March 14th, 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 - 14 Mar 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--14-

mar-2011/11581.html

March 14th, 2011

In today's news roundup: ASRock shows off some newmotherboards in Germany; BIOSTAR's new board featuringthe P67 chipset, the TP67XE, gets taken out for a review;InsideHW offers its opinion about the current Microsoft-Nokia partnership; Famed hacker Comex has already founda way to jailbreak the iPad 2 and is said to be workingon a consumer-friendly version of the exploit for publicdistribution; Sony is reportedly porting over a variety ofPlayStation 2 titles over to its Xperia Play smartphone,and Japanese game publishers are suspending various gameservices and have announced several contributions and cashdonations in an attempt to support their country's recoveryefforts

Hardware News:

Asus Radeon HD 6950 & 6970 @ Hardwareoverclock.comDescription: Hardwareoverclock.com has just posted anothervideo card review. Last week we have taken a look at the AsusRadeon HD 6950 and 6970 video cards.

Evercool Transformer 4 CPU Cooler @ TestFreaksDescription: Hello, today I‘ve got another CPU cooler forreview. It’s the Transformer 4 from Evercool, and it’s huge butit performs very well. This cooler is one of the best I’ve testedlately and it’s also one of the quietest as well. The Transformer4 can be a bit tricky to install, and if you have large style ram inyour computer it might not fit at all. Anyway, read on to learnmore…

March Madness Video Card Giveaway @Hi Tech LegionDescription: HiTech Legion is celebrating March Madnesswith a video card giveaway. HiTech Legion will be giving away

two video cards, an EVGA GTX 460 SC and a Sapphire ToxicHD 5870. Visit HiTech Legion to get all the details.

Antec Six Hundred v2 Gaming Case @ Benchmark ReviewsDescription: Antec has been in the PC enclosures businessfor over 25 years. They have many unique and creative casessuch as the LanBoy and Skeleton. However, nothing is moreiconic than their "Hundred" series gaming cases, from the low-end Antec One Hundred to the Antec Twelve Hundred fulltower. In order to keep up with competition, Antec has beenmassively updating their line of products. This time it's theSix Hundred's turn. Out of the seven "Hundred" series gamingcases, the Antec Six Hundred V2 is the most balanced. It wasdesigned to be simple but effective. Benchmark Reviews willtest the Antec Six Hundred V2 and see where it stands amongthe fierce competition.

Thermaltake V9 BlacX Edition Case Review @ TweaknewsDescription: When I first got an opportunity to look at anexample of Thermaltake's V9 series, I was less than impressed.This new BlacX entry has some nicely executed features anddisplays very good cooling numbers. However, the interiordesign is definitely getting long in the tooth and, frankly wasn'tthat good to start with. The chassis itself is thin and flimsy,cable management is virtually non-existent and the expansioncard tool-free clips are, in word, horrible.

ASRock Motherboard Preview 2011Description: ASRock invited to a Fatal1ty P67/H67 event inthe Holiday Inn hotel Ratingen, Germany and presented someof their current motherboards. However, their motherboardswere not only shown in this presentation, because the well-known gamer Johnathan aka Fatal1ty also visited this productpresentation. ASRock has developed the ASRock Fatal1ty P67Professional in cooperation with Fatal1ty, so it suggest itself,that Fatal1ty presented the product Live in this presentation.Quake was extremely fast, or lets say it was definitely too fastfor the opponent ;-)

Coolermaster & Corsair 700-750W 80+ Gold PSU Shoot-out@ MadshrimpsDescription: Have you just put together your brand newgaming monster but are you still missing the equivalent strongpower supply to match it. In this article we're putting theCoolermaster Silent Pro Gold 700W power supply unit againstCorsairs Professional Series Gold AX750. Two quality build80+ Gold power supplies in the ~700W market segment, didwe get double Gold?

BIOSTAR TP67XE Intel LGA 1155 Sandy Bridge MotherboardReview @ Legit Reviews

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Description: BIOSTAR isn't one of the big names inmotherboards today, frankly that's a shame. Throughout ourtesting today, the BIOSTAR TP67XE motherboard has keptme happy. It may not have been top performing board acrossall of our tests today. It did however, do a great job overall.What did impressed me the most was the overclocking abilityof the BIOSTAR TP67XE. As we saw on the overclocking pagewe were able to overclock our Intel Core i5 2500K to 5GHz onthis motherboard...

Consumer Electronics and Software News:

Nokia & Microsoft: The Finnish giant in American jeans @InsideHWDescription: With the release of N95, Nokia was on seventhheaven - with no obstacles in sight, it was resting contentedlyon its laurels, basking in the domination it had over any othermobile phone manufacturer. The income was such that thecompany could afford buying a giant such as Navteq, justbecause they thought that it would be an excellent feat to offerGPS navigation as a standard feature in mobile phones. Moneywas being invested boundlessly into the American market,where Nokia has never managed to gain a foothold, and theentire thing went as far as financing films where Nokia phoneswould exclusively be the ones displayed. The fact that thecompany had been practically recycling phone models for awhile, with no significant innovation taking place as far as userinteraction is concerned, went unnoticed to many...

Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Ultraportable Notebook ReviewDescription: Living up to its reputation, I've generally beenpleased with Lenovo's overall build quality and performance.The recently reviewed IdeaPad U260 was a real work of artand excelled in nearly every category except for one -- itnarrowly missed Intel's Sandy Bridge processor refresh whichwould have offered even better all-around CPU and GPUperformance. Today we'll be looking at our first notebookbased on Intel's second generation Core processors, theThinkPad X220. The X220 was just introduced this month andrepresents Lenovo's latest ultraportable ThinkPad.

RAZER Anansi Expert MMO Gaming Keyboard Review @MadshrimpsDescription: The Anansi from Razer is a membrane-basedkeyboard, with a nice customizable LED effect, over 100programmable keys, on-the-fly macro recording and anunique feature: the 7 thumb modifier keys right under theSpace Bar which help to perform even more complicatedmacros or can aid in various productivity applications.

Speedlink MYST Touch Scroll Mouse Review @ VortezDescription: The MYST Touch Scroll mouse (abbreviated toMYST from now on), as the name suggests, includes touchsensitive scrolling. This is a very novel feature not seen widelyacross the PC market yet. The MYST is a small and light mouse,aimed primarily towards users on the move. It comes in bothwired and wireless flavours, and in black or white colours.Today, I'll be looking at the white, wireless version.

ECO Sound Engineering V268 Wireless Bluetooth Headset @TestFreaksDescription: What can you get for $10 these days? Not muchreally, but if you check over at Wireless Ground you can geta Bluetooth headset for $9.95! is it worth it? Well maybe it

is, that is if you’re looking for a throwaway type headset andnot too worried about sound quality and comfort. The productis the ECO Sound Engineering V268 Wireless BluetoothHeadset. I’ve never heard of Eco Sound before until now, andat $10 I wasn’t expecting much, but for the price it’s not thatbad.

BenQ XL2410T LED Review - XSReviewsDescription: Despite the high prices of certain internalhardware like Graphics cards, mobos and CPUs, one of thebiggest purchases you’ll ever make as a hardware enthusiast orgamer is your display. The monitor, the device you use to viewall the content your internals pump out; it’s important.

iPad 2 already jailbrokenDescription: Renowned iOS hacker @Comex has postedphotographic proof that he has already jailbroken the just-launched Apple iPad 2. According to @Comex’s Twitter feed,previously used iOS exploits were locked down and he had touse a new exploit to get around the new measures. The detailsof the hack have not yet been made public, although he isalready working towards releasing the hack for the public.

Gaming News:

PlayStation 2 Games For Tegra 2 ?Description: Some of the PlayStation titles to look forward toon Xperia Play include Wild Arms and Castlevania: Symphonyof the Night etc however, Nvidia’s Tegra 2 dual-core processorcould probably do much more than that.

