February 21st, 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.

AC and DC current:Fundamental differences anda simple explanationFebruary 21st, 2011

Through daily experience with common householdequipment, many people should have noticed the terms ACand DC voltage and / or current; for example on a car batterywhich outputs 12V DC voltage or a household lighting lampwhich needs 230V AC voltage. Yet only very few people canactually realize even that there are differences between AC andDC current, let alone understand the differences themselves.The purpose of this article is to explain the main characteristicsand highlight the differences of AC and DC current, in termsunderstandable by people with very low or without technicalexpertise, along with providing some encyclopedic knowledgeon the subject.

Through daily experience with common householdequipment, many people should have noticed the terms ACand DC voltage and / or current; for example on a car batterywhich outputs 12V DC voltage or a household lighting lampwhich needs 230V AC voltage. Yet only very few people canactually realize even that there are differences between AC andDC current, let alone understand the differences themselves.The purpose of this article is to explain the main characteristicsand highlight the differences of AC and DC current, in termsunderstandable by people with very low or without technicalexpertise, along with providing some encyclopedic knowledgeon the subject.

The Daily VR-Zone NewsSummary - 21 Feb 2011February 21st, 2011

In today's news roundup: MSI's P67-based Big BangMarshal motherboard gets reviewed; Intel has confirmedthat shipment of the silicon-corrected versions of its faultysix-series Cougar Point chipsets have commenced; NECannounces world's thinnest smartphone based off Google'sAndroid operating system; Samsung has unveiled five newlenses for its NX mount; Nintendo's 3DS handheld video gameconsole gets ripped about for a little hardware CSI-ing. and JillValantine from the Resident Evil game series shows off somespiffy-looking combos in Marvel vs Capcom 3.

Hardware News:

Lamptron FC-8 Fan Controller Review @ Legit ReviewsDescription: Lamptron is a company that only a handful ofconsumers may be familiar with at the time of writing this;as they are a brand new company to the enthusiast sceneof PC modding & gaming supplies. Lamptron already offersan impressive array of fan controllers with multiple controlinputs. Today we'll be giving the FC-8 a run through an arrayof tests to see if their newest control really performs as goodas it looks. With 30 watts per channel, will the FC-8 be the lastfan controller you need to buy? Read on and we shall find out.

Crucial Ballistix Active Cooling Fan Review at OverclockersOnlineDescription: Crucial’s Ballistix Active Cooling Fan aims to cooldown your memory by eliminating often ignored dead spotsaround your system memory. Easily installed and compatibleall across memory makers the Ballistix Active Cooling Fanmakes a great addition to any system even if low noise isimportant to you.

Sapphire PURE Black P67: beyond the limits of Sandy Bridge(Italian)Description: (Machine translation) Last week we brought youthe review of the motherboard X58 Sapphire Pure Black ,high-performance solution in sight to the preview last CESin Las Vegas and designed the first generation of CPUbased on Core i7 Socket LGA 1366. That product was aturning point for Sapphire same: always inextricably linkedto the combination of AMD-ATI decides to change courseand embrace competition from Intel's home, diversifying itsofferings and to attract the attention of users of high-end orenthusiast.

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InWin Dragon Slayer mATX case Review @XtremeComputingDescription: InWin is not the most well known brand, at leastamongst UK enthusiasts, however with the ambitions andworking ethic that In Win have set out, I am looking forwardto reviewing their latest PC case."

Corsair Dominator GT 2133 CL9 Review @ ocaholicDescription: The Dominator GT series is Corsairs flagship. Assoon as you take a closer look at the specifications you'll seethat they are very serious. Accordingly the DIMMs need only1.5 Volt to operate at 2133 MHz with 9-10-9-27 timings.

MSI Big Bang Marshal P67 Review @ ocaholicDescription: With the Big Bang Marshal, MSI presents itsabsolute high-end motherboard for Intels latest Sandy Bridgeprocessors. Therefore it comes for example with a trulysophisticated power design as well as eight PCI-Express x16slots and numerous other features.

NZXT Phantom Computer Case Review @ TweaknewsDescription: The more I played with the NZXT Phantom, themore I liked it. The white finish with its black accents reallymakes this case stand out from the crowd and the roomyinterior was a joy to work in thanks to the excellent cablemanagement.

Intel Begins to Ship B3 Stepping of 6-Series Core-Logic toMainboard, Notebook MakersDescription: Intel Corp. has initiated shipments of correctversions of its Cougar Point chipset for Sandy Bridgeprocessors. Leading manufacturers of mainboards andnotebooks have reportedly received the B3 stepping of thecore-logic and will be able to install it shortly.

Consumer Electronics and Software News:

Koribo Leira Wireless Keyboard @ TestFreaksDescription: Today for review I’ve got another keyboard fromKoribo called the Leira. It’s a wireless keyboard that featuresa laptop style touchpad and a full set of multi-media keys. It’smade to be used with an HTPC, but you can use it for yourdesktop computer of course, but with an HTPC is where itshines surely. With the Leira you’ve got full control of yourcomputer from a distance and quick access to all of the multi-media functions right at your fingertips.

Apple expected to update MacBook Pro line this weekDescription: Apple's MacBook Pro line is due for a refreshwith all the signs on the magic eight ball that is the Internetpointing to Thursday February 24 as launch day for updatedMacBook Pros with Intel's latest Sandy Bridge processors. Asusual, Apple has been playing its cards close to its corporatechest and hasn't confirmed (or denied) that new MacBookPros are on the immediate horizon, but a couple of listingsof unexplained MacBook Pro part numbers by retailers onlinemay just have let the cat out of the bag before Apple has had achance to announce the new models.

VMWare: Windows 7 Ethernet is Missing @ Computing onDemandDescription: I recently created a VM for Windows 7 andproceeded to waste hours trying to figure out why the Ethernetcontroller was missing from the Device Manager. InstallingVMWare Tools didn't fix the issue, tracking down the correct

Ethernet driver didn't help; other people that created the sameVirtual Machine were not having problems (of course), justme. Fixing the problem is easier than you may think...

Veebeam HD Review @ TestFreaksDescription: Veebeam is a company that I met at last year’sPepcom trade show and they were kind enough to send us asample of their Veebeam HD. This device works by streaminghigh definition video via Wireless USB. Not to be confusedwith AppleTV, GoogleTV or Roku; it’s not so much a mediacenter as a media streamer

Sony's VPL-VW90ES high-end 3D projector is now shippingfor $9999Description: Sony's VPL-VW90ES is now shipping for$9999.99 (including two pairs of active-shutter glasses). TheVPL-VW90ES is Sony's first 3D projector which uses active-shutter glasses (at 240Hz). The projector is a part of Sony'sElevated-Standard (ES) family of high-end products. It usesSilicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRDTM) technology andoffers Full-HD (1080p,24fps), 1000 lumens, and a 150,000:1contrast ratio.

The world’s thinnest smartphone from NEC is only 7.7mmthickDescription: Some pictures of NEC’s upcoming Android phonehave leaked, and boy it is skinny. Some photographs of theNEC Medias recently leaked online, and it lives up to its 7.7mmthickness by being that width all the way from the top to thebottom of the phone instead of just being slim in one area(like the Xperia Arc). The phone will only weigh 105g, havea 4″ (854 x 480) display, pack an 800MHz processor, a 5.1megapixel camera, digital TV tuner and an e-wallet function(NFC). It will run on Android 2.2 (unfortunately) and probablywon’t it’s make over to the US, but we’re keeping our fingerscrossed. Head here for larger images of the NEC Medias.

Samsung unveils five NX-mount lenses for its 2011 roadmapDescription: Samsung today brought out details of five lensesfor the NX swappable lens system found on cameras likethe NX11. The company is catering first to everyday userswith an 18-200mm, f3.5-6.3 long zoom lens to cover mostshooting situations with a single lens. While image stabilized,it won't have a silent autofocus system and is likely targeted atnewcomers who want an all-purpose lens.

Gaming News:

Nintendo 3DS torn apartDescription: The Nintendo 3DS hasn’t even made its way tothe stores yet, but it has already received a tear down, thanksto some folks who managed to get their hands on an earlydevice and posted it up for the world to see. There’s nothingspectacular or impressive about the console’s innards, so Iguess the magic happens when you actually turn it on. TheNintendo 3DS goes on sale in Japan this week, so we’ll befinding out how much of a hit this device will actually be. Headhere to check out more photographs of the 3DS torn apart(unfortunately the original page is down, so you’ll have to viewa Google cached version of the site).

Marvel vs Capcom 3: Jill Valentine Gameplay VideoDescription: Have you been whipping out those inhumanecombos in Marvel vs Capcom 3 ? Looking forward to see some

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Jill Valentine? Her latest gameplay video has been spotted onyoutube

Agarest Senki 2 ReviewDescription: Fantasy RPG games are often accompanied withcute or hot looking girls, regardless if it is 2D or 3D but inAgarest Senki 2, the game woos fans who stay traditional to thevisual novel and generic RPG elements that comes with lovely2D artworks and non-complex visual gameplay.

Spire Releases Juno NotebookCoolerFebruary 21st, 2011

Spire has unveiled the Juno notebook cooler and stand(SP317AP), targeting mobile users who require a portable andefficient thermal solution for their laptops. Measuring 220 x90 x 20mm, the portable cooler has non-slip rubber pads at thetop and bottom, retractable bars (supports laptops/ netbooksup to 15.4"), and is cooled by a 70mm fan. Juno is backed by athree year limited warranty and cost about US$27.99.

SPIRE PRESS RELEASE

Shenzhen, China - Spire Corp today announced the Juno. TheJuno is an ergonomic laptop base stand and cooler, it is theperfect travel companion when often working on the road orat different locations. The Juno is a great product to makeworking on your laptop more comfortable. The gentle slope,made by foldable rubber pads reduce the neck strain andcomfort screen viewing.

