

An interesting aesthetic touch on what is often a bland systemcomponent is the patented design pattern on the laminatedsteel shell. The innovative surface coating process yields anattractive textured appearance.

Features:

•Wattage: 400/450/500/550W

•Active PFC

•ATX12V Ver.2.3

•Meets EuP and Energy Star 5.0

•80 PLUS (Bronze)

•Low Ripple & Noise

•PCI-E Connectors

•Textured laminated surface

Availability

ADATA BN Series power supply units are now distributedthrough selected distributors and resellers. More informationabout ADATA BN Series power supply unit can be found onthe company's website.

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Zowie Gear Introduces G-TFSpeed MousepadSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zowie-gear-introduces-g-tf-speed-

mousepad/11825.html

April 7th, 2011

Zowie Gear has refreshed its G-TF mousepad (released 2009)with the announcement of the G-TF Speed. Measuring 440 x320 x 2mm, the gaming pad boasts a newly designed rubberbase for more stablity, a liquid-resistant surface for smoothgliding and easy maintenance, and triple-stitched rolled edgesfor durability and comfort. The G-TF Speed is compatible withall mice and is expected to start shipping in June 2012.

ZOWIE GEAR PRESS RELEASE

On August 17th 2009 we announced the innovative G-TFmousepad which we had developed in cooperation withAbdisamad ‘SpawN’ Mohamed. As a groundbreaking additionto the mousepad market, the G-TF provided competitivegamers around the world with the edge they needed to stay ontop of their game.

The G-TF combined flexibility, comfort and size of theclothpads with the unique texture of plasticpads, resulting ina unique mousepad with a large and comfortable mousing-area as well as low friction allowing for swift and precisemovements. To increase the overall durability and qualityof the mousepad, the G-TF was created using 100% naturalrubber and the edges were stitched to prevent them fromfraying – all of these features were unique and specificallydeveloped for the G-TF.

Amazed by the outstanding performance of the G-TF, thisclothpad was soon to become the preferred mousepad of manycompetitive and casual gamers around the world. Today theG-TF is a sure sight at all of the competitive LAN’s andtournaments worldwide.

With that being said, we are happy to introduce the G-TFspeed, yet another innovative addition to the ZOWIE GEARproduct portfolio.

First things first. The G-TF speed will not replace the G-TF. Wehave been receiving a lot of requests to develop a surface whichwas faster than the G-TF and took up the challenge. Due tothe popularity of the G-TF, we decided to use the same uniquewaterproof texture in the G-TF speed and improve on specificdetails.

Not only is the G-TF speed faster than the G-TF, it also havea newly developed unique base, which allows for a firm flatsuction to the table and makes the mousepad thinner, makingit ideal for gamers who has been using plasticpads and are nowlooking for something a bit more flexible. The G-TF speed isfor those gamers who want it all – comfort, flexibility and swiftperformance.

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Staying true to our motto, we are always striving for perfection,even if it’s a matter of improvement of just 1%. We believe this1% is what makes the difference in competitive gaming.

The G-TF speed will be available medio 2011.

Features

* The speed edition of the popular G-TF – faster than ever

* Newly designed rubber base for increased stability

* Liquid resistant surface allows for easy maintenance

* Triple-stitched edges preventing fray and increases thelifetime of the pad

* Rolled edges for added comfort while playing

* 100% compatible with all types of mice

* Perfectly oversized for gamers & designers: 440 x 320 x2mm/ 17.3 x 12.6 x 0.08"

Sign up at our Facebook page, for a chance to win this awesomepad once it is released: www.facebook.com/ZOWIEGEAR

Cisco launches Linksys E4200Maximum Performance Dual-Band Wireless-N routerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cisco-launches-linksys-e4200-

maximum-performance-dual-band-wireless-n-router/11824.html

April 7th, 2011

Now that more residential areas are getting the upgradesneeded to access to the Next Generation NationwideBroadband Network (aka NGNBN), it should come as nosurprise that getting an aftermarket router to share the ultrahigh-speed connection is going to be a top priority. And if youare willing to spare no expense in ensuring that your routerdoes not end up being the bottleneck to this new network,Cisco is only all too keen to sell you its new E4200 Wireless-Nrouter, which it officially launched in a media event held in theInfocomm Experience Centre located at Esplanade Xchange.VR-Zone brings you the coverage.

It is a well known fact that the words 'Singapore' and 'fast,seamless and hassle-free' are seldom (if ever) used togetherin the breath or sentence when the state of the country'sbroadband network is brought up for discussion, and forgood reason. With most existing home and mobile broadbandproviders boasting robust networks that never fail to operate ata fraction of their advertised speeds, it should be little surprisethat locals often take pride in competing to see which ISP offersthe lowest average network speeds.

Thankfully, this dismal state of affairs is about to changenow that the Next Generation National Broadband Network(NGNBN)is upon us, and most of us are in the midst of gettingtheir fibre termination point installed as we type this story out.Of course, in an ideal world, things such as ISP or hardwarebottlenecks would not exist, except that the real world isseldom as forgiving. And while ISP bottlenecks are definitelygoing to stay, users have the capability to prevent hardwarebottlenecks from taking place, and this is precisely what Ciscois aiming to eliminate with its new Linksys E4200 Wireless-Nrouter, which was officially launched today.

In his opening address, Craig Gledhill, vice president of CiscoConsumer Products for Asia Pacific and Japan, describedhow the new E4200 router will enhance a user's onlineexperience when used in conjunction with the upcomingNGNBN infrastructure.

"Cisco is a big supporter of the NGNBN, and we think thatthis is a great initiative by the government. Cisco has beeninvolved in this project, and as technology vendors, we wantto bring new technology to take advantage of the NGNBN. Theproduct we are launching today, the E4200, is a top-of-the-range router that has been getting great reviews, and it is thekind of device you'd want to put next to your LED TV," he said.

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Accompanying him was Cisco System's head of consumerproducts for Asia Pacific and Japan, Jaimohan Thampi, whoproceeded to describe some of the new features and usabilityupgrades consumers can take advantage of in the new LinksysE4200 Wireless-N router.

Darwin can keep his evolutionary theory; we are moreinterested in Cisco's 'router design evolution' specimens

"The need for bandwidth and capabilities is only going to growin homes. With Singapore being one of the frontrunners intechnology...network speeds have skyrocketed. And people aregoing out to buy cheap, affordable routers that are just notable to keep up with the expectations of the network. In suchcases, the router has become the throttling point. We wantto market a product that is capable of delivering tomorrow'sexperience...without the complexity of trying to get it to work,"he said, while adding that these are issues which the newLinksys E4200 router is fully capable of solving.

"The E4200 router is our maximum-performance, dual-bandrouter today. The Linksys E4200 is designed for speed and iscapable of transfer speeds of up to 450Mbps under the 5.0GHzband. It is also Home Theatre-ready, which means that it iscapable of delivering high-definition, 3D content, and backup digital files. Cisco connect (also removes) the complexityelement; setting up a connection is now as easy as one twothree," he claimed.

Cisco Connect; Easy as 1, 2, 3 indeed. Three windows andyou're done; notice that the E4200 sports the ability to set upa guest network with the click of a button.

