VR-Zone Tech News for the Geeks Dec 2012 Issue

November 30th, 2012 Published by: VR-Zone
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VR-Zone.com | Tech News for the Geeks!
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly
publication covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the
geeks.
Scientists take first
hyperspectral photos of
Earth's auroras
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scientists-take-first-hyperspectral-
photos-of-earth-s-auroras/18138.html
November 30th, 2012
The first ever hyperspectral images of Earth's auroras,
bizarre and beautiful lights in the sky, have been captured
with a new purpose-built camera.
The first ever hyperspectral images of Earth's auroras,
bizarre and beautiful lights in the sky, have been captured
with a new purpose-built camera.
Researchers at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS),
Norway developed the NORUSCA II camera, which can
simultaneously image multiple spectral bands of light,
allowing for some new discoveries when it comes to the so-
called “Northern Lights.”
Tests at the Kjell Henriksen Observatory in Svalbard
produced the first hyperspectral images, which pick up and
separate light over different bands.
“A standard filter wheel camera that typically uses six
interference filters will not be able to spin the wheel
fast enough compared to the NORUSCA II camera,” said
Fred Sigernes of UNIS. “This makes the new hyperspectral
capability particularly useful for spectroscopy, because it
can detect specific atmospheric constituents by their unique
fingerprint, or wavelengths, in the light they emit.”
An aurora appearing in the night sky at the Kjell Henriksen
Observatory in Svalbard, Norway. Taken November 2010.
Credit: Njaal Gulbarndsen.
The technology also helped the scientists uncover a
previously unknown atmospheric phenomenon and could
pave the way for even more discoveries in the future.
On 24 January a major solar flare called a Coronal Mass
Ejection (CME) hit the Earth and caused widespread
auroras, and tests conducted then found a faint wave pattern
of unknown origin in the lower atmosphere. It resembled the
natural emission of light by the Earth's atmosphere called
“airglow,” but this has never previously been associated with
auroras, making it an entirely new phenomenon.
“Our new all-sky camera opens up new frontiers of
discovery and will help in the detection of auroras and
the understanding of how our Sun impacts the atmosphere
here on Earth,” said Sigernes. “Additional development and
commissioning will also hopefully verify our intriguing first
results.”
The findings were published today in a paper in Volume 20,
Issue 25 of the Optical Society's journal Optics Express.

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The aurora as seen as a color composite image from the
NORUSCA II camera. Three bands were combined to make
the image. Each band was assigned a different color –
red, green, and blue – to enhance the features of the aurora
for analysis. Credit: Optics Express.
The red arrow points to the unidentified low-intensity
wave pattern, which the researchers suspect is an auroral-
generated wave interaction with airglow. For contrast, the
blue arrow points to the faint emission of the Milky Way.
Credit: Optics Express.
Students perform measurements of the aurora in front
of the Kjell Henriksen Observatory. Svalbard, Norway,
November 2010. Credit: Njaal Gulbarndsen.
Piracy charges against 9-
year-old girl dropped
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/piracy-charges-against-9-year-old-
girl-dropped/18137.html
November 30th, 2012
Police in Finland have dropped a piracy case against a 9-
year-old girl after she attempted to download songs from
Finnish pop star Chisu.
Police in Finland have dropped a piracy case against a 9-
year-old girl after she attempted to download songs from
Finnish pop star Chisu.
Once the illegal download was detected the Copyright
Information and Control Centre (CIAPC) issued a letter
to the girl's father, who was the internet account holder,
demanding a payment of €600 in compensation, as well as
requiring the signing of a non-disclosure agreement.
The father refused to pay, claiming that neither he nor his
daughter really knew what she was doing, and that the songs
ended up not even playing. The CIAPC responded by filing
a complaint to the police, who raided the girl's home and
confiscated her laptop.

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Tools of the trade for digital criminals
News of the raid spread online, earning the CIAPC much
condemnation, but now the charges have been dropped.
“We have decided to end the criminal investigation, because
CIAPC has waived the penalty claims,” police officer Markku
Nisula told Finnish news outlet MTV3.
It appears that CIAPC and the girl's father reached a
settlement for the payment of €300, half the original
amount.
Presumably the infamous flagship of piracy worldwide, the
girl's Winnie the Pooh laptop, will now be returned to her.
US and EU oppose Russian
proposal to tax the internet
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-and-eu-oppose-russian-proposal-
to-tax-the-internet/18135.html
November 30th, 2012
The United States and European Union have revealed that
they will oppose a proposal by Russia to tax the internet and
make it easier to track people online.
The United States and European Union have revealed that
they will oppose a proposal by Russia to tax the internet and
make it easier to track people online.
A major internet conference will be held from 3-14
December in Dubai, with all 193 countries that are members
of the International Telecommunications Union meeting to
debate new internet regulations.
Russia has proposed a tax on companies like Google and
Yahoo if they deliver content abroad, while also suggesting
the implementation of more sophisticated methods to trace
what people do online. The proposals have received the
backing of China and a number of countries in Africa and the
Middle East.
On the opposite side of the fence is the US and EU, backed by
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and a number of
other countries, all of whom believe the proposals will limit
innovation and damage commerce.
There are also fears over free speech. Russia claims its
suggestions are designed to tackle cybercrime, but the
European Union thinks this is an excuse to control freedom
of expression online.
Google has already voiced its opposition to the conference,
calling on internet users to sign an online petition against
the proposals. It was particularly against the idea of having
to pay a fee every time someone in another country accesses
some of its content, as this would likely lead to what many
activists call an “information black out” in poorer countries.
“The European Union's firm view is that the Internet works,”
said Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Internet
Policy. “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”
Image Credit: Google
Rosewill RK-9100 Illuminated
Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rosewill-rk-9100-illuminated-
mechanical-gaming-keyboard-review/18134.html
November 30th, 2012
Rosewill has been on fire lately, releasing product after
product after product. Even though the company started as
an in-house brand of Newegg, they slowly fledged into a
fully stand-alone manufacturer and exporter with myriads
of technology-related products, including high performance
products for gamers and enthusiasts. Today we will be