The Juno accommodates small mini- and larger 15.4 inchlaptops by extending the side bars. When folded in the totalsize is only 22x9x2cm, easily fitting your laptop or carryonbag. Equipped with a 7cm cooling fan your laptop is silentlycooled whilst working. The Juno is the perfect portable choicefor mobile computing from Spire - Powered by Innovation.

Main Features

• Gentle slope reduces neck strain and improves typingcomfort

• Extended non-slip protective pads on the base and top

• Active cooling by one 70mm silent USB powered fan

• Portable & small, easy on the go and working on the road

• Stylish, lightweight and innovative structure design

• Telescope bars accommodate 7- to 15.4-Inch laptops

• Extends the life of laptops and battery efficiency

• Backed by 3 year limited service warranty

Compatibility

The Juno ergonomic laptop stand and active cooler iscompatible with the smaller mini- and larger wide-screenlaptop series from 7-inch up to the 15.4-inch.

MSRP

USD$27.99/ EURO 22.95

Product Includes

Multilanguage Owners Manual Attached USB cable Warrantyregistration card.

Availability

The Juno laptop base and cooler is now available from ourfactory in Shenzhen, China and from our branch locationsthroughout Europe and the Americas. For more informationor ordering, please contact us utilizing the e-mail Form on ourContact Page, or feel free to give our branch offices a phonecall, we're glad to be at your service.

In-Win Introduces BUC PCEnclosureFebruary 21st, 2011

In-Win Development Inc., manufacturer of various computercases, PSUs and digital storage devices, has announced theBUC. The all-black steel mid-tower PC case has three exterior5.25" drive bays, three EZ-swap tool-free HDD drive bays(accessible via a lockable flap on the side panel), and a front-side I/O panel with USB 2.0/ 3.0 ports, eSATA, and audioconnectors. The BUC, equipped with 120mm fans for cooling,is expected to start shipping soon.

IN-WIN PRESS RELEASE

February 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Build and protect with ease, in the latest In-Win BUC PCchassis

Taiwan - February 2011 - In-Win Development Inc., a leadinginnovator in contemporary PC hardware and multiple winnerof the internationally renowned reddot design award, hastoday launched its new performance PC chassis, the BUC.

The "shield" concept behind the BUC's design is echoed acrossits front panel, while the strong SECC steel construction anda hard-wearing black interior and exterior create a reliable,subtle and high quality case for PC builders.

The BUC's design gem is the clever EZ-swap HDD drive bay,with a lockable door that allows access to three HDD withouthaving to remove the whole side panel. The tool-less, vibrationreducing drive bays complete the package to give a tripleinnovation.

With convenient Super-speed USB 3.0, USB 2.0, audio andeSATA ports on the top of the chassis, users can easily connectheadsets, cameras, cell phones, external hard drives and awealth of other devices with ease.

Finally, three integrated 120mm and several extra fanpositions give it excellent cooling potential for all the latesthardware as well.

With core design innovations and high quality of construction,the In-Win BUC PC chassis is a great choice for PC buildersworldwide.

About In Win

IN WIN Development Inc., an ISO 9001 manufacturer ofprofessional computer chassis, server chassis, power suppliesand storage devices, is the leading provider of enclosuresolutions to system integrators worldwide. Founded in 1986,IN-WIN provides high quality product that conform to allsafety regulations, as well as unsurpassed customer service.Our slogan "Contemporary and Innovative" serves as thefoundation of not only our product development but also ourattitudes in serving and catering to our strategic partner'swishes. We take the "im" out of "impossible"…

JAMBOX, world's firstintelligent wireless speakerand speakerphone, comes toCourts SingaporeFebruary 21st, 2011

February 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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Courts Singapore has introduced Jawbone’s JAMBOX, whichclaims to be world's first intelligent wireless speaker andspeakphone, to Singapore.

It can deliver full spectrum audio, and quickly and easilyconnects with mobile phones, computers, tablets, iPods or anyother Bluetooth device. This allow users to seamlessly streamand share music, movies, games, phone and conference callsanywhere wirelessly.

JAMBOX features two powerful acoustic drivers and ultra-small dome that can produce wide audio spectrum. And withan innovative moving-wall passive bass radiator and airtightenclosure, it aims to deliver shimmering highs and massivelow frequencies. It can be updated with apps, software and newfeatures at Jawbone’s industry-first online platform, MyTALK.

Audio alerts let you know battery life, caller ID, call functionsand more. JAMBOX can also be personalised with voice andlanguage options.

JAMBOX comes in four designs: Blue Wave, Black Diamond,Grey Hex and Red Dot. The full JAMBOX line is availabletoday exclusively at Courts – Megastore, Orchard, Ang Mo Kio,Toa Payoh, Jurong Point and Causeway Point for S$328 (GSTincluded).

Skipping class? Careful, yourschool can track youFebruary 21st, 2011

Most students have skipped class at least once during theirschool term. Not exactly an uncommon thing, but schoolsdo not tolerate such behaviour. With the advancementin technology, some education institutes these days haveimplemented a system making use of GPS to trackdown students who played truant. *image taken fromwww.dailymail.co.uk

According to online reports, Anaheim Union High SchoolDistrict in California has participated in a pilot program whichinvolves using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology,

automated telephone reminders, and one-on-one coaching tocut down on truancy. The program is similar to the onesbeing implemented in Baltimore and San Antonio. Basically,students with over four absence without valid excuse will beput in this program.

Every morning during schooldays, students will get anautomated phone call reminder them that they need to get toschool punctually. Each day, they will need to enter a codethat tracks their locations - when they leave for school, arriveat school, lunch hour, when they leave school and at 8pm. Acoach will also be assigned to these students who will call themthrice a week to see their progress and help them find ways tomake sure they are punctual in schools.

Luckily, this program is only available in some schools in US.Hopefully the schools here do not need to implement suchsystem.

*image taken from www.dailymail.co.uk

ZTE tablet from China getsAndroid 3.0 treatmentFebruary 21st, 2011

Of all the China-brand tablets that we have been covering fornews updates, it would appear that ZTE is one of the few OEMswhich have the potential to make a name for itself in both thedomestic and the global arena. Apparently, the Chinese OEMhas just churned out a new tablet that is said to follow the 'high-quality-at-low-cost' trend most Chinese devices are known for.

When it comes to purchasing a portable computing devicesuch as a notebook, smartphone or tablet, most of us wouldonly put our money with a reputable OEM, and for goodreason. After all, devices belonging to be aforementionedcategories are anything but cheap, and more importantly, therole they play in today's digital world means that the word'downtime' is usually not acceptable at any point of time.

Still, it would seem that certain Chinese OEMs are starting tounderstand that there is a potential goldmine to be had out inthe global market instead of merely catering to the domesticmarket. And it would seem that ZTE is next in line to take the

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global market by its horns by introducing a new low-cost tabletwhich it calls the V11.

According to Chinese gadget website Newpad.cn, the ZTE V11is the latest's in the company's line of high-performance, low-cost tablet PCs. Processing power is reportedly provided byan unidentified SoC which features a processor core clockedat 1.2GHz, while backing up the V11's multitasking andstorage capabilities are 512MB of memory and built-in storagecapacities ranging from 8GB to 32GB.

In addition to the aforementioned specifications, Newpad alsoclaims that the V11 comes equipped with dual cameras, whilethe 10-inch touchscreen display sports a native resolutionof 1280 x 800. Last but not least, the V11 will feature thestandard range of wireless connectivity functions such as WiFi,Bluetooth, GPS and support for 4G mobile data connectionsand will come preloaded with the latest version of the Androidoperating system, Honeycomb.

However, it would appear that for a tablet touted to be a'high-performance-low-price' device, ZTE has not revealedhow much users can expect the V11 to be. However, we arequite certain that, given Chinese OEMs' tendency to competeon price, the largest possible pricetag ZTE could attach to theV11 will still be orders of magnitudes below the size of thosecurrently found on competing products from the global, moreestablished OEMs.

IT SHOW 2011 FloorplansFebruary 21st, 2011

Level 4:

Level 6:

Will you name your son ordaughter after popular socialnetwork sites?February 21st, 2011

Finding a good name for your child isn't an easy task. Butwould you go to the extend of naming your son or daughterafter popular social network sites? Well, one Egyptian mandid, and he named his daughter "Facebook".

According to Al-Ahram, one of the popular newspapers inEgypt, an Egyptian man has named his daughter "Facebook"Jamal Ibrahim, from the translation. He did so as a tribute tothe social network site in organizing protests in Tahrir Square,and verthrow Egyptian dictator Muhammad Hosni SayyidMubarak. "Facebook" has received many gifts from youthswho were overjoyed by her arrival.

While it isn't unusual for parents (mostly Asians and evenAfricans) to name their kids after memorable events, it issurely a first in this case to name after a popular social networkwebsite. Would you name your child Twitter or Myspace?

Microsoft vs Google: It's a'social' affairFebruary 21st, 2011

In the next round of the highly-anticipated battle betweenMicrosoft and Google, it appears that both IT giants will be

February 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

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taking the fight over to where it really counts: the social mediafield. And with Google already having drawn first blood withan update to its social search, what does Microsoft have up itssleeves to take the thunder out of Google's...erm, Google?

Barely five days ago, Google made a little announcementregarding a slight tweak to its current search algorithms. Byall accounts, there were no major changes taking place overat the California search giant's headquarters: all the companydid was to refine its search service a little by mixing. resultsfrom its Social Search service into that of the standard Googlesearch.

