VR-Zone is a leading online technology news publication reporting on bleeding edge trends in PC and mobile gadgets, with in-depth reviews and commentaries. Our inquisitive team of journalists cover key international events like CES, CeBIT, MWC, Computex and local exhibitions like CommunicAsia, IT SHOW, PC SHOW, COMEX and SITEX.

1. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
Exclusive: Gigabyte to include
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 with
X79 motherboards
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-gigabyte-to-include-wi-fi-
and-bluetooth-4.0-with-x79-motherboards/13844.html
October 31st, 2011
Gigabyte decided to go with a slightly more sensible solution
Gigabyte has already had leaks with regards to some of the and one that has a bit of future proofing thrown in for good
features of its upcoming X79 motherboards and today we measure. What you're looking at is a PCI Express to mini PCI
have an exclusive leak of our own, Gigabyte is going to Express adapter which takes a standard half-size mini PCI
add Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11n Wi-Fi support to its X79 Express card, in this case a card based on Atheros chips. The
motherboards. However, the company is taking a different and unusual thing with this adapter is that it has a USB pin-header
in our opinion better approach than its competitors when it that attaches to the USB pin-header on the motherboard. This
comes to adding support for wireless connectivity. is for the Bluetooth 4.0 part of the card, while the Wi-Fi part
connects over PCI Express. There's also a USB port on the
card – a feature we've never seen before – to which you can
Gigabyte has already had leaks with regards to some of the attach any USB device with a standard USB connector, a neat
features of its upcoming X79 motherboards and today we addition that we're sure plenty of people will find useful.
have an exclusive leak of our own, Gigabyte is going to
The Bluetooth part of the card is compatible with Bluetooth
add Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11n Wi-Fi support to its X79
3.0 + HS as well as the low power Bluetooth 4.0 standard. For
motherboards. However, the company is taking a different and
now very few devices are available that supports Bluetooth 4.0,
in our opinion better approach than its competitors when it
although the iPhone 4S is one of the first devices out there
comes to adding support for wireless connectivity.
that officially supports the standard. That said, it's not meant
As we've already seen, ECS went for a pair of USB type dongles to a standard for syncing files or using Bluetooth headsets,
at the rear of its X79 motherboard, although seemingly the Wi- instead it's meant to connect to low power sensors or home
Fi part relies on a PCB antenna connected by hardwired and automation solutions, but we'll see how things develop.
rather messy wire to the rear I/O of the motherboard. Asus
has added a proprietary raiser card for its P9X79 Deluxe which
is a custom designed USB setup as far as we can tell. Both
companies are also only offering Bluetooth 3.0, although this
is at least less of an issue at the moment.
1

2. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
We have one minor gripe with the card, as although you can
swap out the mini PCI Express card for something faster in the
future, the way Gigabyte designed the PCI Express card means
that you're stuck using 150Mbps Wi-Fi, as there are only two
antennas. This translates to no MIMO support which is needed
to hit Wi-Fi speeds of 300Mbps or more, but hopefully this is
something we'll see in future revisions. The card will ship with 4 Direct Contact Heat Pipes
the X79-UD5, X79-UD7 and G1.Assassin 2, but we're hoping
that Gigabyte will be selling it on its own as well, as it's an easy
way to add Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support to any desktop PC.
First Looks: Cooler Master
Hyper 412 PWM CPU Cooler
(with LGA 2011 support)
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-looks-cooler-master-hyper-412-
pwm-cpu-cooler-with-lga-2011-support-/13843.html
October 31st, 2011
View from the top
The Cooler Master Hyper 412 PWM is one of the first air
coolers with native Socket LGA 2011 screw-type support to
arrive at our test labs. We give our readers a glimpse of the new
member of our extensive heat sink collection...
The Cooler Master Hyper 412 PWM CPU Cooler, weighs 538g.
Wider fin gaps help to maximize cooling performance at low
fan speeds
2

3. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
120mm Sleeve Bearing PWM Fan rated at 0.37A, 2000 RPM
and 82.9CFM
Additional Brackets for another 120mm fan and provided
thermal paste
Bolts, Nuts, Screws and Universal Bracket
Universal 4-corners screw-type mounting system (better for
even mounting pressure) for all modern Intel and AMD
sockets
Shenzhen - The new hardware
and electronics shopping
Mecca?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/shenzhen--the-new-hardware-and-
electronics-shopping-mecca-/13842.html
3

4. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
October 31st, 2011 electronics, mobile phone accessories, or security products, or
batteries, or LED displays, and so on.
Going to Tokyo or Taipei to find fancy electronics? If your local
electronics mall doesn't have what you want, or not at the price
you want, try Shenzhen's Huaqiang Road first - it's likely much
cheaper with wide choices, and just a budget flight away...
Huaqiang Road instead of Akihabara
For quite a long time now, it is Far Eastern cities that have
the largest, glitziest and choicest computer and electronics
shopping malls around. While the tradition started in US and
Europe long before, it's here now that every major city has
a full fledge 'electronics district' with multiple large centres
covering everything from consumer electronics to computers
and components. Singapore's combined Sim Lim Square +
Tower may look small compared to Shanghai's Xujiahui or one
of Seoul's multiple 'digital complexes', not to mention the old
champion, Tokyo Akihabara.
However, one particular place is seemingly bound to overtake
them all. Shenzhen, the 15-million populated centre of China's
electronics industry and of the new 50+ million supercity
starting from Foshan and Guangzhou then continuing all
the way to Hong Kong, houses thousands of companies
manufacturing and increasingly designing everything from
ICs, display panels, flash storage to mainboards, enclosures
and of course whole systems. Being right at the source means
that any shopping for the stuff we want would be quite direct
without too many hops, and also greater likelihood of finding
some unusual stuff.
While Shenzhen and neighbouring Dongguan city have the
electronics factories and design centres spread across their
whole municipalities, the focal area of electronics shopping,
both end user and channel wise, is Huaqiang North Road
(Huaqiangbeilu), a long street located in the centre of the city
between the Luohu (Lowu) and Futian CBDs. The main street,
as well as its numerous back alleys full of even more electronics
related bazaars, is served well by two metro lines, one of which
connects to both the main Lowu HK border crossing and the
Shenzhen airport, while the other one, with a station in the
northern part of the street, links to the Shekou international
ferry port with its direct service to HK Airport departure halls,
bypassing HK immigration and the security. So, no problems
getting there.
The roughly half a mile of length of Huaqiang North road street
level between these two metro stations contains about a dozen
electronics malls of different sizes, with the two largest ones -
SEG Plaza and the Huaqiang Electronic World - being million
square-ft sized gigantic establishments. SEG Plaza, topped up
by a 72 storey 354 m tower. The rest of the malls, along the
main street, as well as another dozen or so malls in the back
alleys, focus more on specific areas, like only communication
4

5. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
We focused mostly on SEG Plaza and the Huaqiang Electronic
World, as your exploration adventure should start from there.
The lower floors are a good point to look at first, as it is a
heaven for component seekers. Any kind of PCIe connector,
or memory or FPGA or flash chip, or funniest wires, batteries,
disk drives, even screws, you could ever think of - have a look!
The higher floors will normally house the same stuff you'll
find on floors 4, 5 and 6 of Sim Lim Square in Singapore,
or Low Yat Plaza in KL. There are all the mainboards, cases,
monitors, enclosures with PSUs and such. You'll find the same
high end offerings too, just like here. The difference? Many
things are cheaper, especially things like enclosures and, yes,
monitors. A miniITX casing with PSU here will cost you some
30 singapore dollars cash and carry, while a 24-inch 16:10
format (!) Samsung LED-backlit super slim LCD monitor will
go for around S$ 250 or so. For the parts such as memories
5

6. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
and disks, usually the price will be slightly lower than here, October 31st, 2011
but there were cases where, on the first inquiry, some vendors
will try to play too smart with high prices. Note that a little
bit of haggling is expected anyway, but only that much literally
- little bit as in able to squeeze prices by maybe 10% on
average. Electronics is quite a challenging business to make
high margins anyway... Thought you've seen it all about ASRock's X79 lineup with
the X79 Extreme7? Think again, it seems ASRock has
another, more feature-rich socket LGA2011 motherboard in
the works, which will top off the first wave of ASRock's
motherboards compatible with Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E"
LGA2011 processors, the ASrock X79 Extreme9. This board is
packed to the brim with connectivity options, a meatier VRM,
and better memory expansion compared to the Extreme7.
Thought you've seen it all about ASRock's X79 lineup with
the X79 Extreme7? Think again, it seems ASRock has
another, more feature-rich socket LGA2011 motherboard in
the works, which will top off the first wave of ASRock's
motherboards compatible with Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E"
LGA2011 processors, the ASrock X79 Extreme9. This board is
packed to the brim with connectivity options, a meatier VRM,
and better memory expansion compared to the Extreme7.
The ASRock X79 Extreme9 uses strong digital PWM power
circuitry that draws power from two 8-pin EPS connectors.
The CPU is wired to eight DDR3 DIMM slots, unlike six on the
Either way, SEG Plaza and the Huaqiang Electronic World will Extreme7. This ensures that each of the four DDR3 memory
pretty much take you most of one day - the other day should channels can seat up to two DIMMs. PCI-Express expansion
be there to check the smaller malls and their oddity of things includes five PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots, and an x1 slot. On
on offer. The places are so huge, there is so much on offer, and one of these slots the bundled ASRock "Game Blaster" (if
with very special offers for things you'd never think you could we're reading it right) daughterboard is to be installed. The
find - whether it's a super custom cellphone enhancement, or "Game Blaster" daughterboard holds high-grade Sound Core
an odd chip from days gone by, or parts for your own home 7.1 channel audio, and a gaming-grade network controller.
radar - this is the next mecca for electronics afficionados. We're not entirely sure if the NIC and audio controllers are
made by Killer and Creative, respectively, like on the ASUS
ROG Thunderbolt.
ASRock X79 Extreme9 Tops
Off Lineup
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-x79-extreme9-tops-off-
lineup/13841.html
6

7. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
There is plenty of SATA connectivity thanks to the use of as
many as three Marvell-made 2-port SATA 6 Gb/s controllers
to supplement the X79 PCH. The X79 itself gives out two SATA
6 Gb/s and four SATA 3 Gb/s ports. There are as many as four
Microsoft in Japan will be retailing the Windows 7 Ultimate
USB 3.0 controllers, giving out eight ports (four on the rear
DSP Limited Pack Nanami Edition that comes bundled with
panel, four by headers). Apart from the network connection on
a Microsoft Touch Mouse. The limited edition Touch Mouse
the Game Blaster card, there is one network connection local to
features a modern design with subtle tones and white and
this board, apart from Firewire, USB 2.0, and eSATA 6 Gbps.
is designed by renowned illustrator, designer, art director
Expect the ASRock X79 Extreme9 to be counted among the and artist, Deanne Cheuk. On top of that, this edition also
costliest socket LGA2011 motherboards. comes with Madobe Nanami, the special character created to
promote Windows 7, who will provide video guides, as well as
Windows 7 themes, three desktop wallpapers and 24 original
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate sounds. The Windows 7 Ultimate DSP Limited Pack Nanami
DSP Limited Pack Nanami Edition is scheduled to retail on 4 November. Pricing has not
been established at press time.
Edition retails 4 November in
Japan HP announces TouchSmart620
3D Edition PC and 2311gt 3D
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-windows-7-ultimate-dsp-
limited-pack-nanami-edition-retails-4-november-in-japan/13840.html
October 31st, 2011
LCD monitor
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-announces-touchsmart620-3d-
edition-pc-and-2311gt-3d-lcd-monitor/13839.html
October 31st, 2011
Microsoft in Japan will be launching a special limited pack
Nanami edition of the Windows 7 Ultimate DSP. Aside from
the operating system, the bundle will include the Microsoft
Touch Mouse for use with Windows 7, and some additional Seeing the popularity of 3D technology, PC giant HP has
content. Read on. recently unveiled their latest consumer portfolio which claim
to offer immersive 3D experience to consumers. The HP
TouchSmart 620 3D Edition PC features an intuitive and
ergonomic design with active shutter 3D glasses, while the HP
2311gt 3D LCD monitor provides improved brightness and a
flicker-free 3D picture.
HP TouchSmart620 3D Edition PC
7

8. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Cyberlink’s PowerDVD, users can convert their existing 2D
content such as photos and videos into 3D content while the
TriDef Ignition Game Player displays 2D games in 3D.
The HP 2311gt 3D LCD monitor is available now in APJ from
a starting price of around US$299.
Sandy Bridge-E and X79
available for (pre-)order
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sandy-bridge-e-and-x79-available-for-
pre-order/13837.html
October 31st, 2011
The new HP TouchSmart620 3D Edition PC offers an all-in-
one hub of fun and entertainment. Users can create their own
3D videos and pictures with the TouchSmart’s built-in webcam
and share them with family and friends online or via the 23-
With just over two weeks to the launch, Intel's Sandy Bridge-
inch diagonal high definition display. With the TriDef Ignition
E processors are starting to appear in listings with online
Game Player, it allows users to enjoy playing their favorite
retailers around the globe. What's even more interesting is
games in 3D. The TouchSmart620 3D Edition features an
that you can pick up X79 boards – at least in some countries
intuitive and ergonomic design, can swivel up to 180-degrees
– today, with several models being available for pre-order,
and reclines up to 60-degrees, and allows users to adjust
including Intel's own two models.
the display’s position for comfortable viewing of 3D content
with the Active Shutter 3D Glasses. In addition to exclusive
HP features like LinkUp Technology and Beats Audio, the With just over two weeks to the launch, Intel's Sandy Bridge-
HP TouchSmart620 3D Edition also offers the latest version E processors are starting to appear in listings with online
of the company's proprietary TouchSmart software, premium retailers around the globe. What's even more interesting is
graphics and processors. that you can pick up X79 boards – at least in some countries
The HP TouchSmart620 3D Edition PC is expected to be – today, with several models being available for pre-order,
available from mid November in APJ from a starting price of including Intel's own two models.
around US$1,399.
HP 2311gt 3D LCD monitor
The HP 2311gt 3D LCD monitor can deliver enhanced 3D
Let's start with the CPU's, although we have a feeling that the
experience in an ultra-slim 23-inch diagonal LED backlit
prices are a little bit off, as the Core i7-3930K is listed for
display. It features Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) technology,
a steep 5,800 RMB (US$912/S$1,135) in China, £481.19 (US
which offers a display with improved brightness and a flicker-
$776/S$695) in the UK and for between 5,000 and 6,000 SEK
free 3D picture. Bundled with two pairs of passive 3D glasses,
(US$784-940/S$975-1,169) in Sweden, a CPU that should in
users will also enjoy software from Cyberlink and TriDef as
fact retail for around US$583 unless Intel's rumoured list price
well as a 3D movie trailer for the upcoming animated film ?
is going to be a lot higher than anticipated. It's worth taking
Puss in Boots from DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. With
into account things like VAT here, but that only makes the
8

9. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
cheapest prices end up somewhere close to Intel's expected list that the ones worth having will be the D stepping models which
price. should have all the kinks worked out, but they're not likely to
arrive until much later next year.
Corsair TX550M Power Supply
Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/corsair-tx550m-power-supply-
review/13836.html
October 31st, 2011
It appears that the latest TX-M series which Corsair released
a few weeks ago will be a great success for the company, as the
market demand of the new units is very high and enthusiasts
seem to embrace the idea of high performance, partly modular
power supplies. It was only a few weeks ago that we had a
The Core i7-3960X is listed at 7,800 RMB (US$1,226/S look at the TX750M 750W unit, which offered great overall
$1,525) in China, £854.39 (US$1,379/S$1,715) in the UK performance and quality for the price. Today we are going
and between 8,800 and 11,000 SEK (US$1,380-1,725/S to examine and review the performance of the TX550M, the
$1,715-2,145) in Sweden which means that the Core i7-3960X weakest and most affordable power supply of the series, which
is at least in most cases a lot closer to the rumoured list price also comes only in the M (modular) variant.
which we're still expecting to be over US$999 which has been
Intel's standard price point for its Extreme Edition models in
the past. It appears that the latest TX-M series which Corsair released a
few weeks ago will be a great success for the company, as the
market demand of the new units is very high and enthusiasts
seem to embrace the idea of high performance, partly modular
power supplies. It was only a few weeks ago that we had a
look at the TX750M 750W unit, which offered great overall
performance and quality for the price. Today we are going
to examine and review the performance of the TX550M, the
weakest and most affordable power supply of the series, which
also comes only in the M (modular) variant.
Manufacturer’s features and specifications
· Conforms to the latest ATX12V v2.31 and EPS 2.92
standards, and is backward compatible with the ATX12V 2.2
and ATX12V 2.01 standards
· A dedicated single +12V rail offers simple configuration
and maximum compatibility with the latest graphics cards and
other components
· An ultra-quiet, 140mm double ball-bearing fan delivers
We only found the quad core Core i7-3820 listed in China excellent airflow with exceptionally low noise levels by varying
for 3,500 RMB (US$550/S$685), a CPU which should be fan speed in response to temperature
retailing closer to US$300. We're hearing rumours that the · Complies with the European Union ErP Directive
Core i7-3820 has been delayed further and it shouldn't arrive (2009/125/EC) so the power consumption of the whole
until the middle of Q1 next year now. As for the Core i7-3930K system, in either standby or off mode, can be less than
and 3960X, we're hearing that Intel will offer a very limited 1W when used with a properly configured, ErP-compliant
amount of CPU's in the tens of thousands, although we can't motherboard
disclose the exact figure we've been told. The reason for this
is that the current consumer SKU's are C2 stepping chips and · 80 PLUS® Bronze certified, delivering up to 85% energy
Intel is already working on a C3 stepping, but we're hearing efficiency under real-world load conditions
9

10. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
· Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) with PF value of While MasterCard's contactless payment system was rolled
0.99 out years ago, it was only earlier this year that the company
announced the inclusion of SIM-based systems.
· Universal AC input from 90~264V
In a prepared statement, Andrew Bocking, Vice President,
· Over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, and short
Handheld Software Product Management at RIM said,
circuit protection provide maximum safety for your critical
"NFC technology is making smartphones even smarter and
system components
the MasterCard certification is a significant step forward
· High-quality capacitors provide uncompromised in helping transform the way we use mobile devices for
performance and reliability payments. We are working proactively with our carrier
· A five year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair's partners, banks, retailers and other industry players and we
legendary technical support and customer service are excited to push the boundaries of how NFC can enable new
mobile experiences for BlackBerry smartphone users around
· Safety Approvals: cTUVus, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TÜV, the world."
CCC, C-tick
The Bold 9900 and Curve 9360 are two of the latest
smartphones from RIM that runs on the BlackBerry 7 OS,
incorporating built-in NFC hardware. This means that a
separate radio antenna will transmit the requisite payment
C orsair
details wirelessly to a high-speed reader at checkout. The NFC
T5 50 M
radio can be switched off if desired.
AC 1000-240V
INPUT ~ 12A The certification from Mastercard will be a shot in the arm for
50/60Hz NFC projects around the world. Interest in NFC is increasing,
and mobile devices have been tipped to spur adoption given
DC +5V +3.3V +12V -12V +5Vsb
the ubiquity of phones in both developing and developed
OUTPUT
countries.
MAX 25A 25A 45A 0.8A 3A
CURRENT In Singapore, IDA and seven companies will invest S$40
MAX 140W 540W 9.6W 15W million into NFC to eventually allow banks and card issuers to
COMBINED connect via a common infrastructure, as reported by Channel
WATTAGE News Asia just last week. The report mentioned selected
models from Nokia, Samsung and RIM. This presumably
TOTAL
includes the Bold 9900 and Curve 9360.
POWER:
550W
@ 50°C
ambient
temperature
Lexmark extends workgroup
product line with new colour
laser MFPs
BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lexmark-extends-workgroup-product-
Curve 9360 NFC smartphones line-with-new-colour-laser-mfps/13834.html
October 31st, 2011
gain MasterCard PayPass cert
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/blackberry-bold-9900-and-
curve-9360-nfc-smartphones-gain-mastercard-paypass-cert/13835.html
October 31st, 2011
Lexmark has introduced two new colour laser multifunction
printers (MFPs) targeted at the rapidly growing SMEs and
mid-sized workgroup segment. The company says the
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Curve 9360
Lexmark X548de and X548dte colour laser MFPs delivers
have become the first SIM-based smartphones to earn
various high performance capabilities and advanced security
the MasterCard PayPass certification. This means that
features representative of more costly devices in the market,
MasterCard is confident that the two mobile devices meet
but with a smaller footprint and at an affordable price point.
its functionality, interoperability and security requirements to
be certified as PayPass-approved devices. Issuing banks are
hence allowed to assign a PayPass account to the SIM cards
used in the two smartphones to work with the NFC-based, or
near field communication, payment system.
10

11. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
October 31st, 2011
ECS (Elitegroup Computer Systems) is a Taiwanese
electronics firm synonymous with entry level offerings or
being the motherboard OEM for brands like HP and IBM. In
Lexmark has introduced two new colour laser multifunction
our labs today is their latest offering – the X79R-AX Black
printers (MFPs) targeted at the rapidly growing SMEs and
Extreme. Boasting a whopping 12 SATA ports, dual LAN/
mid-sized workgroup segment. The company says the
eSATA, Bluetooth/Wireless LAN connectivity and four PCIe
Lexmark X548de and X548dte colour laser MFPs delivers
x16 slots for multi-GPU extravagance, we see if it has what it
various high performance capabilities and advanced security
takes to be the X79 motherboard of choice.
features representative of more costly devices in the market,
but with a smaller footprint and at an affordable price point. Box Front View - with a cloth string carrying handle to take it
from the shops
"The introduction of the X548 smart MFPs strengthens
Lexmark's position in a strategic growth area for our
company - workgroup colour laser devices," said Marty
Canning, Lexmark executive vice president and president of
Imaging Solutions and Services"We are committed to driving
innovative, disruptive A4 technology with smart devices,
customisable with industry-leading software and tailored
solutions, to make our business customers more productive."
Both colour laser printers come with a large 7-inch colour
touch screen that allows for intuitive navigation to access
work?ow solutions and shortcuts. Moreover, pre-loaded
applications can be customised with tailored workflows based
on unique business needs.
Advanced scanning capabilities includes the ability to scan to
e-mail, scan to FTP, scan to fax, scan to network as well as
scanning to a flash drive plugged into a front USB port. The
duplex automatic document feeder allows for duplex colour-
scanning with a 50-sheet input capacity.
On the security front, both laser printers support a variety of
user authentication and authorization controls, while security-
audit logging helps tracks and identi?es security risks.
Box Behind - this is one of the most colourful and vibrant boxes
A step up from the Lexmark X548de base model, the Lexmark we have in our lab
X548dte adds an internal hard disk drive which enables extra
features, as well as a 650-sheet Duo Drawer for additional
media handling capabilities. Sensitive data on the hard disk
drive of the X548dte is protected by means of advanced hard
disk encryption.
The Lexmark X548de (SG$2,449) and Lexmark X548dte
(SG$3,059) are available for sale from authorised Lexmark
business partners. All prices above exclude GST and other
prevailing taxes.
First Looks: ECS X79R-AX
Black Extreme - The Feature
Filled X79 Dark Horse
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-looks-ecs-x79r-ax-black-extreme--
the-feature-filled-x79-dark-horse/13832.html
11

12. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
ECS X79R-AX Black Extreme Motherboard Front View -
passive cooling and no flamboyant heatpipes.
Find out more on the next page...
MSI GT780R Gaming Notebook
Motherboard Back View Review - Taking the battlefield
on the road
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-gt780r-gaming-notebook-review--
taking-the-battlefield-on-the-road/13794.html
October 31st, 2011
The MSI GT780R was first seen at Computex 2011, and is a 17-
inch full HD gaming powerhouse, equipped with Intel Sandy
Bridge Quad Core, Nvidia GTX560M for graphics, impressive
1.5 terabytes of speedy RAID-0 storage and multi-colour LED
backlighted SteelSeries keyboard. We check out the firepower
of this mobile tank and take it for a spin in Battlefield 3!
I/O Panel (A nifty clear CMOS button, 2 eSATA 6gbps from Front of Box
a ASMedia ASM1061, Bluetooth V2.1+EDR/150Mbps Wifi
from Atheros AR9271L, 4 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 from a Ti
TUSB7340, 2 Gigabit LAN Ports from Realtek RTL8111E
controllers and 7.1+2 channel audio from a Realtek ALC892)
Laptop Specifications
12

13. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Exterior of the MSI GT780R
17-inch 1920x1080 (16:9) LED Display
Manuals, Warranty and Driver CD
7600mAh, 87Wh Lithum Ion Battery
Brushed Metal Cover
150W Power Adapter by Delta Electronics
LED indicators for charging, harddisk activity and others
13

14. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Excellent Dynaudio Speakers on both sides, Hotkeys and a
Large Power Button
2 USB 2.0 on the Right Side. Our review unit came with a DVD
Super Multi drive
From left to right: Kensington lock, Charger Hole, Gigabit
Ethernet Port, Analog VGA, eSATA and HDMI port
Obligatory Stickers
From left to right: a large vent for cooling, 2 USB 3.0 ports,
Card Reader, 1 USB 2.0 port and 7.1 channel audio ports
30fps@720p Camera with a Array Mic
Shortened Right-Shift Key mashed together with the arrow
keys - don't like this. We'd rather they do away with the
numpad and have larger keys
14

15. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
With the Usual WASD/Space/Ctrl/Shift keyboard game
assignment, the touchpad can get accidentally actuated by the
user's hand. Fortunately, MSI has included a nifty touchpad
disable button
Pictures of LG Prada K2
leaked
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pictures-of-lg-prada-k2-
leaked/13830.html
October 31st, 2011
The collaboration between LG and Prada started in 2006 with
the first LG Prada (KE850) launched in 2007. And in 2009 in
Singapore, we saw the LG Prada II (KF900). And it looks like
the time has come once more as pictures of the new LG Prada
K2 have been leaked online.
Provided Software to change keyboard lighting colors and
intensity.
15

16. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
AMD's Graphics segment revenues increased by 10% over Q2
2011, and 4% over Q2 2010 to $403 million. AMD's overall
results were better than the forecast revisions suggested.
Belkin announces new
wireless routers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/belkin-announces-new-wireless-
routers/13828.html
October 31st, 2011
Belkin has announced their new wireless routers which come
The LG Prada K2 sports a slim body with a candybar form in the form of N150, N300, N600 Dual-Band and N750 Dual-
factor design. It has a 4.3-inch TFT touchscreen display and Band. The routers claim to incoporate MultiBeam technology
incorporates NOVA display technology that offers over 1000 that can deliver fast speeds and fuller coverage for PCs, tablets,
nits of brightness. The 1.3-megapixel camera is located above smartphones, TVs, and gaming consoles.
the display, while below it are touchsensitive keys. LG Prada
series of phones are known to only incorporate their own
proprietary OS, so don't expect it to be running Android 4.0 Ice
Cream Sandwich though. The backlit power button, USB port,
a headphone jack are on the top, while the volume controls
are on the left of the phone. The rear holds the 8-megapixel
camera with LED flash, and is probably capable of 1080p
full high definition video recording and a loudspeaker on the
bottom. The LG Prada K2 claims to be powered by dual-core
processor and supports HSPA+ connectivity.
AMD's next-gen GPUs to ship
in 2011 Engineered with MultiBeam technology for maximum speed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-s-next-gen-gpus-to-ship-
and coverage, the new Belkin routers N150, N300, N600 Dual-
in-2011/13829.html
Band (DB) and N750 Dual-band support the proliferation of
October 31st, 2011
wireless devices, from smartphones and tablets to Internet
TVs and gaming consoles. The exclusive technology also
claims to offer higher throughput at longer distances,
enabling users to connect multiple devices easily. The Belkin
N600 DB and N750 DB routers also feature dual-band
channels to eliminate interference and optimize performance
for bandwidth-intensive applications such as high-definition
At their last conference call for Q2 2011, AMD revealed that video streaming.
28nm GPUs were on track for 2011. Moving forward to the Q3
The router chassis was specifically designed to support the
2011 financial report, AMD still plans plans to ship for revenue
latest MultiBeam antennas and maximize the MIMO sphere
the first next-gen GPUs by the end of the year.
and absolute coverage distance. While traditional routers tend
At their last conference call for Q2 2011, AMD revealed that to provide a donut-shaped coverage pattern – flat and wide –
28nm GPUs were on track for 2011. Moving forward to the Q3 the new Belkin routers come in an apple-like shape to provide
2011 financial report, AMD still plans plans to ship for revenue more coverage, power and speed for all online activities.
the first next-gen GPUs by the end of the year. Each router features Belkin’s Easy Setup, a simple process for
Of course, while shipping for revenue does not necessarily getting the router out of the box and online in three easy steps,
translate to retail availability, it does mean AMD will be and pre-configured encryption settings for built-in wireless
shipping next-gen chips to their AIB partners some time in Q4 security.
2011. If all goes well, we will see AMD's first Radeon HD 7000 Pricing and Availability
products in either late 2011 or more likely early 2012.
The Belkin N750 DB, N600 DB, N300 and N150 routers are
commercially available now in Singapore at major retailers like
Best Denki, Courts, Harvey Norma, Challenger, Mustafa, IT
Malls and Gain City.
16

17. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Belkin N750 DB Wireless Dual Band N+ Router - S$229 - Easy Setup and preset security
- Wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps (2.4GHz) + 450Mbps Belkin N150 Wireless USB Adapter - S$27
(5GHz) - Wireless speeds of up to 150Mbps
- Simultaneous dual-band operating on 2.4GHz and 5GHz
bands - Backward-compatible with 802.11a/g devices at 54 Mbps and
802.11b products at 11 Mbps
- Two USB ports for more media sharing or wireless printing Belkin N300 Wireless USB Adapter - S$36
- Wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps
- Self-Healing App automatically resolves potential network
problems - Backward-compatible with 802.11a/g devices at 54 Mbps and
802.11b products at 11 Mbps
- Video mover App for wireless streaming of video content
throughout the house Belkin N600 Wireless USB Adapter - S$54
- The fastest dual-band speeds for video streaming and online
- Print Zone App allows you to print from anywhere in the gaming of up to 300Mbps
home
- Backward-compatible with 802.11a/g devices at 54 Mbps and
- Memory Safe App automatically backs up files to your 802.11b products at 11 Mbps
external hard drive
- Easy Setup and preset security ARM gives us a glimpse of
N600 DB Wireless Dual Band N+ Router - S$149 what to come
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/arm-gives-us-a-glimpse-of-what-to-
- Wireless speeds of up to 300Mbps (2.4GHz) + 300Mbps
come/13826.html
(5GHz)
October 31st, 2011
- Simultaneous dual-band operating on 2.4GHz and 5GHz
bands
- One USB port for wireless printing or storage
Although ARM has already announced its next gen Cortex-
- Self-Healing App to automatically resolve potential network A15 core based on the ARMv7 architecture some time ago,
problems the company has now unveiled some details of its upcoming
ARMv8 architecture. The biggest and possibly most important
- Video Mover App for wireless streaming of video content change, depending on how things move forward in the
throughout the house universe of ARM powered devices, is 64-bit support in ARMv8.
- Print Zone App allows you to print from anywhere in the
Although ARM has already announced its next gen Cortex-
home
A15 core based on the ARMv7 architecture some time ago,
the company has now unveiled some details of its upcoming
- Memory Safe App automatically backs up files to your
ARMv8 architecture. The biggest and possibly most important
external hard drive
change, depending on how things move forward in the
universe of ARM powered devices, is 64-bit support in ARMv8.
- Easy Setup and preset security
Belkin N600 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ Modem Router - S
$169 The ARMv8 architecture is a major step forward for ARM,
- Built-in ADSL2 + modem at least when it comes to making processors that aren't
necessarily the most power frugal chips out there. With a
- Same features as Wireless Router clear move towards more ARM powered devices outside of the
phone space, ARM needs to up its game and offer competitive
Belkin N300 Wireless N Router - S$59
processor cores on more than one level. With Windows 8
- Wireless speeds of up to 300 Mbps
adding ARM support and maybe even more importantly, the
server market starting to show interest in ARM powered
- Easy Setup and preset security
servers, being able to address more than 4GB of RAM.
However, ARM already supports virtual memory addresses of
- Self-Healing App to detect network problems
40-bit or larger and that gives the ARMv7 architecture the
Belkin N150 Wireless Router - S$45 option to support up to 1TB of RAM.
- Wireless speeds of up to 150 Mbps
- Wireless coverage at twice the speed of G technology Even so, a move towards 64-bit is going to be a must as
operating systems, especially the ones from Microsoft, looks
17

18. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
set to move to 64-bit only in the future, as there simply is no
need to have separate 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Sony and Ericsson part ways,
these days. Native 64-bit support should also offer better remain friends
performance than virtual memory addressing, as the latter Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-and-ericsson-part-ways-remain-
adds a performance hit. Another reason for 64-bit support friends/13825.html
is as mentioned, servers and with today's virtualized server October 31st, 2011
environments, having 64-bit memory support is going to be a
must for ARM if they want to compete with the big boys.
ARM will of course continue to use its current technology and
further enhance them in the ARMv8 and we'll see improved
versions of TrustZone, virtualization and NEON advanced In a not entirely unexpected move, Sony is set to
SIMD. What isn't mentioned are any additional features buy out Ericsson from the joint Sony Ericsson Mobile
beyond the 64-bit addition to the ARMv8 architecture, but Communications AB joint venture for a not insignificant
depending on where ARM and its partners want to take things, €1.05 billion and will turn Sony Ericsson into a wholly-
we'll most likely see a big change when it comes to power owned subsidiary that will fall under its network-connected
efficiency and thermals, at least for high-end cores that will consumer electronics division. The two companies remain
end up both consumer devices and servers. In as much as we're friendly though, the deal also includes an IP cross-licensing
expecting new low-power solutions for phones and tablets, agreement and they'll also create a joint wireless connectivity
ARM and its partners are clearly taking the game to Intel and initiative.
something is going to have to change if they want to compete
on equal terms.
In a not entirely unexpected move, Sony is set to
buy out Ericsson from the joint Sony Ericsson Mobile
That said, we doubt that we'll see power hungry processors Communications AB joint venture for a not insignificant
based on ARM's technology, at least not compared to x86 €1.05 billion and will turn Sony Ericsson into a wholly-
based processors. There is a fine line between enough owned subsidiary that will fall under its network-connected
performance and power efficiency and ARM is likely to have consumer electronics division. The two companies remain
to cross that line to stay competitive in the long term. The friendly though, the deal also includes an IP cross-licensing
easy way to get more performance, at least in some scenarios agreement and they'll also create a joint wireless connectivity
is to add more cores and this is reasonably easy to do with initiative.
ARM based technology, especially if you use multiple chips It's been 10 years since Sony and Ericsson decided to team
which are smaller and run cooler than x86 processors. More up and create Sony Ericsson and between then and now, the
cores are great, except as AMD showed with its Bulldozer mobile device market has changed and is still changing at a
based FX series of consumer CPU's, having more cores doesn't rapid pace. Sony Ericsson has sadly gone from third position
always translate to real world performance gains. On the other to a 10th position when it comes to mobile handset market
hand, we're not expecting to see a huge influx in cores when it share or from 8.5 percent to 1.7 percent of the global market
comes to consumer processor designs from ARM, instead the share. Back in 2008 Sony Ericsson said that their goal was
company is going to have to come up with some new, clever to become the third biggest mobile handset maker within the
ways of doing things. next five year, but instead the company dropped from fifth to
10th position since then.
Of course, moving to new manufacturing technologies will Last year the company went out and said that they wanted
help ARM and its partners to keep the power envelope down, to be number one in Android handsets and although as with
for now at least, but the next step beyond 28nm is going to take Motorola, it seems like Android has been a saviour to a degree
a while, at least if the move from 40nm to 28nm is anything to for Sony Ericsson, it's clear that the company is far from the
go by. Yes, the foundries have roadmaps, but it's worth taking market leader. It's easy to point fingers as to what went wrong,
into consideration that TSMC has decided to cut its capex for but some of it has been Sony's unwillingness to use some of
the next year or so with yet another global downturn being its brand names, most significantly the Playstation brand for
expected. This implies that we might have to live with 28nm Sony Ericsson products, at least until it's generally been too
chips for a bit longer than originally though. Then again, ARM little too late. The Playstation phone didn't exactly take the
is only expecting to disclose its first processors based on the world with a storm, but in all fairness some of Sony Ericsson's
ARMv8 architecture sometime next year and doesn't expect other Xperia handsets aren't half bad.
its partners to have any prototypes ready until 2014 which The new Sony mobile handset division which has yet to get an
right now is an awfully long time away for a new processor official name – although all future handsets will only carry the
technology. Sony brand – has a tough job ahead of it. Currently a lot of
its R&D is located in Sweden, although it's expected that this
division will be closed down over time with most, if not all of
it being moved to Japan. With tough competition from both
the big Korean handset manufacturers, especially Samsung,
18

19. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
as well as HTC and let's not forget Apple, it's clear that Sony Looking forward to Q4, AMD expects a 3% ± 2% increase in
is going to have to come up with some pretty impressive revenue. AMD's shares rose by 5.05% in after hours shortly
hardware and get it out in the market in a timely fashion. after the results were announced, and an immense 14% in the
With what happened in Japan earlier this year, most of Sony last 24 hours.
Ericsson's handsets were delayed, some by as much as six
months and in an industry that's moving in leaps and bounds
on almost a monthly basis when it comes to new handsets, this More next-gen GPU
is the kind of thing that just isn't allowed to happen. codenames revealed
As for Ericsson, well, they'll go on their merry way and Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-next-gen-gpu-codenames-
continue to build the network infrastructure which is its revealed/13823.html
core competence these days and the company is also busy October 31st, 2011
doing various projects involving digital content delivery which
ties in nicely with its network infrastructure business. As
for ST Ericsson, Ericsson's joint venture to develop various
device end solutions with STMicroelectronics for handsets
and wireless modems, well, it's likely to take a potential hit There have been no shortage of code name / branding leaks
from the split from Sony, although it should be said that for next-gen GPUs in the last few weeks. To add to the list, not
none of Sony Ericsson's handsets used the ST Ericsson ARM surprisingly, GK104 is in the works. This chip will form the
processors, at least not to our knowledge. That said, we'd basis for N14E mobile Quadro GPUs. On the AMD side, the
expect this business venture to continue to develop modem already reported Tahiti desktop GPU will also arrive in Woody
technology for handsets, especially as we slowly continue to and Buzz workstation variants.
move towards more LTE enabled devices where ST Ericsson
has some potentially strong solutions. There have been no shortage of code name / branding leaks
for next-gen GPUs in the last few weeks. To add to the list, not
The press release doesn't go into any details about the IP cross- surprisingly, GK104 is in the works. This chip will form the
licensing deal, except to mention that it involves five essential basis for N14E mobile Quadro GPUs. On the AMD side, the
patent families. This should involve baseband technology for already reported Tahiti desktop GPU will also arrive in Woody
2G, 3G and 4G networks, as well as other handset related and Buzz workstation variants.
technology that Ericsson holds patents for. With regards to
the wireless connectivity initiative the press release simply As a recap, leaked drivers have already mentioned GeForce
reads "Ericsson and Sony will work to drive and develop the 600 and AMD Radeon HD 7000 families. We know a bunch
market's adoption of connectivity across multiple platforms" of AMD codenames, ranging from islands (desktop GPUs),
which really doesn't explain what the two companies will be locales in London (mobile GPUs) and Chinese monuments.
doing together. The deal is expected to close in January 2012 We are also aware of GK107, which is already sampling, and
pending the usual regulatory and shareholder approval. will feature in N13P-LP, N13P-GS, N13P-GT and N13E-GE
GeForce mobile SKUs and N14P-Q1 and N14P-Q3 mobile
Quadros.
AMD reports Q3 2011 results
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-reports-q3-2011-
results/13824.html
GK104 is expected to be the successor to GF114, serving as
October 31st, 2011
performance GPUs on desktops and flagship GPUs on mobile
SKUs. On the mobile side, GK104 could power the successors
to GTX 570M/580M, most likely codenamed under the N13E
series. On the mobile workstation front, GK104 will feature in
N14E-Q1, N14E-Q3 and N14E-Q5 mobile Quadro SKUs. These
Last month AMD revised its Q3 forecasts, much to the disdain Quadro GPUs will play one segment higher than the GK107
of its shareholders, with AMD's stocks taking a nosedive. As it based N14P Quadro.
turns out, the forecast revisions, which suggested revenues of
$1.65B were off the mark. AMD has instead reported revenues
of $1.69 billion and net income of $110 million. On the AMD front, there's no scarcity of codenames, with the
most often mentioned being Tahiti. Tahiti will release on the
Last month AMD revised its Q3 forecasts, much to the disdain desktop as Tahiti XT and Tahiti Pro, and also as Tahiti Woody
of its shareholders, with AMD's stocks taking a nosedive. As it and Tahiti Buzz on workstations under the AMD FirePro
turns out, the forecast revisions, which suggested revenues of brand.
$1.65B and earnings of $80 million were off the mark. AMD
has instead reported revenues of $1.69 billion and net income
of $110 million. While leaked code names and brandings have provided much
AMD's new CEO Rory Read announced a strong 35% increase fodder for the rumour mill in the last few weeks, little is known
in mobile business, with double digit growth in emerging about the GPUs themselves.
markets like China and India. However, AMD's Q3 was marred
by yield issues for Llano, being unable to meet the strong
demand.
19

20. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Logitech unveils G105 Call - Multi-key input so you can use up to five keys at once to
of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 perform multiple – and more complex – actions without the
interference or ghosting that can occur with other keyboards.
official gaming keyboard
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-unveils-g105-call-of-duty-
modern-warfare-3-official-gaming-keyboard/13822.html Beats By Dr.Dre and Monster
October 31st, 2011
launch new Heartbeats by
Lady Gaga
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/beats-by-dr.dre-and-monster-launch-
new-heartbeats-by-lady-gaga/13821.html
October 31st, 2011
Logitech has introduced the G105 which claims to be the
official gaming keyboard for the upcoming Call of Duty:
Modern Warfare 3 first person shooter. It features military-
style, night-vision blue LED backlighting, six programmable
G-keys with three mode states; with each providing up to 18
possible macro combinations per game. It was two years ago when we first saw the
Monster "Heartbeats by Lady Gaga" became available in
Singapore. Well, it looks like Beats by Dr. Dre and Monster
have jointly unveiled the new Heartbeats in-ear headphones,
designed by the pop singer-songwriter herself.
The Logitech Gaming Keyboard G105, which claims to be
the official keyboard of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3,
features night-vision blue LED backlighting. It also has six
programmable G-keys with three mode states each provide Beats by Dr. Dre and Monster have announced the latest
up to 18 possible macro combinations per game.You can also addition to the line of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones,
choose to record new macros on the fly, perform multiple and Heartbeats by Lady Gaga, an updated version of the popular
more complex actions without interference or ghosting. in-ear headphones. Designed by Lady Gaga, the uniquely
styled in-ear headphones were inspired by leather and studs
The Logitech Gaming Keyboard G105 is available now at all
and feature ultra-crisp sonic technology from the Beats by
authorised Logitech resellers at a suggested retail price of
Dr. Dre products. The new Heartbeats by Lady Gaga are
S$69. The G105 model that is available in Singapore will
a reflection of the pop queen high-end sense of style and
only come with blue LED backlighting. The company has
commitment to provide fans with the best music listening
not confirmed if the keyboard with green LED backlighting
experience.
and ‘Call of Duty’ branding will be made available locally.
The Heartbeats by Lady Gaga feature all-new, lightweight
- Long-life, night-vision blue LED backlighting so you can
design, six sets of eat tips, tangle-free cable, hard-carrying
easily locate the keys you need – even in the dark. The military
case and ControlTalk, which enables iPhone and iPod music
style, night-vision green backlight can be set to two different
playback control as well as hands-free calls with iPhone and
brightness levels – or turned off completely.
many smartphones. The Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Heartbeats
- Six Programmable G-keys each with three mode states, let
Headphones retails for S$259 and is available at Audio
you configure up to 18 unique functions per game, including
House, Alpha Audio, Best Denki, Courts, DG Lifestyle Store,
single key presses or complex macros. Use the MR key to
Epicentre, Farle Innovation, Gadget World, Harvey Norman,
record new macros on the fly.
20

21. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
HMV, i Studio, iP Case, Macshop, Nubox, Orange Comm, This holiday season, two limited editions of the Arc Touch
Stereo and all Two Bros outlets. Mouse will be made available in white and red. The new
designs will also come with unique patterns on the silicone
Key Features:
"tail" portion of the mouse: The red edition will sport a
Gaga’s Signature Touch diamond pattern, while the white edition will come with a
- Sound that transcends ordinary headphone and a fashion- maze-like pattern. Arc Touch Mouse in the new designs will
forward style design by Gaga herself. be available at an estimated retail price of S$89 at all major IT
Updated Design and Style retailers from end October 2011.
- Newly improved design offers smaller and lighter shape for a Touch Mouse
better in-ear fit and thinner tangle-free cord.
High Performance Sound
- Accurate speaker design delivers the details of today’s hottest
music with extreme clarity and deep bass.
A Fit for Every Wearer
- Multiple ear-tip sizes, so you can find a perfect fit for your
ears. This custom-fit seals in your music and help cut out
unwanted noise.
Built-in Mic for Hands-Free Calls and Online Chats
- ControlTalk enables iPhone and iPod music playback control
as well as hands-free calls with iPhone and many smartphones.
It even works with online voice or video chats.
Microsoft launches limited
edition Arc Touch Mouse and
Touch Mouse The Touch Mouse is a multitouch device designed exclusively
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-launches-limited-edition- for Windows 7 to support clicking, flicking, scrolling and
arc-touch-mouse-and-touch-mouse/13820.html swiping getures. Originally available in black, a white Artist
October 31st, 2011 Edition with a calligraphy-like motif designed by New York-
based art director, illustrator and artist Deanne Cheuk will be
exclusive to Challenger stores. It is available as of today at an
estimated retail price of S$99, while stocks lasts. The original
black edition is also available at all major IT retailers at S$99.
Racking your brains on the perfect gifts to buy for your loved
ones this upcoming Christmas season? Microsoft has launched As with the original Arc Touch Mouse and Touch Mouse, both
limited editions of its Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse and the limited edition mice also comes with BlueTrack technology
Microsoft Touch Mouse that may just be the perfect gift. In that allows it to track on more surfaces than conventional laser
addition, Microsoft says that every purchase of the Arc Touch and optical mice.
Mouse, Explorer Touch Mouse and Touch Mouse from today
till 31st December 2011 will come with a free exclusive PC
accessory pouch.
Arc Touch Mouse
First Looks: ASUS P9X79
Pro & Deluxe - Mainstream
Boards, High End Features
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-looks-asus-p9x79-pro--deluxe--
mainstream-boards-high-end-features/13814.html
October 31st, 2011
The company's fastest-selling premium peripheral in local
history, the slim Arc Touch Mouse snaps into an arc shape for
use, and flatten for the ultimate in portability - no more having
to deal with the added "bump" of a mouse in your laptop bag. A
touch control strip allows for controlled scrolling or hyperfast
scrolling by flicking on it. Completing our three part Asus X79 Motherboard series
roundup is the mainstream P9X79 Pro and P9X79 Deluxe.
Like the Sabertooth X79 and the ROG Rampage IV Extreme,
21

22. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
both boards did not compromise on implementing full 8 slots
of DDR3 memory expansion, and every inch of their PCB
is packed with quality components for lasting reliability and
unhinged performance.
P9X79 Pro front view (8 DIMMs for a maximum of 64GB, PCIe
3.0 x16 slots)
Two SATA 6Gbps ports (white) and 4 SATA 6Gbpss
ports(blue) from the X79 chipset.
Like the Sabertooth X79, A Marvell 9128 provides two
additional 6Gbps ports (grey) and supports pairing a
mechanical harddrive with a solid state drive for SSD caching,
a useful features as the X79 chipset doesn't support Intel SRT
as seen on Z68 motherboards.
P9X79 Deluxe - no you are not seeing double. The Deluxe has
an almost identical board layout but has an additional Realtek
Gigabit controller and BT GO! 3.0 with Wi-Fi connectivity. The PORT80 debug display and power/reset buttons - these
life-saving features should be a must-have on any DIY retail
motherboard. All ASUS X79 boards also have 64Mbit of UEFI
Flash ROM, which is a requirement for the next generation
Intel Ivy Bridge-E platform.
Some minor PCIe switching and multiplexing going on here
I/O Panel of the P9X79 Pro (Intel 82579V Gigabit LAN,
two powered eSATA (eSATAp) from an ASMedia ASM1061
controller, four USB 3.0 ports from a pair of ASMedia
ASM1042 controllers, although two of the rear ports share
bandwidth with the two front ports courtesy of a VLI VL810
USB 3.0 hub and finally audio from a Realtek ALC898 audio
codec.
The BIOS reset button can also be used to update the BIOS
using a USB thumbdrive without booting the PC.
22

23. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Digi+ EPU (VRM) for the memory and another for the CPU.
Both boards have 8+2+2+2 power phase design
CPU socket area. We noticed that the whole family of ASUS
X79 boards share almost the same layout over here, which
could explain why they could implement the full 8 slots of
DIMMs even on their lower end SKUs.
Accessories of the P9X79 Pro
RIM delays PlayBook OS
update to 2012
MemOK! boot-time watchdog trigger button and plenty of Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rim-delays-playbook-os-update-
PWM 4-pin fan headers (6 in total) around the motherboard to-2012/13819.html
23

24. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
October 31st, 2011 not appear to have production plans beyond 2011, a telling sign
that the company is either in an internal state of chaos or has
way too much unsold stock.
On the other hand, given that its top competitors are using
the same platform for both their smartphones and tablets
offerings - think Apple iOS and the recently unveiled Android
4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, quitting the tablet space certainly
Research in Motio won't be upgrading the software on its isn't a viable option for RIM.
PlayBook tablet until February 2012. The announcement was
the latest in a string of delays following a promise by co-CEO
Jim Balsillie that the company will add native email and other
features within 60 days of its launch earlier this year. The
update was subsequently pushed back to August, and then to
Adata launches its XM13
October. series of mSATA SSDs
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/adata-launches-its-xm13-series-of-
msata-ssds/13818.html
October 31st, 2011
SSD caching has as yet not take off, at least not that we're
aware, although some of the first Ultrabooks seems to be
taking advantage of Intel's SRT technology. Now Adata has
announced its first mSATA SSDs which are as far as the press
release is making it sound like, intended for use as hard drive
"As much as we'd love to have it in your hands today, we've caching SSDs.
made the difficult decision to wait to launch BlackBerry
PlayBook OS 2.0 until we are confident we have fully met the
SSD caching has as yet not take off, at least not that we're
expectations of our developers, enterprise customers and end-
aware, although some of the first Ultrabooks seems to be
users," wrote David J. Smith, SVP for BlackBerry PlayBook in
taking advantage of Intel's SRT technology. Now Adata has
a blog entry.
announced its first mSATA SSDs which are as far as the press
Smith was quick to point out that a beta of the BlackBerry release is making it sound like, intended for use as hard drive
PlayBook OS 2.0 has been launched, and is currently in closed caching SSDs.
testing with some of the company's enterprise customers.
Feedback and improvements from these betas will ultimately
benefit the BlackBerry PlayBook experience, says Smith. The XM13 series of mSATA SSDs won't be breaking any speed
records as far as SSDs are concerned, but they're one upping
The news was met with strong reactions with a scattering of
OCZ's Nocti series of mSATA SSDs in terms of performance.
comments voicing support for RIM's decision to "get it right."
The XM13 will be available in 30 and 60GB sizes and Adata is
On the most part however, many readers who proclaimed
rating the max sequential read performance at 280MB/s, with
themselves as BlackBerry users have voiced frustration and
the read performance hitting 260MB/s. The random read and
even anger at the shifting goalposts where the availability of
write performance should hit 12,500 IOPS according to Adata.
promised features are concerned.
"We've all be fed a pack of lies since launch of the device, I
wasted £300 on the promise of Native Email, Android Player
and DLNA by the end of summer....now 2012....when will the
delays end 2013?" wrote a frustrated user named Matt in
response to the announcement.
The decision to delay the PlayBook OS update appears to
reflect a new strategy of slowing everything down in order
to release a properly polished product out the door. While
PlayBook 1.0 was reasonably polished, it paled in several areas
against competing tablets. Moreover, the repeated delays and
missteps are doing nothing for the confidence of existing users.
Moving forward, there appears to be some apprehension about
what RIM intends to do in the tablet space. A report on
TechNewsWorld cited supply chain contacts that RIM does
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25. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Both SKUs feature an unspecified Sandforce controller,
although we're most likely looking at something similar to
that of OCZ's Nocti series, as the XM13 sports a SATA 3Gbps
interface. Adata is suggesting that you should pair up its new
mSATA SSD's with one of Gigabyte's mSATA sporting Z68
motherboards, although it should also be possible to upgrade
mSATA equipped notebooks too, at least as long as you're
not afraid of a bit of notebook DIY. No word on pricing or
availability, so it's hard to tell if these mSATA SSDs will be
competitive or not.
Nokia partner up with Monster
for co-branded headsets
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nokia-partner-up-with-monster-for-co-
branded-headsets/13817.html
October 31st, 2011 There will be two headsets to start with, the Purity HD stereo
headset and the Purity stereo headset; of course both models
carry a "by Monster" tag at the end of the product names.
The Purity HD is an over ear type headset with square-ish
kind of flat ear pads. The headband is foldable and features a
very similar design as the Beats audio headsets. The wire has
a microphone and control buttons that are compatible with
Nokia's new Lumia phones, although we expect that it should
The most surprising announcement at Nokia World 2011 work with at least any other Windows Phone 7 device. The
wasn't one of Nokia's new handsets, instead it was the buttons allow for adjustment of volume and answering and
announcement that Nokia is teaming up with Monster to co- ending calls. The Purity HD headset will come in black, white,
brand headsets for its phones. What makes this so interesting cyan and fuchsia for what is likely to be a steep price tag.
is that HTC bought into the Beats brand, which was originally
a collaboration between Monster and Dr Dre and we're curious
about what HTC will have to say about this partnership
The most surprising announcement at Nokia World 2011
wasn't one of Nokia's new handsets, instead it was the
announcement that Nokia is teaming up with Monster to co-
brand headsets for its phones. What makes this so interesting
is that HTC bought into the Beats brand, which was originally
a collaboration between Monster and Dr Dre and we're curious
about what HTC will have to say about this partnership.
25

26. October 31st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Purity headset on the other hand a standard in-ear affair,
although it uses the kind of flat cables that once again Monster
has used for the Beats audio products. This is a noise insulation
set or headphones and it comes with five different sized ear
buds to allow for a tight seal. The rest of the features are the
same as for the Purity HD and we'll be seeing the Purity in the
same choice of colours as well. No word on pricing here either,
but expect them to be expensive.
Nokia Asha, the handsets for
the next billion
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nokia-asha-the-handsets-for-the-next-
billion/13816.html
October 31st, 2011
As for the new Symbian S40 6th Edition handsets announced
today at Nokia World 2011, it's clear that Nokia is pushing for a
death of the "dumb phone" even though it's hard to call the new
Asha handsets smartphones, but they most definitely fall in
the feature phone category. The four new models are the Asha
303, Asha 300, Asha 201 and Asha 200, of which three comes
with a full QWERTY keypad. Apparently these handsets are
Starting at the bottom, we have the Asha 200 and 201, which
intended for the developing markets, or for the "next billion"
are more or less the same handset, although with some minor
mobile users, according to Nokia.
differences in terms of the internals. Neither model offers 3G
connectivity with both limited to dual band GSM/EDGE. Both
As for the new Symbian S40 6th Edition handsets announced models sport a 2.4in QVGA (320x240) display, up to 64MB of
today at Nokia World 2011, it's clear that Nokia is pushing for a internal storage memory, a micro SD card slot, a 2Megapixel
death of the "dumb phone" even though it's hard to call the new camera, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, FM radio, a micro USB port
Asha handsets smartphones, but they most definitely fall in and a 3.5mm headset jack. The main difference is that the
the feature phone category. The four new models are the Asha Asha 200 is a dual SIM phone, but the neat thing here is that
303, Asha 300, Asha 201 and Asha 200, of which three comes the second SIM can be swapped without having to restart the
with a full QWERTY keypad. Apparently these handsets are phone. The Asha 200's have a battery rated at 1,430mAh which
intended for the developing markets, or for the "next billion" is good for up to 35 days standby or 7h talk time. Both models
mobile users, according to Nokia. will be available in eight different colours depending on the
market, with the Asha 200 expected to launch this quarter with
the Asha 201 set to follow in Q1 next year with an estimated
retail price of €60 (S$105) excluding tax.
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