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having a look at such a product, the RK-9100 illuminated
mechanical keyboard, an upgraded version of the RK-9000
mechanical keyboard which we reviewed a few months ago.
Rosewill has been on fire lately, releasing product after
product after product. Even though the company started as
an in-house brand of Newegg, they slowly fledged into a
fully stand-alone manufacturer and exporter with myriads
of technology-related products, including high performance
products for gamers and enthusiasts. Today we will be
having a look at such a product, the RK-9100 illuminated
mechanical keyboard, an upgraded version of the RK-9000
mechanical keyboard which we reviewed a few months ago.
Rosewill offers the RK-9100 keyboard with two different key
switches, Cherry MX Brown or Cherry MX Blue; sorry guys,
no black or red switches with this version. We received and
tested the version with the Cherry MX Brown switches to
bring you this review. Although the name suggests that the
RK-9100 would be just an upgrade of the RK-9000 with
lighting, it actually is an entirely different product, with
different features and functionality. We will explore those
differences in detail in this review.
Manufacturer features and specifications
• Individually backlit keys with 3 illuminated modes and
4 brightness levels
• Equipped with 8 multimedia shortcut keys
• 2-Port USB 2.0 hub
• 6-Key rollover: 6 Key could press at the same time
• Cherry MX brown switches with soft tactile feeling
• Gold plated USB connector to ensure low latency
• High quality braided cable
Model No. RK-9100
Color Black
Type Mechanical Keyboard
Interface USB and PS/2
Normal Keys 104
Key Switch Cherry MX Blue Switch
Key Pitch 19.05mm
Key Stroke 4.0mm±0.5mm
Total Travel 4.0mm-0.5mm
Operating Force 1.8±0.5 oz
Switch Life 50 x 10^6 Times
Cable Length 5.9 feet
Dimensions 446(L) X 140(W) X 36(H)
mm / 17.56"(L) X 5.51"(W) X
1.42"(H)
Operating System Supported Windows XP/ Vista/ 7
Package Contents 1 x RK-9100 Keyboard
1 x User Manual
Parts 3 Year limited
Labor 1 Year limited
Creator of original X-Com
praises new game
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creator-of-original-x-com-praises-
new-game/18133.html
November 30th, 2012
When Firaxis Games set out to create a new game in the
classic Microprose series X-Com, the biggest worry was
likely to whether they'd end up disappointing fans of the
original. Jake Solomon, lead designer of the new game,
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is one of those fans, and even he
isn't certain whether he and his dev team have managed to
capture the feel and appeal of the original game.
This is the new game...
...and the original
However, it seems a bit of official word on the subject is in, as
X-Com's original creator Julian Gollop, has praised the new
game in a recent Eurogamer article: "I think Firaxis has done
a great job… The game is addictive and absorbing, not to
mention quite challenging on the classic difficulty setting."
Solomon responded with praise for Gallop too: "That's good,
man. The guy's a legend. It's a weird situation. You know he's

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still out there, you know he's going to end up playing it - and
you just admire the guy so much."
Scientists take photo of DNA
for first time
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scientists-take-photo-of-dna-for-
first-time/18132.html
November 30th, 2012
Scientists have known about the shape of DNA molecules for
several decades, but for the first time, a photograph of the
molecule has been taken, spiral and all.
Watson and Crick first modeled the composition of the
DNA molecule in 1953, identifying it as a double helix
structure composed of guanine, adenine, thymine and
cytosine. Previously, a technique X-ray crystallography has
been used to convert dots into an overarching image of the
molecule. However, it isn't until not that it has been directly
photographed. Using an electron microscope, a picture was
snapped of a DNA strand which had been stretched out and
suspended between two nanoscopic silicon pillars.
The DNA, strung up between the pillars
The photographer of the image is Enzo di Fabrizio from the
University of Genoa, Italy. He separated a single DNA string
in a solution by introducing the aforementioned pillars,
which absorbed the water in the solution, leaving the DNA
molecule left behind, strung up like a clothes line. By drilling
holes in the base plate for the pillars, he could fire beams of
electrons at the DNA, illuminating it, in a sense.
The double helix, finally on a photo.
In the future, Fabrizio's technique will allow scientists to
study DNA in more detail, including how it reacts to RNA
and proteins
North Korean archaeologists
find... a unicorn lair
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/north-korean-archaeologists-find...-
a-unicorn-lair/18131.html
November 30th, 2012
North Korea's central news agency has reported that
archaeologists have found a mythical unicorn lair belonging
to an ancient King.
North Korea is one of the most entertaining countries in the
world. When it isn't busy threatening people with a hornet's
nest of a military, starving it's citizens, flooding it's farmland
or building massive hotels that are never quite finished (not
like there's much tourism anyway), it seems as if the country
spends most of it's days trying to be as ridiculous as possible.
Think this stuff is fiction? THINK AGAIN.
North Korean "archeologists" from the History Institute
of the DPRK Academy of Social Sciences have announced
the finding of a unicorn lair. Yes, you read it correctly.
The Unicorn lair was apparently the property of King
Tongmyong, founder of the ancient Korean kingdom
Koguryo. Tongmyong, who lived between BCE 277 and CE
668, was mythically known to ride a unicorn, as Jo Hui Sung,
director of the History Institute explains: "Korea's history
books deal with the unicorn, considered to be ridden by King
Tongmyong, and its lair."
They found the lair 200 meters from a temple in North
Korea's capitol city Pyongyang. The discovery of the lair
apparently proves Pyongyang was the capitol of Koguryo,
as well as the modern day North Korea.The question on
everyone's mind though, is undoubtedly how they found this
"lair", and how they could tell that it was real? Did they find

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Unicorn bones? No, they found a rectangular rock with the
words "Unicorn Lair" carved into it. I'm not even kidding...
Gigapixel image lets you
take close look at difference
engine
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigapixel-image-lets-you-take-close-
look-at-difference-engine/18129.html
November 30th, 2012
Charles Babbage's difference engine is the forefather of
today's modern computers, and now, there's a Gigapixel
photo of it for you to check out every detail of.
Charles Babbage was the creator of one of the ancestors
of the computer, the Babbage Difference engine. The
device was created in the 1820's to perform calculations
mechanically, as opposed to the by-hand method used by
scientists of the time. Back then, a calculator was a person
who calculated professionally, but humans make mistakes,
and Babbage wanted to find a way to do the same work,
without human error. After the difference engine, he sought
to improve his design, and came up with plans for the
Difference engine #2. Unfortunately, the prohibitive cost
meant Babbage never saw his improved machine become a
reality.
Shiny
However, in the years since, replicas have been
manufactured, and one of them is stored in the Computer
History Museum in Mountain View, California. This
difference engine now has four Gigapixel images of it, which
you can check out right here. The images are a composite,
containing a total of 1,350 images each, and up to 28 images
per focus stack.
There have been quite a few Gigapixel images lately, most of
them of landscapes such as this 26 Gigapixel Paris, or this
16 Gigapixel Machu Picchu. What sets the Babbage picture
apart is that it is a close-up, and that has required some
complex computer controlled focus and tracking control.
Kid explains Wii U to Michelle
Obama
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kid-explains-wii-u-to-michelle-
obama/18128.html
November 30th, 2012
In a lighthearted piece of news, here's a cute video of a kid
explaining what the Wii U is to the First Lady of the United
States, Michelle Obama.
Being the First Lady of the USA is a tough job, and it doesn't
leave much room for learning about new releases in the video
games industry. During an event where Michelle Obama
spoke to a group of children and asked them what they
wanted for Christmas, a boy answered "a Wii U", to which
Mrs. Obama replied "What's a Wii U?"
At this point, a girl took over the conversation and provided a
very competent, on the fly explanation of the console. Charlie
Spiering, who works at the Washington Examiner, provided
a video of the happening which was uploaded to YouTube. It
may not be the most news worthy thing ever to come out of
the Examiner, but it's pretty heartwarming.
DayZ to receive engine
overhaul
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dayz-to-receive-engine-
overhaul/18113.html
November 30th, 2012
DayZ's standalone was slated for a 2012 release, but that
date might not be set in stone anymore, as the Arma II mod
undergoes an engine change.
Dean "Rocket" Hall's Arma II mod, DayZ, has been a work
in progress for a while now, but it was meant to have a
standalone release before the end of the year. This may not
happen, explains the developer. Accoirding to Hall, though
they are still aiming for a 2012 release, the developers of the
mod would not be entirely opposed to pushing the release
back, if it meant giving the game a more solid foundation.
Hall has stated that short term goals such as meeting a
deadline, should not compromise long term goals, such as
the overall quality of the game.