Needless to say, Google wanted to make sure that thecombined results did not end up confusing the user. But at thesame time, it did not want to fall back to its previous tacticof having all social-related searches relegated to the bottomof the search page. The eventual decision was to display theresults based on relevance, as shown in the images below.

But once again, one can always count on a little friendlyintervention from the likes of Microsoft to upstage Google'sshow with another formidable offering of its own. Enter thenew Microsoft Bing Bar, which integrates the functionality

of Facebook so tightly within the browser that users canessentially perform all their Facebook-ing from the comfort ofthe Bing Bar without having to move around tabs on MicrosoftInternet Explorer. As IT website eWeek puts it, Bing Bar isalmost like a miniaturized version of the RockMelt browser intoolbar form.

At first glance, it might appear that Google's Social Search andMicrosoft's Bing Bar are offering the same feature: the abilityto integrate social networking features into the conventionalbrowser. However, it is also clear that this is one of the fewcases where Microsoft simply has the better offering forusers: unlike Social Search which merely integrates socialnetworking results into Google search, the Bing Bar takes thisnotion one step further by putting the user in complete controlof Facebook's services from within the toolbar. For example,Microsoft claims that users can receive Facebook feeds, alertsand even comment or 'Like' any update from the comfort ofthe Bing Bar. Needless to say, this feature will be very useful toPC users who feel the need for Facebook-ing on the sly withouthaving to open a new browser tab and getting called out ondoing so during official working hours.

However, that does leave one major question unanswered.With Google's Social Search integration all but soundlytrounced by Microsoft's Bing Bar, what does the search gianthave in store in order to turn the tide around? Well, accordingto eWeek, speculation is rife that this latest step from Googleis but a stepping stone to a much larger ecosystem knowninternally as Google +1, which will see even greater levels ofintegration between typical web content and social networkingcontent.

Of course, that sounds nice and all, but one should also keep inmind that Google +1 is only slated to come into existence laterthis year. And until the Californian search giant can roll out anactual working service that users from all geographic regionsare able to use (Social Search integration is not available hereyet), Microsoft's Bing Bar will probably be the choice for theonline social networker in all of us. That is, if you don't mindinstalling Windows on your Mac, since Bing Bar is an InternetExplorer-only add-on.

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Sony Ericsson 7-inch 4G-capable tablet device spottedFebruary 21st, 2011

Sony Ericsson has previously stated that it will not belaunching a Windows Phone 7 smartphone or tablet devicesanytime soon. However, it looks like the company may havea tablet device in the works, and one such prototype has beenspotted.

Last June, a top executive from Sony Ericsson has expressedthat the company will be focusing on smartphones although itwill also not rule out the possibility of tablet devices. Ever sinceApple has launched the iPad, various manufacturers havejumped onto the tablet bandwagon. But not Sony Ericssonwho stated there won't be a Windows Phone 7 or tablet productat this point in time.

Recently, NieuweMobiel has exposed a Sony Ericssonprototype tablet. From the picture, it looks like the device isabout 7-inch and there is a LTE 4G logo on the bottom left ofthe display. The tablet also sports a 3-megapixel front camerawith three buttons below it, and the speakers are on both sidesof the screen. It may still be a prototype and probably won't belaunched anytime soon.

It is also obvious that this Sony Ericsson tablet is different fromthe recently exposed S1 tablet. We are led to believe that it willrun Android OS.

Sharp 3D Android phonescoming to China this springFebruary 21st, 2011

LG isn't the only phone manufacturer to come up withsmartphones with 3D display which does not require 3Dglasses. Japanese maker, Sharp, has also launched two 3D

smartphones last year - SH-03C and 003SH - and are likely toretail in China this spring.

The Sharp 003SH and SH-03C 3D-capable smartphones,which does not require 3D glasses, has already gone on theshelves in Japan since December. And it looks like the twomodels would be the first 3D smartphones to enter the Chinamarket around Q1 this year.

The 3D technology works regardless of whether you areviewing in portrait or landscape orientation, and you can alsoswitch between 2D and 3D. According to sources, the Nintendo3DS that is scheduled to launch this month in Japan, is alsousing Sharp's 3D technology, which makes use of the nakedeye parallax 3D grid form, to achieve a true 3D experience.

The Sharp 003SH and SH-03C will be preinstalled with thelatest Android mobile operating system, though in Japan, the003SH is running Android 2.2 Froyo while SH-03C is usingAndroid 2.1 Eclair. Aside from displaying images in 3D, bothsmartphones also have built-in 3D-capable cameras to capturevideos and images in 3D. Sharp has also unveiled various appssuch as one that can convert 2D pictures to 3D, and Chineseinput.

Google releases new beta ofChrome 10 with lightning-fastV8 engineFebruary 21st, 2011

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Just how fast does a browser have to be when it comes tointerpreting JavaScript codes and commands from a webpage? Well, it would seem that Google's answer to sucha question will be 'never enough', especially if its Chromebrowser has got anything to do about it. How does a 66% speedincrease over a previous version of the browser sound like toyou?

Google's Chrome might already be the fastest browser in theworld on the desktop and notebook front, but one can besure that the team of developers working under the searchgiant's payroll are not the kind to rest on their laurels. Atleast, not when the competition for browser market share isstarting to heat up with the advent of HTML5, especially withestablished powerhouses like Microsoft, Opera and Mozillakeen to fight for a larger share of the pie with markedlyimproved performance levels and support for both existingand new web standards.

As usual, Google has once again attempted to test the groundsand score a little headstart over the competition by releasing anew beta build of yet another version of the Chrome browserwhich it dubs Chrome 10. However, unlike the current versionof Chrome which was centered around delivering new featuressuch as webGL, Chrome Instant and Chrome Web Store,Chrome 10 is seemingly built around the premise of sheerperformance, with the updated V8 JavaScript engine takingcenterstage of the new beta release.

According to a blog posting made by Jeff Chang, ProductManager and Min Li Chan, Product Marketing Manager, theupdated V8 engine is so fast the browser is now capable ofrendering JavaScript 'as fast as a bunny'. Obviously, the teamwas still in somewhat of a Lunar New Year mood when the postwas made, but the results more than speak for themselves.

In addition to Chrome 10's updated V8 engine sportingperformance gains of up to 66% over the current stablerelease, Chan and Min claim that the beta build of Chrome 10features rudimentary support for GPU-accelerated video thatis supposedly capable of reducing CPU loads by as much as80%. However, no mention about the type of codec the newbrowser would support was made, which leads us to assumethat both Chan and Min had to be referring to either hardware-accelerated WebM or Flash video, since the search giant hadmade the decision to drop H.264 support from the source treein order emphasize the importance of an Internet that does notrely on proprietary codecs.

Last but not least, it would seem that Chrome 10 would receivea slight UI tweak which allows tech-savvy users to directlymodify their browser settings by keying in a specific URLinstead of navigating through a bunch of windows, as shownin the video below:

Unprintable Content (Video, Flash, etc.)

If that sounds good enough to warrant a test run on yourown PC, feel free to head down to this page and hit up thedownload link to retrieve the beta build of the Chrome 10browser. Google has confirmed that all three major operatingsystems are supported in this particular beta release, so gettinga compatible binary for your OS of choice should not bean issue. That being said, the usual disclaimers about betasoftware applies: we are not responsible if your PC seizes upafter installing Chrome 10 Beta.

And don't worry about bugging Google if issues do crop up:this is the company that promised not to be evil, right?

Mac OS X Lion to feature a"Safe Deposit Box"?February 21st, 2011

Not much new features have been known to the public prior tothe expected Summer release of Apple's upcoming OS, Mac OSX Lion. Besides Launchpad, Mac App Store, Mission Controland full-screen enabled apps, what else is installed for us inLion? According to reports, Apple has patented an application.Is that headed for Lion or beyond?

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Simply dubbed as "Safe Deposit Box", it is a new Mac OS Xfeature that might just appear in this summer's release of MacOS X Lion.

Apple's patent is about a safe deposit box for securingimportant user files. In one aspect, when a user drags-and-drops a file representation onto a safe deposit boxicon, the file is secured. In another aspect, when a userselects the safe deposit box icon and verifies his or heridentity, the user could access secured files through asafe deposit box window.

By simply dragging your vital documents into this all-new"Safe Deposit Box", files are automatically encrytped andstored in a hidden place. Original copies of the file will besecurely wiped out and even copied into the cloud for backuppurposes.

One of the key attributes or selling points of Apple'sSafe Deposit Box Application or OS X feature is thatyour digital valuables could be stored "off site" orbeyond the home computer to safeguard your digitalvaluables which could be something like a Will orLiving Will, agreements, life insurance policies, homeinsurance policies, a simple home inventory list orvideo or perhaps something that's really valuable tomost every iTunes fan: a copy of your iTunes Library.

Well, there's no certainty that this will or will not appear inthe next Mac OS. But this is surely something that Apple issimplifying for Mac users.

HTC reveals size of pricetagfor Flyer tabletFebruary 21st, 2011

Remember how we once spoke about OEMs loving to teaseconsumers by intentionally revealing a lot of informationabout an upcoming product, only to withhold the mostimportant parts in order to feed the hype machine? Well,HTC is at it again: after talking about its plans for a tablet andshowing off the HTC Flyer over at Mobile World Congress,the Taiwanese smartphone OEM has finally spilled the beansabout the elusive pricetag its Flyer will come attached withwhen the device is finally released for retail.

With tablets popping up all over the market like popcornkernels in a microwavable popcorn bag, it should probablycome as little surprise that OEMs need to offer more than just apretty shell in order to capture the hearts of consumers. Not tomention that this is especially so when one takes into accountthat the vast majority of tablets on the market today can onlyoffer a limited choice of operating systems for the consumerto choose from.