Fujifilm unveils new FinePixZ900EXR compact digitalcameraSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujifilm-unveils-new-finepix-z900exr-

compact-digital-camera/11822.html

April 7th, 2011

Fujifilm has unveiled their new FinePix Z900EXR compactdigital camera designed with new image sensor that is capableof shooting full high definition videos and automatically detectup to 27 different scenes.

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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The Z900EXR is the latest addition to Fujifilm's portfolio ofFinepix compact digital cameras that features a multi-touchdisplay, new image sensor and the capability to capture videosin full high definition (HD). The 16-megapixel camera alsooffers high dynamic range and improved battery life and canperform full resolution continuous shooting of three framesper second.

The Finepix Z900EXR is equipped with a 5x wide-angle,28-140mm (35mm equivalent) Fujinon zoom lens and canautomatically detect up to 27 different scenes includingsunsets and blue sky. At the rear is the 3.5-inch touchscreenLCD display with multi-touch capabilities. The camera canalso record full 1080p high definition videos at 30 frames persecond in H.264 file format. Available in black, red, white, pinkand blue options, the Finepix Z900EXR will retail from Mayat US$279.95.

Google planning to introduce'channel' system to YouTube?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-planning-to-introduce-channel-

system-to-youtube-/11821.html

April 7th, 2011

Sure, YouTube may have the world's most comprehensive,up-to-date repository of movies, home-made video clips andother kinds of media files, but it appears that Google is stilltrying to find a way to position YouTube as a source of mediathat will eventually be as ubiquitous as existing televisionnetworks. And according to bits of information claimed byvarious insider sources, it seems that Google's approach mightbe to revamp the portal into the web equivalent of a TVnetwork.

It does not take much to convince most web-savvy users thatYouTube is probably one of, of not the most popular sourceof online videos in the world today. After all, most web userswill be hard pressed to find a similar alternative video hostingservice that offers the same kind of depth, reach and varietyas what Google's YouTube is currently capable of. In fact, itis probably no exaggeration on our part when we say that theglobal online video scene would grind to a halt if YouTube

suddenly ceases to operate, and it will take a long time for analternative solution to fill the void it will leave behind.

However, it also appears that Google is not content aboutYouTube just being a gigantic repository of videos for usersto view online. Apparently, the search giant has always beenharbouring plans of making YouTube much more ubiquitousin the average user's lifestyle, we have seen how Google TV wasprobably the first example of the search giant's long term goalsfor YouTube. But even that is not enough, and various sourcesfamiliar with Google's dealings are claiming that the companyis setting up YouTube to go head to head against the likes ofTV network operators in order to keep people hanging aroundthe video portal for longer amounts of time.

According to a report made by the Wall Street Journal, theonline video streaming service is now focusing on acquiringnew content in the way most TV broadcast and cable networkswill; by offering to sponsor or fund the production of contentspecially designed for online viewing. The search giant has alsoreportedly set aside a staggering US$100million just for thispurpose. It is speculated that such an approach has greaterpotential in successfully winning over producers to produceYoutube-exclusive content, as opposed to striking licensingdeals with video and content distributors.

In addition, Google is also reportedly planning to revampYouTube's home page by introducing a 'Channels' systemwhich will supposedly allow users to sort between videosof various genres for easier classification and searchingpurposes.

Last but not least, the Wall Street Journal also claims thatGoogle is planning to integrate social networking features intoYouTube, and that such features are likely to be introducedtogether with the new Channels system so that viewerswill have a comprehensive package of new features in therevamped YouTube portal.

For more information about Google's plans for YouTube, hitup the source link below.

Acer refreshes Timeline Xproduct line with new modelsfeaturing Intel's Sandy BridgeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-refreshes-timeline-x-product-line-

with-new-models-featuring-intel-s-sandy-bridge/11820.html

April 7th, 2011

Until very recently, Acer was the only major notebook OEMwhich had yet to update its entire product line with models thatfeatured Intel's new Sandy Bridge platform. However, if youhave been waiting all this while for a low-priced notebook thatpacks the latest specifications from the likes of Acer, today isgoing to be your lucky day, for Acer has finally rolled out whatthe world has been waiting for: its own line of Sandy Bridge-powered notebooks under the Timeline X banner. Talk about a

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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classic example of 'better late than never' being put into actionin the real world. *UPDATED with local prices!

Well, that sure took Acer long enough. While major notebookOEMs such as HP, Lenovo and Fujitsu have already hadnotebooks powered by Intel's Sandy Bridge platform out forretail on the market for quite some time already, Acer wasconveniently absent from the Sandy Bridge race, for reasonsunknown to all but its own internal departments.

However, those who have been patiently awaiting the dayAcer will eventually unveil an updated line of notebooksfeaturing the new Sandy Bridge platform will probablyhave much to look forward to. This is because Acerhas finally delivered what the world has been waitingfor, and it comes in the form of four new Timeline Xmodels: the Acer Aspire Timeline X 3830TG-2312G64nbb01,3830TG-2412G64nbb02, 4830TG-2412G64nbb01 and5830TG-2412G64nbb01.

No prizes for guessing the model number for this particularTimeline X notebook

According to an online report published by the Chinese branchof Engadget, all three new Sandy Bridge-powered Timeline Xnotebooks will feature near identical hardware specifications:the 13-inch 3830TG-2312G64nbb01 will come bundled withan Intel Core i3-2310M processor clocked at 2.1GHz, anNVIDIA GeForce GT540M graphics card which sports 2GB ofVRAM, 2GB of system memory, a 640GB hard disk and USB3.0 ports capable of 'independent charging'.

On the other hand, the other 13-inch 3830TG model, alongwith the 14-inch 4830TG and 15-inch 5830TG loses theCore i3-2310M processor more a more powerful Intel Corei5-2410M processor clocked at 2.3GHz, which is capableof achieving speeds of up to 2.9GHz under Turbo Boost.However, all other specifications remain identical, whichmeans that both the 4830TG and 5830TG will feature thesame GT540M graphics card, 640GB hard disk and USB3.0ports found in the 3830TG. And to top that off, all threenotebooks will sport the same display resolution of 1366 x 768,

a trait which appears to greatly reduce the appeal of the 15-inch 5830TG.

Unfortunately, the notebooks are currently only availablefor sale in Taiwan, so budget-conscious consumers here insunny Singapore seeking an Acer-branded notebook featuringIntel's Sandy Bridge platform will probably have to waita little longer before these notebooks finally pop up forsale in our local computer stores. That being said, here aresome prices for comparative purposes: the 13-inch 3830TGis currently retailing in Taiwan for NT32,900 (NT37,900 forthe i5 version), while the 14-inch and 15-inch 4830TG and5830TG are selling for the same price of NT39,900.

*UPDATE: a reader has updated us with information thatAcer's Sandy Bridge notebooks are already available for salelocally at discounted prices. The Timeline X 3830TG iscurrently selling for S$999 (S$1,398 for the Core i5 version),while the 5830TG costs S$1,298, and the 4830TG is alreadyretailing for the price of S$1,598. Last but definitely not least,there are two additional models, the 14-inch 4750G and the 15-inch 5750, which feature Intel's Sandy Bridge platform but willnot be sold under the Timeline X banner. The 4750G featuresan Intel Core i3-2310M processor and an NVIDIA GeForceGT520M graphics card and is selling at the discounted price ofS$849, while the 15-inch 5750 makes use of the Core i5-2410Mprocessor and onboard graphics, and is currently discountedfor sale at S$899.