Final Fantasy XI and XIV Servers Temporarily Closed Due ToQuakeDescription: Square Enix have their Final Fantasy XI and XIVservers temporarily closed, in a move to conserve energy inJapan. Square explains the temporary closure to “continuousquakes occurring in the eastern regions of Japan”.

Japan's Publishing Community Donates to Earthquake ReliefDescription: Faced with the ongoing tragedy in northeastern Japan, game publishers have been stepping up withcontributions of varying forms.

Report: AMD's 28nm mobileGPU roadmapSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-s-28nm-mobile-gpu-

roadmap/11591.html

March 14th, 2011

Back in December, DonanimHaber revealed the codenamesof AMD's next-gen mobile GPUs - Wimbledon, Heathrow,Chelsea and Thames. Three months on, DonanimHaber hasposted AMD's 28nm mobile GPU roadmap. Much of thedetails from Decemeber still apply, with some additionalinformation. The first GPUs, Heathrow, Chelsea and Thamesare set to be produced starting Q4 2011, with a release expectedin November 2011. The flagship, Wimbledon, will release a fewmonths later, in Q2 2012.

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Thanks to the emergence of the APU, the 28nm productlineup sees a significant redefinition of the categories. The"Value" segment will be completely absent, presumably takenover by the GPU part of APUs, with legacy/refresh productssatisfying the exceptional cases. Instead, the first GPU willbe a mainstream/performance GPU, Thames, with 128-bitmemory bus and twice the performance as Seymour, i.e.Radeon HD 6400M. The thermal envelope will be 15W-25W,which is a fair bit higher than the 10W associated previousentry level mobile GPUs.

The division between the mainstream and performance GPUswill be blurred, with TDPs and perhaps performance beingvery close between Thames and Chelsea. The Enthusiastsegment is where the future of discrete GPUs lie. First up, willbe Heathrow, sporting a 128-bit or 192-bit memory bus, withTDP of above 35W. The flagship, Wimbledon, will release inQ2 2012, featuring a 256-bit bus. DonanimHaber also suggestsan MXM solution and a blistering 65W TDP.

Presumed to be the Radeon HD 7000M series, the some 28nmmobile GPUs might end up with TSMC, while others may befabricated at Globalfoundries. Certainly, neither NVIDIA norAMD were pleased with TSMC's 32nm cancelation and 28nmdelays, and a second option will be worth developing.

There's still a long way off to the first 28nm releases - due in 6months' time. Between now and then, a lot could change.

Enermax Introduces New80mm and 120mm T.B.SilenceCase FansSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/enermax-introduces-new-80mm-

and-120mm-t.b.silence-case-fans/11588.html

March 14th, 2011

Enermax has expanded its series of T.B.Silence fans with theaddition of four new fans, the UCTB8A, UCTB12A, UCTB8P,and UCTB12P. The fans boast twister-type bearings with aMTBF of 100,000 hours, detachable Batwing blades, and"modular frames with aluminum rings" for stability. Available

in 80mm and 120mm sizes, they come in manual or PWMvariants.

Enermax has expanded its series of T.B.Silence fans with theaddition of four new fans, the UCTB8A, UCTB12A, UCTB8P,and UCTB12P. The fans boast twister-type bearings with aMTBF of 100,000 hours, detachable Batwing blades, and"modular frames with aluminum rings" for stability. Availablein 80mm and 120mm sizes, they come in manual or PWMvariants.

Product details:

• UCTB8A (80mm / manual control) | 800 - 2500 RPM(speed) | 10 dBA (minimum sound output) | €6.99

• UCTB12A (120mm / manual control) | 800 - 1500 RPM| 10 dBA | €10.99

• UCTB8P (80mm / PWM) | 500 - 2200 RPM | 8 dBA |€8.99

• UCTB12P (120mm / PWM) | 500 - 1500 RPM | 8 dBA |€12.99

Scythe Launches New CardReader Kama Reader JrSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scythe-launches-new-card-reader-

kama-reader-jr/11587.html

March 14th, 2011

Japanese cooling-specialist Scythe has introduced the KamaReader Jr. card reader (model no: SCKMRDJR), adding onto its line-up of PC accessories. Measuring 101 x 25.5 x 9mm,the 3.5" reader features an USB 2.0 connector and supports amyriad of memory cards on the market. It is available throughmajor retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of €7.50 (excludingVAT).

SCYTHE PRESS RELEASE

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The Japanese manufacturer Scythe Co. Ltd. expands itsportfolio of PC accessories with a card reader called KamaReader Jr. The Kama Reader Jr. is a compact multi-formatcard reader which can be installed into a 8.89 cm (3.5 inch)drive bay. It is suitable for quick reading and writing ofvirtually any memory card on the market. Kama Reader Jr. isalso equipped with a front USB port. Kama Reader Jr. is nowavailable for a MSRP of 7,50 € (excluding VAT Tax).

Product Details

• Model Name Kama Reader Jr.

• Item Number SCKMRDJR

• Manufacturer Scythe Co., Ltd.

• Dimensions 101 x 25.5 x 9 mm 4.04 x 1.02 x 3.74in(WxHxD)

• Compatible media

• Memory Stick (PRO, ROM), Memory Stick (DUO, PRO-ROM), Compact Flash, Micro Drive, SD Card, SDHC

Card, Mini SD (requires adapter), Mini SDHC (requiresadapter), MultiMedia Card (MMC), RS-MMC (requiresadapter), MMC Micro (requires adapter), Memory StickMicro, Micro SD, Micro SDHC

• Compatible OS Windows XP Vista 7

• Connector USB 2.0 intern

• Mounting 3.5" internal

For more information, visit this page.

Swiftech Unveils Polaris 120Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/swiftech-unveils-

polaris-120/11586.html

March 14th, 2011

Swiftech, leader in high-end thermal solutions for the PC, hasannounced the Polaris 120, targeting overclockers.

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Measuring 135 x 91 x 152mm and weighing 849g, the towercooler boasts five 8mm direct-contact heatpipes, a dense arrayof "nicked" aluminum fins, and is equipped with a 120mm fanoperating at speeds of 750 ~ 1,500 RPM. It is expected to shipcome end March at a MSRP of US$59.95.

News via [Techpowerup]

G.Skill launches Snipermemory kits for PC gamersand modding enthusiastsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/g.skill-launches-sniper-memory-kits-

for-pc-gamers-and-modding-enthusiasts/11585.html

March 14th, 2011

G.Skill has announced its latest Sniper series designedspecifically for PC gamers and modding enthusiasts. Extensivecompatibility tests have been conducted on a wide rangeof Intel and AMD platforms, which guarantee the bestperformance, quality and reliability. The Sniper series isavailable in dual-channel and triple-channel kits, up to 24GB.

Taipei, Taiwan - March 14th 2011 - G.Skill, the worldwideleading memory designer and manufacturer, has announcedthe newest concept and development of new Sniper seriesdesigned specifically for PC gamers and modding enthusiasts.Extensive compatibility tests are conducted on a wide rangeof Intel and AMD platforms, which guarantee the bestperformance, quality and reliability.

The New Sniper series is designed for ultra low voltageoperation, down to 1.25V. Such low voltage kits can save up to10% power, allowing for better system energy efficiency andsmooth gameplay without any heat problems.

High capacity memory kits are necessary as gaming consumesa lot of memory. The G.Skill Sniper series not only fulfils yourneeds, but also maximizes your gaming experience with itsline-up of memory kits from 4GBx2 to 4GBx6.

The Sniper series comes in two stylish colors: unique pitch-black and metallic army green. "Its unparalleled PC gaming

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style can enrich all kinds of computer gears. G.Skill is ready topull the trigger, are you?"