And while HTC may have gained a huge deal of publicitywith its upcoming HTC Flyer tablet, the fact remains thatconsumers are still in the dark about certain details pertainingto the device. Granted, everybody knows that the Flyer willcome equipped with a seven-inch capacitive touchscreen, asingle-core Snapdragon SoC clocked at 1.5GHz and 32GB ofNAND flash memory, but HTC has yet to reveal just howbadly the Flyer will hurt one's wallet when the tablet is finallyreleased for retail. And the good news is that consumers nolonger have to wait for that information anymore.

According to our sources, the HTC Flyer is expected to retailfor the handsome sum of US$669 (approx S$853), whichmakes it one of the more costlier tablets to enter the marketin 2011. However, we should point out that the large pricetagwas to be expected: after all, HTC had already confirmed in ourprevious article that the Flyer is not going to be an affordabletablet due to various features such as its design, processorand more importantly, the unique stylus which none of thecompetition has yet to offer.

However, it appears that there might be some good news instore for consumers who are planning to get their hands on anew Flyer when it officially reaches our shores. After all, mosttablets are usually sold at a discounted price as part of a datasubscription bundle, so here's hoping that whichever telco that

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manages to secure distribution rights for the device will be ableto offer an attractive pricetag for the entire data bundle.

Largest Apple retail store toopen in Shanghai?February 21st, 2011

If you have been following closely on "Apple retail store"related news, you would have heard about the largest Appleretail store to be located in Manhattan's Grand CentralTerminal in the States. But now, it seems like Apple have settheir eyes on China instead to build the largest Apple store.

According to an article reported by The Wall Street Journal,the Mac makers is continuing its focus in the Far East andplans to open the largest retail outlet in Shanghai.

The company is planning to open a new store - it'sbiggest in China - on Shanghai's famous NanjingRoad, an Apple spokeswoman has confirmed toChina Real Time after news of the plan appeared inThursday's Beijing Youth Daily.

The newspaper reports (in Chinese) that Ron Johnson,the company's senior vice-president of retail, saidthe company is now looking for bigger spaces toaccommodate the crowds that routinely pack itsChina Apple stores, which are visited by more than40,000 people per day?four times the average trafficin their American stores.

If this comes to fruition, this would be Apple's third inShanghai, with another two outlets located in Beijing. Bringinga grand total of five retail stores out of the target of 25retail stores spread across China by 2012. But Apple might beslowing the pace if it shift its focus on quantity to quality.

Well, this is certainly not surprising if Apple's China retailefforts ranks as the company's top performer worldwide interms of human traffic and product sales.

Apple has opened its first Shanghai store last year in Pudongdistrict. A second Shanghai store will be opened in Hong KongPlaza in September this year.

Apple to adopt Light Peaksoon?February 21st, 2011

Various hardware vendors have already adopted USB 3.0as the choice for the next-generation high speed connection.Nowadays, USB 3.0 peripherals and computers have startedpopping up but Apple has yet to adapt it? A report is nowpointing that Apple will adopt Light Peak instead of USB 3.0for its products "in the near future".

According to reports by CNet, Apple is set and expected toannounce a "new high-speed connection technology" soon.Apple is speculated to rebrand Intel's Light Peak and useanother name for it.

Apple is expected to adopt this Intel technology in thenear future--but likely use a name other than LightPeak, a source familiar with this aspect of Apple'splans said. Intel has said in the past that the firstproducts using Light Peak should appear in the firsthalf of 2011.

While USB 3.0 is considered fast in today's pace, Light Peak issignificantly faster. So why would Apple adopt USB 3.0 now ifLight Peak is going to debut soon enough?

We are expecting Sandy Bridge processors to make anappearance in the upcoming MacBook Pros and reports pointthat there would be additional enhancements. Light Peak?Hmmmmm...

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GIGABYTE GA-X58A-OCOverclocking FeaturesPreviewFebruary 21st, 2011

The folks at GIGABYTE have released a set of picturesshowcasing their upcoming Intel X58 Express chipset-basedoverclocking motherboard, the GA-X58A-OC. There are quitea number of cool features on the board, so we shall take a quicklook at them. Join us!

It appears that both GIGABYTE and us at VR-Zone.com sharethe same thought: the Intel X58 Express platform is farfrom dead. During a period where Intel's new 'Sandy Bridge'seemingly rules the roost, the motherboard maker is aboutto officially introduce its GA-X58A-OC motherboard, basedon the Intel X58 Express chipset and supporting Intel SocketLGA 1366 processors. A decent Gulftown will have a Corei7-2600K for breakfast, lunch and dinner under the sameextreme overclocking conditions, which is why the 'ageing'platform is still the fastest... at least till the end of this year.

GIGABYTE has released some photos of the new board and weshall take a quick look at its five main overclocking features:

• OC-VRM,

• OC-Touch,

• OC-PEG,

• OC-Cool, and

• OC-Dual BIOS

OC-VRM

The GA-X58A-OC motherboard has dual 8-pin CPU powerconnectors for input up to 720A. A variety of Intersil powermanagement ICs handles power delivery on the new board.PWM frequency can be adjusted to 300KHz, 600KHz and800KHz according to the information we have on hand.

The processor voltage regulation module (VRM) is a 12-phase'dual power' design supporting up to 600A output, while theUncore portion is a 3-phase design, and the memory a 2-phase.

Surface mount POSCAP tantalum capacitors are used as theyare not only reliable, but save space as well. The low heightclearance and added space means enthusiasts no longer needto worry if their larger cooling solutions will be obstructed.In fact, on the GA-X58A-OC, GIGABYTE has completely doneaway with the can-type solid capacitors.

OC-Touch

To make things a little more convenient for overclockers, theGA-X58A-OC has voltage measurement points for:

• VCORE,

• CPU PLL,

• DDR,

• DDR VTT,

• QPI VTT,

• QPI PLL, and

• IOH

There is also a debug LED that will flash BIOS POST codes.Debug LEDs almost became extinct the past few years, beforemaking a return starting with higher end Intel P67 Expressmotherboards.

The red power switch is um, self-explanatory I guess...

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The '4G' button will help 'newbies to reach 4GHz'. Man, whata way to put it in the material! Anyway, this button will simplytell the motherboard to automatically overclock the processorto 4GHz on the next boot.

Overclockers can then use the two sets of buttons to adjustCPU ratio (the set on the left) and BCLK (the set on the right)on-the-fly. The 'Gear' button changes the adjustment step ofthe BCLK back and forth between 0.3MHz and 1MHz.

Lenovo ThinkPad T420 withCore i5-2540M pictured in thewildFebruary 21st, 2011

With the launch of Intel's dual-core 'Sandy Bridge' mobileprocessors imminent, VR-Zone.com has already pictured aCore i5-2540M Processor touting Lenovo ThinkPad T420. TheT420 is the successor to the popular T410, although the newlaptop has not been introduced officially so far.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T420 looks very much like its outgoingpredecessor, the T410. However, one noticeable difference isthe display's aspect ratio. Lenovo has dropped the 16:10 14-inch screen in favor of a more common 16:9 one.

The fingerprint reader, originally beside the touchpad, hasbeen shifted down to the right corner. There are also minorfinishing differences such as the position of rubber bumpers.

This particular T420 appears to be a watered-down version,equipped with a dual-core Intel Core i5-2540M Processorwhich runs at a frequency of 2.6GHz. The native screenresolution on this unit also appears to be lower at 1366 x 768.

The display is driven by the integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000controller as there is no discrete graphics solution onboard.The laptop also sports an Intel 82567LM GbE PHY; thisintegrated solution has been used starting from the IntelCentrino 2 platform. Lastly, wireless is handled by a new IntelCentrino Advanced-N 6205 WLAN card.

RaidSonic IntroducesIB-172SK-B 2-Bay HDD MobileRackFebruary 21st, 2011

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It is a trayless module with support for one 2.5" and 3.5" SATAII HDD/ SSD in a 5.25" bay, and features EasySwap (tool-freeinstallations of any HDD/ SSD). The IB-172SK-B is ideal forusers who require data mobility and transfers data amongstdifferent HDDs/ SSDs regularly.

Transcend Unveils StylishJetFlash 560 USB Flash DriveFebruary 21st, 2011

Transcend Information, Inc. has expanded its line-up of USBflash drives with the addition of the JetFlash 560. Measuring45.2 x 23 x 8.5mm and weighing 7g, the classy flash drivefeatures a retractable USB 2.0 connector and supports datatransfer speeds up to 18Mb/s (read) and 10Mb/s (write).The JetFlash 560, covered by a limited lifetime warranty, isexpected to cost about US$15 (4Gb), US$21 (8Gb), and US$41(16Gb).

TRANSCEND PRESS RELEASE

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a worldwide leaderin storage and multimedia products, today announced thelaunch of its new JetFlash 560 USB flash drive. The newJetFlash 560 features a simple yet exquisite design with easy-to-use retractable USB connector, offering a touch of urbansophistication as well as ultimate convenience.

The JetFlash 560 is the newest member of Transcend’sJetFlash series that boasts an excellent combination of style

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and performance. Its silver-tone metallic case is embellishedwith a classic checkerboard pattern, which adds a chic urbantouch to an otherwise dull portable storage device. Thanks toits use of ultrasonic welding technology, the sleek and trendyJetFlash 560 USB flash drive is rugged enough to withstand afew bumps and falls.

In addition to its eye-catching exterior design, the JetFlash560 also features a handy push-out USB connector. With asimple flick of the thumb, users can effortlessly extend andretract the connector for easy one-handed operation. Suchretractable design not only keeps dust and debris out of thedrive, but also ensures there is no cap to misplace or lose.