Apple to introduce its ownproprietary version of USB3.0and DisplayPort?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-to-introduce-its-own-

proprietary-version-of-usb3.0-and-displayport-/11819.html

April 7th, 2011

Once again, leave it to Apple to throw existing standards outof the window by choosing to implement its own ports whichattempt to combine two interfaces into a single “hybrid port”.And according to the latest patent awarded to the Cupertinogiant, it seems that the next 'hybrid port' that is expected todebut on future Apple hardware will be capable of deliveringboth USB3.0 and DisplayPort signals.

Although USB3.0 and DisplayPort are interfaces which caterto very different needs, the basis for their design arecompletely identical; they are both standard interfaces whichhave been designed to facilitate the transfer of digital contentfrom various electronic devices. And everybody knows howimportant standards are to our daily computing needs; that isthe main reason we do not have to fiddle with cumbersomeadaptors when it comes to dealing with various standardexpansion and I/O ports found in our PCs today.

That being said, at least one OEM has a fond preference fordoing everything its way and tossing out popular existing

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standards in the process, and it should come as no surprisethat Apple is now attempting to do the same with USB3.0and DisplayPort today. According to a patent which was onlyrecently awarded to Apple, it seems that the Cupertino gianthas plans to create an entirely new “hybrid port” which isreportedly capable of delivering both DisplayPort and USB3.0signals in a single package.

Based on what we are able to understand from the patentfilings, the hybrid port will feature a 30-pin connector, ofwhich the various signal types each pin will transmit is shownin the patent illustration below.

Also, based on illustrations of the device's physicaldimensions, it can be inferred that Apple might plan toimplement this new hybrid port on mobile devices such asits line of iPods, iPhones and iPads first. This is due to thefact that the port's capability to deliver both USB3.0 andDisplayPort signals means that it greatly reduces the amountof space needed to feature dedicated ports for such highlymobile devices, where sufficient real estate for implementingadditional I/O ports are a luxury. That being said, Apple doesmention that the port may eventually find its way to desktopand notebook PCs.

Of course, with this being Apple we are talking about, itprobably goes without saying that such an interface is going tobe an Apple-exclusive, just like how the current line of iPods,iPads and iPhones all feature proprietary charging ports eventhough the micro-USB interface has already been recognizedinternationally as the standard port to be used for mobiledevices.

Feel free to hit up on the source link for more informationabout the patent and its implementation.

Microsoft's Bing Streetside tolaunch in Germany, competewith Google's Street ViewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-s-bing-streetside-to-launch-

in-germany-compete-with-google-s-street-view/11818.html

April 7th, 2011

Microsoft is planning to launch the Streetside feature oftheir Bing map service in Germany, competing head onwith Google's Streetview. If everything goes well, the servicecould be up this coming summer.

While Google may have Street View, Microsoft has their BingStreetside. And the Streetside service is coming to Germany.Google Street View cars had been accused of collecting datafrom open Wi-Fi spots and networks without authorization,and the search engine giant has admitted to the wrongdoing.To avoid similar thing from happening, Microsoft officialshave met with industry associations, political representativesand privacy advocates. The software company will beginphotographing 50 major cities in Germany and the service willbe available for use to the public by the end of May 2011.

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A website will be launched next Friday with detailedinformation on the routes the camera cars will take while theytake the pictures, and with many people who do not want theirhomes to be shown on Streetside, Microsoft will have to findways to tackle this issue for the Bing Streetside service. TheBing Streetside is scheduled to go live in summer this year.

MSI E350IA-E45 AMD BrazosPlatform ReviewSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-e350ia-e45-amd-brazos-platform-

review/11417.html

April 7th, 2011

In this article, we will explore the performance of the recentlylaunched AMD Brazos platform - more specifically MSI'simplementation with the E350IA-E45 Mini-ITX motherboard,which is worth a consider as a home theatre PC (HTPC) due toits small physical size and low power consumption.

AMD Fusion is the marketing name for a series ofAccelerated Processing Units which was announced to bein development since 2006. The final design is the productof the merger between AMD and ATI, combining feneralprocessor execution as well as 3D geometry processing andother functions of modern GPUs into a single chip. Thistechnology was shown to the general public in January 2011 atthe Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

In today's review, we will explore the performance of therecently launched AMD Brazos platform - more specificallyMSI's implementation, which is worth a consider as a hometheatre PC (HTPC) due to its small physical size and lowpower consumption. However, small size and low powerconsumption does not mean poor performance, as recentMini-ITX systems have demonstrated.

Intel Z68 chipset pricing lowerthan expectedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-z68-chipset-pricing-lower-than-

expected/11817.html

April 7th, 2011

By now we're within a month or two at the most from thelaunch of Intel's upcoming high-end Sandy Bridge chipset, theZ68 and we've gotten some new details ahead of the launch viathe grapevine. It's all good news, although we have as yet not

managed to pin-point the actual launch date which is the finalpiece of the puzzle.

By now we're within a month or two at the most from thelaunch of Intel's upcoming high-end Sandy Bridge chipset, theZ68 and we've gotten some new details ahead of the launch viathe grapevine. It's all good news, although we have as yet notmanaged to pin-point the actual launch date which is the finalpiece of the puzzle.

As you may or may not have read, Intel has added support forSSD caching in the Z68 chipset and so far it's been known asRST SSD caching, not exactly a sexy name for what at leastfor Intel is a new technology, so the company's PR departmentcame up with a better one – Smart Response. It's at leasta catchier name, even though it actually says less about theactual technology, but that's what marketing and PR is for,right? If you want a preview of how well it works or not, wesuggest you head over to Tom's hardware that put up an earlypreview a while back. Smart Response still requires that youown an SSD of course, although even a fairly small one wouldbe good enough.

However, the really good news is that Intel decided to lower theprice of the Z68 chipset to a price point much closer to that ofthe current P67 chipset. This should hopefully result not onlyin a lot more affordable Z68 boards, but also a wide range thanmany of the board makers initially planned to offer. That said,Intel hasn't officially revealed the pricing of its P67 chipset soany actual pricing is a bit hard to deduce and we're currentlyunable to reveal the price difference, but it's much smaller thanwhat earlier rumours have suggested.

As soon as Intel has gotten its Sandy Bridge and Westmere-EXXeon CPU launch out of the way, we'd expect that they'll startpreparing the launch of the Z68 chipset, unless they've decidedto hold it back until Computex. Otherwise the best and mostlikely launch even would be IDF Beijing which kicks off on the

12th of April, but none of the keynotes or technical sessionsseems to suggest that we're looking at a Z68 platform launchat IDF.