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One of the reasons there may be a delay, is the extensive
overhaul of the game being implemented, most interesting
of which is a new engine. Though the engine may not look
drastically different from the previous engine, it implements
a lot of functionality changes at it's core, making weapons
customizable, as well as clothes and changes in controls and
the map. The game, when it is released, will launch on Steam.
Nothing to see here, Mars
rover discovery is unfounded
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nothing-to-see-here-mars-rover-
discovery-is-unfounded/18127.html
November 30th, 2012
It is now confirmed that NASA scientist John Grotzinger’s
previous announcement of a find in the soil sample taken
onboard the Mars rover Curiosity, turned out to be nothing
more than speculation. A recent press announcement from
NASA stated, "Rumors and speculation that there are
major new findings from the mission at this early stage are
incorrect… At this point in the mission, the instruments
on the rover have not detected any definitive evidence of
Martian organics."
(NASA's Curiosity Mars rover being tested in Death Valley)
One of the main missions that the rover is to complete on
Mars is to find signs of organic molecules left behind when
the planet had a presumed shallow sea. Everywhere on earth
that liquid water is found, there is always some form of life.
The rover has been on the planet now for approximately 4
months, and it is the most technologically advance rover to
date. It has a large array of arms and cameras that will be
taking samples of air, rock and soil for the next 2 years. One
very important mission for the rover will be to study the Gale
Crater where NASA believes some form of microbial life may
be present.
This latest announcement may have upset a lot of hopeful
folks on Earth, but NASA also released new data that the
Mercury orbiter, 'Messenger', has found frozen water at the
planet's North pole. Messenger was said to have found a very
large amount of frozen water there and found what the space
agency is calling possible “organic material” as well. The
planet Mercury, which is closest to the sun, has an average
surface temperature of 427C (800F), so finding any type of
frozen water on the planet’s north pole will be a bit of a shock
if there is indeed water on Mercury. NASA also feels that its
south pole may contain frozen water as well.
Neuroscientist creates
a large scale model of a
functioning brain
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/neuroscientist-creates-a-large-scale-
model-of-a-functioning-brain/18126.html
November 30th, 2012
The device is called “Spaun”, which stands for Semantic
Pointer Architecture Unified Network, and its design is
based on the human brain. The model has connections that
work together like the prefrontal lobe.
An article in the November 30, 2012 issue of Science titled,
"BUILDING THE HUMAN BRAIN”, by Eliasmith, et. al.,
goes over the brain model and how it functioned.
“In this work, we present a 2.5-million-neuron model
of the brain (called “Spaun”) that bridges this gap by
exhibiting many different behaviors, “ writes Eliasmith.
“Although simplified, the model captures many aspects
of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and psychological
behavior, which we demonstrate via eight diverse tasks.”
The brain model took Eliasmith and his team with the
University of Waterloo over a year to build, and it is capable
of performing a few basic tasks. The team made clear
that while it does have a very limited capability to learn
new things on its own, it does demonstrate how the brain’s
neurons work, which includes biological signals that are
being transmitted. Currently the model brain can recognize
a few things, has memory, and it is able to write down
numbers.
The scientists that created Spaun are reaching out to other
scientists in the U.K and the U.S. in an effort to help expand
its capabilities. Eliasmith says that in time this model may
be scaled up, and it might lead the way to increase the
machine’s intelligence. Currently machines that simulate
human interaction only operate by certain pre-programmed
responses and only give the appearance they are thinking.
Eliasmith said that this design might also lead to a future of
machines with more realistic human-like responses, or even
a bona fide machine with real artificial intelligence that is
self aware.
Fujitsu transforms
smartphones into skin care
gadgets
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fujitsu-transforms-smartphones-
into-skin-care-gadgets/18124.html
November 30th, 2012
Fujitsu launches its Skin Memory service, a cloud-based
service that provides a relatively comprehensive skin
analysis using a smartphone's camera.
Ever thought of using your smartphone for skin care? If you
have, then this new service from Fujitsu might pique your
interest. They have just recently unveiled their new cloud-
based "Skin Memory" service. Using your smartphone's