The entire JetFlash lineup is backed by Transcend`s LimitedLifetime Warranty. For added value, users can freely downloadand install the exclusive JetFlash Elite data management toolsfor better mobile productivity. With the aid of this software,users can easily turn the flash drive into a key to log on towebsite accounts, or temporarily lock a computer to preventunauthorized access.

Offered with three different storage capacities, the JetFlash560 is now available for a suggested price of US$15 for the4GB model, US$21 for the 8GB model, and US$41 for the 16GBmodel.

Apple's iOS SubscriptionPolicies InvestigatedFebruary 21st, 2011

Apple announced its iOS App Store subscription service on the15th of February. Almost immediately, there has been someviolent criticisms from developers regarding the terms of thenew service.

Under the terms, Apple will take a 30 percent share of therevenue. In addition, a "most favored nation" clause states thatsubscription rates offered to iOS app users will have to matchrates offered through external channels.

This basically means that developers who want to tap onApple's dominance over the tablet market and iTunes' globalreach will have to pay a high price and are forbidden frompassing this extra cost over to the consumers.

The Justice Department recently sued a Michigan health-insurance company, alleging that the company used similarclauses to block competitors. Apple is currently underpreliminary investigations by the US Justice Department andFederal Trade Commission, the EU (European Union) is also"closely monitoring the situation".

The day after Apple announced the details of its in-appsubscriptions, Google revealed a competing service called"One Pass" that will take just 10 percent of revenue. If thisyear's Honeycomb lineup proves to be a hit, Apple might justlive to regret offending it's developers when they decide tooffer their wares on Android instead.

Silicon Power AnnouncesVelox V20 SSD SeriesFebruary 21st, 2011

Taipei-based Silicon Power has unleashed the Velox V20series, its latest SSD offering based on the SandForce(SF-1xxx) controller. Measuring 100 x 69.85 x 9.4mmand weighing 70g, the 2.5" SSDs boast a SATA IIIinterface, MLC (multi-level cell) NAND flash memory,TRIM Command, AES-128 encryption, built-in ECC, “Wear-Leveling” technology, shock and vibration resistance, andsupport data transfer speeds up to 285Mb/s (read) and275Mb/s (write). The Velox V20 SSD Series, available in 40Gb,60Gb, 120Gb and 240Gb capacities, are covered by a threeyear warranty and bundled with a 3.5” adapter bracket.

SILICON POWER PRESS RELEASE

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Taipei, Taiwan, February 15, 2011 ~ World leading flashmemory manufacturer Silicon Power today announces thenew Velox V20 series Solid State Drive (SSD). Instantlyboosting PC performances, it uses the latest SandForcecontroller, featuring a maximum read-speed of 285MB/s andwrite-speed of 275MB/s so enthusiasts can sit back and enjoythe speedy transfer rates!

Tremendous Write-Speed Improvement

Silicon Power's V20 SSD uses the latest SandForce controller,it boasts a continuous read / write speed up to 285MB/ 275MBper second, respectively. An actual test using a 40GB V20required only 13 seconds to boot into Windows and open up aprogram. It is the perfect enterprise office PC storage solutionor the ideal boot-up disk in any PC! In addition, V20 SSD alsosupports TRIM Command and Garbage Collection technologyto counter performance drop issues due to long period of useand continuous write actions.

Significantly Extending Lifespan

Using SandForce controller's patented DuraClass technology,it can extend the SSD lifespan up to 5 years! The DuraWritetechnology optimizes the to-be written data to a reserved7% flash memory storage block that acts as an intermediatestation before data are written with an amplification lessthan 1 to their final storage blocks. This vastly reduces theoccurrences of bad sectors and thus extending the lifespan.

Silicon Power Whole New SSD series V20 Gives You the Bestof Both Worlds

Silicon Power's V20 SSD comes with a 3-year warranty anda 2.5inch to 3.5inch adapter bracket for you to install into adesktop PC to boost performances!

*NOTE: Performances may vary due to platform differences

About Silicon Power

Silicon Power Computer & Communications Inc., foundedin 2003 by a group of enthusiastic specialists of flashdata storage industry. Well dedicated in brand image andproduct quality, Silicon Power has been recognized and well

accepted by millions of end-users in more than 100 countries,becomes the world's leading manufacturer of flash memorycards, USB flash drives, card readers, DRAM modules, solidstate disks, and portable hard drives in less than a decade.Headquartered in Taipei, we continuously established variousbranches throughout the world including Netherlands, Japan,Russia, Mainland China and other emerging market. Withsuperior quality and innovative design, our products stood outin several competitions and awarded Taiwan Excellence andCOMPUTEX Design & Innovation Award in 2009 and 2010.Winning trust of global consumers, Silicon Power holds arecord of successive double-digit revenue growth for last sevenyears. For Silicon Power, the product we introduced is not onlya digital storage device but also a real promise to create andpreserve your most valuable memory in every moment.

Enermax DeButs New Coolerand Fans at Cebit 2011February 21st, 2011

Enermax is ready to introduce its new T.B.Silence fans andhigh-end CPU cooler at Cebit 2011 in Hannover this March.

Enermax is ready to introduce its new T.B.Silence fansand high-end CPU cooler at Cebit 2011 in Hannover thisMarch. The new fans have a 4-pin connector that allows bothautomatic and manual speed control whilst the new cooler hasthree copper heatpipes and boasts a "Vortex Generator Flow"design. The cooler is equipped with two Twister fans to providehigh airflow at relatively low noise levels and will be availablein six variants.

News via [Softpedia]

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Jetstar Airways to offer in-flight iPad rentalsFebruary 21st, 2011

Perhaps the first of its kind around the world, Australia'sJetstar Airways is going to offer in-flight iPad rentals on everyaircraft in its fleet starting as early as April. And you canexperience all of the fun that Apple's tablet can offer on-boardfor a mere AUD$10.

Back in June 2010, Qantas Airways' low-cost airline Jetstarhas been trialing the concept of in-flight rentals of Apple'siPad. Pre-loaded with movies, music, magazines, books, andgames, the rental program was suppose to launch at the endof last year, just in time for the holiday season. But due tocontract negotiations and pending licensing agreements withApple, they weren't able to get it ready in time.

With some airlines already offering integration between iPodsand in-flight entertainment systems and iPads being used aselectronic flight bags for pilots, you can say that the sky isn'tthe limit for Apple.

Five new MacBook Pro modelsto arrive next week?February 21st, 2011

A new series of claims have surfaced and continues to pointto tightening supplies of the current-generation MacBook Proline. The latest rumour is that the upcoming refresh of Apple'sMacBook Pro line could arrive as early as late next week.

According to the first report, Italian rumour site iSpazio claimsthat it has recieved notification from an Apple employee thatApple is preparing to release five new MacBook Pro models.In specific, the model numbers are MC720, MC721, MC723,MC724, and MC725. These five models will span across allthree current MacBook Pro sizes of 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch.

Currently, Apple offers six standard configurations of theMacBook Pro. It seems likely that Apple will drop a standardconfiguration from one of the 15-inch models if they were toever drop to offer five models.

Another Italian site, Slide to Mac, reports that Apple's newmodels of MacBook Pro will arrive either on Thursday orFriday next week, and that the update is not merely just a specbump of the existing offerings.

Apple Bitch, on the other hands, reports on the tighteningof supplies of MacBook Pro over the last month and it hasaffected Apple's own retail distribution points around Asia.

Apparently websites for Apple Stores in several Asiancountries have been updated today to reflect longershipping times for the MacBook Pro. For example, theMalaysian Apple Store updated its website today toshow that shipping times for the 13 inch MacBookPro have slipped from 24 hours to 1-5 days. This isalso reflected in other countries such as Hong Kong,Vietnam and Taiwan.

It is interesting to note that even though neighbouringcountries reflect a delay in shipping date for any MacBook Pro,Singapore still shows "Today" for shipping.

NYTimes: "Apple is notcurrently developing a smalleriPhone"February 21st, 2011

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Contrary to reports published by Bloomberg and The WallStreet Journal, The New York Times published a report thatclaims that Apple is not planning to launch a smaller iPhone.However, they did report that Apple is planning on launchinga cheaper iPhone.

In a conflicting report to the other various published reports,The New York Times has confirmed via their sources thatApple is indeed not working on a smaller version of the iPhone(or N97, iPhone Nano) as well as integrating voice commands.

But contrary to published reports, Apple is notcurrently developing a smaller iPhone, accordingto people briefed on Apple's plans who requestedanonymity because the plans are confidential.

That said, the next-generation iPhone is "likely to be similarin size" to the current iPhone. Which make sense asincorporating a smaller screen would require app developersto rewrite their Apps to fit to the new resolution.

The New York Times' piece, however, did conform to some ofthe details spelled out by The Wall Street Journal's report. Inspecific, Apple is working on improving its' voice commandsystem to allow easier navigation with the iPhone

Apple is also working on changing some of the internalcomponents to reduce costs to possibly sell versions of theiPhone at a cheaper price.

"Although the innards of the phone, including memorysize or camera quality, could change to offer a lessexpensive model, the size of the device would notvary," said the person, who has worked on multipleversions of the device.

Reports on MobileMe seems to be on par with the others, citingthat MobileMe will be available for free and allow users towirelessly access their photos and other media files online.

Apple iPhone 4 awarded "BestMobile Device" at MWCFebruary 21st, 2011

You can say that the Mobile World Congress isn't one ofApple's territory; arguably more of an Android-centric affairthis year. But despite the lack of appearance of the iPhonemakers, the company was awarded the award "Best MobileDevice" for the iPhone 4.

According to the judges of the panel, the iPhone 4 has a "greatscreen, sharp design, fantastic materials, and phenomenalecosystem for app developers. In a tight race, the iPhone 4built on the success of its predecessors to set the pace for smartphones.”