The Daily VR-Zone NewsSummary - 6 April 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--6-

april-2011/11452.html

April 7th, 2011

In today's news roundup: The elusive P67-totting QuantumForce Rattler motherboard from Foxconn has finally be takenout for a review; Techspot performs a short comparison ofvarious entry-level, budget and mainstream-level graphicscards from the likes of both AMD and NVIDIA; Toshiba isreportedly planning to launch a new notebook featuring aglasses-free 3D display sometime in the second half of 2011;

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Samsung's Prevail smartphone gets a hands-on; AIKA SEAhas been confirmed for an April 12 launch, and DragonQuest X is reportedly close to completion, and that an officialannouncement regarding the game's launch can be expectedsometime at the end of the year.

Hardware news

Foxconn Quantum Force Rattler P67 Motherboard Review @VortezDescription: Rumours surrounding the Quantum Force Serieshaving a new P67 addition have been circulating around theinternet for many months now, and today we finally get ourhands on a motherboard named Rattler which incorporatesthat Intel P67 chipset.

GIGABYTE HD 6970 OC 2GB Review @ OCAUDescription: A unique technology featured on GIGABYTE'smotherboards has come to graphics cards in the form ofthe Ultra Durable VGA technology banner. This includes a2oz copper design for a lower working temperature and areduction of hotspots, better overclocking and better powerefficiency, as well as Japanese solid capacitors, Tier 1 memoryfrom Samsung and Hynix, as well as quality Ferrite Corechokes and MOSFETs adding to the benefits of the 2oz copperdesign. You'll find the majority of non-reference GIGABYTEgraphics cards sporting this logo, while SuperOverclock (SOC)cards feature the Ultra Durable VGA Plus+ logo.

Top Budget to Mainstream Graphics CardsDescription: The last few months we've seen both AMD andNvidia turn their attention to the high-end segment of thegraphics market. In addition to launching their latest single-GPU flagship boards, both companies just recently launcheda couple of dual-GPU beasts. We have to say it's great to seesuch spirited competition as it's usually customers that reapthe benefits. That's especially true today as mainstream cardsare getting more and more powerful and even a $100 productis capable of far more than you may give it credit for. So,while AMD and Nvidia settle the score at the super expensiveenthusiast level, we actually want to have a look at what'sbeen happening elsewhere. We've compiled a table with someof what we consider the best options at several price pointsbetween $70 and $200.

Xigmatek Gaia SD1283 CPU Cooler Review @ TweaknewsDescription: Xigmatek's Gaia SD 1283 CPU cooler has itall covered. It's got outstanding cooling performance, adiminutive acoustic footprint, a distinctive look, an innovativedirect touch design and a robust yet easily installed mountingsolution.

Fractal Design R3 Case Review @ ITShootOut.comDescription: Today ITShootOut take a look at Fractal Design'sR3, an affordable case designed for ultra-quiet PCs. As wefound out, however, it is far from a one trick pony. Withexcellent design features, great build quality and very goodcooling performance its one of the best contemporary cases onthe market today

Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e External HDD EnclosureReview @Hi Tech LegionDescription: The Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e ExternalHDD Enclosures are all about flexibility. The Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 offers a USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connection, with

complete backwards compatibility to USB 2.0 and 1.1, whilethe U3e adds eSATA connectivity to the mix. Whether youneed blazing USB 3.0 and eSATA transfers, or connectivityto an older machine, the ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e have youcovered.

Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler Review @ Bigbruin.comDescription: Noctua has developed a reputation for highquality components, backed up by countless awards fromreviews published around the world. Downdraft coolers havebeen manufactured in the past, however few have been able tostand up to the larger tower coolers. The NH-C14 shows thatNoctua knows what they are doing in this field.

Seagate GoFlex Slim 320GB USB 3.0 Hard Drive Review @Legit ReviewsDescription: The Seagate GoFlex Slim 320GB portable drivecaught us a little off guard when it arrived. We weren't surewhat to expect, but in the end we found ourselves pleasantlysurprised to find a portable drive that was fast, lightweight,small and looked good. Usually, you can't find a way to blendall those features together without making sacrifices along theway, but that doesn't appear to be the situation we have heretoday. In order to take full advantage of this drive you reallyneed to have a USB 3.0 interface! With CrystalDiskMark wesaw the GoFlex Slim 320GB drive peak at ~120MB/s read and~118MB/s write, so if you've been using a USB 2.0 drive andare stuck at ~31MB/s write speeds you'll see nice performancegains!

Thermaltake Frio OCK CPU Cooler Review @ OCIA.netDescription: We first saw this cooler on display at CES 2011 inthe suit that Thermaltake was set up in. The Frio OCK is therefreshed version of Thermaltake's top Frio cooler. With OCKstanding for “Over Clocker King,” it wasn’t hard to determinethe target market here. We are actually a little surprised to seeit released as our rep said it might not make it to market dueto a cost prohibitive construction.

ASUS GTX 590 Review @ ocaholicDescription: With the GTX 590 ASUS also has the NVIDIAdual GPU flagship in its portfolio. This card is based on thereference design except that ASUS marginally increased GPUand memory frequencies to get a very small advatage over theircompetitors. Never the less we're curious how this thing willperform in our benchmark parcours.

Antec Kuhler H20 620 CPU Cooler Review @ Real World LabsDescription: With the latest Kuhler H20 620 Antec has made astrong come back in CPU Cooling not only because of the unit'sexcellent cooling efficiency but also because of its small size,low-profile pump, flexible tubings and killer price tag.

Prolimatech Genesis Review @ XSReviews.co.ukDescription: Prolimatech is known for high-end air coolingheatsinks like the Megahalems, Armageddon and SuperMega. The Genesis is supposedly a hybrid processor andmotherboard cooler and in this review we’re going to seewhether Prolimatech’s hybrid is any good.

Consumer Electronics and Software news

Acer Aspire 5830T TimelineX: Evolution Through Time @InsideHW

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Description: It’s been a while since we met the lastrepresentative of the new, promising series of Acer notebooks- Timeline. The elegant lines, good performance andrecognisable design were accompanied by excellent batteryautonomy and a reasonable price, which made these modelsvery attractive. This time around, it’s another “sinking” -Acer’s Aspire 5830T, from the new TimelineX generation. Therecognisable ground aluminium lid with a silver Acer logo ispresent here as well. Besides the fact that pressure on thelid causes no display distortion, the aluminium surface alsoprovides additional ruggedness and strength to the notebook.The sharp lines are usually indicative of business models, butAcer has used a small trick - all edges are rounded or mildlytilted against the surface they’re facing, which makes the newTimelineX models much more attractive to a wider number ofcustomers…

Toshiba unveils 2011 product range – entertainment,wherever you areDescription: Toshiba UK today announces its 2011 productrange, including the first CEVO Engine powered TV, 3D-enabled Satellite laptops, brand new Blu-ray players and twonew Camileo high definition camcorders. Toshiba also todayannounces Toshiba Places, a cloud-based portal that enablesusers to access and share content across a variety of devices.

Toshiba to launch glasses-free notebooks in 2H 2011Description: According to Digitimes, Toshiba plans tolaunch glasses-free laptops in 2H 2011. Toshiba actuallydemonstrated a prototype 3D laptop in CES 2011, called theQosmio. It had a parallax-barrier LCD (with one viewpoint)and an eye-tracking camera.