All G.Skill memory products come with lifetime warrantyand the G.Skill technical team is always ready to provideconsumers with complete technical support via online forums,Facebook, telephone and email.

Source: G.Skill Press Release

Intel launches first mobileSandy Bridge CeleronSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-launches-first-mobile-sandy-

bridge-celeron/11584.html

March 14th, 2011

Intel has added its first budget mobile Sandy Bridge processorto its already wide range of processors higher up in the range.The new model is simply called the B810 and it's the mostbasic and feature stripped Sandy Bridge based mobile CPUto appear. This is good news for those that want a reallyaffordable Sandy Bridge notebook, although be aware thatthis 35W CPU might feature reduced functionality graphicscompared to its higher-end siblings, just like the upcomingdesktop Celerons.

Intel has added its first budget mobile Sandy Bridge processorto its already wide range of processors higher up in the range.The new model is simply called the B810 and it's the mostbasic and feature stripped Sandy Bridge based mobile CPUto appear. This is good news for those that want a reallyaffordable Sandy Bridge notebook, although be aware thatthis 35W CPU might feature reduced functionality graphicscompared to its higher-end siblings, just like the upcomingdesktop Celerons.

So what we're looking at here is a relatively slow 1.6GHzdual core CPU with 2MB of L3 cache which doesn't seemto compare too favourable to the current “high-end” CeleronP4600 which is clocked at 2GHz. That said, the improvedCPU architecture should make up for some of the clock speeddifference, but it's too early to tell as yet if this is the case ornot. The main advantage that the B810 might have is bettergraphics performance, but as Intel has as yet to add it to itsproduct pages. The B810 is priced at $86 in quantities of 1,000units, the same as the P4600.

Intel is also expected to launch a ULV Sandy Bridge basedCeleron processor at some point in the future which should becalled the B847 with a TDP of 17W and a clock speed of a mere1.1GHz. It's as yet unclear when this model will arrive. Intelhas also as yet to announce any new mobile Pentium modelsbased on Sandy Bridge, so it's pretty clear that we can expect

some additional CPUs once Intel has cleared out its inventoryof older first generation Core i processors.

Asus' U30s second generationCore i notebook gets reviewedearlySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-u30s-second-generation-core-i-

notebook-gets-reviewed-early/11583.html

March 14th, 2011

Notebooks with Intel's second generation Core i processorsare slowly starting to trickle out into the market, but so farwe've only seen 14 and 15.6-inch models from Asus. However,an early review of one of its upcoming 13.3-inch models theUS30s which is an interesting mix of portability and features.This is likely to be Asus' budget 13.3-inch model judging bythe features, so we can expect a higher-end version to beannounced at some stage as well.

Notebooks with Intel's second generation Core i processorsare slowly starting to trickle out into the market, but so farwe've only seen 14 and 15.6-inch models from Asus. However,an early review of one of its upcoming 13.3-inch models theUS30s which is an interesting mix of portability and features.This is likely to be Asus' budget 13.3-inch model judging bythe features, so we can expect a higher-end version to beannounced at some stage as well.

The U30s should be a direct replacement of the current U30Jcmodel, but with several key feature changes beyond the CPUand chipset. The chassis actually appears to be mostly identicalto the older U30Jc which means that the U30s still packs anoptical drive, something that results in it being a rather chubby13-incher. The model on review came with a Core i5-2410Mprocessor; although we'd expect it to be available will severalCPU options.

The U30Jc featured Nvidia's now almost antiquated GeForce310M graphics and this is where the U30s really improves onthings with a GeForce 520M. In as much as this is an entrylevel solution from Nvidia, it should still be a huge step upfrom the old 310M. Asus has also built in support for Nvidia's

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Optimus graphics switching technology which switches over tothe Intel HD graphics when the additional power of the GPUisn't needed.

What Asus missed to add was USB 3.0 support which is areal shame, as the U30s doesn't feature an eSATA port sothe fastest interface for peripherals is USB 2.0. Bluetooth 3.0has been thrown in for good measure though, although this isbecoming an increasingly common feature on notebooks, butdoesn't add much in terms of actually being useful as there arestill very few devices that utilizes Bluetooth 3.0.

Battery life is said to be good for up to 6h of light usageand about 4.5h watching HD videos on it. Not amazing bytoday's standards, but still decent enough battery life forwhat's expected to be Asus' most affordable 13.3-inch model,at least for now. Pricing is estimated to end up sub €1000 (S$1770) including tax fully kitted out with 8GB of RAM and a500GB 7,200rpm hard drive. In will be interesting to see whatelse Asus has coming over the next few months as the U30s isreally just an upgrade of an old model, but we're hearing thatwe can expect some interesting announcements at Computexin May.

Rumour: WiFi-only version ofGalaxy Tab to launch on April4?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-wifi-only-version-of-galaxy-

tab-to-launch-on-april-4-/11580.html

March 14th, 2011

The rumour mill appears to have been working overtime toproduce news about a WiFi-only version of Samsung's GalaxyTab, and it seems that yet another juicy bit of informationregarding the aforementioned device has started making itsrounds in the vast depths of the Internet. Anyone fancyguessing how much the device will reportedly sell for once ithits retail? Well, read on to find out.

Everyone knows that having quick access to a mobilebroadband network is one of the key features that no tabletOEM can afford to skimp on today, and for good reason. Afterall, tablets are meant to be used as a replacement for netbooksunder certain circumstances, and the availability (or lack of it)of WiFi hotspots is still a very real issue for those who needan uninterrupted connection to the Internet at all times, evenwhen on the train or on the bus.

With that in mind, how much will the average consumerbe willing to fork out of a tablet that only supports onlineconnectivity via WiFi? Well, rumour has it that Samsung hasplans to introduce a WiFi-only version of its Galaxy Tab tabletin April 4 this year, and that the device will reportedly retailfor US$399.

Sure, it sports a low price tag, but one must also take note thatthere are going to be various issues and circumstances workingagainst Samsung if the Korean electronics giant intends to useits WiFi-only version of the Galaxy Tab as a ticket to winningover potential tablet consumers. For one, the WiFi-only GalaxyTab is rumoured to be shipping with version 2.2 (Froyo) of theAndroid operating system, which is at least two releases awayfrom the current version of Android known as Honeycomb (v3.0).

More importantly, one must also take into consideration thatSamsung is due to launch its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet soon, andthat alone is going to put a strain on its previous-generationGalaxy Tab tablets. After all, consumers usually tend to holdoff purchases in favor of what they perceive as a newer andtechnologically superior product, especially where consumerelectronic devices are concerned, even if it means paying alittle more for such luxuries.

Last but definitely not least, the rumoured price tag of US$399 for the WiFi-only version of the Galaxy Tab puts it indirect competition with Apple's first-generation iPad, whichis now currently going for sale at the same price level. WhileSamsung is undoubtedly one of the largest manufacturers ofconsumer electronic devices, the truth remains that it lacksthe same brand recognition and loyalty that Apple enjoys. Assuch, consumers are more likely to choose Apple's productsover Samsung's, especially if price is no longer a factor.

That being said, the aforementioned details about pricing andrelease date are still but products of the online rumour mill,so readers should take this information with nothing short ofa truck's load of salt.

Source: Ecommerce Journal

VueCube 4GTV broadcasttrials startsSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/vuecube-4gtv-broadcast-trials-

starts/11576.html

March 14th, 2011

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Vue Networks has announced the commencement of theirVueCube 4GTV broadcast trials over 4G network in Singapore.The trial will start with multiple channels including 24/7streaming, VOD and 3D content broadcasting over the ZiiMAXhigh speed 4G network.