However, despite creating the "Best Mobile Device", Applestill lost to HTC as they were awarded "Device Manufacturerof the Year." What mounts up to HTC's win includes "greatcommunication and good customer service" admist "a strongportfolio of devices across many platforms."

Check out other awards here.

The Daily VR-Zone NewsSummary - 18 Feb 2011February 21st, 2011

In today's news roundup: The 'Wintel' dominance appearsto be on extremely shaky ground now that tablets are fastreplacing traditional PCs and netbooks as the preferredcomputing platform; TSMC is reportedly taking action tofurther ramp up wafer production capabilities at its fabricationplants to meet the growing demand; Sony launches a newpremium line of OLED television sets, and... ... starts crackingdown on users who have 'jailbroken' their PlayStation 3consoles by landing the banhammer on the first group ofoffenders

Hardware News:

Kingston DT Ultimate 3.0 32GB Review - XSReviewsDescription: Kingston have long been known for producinghigh quality memory products, from laptop/desktop memoryto flash drives and SSDs. What we have today falls into

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the flash drive category. It's a 32GB USB 3.0 version of theDataTraveler series, the DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0. Availablein 16, 32 and 64GB versions and boasting some pretty quickread/write speeds it certainly looks impressive but how doesit really do? Let's take a look.

Inno3D GTX570 1.25GB Review @ VortezDescription: The GTX570 appears to be an amalgamation ofseveral graphics cards in one on first impressions. Firstly, itfeatures the tweaked GF110 core found in the GTX580. Likethe GTX480, it has one stream multiprocessor disabled for atotal of 480 CUDA cores and 60 texture units. And lastly, itsports the same memory bus and memory/ROP count of theGTX470, the latter feature being intrinsically to the memory.

Now is the Wintel of Intel’s discontentDescription: Netbooks are just so passé nowadays, don’t youthink? Every vendor in the world has decided that after thesuccess of the Apple iPad, they’ve just got to have a tablet.

Lian Li PC-V354 Review @ ocaholicDescription: With the PC-V354 Lian Li has a m-ATX case init's portfolio which should offer a lot of space for hardware forsuch a compact enclosure. Especially regarding the hard drivesLian Li seems to have made its homework. Of course, like withall Lian Li cases the timeless design alone would be reasonenough to wirte an entire review.

SilverStone Strider Gold 750W Power Supply Review @OCIA.netDescription: The 750W Strider Gold has many of the samespecifications as the 750W Strider Plus (Silver) such as a 750Wcontinuous rating at 40°C, all modular cables, single +12V rail,19dBA 135mm variable speed fan, 2200uF capacitors on thePCI-E cables and all the same protection features. How the750W Strider Gold differs from the 750W Strider Plus, asidefrom the name, is primarily in its greater efficiency.

Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold 1000 Watt Modular PowerSupply ReviewDescription: Cooler Master already showed in our previousreviews, that they manufacture excellent power supply unitsand their Silent Pro Gold 1000W power supply underlinesthis impressively. The results are so impressive, that theCooler Master Silent Pro Gold 1000W received the ocinside.deOverClocking Dream 02/2011 award. In the review wewill examine, among other things, how high the currentconsumption is with this enormously high power of 1KW andif it is worth to buy such a PSU.

TSMC to ramp capacity at Fab 14, hire new staffDescription: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company(TSMC) is currently equipping 12-inch tools at its Fab 14,Phase 4 facility located at the Southern Taiwan SciencePark (STSP). Designed monthly capacity is 40,000 wafers,according to the company.

Consumer Electronics and Software News:

PI Manufacturing Digital Indoor, Outdoor ATSC Antenna @TestFreaksDescription: One of the great things about society is free stuff,all of the free stuff that’s out there for anyone to have anytimethey want. One of the great free things is TV, it’s just out therefor anyone to grab right out of the air. For many years that’s

what I did, my kids were young and they didn’t care too muchabout TV, but as they got older they needed more, and honestlyI missed it. I tried a few different antennas with mixed results.Today for review I’ve got an over the antenna that can be usedindoors and outdoors, it’s small and from what I’ve learned itworks well.

Sony launches 25-inch OLED TVDescription: Sony has announced its new Trimaster ELseries of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) monitorsfor professional applications, such as video production orbroadcasting rooms. What is interesting about the newmonitors is that the top model, the Trimaster BVME 250, hasa nearly 25-inch panel - 24 5/8 inches, to be precise, or, inmetric terms, 623.4 mm. This makes it the biggest OLED panelcurrently in production. In addition, the newest twins alsooffer 1920x1080 pixel formats, or full HD resolution.

Google Search Finally Going Fully Social With Shared TwitterLinks And Even Quora DataDescription: At least a couple times a week we get tipped aboutGoogle testing a new “social search” feature. The truth is thatthe “social circle” results that everyone is pointing to havebeen in place since 2009. But Google clearly didn’t think toomuch of them and shoved them all the way down at the bottomof the results page. I’m not sure I’ve ever clicked on a linkserved up there. But this social aspect is about to get a lot moreinteresting starting today.

Some Nokia N8 and C7 phones have defective AMOLEDscreens?Description: It seems that some Nokia N8 and C7 AMOLEDdisplays are defective. The most common complaint (there areseveral actually) is that the screen has a purple tint in darkerareas. It's not clear yet whether this is a software or a hardwareissue. It is speculated that Nokia uses two kinds of displays -although it's unlikely as all AMOLEDs are made by Samsung.

Smartphone Buying Guide: First Half of 2011Description: To help you navigate through the sea of newsmartphones getting released week in and week out we've puttogether a selection with what we consider are the hottestdevices out there. They are listed alongside their respectivespecs, price, and features from newest to oldest. Many deviceslisted here are not yet available but will be in a relativelyshort timespan. We hope this will help you narrow down yourpurchase, and as usual your feedback is always welcome.

Cooler Master Storm Spawn: The Red-Black Fury @InsideHWDescription: As evident from the title, Cooler Master’sStorm Spawn comes in a combination of red and blackcolour. The scroll wheel and all buttons are matted black;according to Cooler Master, Omron microswitches were usedto manufacture these, which guarantees at least five millionclicks - a mind-boggling piece of information, sufficient onits own to make you want to buy this mouse. The rest of themouse’s upper body is coloured glossy red, which really has aneffect on the overall visual impact…

Koribo Mini Keyboard @ TestFreaksDescription: Keyboards are an integral part of our life and theycome in many shapes and sizes and some have specializeduses. A little bit ago I was contacted by a new company and

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they asked me to review a few of their products, specificallywireless keyboards. Today for review I have a small and uniquelittle keyboard from Koribo just called the Mini. It very muchreminds me of a gamepad, it has a full keyboard, many specialkeys, a joystick for controlling the cursor and a touch sensitiveslider for scrolling. It uses two AA batteries that are supposedto give you about three months of use. This little keyboard isperfect for an HTPC setup surely or just anytime you mightneed a little wireless keyboard.

Gaming News:

Valkyria Chronicles 3 To Come With Extra EpisodesDescription: DLC missions and episodes are heading towardsValkyria Chronicles 3 as Sega plans to release them online.Extra episodes cost 600 yen while missions are just 200 yen.Episode one “The Restless” comes out on February 24, whichfollows the squad leader of “Nameless”. Sega plans to releasethe extra mission a week later on March 3.

PS3 hacker bans beginDescription: Sony is apparently already dropping thebanhammer on PS3 jailbreakers and pirates in Europe and theUS.

Corsair Launches EnthusiastSeries TX V2 PSUFebruary 21st, 2011

Corsair has announced the Enthusiast Series TX V2 PSUs,targeting gamers and enthusiasts. Available in 650W, 750Wand 850W capacities, the non-modular 80 PLUS Bronzecertified PSUs boast a single 12V rail, Japanese capacitors,active PFC, an updated DC-to-DC converter design (for tightervoltage regulation), and are equipped with a 140mm doubleball-bearing fan for cooling. The Enthusiast Series TX V2PSUs, covered by a five year warranty, are expected to ship atprices of US$99 (TX650 V2), US$119 (TX750 V2) and US$139 (TX850 V2).

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market,today announced the Enthusiast Series TX V2 power supplies.The Enthusiast Series TX V2 is the successor to the award-winning Enthusiast Series TX power supplies, which havewon dozens of awards worldwide and received widespreadcritical and customer acclaim. The TX V2 PSUs offerimproved energy efficiency, with 80 PLUS Bronze certificationand European Commission Energy-Related Product (ErP)directive compliance.

The improved efficiency results in lower noise levels thanthe original TX PSUs under typical usage conditions, anda new DC-to-DC converter design provides tighter voltageregulation, with measurably lower ripple and noise. Featurescarried over from the acclaimed TX PSUs include the use

of Japanese capacitors, enthusiast-grade performance, and acomprehensive fixed cable set that accomodates tall PC chassisand multiple-GPU installations.

“For years, the Enthusiast Series TX PSUs have been a favoriteof gamers, high-performance PC enthusiasts, and anybodywho requires reliable, low-noise power delivery,” said RubenMookerjee, VP and General Manager for Components atCorsair. “The new TX V2 power supplies are quieter and evenmore energy efficient, while providing the same legendaryreliability, flexibility, and value that customers have lovedabout the original TX PSUs.”

Corsair Enthusiast Series TX V2 power supplies are nowavailable from Corsair-authorized retailers in the Americasand Europe, and will be available in Asia in March. The TX850V2 is available for a US suggested retail price of $139 USD.The TX750 V2 is available for $119 USD, and the TX650 V2is available for $99 USD. For more information on CorsairEnthusiast Series PSUs, please visit the Corsair website.