Western Digital My Book 3.0 1TB USB 3.0 External HDDReviewDescription: The Western Digital My Book 3.0 is a sleekenclosure around two inches wide and seven inches tall. Thetop, bottom and back are vented to allow air to flow over theinternal drive, but the front and sides have a matte black finish.When the drive is powered a tiny white LED glows to showthat the system is actually powered on. Western Digital neededsome way to show that the drive was powered on since the MyBook 3.0 is silent from just a few inches away. On the back youwill find a single button to power the enclosure on and off."

HTC Pyramid to launch on April 12th under the name of HTCSensation?Description: When HTC extended an invitation our way tocome "see what's next" on April 12th in London, plenty of youwere already guessing that its long-rumored 1.2GHz Pyramiddevice would seize that opportunity to make its debut. NowPocket-lint has apparently confirmed those inklings, withword from an insider affirming the new Android smartphone'slaunch for that day and also adding that its retail name will bethe HTC Sensation. HTC has already filed a claim to trademarkthat tandem of words, which lends an extra dash of credenceto this revelation.

Acer Aspire Z5761 touchscreen all-in-one packs Core i7 andNVIDIA GPUDescription: Acer has outed its latest all-in-one, the 24-inch Acer Aspire Z5761. Built around a choice of Intel Corei5-2400S, i5-2500S or Core i7-2600S processors along withup to 8GB of RAM, the touchscreen desktop promises home

entertainment and even some gaming potential thanks to arange of discrete NVIDIA GPUs to choose from.

Hands on: Samsung's Prevail smartphone on Boost MobileDescription: Confirming several leaks, Boost Mobile hasformally unveiled its latest smartphone, Samsung's Prevailhandset, at a special event in New York City. The devicerepresents the carrier's flagship smartphone, which will besold alongside several BlackBerry offerings and the agingMotorola i1. Electronista attended the introduction to take acloser look at the new device, which may prove to be one of themost attractive smartphones paired with contract-free dataplans.

Gaming news

AIKA SEA To Launch On April 12 OfficiallyDescription: AIKA SEA will be opening its servers officially on12th April at 4pm (GMT+08h), and here are some answers toquestions that Asiasoft have put up for AIKA SEA with regardsfor CBT users.

Dragon Quest X almost done, announcement 'by the end ofthis year'Description: Series creator Yuji Horii announced DragonQuest X, in development for Wii, at a press conference inDecember 2008. And that was the last anyone heard about ituntil the April 2011 issue of Nintendo Power. The subject cameup in an interview feature about "Dragon Quest through theAges," when Horii stated that it's nearing completion.

Next Black Ops Map Pack LeakedDescription: An Australian retailer has leaked the first detailson the second map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops, which willbe called the Escalation Pack.

Mach Xtreme Debuts 1.8" MX-MDS micro-SATA SSDSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mach-xtreme-debuts-1.8-mx-mds-

micro-sata-ssd/11816.html

April 7th, 2011

Mach Xtreme Technology has expanded its line-up of flashstorage devices with the introduction of the MX-MDS SeriesSSDs. The compact 1.8" SSDs, based on the powerfulSandForce SF1222 processor, feature a micro-SATA interface,MLC flash memory, 30,000 IOPS (Input/ Output OperationsPer Second), a MTBF of 1,500,000 hours, and supports datatransfer rates up to 285 Mb/s (read) and 275 Mb/s (write). TheMX-MDS series, covered by a two year warranty, are availablein 40Gb, 60Gb, and 90Gb capacities at MSRPs of €135, €165,and €220 respectively.

MACH XTREME PRESS RELEASE

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\Mach Xtreme Technology Inc., a worldwide leader in topperformance, high reliability and user friendly designed PCcomponents, today unveiled the 1.8"micro-SATA MX-MDSSeries SSD. Based on the best-in-class SandForce SF1222controller, the 1.8" MX-MDS Series delivers an enhancedmobile computing experience with much faster applicationloading, ultra-fast data access, shorter boot-ups, and longerbattery life of all laptops with micro-SATA interface.

This series maintains the highest level of read and writeperformance though the life of the SSD. Highly intelligentblock management and wear leveling optimizes longevity ofMX-MDS series drives. The MDS series supports DuraClass,DuraWrite and unique RAISE technologies. DuraClasstechnology provides best-in-class endurance, performance,and low power. DuraWrite technology extends the enduranceof MLC memory providing at least 5 year lifecycles with3-5K cycle MLC flash. RAISE provides the protection andreliability of RAID on a single drive without the significantwrite overhead.

The MX-MDS drive delivers best-in-class read and writespeeds clocking in at up to 285 MB/s read and 275 MB/s writealong with the stunning maximum of 30,000 IOPS and lowpower consumption (stand-by 0.5W / active up to 2.0W) andsuperior durability (1.5 million MTBF) compared to rotatinghard disk drives.

Available in capacities of 40GB, 60GB and 90GB, MachXtreme Technology MX-MDS SSDs comes backed with 2 YearWarranty and outstanding after-sales service.

MX-MDS Series 1.8" SSD at A Glance:

•1.8" SATAII micro-SATA MLC Solid State Drive

•Max. Read Performance up to 285MB/s (40GB up to 220MB/s)

•Max. Write Performance up to 275MB/s (40GB up to 210MB/s)

•Sustained Write up to 230MB/s (40GB up to 120MB/s)

•IOPS up to 30,000

•Power consumption: idle 0.5W / active 2.0W

•Life expectancy 1.5 million hours MTBF

•Capacity: 40GB (MXSSD2MMDS-40G), 60GB(MXSSD2MMDS-60G) and 90GB (MXSSD2MMDS-90G)

•Warranty: 2 Years

Cooler Master Unleashes HAF932 Advanced CaseSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cooler-master-unleashes-haf-932-

advanced-case/11815.html

April 7th, 2011

Cooler Master has unveiled the HAF 932 Advanced Case,further expanding its HAF series of chassis first introduced in2008.

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Cooler Master has unveiled the HAF 932 Advanced Case,further expanding its HAF series of chassis first introduced in2008.

Measuring 243 x 560 x 564mm and weighing 13.4kg, the tool-free, all-black full-tower case features six exposed 5.25" bays,five 3.5" HDD racks with anti-vibration pads, seven expansionslots, two rear holes for water-cooling tubes, a front-side I/Opanel with four USB 2.0 ports, one IEEE 1394a, one eSATA,and audio connectors, and two USB 3.0 ports (via a 5.25"panel). The HAF 932 Advanced comes pre-installed with fourfans (x1 front 230mm LED fan, x1 top 230mm, x1 230mm side,& x1 rear 140mm) is available now through major retailers ande-tailers at a MSRP of US$159.98.

Chieftec Announces Nitro 88+PSUsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chieftec-announces-nitro-88-

psus/11814.html

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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April 7th, 2011

Chieftec Industrial, manufacturer of numerous PC chassis andPSUs, has launched the Nitro 88+ series PSUs. Available in650W, 750W, 850W, and 1,000W capacities, these 80PlusSilver-certified PSus are fully modular and boast a single12V rail, sleeved cables, active PFC, a MTBF of 100,000hours, and are cooled by a 140mm PWM fan. The Nitro 88+can be pre-ordered now from authorized e-tailers at MSRPsof €112.05 (650W), €120.61 (750W), €158.87 (850W) and€198.97 (1,000W).