Vue Networks, a regional content creation and mediatechnology company based in Singapore, announced today thecommencement of VueCube 4GTV Broadcast Trials over 4Gnetwork. The trial will be bringing the concept of TV Anywhereto Singapore.

The 4GTV Broadcast Trial follows the awarding of a NicheIPTV License to Vue Networks by the Media DevelopmentAuthority of Singapore. The Broadcast Trial will kick-off withmultiple channels including 24/7 streaming, VOD and 3Dcontent broadcasting over the ZiiMAX high speed 4G network.ZiiMAX is the 4G WiMAX service of QMax CommunicationsPte Ltd, a subsidiary of Creative Technology Ltd.

With MIMO technology, 4G WiMAX offers wider coverage andenables smooth content delivery. The objective of the VueCubeBroadcast Trial will be to assess and finalise the technicalinfrastructure necessary to provide consumers with unrivalledentertainment on the move.

The public will be able to get a sneak preview of VueCube’s4GTV on Creative’s ZiiO tablets exclusively at the CreativePlayChinese Expo from 11 to 20 March at Creative Resource.

AMD Bulldozer details start totrickle outSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-bulldozer-details-start-to-trickle-

out/11579.html

March 14th, 2011

So far not too much have been known about AMD's upcomingBulldozer processors, but now new details have leaked ontothe web that reveals at least some of the details that many of ushave been waiting for. Although the actual clock speeds of theupcoming AMD processors have as yet to be unveiled, it lookslike AMD isn't aiming to take on anything from Intel beyondits Sandy Bridge processors based on details in a leaked slide.

So far not too much have been known about AMD's upcomingBulldozer processors, but now new details have leaked ontothe web that reveals at least some of the details that many of ushave been waiting for. Although the actual clock speeds of theupcoming AMD processors have as yet to be unveiled, it looks

like AMD isn't aiming to take on anything from Intel beyondits Sandy Bridge processors based on details in a leaked slide.

According to Xbitlabs we have four initial Bulldozer models tolook forward to (currently codenamed Zambezi), the quad coreFX-4110, the six core FX-6110 and the two eight core models,the FX-8110 and FX8130P. Each core will have 1MB of L2cache and as such the FX-4110 has 2MB L2 cache and so forth.The L3 cache is listed as up to 8MB and might as yet not havebeen set in stone. All four models will support DDR3 memorywith speeds of up to 1866MHz, although we're fairly certainthat faster memory will be supported via overclocking.

All four models are apparently "Black Edition" CPUs whichin AMD speak means that they're completely unlocked, unlikeIntel's K series models which now have locked base clock,something we wouldn't expect to see from AMD. Of courseyou're looking at support for AMD's second generation ofTurbo Core which will allow for dynamic overclocking andunder clocking/power saving depending on the CPU load.Apart from the FX-8130P all models have a 95W TPD whereasthe FX-8130P has a TDP of 125W and all four models do ofcourse utilize the AM3+ socket.

It's a surprisingly small launch line-up from AMD, as thefour CPUs are set to take on Intel's Core i5 and Core i7LGA-1155 processors which currently consist of seven models,not counting the T and S SKUs. Judging by a slide posted byXbitlabs AMD is pitching its eight core model against Intel'sCore i7-2600 models and the quad and six core against theCore i5's. Below that AMD is positioning its Fusion modelscurrently codenamed Lynx which are either dual or quad coremodels with Integrated graphics.

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The slide details the upcoming Lynx models as well, whichagain consist of four models, the entry level dual core E2-3250with Radeon HD6370 graphics with 160 shaders, the A4-3350dual core model with Radeon HD 6410 graphics and 160shaders, the quad core A6-3450 with Radeon HD 6530graphics with 320 shaders and finally the quad core A8-3550with Radeon HD 6550 graphics with 400 shaders. It's quiteclear from the graphics shader count that Intel isn't going tostand a chance with its Pentium and Core i3 models in termsof graphics performance, but it'll be interesting to see if AMDcan offer equivalent or better CPU performance.

Lego launches 'official' LegothumbdriveSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lego-launches-official-lego-

thumbdrive/11577.html

March 14th, 2011

We may have spoken about a few thumbdrives that featuredesigns inspiration by the coloured toy construction bricksknown as Lego, but it does not change the fact that none of theaforementioned devices are officially recognized by the LegoGroup. However, that is all set to change with the introductionof an 'official' Lego thumbdrive.

LEGO-inspired devices are a dime a dozen in various onlineshopping sites, but the fact remains that most, if not all ofthe aforementioned devices do not have a license from theLEGO Group to make use of the likeness of its popular toyconstruction bricks. However, it seems that the LEGO Grouphas finally started to realize that there is a market for LEGO-branded products featuring its likeness, and has since movedto launch its own line of thumbdrives based off the Minifigureoften found in its construction bricks.

According to the official LEGO online store, the Classic LEGOMinifigure USB thumbdrive sports a capacity of 2GB andcomes preloaded with a copy of the LEGO Ninjago video clipfor your viewing pleasure. Last but definitely not least, usingthe Classic LEGO Minifigure USB thumbdrive on your PC isalso a snap; all you have to to is to yank its legs off, as shownin the image below.

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If this thumbdrive has tickled your fancy, you might beinterested to know that the LEGO-branded thumbdrive isavailable for sale at the online LEGO store for the handsomeprice of US$24.99. Well, that is the price one has to pay forofficial LEGO products, no?

Apple iPad 2 selling at anoutrageous US$2,000 in HongKongSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-ipad-2-selling-at-an-outrageous-

us-2-000-in-hong-kong/11578.html

March 14th, 2011

If you think US$900 for the first spot in line to buy the AppleiPad 2 is ridiculous, in Hong Kong, the tablet device is goingfor US$2,000. (The 64GB Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi+3G is selling forUS$829).

The Apple iPad 2 went on retail last Friday in US, and withina day (or two), Hong Kong has begun selling parallel importsof the popular tablet. The electronics stores in the Pearl of theOrient are selling the iPad 2 from HK$7,980 to HK$15,000(US$1,024 to US$1,925). The most expensive model is thewhite 64GB iPad 2 with 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. Accordingto reports, a shop with 100 Apple iPad 2s arrived on Sundaymorning and all but 20 were sold by the end of the day.

Apple's iPhone 5 will notsupport NFC technologySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-iphone-5-will-not-support-nfc-

technology/11574.html

March 14th, 2011

When so many websites devoted to sniffing out rumours aboutApple's upcoming products seem to agree on a certain point,it is almost always the truth, right? Well, apparently not: therumour that Apple will be supporting NFC in its upcomingiPhone 5 has seemingly been debunked by reports claimingthat the Cupertino giant has gone round to carriers to informthem that it has no plans to support the technology, at leastfor now.

Yep, you read the headline right. After months of speculationabout the various kinds of technology Apple may supportwith their upcoming smartphone, the iPhone 5, it seems thatthe latest turn of events have proven once again that thetruth can sometime hurt. Apparently, all the rumours aboutthe iPhone 5 featuring a Near Field Communications (NFC)module has been overturned, thanks to a news report made bythe Independent.

According to the report, several large mobile operators inthe UK have disclosed to the Independent that Apple hasconfirmed the lack of NFC support on the iPhone 5, with theCupertino giant attributing its reluctance solely to the "lack ofa clear standard across the industry".

Ironically, Apple has been said to be working on its ownimplementation of NFC which will allow an upcoming versionof its smartphone to link purchases via its iTunes software, andis likely to be a proprietary implementation at that.

Report: AMD FX-Series LineupRevealedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/report-amd-fx-series-lineup-

revealed/11575.html

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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March 14th, 2011

Xbitlabs have revealed a tentative lineup of four incomingBulldozer chips, to be branded AMD FX-Series. The top-of-the-line flagship will be AMD FX-8130P, featuring 4-module,8-core, 2MB L2 cache per module (total 8MB), 8MB shared L3cache, and a TDP of 125W. The launch clock speed is estimatedto be as high as 3.50 GHz. Following the 8130P is the FX-8110,which is presumably a lower clocked version of the FX-8130P.Interestingly, it features a reasonable TDP of 95W.