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camera as a scanning device, the service's system is capable
of collecting different kinds of information about your skin.
It is essentially an analysis tool that assesses the status of
your skin by looking at certain elements such as skin tone,
dimples, spots, and other things.
There are three basic things required to use the service:
the specialized app, a 4MP (at minimum) camera, and the
special "Color Frame" card. The Color Frame card has a
special hole that would be used to target the skin area that
you want to be scanned. Using the special card would enable
the app to maintain an accurate analysis despite varying
changes in the surrounding lighting. The app was primarily
designed for the Android OS, although an iOS version is in
the works.
After getting a clear snapshot of the target skin area inside
the Color Frame card, the picture will then be sent to their
system, where it would be studied by an image analyzer.
Users may be able to compare data from previous scans,
as well as data from skin scans made by other people.
The service will allow for upgraded functions as the system
accumulates more data.
Though it seems that way, the Skin Memory service isn't
really designed to be used individually though. Fujitsu plans
to have the actual service catered to other skin care-related
business entities (health, beauty, cosmetics, etc.) as a B2B
service. For example, businesses who have signed contracts
with them may combine the Skin Memory service with other
services that they might have.
Fujitsu started the service on November 29, 2012.
Source: Tech-On (JP)
Microsoft Core i5 Surface
Pro tablet available January,
2013 starting at $899
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/microsoft-core-i5-surface-pro-tablet-
available-january-2013-starting-at-899/18125.html
November 30th, 2012
Early Windows 8 adopters who have been waiting it out for
the Surface Pro will have to shell out a bit more for the Intel-
based tablets—as expected.
Microsoft announced on its blog recently that its Intel Core
i5 Surface Pro tablets will start at $899 with the 64GB model
and $999 for the 128GB model. All Surface Pro models will
come with Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Pen stylus, 4GB
of RAM, dual 2x2 MIMO antennas, built-in kickstand, Dark
Titanium VaporMg casing, one USB 3.0 port, and Windows
8 Pro OS to boot.
Weighing in at less than two pounds and measuring less
than 14mm thick, the Surface Pro has a full 1080p 10.6-inch
HD screen, and is capable of 2560x1440 output via a Mini
DisplayPort. The Surface Pro has the ability to use a Touch
Cover or a Type Cover, but in the interest of Microsoft the
tablet will be sold as a 'standalone' (meaning, no Touch/Type
Cover add-on will be included).
Many are saying that the Surface RT is Microsoft’s answer
to high-end tablets such as the Asus Transformer Prime,
and Apple’s new iPad. The Surface Pro on other hand
is meant to compete with Ultrabooks, or ‘superslim’ and
‘ultraportable’ laptops. Whatever the case may be, Microsoft
is still trying to gain notoriety in the portable market its
Surface devices. Many users have griped about Windows 8’s
lack of a ‘desktop’ feel, and the barren app store.
Microsoft projected that 4 million Surface RT tablet were
going to be shipped in 2012, but that number had been
cut by about half a million to a million. Nevertheless, the
Redmond-based software giant has its mind set on taking on
the tablet world with its in-house hardware.
ARM-based Windows 8 tablets are cheaper, but users will
not be able to run legacy software designed for prior versions
of Windows.
Here's a quick comparison of the Surface RT and Pro:
Features Surface RT Surface Pro
OS Windows RT Windows 8 Pro
Weight 676g 903g
Thickness 9.3mm 13.5mm
Battery 31.5W-h 42W-h
Connectivity microSD, USB
2.0, Micro HD
video, 2x2 MIMO
antennae
microSDXC,
USB 3.0, Mini
DisplayPort
video, 2x2 MIMO
antennae
Software bundle Office Home &
Student 2013 RT
N/A
Storage 32 or 64GB 64 or 128GB
NASA: 100 billion to 1 trillion
tons of ice exist on Mercury
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nasa-100-billion-to-1-trillion-tons-
of-ice-exist-on-mercury/18123.html
November 30th, 2012

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There is between 100 billion to 1 trillion tons of ice on
Mercury according to some recent data beamed back to
Earth from the Messenger spacecraft.
It has been theorized since the 1970’s that there’s water on
Mercury, but it is not until recently that NASA has become
even more confident about the idea of there being water on
the planet closest to the Sun.
Adding to the almost non-existent atmosphere, Mercury’s
average surface temperature is 800 °F (427 °C), so it’s hard
to imagine the planet being able to retain the nectar of life.
However, Mercury has an axial tilt of near zero, meaning
the north and south poles never get any direct sunlight.
Mercury’s axial tilt, along with craters that exist near the
poles are strong proofs that water may be in abundance in
those craters close to the poles.
Using Earth-based radar, optical cameras, and an
instrument called a neutron probe on the Messenger; NASA
is predicting that Mercury does indeed have water on its
surface. The water itself may not be directly above the
surface, but rather it’s buried under a layer or two of surface
materials.
A theory, as to where the water came from, is that asteroids
bombarding the planet carried along with it ice, and without
direct sunlight at the poles (temperature may reach a
chilly -370 °F (-223 °C)), which—along with the protective
geographical structures created by the asteroids—may have
contributed to the preservation of the water at Mercury’s
poles.
Improving game graphics is
behind the newest NVIDIA
Beta Drivers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/improving-game-graphics-is-behind-
the-newest-nvidia-beta-drivers/18118.html
November 30th, 2012
NVIDIA today announced the availablity of its beta video
card drivers which sees the version number change from
310.54 to 310.64 beta and said the update is aimed at
improving the framerates by up to 38%.
When it comes to gaming nothing can get gamers more in
a lather, and excited, than the framerates for their favorite
games and video card manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD
are continually trying to improve their video card drivers to
make their most passionate customers happy.
So it should come as no surprise that NVIDIA announced the
availability of some new beta drivers for their GeForce 600-
series video cards that are directly targeted to some specific
games.
You can grab your copy of the beta drivers here or if you have
the NVIDIA Update app running make sure it is set to also
check for beta drivers and click on Check for Update.

December 2nd, 2012 Published by: VR-Zone
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geeks.
Mugen Power wows Samsung
Galaxy Note II users with
6400mAh battery
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mugen-power-wows-samsung-
galaxy-note-ii-users-with-6400mah-battery/18153.html
December 2nd, 2012
Mugen Power has long been known as a leader in extended
batteries for many mobile devices. With the Note 2 being so
new the fact that it [already] has an extended battery is a bit
of a shock by itself, the fact that it's 6400mAh is downright
impressive!
The people at Mugen Power never cease to amaze me. A few
years ago I had a BlackBerry 9300 and got a Mugen extended
battery which almost tripled the life of the phone. When I
installed it I wanted to put it to the test so I kept the phone
on vibrate, display as bright as it could go and disabled WiFi
to get the battery a run for its money. It was a long 17 hours
before the battery finally died.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has an impressive 3100mAh
OEM battery that gives an advertised talk time of 17hrs. Take
that and add an additional 3300mAh and you have a phone
or a tablet that might last twice as long! The downside to the
extended battery is the size of the door you have to put on
it, however, the door for the Mugen Power does have a cool
kickstand to it. I guess it is a 'give and take.'
Nikolai Lebedovsky, marketing manager at Mugen Power
Batteries claims that the company worked hard on trying to
cram as much juice as possible into the aftermarket battery,
and their main goal was to maintain useability without the
trouble of needing to constantly charge the device.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is an amazing device with
great set of functions and brilliant screen. Users are
happy to enjoy all the functions of this phone, but the
battery life is a real limitation if you want to get it
all. We worked hard on this project and managed
to fit additional 3300mAh capacity into that new
battery. Our solution gives customers added battery
life to stay connected longer without recharges and
make more with the smartphone than ever before.
The pricing is at just under $100 until December 2nd when
it will go up to $106.99 and can be gotten directly from the
Mugen Power website here.
Mexican court fines Yahoo!
2.7 billion dollars
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mexican-court-fines-yahoo-2.7-
billion-dollars/18156.html
December 2nd, 2012
A court in Mexico has recently fined Yahoo Incorporated 2.7
billion U.S. dollars over a breach of contract and because of
losses from other advertising mediums.
Worldwide directories and Ideas Interactivas, which
manages the yellow pages listings in the Mexico has been
awarded a judgment against Yahoo! Incorporated and Yahoo
de Mexico, A.A. de C.V. by the 49th
Civil Court of the Federal
District of Mexico City. Worldwide Directories S.A. de C.V.
along with Ideas Interactivas, S.A. de C.V, filed the lawsuit.
Worldwide Directories and Ideas Interactivas claims that
Yahoo! Inc. breached contractual agreements that caused
losses in profit from the local yellow pages listing business.
Yahoo has denied the claims and is currently seeking an
appeal. If Yahoo is unable to appeal this lawsuit, it will be a
mighty blow to the once powerful company.
In an official statement on Yahoo!’s investor page, Sarah
Gorgman, a Yahoo! official, says that the claims against
Yahoo! are without 'merit' and that the company will
'vigorously' find ways to appeal the court's decision.
“Yahoo! believes the plaintiffs' claims are without merit
and will vigorously pursue all appeals. The plaintiffs alleged
claims of breach of contract, breach of promise, and lost
profits arising from contracts related to a yellow pages
listings service," says Gorgman.
This latest news against Yahoo! came a few weeks
after the company grabbed former Google executive and
spokeperson, Marissa Mayer. Mayer is Yahoo!'s 5th CEO,