News via [Techpowerup]

MSI releasesR6790-2PM2D1GD5 graphicscard designed for overclockersSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-releases-r6790-2pm2d1gd5-

graphics-card-designed-for-overclockers/11813.html

April 7th, 2011

MSI has launched the new R6790-2pm2D1GD5 graphicscard for the enthusiast market. According to the Taiwanesemanufacturer, the new graphics card is reportedly capable of"meeting the needs of gamers and professionals" thanks tothe use of various features designed to enhance the card'soverclocking capabilities.

MSI has announced in a press release today that it haslaunched its new R6790-2PM2D1GD5 graphics card basedoff the recently-released AMD Radeon HD 6790 GPU. TheR6790-2PM2D1GD5 will feature 1GB of dedicated VRAM,support for overvolting via the MSI Afterburner tool, as wellas Eyefinity support, which allows for a single graphics card tosimultaneously drive multiple displays.

According to MSI, the latest version of MSI Afterburner iscapable of increase a graphics card's overclocking potential byas much as 25%, thanks to its support for voltage adjustmentsto the card via software means. Additional features found inthe updated release of MSI Afterburner includes the version2.0 of the Kombustor software used to test for overclockingstability, and a new video capturing tool known as Predator,which allows OC-ers to record in-game videos during thebenchmarking process.

To ensure that gamers and enthusiasts do not burn out theircards when subjecting them to intense loads for benchmarkingpurposes, the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 comes with what MSIclaims is a new cooling system for the GPU. By utilizing threecopper heat pipes kept in direct contact with the GPU, alongwith a 90mm PWM fan, MSI's design supposedly providesbetter airflow, which results in a more efficient cooling systemthat reportedly 50% more effective than the reference design.

Last but definitely not least, the MSI R6790-2PM2D1GD5utilizes solid, aluminium core capacitors which are said to bemuch more durable than the typical electrolyte capacitors; thissupposedly allows the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 to "achieve perfectoperation under all load circumstances".

Specifications of the card as as follow:

Graphics Engine AMD Radeon HD 6790Bus Standard PCI Express x16 2.1Memory Type GDDR5

Memory Size(MB) 1024Memory Interface 256 bitsCore Clock Speed 840MHz

Memory Clock Speed 4200MHzDVI Output Single-Link DVI-D x1, Dual-

Link DVI-I x1D-SUB Output 1 (optional, via DVI to D-Sub

adaptor)HDMI-Output 1

Mini DisplayPort 2HDCP Support YHDMI Support YDual-link DVI Y

Display Output(Max Resolution)

4x 1920x1200

RAMDACs 400DirectX Version Support 11

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OpenGL Version Support 4.0CrossFire Support Y

Card Dimension(mm) 245 x 115 x 35mmAs it has always been with regards to MSI press release,no information about pricing and global availability forthe R6790-2PM2D1GD5 has been revealed yet, so do checkback for updates.

Release of Internet Explorer9 for Japan delayed due toearthquakeSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/release-of-internet-explorer-9-for-

japan-delayed-due-to-earthquake/11812.html

April 7th, 2011

If you make use of Microsoft's Internet Explorer as yourprimary web browser for the daily Internet surfing needs,chances are that you will have already made the jump toInternet Explorer 9 in order to take advantage of the variousnew features IE9 has to offer. Unfortunately, the same cannotbe said of IE users and fans in Japan, as Microsoft Japan hasdecided to delay the browser's release date in light of the recentdisaster that rocked the country a few weeks ago.

Barely a couple of months ago, the mere mention of the words'Internet Explorer' is more than enough to trigger wave afterwave of criticism about Microsoft's ageing web browser, forrather obvious reasons. After all, it cannot be denied thatInternet Explorer has been known to not only be a resourcehog, but also as a security nightmare due to various securityholes and its use of ActiveX. And to top that off, IE is alsooften ridiculed as the slowest browser currently in use, a traitwhich is not exactly the most forgiveable considering howevery second matters in the digital world we live in today.

However, much of that changed with the introduction ofInternet Explorer 9, with many media organizations givingMicrosoft's new browser favourable reviews, especially inareas where performance and support for web standards areconcerned. Unfortunately, it seems that Microsoft's plans toencourage the adoption of Internet Explorer 9 has hit a snagin crisis-hit Japan.

According to a news report, Microsoft has confirmed that thelaunch of Internet Explorer 9 in Japan will be delayed inorder to assist the country's recovery efforts. The browser,which was originally slated for a March 15 launch, will nowbe postponed to April 26: this delay will reportedly help toreduce additional burden on Japan's quake-damaged networkinfrastructure. This means that Japanese users will not be ableto obtain official builds of Internet Explorer 9 either via directdownloading of the installer binaries or through WindowsUpdate until the aforementioned date.

Alternatively, you can play the role of the good friend and assistyour Japanese friends by sending them your downloadedbinary of Internet Explorer 9. Of course, you'd want to makesure that they are using of the English version of Vista orWindows 7; we don't want to add to their burden by wreckingtheir Windows installation now, do we?

Another x86 tablet PC showsup in ChinaSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/another-x86-tablet-pc-shows-up-in-

china/11810.html

April 7th, 2011

With iOS and Android wiping the floor where mobile operatingsystems are concerned, one might be tempted to think thatthere is little hope left for Microsoft's and its Windows 7 OS tocarve out its own share of the mobile device pie. However, itappears that a Chinese OEM in Shenzhen does not share thesame view, and the announcement of its upcoming x86 tabletrunning off Windows is probably the best proof of that.

Most people may be quick to shun Windows 7-based tabletsin favor of alternative devices powered by Google's Androidoperating system, or Apple's iOS, and for good reason. Evenat its best, Windows 7 and its overlaying user interface wasdesigned to be used with a precision pointing tool such as amouse or stylus; anything else will definitely result in a sub-optimal user experience. And this issue is further complicatedby the fact that installing said OS on devices with smalldisplay resolution do no favours for Windows' already touch-unfriendly interface.

However, it appears that not all OEMs are ready to give up onWindows-based tablets just yet, and this latest announcementfrom a certain Shenzhen-based manufacturer appears to backthat claim. Apparently, the manufacturer, which is known asG'Five, has claimed that it plans to launch a new x86 tabletknown as the WisPad some time in the "immediate future",and that Windows will definitely come bundled on the device.

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According to online sources, the WisPad GFT97A will be soldto global OEMs and carriers for rebranding, although G'Five isreportedly thinking of introducing its own retail brand in orderto sell the WisPad directly to the Chinese domestic market,with an option for BTO if need be.

That aside, not much detail about the elusive WisPad has beenrevealed by G'Five. What we do know is that the WisPad willfeature an Intel Atom N455 processor and a 9.7-inch capacitivetouchscreen, although the actual display resolution is still amystery. In addition to that, G'Five has also revealed thatthe WisPad features 1GB of system memory, while storage isprovided via an optional SSD capable of capacities of up to16GB or 32GB. Last but not least, the tablet also appears to bedesigned with the style-conscious in mind, as it sports a fullaluminium body and a relatively thin profile with its maximumheight of 14mm.