FX-6110 will be a six-core, three-module CPU. Finally, theBulldozer line-up will be rounded off by the FX-4110, a quad-core CPU. The six-core CPU is likely to be harvested from the8-core Orochi die. However, whether the quad-core CPU is aheavily crippled 8-core or a native quad-core is unclear. If it is a8-core with 4 cores locked, it could end up being the unlocker'sdelight the Phenom II X2 series was.

All FX-Series CPUs fit into the AM3+ socket, feature anunlocked multipler (Black Edition) and Turbo Core 2, andare fabricated at Globalfoundries' 32nm SOI process. AMD's900 series chipsets are due to launch in Q2 2011, althoughmotherboard manufacturers are starting to release 800 seriesboards featuring AM3+ support.

While the above four CPUs are due in June, AMD willintroduce a refresh in Q4, possible minor speed bumps acrossthe platform.

Samsung Factor clamshellphone announcedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-factor-clamshell-phone-

announced/11572.html

March 14th, 2011

A low cost, clamshell entry level Samsung phone has beenannounced. Known as Samsung Factor, it features VGAcamera, web email access to your Gmail, MSN and Yahoo andinstant messaging on Yahoo, AIM and MSN.

With large-display smartphones coming to market, thereare lesser focus on non-smartphone (or also known asdumbphone) devices, especially the traditional clamshell ones.However, it seems like Korean manufacturer Samsung has notgiven up on this line of dumbphones. Recently, the SamsungFactor has been announced with a clamshell design and lower-specification hardware components.

The Samsung Factor is equipped with a VGA camera,Bluetooth, supports web email and messenging, GPS andhands-free speaker design. Boost Mobile will retail theSamsung Factor from as low as US$49.99.

Sandy Bridge-based PentiumG840 processor shows up inChinaSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandy-bridge-based-pentium-g840-

processor-shows-up-in-china/11573.html

March 14th, 2011

A month ago, we posted information that Intel was planningto release up to seven new processors based off the newSandy Bridge microarchitecture sometime in May this year,and that one of these processors would be marketed under thePentium brand. Well, guess what: screenshots of what appearsan evaluation model of that Pentium CPU have been spottedin China.

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Do you remember the news we posted about some time backin February this year, where Intel was reportedly planningto release a bunch of processors based off the Sandy Bridgemicroarchitecture in March? Well, if you did, you would haverealized that one of the processors mentioned in that articlewas supposed to be marketed under the budget 'Pentium'brand, and that the Sandy Bridge version of this processor willbe known as the Pentium G840.

That being said, it appears that evaluation samples of thePentium G840 have started making their way around theworld, for a Chinese IT website known as Inpai has reportedlygot its hands on one such evaluation sample, and have postedboth a photograph of the chip and a CPU-Z screenshot aboutits specifications on its webpage, as shown below.

Inpai also claims on its webpage that, based on thespecifications found on the Pentium G840, the former istechnically identical to its Core i3 sibling, the i3-2100. Theonly difference between the G840 and the i3-2100 is that Intelmerely dropped the clock speed on the latter and disabledHyper-Threading to produce the specifications found in theformer.

As this screenshot contains information about a pre-release version of Intel's CPU, we'd strongly encouragereaders to exercise discretion and regard the aforementionedinformation with a pinch of salt. Still, if Inpai is correct, itwould seem that Intel is taking easy way out with its budget-

level chips once again: by intentionally disabling certainfeatures on its mainstream processors.

Logitec launches 'industry'ssmallest' Ethernet hub forJapanese marketSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitec-launches-industry-s-smallest-

ethernet-hub-for-japanese-market/11571.html

March 14th, 2011

While most of Singapore was caught up in the variousdiscounts and offers taking place at the annual IT Show heldat Suntec City Convention and Exhibition Centre, a companyin Japan known as Logitec was busy launching a new productthat ought to change the way we look at the humble Ethernethub. Does anyone fancy getting their hands on a palm-sizedhub that can house up to eight Ethernet ports?

How big is an Ethernet hub supposed to be? Well, variousmanufacturers often have differing ideas on what the idealsize for this particular networking device should be, but itseems that they all share one common characteristic: theyare not meant to be the kind of portable devices that a usercan conveniently slip into his or her pocket and walk aroundwithout any loss to comfort.

However, if you are the kind of person who simply needs tohave the best of both worlds in terms of size and functionalitywhen it comes to Ethernet hubs, you might be interestedin what a Japanese company known as Logitec has to offer.Apparently, while most of Singapore was caught up in bargainhunting over at the just-ended IT Show, Logitec was showingoff its new palm-sized Ethernet Hub, the LAN-SW/PS series,over in Japan.

According to the official press release, the LAN-SW/PS seriesof Ethernet hubs will be available in three different sizes:the smallest version, known as the LAN-SW03, features threeEthernet ports and measures a mere 73.3 × 42.0 × 13.5mm.Those who need a little more connectivity options can optfor the slightly larger LAN-SW05, which comes with fiveEthernet ports; alternatively, users needing an Ethernet hubfor more than five concurrent connections have the LAN-SW08 (pictured below), which is a little larger (68.0 × 107.5× 13.5mm), although the eight available Ethernet ports for usesort of makes up for the increased size.

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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In addition to its size (or lack of it), Logitec also claims thatthe new Ethernet hubs are capable of energy savings of up to82%, while 'N' versions of the LAN-SW/PS line of hubs caneven power themselves off a PC's USB port, thus making itsuitable as a mobile Ethernet hub for establishing impromptuLAN connections.

Last but definitely not least, Logitec also claims that all thehubs in its LAN-SW/PS series make use of Ethernet portswhich support automatic MDI and MDI-X switching, so usersdo not have to worry about having to bring both straight andcrossover cables in order to set up a working LAN connection.

Prices for the new hubs are as follow:

Sony PlayStation 2 gamescoming to Tegra 2 mobiledevices?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-playstation-2-games-coming-to-

tegra-2-mobile-devices-/11570.html

March 14th, 2011

With more Android devices being powered by dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processors, you can expect to seebetter resolution games available. And Sony ComputerEntertainment will also be extending its PlayStation games forthese devices, and maybe PlayStation 2 games too.

The Sony Xperia Play (formerly known as PlayStation Phone)has attracted a lot of attention. Not just because it features asimilar PSP Go gaming controls, but also it is equipped withthe PlayStation Suite to offer excellent PlayStation gamingexperience.

Recently, Nvidia has announced that the PlayStation Suite willnot just be made available on the Xperia Play; it will also beavailable to all future mobile devices running the Tegra 2 dual-core processors.

The PlayStation Suite is an upcoming software frameworkto provide downloadable PlayStation content and PlayStationgaming experiences for Android devices. Some of the titlesto look forward to include Wild Arms and Castlevania:Symphony of the Night etc, and Xperia Play was the onlysmartphone to offer this.

Because of the powerful performance of Tegra 2 dual-coreprocessor, it was said that the devices could also be able to runPlayStation 2 games. This will no doubt be a good news forAndroid users, especially when there aren't many emulatorsout there that can run PS2 games very well.

Europe to get universalsmartphone chargerSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/europe-to-get-universal-smartphone-

charger/11569.html

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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March 14th, 2011

How does the idea of being able to use a single universalcharger to power all the smartphones in the world sound like?Well, such an ideal solution might probably come much soonerthan we have expected it to: the EU has seemingly taken onthe initiative of rolling out such a charger, and several well-known smartphone OEMs have reportedly agreed to maketheir devices compatible with it.