2
and the company has been fighting agressively to maintain
their position in a highly competitive search, advertising and
mobile market.
Toy-inspired helicopter
capable of carrying a person
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toy-inspired-helicopter-capable-of-
carrying-a-person/18150.html
December 2nd, 2012
Hirobo, a popular Japanese based model maker for remote
controlled planes and helicopters, recently unveiled a full
size version of their line. This latest helicopter is designed
for one person and will be battery powered.
The new, battery-powered, helicopter from Hirobo will be
called the “HX-1”, and will have contra-rotating rotors that
incorporates a ‘fly by wire’ control system. Its flight time
will be approximately 30 minutes and has the capability to
be flown either by the person riding it or with a remote
control unit. Currently, the helicopters have only been tested
hovering, but the company stated that human flight tests will
begin in early 2013.
While the popular remote control helicopters normally made
by Hirobo are known to be of great quality, this is the first
full size endeavor created by them. This scaled up single-seat
helicopter is made in the same way as their smaller units, and
uses a very similar style of flight control with flight speeds
up to 60MPH. The company stated that since it can be flown
using the fly-by-wire or remote, that it might be useful in
helping with search and rescue or what most people would
use it for - entertainment purposes.
If you would like one of these toys it’s not going to be cheap.
The base price for one helicopter will run you about 375,000
U.S. dollars, and may be ready sometime later in 2013.
ZTE Grand X LTE T82
Smartphone Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zte-grand-x-lte-t82-smartphone-
review/18065.html
December 2nd, 2012
ZTE's affordable dual core LTE entry, the Grand X T82,
combines decent performance and display with somewhat
plain design. How does it feel in everyday use?
ZTE, the close second on the Chinese phone vendors' throne
after Huawei, has increasingly re-focused on the consumer
market, including Asia-Pacific, after quite a few of its
enterprise hardware efforts got curtailed by the Western
governments questionable protection measures on one side,
and increased competition within China, on the other side.
Their new smartphone range aims to be on a par with the
best that, at very least, Huawei can do, and competitive with
what the overseas brands create.
We have a quick look here at their "Grand X" T82 Android
ICS-based LTE Band3&7 smartphone, enabling up to 100
Mbps 4G-speed comms if your provider and area of coverage
allow so. It's quite a large unit at 130.9×65×11.1mm. First of
all, the plain designed white plastic back casing with black
front is dominated by the 4.3 inch qHD - nicer name for
the 960x540 moviescreen 16:9 - glossy screen. Now, I'm
resolutely against 16:9 on any PCs or tablets, but on the
smartphone, this format may actually make some sense, as it
makes the phone longer and easier to grasp, especially if one
doesn't have a very large hand. If watching the 1920x1080
FullHD content, then this phone's resolution will nicely
display that without blurring as there'd be simple halving
of the resolution on each axis. The display itself had decent
colour range and can handle being in the outdoor lighting
except very strong sunshine, where the glare becomes a bit
too much.
Even though this isn't the top end model - the Grand Era
would be the one - it still has a reasonably powerful dual
core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 CPU with
integrated Adreno 225 GPU, a new 28 nm process iteration
of Qualcomm's ARM smartphone processors. There's 768
GB usable RAM out of 1 GB total, as well as s 4 GB
flash capacity plus a microSD memory slot, where we had
another 32 GB card inserted. The dual camera config has
a rear 8MP camera with flashlight and 1080p recording
support, as well as a front end 1 Mpix 720p HD camera for
videoconferencing.

3
In the daily use, the 1900 mAh LiIon battery could last good
two days on idle, not bad for a reasonably high end device.
What was more interesting was to see the performance
of the phone's underlying hardware using the brand new
Sandra Mobile and Passmark Mobile benchmarks, and set
a reference against the other models. The Android phone
bench applets, especially comprehensive tests like Sandra or
Passmark, are still rare, so running two of those suites, and
checking the experiences, was quite a temptation.
Here are our first Sandra Mobile and Passmark results:
Passmark CPU Tests 5508
Passmark Disk Tests 1889
Passmark Memory Tests 2661
Passmark 2D Graphics Tests 2192
Sandra Aggregate Native
Arithmetic Performance
610MOPS
Sandra Aggregate Native
Multi-Media Performance
5025kPix/s
Sandra Aggregate Crypto
Bandwidth
54MB/s
Sandra Aggregate Memory
Performance
3424MB/s
Futuremark Peacekeeper
HTML5 Benchmark
395 marks
When playing 3-D games like the AE 3D motorbike, the
phone was fully responsive, except a few glitches which
could be driver-related. The display resolution seems to be
sufficient for decent web browsing, including standard PC-
sized web pages, when using the horizontal mode. If you
want higher resolution here, it may actually make sense
to go with a larger 5-inch class 'phablet' configuration like
what Samsung Galaxy Note has, or the upcoming ZTE's own
1080p model in this class.
In summary, this is a pretty good LTE starter phone, with
sufficient hardware strength to support lots of stuff to
be downloaded and ran from a high speed LTE network.
The minus points are likely need for more integrated flash
memory (I'd start with 8 GB there) and the design which
could be somewhat thinner and overall more impressive -
even Intel's first Atom phone, the Xolo 900, looks more
physically attractive.
Adult industry seeks profit in
3D printing
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/adult-industry-seeks-profit-in-3d-
printing/18149.html
December 2nd, 2012
In the I knew this was bound to happen department it
seems that the growing popularity of 3D printing has made
it into the adult sex toys business thanks to Tom Nardone
of MakerLove in an effort to be in the highly coveted first to
market percentile.
I have been a proponent of 3D printing since its first mention
in tech blogs and have said on more than one occasion
that the popularization of 3D printing will bring about a
fundamental change in our society, but when I said that
I definitely wasn't thinking in the same direction as Tom
Nardone of MakerLove.
The engineer turned sex toy salesman is just about making
any old type of sex toys either. For him his 3D printed sex
toys is a combination art and science along with technology
and pleasure.
As anyone who has been involved with technology for a
long time will tell you, sex has been a major influence
in the popularization of technology most notably with the
popularity of VCRs (and online porn), so it should come as
no surprise that someone would see what a 3D printer can
do and immediately start thing about things like sex toys.
However Nardone will be the first to tell you that it is still
early days with things like 3D printed sex toys, mostly due
to the materials currently used in the process of printing
something out as well as the difficulty in getting a smooth
finished product.
There are technical hurdles, too. Right, now most 3D
printers print objects at resolutions far too rough to be used
comfortably in intimate areas. “There’s a bit of a texture to
them,” MakerLove’s Nardone confesses.
Also, sex toys printed from material known as polyvinyl
alcohol are water-soluble, which automatically rules them