No pricing information for the WisPad has been announcedyet; however, given the fact that the device will eventuallybe sold under a different brand name, chances are that itsprice will vary greatly between various OEMs. Oh, and onemore thing: G'Five has reportedly confirmed that the actualproduction model will feature the ability to dual boot betweenboth Windows and...yes, you guessed it, an x86 port ofAndroid. Now we are talking.

Flip Video announces newFlipShare with social featuresand mobile apps for iPhone,iPad and Android devicesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/flip-video-announces-new-flipshare-

with-social-features-and-mobile-apps-for-iphone-ipad-and-android-

devices/11809.html

April 7th, 2011

New social and video sharing capabilities have been added tothe latest Flip Video's FlipShare software, and the maker hasalso announced the new mobile app for iPhone, iPad, iPodtouch and Android devices.

Cisco’s Flip Video has announced their new FlipShare softwarethat comes with social and video sharing capabilities as wellas FlipShare Mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch andAndroid devices. Users will be notified of the available upgradeautomatically in this month when they open the FlipShareapplication, or they can go to FlipShare.com to download it.

The FlipShare software, which comes with every Flip videocamera, now has enhanced video sharing capabilities. Thenew software includes FlipShare Groups for users to sharevideos more securely with friends and family. After creatinga FlipShare Group, users and their friends can access theirvideos from FlipShare.com and through the FlipShare Mobileapps that are now available for iPhone, iPad and Androiddevices. Within FlipShare Groups, users can comment, readand post messages on each other’s videos and Groups.

Compatible with both Mac and PC computers, FlipShareallows contacts to be imported directly from Gmail, WindowsLive Messenger, Yahoo and AOL address books so users caneasily create address books for sharing videos.

New Features for FlipShare:- Create and manage FlipShare Groups

- Watch all your videos anywhere, anytime at FlipShare.com

- Comment on videos and read what others have posted inreturn

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- Import contacts from your email address book

- Expanded greetings card library

- Enhanced video quality and performance for private emailvideo sharing

The FlipShare Mobile app is free and easy to use. You can shareany mobile video or photo to Facebook, Twitter and YouTubeor directly to friends and family, while on the move. You don’teven need to own a Flip Video camcorder.

Features for Mobile App:- Available for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android - withor without owning a Flip video camera

- Share up to five mobile videos and/or photos at once toFacebook, Twitter or YouTube - or send directly to friends andfamily

- Post a comment, share, or “favourite” a video with the clickof a button

- Built-in filters let users quickly navigate and organise theirvideo library

- Compatible with iPhone 3G or higher, iPod touch 2ndgeneration or higher, iPad Requires iOS 4.0.0 or higher, andAndroid 1.6 or higher

- Available now at iTunes Store and Android Market

Seagate launches GoFlexSlim, world's slimmestexternal hard diskSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/seagate-launches-goflex-slim-world-s-

slimmest-external-hard-disk/11808.html

April 7th, 2011

Seagate has just announced the GoFlex Slim, which claims tobe the world's slimmest external hard drive to date. If youare looking for a portable external storage, this one is nowavailable on www.seagate.com, in-stores and selected onlineretailers.

Seagate today announced the availability of its new GoFlexSlim portable hard drive –– a 2.5–inch external drivemeasuring just 9mm thin, designed for the latest trend ofportable, thin, stylish laptops and netbooks.

The new GoFlex Slim performance drive is now available onwww.seagate.com, in–store and at select online retailers. A320GB version of the GoFlex Slim drive can be purchased atUS$99.99. It is roughly the width of a pencil and can slideeffortlessly into a pocket, purse or messenger bag.

The GoFlex Slim portable drive also allows for use betweenWindows and Mac computers, interchangeably, withoutformatting or performance loss.

A 320GB version of the GoFlex Slim for Mac drive will bemade available in May at Apple retail outlets nationwide for amanufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$99.

PROLINK GSM 3G Camerareview: because your privacyis just that importantSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/prolink-gsm-3g-camera-review-

because-your-privacy-is-just-that-important/11798.html

April 7th, 2011

Do you fancy being able to track what goes on in your home even while you are at work or in school, all with a simplepress of some buttons on your 3G-capable mobile phone? Ifthat sounds like the kind of thing you wanted for the longesttime already, there may be some good news in the form ofPROLINK's PHC-105 GSM 3G camera, which is supposedlycapable of doing just that. And leave it to us over at VR-Zoneto check out its features and ease of use, so that you do nothave to.

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Nowadays, the idea of having a personal surveillance camera isno longer a luxury reserved for only the rich. With most peoplestarting to be more conscious about the concept of privacy, itis only natural that some might feel the need to ensure thatthey know what happens in their rooms or homes, regardlessof where they are.

And that is not all: the usefulness of a surveillance camera canalso be extended to working parents who may want to havea convenient means of monitoring a young child left alone athome. After all, nothing beats being able to keep track of one'schildren in order to ensure that they do not get themselves intoany trouble in the absense of a grown-up.

That being said, good surveillance cameras are anythingbut cheap. And on top of that, most traditional surveillancecameras require a constant video feed to external displaydevices, which makes them unsuitable for use by mostconsumers. However, chances are the average consumer whowants to invest in a cheap alternative is not likely to mindthe tradeoffs in various aspects such as image quality. Withthat in mind, we take a look at PROLINK's PHC-105, anaffordable GSM 3G surveillance camera which allows users tocontrol their cameras from the comfort of their 3G-capablemobile phones.

Technical specifications

GSM frequency UTMS 850 (900) / 1900 /2100GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

Image format JPEGImage resolution 160 x 128, 320 x 240, 640 x

480Built-in storage capacity 4GB (internal TF card)Shooting/Viewing angle 68 degrees (horizontal +

vertical)Motion-detection distance up to 9 metres (daytime), up

to 6 metres (night)Passive Infrared sensordistance

up to 6 metres

Battery capacity 800mAh lithium-ion batterycapable of up to 40 hours(standby and disarmed), upto 8 hours (when armed withcontinous trigerring)

Sony to launch AndroidHoneycomb tablet deviceSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-to-launch-android-honeycomb-

tablet-device/11807.html

April 7th, 2011

With almost every manufacturers offering an Android tabletdevice, it is just natural that Japanese company Sony will alsofollow suit. Well, Sony Ericsson has their range of Androidsmartphones, including the Xperia Play (formerly known asthe PlayStation Phone). The Sony tablet could be available thisJune.

Japan's Nikkei newspaper has reported that Sony is going tolaunch an Android tablet by the end of summer this year.According to Sony CEO, the tablet will run Google's Android3.0 Honeycomb operating system and will arrive in the U.S.first, followed by other regions.

The tablet could be Sony's "PlayStation Certified" Tegra 2 'S1'tablet, which is rumored to feature a 9.4-inch display and aflexible "wrap" design.