We all love our smartphones for what they are capable of,but that fondness can, and usually quickly turns into one ofloathing when the aforementioned device decides to run out ofbattery juice at the most inconvenient moment possible, andthe charger your friend uses is incompatible with your device.Yep, that sounds like one of the most common ways to ruinyour entire day.

However, it seems that the EU is all too keen on ensuringthat such situations never happen again, at least in its ownterritories. To that end, the EU Commission has rolled out aninitiative that will see the adoption of a universal charger forpopular data-enabled smartphones sold in the region and isexpected to be available for consumer use by the end of 2011.

Of course, this might be much ado over nothing, since theaforementioned 'universal charger' consists of little more thanthe standard micro-USB port which most smartphone OEMscurrently make use of for their devices today. However, not allOEMs have adopted micro-USB as the charging port of choice,

and as such the EU has reportedly deemed it fit to continueits campaign to make sure that every single manufacturereventually plays nice with the universal charging port.

Curiously, Apple's name shows up in the list of originalsignatories who have agreed to support the universal chargingstandard in spite of having been using its own proprietarycable for a long time already. Then again, the specifications forthe universal charger explicitly allow for the use of adaptors.Interesting.

US Nuclear experts deployedto FukushimaSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-nuclear-experts-deployed-to-

fukushima/11567.html

March 14th, 2011

While Japan is well prepared to brace itself againstearthquakes, the tsunamis which followed were responsiblemost of the damage done. As the Japanese pick themselvesup after the earthquake, Japan might be facing it's greatestchallenge yet in a decade.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said that it has senttwo experts to Japan, where authorities were seeking to calmfears of a reactor meltdown. The 8.9-magnitude earthquakedamaged the nuclear reactor's cooling systems, and workersare now pumping seawater into the reactor in an attempt tocool it down.

Authorities said that an earlier explosion was not due to ameltdown. Instead, it was due to a buildup in gas pressure asworkers pour water onto the reactors.

The two experts sent are experts in boiling water reactors,which are used at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Boiling water reactor

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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A nuclear meltdown occurs when a severe failure of anuclear power plant system prevents proper cooling of thereactor core. The nuclear core heats up to an extent that itmelts through its container. A meltdown is considered veryserious as radioactive materials could be released into theenvironment.

Lost City of Atlantis PossiblyFoundSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lost-city-of-atlantis-possibly-

found/11568.html

March 14th, 2011

It looks like Atlantis, the legendary eighth continent onEarth, have been found. According to news, a U.S.-led researchteam may have found the lost city in southern Spain. Read onto find out more.

Atlantis, the famous lost city of lore, might have been found inSouthern Spain by a team of U.S.-led research team. Believedto have been eliminated by a tsunami strong enough to wipeout the city located 60 miles (roughly 97 kilometers) inland,the team's findings will be unveiled in "Finding Atlantis", anew National Geographic Channel special.

"This is the power of tsunamis," head researcherProfessor Richard Freund from the University of Hartford,Connecticut, told Reuters. In wake of the recent Japaneseearthquake, the recent discovery stands as testament to thefearsomeness of Mother Nature.

Japan phone networks remaindisruptedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/japan-phone-networks-remain-

disrupted/11565.html

March 14th, 2011

More than a day after being by an earthquake and subsequenttsunamis, telecommunications systems in Japan remainseverely disrupted.

Users in a wide area of Eastern Japan are either unable toaccess cellphone services at all or face difficulties in connectingtheir calls as base stations are currently overwhelmed.

Japan's three major cellular carriers have sent mobile basestations to the region to alleviate the situation as base stationsin the region were either damaged or destroyed. The basestations connect to the telecom network via satellite and areable to provide coverage in a small radius. Retail outlets of thecellular carriers are providing recharging services.

Internet services appear to be largely unaffected. Severalwireless internet hotspot providers are also doing their part indisaster relief. Fon, Livedoor and Softbank has announced thattheir networks and access points will be open to public accessand remain free-of-charge throughout the weekend. Doing soenables communications through the internet.

Woman sells her first spot inApple iPad 2 queue for US$900Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/woman-sells-her-first-spot-in-apple-

ipad-2-queue-for-us-900/11566.html

March 14th, 2011

If the Apple iPad 2 is going to be selling at a store near you, willyou queue and later sell your spot for cash? Well, one collegestudent did, after waiting in line for approximately 41 hours,and for US$900.

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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US$900 was the price for the first spot in the queue for AppleiPad 2, which college student Amanda Foote sold after beingin line at the Apple store in New York for 41 hours. And Footeplans to use the money to but tickets for Lady Gaga's concert.

The buyer of the spot isHazem Sayen, an app developer, whosaid that he wanted to bring the iPad 2 with him when heleaves for his busienss trip; the Apple iPad 2 starts at US$499.Apparently, Foote isn't the only one who is being paid forher trouble: there are offers ranging from US$100 to US$999to stand in line or sell their spot. (Looks like there's a goodmarket for this isn't it?).

Japan Earthquake Shortensthe daySource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/japan-earthquake-shortens-the-

day/11564.html

March 14th, 2011

It may be unnoticable, but Friday's earthquake off the coast ofJapan did shorten the day by a tiny bit. Read on.

NASA geophysicist Richard Gross was able to calculatethat due to the shift in the Earth's mass after Friday'searthquake, the Earth's rotation about it's own axis was spedup by 1.6 microseconds. Shortening each Earth day by 1.6microseconds.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590Cooler Cover ExposedSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-590-cooler-cover-

exposed/11563.html

March 14th, 2011

Update : Pardon for the mistake, we missed out the bottompart of the cooler which is about a slot thick so GeForce GTX590 is still a dual slot card. The lenght is 297mm which issimilar to its older counterpart GeForce GTX 295. Anyway, thecard is still slated for March 22nd launch. The performancedriver closest to the launch is version 267.52 and you can findthis string in the inf file : NVIDIA_DEV.1088.01 = "NVIDIAGeForce GTX 590". NVIDIA seems confident that this cardwill win the Radeon HD 6990. Specs will be finalized nextweek.

Update : Pardon for the mistake, we missed out the bottompart of the cooler which is about a slot thick so GeForce GTX590 is still a dual slot card. The lenght is 297mm which issimilar to its older counterpart GeForce GTX 295. Anyway, thecard is still slated for March 22nd launch. The performancedriver closest to the launch is version 267.52 and you can findthis string in the inf file : NVIDIA_DEV.1088.01 = "NVIDIAGeForce GTX 590". NVIDIA seems confident that this cardwill win the Radeon HD 6990. Specs will be finalized nextweek.

IT SHOW 2011 CoverageSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-coverage/11543.html

March 14th, 2011

IT Show Singapore 2011 is upon us, and needless to say thereare going to be lots of IT-related offers awaiting the bargainhunters who have waited months for this day. As usual, VR-Zone headed down to the exhibition grounds at Suntec CityExhibition and Convention Centre to bring you the coverageof the event.

The M1 booth can be located on level 2 Ballroom Foyer.

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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M1 also started to offer Internet TV services. With the '1box',users can stream media, surf, shop and socialize all at thecomfort of their couch.

The 1box available for rent from M1 with a minimum of 6months subscription.

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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M1 is bundling thier mobile broadband plans with Androidtablets.