Hands on with Asus' Eee Padsat MWCFebruary 21st, 2011

We got a chance to spend a few minutes playing around witha couple of prototypes of Asus' Eee Pads at the Mobile WorldCongress and although it was clear that these models werefar from production ready units, Asus will have somethingon offer that none of its competitors currently has. The bigselling point of both the Eee Pad Transformer and the EeePad Slider is the fact that they have near full size QWERTYkeyboards which makes them productivity devices and not justconsumption devices.

We got a chance to spend a few minutes playing around witha couple of prototypes of Asus' Eee Pads at the Mobile WorldCongress and although it was clear that these models werefar from production ready units, Asus will have somethingon offer that none of its competitors currently has. The bigselling point of both the Eee Pad Transformer and the EeePad Slider is the fact that they have near full size QWERTYkeyboards which makes them productivity devices and not justconsumption devices.

In as much as we don't believe that Android will replace full-fat OSes any day soon, being able to use a tablet for propertyping without having to carry a Bluetooth keyboard aroundwith you is a boon to us. That said, in the case of the Eee PadTransformer, you can of course decide to leave the keyboardat home and just take the tablet part with you. The obviousadvantage here is that Asus offers a battery pack that fits inside

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the keyboard half and which we were told will extend thebattery life to about 15h.

The Eee Pad Transformer also has the largest keyboard of thetwo and we'd say it's on par with the best netbooks out there,even in this early hardware state and hopefully Asus will beable to further improve upon it. As for the hardware, well, wedon't have a ton of details to add to what's already known,but both the Eee Pad Transformer and Slider are powered byNvidia's Tegra 250 SoC. Asus' own UI on top of Android willbe used on all of the models and Asus said that it will be usingthe same UI on future Android smartphones as well.

Sadly the two Eee Pad Slider units on the show that we sawwere not fully operational as the first one wouldn't switch onand the second one seemed to have a broken touch screen, soit was impossible to unlock the screen. That said, the keyboardsliding mechanism might be a concern here as well, at leastin its current state as it was near enough impossible to openthe keyboard on one of the units. The keyboard itself is smallerthan on the Eee Pad Transformer, but still perfectly usable.

The third and final Android tablet is the Eee Pad MeMO, butsadly Asus didn't have a working unit on display. This is alsothe model that is expected to launch last of the three models.The Eee Pad Transformer is expected to arrive sometime inApril with the Eee Pad Slider set to follow in May. For thosethat can't wait until then, Asus should be unveiling it's 12-inchvEee Slate EP121 with a ULV Core i3 processor within the nextmonth or so, although this is a Windows 7 tablet/notebookrather than a low power ARM based Android tablet.

Sharkoon Releases DriveLinkUSB 3.0February 21st, 2011

Sharkoon has announced the DriveLink USB 3.0, a niftycontraption designed to connect any SATA devices to your PCvia an USB 3.0 interface.

Sharkoon has announced the DriveLink USB 3.0, a niftycontraption designed to connect any SATA devices to your PCvia an USB 3.0 interface.

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Measuring 58 x 56 x 21mm and weighing 54g, the compactadapter is powered by a 12V adapter, supports all 5.25"/ 3.5"/2.5" SATA HDD/ SSD (up to 2TB) and optical drives. It alsohas a OTB (one-touch-backup) button for easy data backupand a status/ transfer LED. The DriveLink USB 3.0 can bepurchased from authorised resellers in Europe at a MSRP of€21.

News via [Guru3D]

NTT Docomo shows off 3Ddisplay Android phone at MWCFebruary 21st, 2011

Japanese NTT Docomo was demoing some of its rather uniquephones at the Mobile World Congress and one of the moreinteresting devices that was on display was the Sharp Lynx3D SH-03C which features a 3.8-inch 800x480 pixel glassesfree 3D display. This Android handset is exclusive to NTTDocomo and was developed specifically for the operator bySharp, one of many partners that develop unique phones forNTT Docomo.

Japanese NTT Docomo was demoing some of its rather uniquephones at the Mobile World Congress and one of the moreinteresting devices that was on display was the Sharp Lynx3D SH-03C which features a 3.8-inch 800x480 pixel glassesfree 3D display. This Android handset is exclusive to NTTDocomo and was developed specifically for the operator bySharp, one of many partners that develop unique phones forNTT Docomo.

Normally we'd say 3D screens are just gimmicky, but theone of the Lynx looked pretty decent, although sadly it wasimpossible to recreate the depth of view that the screen offeredin our pictures of the handset. That said, this is one of the mostpromising 3D screen handsets we've seen to date and the twodemos that were running clearly benefited to a degree from the3D screen. It's unlikely that 3D displays will take off any timesoon, as the displays still suffer from limited viewing anglesand bright light doesn't seem to help with the 3D effect either.

Other features of the handset includes a 9.6Megapixel CCDcamera that also records HD video, a “mobile wallet” orin other words an NFC sensor that allows for payments bytouching your phone on a payment terminal, a one-seg TV-tuner (a solution unique to Japan) and interestingly enougheven an infrared transmitter, something we thought was adead technology by not as far as data transfers were concerned,but apparently not in Japan.

Some other peculiar handsets that were on display includethese cookie and chocolate bar flip phones, also from Sharpand oddly named the Q-pot. Feature wise they're nothingreally special apart from the high resolution 854x480 pixel3.2-inch displays they sport and the fact that they're waterproof.

Next we have a Lumix model from Panasonic which sports a13.2Megapixel CMOS camera with a 27mm wide angle lensand an F2.8 aperture, which is pretty impressive for a phonecamera. It too has an 854x480 resolution screen, although atiny fraction larger at 3.3-inches this time around.

The fourth and final model is from Toshiba and it's yet anotherAndroid powered smartphone, although this one featuresToshiba's Regza TV technology for the screen and it evencomes with a desktop dock so you can show off th 4-inch854x480 screen to your friends. Interestingly this handset isalso water proof and it was demoed by having water runningover a unit inside a small box at the booth. The screen did lookvery sharp; although we're not sure it's the best phone screenwe've ever seen.

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A representative for NTT Docomo we talked to said thatPanasonic is looking at launching phones outside of Japanlater this year, although as to what models we can expectis anyone's guess. The Japanese handset makers have beenpredominantly sticking to their home market in recent yearswith the exception of Sony Ericsson. However, by the soundof things, this might slowly be changing, but the question is ifthere's enough space in the market for someone like Panasonicunless they offer something truly unique in the market.

Prolimatech Rolls Out GenesisCPU-CoolerFebruary 21st, 2011

Taipei based cooling specialist, Prolimatech, is preparing toshowcase the Genesis - its latest high-end CPU cooler, atCeBIT 2011. Measuring 146 X 216.5 X 160mm and weighing800g, the massive cooler boasts six 6mm heatpipes, twoaluminum heatsinks, and supports up to three 140mm/120mm spinners. Its low height and two heatsinks allow "highclearance for better motherboard compatibility" and coolingfor both MOSFET and RAM. The Genesis, compatible withall Intel LGA 775/ 1366/ 1156/ 1155 and AMD AM2/ 2+/ 3processors, cost €59.90 and comes bundled with a tube of PK-1thermal compound.

PROLIMATECH PRESS RELEASE

Prolimatech, the master of cooling is going a step furtherafter the success of the Prolimatech Megahalems by presentinganother revolution in CPU cooling with the ProlimatechGenesis. Besides the immaculate quality - which is presentacross their entire product line-up - the Genesis sets newstandards in cooling capability. Prolimatech continues thetrend set forth by the Megahalems and Super Mega by utilizingtwo separate towers, but instead of placing them next to eachother, they have been rearranged for maximum performance.The large array of cooling fins can hold up to three 120 or 140mm fans, two of which can be installed right out of the box withthe included mounting materials. Besides keeping the CPUcool, the construction allows for direct air flow across criticalareas like the memory and power phases of the system.

Due to the innovative construction, Prolimatech manages toraise the bar and cool down the CPU even more. Adding to theexcellent performance, Prolimatech has included additionalblack mounting screws to add further contact pressure, whichtranslates into even lower operational temperatures. The useof these screws is intended for experienced users, which aim

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to get the most out of the cooling solution, as the pressuresurpasses the Intel specifications. Overclockers will be happyto hear that Prolimatech continues the trend and allows forcomplete choice of fans, as none are supplied with the cooler.This enables every user, regardless of their preferences orneeds, to select the right models to equip the Genesis. Evenwhen only using a single 120 or 140 mm fan, the Genesismanages to cool the CPU and keep the noise level at aminimum. To make the selection as easy as possible, Casekingoffers various Genesis bundles with specific fans and setpricing.

The Prolimatech Genesis also features broad compatibility asit ships with an AMD mounting kit intended for all modernsockets like AM2, AM2+ and AM3. Intel users will also be ableto mount the cooler with the included kit for Socket 775, 1155,1156 and 1366. To enable the most efficient transfer of heatbetween the CPU and Genesis cooler, Prolimatech suppliestheir high-performance PK-1 thermal paste, while a sturdybackplate guarantees a stable hold, taking the strain off themainboard and socket.

The Prolimatech Genesis CPU cooler will be available fromMarch 4th 2011 for59.90 Euro at www.caseking.de andis available for pre-order immediately. Additional bundlesconsisting of the Genesis and two 120 or 140 mm fans start at64.90 Euro. An list of coolers can be viewed on here. A videopresentation of the Prolimatech Genesis is also available onCaseking.tv.