4
out for use with any water-based lubricant. While the
solution to that is simply to print other materials that still
doesn’t solve the whole texture issue.
Nardone, however, is largely unconcerned. “The resolution
will improve with time. 3D printing is just like any other
technology,” he said.
Some of the more popular and affordable 3D printers are
the MakerBot line of 3D printers. In its second revision, the
MakerBot Replicator 2 boasts not only a default layer height
of 100 microns, but also ease of use. The Replicator 2 is
driven by a desktop application called MakerWare, and third
party extensions such as CAD files may also be used as an
input. Affordable as it may be, the Replicator 2 runs for a
cool $2,199.00.
Shogun Bros. dual
functionality mouse
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/shogun-bros.-dual-functionality-
mouse/18147.html
December 2nd, 2012
This unique mouse that combines a wireless mouse and
gamepad; will you buy one if it gets to mass production?
The majority of us who prefer playing games with a
controller over a keyboard will be interested in this new
device from Shogun Bros. It's a mouse that turn into a
gamepad just by flipping it over.
There are dozens of controllers out there that let you play
games on your computer as comfortably as you would on a
console. They look like everything from regular controllers
to super futuristic mice with adjustable buttons, to retro
SNES controllers. There's still something novel about this
one though. Having the buttons on the bottom makes it
feel like you're trying to be sneaky about it. It lets you
imagine someone hard at work at his desk who then just
snatches his mouse up, flips it over and starts playing Fifa or
Battlefield 3. It's like how James Bond would play games on
his computer. Or maybe the bottom was just the only place
where everything would fit.

5
The Chameleon X-1 is a regular 2.4GHz wireless mouse
with 1600 DPI resolution. As a gamepad it has the full
complement of buttons - 14, plus the L and R buttons. It even
supports force feedback. They have really packed a lot into
this small device and I'm sure a lot of people would love to
see it for sale soon. Toei have suggested 5700 Yen ($69) as a
hypothetical price. Unfortunately it is not yet clear whether
they will move to sell the device or whether it will just remain
a nifty idea.
Staples to launch 3D printing
in Europe
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/staples-to-launch-3d-printing-in-
europe/18145.html
December 2nd, 2012
Staples, a popular office supply chain of retail stores, will
soon begin offering 3D printing services for their customers
in parts of Europe. The 3D models will be made with paper
and will be available in full color.
Staples will soon be offering what they are calling “Staples
Easy 3D” for their customers. The service will be just
like their current printing services ordered from home and
available for pickup or by mail. This new 3D printing service
will be available first for customers in Belgium and The
Netherlands in early 2013, and the services will later be
expanded to other parts of Europe and abroad.
The new service from the company was announced at
the Euromold 2012 by Mcor Technologies, which will be
working with the office supply chain. Mcor Technologies
new ‘iris’ line of 3D printers will use standard printer paper
instead of plastic in constructing 3D images. This different
approach uses glued bits of paper in exact dimensions
prescribed by the printer program and it can provide the
customer with a high-resolution layer thickness of 100
microns.
Something even more spectacular about this printing service
is that you can get your 3D model with realistic coloring
and shading. For those leery of believing that paper models
could be a strong as 3D plastic models, the company
claims the models made on the machine are very similar to
composite wood with the ability to be tapped or drilled.
3D printing is quickly gaining in popularity and will
have future applications in all manner of devices and
uses. Researchers with Washington State University
experimented with simulated moon rocks in an effort to melt
them down to be used in a 3D printer. They proved that
tools or other things could be created, in theory, for future
colonists on the moon using only the materials present.
Other research into 3D printing is finding uses for human
organ implants by fashioning cartilage cells in mesh molds
or other needs such as artificial arteries.
Top secret X-37B space plane
to launch soon?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/top-secret-x-37b-space-plane-to-
launch-soon-/18146.html
December 2nd, 2012
The top-secret aerospace project being called the “X-37B”
will be launching again soon but still no word on its intended
use.
The Boeing-developed X-37B test space plane is quite
different from the recently retired NASA space shuttles, and
many are curious why the U.S. is developing an unmanned
space plane in the first place. While answers about the
vehicles specific purpose is for now, the United States Air
Force simply stated that it will be a more reliable and
reusable unmanned space vehicle.
The X-37B space plane is the latest model based on the X-37
test plan, but on a larger scale. It measures over 29 feet in
length and is launched by an Atlas V class rocket and can
return to earth like a regular plane. Past statement from
NASA have suggested that the plane would be an aid in
the development and design of NASA’s Orbital Space Plane
program.
The X37-B’s next launch is set for December 11, 2012. NASA
nor the Air Force will confirm nor deny any current theories
on what it will be used for, but some are saying it may be a
more cost effective way of launching or retrieving satellites.
Some feel that the vehicle itself could be a future satellite
technology that can be retrieved at any time. One thing
for certain about the vehicle is that it is a highly developed
unmanned plane that is well out of the reaches of any ground
radar. If the vehicle’s future intent is scientific in nature it