M1 Broadband Offers

FiberBroadband

25Mbps 50Mbps100Mbps150Mbps200Mbps 1Gbps

MonthlySubscriptions

$39 $49 $59 $79 $99 $399

UploadSpeedsUp To

25Mbps 50Mbps 50Mbps 75Mbps100Mbps500Mbps

HomeBroadband

5Mbps 8Mbps 10Mbps 15Mbps 30Mbps100Mbps

MonthlySubscriptions

$25.20 $36.40 $40.60 $42.90 $53.90 $76.70

UploadSpeedsUp To

512kbps 1Mbps 1Mbps 2Mbps 4Mbps 10Mbps

MobileBroadband

1Mbps 2Mbps 4Mbps 7.2Mbps 21Mbps

MonthlySubscription

$13.45 $23.23 $30.82 $41.58 $59.40

DataBundle

Unlimited

IT SHOW 2011 - BabesSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011--babes/11552.html

March 14th, 2011

A picture speaks a thousand words therefore in this article, wewill let the pictures do the talking. Get ready...the show babesof IT Show Singapore 2011.

<3 <3

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lovely the lovely show babes from Casio booth

Trend Micro babes are pretty too !

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Sony is hot and sexy

i like her smile ^_^

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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her friend joins in

<3

lovely babe from A.C. Ryan ^^

hot razer babe with lovely keyboard

Did you manage to 'capture' any booth babes in IT ShowSingapore 2011 on your camera ? Share with us your photosand we will be adding it to our booth babe article along withours.

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Credits will be given, based on your forum nickname.

IT SHOW 2011 Price Lists,Flyers, Brochures, PromotionsRoundupSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-show-2011-price-lists-flyers-

brochures-promotions-roundup/11502.html

March 14th, 2011

Check out the latest IT SHOW 2011 Price List, Flyers,Brochures, Promotions including brands like Acer, AC Ryan,ASUS, Blackberry, Brother, Canon, Cisco Linksys, Dell, D-Link, Epson, Fujifilm, Fuji Xerox, HP, Lenovo, Lexmark,LG, Microsoft, MSI, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Philips,Samsung, Seagate, Sony, Toshiba, Western Digital.

Newly Added IT SHOW 2011 Price List

If you are an exhibitor and would like your company's pricelist/flyer to be on our site, then email us at press@vr-zone.com.sg

March 10th

6pm

• Aigo

• Alcatel

• Apple

• Audio House

• AVG

• Belkin

• Blackberry

• Case Logic

• Casio

• Creative

• Cybermind

• Dell

• Drobo

• Edimax

• Epson

• Eubiq

• Freecom

• Fujifilm

• Gaincity

• GE

• Headphones Gallery : AKG, JVC, Shure

• HTC

• Iomega

• iSmart

• Jabra

• Joby

• Jubby

• Linksys

• Lowepro

• Manfrotto

• McCoy : JooJoo, Gavio, Viliv, iTwin, DiVoom, Aiptek

• Nokia

• Sony Playstation

• Sony Battery

• Sanyo Battery

• SingTel

• Targus

• Toshiba Portable HDD

12pm

• Acer

• Altec Lansing

• Astone

• ASUS

• Brother

• Canon

• Edifier

• eGear

• Fujifilm

• Fujitsu

• HP

• Lexmark

• LG

• Logitech

• M1

• Norton

• OKI

• Olympus

• Plantronics

• Prolink

• Samsung

• Sennhesier

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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• SingTel

• Sony

• Sony Ericsson

• TDK

• Viewsonic

• Western Digital

• Zyxel

March 9th

8.30pm

• Hitachi

• Imation

• Kingston

• Lexar

• Microsoft Hardware

• Microsoft Xbox

• Palit

• Sapphire

• Viewsonic

• X-mini

• xShine

6.30pm

• D-Link

• Filco

• Thermalright, Noctua, Prolimatech

• Steelseries

3.30pm

• Buffalo

• Marbella

• Wacom

2.30pm

• A.C. Ryan

• InFocus

• SanDisk

12.30pm

• Aztech

• MSI

11.30am

• Crazy Pricing

• Fuji Xerox

• Garmin

• Powerlogic

• Sensonic

• Sonicgear

12.00am

• East Gear : Galactio, Powerex

• Go Rock

• McGear

March 8th

7.30pm

• EnGenuis

• Garmin ASUS

• Razer

• SMC

2.30pm

• A4 Tech

• Avira

• Cyberlink

• Energizer

• ESET

• Kaspersky

• KJC Tech : iTech, Mili, MLabs

• Lau International : Clic, Hama, Kowa, Konus, Speed,Vanguard, Velbon

• Palladine

• Ranger

The Daily VR-Zone NewsSummary - 11 Mar 2011Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--11-

mar-2011/11562.html

March 14th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Kingston's high-speed, high capacityHyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB) 2133MHz DDR3 memory kit getsreviewed; Sapphire's Radeon HD 6870 FleX graphics card,which comes with its own integrated DisplayPort adapter onits PCB, gets reviewed; Samsung is reportedly planning to test

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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production of 32-inch OLED television sets in the second halfof 2012; The annual Pwn2Own competition sees iOS's Safariand RIM's Blackberry browser getting compromised, and ThePS3 ban imposed on the Netherlands has finally been lifted

Hardware News:

Kingston HyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB) 2133MHz DDR3 MemoryKit Review @ Bigbruin.comDescription: The Kingston HyperX T1 8GB (4 x 2GB)2133MHz DDR3 memory kit is definitely worth consideringby those looking for a high speed, high capacity kit to taketheir system to the next level. An XMP profile at 2133MHzmakes the whole process extremely simple, and anyone with acompatible motherboard should be up and running in no time.

Exceleram EP3001A 3 x 2 GB DDR3-1333 MHz CL9 review atTweak.dkDescription: The EP3001A modules have a speed ofDDR3-1333 MHz with CL9 timings, and a tRAS-value of24. The CRT-timing can be adjusted to 1T, which givesyou extra performance. Exceleram have chosen to spare theheatsinks, to minimize the price. The overclocking potentialis big, and by loosening the timings, it is possible to hitspeeds over DDR3-2000 MHz. We compare the modules invarious benchmark tests against kits from both Exceleram andKingston.

Sapphire Radeon HD 6870 FleX Video Card Review @Rage3D.comDescription: Sapphire's Radeon HD 6870 FleX editionintegrates an active DisplayPort adapter onto the PCB to allowthree non-DisplayPort monitors for Eyefinity gaming - whileretaining the two mini-DP outputs of the reference design.We check out single and crossfire HD 6870 performance in1080HD and Eyefinity 3 resolutions.

Thermaltake Jing CPU Cooler Review @Hi Tech LegionDescription: The Thermaltake Jing CPU Cooler isThermaltake's newest addition into the silent operationmarket. The Jing is positioned to offer high performancecooling with a noise level of only 16dBA. There are 41 0.5mmlarge aluminum fins and 5 6mm heat-pipes. The fins, base,and heat-pipes are nickel plated for better heat transmission.The Jing comes with 2 custom made fans for push/pullconfiguration.

Xigmatek Loki CPU Cooler Review @ TweaknewsDescription: Xigmatek's Loki is a terrific little cooler that packsa lot of performance into a compact package that's easilyinstalled and should fit on just about any board and in mostcases. Widely available online for as little as $25 US, Loki isalso very reasonable and represents an excellent value.

Computing on Demand: Nexus Real Silent CPU Cooler -FLC-3000 R2Description: Many of today's users seem to look towards apeaceful experience in front of the keyboard instead of thedays when we thought having a computer that sounded likea hovercraft was cool. A few companies have made a namefor themselves by offering peripherals and devices that marryperformance with peace and quiet. Nexus thinks they have theproper balance with their new FLC-3000 (R2).

Antec Sonata IV Computer Case @ Benchmark Reviews

Description: Antec has been making computer enclosures foras long as I can remember. When I think of popular computerchassis, one case from Antec almost always comes to mind:their Sonata line of cases. Antec has provided BenchmarkReviews the opportunity to review their latest iteration of theirSonata line, the Sonata IV. The Sonata IV is marketed as beinga Quiet Mid Tower case. It aims to bring the Sonata line ofcases up to date with such features as a front USB 3.0 port, aspot for a 2.5" SSD drive, and silicon grommets to reduce harddrive vibration. Also included with the Sonata IV is a 620 wattpower supply. Can the Sonata IV live up to its predecessors andthe Antec name? Read the full review to find out...

