On April 7, 2011, VR-Zone published updates including Toshiba's new 24nm SmartNAND chips to enhance performance, AMD's upcoming FX-series microprocessor launch, and Google's $100 million campaign for original YouTube programming. The website also reported on various gadgets like the Asus Rampage III Black Edition motherboard, the Nexus SM-8000 silent mouse, and the G-TF Speed mousepad from Zowie Gear. Additionally, Cisco launched the Linksys E4200 dual-band router to optimize connectivity with Singapore's next-generation broadband network.

1. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
Series coolers and I really like the new mounting system for
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication the pump/coldplate
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
Description: Toshiba is replacing its current 32nm process
flash chips with 24nm SmartNAND: flash with on-chip error
The Daily VR-Zone News correction. The new chips will have faster controllers and
deliver faster read and write speeds, although no numbers
Summary - 7 April 2011 have been supplied.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--7- Description: Even though it is well known that
april-2011/11455.html Advanced Micro Devices has strong intentions to start
April 7th, 2011 commercial shipments of its FX-series code-named "Zambezi"
microprocessors based on Bulldozer micro-architecture,
the intrigue remains when exactly the company formally
introduces new chips and reveal its levels of performance.
Consumer Electronics and Software news
In today's news roundup: • GIGABYTE G1.Assassin (Intel X58 Description: The Xoom Android tablet and Atrix smartphone
Express) gaming motherboard review; • Toshiba introduces are being called out as poor performers, despite heavy
small but SmartNAND chips; • Google to finance $100 million marketing campaigns launched by Verizon Wireless and
worth of original programs for YouTube ; • Sophisticated cyber AT&T, respectively.
thieves behind Epsilon attack; • Sony PlayStation Portable
holiday release may be dDelayed by Japan disaster, and • Description: Google plans to create 20 special channels on its
SEGA today unveiled a teaser trailer for a new Sonic game. YouTube site, and will spend $100 million to create original
programming to populate them.
Hardware news
Description: Moody's cut its credit rating on Nokia, citing the
Description: This board is the G1.Assassin; part of the G1 Killer Finnish mobile phone company's weakening market position
line-up. When you pick this board up you get an X58 chipset, and uncertainty over its transition to Microsoft's Windows
a Creative labs X-Fi audio card and a Killer NIC built onto the Phone software.
board. You all get this for US$529.99 on NewEgg.com which
comes in a little less than buying the parts separately. Description: An online marketing firm hit by what may be
one of the biggest data thefts ever was the victim of "highly
Description: The Sapphire Radeon HD 6790 sits in that sophisticated cyber thieves," according to its parent company.
entry gamer market. The Radeon 6790 looks to edge out Alliance Data Systems Corp. also reiterated that only the
the competition with increased performance. It features a names and email addresses of customers were stolen in
840MHz core clock, 1050MHz memory clock, 800 Stream the attack on its subsidiary, Epsilon, and not credit card
processors, and 40 texture units. Onboard there is 1GB of information or social security numbers.
DDR5 memory with a 256-bit interface.
Description: Chrome already has a "Safe Browsing" mode,
Description: With the Rampage III Black Edition, ASUS has a which Google said "has done a lot of good for the Web," but
new flagship in its portfolio. This board embodies the further there is still plenty of harmful content floating around on the
development of the already very successfull Rampage III Internet.
Extreme. The new kid on the block will try to win gamers and
overclockers hearts with a very extensive delivery and lots of Description: In this review I’ll be taking a look at a really
features. unusual set of Gaming headgear called the ISURUS in-ear
gaming headset. Thermaltake have taken the headset era to
Description: The Hydro Series from Corsair has been king of another level by giving the end user the option of using a
hill for pre-built sealed kits since it came out. It seems that sleeker in-ear headset that won’t over time give you that
with Antec teamed up with Asetek now in the cooler market uncomfortable ache you can have using a bulky traditional
the hill now belongs to them. With that being said, the H60 designed headset
is a good cooler. It is well built, quieter than previous Hydro
Gaming news
1

2. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Description: Atari Greatest Hits includes Pong for free, and major resellers and e-tailers at MSRPs of US$71 (16Gb), US
includes 99 games from the Atari 2600 and arcade system $140 (32Gb), and US$235 (64Gb) in Japan.
for purchase. By Jared Newman, Technologizer You may now
count Atari among the classic video game systems to find a News via [Softpedia]
home in the iOS App Store.
Description: The new PlayStation Portable, dubbed “NGP,”
may be introduced in a single region this year instead of
Nexus Debuts SM-8000 Silent
starting sales in Asia, Europe and the U.S. in time for Mouse
the end-of-year holiday shopping season, said Jack Tretton, Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nexus-debuts-sm-8000-silent-
president of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, citing mouse/11827.html
production problems related to the March 11 disaster. April 7th, 2011
Description: So you've got an iPad or your shiny new iPad 2
and come to the dawning realisation that you've no cash left to
buy any games for it.
Description: SEGA today unveiled a teaser trailer for a new
Sonic game slated for release later this year for PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360. The video, which originated on SEGA's official
Nexus Technology has unveiled the SM-8000 Silent mouse,
Sonic Facebook page this morning, doesn't reveal much about
featuring a patented design that eliminates all clicking noises
the gameplay, only that it may feature both the old and new
when you press the buttons. Measuring 117 x 76 x 42mm, it
generation of Sonic characters.
has five buttons, an optical sensor, an auto power save mode,
and connects to the PC via a 2.4 GHz wireless Nano receiver.
Green House Announces The SM-8000 operates on two AAA batteries and is expected
to start shipping soon.
PicoDrive F3 USB 3.0 Flash NEXUS PRESS RELEASE
Drive
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/green-house-announces-picodrive-f3-
usb-3.0-flash-drive/11828.html
April 7th, 2011
Tokyo-based Green House has unveiled the PicoDrive F3 flash
drive series. Measuring 73.2 x 19.75 x 9mm and weighing
Nexus Technology introduces the SM-8000 Silent mouse. No
13.5g, they sport a USB 3.0 interface and deliver data transfer
more clicking noise. After several requests to introduce a
rates up to 120 Mb/s (read) and 80 Mb/s (write).
bigger brother for the SM-7000 we now introduce you the
SM-8000, a big 5 button silent mouse. The Nexus Silent
Mouse SM-8000 is an advanced 2.4G wireless optical mouse,
which connects to your PC, Mac or laptop with a super small
nano receiver and has a total of 5 silent buttons. Beside the
regular 3 buttons this mouse have two extra buttons on the
side which makes it easy browsing forward and backward.
Tokyo-based Green House has unveiled the PicoDrive F3 flash
drive series. Measuring 73.2 x 19.75 x 9mm and weighing
13.5g, they sport a USB 3.0 interface and deliver data transfer
rates up to 120 Mb/s (read) and 80 Mb/s (write). Available
in 64Gb, 32Gb and 16Gb capacities, they are available from
2

3. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Patented Switch Technology all models meet both the European Energy Using Products
The switches we have used for the Silent Mouse have a Directive (EuP) and The American Energy Star 5.0 standard.
patented construction and lack the clicking sound when you The units run quietly and emit extremely low levels of
press them. interference.
You will be amazed how much more relaxing it is when you get
rid of this useless sound in your working environment.
Specifications
• Advanced 2.4Ghz wireless technology
• Nano receiver (included)
• 39 channels
• 16 bits mouse
• 5 buttons
• Auto Power save mode
• Red sensor light
• 2x AAA batteries (included)
• 11.7x7.6x4.2 cm
For more information please check this page. An interesting aesthetic touch on what is often a bland system
component is the patented design pattern on the laminated
steel shell. The innovative surface coating process yields an
A-Data Launches BN Series attractive textured appearance.
PSUs
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-data-launches-bn-series-
Features:
psus/11826.html
April 7th, 2011
•Wattage: 400/450/500/550W
•Active PFC
•ATX12V Ver.2.3
A-DATA Technology, well-known for their DRAM modules •Meets EuP and Energy Star 5.0
and flash memory products, has introduced the BN Series
PSUs. Available in 400W, 450W, 500W and 550W capacities, •80 PLUS (Bronze)
these 80Plus Bronze PSUs feature a laminated steel enclosure,
active PFC, two 12V rails, a MTBF of 100,000 hours, and •Low Ripple & Noise
are cooled by a 120mm fan. The ADATA BN Series PSUs,
compliant with ATX12V Ver.2.3, EuP and Energy Star 5.0, are •PCI-E Connectors
available through selected distributors.
•Textured laminated surface
ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-
performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application
products, today announced the launch of its latest series
Availability
of power supply for personal computers. The BN Series is
targeted towards consumer and professional users who are
looking for economical solutions in energy efficient power.
ADATA BN Series power supply units are now distributed
through selected distributors and resellers. More information
about ADATA BN Series power supply unit can be found on
With 80 Plus Bronze certification, the BN series offer up to
the company's website.
85% efficiency, while the 95% Active Power Factor Correction
(PFC) minimizes power loss. The series comes in four wattage
models to meet a wide range of individual user needs, and
3

4. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Zowie Gear Introduces G-TF
Speed Mousepad
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zowie-gear-introduces-g-tf-speed-
mousepad/11825.html
April 7th, 2011
Zowie Gear has refreshed its G-TF mousepad (released 2009)
with the announcement of the G-TF Speed. Measuring 440 x
First things first. The G-TF speed will not replace the G-TF. We
320 x 2mm, the gaming pad boasts a newly designed rubber
have been receiving a lot of requests to develop a surface which
base for more stablity, a liquid-resistant surface for smooth
was faster than the G-TF and took up the challenge. Due to
gliding and easy maintenance, and triple-stitched rolled edges
the popularity of the G-TF, we decided to use the same unique
for durability and comfort. The G-TF Speed is compatible with
waterproof texture in the G-TF speed and improve on specific
all mice and is expected to start shipping in June 2012.
details.
ZOWIE GEAR PRESS RELEASE
On August 17th 2009 we announced the innovative G-TF
mousepad which we had developed in cooperation with
Abdisamad ‘SpawN’ Mohamed. As a groundbreaking addition
to the mousepad market, the G-TF provided competitive
gamers around the world with the edge they needed to stay on
top of their game.
The G-TF combined flexibility, comfort and size of the
clothpads with the unique texture of plasticpads, resulting in
a unique mousepad with a large and comfortable mousing-
area as well as low friction allowing for swift and precise
movements. To increase the overall durability and quality
of the mousepad, the G-TF was created using 100% natural
rubber and the edges were stitched to prevent them from
fraying – all of these features were unique and specifically Not only is the G-TF speed faster than the G-TF, it also have
developed for the G-TF. a newly developed unique base, which allows for a firm flat
suction to the table and makes the mousepad thinner, making
it ideal for gamers who has been using plasticpads and are now
Amazed by the outstanding performance of the G-TF, this looking for something a bit more flexible. The G-TF speed is
clothpad was soon to become the preferred mousepad of many for those gamers who want it all – comfort, flexibility and swift
competitive and casual gamers around the world. Today the performance.
G-TF is a sure sight at all of the competitive LAN’s and
tournaments worldwide.
With that being said, we are happy to introduce the G-TF
speed, yet another innovative addition to the ZOWIE GEAR
product portfolio.
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5. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Staying true to our motto, we are always striving for perfection,
even if it’s a matter of improvement of just 1%. We believe this
1% is what makes the difference in competitive gaming.
The G-TF speed will be available medio 2011.
Features
* The speed edition of the popular G-TF – faster than ever
* Newly designed rubber base for increased stability
* Liquid resistant surface allows for easy maintenance
It is a well known fact that the words 'Singapore' and 'fast,
* Triple-stitched edges preventing fray and increases the seamless and hassle-free' are seldom (if ever) used together
lifetime of the pad in the breath or sentence when the state of the country's
broadband network is brought up for discussion, and for
* Rolled edges for added comfort while playing good reason. With most existing home and mobile broadband
providers boasting robust networks that never fail to operate at
* 100% compatible with all types of mice a fraction of their advertised speeds, it should be little surprise
that locals often take pride in competing to see which ISP offers
* Perfectly oversized for gamers & designers: 440 x 320 x the lowest average network speeds.
2mm/ 17.3 x 12.6 x 0.08" Thankfully, this dismal state of affairs is about to change
now that the Next Generation National Broadband Network
(NGNBN)is upon us, and most of us are in the midst of getting
Sign up at our Facebook page, for a chance to win this awesome their fibre termination point installed as we type this story out.
pad once it is released: www.facebook.com/ZOWIEGEAR Of course, in an ideal world, things such as ISP or hardware
bottlenecks would not exist, except that the real world is
Cisco launches Linksys E4200 seldom as forgiving. And while ISP bottlenecks are definitely
going to stay, users have the capability to prevent hardware
Maximum Performance Dual- bottlenecks from taking place, and this is precisely what Cisco
is aiming to eliminate with its new Linksys E4200 Wireless-N
Band Wireless-N router router, which was officially launched today.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cisco-launches-linksys-e4200-
maximum-performance-dual-band-wireless-n-router/11824.html
In his opening address, Craig Gledhill, vice president of Cisco
April 7th, 2011
Consumer Products for Asia Pacific and Japan, described
how the new E4200 router will enhance a user's online
experience when used in conjunction with the upcoming
NGNBN infrastructure.
Now that more residential areas are getting the upgrades
needed to access to the Next Generation Nationwide
Broadband Network (aka NGNBN), it should come as no
surprise that getting an aftermarket router to share the ultra
high-speed connection is going to be a top priority. And if you
are willing to spare no expense in ensuring that your router
does not end up being the bottleneck to this new network,
Cisco is only all too keen to sell you its new E4200 Wireless-N
router, which it officially launched in a media event held in the
Infocomm Experience Centre located at Esplanade Xchange.
VR-Zone brings you the coverage. "Cisco is a big supporter of the NGNBN, and we think that
this is a great initiative by the government. Cisco has been
involved in this project, and as technology vendors, we want
to bring new technology to take advantage of the NGNBN. The
product we are launching today, the E4200, is a top-of-the-
range router that has been getting great reviews, and it is the
kind of device you'd want to put next to your LED TV," he said.
5

6. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Accompanying him was Cisco System's head of consumer
products for Asia Pacific and Japan, Jaimohan Thampi, who
proceeded to describe some of the new features and usability
upgrades consumers can take advantage of in the new Linksys
E4200 Wireless-N router.
Darwin can keep his evolutionary theory; we are more
interested in Cisco's 'router design evolution' specimens
"The need for bandwidth and capabilities is only going to grow
in homes. With Singapore being one of the frontrunners in
technology...network speeds have skyrocketed. And people are
going out to buy cheap, affordable routers that are just not
able to keep up with the expectations of the network. In such
cases, the router has become the throttling point. We want
Cisco Connect; Easy as 1, 2, 3 indeed. Three windows and
to market a product that is capable of delivering tomorrow's
you're done; notice that the E4200 sports the ability to set up
experience...without the complexity of trying to get it to work,"
a guest network with the click of a button.
he said, while adding that these are issues which the new
Linksys E4200 router is fully capable of solving.
"The E4200 router is our maximum-performance, dual-band Fujifilm unveils new FinePix
router today. The Linksys E4200 is designed for speed and is
capable of transfer speeds of up to 450Mbps under the 5.0GHz
Z900EXR compact digital
band. It is also Home Theatre-ready, which means that it is camera
capable of delivering high-definition, 3D content, and back Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujifilm-unveils-new-finepix-z900exr-
up digital files. Cisco connect (also removes) the complexity compact-digital-camera/11822.html
element; setting up a connection is now as easy as one two April 7th, 2011
three," he claimed.
Fujifilm has unveiled their new FinePix Z900EXR compact
digital camera designed with new image sensor that is capable
of shooting full high definition videos and automatically detect
up to 27 different scenes.
6

7. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Z900EXR is the latest addition to Fujifilm's portfolio of suddenly ceases to operate, and it will take a long time for an
Finepix compact digital cameras that features a multi-touch alternative solution to fill the void it will leave behind.
display, new image sensor and the capability to capture videos However, it also appears that Google is not content about
in full high definition (HD). The 16-megapixel camera also YouTube just being a gigantic repository of videos for users
offers high dynamic range and improved battery life and can to view online. Apparently, the search giant has always been
perform full resolution continuous shooting of three frames harbouring plans of making YouTube much more ubiquitous
per second. in the average user's lifestyle, we have seen how Google TV was
The Finepix Z900EXR is equipped with a 5x wide-angle, probably the first example of the search giant's long term goals
28-140mm (35mm equivalent) Fujinon zoom lens and can for YouTube. But even that is not enough, and various sources
automatically detect up to 27 different scenes including familiar with Google's dealings are claiming that the company
sunsets and blue sky. At the rear is the 3.5-inch touchscreen is setting up YouTube to go head to head against the likes of
LCD display with multi-touch capabilities. The camera can TV network operators in order to keep people hanging around
also record full 1080p high definition videos at 30 frames per the video portal for longer amounts of time.
second in H.264 file format. Available in black, red, white, pink According to a report made by the Wall Street Journal, the
and blue options, the Finepix Z900EXR will retail from May online video streaming service is now focusing on acquiring
at US$279.95. new content in the way most TV broadcast and cable networks
will; by offering to sponsor or fund the production of content
Google planning to introduce specially designed for online viewing. The search giant has also
reportedly set aside a staggering US$100million just for this
'channel' system to YouTube? purpose. It is speculated that such an approach has greater
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-planning-to-introduce-channel- potential in successfully winning over producers to produce
system-to-youtube-/11821.html Youtube-exclusive content, as opposed to striking licensing
April 7th, 2011 deals with video and content distributors.
In addition, Google is also reportedly planning to revamp
YouTube's home page by introducing a 'Channels' system
which will supposedly allow users to sort between videos
of various genres for easier classification and searching
purposes.
Sure, YouTube may have the world's most comprehensive,
up-to-date repository of movies, home-made video clips and Last but not least, the Wall Street Journal also claims that
other kinds of media files, but it appears that Google is still Google is planning to integrate social networking features into
trying to find a way to position YouTube as a source of media YouTube, and that such features are likely to be introduced
that will eventually be as ubiquitous as existing television together with the new Channels system so that viewers
networks. And according to bits of information claimed by will have a comprehensive package of new features in the
various insider sources, it seems that Google's approach might revamped YouTube portal.
be to revamp the portal into the web equivalent of a TV For more information about Google's plans for YouTube, hit
network. up the source link below.
Acer refreshes Timeline X
product line with new models
featuring Intel's Sandy Bridge
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-refreshes-timeline-x-product-line-
with-new-models-featuring-intel-s-sandy-bridge/11820.html
April 7th, 2011
It does not take much to convince most web-savvy users that
YouTube is probably one of, of not the most popular source Until very recently, Acer was the only major notebook OEM
of online videos in the world today. After all, most web users which had yet to update its entire product line with models that
will be hard pressed to find a similar alternative video hosting featured Intel's new Sandy Bridge platform. However, if you
service that offers the same kind of depth, reach and variety have been waiting all this while for a low-priced notebook that
as what Google's YouTube is currently capable of. In fact, it packs the latest specifications from the likes of Acer, today is
is probably no exaggeration on our part when we say that the going to be your lucky day, for Acer has finally rolled out what
global online video scene would grind to a halt if YouTube the world has been waiting for: its own line of Sandy Bridge-
powered notebooks under the Timeline X banner. Talk about a
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8. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
classic example of 'better late than never' being put into action a trait which appears to greatly reduce the appeal of the 15-
in the real world. *UPDATED with local prices! inch 5830TG.
Unfortunately, the notebooks are currently only available
for sale in Taiwan, so budget-conscious consumers here in
sunny Singapore seeking an Acer-branded notebook featuring
Intel's Sandy Bridge platform will probably have to wait
a little longer before these notebooks finally pop up for
sale in our local computer stores. That being said, here are
some prices for comparative purposes: the 13-inch 3830TG
Well, that sure took Acer long enough. While major notebook is currently retailing in Taiwan for NT32,900 (NT37,900 for
OEMs such as HP, Lenovo and Fujitsu have already had the i5 version), while the 14-inch and 15-inch 4830TG and
notebooks powered by Intel's Sandy Bridge platform out for 5830TG are selling for the same price of NT39,900.
retail on the market for quite some time already, Acer was
conveniently absent from the Sandy Bridge race, for reasons *UPDATE: a reader has updated us with information that
unknown to all but its own internal departments. Acer's Sandy Bridge notebooks are already available for sale
locally at discounted prices. The Timeline X 3830TG is
However, those who have been patiently awaiting the day currently selling for S$999 (S$1,398 for the Core i5 version),
Acer will eventually unveil an updated line of notebooks while the 5830TG costs S$1,298, and the 4830TG is already
featuring the new Sandy Bridge platform will probably retailing for the price of S$1,598. Last but definitely not least,
have much to look forward to. This is because Acer there are two additional models, the 14-inch 4750G and the 15-
has finally delivered what the world has been waiting inch 5750, which feature Intel's Sandy Bridge platform but will
for, and it comes in the form of four new Timeline X not be sold under the Timeline X banner. The 4750G features
models: the Acer Aspire Timeline X 3830TG-2312G64nbb01, an Intel Core i3-2310M processor and an NVIDIA GeForce
3830TG-2412G64nbb02, 4830TG-2412G64nbb01 and GT520M graphics card and is selling at the discounted price of
5830TG-2412G64nbb01. S$849, while the 15-inch 5750 makes use of the Core i5-2410M
processor and onboard graphics, and is currently discounted
for sale at S$899.
Apple to introduce its own
proprietary version of USB3.0
and DisplayPort?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-to-introduce-its-own-
proprietary-version-of-usb3.0-and-displayport-/11819.html
April 7th, 2011
No prizes for guessing the model number for this particular
Timeline X notebook
According to an online report published by the Chinese branch
of Engadget, all three new Sandy Bridge-powered Timeline X
Once again, leave it to Apple to throw existing standards out
notebooks will feature near identical hardware specifications:
of the window by choosing to implement its own ports which
the 13-inch 3830TG-2312G64nbb01 will come bundled with
attempt to combine two interfaces into a single “hybrid port”.
an Intel Core i3-2310M processor clocked at 2.1GHz, an
And according to the latest patent awarded to the Cupertino
NVIDIA GeForce GT540M graphics card which sports 2GB of
giant, it seems that the next 'hybrid port' that is expected to
VRAM, 2GB of system memory, a 640GB hard disk and USB
debut on future Apple hardware will be capable of delivering
3.0 ports capable of 'independent charging'.
both USB3.0 and DisplayPort signals.
Although USB3.0 and DisplayPort are interfaces which cater
On the other hand, the other 13-inch 3830TG model, along to very different needs, the basis for their design are
with the 14-inch 4830TG and 15-inch 5830TG loses the completely identical; they are both standard interfaces which
Core i3-2310M processor more a more powerful Intel Core have been designed to facilitate the transfer of digital content
i5-2410M processor clocked at 2.3GHz, which is capable from various electronic devices. And everybody knows how
of achieving speeds of up to 2.9GHz under Turbo Boost. important standards are to our daily computing needs; that is
However, all other specifications remain identical, which the main reason we do not have to fiddle with cumbersome
means that both the 4830TG and 5830TG will feature the adaptors when it comes to dealing with various standard
same GT540M graphics card, 640GB hard disk and USB3.0 expansion and I/O ports found in our PCs today.
ports found in the 3830TG. And to top that off, all three
That being said, at least one OEM has a fond preference for
notebooks will sport the same display resolution of 1366 x 768,
doing everything its way and tossing out popular existing
8

9. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
standards in the process, and it should come as no surprise
that Apple is now attempting to do the same with USB3.0
and DisplayPort today. According to a patent which was only
recently awarded to Apple, it seems that the Cupertino giant
has plans to create an entirely new “hybrid port” which is
reportedly capable of delivering both DisplayPort and USB3.0
signals in a single package.
Of course, with this being Apple we are talking about, it
probably goes without saying that such an interface is going to
be an Apple-exclusive, just like how the current line of iPods,
iPads and iPhones all feature proprietary charging ports even
though the micro-USB interface has already been recognized
internationally as the standard port to be used for mobile
devices.
Based on what we are able to understand from the patent Feel free to hit up on the source link for more information
filings, the hybrid port will feature a 30-pin connector, of about the patent and its implementation.
which the various signal types each pin will transmit is shown
in the patent illustration below.
Microsoft's Bing Streetside to
launch in Germany, compete
with Google's Street View
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-s-bing-streetside-to-launch-
in-germany-compete-with-google-s-street-view/11818.html
April 7th, 2011
Microsoft is planning to launch the Streetside feature of
their Bing map service in Germany, competing head on
with Google's Streetview. If everything goes well, the service
Also, based on illustrations of the device's physical could be up this coming summer.
dimensions, it can be inferred that Apple might plan to
implement this new hybrid port on mobile devices such as
its line of iPods, iPhones and iPads first. This is due to the
fact that the port's capability to deliver both USB3.0 and
DisplayPort signals means that it greatly reduces the amount
of space needed to feature dedicated ports for such highly
mobile devices, where sufficient real estate for implementing
additional I/O ports are a luxury. That being said, Apple does
mention that the port may eventually find its way to desktop
and notebook PCs.
While Google may have Street View, Microsoft has their Bing
Streetside. And the Streetside service is coming to Germany.
Google Street View cars had been accused of collecting data
from open Wi-Fi spots and networks without authorization,
and the search engine giant has admitted to the wrongdoing.
To avoid similar thing from happening, Microsoft officials
have met with industry associations, political representatives
and privacy advocates. The software company will begin
photographing 50 major cities in Germany and the service will
be available for use to the public by the end of May 2011.
9

10. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
A website will be launched next Friday with detailed managed to pin-point the actual launch date which is the final
information on the routes the camera cars will take while they piece of the puzzle.
take the pictures, and with many people who do not want their
homes to be shown on Streetside, Microsoft will have to find
ways to tackle this issue for the Bing Streetside service. The By now we're within a month or two at the most from the
Bing Streetside is scheduled to go live in summer this year. launch of Intel's upcoming high-end Sandy Bridge chipset, the
Z68 and we've gotten some new details ahead of the launch via
the grapevine. It's all good news, although we have as yet not
MSI E350IA-E45 AMD Brazos managed to pin-point the actual launch date which is the final
Platform Review piece of the puzzle.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-e350ia-e45-amd-brazos-platform- As you may or may not have read, Intel has added support for
review/11417.html SSD caching in the Z68 chipset and so far it's been known as
April 7th, 2011 RST SSD caching, not exactly a sexy name for what at least
for Intel is a new technology, so the company's PR department
came up with a better one – Smart Response. It's at least
a catchier name, even though it actually says less about the
actual technology, but that's what marketing and PR is for,
right? If you want a preview of how well it works or not, we
suggest you head over to Tom's hardware that put up an early
preview a while back. Smart Response still requires that you
In this article, we will explore the performance of the recently
own an SSD of course, although even a fairly small one would
launched AMD Brazos platform - more specifically MSI's
be good enough.
implementation with the E350IA-E45 Mini-ITX motherboard,
which is worth a consider as a home theatre PC (HTPC) due to However, the really good news is that Intel decided to lower the
its small physical size and low power consumption. price of the Z68 chipset to a price point much closer to that of
the current P67 chipset. This should hopefully result not only
AMD Fusion is the marketing name for a series of
in a lot more affordable Z68 boards, but also a wide range than
Accelerated Processing Units which was announced to be
many of the board makers initially planned to offer. That said,
in development since 2006. The final design is the product
Intel hasn't officially revealed the pricing of its P67 chipset so
of the merger between AMD and ATI, combining feneral
any actual pricing is a bit hard to deduce and we're currently
processor execution as well as 3D geometry processing and
unable to reveal the price difference, but it's much smaller than
other functions of modern GPUs into a single chip. This
what earlier rumours have suggested.
technology was shown to the general public in January 2011 at
the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). As soon as Intel has gotten its Sandy Bridge and Westmere-EX
Xeon CPU launch out of the way, we'd expect that they'll start
preparing the launch of the Z68 chipset, unless they've decided
In today's review, we will explore the performance of the to hold it back until Computex. Otherwise the best and most
recently launched AMD Brazos platform - more specifically likely launch even would be IDF Beijing which kicks off on the
MSI's implementation, which is worth a consider as a home 12th of April, but none of the keynotes or technical sessions
theatre PC (HTPC) due to its small physical size and low seems to suggest that we're looking at a Z68 platform launch
power consumption. However, small size and low power at IDF.
consumption does not mean poor performance, as recent
Mini-ITX systems have demonstrated.
The Daily VR-Zone News
Intel Z68 chipset pricing lower Summary - 6 April 2011
than expected
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--6-
april-2011/11452.html
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-z68-chipset-pricing-lower-than- April 7th, 2011
expected/11817.html
April 7th, 2011
In today's news roundup: The elusive P67-totting Quantum
Force Rattler motherboard from Foxconn has finally be taken
out for a review; Techspot performs a short comparison of
By now we're within a month or two at the most from the
various entry-level, budget and mainstream-level graphics
launch of Intel's upcoming high-end Sandy Bridge chipset, the
cards from the likes of both AMD and NVIDIA; Toshiba is
Z68 and we've gotten some new details ahead of the launch via
reportedly planning to launch a new notebook featuring a
the grapevine. It's all good news, although we have as yet not
glasses-free 3D display sometime in the second half of 2011;
10

11. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Samsung's Prevail smartphone gets a hands-on; AIKA SEA complete backwards compatibility to USB 2.0 and 1.1, while
has been confirmed for an April 12 launch, and Dragon the U3e adds eSATA connectivity to the mix. Whether you
Quest X is reportedly close to completion, and that an official need blazing USB 3.0 and eSATA transfers, or connectivity
announcement regarding the game's launch can be expected to an older machine, the ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e have you
sometime at the end of the year. covered.
Hardware news Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler Review @ Bigbruin.com
Description: Noctua has developed a reputation for high
Foxconn Quantum Force Rattler P67 Motherboard Review @
Vortez quality components, backed up by countless awards from
reviews published around the world. Downdraft coolers have
Description: Rumours surrounding the Quantum Force Series
been manufactured in the past, however few have been able to
having a new P67 addition have been circulating around the
stand up to the larger tower coolers. The NH-C14 shows that
internet for many months now, and today we finally get our
Noctua knows what they are doing in this field.
hands on a motherboard named Rattler which incorporates
that Intel P67 chipset. Seagate GoFlex Slim 320GB USB 3.0 Hard Drive Review @
Legit Reviews
GIGABYTE HD 6970 OC 2GB Review @ OCAU
Description: The Seagate GoFlex Slim 320GB portable drive
Description: A unique technology featured on GIGABYTE's
caught us a little off guard when it arrived. We weren't sure
motherboards has come to graphics cards in the form of
what to expect, but in the end we found ourselves pleasantly
the Ultra Durable VGA technology banner. This includes a
surprised to find a portable drive that was fast, lightweight,
2oz copper design for a lower working temperature and a
small and looked good. Usually, you can't find a way to blend
reduction of hotspots, better overclocking and better power
all those features together without making sacrifices along the
efficiency, as well as Japanese solid capacitors, Tier 1 memory
way, but that doesn't appear to be the situation we have here
from Samsung and Hynix, as well as quality Ferrite Core
today. In order to take full advantage of this drive you really
chokes and MOSFETs adding to the benefits of the 2oz copper
need to have a USB 3.0 interface! With CrystalDiskMark we
design. You'll find the majority of non-reference GIGABYTE
saw the GoFlex Slim 320GB drive peak at ~120MB/s read and
graphics cards sporting this logo, while SuperOverclock (SOC)
~118MB/s write, so if you've been using a USB 2.0 drive and
cards feature the Ultra Durable VGA Plus+ logo.
are stuck at ~31MB/s write speeds you'll see nice performance
Top Budget to Mainstream Graphics Cards gains!
Description: The last few months we've seen both AMD and
Thermaltake Frio OCK CPU Cooler Review @ OCIA.net
Nvidia turn their attention to the high-end segment of the
Description: We first saw this cooler on display at CES 2011 in
graphics market. In addition to launching their latest single-
the suit that Thermaltake was set up in. The Frio OCK is the
GPU flagship boards, both companies just recently launched
refreshed version of Thermaltake's top Frio cooler. With OCK
a couple of dual-GPU beasts. We have to say it's great to see
standing for “Over Clocker King,” it wasn’t hard to determine
such spirited competition as it's usually customers that reap
the target market here. We are actually a little surprised to see
the benefits. That's especially true today as mainstream cards
it released as our rep said it might not make it to market due
are getting more and more powerful and even a $100 product
to a cost prohibitive construction.
is capable of far more than you may give it credit for. So,
while AMD and Nvidia settle the score at the super expensive ASUS GTX 590 Review @ ocaholic
enthusiast level, we actually want to have a look at what's Description: With the GTX 590 ASUS also has the NVIDIA
been happening elsewhere. We've compiled a table with some dual GPU flagship in its portfolio. This card is based on the
of what we consider the best options at several price points reference design except that ASUS marginally increased GPU
between $70 and $200. and memory frequencies to get a very small advatage over their
competitors. Never the less we're curious how this thing will
Xigmatek Gaia SD1283 CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews
perform in our benchmark parcours.
Description: Xigmatek's Gaia SD 1283 CPU cooler has it
all covered. It's got outstanding cooling performance, a Antec Kuhler H20 620 CPU Cooler Review @ Real World Labs
diminutive acoustic footprint, a distinctive look, an innovative Description: With the latest Kuhler H20 620 Antec has made a
direct touch design and a robust yet easily installed mounting strong come back in CPU Cooling not only because of the unit's
solution. excellent cooling efficiency but also because of its small size,
low-profile pump, flexible tubings and killer price tag.
Fractal Design R3 Case Review @ ITShootOut.com
Description: Today ITShootOut take a look at Fractal Design's Prolimatech Genesis Review @ XSReviews.co.uk
R3, an affordable case designed for ultra-quiet PCs. As we Description: Prolimatech is known for high-end air cooling
found out, however, it is far from a one trick pony. With heatsinks like the Megahalems, Armageddon and Super
excellent design features, great build quality and very good Mega. The Genesis is supposedly a hybrid processor and
cooling performance its one of the best contemporary cases on motherboard cooler and in this review we’re going to see
the market today whether Prolimatech’s hybrid is any good.
Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e External HDD Enclosure Consumer Electronics and Software news
Review @Hi Tech Legion Acer Aspire 5830T TimelineX: Evolution Through Time @
Description: The Zalman ZM-HE350 U3 and U3e External InsideHW
HDD Enclosures are all about flexibility. The Zalman ZM-
HE350 U3 offers a USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connection, with
11

12. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Description: It’s been a while since we met the last entertainment and even some gaming potential thanks to a
representative of the new, promising series of Acer notebooks range of discrete NVIDIA GPUs to choose from.
- Timeline. The elegant lines, good performance and Hands on: Samsung's Prevail smartphone on Boost Mobile
recognisable design were accompanied by excellent battery Description: Confirming several leaks, Boost Mobile has
autonomy and a reasonable price, which made these models formally unveiled its latest smartphone, Samsung's Prevail
very attractive. This time around, it’s another “sinking” - handset, at a special event in New York City. The device
Acer’s Aspire 5830T, from the new TimelineX generation. The represents the carrier's flagship smartphone, which will be
recognisable ground aluminium lid with a silver Acer logo is sold alongside several BlackBerry offerings and the aging
present here as well. Besides the fact that pressure on the Motorola i1. Electronista attended the introduction to take a
lid causes no display distortion, the aluminium surface also closer look at the new device, which may prove to be one of the
provides additional ruggedness and strength to the notebook. most attractive smartphones paired with contract-free data
The sharp lines are usually indicative of business models, but plans.
Acer has used a small trick - all edges are rounded or mildly
tilted against the surface they’re facing, which makes the new Gaming news
TimelineX models much more attractive to a wider number of AIKA SEA To Launch On April 12 Officially
customers… Description: AIKA SEA will be opening its servers officially on
Toshiba unveils 2011 product range – entertainment, 12th April at 4pm (GMT+08h), and here are some answers to
wherever you are questions that Asiasoft have put up for AIKA SEA with regards
Description: Toshiba UK today announces its 2011 product for CBT users.
range, including the first CEVO Engine powered TV, 3D- Dragon Quest X almost done, announcement 'by the end of
enabled Satellite laptops, brand new Blu-ray players and two this year'
new Camileo high definition camcorders. Toshiba also today Description: Series creator Yuji Horii announced Dragon
announces Toshiba Places, a cloud-based portal that enables Quest X, in development for Wii, at a press conference in
users to access and share content across a variety of devices. December 2008. And that was the last anyone heard about it
Toshiba to launch glasses-free notebooks in 2H 2011 until the April 2011 issue of Nintendo Power. The subject came
Description: According to Digitimes, Toshiba plans to up in an interview feature about "Dragon Quest through the
launch glasses-free laptops in 2H 2011. Toshiba actually Ages," when Horii stated that it's nearing completion.
demonstrated a prototype 3D laptop in CES 2011, called the Next Black Ops Map Pack Leaked
Qosmio. It had a parallax-barrier LCD (with one viewpoint) Description: An Australian retailer has leaked the first details
and an eye-tracking camera. on the second map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops, which will
Western Digital My Book 3.0 1TB USB 3.0 External HDD be called the Escalation Pack.
Review
Description: The Western Digital My Book 3.0 is a sleek
enclosure around two inches wide and seven inches tall. The Mach Xtreme Debuts 1.8" MX-
top, bottom and back are vented to allow air to flow over the MDS micro-SATA SSD
internal drive, but the front and sides have a matte black finish. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mach-xtreme-debuts-1.8-mx-mds-
When the drive is powered a tiny white LED glows to show micro-sata-ssd/11816.html
that the system is actually powered on. Western Digital needed April 7th, 2011
some way to show that the drive was powered on since the My
Book 3.0 is silent from just a few inches away. On the back you
will find a single button to power the enclosure on and off."
HTC Pyramid to launch on April 12th under the name of HTC
Sensation? Mach Xtreme Technology has expanded its line-up of flash
Description: When HTC extended an invitation our way to storage devices with the introduction of the MX-MDS Series
come "see what's next" on April 12th in London, plenty of you SSDs. The compact 1.8" SSDs, based on the powerful
were already guessing that its long-rumored 1.2GHz Pyramid SandForce SF1222 processor, feature a micro-SATA interface,
device would seize that opportunity to make its debut. Now MLC flash memory, 30,000 IOPS (Input/ Output Operations
Pocket-lint has apparently confirmed those inklings, with Per Second), a MTBF of 1,500,000 hours, and supports data
word from an insider affirming the new Android smartphone's transfer rates up to 285 Mb/s (read) and 275 Mb/s (write). The
launch for that day and also adding that its retail name will be MX-MDS series, covered by a two year warranty, are available
the HTC Sensation. HTC has already filed a claim to trademark in 40Gb, 60Gb, and 90Gb capacities at MSRPs of €135, €165,
that tandem of words, which lends an extra dash of credence and €220 respectively.
to this revelation.
MACH XTREME PRESS RELEASE
Acer Aspire Z5761 touchscreen all-in-one packs Core i7 and
NVIDIA GPU
Description: Acer has outed its latest all-in-one, the 24-
inch Acer Aspire Z5761. Built around a choice of Intel Core
i5-2400S, i5-2500S or Core i7-2600S processors along with
up to 8GB of RAM, the touchscreen desktop promises home
12

13. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Available in capacities of 40GB, 60GB and 90GB, Mach
Xtreme Technology MX-MDS SSDs comes backed with 2 Year
Warranty and outstanding after-sales service.
MX-MDS Series 1.8" SSD at A Glance:
•1.8" SATAII micro-SATA MLC Solid State Drive
•Max. Read Performance up to 285MB/s (40GB up to 220MB/
s)
•Max. Write Performance up to 275MB/s (40GB up to 210MB/
s)
Mach Xtreme Technology Inc., a worldwide leader in top
performance, high reliability and user friendly designed PC •Sustained Write up to 230MB/s (40GB up to 120MB/s)
components, today unveiled the 1.8"micro-SATA MX-MDS
Series SSD. Based on the best-in-class SandForce SF1222 •IOPS up to 30,000
controller, the 1.8" MX-MDS Series delivers an enhanced
mobile computing experience with much faster application •Power consumption: idle 0.5W / active 2.0W
loading, ultra-fast data access, shorter boot-ups, and longer
battery life of all laptops with micro-SATA interface. •Life expectancy 1.5 million hours MTBF
•Capacity: 40GB (MXSSD2MMDS-40G), 60GB
(MXSSD2MMDS-60G) and 90GB (MXSSD2MMDS-90G)
•Warranty: 2 Years
Cooler Master Unleashes HAF
932 Advanced Case
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cooler-master-unleashes-haf-932-
advanced-case/11815.html
April 7th, 2011
This series maintains the highest level of read and write
performance though the life of the SSD. Highly intelligent
block management and wear leveling optimizes longevity of
MX-MDS series drives. The MDS series supports DuraClass,
Cooler Master has unveiled the HAF 932 Advanced Case,
DuraWrite and unique RAISE technologies. DuraClass
further expanding its HAF series of chassis first introduced in
technology provides best-in-class endurance, performance,
2008.
and low power. DuraWrite technology extends the endurance
of MLC memory providing at least 5 year lifecycles with
3-5K cycle MLC flash. RAISE provides the protection and
reliability of RAID on a single drive without the significant
write overhead.
The MX-MDS drive delivers best-in-class read and write
speeds clocking in at up to 285 MB/s read and 275 MB/s write
along with the stunning maximum of 30,000 IOPS and low
power consumption (stand-by 0.5W / active up to 2.0W) and
superior durability (1.5 million MTBF) compared to rotating
hard disk drives.
13

14. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Cooler Master has unveiled the HAF 932 Advanced Case,
further expanding its HAF series of chassis first introduced in
2008.
Measuring 243 x 560 x 564mm and weighing 13.4kg, the tool-
free, all-black full-tower case features six exposed 5.25" bays,
five 3.5" HDD racks with anti-vibration pads, seven expansion
slots, two rear holes for water-cooling tubes, a front-side I/O
panel with four USB 2.0 ports, one IEEE 1394a, one eSATA,
and audio connectors, and two USB 3.0 ports (via a 5.25"
panel). The HAF 932 Advanced comes pre-installed with four
fans (x1 front 230mm LED fan, x1 top 230mm, x1 230mm side,
& x1 rear 140mm) is available now through major retailers and
e-tailers at a MSRP of US$159.98.
Chieftec Announces Nitro 88+
PSUs
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chieftec-announces-nitro-88-
psus/11814.html
14

15. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
April 7th, 2011
According to MSI, the latest version of MSI Afterburner is
Chieftec Industrial, manufacturer of numerous PC chassis and capable of increase a graphics card's overclocking potential by
PSUs, has launched the Nitro 88+ series PSUs. Available in as much as 25%, thanks to its support for voltage adjustments
650W, 750W, 850W, and 1,000W capacities, these 80Plus to the card via software means. Additional features found in
Silver-certified PSus are fully modular and boast a single the updated release of MSI Afterburner includes the version
12V rail, sleeved cables, active PFC, a MTBF of 100,000 2.0 of the Kombustor software used to test for overclocking
hours, and are cooled by a 140mm PWM fan. The Nitro 88+ stability, and a new video capturing tool known as Predator,
can be pre-ordered now from authorized e-tailers at MSRPs which allows OC-ers to record in-game videos during the
of €112.05 (650W), €120.61 (750W), €158.87 (850W) and benchmarking process.
€198.97 (1,000W). To ensure that gamers and enthusiasts do not burn out their
cards when subjecting them to intense loads for benchmarking
News via [Techpowerup] purposes, the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 comes with what MSI
claims is a new cooling system for the GPU. By utilizing three
copper heat pipes kept in direct contact with the GPU, along
MSI releases with a 90mm PWM fan, MSI's design supposedly provides
R6790-2PM2D1GD5 graphics better airflow, which results in a more efficient cooling system
that reportedly 50% more effective than the reference design.
card designed for overclockers Last but definitely not least, the MSI R6790-2PM2D1GD5
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-releases-r6790-2pm2d1gd5-
utilizes solid, aluminium core capacitors which are said to be
graphics-card-designed-for-overclockers/11813.html
much more durable than the typical electrolyte capacitors; this
April 7th, 2011
supposedly allows the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 to "achieve perfect
operation under all load circumstances".
Specifications of the card as as follow:
Graphics Engine AMD Radeon HD 6790
Bus Standard PCI Express x16 2.1
Memory Type GDDR5
MSI has launched the new R6790-2pm2D1GD5 graphics
Memory Size(MB) 1024
card for the enthusiast market. According to the Taiwanese
manufacturer, the new graphics card is reportedly capable of Memory Interface 256 bits
"meeting the needs of gamers and professionals" thanks to Core Clock Speed 840MHz
the use of various features designed to enhance the card's Memory Clock Speed 4200MHz
overclocking capabilities. DVI Output Single-Link DVI-D x1, Dual-
Link DVI-I x1
D-SUB Output 1 (optional, via DVI to D-Sub
adaptor)
HDMI-Output 1
Mini DisplayPort 2
HDCP Support Y
MSI has announced in a press release today that it has HDMI Support Y
launched its new R6790-2PM2D1GD5 graphics card based Dual-link DVI Y
off the recently-released AMD Radeon HD 6790 GPU. The Display Output 4x 1920x1200
R6790-2PM2D1GD5 will feature 1GB of dedicated VRAM, (Max Resolution)
support for overvolting via the MSI Afterburner tool, as well
RAMDACs 400
as Eyefinity support, which allows for a single graphics card to
simultaneously drive multiple displays. DirectX Version Support 11
15

16. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
OpenGL Version Support 4.0 According to a news report, Microsoft has confirmed that the
CrossFire Support Y launch of Internet Explorer 9 in Japan will be delayed in
Card Dimension(mm) 245 x 115 x 35mm order to assist the country's recovery efforts. The browser,
which was originally slated for a March 15 launch, will now
As it has always been with regards to MSI press release,
be postponed to April 26: this delay will reportedly help to
no information about pricing and global availability for
reduce additional burden on Japan's quake-damaged network
the R6790-2PM2D1GD5 has been revealed yet, so do check
infrastructure. This means that Japanese users will not be able
back for updates.
to obtain official builds of Internet Explorer 9 either via direct
downloading of the installer binaries or through Windows
Release of Internet Explorer Update until the aforementioned date.
9 for Japan delayed due to Alternatively, you can play the role of the good friend and assist
your Japanese friends by sending them your downloaded
earthquake binary of Internet Explorer 9. Of course, you'd want to make
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/release-of-internet-explorer-9-for- sure that they are using of the English version of Vista or
japan-delayed-due-to-earthquake/11812.html Windows 7; we don't want to add to their burden by wrecking
April 7th, 2011 their Windows installation now, do we?
Another x86 tablet PC shows
up in China
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/another-x86-tablet-pc-shows-up-in-
china/11810.html
If you make use of Microsoft's Internet Explorer as your April 7th, 2011
primary web browser for the daily Internet surfing needs,
chances are that you will have already made the jump to
Internet Explorer 9 in order to take advantage of the various
new features IE9 has to offer. Unfortunately, the same cannot
be said of IE users and fans in Japan, as Microsoft Japan has
decided to delay the browser's release date in light of the recent
disaster that rocked the country a few weeks ago. With iOS and Android wiping the floor where mobile operating
systems are concerned, one might be tempted to think that
there is little hope left for Microsoft's and its Windows 7 OS to
carve out its own share of the mobile device pie. However, it
appears that a Chinese OEM in Shenzhen does not share the
same view, and the announcement of its upcoming x86 tablet
running off Windows is probably the best proof of that.
Most people may be quick to shun Windows 7-based tablets
in favor of alternative devices powered by Google's Android
operating system, or Apple's iOS, and for good reason. Even
at its best, Windows 7 and its overlaying user interface was
designed to be used with a precision pointing tool such as a
Barely a couple of months ago, the mere mention of the words mouse or stylus; anything else will definitely result in a sub-
'Internet Explorer' is more than enough to trigger wave after optimal user experience. And this issue is further complicated
wave of criticism about Microsoft's ageing web browser, for by the fact that installing said OS on devices with small
rather obvious reasons. After all, it cannot be denied that display resolution do no favours for Windows' already touch-
Internet Explorer has been known to not only be a resource unfriendly interface.
hog, but also as a security nightmare due to various security
holes and its use of ActiveX. And to top that off, IE is also However, it appears that not all OEMs are ready to give up on
often ridiculed as the slowest browser currently in use, a trait Windows-based tablets just yet, and this latest announcement
which is not exactly the most forgiveable considering how from a certain Shenzhen-based manufacturer appears to back
every second matters in the digital world we live in today. that claim. Apparently, the manufacturer, which is known as
G'Five, has claimed that it plans to launch a new x86 tablet
However, much of that changed with the introduction of known as the WisPad some time in the "immediate future",
Internet Explorer 9, with many media organizations giving and that Windows will definitely come bundled on the device.
Microsoft's new browser favourable reviews, especially in
areas where performance and support for web standards are
concerned. Unfortunately, it seems that Microsoft's plans to
encourage the adoption of Internet Explorer 9 has hit a snag
in crisis-hit Japan.
16

17. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Flip Video announces new
FlipShare with social features
and mobile apps for iPhone,
iPad and Android devices
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/flip-video-announces-new-flipshare-
with-social-features-and-mobile-apps-for-iphone-ipad-and-android-
devices/11809.html
April 7th, 2011
According to online sources, the WisPad GFT97A will be sold
to global OEMs and carriers for rebranding, although G'Five is
reportedly thinking of introducing its own retail brand in order New social and video sharing capabilities have been added to
to sell the WisPad directly to the Chinese domestic market, the latest Flip Video's FlipShare software, and the maker has
with an option for BTO if need be. also announced the new mobile app for iPhone, iPad, iPod
That aside, not much detail about the elusive WisPad has been touch and Android devices.
revealed by G'Five. What we do know is that the WisPad will
feature an Intel Atom N455 processor and a 9.7-inch capacitive
touchscreen, although the actual display resolution is still a
mystery. In addition to that, G'Five has also revealed that
the WisPad features 1GB of system memory, while storage is
provided via an optional SSD capable of capacities of up to
16GB or 32GB. Last but not least, the tablet also appears to be
designed with the style-conscious in mind, as it sports a full
aluminium body and a relatively thin profile with its maximum
height of 14mm.
Cisco’s Flip Video has announced their new FlipShare software
that comes with social and video sharing capabilities as well
as FlipShare Mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and
Android devices. Users will be notified of the available upgrade
automatically in this month when they open the FlipShare
application, or they can go to FlipShare.com to download it.
The FlipShare software, which comes with every Flip video
camera, now has enhanced video sharing capabilities. The
new software includes FlipShare Groups for users to share
videos more securely with friends and family. After creating
a FlipShare Group, users and their friends can access their
No pricing information for the WisPad has been announced videos from FlipShare.com and through the FlipShare Mobile
yet; however, given the fact that the device will eventually apps that are now available for iPhone, iPad and Android
be sold under a different brand name, chances are that its devices. Within FlipShare Groups, users can comment, read
price will vary greatly between various OEMs. Oh, and one and post messages on each other’s videos and Groups.
more thing: G'Five has reportedly confirmed that the actual
production model will feature the ability to dual boot between Compatible with both Mac and PC computers, FlipShare
both Windows and...yes, you guessed it, an x86 port of allows contacts to be imported directly from Gmail, Windows
Android. Now we are talking. Live Messenger, Yahoo and AOL address books so users can
easily create address books for sharing videos.
New Features for FlipShare:
- Create and manage FlipShare Groups
- Watch all your videos anywhere, anytime at FlipShare.com
- Comment on videos and read what others have posted in
return
17

18. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
- Import contacts from your email address book
- Expanded greetings card library
- Enhanced video quality and performance for private email
video sharing
The FlipShare Mobile app is free and easy to use. You can share
any mobile video or photo to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
or directly to friends and family, while on the move. You don’t
even need to own a Flip Video camcorder.
Features for Mobile App:
- Available for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android - with
or without owning a Flip video camera
Seagate today announced the availability of its new GoFlex
Slim portable hard drive –– a 2.5–inch external drive
- Share up to five mobile videos and/or photos at once to
measuring just 9mm thin, designed for the latest trend of
Facebook, Twitter or YouTube - or send directly to friends and
portable, thin, stylish laptops and netbooks.
family
The new GoFlex Slim performance drive is now available on
- Post a comment, share, or “favourite” a video with the click www.seagate.com, in–store and at select online retailers. A
of a button 320GB version of the GoFlex Slim drive can be purchased at
US$99.99. It is roughly the width of a pencil and can slide
- Built-in filters let users quickly navigate and organise their effortlessly into a pocket, purse or messenger bag.
video library The GoFlex Slim portable drive also allows for use between
Windows and Mac computers, interchangeably, without
- Compatible with iPhone 3G or higher, iPod touch 2nd formatting or performance loss.
generation or higher, iPad Requires iOS 4.0.0 or higher, and
Android 1.6 or higher A 320GB version of the GoFlex Slim for Mac drive will be
made available in May at Apple retail outlets nationwide for a
- Available now at iTunes Store and Android Market manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$99.
Seagate launches GoFlex PROLINK GSM 3G Camera
Slim, world's slimmest review: because your privacy
external hard disk is just that important
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/seagate-launches-goflex-slim-world-s- Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/prolink-gsm-3g-camera-review-
slimmest-external-hard-disk/11808.html because-your-privacy-is-just-that-important/11798.html
April 7th, 2011 April 7th, 2011
Seagate has just announced the GoFlex Slim, which claims to Do you fancy being able to track what goes on in your home
be the world's slimmest external hard drive to date. If you even while you are at work or in school, all with a simple
are looking for a portable external storage, this one is now press of some buttons on your 3G-capable mobile phone? If
available on www.seagate.com, in-stores and selected online that sounds like the kind of thing you wanted for the longest
retailers. time already, there may be some good news in the form of
PROLINK's PHC-105 GSM 3G camera, which is supposedly
capable of doing just that. And leave it to us over at VR-Zone
to check out its features and ease of use, so that you do not
have to.
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19. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Sony to launch Android
Honeycomb tablet device
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-to-launch-android-honeycomb-
tablet-device/11807.html
April 7th, 2011
With almost every manufacturers offering an Android tablet
device, it is just natural that Japanese company Sony will also
Nowadays, the idea of having a personal surveillance camera is follow suit. Well, Sony Ericsson has their range of Android
no longer a luxury reserved for only the rich. With most people smartphones, including the Xperia Play (formerly known as
starting to be more conscious about the concept of privacy, it the PlayStation Phone). The Sony tablet could be available this
is only natural that some might feel the need to ensure that June.
they know what happens in their rooms or homes, regardless
of where they are.
And that is not all: the usefulness of a surveillance camera can
also be extended to working parents who may want to have
a convenient means of monitoring a young child left alone at
home. After all, nothing beats being able to keep track of one's
children in order to ensure that they do not get themselves into
any trouble in the absense of a grown-up.
That being said, good surveillance cameras are anything
but cheap. And on top of that, most traditional surveillance
cameras require a constant video feed to external display
devices, which makes them unsuitable for use by most
consumers. However, chances are the average consumer who Japan's Nikkei newspaper has reported that Sony is going to
wants to invest in a cheap alternative is not likely to mind launch an Android tablet by the end of summer this year.
the tradeoffs in various aspects such as image quality. With According to Sony CEO, the tablet will run Google's Android
that in mind, we take a look at PROLINK's PHC-105, an 3.0 Honeycomb operating system and will arrive in the U.S.
affordable GSM 3G surveillance camera which allows users to first, followed by other regions.
control their cameras from the comfort of their 3G-capable
mobile phones. The tablet could be Sony's "PlayStation Certified" Tegra 2 'S1'
tablet, which is rumored to feature a 9.4-inch display and a
Technical specifications flexible "wrap" design.
GSM frequency UTMS 850 (900) / 1900 /
2100
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 Intel launches 10 cores Xeon
Image format JPEG E7 Series (Westmere EX)
Image resolution 160 x 128, 320 x 240, 640 x Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-launches-10-cores-xeon-e7-series-
480 westmere-ex-/11806.html
Built-in storage capacity 4GB (internal TF card) April 7th, 2011
Shooting/Viewing angle 68 degrees (horizontal +
vertical)
Motion-detection distance up to 9 metres (daytime), up
to 6 metres (night)
Passive Infrared sensor up to 6 metres
distance Intel today announces a total of 18 new Xeon E7
Battery capacity 800mAh lithium-ion battery processors; E7-8870, E7-8860, E7-8850, E7-8830 ,E7-8867L,
capable of up to 40 hours E7-8837, E7-4870, E7-4860, E7-4850, E7-4830, E7-4820,
(standby and disarmed), up E7-4807, E7-2870, E7-2860, E7-2850, E7-2830, E7-2820,
to 8 hours (when armed with E7-2803 based on the 32nm Westmere EX architecture. The
continous trigerring) key highlights of the new processors are : Up to 10 Intel®
Microarchitecture based processing cores and 20 processing
threads Up to 30MB of shared L3 cache Support for 64 DIMM
slots for capable of holding over 2TB of system memory
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20. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
(4 sockets) Support for 72 PCIe Gen2 lanes 130W TDP
(105W TDP for E7-8867L low voltage) The Xeon processor The record-setting Intel® Xeon® processor
E7-8800/4800/2800 families range in price from $774 to E7-8800/4800/2800 product families build on Intel's
$4,616 in quantities of 1,000. previous generation of server processors to set a new standard
for high-end computing applications, including business
intelligence, real-time data analytics and virtualization.
Strengthening the line of defense for data centers, the new
processors also provide advanced security features that ensure
greater data integrity.
Based on Intel's leading 32-nanometer (nm) process
technology, the new Intel Xeon processors have up to 10 cores
with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, and deliver up to
40 percent greater performance than the Intel® Xeon® 7500
Intel today announces a total of 18 new Xeon E7 series processor. Concurrently, a new energy-saving feature
processors; E7-8870, E7-8860, E7-8850, E7-8830 ,E7-8867L, reduces the power draw of idle portions of the chip. Beginning
E7-8837, E7-4870, E7-4860, E7-4850, E7-4830, E7-4820, today, more than 35 systems based on the Intel Xeon processor
E7-4807, E7-2870, E7-2860, E7-2850, E7-2830, E7-2820, E7 family are expected to ship from manufacturers around the
E7-2803 based on the 32nm Westmere EX architecture. The world.
key highlights of the new processors are :
• Up to 10 Intel® Microarchitecture based processing "Intel has been changing the economics for mission-critical
cores and 20 processing threads computing server deployments for more than a decade, and
today we are raising the bar yet again," said Kirk Skaugen, vice
• Up to 30MB of shared L3 cache
president and general manager of Intel's Data Center Group.
• Support for 64 DIMM slots for capable of holding over "The new Intel Xeon processor E7 family delivers record
2TB of system memory (4 sockets) breaking performance with powerful new security, reliability
• Support for 72 PCIe Gen2 lanes and energy efficiency enhancements. The industry momentum
we're seeing for this new server processor architecture is
• Intel® Turbo Boost Technology unparalleled in Intel's history. The days of IT organizations
• Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology being forced to deploy expensive, closed RISC architectures for
mission-critical applications are nearing an end."
• Advanced reliability features
• Thermal solution not included in box
Record-Breaking, Energy-Efficient Performance
• 130W TDP (105W TDP for E7-8867L low voltage)
The new processor family contains 18 new processors for
The Xeon processor E7-8800/4800/2800 families range in two-, four- and eight-socket servers, and is expandable to
price from $774 to $4,616 in quantities of 1,000. servers with 256 sockets. It also sets more than a dozen
world records in performance. A 40 percent improvement in
generational compute-intensive performance can enhance the
pace and accuracy of applications in such fields as scientific
research and financial services where speed is essential. With
up to 25 percent better performance with virtual machine3
applications than the current generation, the new chips also
hold the industry's highest virtualization performance.
IT managers seeking to achieve greater economic efficiencies
can replace 18 dual-core servers2 with a single Xeon processor
E7-based server. To help address rising energy costs, the new
Xeon chips include Intel® Intelligent Power technology that
dynamically reduces idle power consumption of the chip based
Below is the full press release : on the workload while also delivering advanced processor
SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 5, 2011 – Enabling IT power-management capabilities.
departments to better manage data-intensive environments
through new security and reliability features and record-
breaking performance, a new family of server processors that Recognizing the range of compute-intensive applications from
accelerate mission-critical computing have been announced climate modeling to real-time business analytics, and the need
by Intel Corporation. for uncompromised performance to run them, Intel is offering
10 advanced 10-core versions of the chip, led by the E7-8870,
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21. April 7th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
E7-4870 and E7-2870, all of which reach 2.4 GHz with a TDP faster and provides higher reliability than a desktop computer
(Thermal Design Point) of 130 watts. running similar applications. Support for Error Correcting
Code (ECC) memory ensures system reliability by preventing
glitches that cause data breaches and downtime, and with
The company also announced a version of the chip that small businesses facing a harsher climate of security threats
combines the benefits of high performance with low voltage, the Xeon processor E3-1200 product family helps ensure the
as well as a frequency-optimized version. The 10-core low- integrity of valuable data with Intel AES-NI and Intel TXT.
voltage E7-8867L reaches 2.13 GHz with a TDP of 105 watts,
while the eight-core frequency-optimized E7-8837 tops out at
2.67 GHz with a TDP of 130 watts. Today's news follows the recent disclosures about the low-
power, single-socket Intel Xeon processors E3-1260L and
E3-1220L targeted for micro servers, and the announcement
Intel Xeon processor E7 family based-platforms add a massive of the Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 product family for
2 Terabyte of memory in a four-socket system supported by the workstations.
new processors. Most of these chips also contain Intel® Turbo
Boost Technology, Intel Hyper-Threading Technology and
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT), which can increase Product, Pricing Details
performance as required, ease multitasking and enhance The Xeon processor E7-8800/4800/2800 families range in
reliability and manageability, respectively. price from $774 to $4,616 in quantities of 1,000. The Xeon
processor E3-1200 family ranges in price from $189 to $612
in quantities of 1,000.
New Security, Reliability Features
Intel is bringing its leading security technologies available
today in its mainstream Intel® Xeon® processor 5600 series,
to the mission-critical server segment with the introduction
of platforms based on the Xeon processor E7 family. Intel®
Advanced Encryption Standard New Instruction (AES-NI)
allows systems to quickly encrypt and decrypt data running
over a range of applications and transactions, while Intel®
Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) creates a secure
platform at boot-up by protecting applications from malicious
threats.
Together, these security features can ensure that virtualized
environments are more reliably secure when they are
launched, migrated or at rest, as well as experience better
performance and functionality.
Extensive Industry Support
Starting today, system manufacturers from around the world
are expected to announce more than 35 Xeon processor
E7 family-based platforms. These manufacturers include
Bull*, Cisco*, Cray*, Dawning*, Dell*, Fujitsu*, Hitachi*,
HP*, Huawei*, IBM*, Inspur*, Lenovo*, NEC*, Oracle*,
PowerLeader*, Quanta*, SGI*, Supermicro* and Unisys*.
Numerous enterprise software vendors also support Xeon
processor E7 family-based platforms, including IBM*,
Microsoft*, Oracle*, Red Hat*, SAP AG* and VMware*.
Ideal Servers for Small Business
Intel also announced today the Intel® Xeon® processor
E3-1200 family, an entry-level server processor built to meet
the unique demands of small business applications, ranging
from collaboration tools to storage and back-up applications.
With up to 30 percent greater performance over the previous
generation, the Xeon processor E3-1200 product family is
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