6
will mean that it can be set in orbit for extended periods and
then returned to earth for retrieval of any data it may have
collected without the need of human occupants.
HTC releases Droid DNA
source code
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-releases-droid-dna-source-
code/18143.html
December 2nd, 2012
In the Android community there are few things that can
get a developer motivated than fresh code. Developers
everywhere have anxiously waited for this and an equal
number of Android owners have as well. It's time to see what
the community can make this phone really do.
Having source code released means a couple different
things. It means new ROMs, new kernels and the ability to
get rid of the pesky bloatware that comes with the phone
from the factory and carrier. Any and all of which are
something HTC Droid DNA owners are all celebrating. It's
all about customization when it comes to the Android super
user. With this code, developers can take a standard, Jelly
Bean powered phone and turn it into something that they
and the user can really enjoy.
Now to add on to that, Verizon has never been known
to make this easy. The Droid DNA does have a locked
bootloader. Be that as it may, the Android community of
developers didn't see this as a problem and found an exploit
to take care of the issue. With the bootloader unlocked it
takes down the main wall for the phone to be touched by the
pending developers. HTC itself is, however, very much in
touch and in tune with the wants of the developers and such
released the code for enthusiasts to play with. While the code
is still fresh, you can expect to see ROM's and kernels coming
out, being tested, revamped and tested again. It shouldn't
take too long for the community to have a main base such as
CyanogenMod to play with and mod out.
Next-gen military uniforms
could change into chemical
suits automatically
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/next-gen-military-uniforms-could-
change-into-chemical-suits-automatically/18141.html
December 2nd, 2012
The military is looking into a new next-gen technology that
could see a soldier's fatigues be able to automatically turn
into a protective shell if chemical or biological weapons are
detected.
Military technology is constantly evolving and agencies like
DARPA is helping to shape some of the future technology
that we, as regular consumers, will end up using in the
future. Where we generally are always looking for the new
and the coolest of toys and gadgets the military is looking at
future technology to do two things: eliminate threats more
efficiently and to keep soldiers as safe as possible from the
dangers of war.
One of the primary concerns of the military is the increasing
possibility of enemies using more and more sophisticated
chemical and biological weapons against soldiers in the field.
Well thanks to researchers at UMass Amherst soldiers may
soon get a rather unique, and very cool, second skin due to
some recently developed nanotube-based fabrics.
This fabric is intended for use in the uniforms worn by
soldiers and to provide protection from certain biological
and chemical weapons used against them. While the
military already has chemical warfare suits they are both
cumbersome, really hot to wear, and require time to get in
and out of. These new nanotube-based fatigues on the other
hand would be able to switch from a highly breathable state
(like the current uniforms) into a protective one once it is
triggered by the presence of a chemical or biological attack;
all this happening before the soldier may even recognize the
threat.
It is a mix of breathable membranes imbued with pores
made of vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes that allows for
a multi-state material designed to respond to various types
of biological and chemical triggers.
The technology is still in the lab but the researchers believe
that we could see practical applications in the field within
the next decade.
via PopSci / image courtesy of the US Army
Stem cells successfully made
from endothelial cells in
blood vessel lining
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/stem-cells-successfully-made-from-
endothelial-cells-in-blood-vessel-lining/18142.html

7
December 2nd, 2012
The study of stem cells has been making incredible leaps
when doctors realized that other cells could be manipulated
into becoming stem cells. Now scientists have found another
way to turn a patient’s own blood vessel lining-derived cells
into usable, personalized stem cells.
A new study on stem cell research published in the on-
line journal, Stem Cells: Translational Medicine, titled,
“A Practical and Efficient Cellular Substrate for the
Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Adults:
Blood-Derived Endothelial Progenitor Cells” by Imbisaat
Geti, Mark L. Ormiston, et. al., states that stem cells can
now be made into other human cells by tricking them into
becoming stem cells. The submission reads in part,
We have developed a protocol that allows the reliable
isolation of L-EPCs from peripheral blood mononuclear
cell preparations, including frozen samples. As a proof-
of-principle for clinical applications we generated EPC-
iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) from both healthy
individuals and patients with heritable and idiopathic forms
of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Stem cells are cells found in the body of any multicellular
organisms and have been a focus of scientists for many years
since they can be transformed into any other type of cell in
the body. What separates these cells from other types of
cells is that they are not predetermined to what they will be.
In humans, we have adult stem cells and embryonic stem
cells. The adult cells are for healing or to make more of a
certain cells where there is damage or growth needed. With
embryonic cells, they are for the development of the fetus.
With this newly discovered process, the University of
Cambridge team says they can reprogram 'late-outgrowth
endothelial progenitor cells' (L-EPCs) and turn them into
stem cells, which is much easier than using adult tissue
samples. Furthermore, stem cells taken from other donors
can and are often rejected by the body. By using cells
derived from the patient’s own blood, it'll help to mitigate
the rejection involved.
Another part of the research that could prove to be beneficial
is that the blood derived cells do not have to be converted
immediately. Those working on the project stated that
they could freeze and store the regular blood cells for later
use, and then convert them over to the iPSC the patient
might need later on. Dr. Amer Rhana who is part of the
project stated, “Tissue biopsies are undesirable, particularly
for children and the elderly – whereas taking blood samples
is routine for all patients.”
Hitting the 'Like Button' could
suggest you are a terrorist
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hitting-the-like-button-could-
suggest-you-are-a-terrorist/18139.html
December 2nd, 2012
The FBI seems to think that clicking on the Facebook Like
button is a sign that you could have terrorist tendancies, or
at least this is what they are saying in a released indictment
against three people.
Facebook has always reminded me of that drunk uncle that
we never want to invite to family functions because, well, he
gets drunk and does stupid things. Add onto that the fact
that Facebook is becoming increasingly used in the courts
for things like divorces and of course the police using it to
track down stupid crooks so it really shouldn't be a surprise
that the FBI is trolling Facebook for "dangerous" people.
However some of their claims seem tenuous at best, which
can attest to a recent indictment used to arrest and charge
three men based on the men's Like button-clicking habits.
From the indictment; which you can read in full here,
I have reviewed several of the social media web
sites for KABIR, SANTANA, DELEON, each of whom
has posted radical prom jihad content on their
respective pages. Additionally, portions of the social
media show that DELEON and SANTANA "liked"
postings on KABIR's Facebook page as early as May
2011.
[...]
On September 17, 2012 SANTANA "liked" KABIR's
post of an article entitled "A Public Talk by Ustadz
Abu M Jibriel AR: The Truth of The 9/11 Jihad
Operation, The Plots Of The Enemies and The Zionist
Conspiracy.
Of course there is other information that helped lead
the FBI to arrest them but the idea that liking and
sharing questionable stuff on Facebook could lead you to
being arrested to the degree that seems apparent in these
documents is a little disturbing.
Turn your tablet into a big-
boy computer with Sanwa's
tablet-storing display stand
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/turn-your-tablet-into-a-big-boy-
computer-with-sanwa-s-tablet-storing-display-stand/18130.html
December 2nd, 2012
Sanwa Supply Inc. must have used Windows 8 before, as
they have realized that traditional PCs have started to merge
with the up and coming barrage of tablet technology. To aid
you in making the transition from box-to-pad, Sanwa have
released a new handy gadget.