Antec Six Hundred Review - XSReviewsDescription: When it comes to building a killer rig, there aremany important components you have to consider, the casebeing a big one. You want a case that looks great, is quiet andkeeps all of your hardware nice and cool. With this in mindtoday we look at the Antec Six Hundred.

Corsair Hydro series H60 Watercooling kit Review @MadshrimpsDescription: I was surprised that Corsair launched anothercomplete liquid cooling model, the H60. The H50 beingperfect for tiny spaces and moderate cooling demands. TheH70 was able to cope with our overclocked Gulftown setup,crushing the H50's performance. It's beefier radiator anddual fan setup was a big step forward for higher coolingdemands. Corsairs new H60 is the first new release of it's newpartnership with the CoolIT company.

BitFenix Shinobi Review @ VortezDescription: As tradition would have it, we are here againwith the first review of a new case from BitFenix, namedShinobi. Shinobi is a mid-tower case that differs from itsbigger brothers the Survivor and Colossus cases by bringing atouch of sleekness and elegance to the table. Available in twovariants - window version (being reviewed today) and none-window version this case features 2 pre-installed fans, tool-less mechanisms throughout and of solid steel construction.

Lamptron Fan-Atic 5-Channel Fan Controller Review @ LegitReviewsDescription: The Lamptron Fan-Atic 5-channel fan controllercontrols 60W per each channel with 3 different voltage output- 12VDC, 5VDC, and Off, which correspond to Full RPM, LowRPM, and Off setting on the fans connected to the controller.So you get full speed cooling capacity or low speed quietnessat a flip of the switch. Read on to see how this fan controllerperforms when we put it to the test!

Consumer Electronics and Software News:

Samsung to begin test production of 32" OLED TVs in 2H2012, will start investing in a Gen-8 fab in 3Q 2011Description: There are reports that Samsung plans to begintest production of 32" OLED TVs in the second half of 2012.The company will start to invest in Gen-8 OLED TV productionlines in 3Q 2011. LG will be able to make 30" OLED TVs bethe end of 2011, and (as we know already) plans a Gen-8 fabfor 2011. Sony meanwhile seems to be focusing on professionalOLED monitors, and doesn't have any active consumer OLEDTV program.

Google Adds Click-to-Call to Gmail Voice Calling

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Description: Google has enhanced its voice calling feature inGmail with an ability to click on phone numbers and call theminstantly instead of having to type in the number manually.

Forget Apple, the money is in AndroidDescription: While the Apple App store is packed full ofsoftware and has a better reach, a top developer has pointedout that he makes much more cash from writing Android code.

Google, Bing Have White Lists Of Sites Not To Be Impacted ByAlgo ChangesDescription: Both major search engines admitted today theyhave 'white lists' of sites that won't be impacted by changesto their algorithms. During the Spam Police session at SMX,Google's Matt Cutts and Bing's Sasi Parthasarathy bothconfirmed this, the UK Register noted. "Google has admittedthat it uses whitelists to manually ...

Google Brings Instant Previews to MobileDescription: The concept of Google Instant, which couldgive you results before you were even done typing, wasfurther enhanced with the presence of Instant Preview. InstantPreviews allows users to click on a magnifying glass while inthe search page and get previews of the first few results. Now,four months after the original release of Instant Previews, theconcept is coming to mobile.

Pwn2Own day 2: iPhone, BlackBerry beaten; Chrome, Firefoxno-showsDescription: On day two of the Pwn2Own competition, Apple'siPhone and RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9800 were both putin the spotlight, and were both successfully compromised.Meanwhile, contestants scheduled to attack Android andFirefox failed to turn up, leaving those platforms unscathed.

Gaming News:

PS3 Ban Lifted in NetherlandsDescription: The dispute between Sony and LG has takenanother twist, with the ban on imported PS3s being lifted inthe Netherlands.

Jurassic Park: The Game Q&A - Back from extinctionDescription: We find out a few more details from TelltaleGames about its upcoming dinosaur action adventure game.

EVGA announces dual-GF104GTX 460 2WinSource: http://vr-zone.com/articles/evga-announces-dual-gf104-

gtx-460-2win/11561.html

March 14th, 2011

Remember the much rumoured dual-GF104 cards from wayback in May 2010? After several unreleased prototypes, EVGAhas finally taken the step of announcing the first retail dual-GF104 card, the EVGA GTX 460 2Win. To put it simply, theGTX 460 2Win puts two GTX 460 GF104 1GB on one PCB.EVGA goes an extra step by giving the 2Win mild overclocks

over the reference GTX 460, clock speed upto 700 MHz andsubsequently, shaders up to 1400 MHz. The 2Win features 2GB GDDR5 at 3.6 GHz.

Visually, the 2Win is identical to the EVGA Dual-GPUprototype shown at CES 2011. Thought to be a dual-GF110card, we reported the PCB footprint suggesting a dual-GF114card. Now we know that the prototype from CES 2011 wasindeed the GTX 460 2Win.

It is a dual-slot card, featuring three fans. The card uses 2x8-pin power, with a TDP somewhere between 300W and 375W.It is a long card - at 11.5" it is nearly as long as the Radeon HD6990.

In terms of performance, the EVGA article paints a rosy pictureagainst the GTX 580 - the GTX 460 2Win winning both3DMark 11 and Unigine Heaven benchmarks comfortably.However, these are synthetic benchmarks which scale almostperfectly with SLI. In real world gaming tests, the GTX 4602Win may struggle to keep up with the single GTX 580.Certainly, the 2Win will be annihialted by the HD 6990 andthe upcoming GTX 590.

The 2Win has a trick up its sleeve, however, featuring 4display outputs - 3xDVI and 1x mini HDMI. This makes itthe first single NVIDIA card to feature multimonitor gaming,supporting 3D Surround. Previously, two cards in SLI wereneeded to enable 3D Surround. It will surely be the cheapestsingle NVIDIA card to support 3D Surround (the other, GTX590, will be a lot more expensive), and this is something EVGAseems to be actively marketing.

Considering the specifications of the GTX 460 2Win, surely aGTX 560 2Win would allow for better performance in the samethermal envelope? This suggests that the 2Win - like severalother dual-GF104 prototypes - have been in development fora long time and are now being released.

The most important thing now, for EVGA, is the pricing. Withthe single GTX 460 1GB cards now selling at around $170(after rebates), the GTX 460 2Win, if priced right, could be aninteresting alternative to the HD 6970 or GTX 570. However,if the pricing is off, it will be a simple case of too little, too late.Availability hasn't been mentioned either.

March 14th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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White Apple iPhone 4 comingin April. For real?Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/white-apple-iphone-4-coming-in-

april.-for-real-/11539.html

March 14th, 2011

The white version of the iPhone 4 was rumored to launch forthe longest time and until now, there has not been any officialword from Apple about this. The last known news was that itshould be available around end February, but it looks like thatthe phone will be delayed until next month, according to somesources.

The recently announced iPad 2 has gotten lots of attention,though there has been no news of the next iPhone 5. However,it seems that the white version of iPhone 4 is still getting peopleexcited. Some online sources said that Apple would launchthe white iPhone 4, but was later denied, probably because ofdesign issues.

Recently, Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has toldsome online media that the white iPhone 4 will be launchednext month, and it will be a GSM version. If the news is to betrue, then the wait is finally going to be over.

But if the new iPhone 5 is going to be announced soon, wouldyou go for the white iPhone 4 or the newer iPhone 5?