Shuttle Unveils Sandy Bridge-based Mini-PCsFebruary 21st, 2011

Shuttle has released the XPC Barebone SH67H3 and SH67H7,supporting Intel's new 32 nm-technology processors (Intel'ssecond-generation Core processor). They feature a H67motherboard, offering four DDR3 memory slots (up to 16GbRAM), one 5.25" and two 3.5" drive bays, one PCIe 2.0 x16slot (for graphic accelerator), one PCIe 2.0 x1 (for expansioncards), four SATA II/ III connectors, four USB 3.0 ports,Gigabit Ethernet, a mini-PCIe port, DVI and HDMI outputs,and a 300W PSU.

SHUTTLE PRESS RELEASE

Shuttle Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of multi-form-factor solutions such as the world-famous XPC Mini-PC Barebones, showcases two models for Intel's new 32 nm-technology processor generation (code name: Sandy Bridge)at CeBIT 2011.

Shuttle, as the Mini-PC pioneer, is set to launch the XPCBarebone SH67H3 and SH67H7 at the end of March 2011.Both are based on the Intel H67 Express chipset and boastextremely impressive technical features to support all IntelCore 2nd generation i3, i5 and i7 processors with LGA1155.There are four DIMM slots that enable DDR3 memory supportwith a maximum capacity of 16 GB.

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Furthermore, these Mini-PCs are able to accommodate two3.5" drives and one 5.35" drive with the motherboard offering2x SATA 6 Gbit/s and 2x SATA 3 Gbit/s. Additional drives canbe connected externally via eSATA or via an array of USB ports.On the front and rear of the SH67H3 and SH67H7 modelsthere are for the first time 4x USB 3.0 and 4x USB 2.0 ports aswell as 2x eSATA/USB combo ports. A Gigabit-LAN interfaceis also provided for fast network access and data transfer.

All second-generation Intel Core processors have a built-in graphics function. At the rear of both SH67 models aretwo digital monitor outputs. With both HDMI and DVI-I connections, the user can run two monitors and enjoyseamless playback of HD content. The Mini-PCs deliver audiosignals via S/PDIF or HDMI.

Additional graphics performance is provided by the PCI-Express 2.0 x16 port which is compatible with the latest dual-slot graphics cards. If a single-slot graphics card is used, onePCI-Express 2.0 x1 port is then available for expansion cards.The third expansion option is the Mini-PCIe port, which canbe used for various applications, e.g. a WLAN module.

A 300 W, 80-PLUS-certified power supply unit ensures thecompact PC is able to deliver high performance. The overallsystem is cooled by means of a heatpipe with a large speed-regulated fan.

The SH67H3 and SH67H7 are available through majorretailers and e-tailers at MSRPs of €239 and €251 respectivelycome end March.

EKL Debuts Alpenfohn Peterhigh-end VGA cooler at CeBIT2011February 21st, 2011

German based EKL will be introducing its Alpenföhn Peterhigh-performance VGA cooler at CeBIT 2011 this comingMarch.

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Featuring six copper heatpipes and 91 aluminum fins, thenickel plated behemoth is able to support two 140mm (orfour 120mm) fans through a "PCI bracket with a rail fasteningsystem". The Alpenföhn Peter is compatible with all RadeonX1600, X1900, HD 2600, HD 3000, HD 4800, HD 5600, HD5700, HD 6800 series and Nvidia 6600, 7, 8, 9600, 9800, 200,GTX 470, GTX 480 and GTX 580 graphic cards.

Sony reportedly "earnest" inpreparing a PlayStation tabletPC...with Android, of courseFebruary 21st, 2011

How does the idea of being able to game away on your favouritegame titles for the Sony PlayStation console from the luxury ofa tablet PC sound like? Well, don't be surprised, but that daymight actually come a lot sooner than you'd expect. Accordingto various sources, it appears that the Japanese electronicsgiant is well under way in its plans to bring out a new tablet PCfor consumers that will do more than just enjoy the 'standard'media content supported by most competing devices today.

The PlayStation might be Sony's bundle of joy when it comesto video game consoles, but it seems that the Japaneseelectronics giant is starting to see that there are many ways inwhich the PlayStation brand might be able to prove beneficialfor its line of consumer electronic devices. After all, therecent scenario of Sony managing to generate a large deal ofhype over the supposed 'PlayStation Phone' without havingto do anything should be a testament as to how powerful thePlayStation brand really is.

However, it would seem that the Japanese electronics giant isnot about to stand still, especially when it has the infamousdistinction of being one of the few big-name OEMs that hasyet to hop onto the current tablet PC bandwagon. The goodnews though, is that reports from various sources seem toindicate that Sony intends to remedy that situation with anew multimedia tablet that can reportedly do more than justconnect to the Internet and watch movies. And yes, that same

tablet will sport the PlayStation branding that gamers havecome to know and love.

Very few details about the upcoming PlayStation-brandedtablet have been revealed, but what we do know is that thetablet is currently known by its codename of 'S1' from withinSony, and that the company in intending to outsource thedevice's production to Quanta Computer.

In addition, the information that we have managed to gatherseems to indicate that the device will sport the AndroidHoneycomb operating system which Google claims hasbeen specially optimized for larger-than-smartphone displays,while the hardware consists of NVIDIA's Tegra 2 system-on-a-chip, a 9.4-inch display and dual cameras. And of course,the PlayStation branding means that the tablet will be fullycapable of playing games released for the new PlayStationSuite platform.

Last but definitely not least, it seems that Sony does notintend to compete on price with the tablet: it will reportedly bereleased for retail in September this year for US$600.

Google woos Delicious usersFebruary 21st, 2011

Following rumors that Yahoo is trying to offload its popularsocial bookmarking service, Delicious, many opportunisticparties have taken advantage of the chaos and come up withtheir own Delicious boomark importers. Google has joined inthe fray in a bid to market its own Google bookmarks as a safehaven. Read On.

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A few months earlier, Yahoo sent their users scramblingto save their precious collection of bookmarks when aleaked slide classified Delicious, a social bookmarking site, as"Sunsetting". This probably means "selling" in Yahoo-speak,users take that literally as closing down.

While there have been many bookmark migrationofferings from users, Google has stepped in with its Deliciousbookmark migration tool. The search engine giant hopes tomake the switch easier for users and boost its user base withits Google Bookmarks.

Meantime, Yahoo has been unable to find a buyer for itsDelicious site while Google attempts to steal a few bites fromthe cookie. Mmm, delicious.

Monster launches TurbinePearl professional In-EarspeakersFebruary 21st, 2011

Monster has announced the new Turbine Pearl professionalIn-Ear speakers designed for serious audiophile and audioprofessionals. The Monster Turbine Pearl is available now.

Monster has launched its new Turbine Pearl In-Earspeakers in Singapore. The Turbine Pearl claims to deliversuperb quality sound to meet the demands of today's musicprofessionals and audiophile listeners.

Along with Turbine Pearl, the company has also introduced itsnew high performance "SuperTip" eartips that offer superiornoise isolation, while improving the overall performance bypreventing sound leakage. The SuperTip eartips are beingoffered with the Turbine Pearl in two sizes - small and large.For those who love the traditional Monster eartips, three sizesare also included, along with traditional foam tips, and two setsof triple-layered eartips for perfect fit.

The Turbine Pearl comes bundled with an attractive, super softsewn pouch and a matching clip pouch to house the eartips.Monster offers a one-time Lifetime Replacement Guarantee -even if users break the headphones themselves.

Monster Turbine Pearl In-Ear Speakers will be available atHarvey Norman, i Studio, and all Stereo Electronics outlets,and retails at S$339.

No iTunes? No problem: newmusic service offering forAndroid supposedly in theworks for HoneycombFebruary 21st, 2011

Think that a new user interface and built-in support for deviceswith larger display sizes are the only draws that Honeycombhas to offer for the Android lovers out there? Well, it seemsthat Google has got one more ace up its sleeve in ensuring thatthe latest version of its mobile operating system has got whatit takes to go toe-to-toe against the likes of iOS. How does aniTunes-esque music service for Android sound like to you?

Well, that sure took Google long enough. Apparently, in itsquest to wrestle market share over from the likes of iOS, RIM,Symbian and Windows Mobile, the search giant has placedtoo much focus into improving the usability of its Androidoperating system and neglecting a key aspect about suchmobile platform: music. That's right: while Windows Phone7, Symbian and iOS users get services such as Zune, Ovi andiTunes to play with, it would seem odd that Google is the onlyodd player in the group that still does not have its own musicservice for users to sync and purchase audio tracks from.

Fortunately, it appears that someone in Google had finallynoticed the absence of such a service from the Androidecosystem and taken action to silently plug up the hole inGoogle's offering of online services. And of course, all it neededwas a simple slip of the tongue from Motorola's CEO to revealthe fact that Google does indeed have a music service plannedfor a certain future build of Android that a certain tablet willbe making use of.

Speaking at this year's Mobile World Conference held atBarcelona, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha all but gave away thesecret when he talked about the services that the upcomingMotorola Xoom tablet will be able to offer consumers.

"If you look at Google Mobile services [via Android]today, there's a video service, there's a music service– that is, there will be a music service."

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According to Jha, Google's music service for Android will beoperating system-dependant, although he did mention thatthe version of Android Honeycomb that will be pre-installedinto the Motorola Xoom will come with support for the newservice.This would suggest that the new 'Google Music' serviceis likely to form an integral part of the default Honeycomb userexperience when the new operating system is finally releasedfor public consumption.

Unfortunately, this also leaves a key question aboutbackward compatibility about the new 'Google Music' serviceunanswered. While it is no doubt good news that Honeycombmight come bundled with the means to access the new musicservice, one must not forget that there are countless otherAndroid-powered devices in the market today that are stillrunning off older versions of the mobile operating system.And if the 'operating sytem-dependant' part of the servicemeans that older Android builds will never have access toGoogle's upcoming online music service...well, let's just saythat Google's PR team might want to start preparing itself fora very eventful year ahead when Honeycomb launches.