Intel launches 10 cores XeonE7 Series (Westmere EX)Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-launches-10-cores-xeon-e7-series-

westmere-ex-/11806.html

April 7th, 2011

Intel today announces a total of 18 new Xeon E7processors; E7-8870, E7-8860, E7-8850, E7-8830 ,E7-8867L,E7-8837, E7-4870, E7-4860, E7-4850, E7-4830, E7-4820,E7-4807, E7-2870, E7-2860, E7-2850, E7-2830, E7-2820,E7-2803 based on the 32nm Westmere EX architecture. Thekey highlights of the new processors are : Up to 10 Intel®Microarchitecture based processing cores and 20 processingthreads Up to 30MB of shared L3 cache Support for 64 DIMMslots for capable of holding over 2TB of system memory

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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(4 sockets) Support for 72 PCIe Gen2 lanes 130W TDP(105W TDP for E7-8867L low voltage) The Xeon processorE7-8800/4800/2800 families range in price from $774 to$4,616 in quantities of 1,000.

Intel today announces a total of 18 new Xeon E7processors; E7-8870, E7-8860, E7-8850, E7-8830 ,E7-8867L,E7-8837, E7-4870, E7-4860, E7-4850, E7-4830, E7-4820,E7-4807, E7-2870, E7-2860, E7-2850, E7-2830, E7-2820,E7-2803 based on the 32nm Westmere EX architecture. Thekey highlights of the new processors are :

• Up to 10 Intel® Microarchitecture based processingcores and 20 processing threads

• Up to 30MB of shared L3 cache

• Support for 64 DIMM slots for capable of holding over2TB of system memory (4 sockets)

• Support for 72 PCIe Gen2 lanes

• Intel® Turbo Boost Technology

• Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology

• Advanced reliability features

• Thermal solution not included in box

• 130W TDP (105W TDP for E7-8867L low voltage)

The Xeon processor E7-8800/4800/2800 families range inprice from $774 to $4,616 in quantities of 1,000.

Below is the full press release :

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 5, 2011 – Enabling ITdepartments to better manage data-intensive environmentsthrough new security and reliability features and record-breaking performance, a new family of server processors thataccelerate mission-critical computing have been announcedby Intel Corporation.

The record-setting Intel® Xeon® processorE7-8800/4800/2800 product families build on Intel'sprevious generation of server processors to set a new standardfor high-end computing applications, including businessintelligence, real-time data analytics and virtualization.Strengthening the line of defense for data centers, the newprocessors also provide advanced security features that ensuregreater data integrity.

Based on Intel's leading 32-nanometer (nm) processtechnology, the new Intel Xeon processors have up to 10 coreswith Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, and deliver up to40 percent greater performance than the Intel® Xeon® 7500series processor. Concurrently, a new energy-saving featurereduces the power draw of idle portions of the chip. Beginningtoday, more than 35 systems based on the Intel Xeon processorE7 family are expected to ship from manufacturers around theworld.

"Intel has been changing the economics for mission-criticalcomputing server deployments for more than a decade, andtoday we are raising the bar yet again," said Kirk Skaugen, vicepresident and general manager of Intel's Data Center Group."The new Intel Xeon processor E7 family delivers recordbreaking performance with powerful new security, reliabilityand energy efficiency enhancements. The industry momentumwe're seeing for this new server processor architecture isunparalleled in Intel's history. The days of IT organizationsbeing forced to deploy expensive, closed RISC architectures formission-critical applications are nearing an end."

Record-Breaking, Energy-Efficient Performance

The new processor family contains 18 new processors fortwo-, four- and eight-socket servers, and is expandable toservers with 256 sockets. It also sets more than a dozenworld records in performance. A 40 percent improvement ingenerational compute-intensive performance can enhance thepace and accuracy of applications in such fields as scientificresearch and financial services where speed is essential. Withup to 25 percent better performance with virtual machine3applications than the current generation, the new chips alsohold the industry's highest virtualization performance.

IT managers seeking to achieve greater economic efficienciescan replace 18 dual-core servers2 with a single Xeon processorE7-based server. To help address rising energy costs, the newXeon chips include Intel® Intelligent Power technology thatdynamically reduces idle power consumption of the chip basedon the workload while also delivering advanced processorpower-management capabilities.

Recognizing the range of compute-intensive applications fromclimate modeling to real-time business analytics, and the needfor uncompromised performance to run them, Intel is offering10 advanced 10-core versions of the chip, led by the E7-8870,

April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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E7-4870 and E7-2870, all of which reach 2.4 GHz with a TDP(Thermal Design Point) of 130 watts.

The company also announced a version of the chip thatcombines the benefits of high performance with low voltage,as well as a frequency-optimized version. The 10-core low-voltage E7-8867L reaches 2.13 GHz with a TDP of 105 watts,while the eight-core frequency-optimized E7-8837 tops out at2.67 GHz with a TDP of 130 watts.

Intel Xeon processor E7 family based-platforms add a massive2 Terabyte of memory in a four-socket system supported by thenew processors. Most of these chips also contain Intel® TurboBoost Technology, Intel Hyper-Threading Technology andIntel® Virtualization Technology (VT), which can increaseperformance as required, ease multitasking and enhancereliability and manageability, respectively.

New Security, Reliability Features

Intel is bringing its leading security technologies availabletoday in its mainstream Intel® Xeon® processor 5600 series,to the mission-critical server segment with the introductionof platforms based on the Xeon processor E7 family. Intel®Advanced Encryption Standard New Instruction (AES-NI)allows systems to quickly encrypt and decrypt data runningover a range of applications and transactions, while Intel®Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) creates a secureplatform at boot-up by protecting applications from maliciousthreats.

Together, these security features can ensure that virtualizedenvironments are more reliably secure when they arelaunched, migrated or at rest, as well as experience betterperformance and functionality.

Extensive Industry Support

Starting today, system manufacturers from around the worldare expected to announce more than 35 Xeon processorE7 family-based platforms. These manufacturers includeBull*, Cisco*, Cray*, Dawning*, Dell*, Fujitsu*, Hitachi*,HP*, Huawei*, IBM*, Inspur*, Lenovo*, NEC*, Oracle*,PowerLeader*, Quanta*, SGI*, Supermicro* and Unisys*.

Numerous enterprise software vendors also support Xeonprocessor E7 family-based platforms, including IBM*,Microsoft*, Oracle*, Red Hat*, SAP AG* and VMware*.

Ideal Servers for Small Business

Intel also announced today the Intel® Xeon® processorE3-1200 family, an entry-level server processor built to meetthe unique demands of small business applications, rangingfrom collaboration tools to storage and back-up applications.With up to 30 percent greater performance over the previousgeneration, the Xeon processor E3-1200 product family is

faster and provides higher reliability than a desktop computerrunning similar applications. Support for Error CorrectingCode (ECC) memory ensures system reliability by preventingglitches that cause data breaches and downtime, and withsmall businesses facing a harsher climate of security threatsthe Xeon processor E3-1200 product family helps ensure theintegrity of valuable data with Intel AES-NI and Intel TXT.

Today's news follows the recent disclosures about the low-power, single-socket Intel Xeon processors E3-1260L andE3-1220L targeted for micro servers, and the announcementof the Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 product family forworkstations.

Product, Pricing Details

The Xeon processor E7-8800/4800/2800 families range inprice from $774 to $4,616 in quantities of 1,000. The Xeonprocessor E3-1200 family ranges in price from $189 to $612in quantities of 1,000.