8
Sanwa’s latest display stand, dubbed the “100-MR066”
features a convenient sliding draw which, when exposed,
allows you to place a tablet at a comfortable typing angle.
While typing on a touch screen is far from ideal, users who
wish to free themselves from the convenience of a full-sized
Qwerty keyboard can go ahead and use a tablet as their input
device, as well as their computing device.
Of course, this isn’t the only option, and by sliding the
draw (which actually has enough space to store two tablets
simultaneously!) back into the stand it is possible to have all
the convenience of a mobile computing device, coupled with
the functionality of a fully fledged desktop computer, as it
frees up desk space allowing you to use an external keyboard
and mouse.
The underbelly of the tablet-storing stand is left open, and
this allows you to store your keyboard and mouse under the
stand too when not in use. This form factor allows for super
neat-freaks and Zen practitioners to relish in the comfort of
an empty desk whenever you aren’t using your computer.
Design wise, this seemingly-innocuous stand is top-notch.
The sliding drawer can be used in any number of ways, and in
addition to the aforementioned “tablet stand” configuration,
pulling out the drawer just a tiny amount lets you stand a
smartphone or tablet vertically too, giving you the full screen
space of an external display coupled with the convenient
touch-panel interface of a tablet.
The stand also contains a space in the back to hold a power
unit, allowing you to store charger cables inside the drawer
too.
The stand has dimensions of 702x300x100mm, with
internal drawer dimensions of 659x217x19mm. It can
reportedly take a weight of 7kg on the top of the stand, and
1.5kg on the drawer.
The 100-MR066 is available via mail order here for 5,480
Yen (US$66).

December 3rd, 2012 Published by: VR-Zone
1
geeks.
Samsung Galaxy S III most
popular smartphone in UK
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-most-popular-
smartphone-in-uk/18175.html
December 3rd, 2012
Samsung's Galaxy S III smartphone looks set to continue
its reign as the most popular mobile phone in the UK, after
seven months in the number one slot.
Samsung's Galaxy S III smartphone looks set to continue
its reign as the most popular mobile phone in the UK, after
seven months in the number one slot.
The Korean electronics giant's flagship model kept its crown
for November, but the previous model, the S II, fell from
second place to fourth place, replaced by two models of
Apple's iPhone. The iPhone 5 stayed in third place, while the
iPhone 4S jumped two places into second position, showing
that newer is not always better for Apple supporters.
Samsung is the top mobile and smartphone maker in the
world and has seen its devices skyrocket in popularity,
despite tough competition and numerous lawsuits from
Apple, but the Christmas season could see a shift in sales, as
Apple still has a strong brand to sell, and the holiday good
will is likely to overcome the high price range.
Samsung's brand is enjoying unparallelled popularity,
however, with five of its Galaxy models in the top ten in the
UK, including the Ace at number six, the Note II at number
seven, and the Ace II at number ten. Android is the overall
winner, ruling eight of the ten slots.
The race is not just between Samsung and Apple, however.
LG's recently released Nexus 4 shot to number five, the HTC
One X+ came in at number nine, and the Sony Xperia U
fell three places to number eight. None of these have the
same kind of brand awareness as the big two contenders,
however, making it difficult for them to steal the limelight
this Christmas.
“The affordable price point has kept the Samsung Galaxy S3
at the top of the tree, but whether it will be at the top of the
Christmas tree remains to be seen, as price drops for both
the 4S and 5 have seen the iPhone quickly gaining ground,”
said Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com.
“As for the Christmas number one, the Apple brand could
well reign supreme and see the iPhone 4S take over in the
final straight as the gift of choice for consumers, especially
at these reduced price points. Eight months may well be just
that month too long for the S3 to wear the mobile crown.”
Heat can repair flash memory
chips
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/heat-can-repair-flash-memory-
chips/18172.html
December 3rd, 2012
Researchers have discovered that a short exposure to intense
heat can repair flash memory chips, which traditionally
suffer from reliability issues over time.

2
Researchers have discovered that a short exposure to intense
heat can repair flash memory chips, which traditionally
suffer from reliability issues over time.
Staff at Macronix in Taiwan managed to increase the lifespan
of flash memory from just 10,000 write and read cycles
to a whopping 100 million cycles through the use of heat
“healing.”
The chips were redesigned to include a built-in heater, which
would periodically jolt the material with a few milliseconds
of heat at 800 degrees Celsius, many times the temperature
of an oven. This brief exposure fully restores damage
portions of the memory chip.
Tests have shown that the new chips can last at least 100
million write and read cycles, but there is potential that they
could last much longer than this, possibly even into billions
of cycles, but this would take months to test.
For those concerned about the possible fire risk, the
researchers said that the device is perfectly safe, since the
heat is only applied for a short duration. It will also only use
a small amount of power, so it should not adversely affect
battery life.
Macronix, which makes flash memory, said it plans to send
the technology to market, but it is not clear how long it
will take before we have self-healing memory chips in our
devices.
SMS text messages 20 years
old today
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sms-text-messages-20-years-old-
today/18171.html
December 3rd, 2012
The first SMS message was sent from a computer to a mobile
phone 20 years ago today.
On 3 December 1992 Neil Papworth, a test engineer for Sema
Group, sent the first text message, with the words “Merry
Christmas” to Vodafone employee Richard Jarvis, but since
mobile phones did not have the capability enabled yet, Jarvis
was unable to respond.
Since then texting has boomed, with the first commercial
service launched by Telia in Sweden in 1993, followed by
several other companies in 1994, including Vodafone itself
in the UK.
SMS messages were also a bit more like Twitter in that
they were strictly limited to 160 characters, with no way
to combine multiple texts for a longer message. This led to
the infamous “txt speak,” where words were replaced with
numbers or otherwise shortened, like “c u” for “see you” and
“b4” for “before.”
Predictive text systems like T9 were not invented until
1995, making those initial years more cumbersome for
many texters. It was not until 1999 that full cross-network
compatibility, between Vodafone, Cellnet, One-2-One and
Orange, became a reality.
Text messages have since become the norm for
communication for many people and companies, with
parents texting their children to ask how they are and
companies texting customers to tell them about offers, their
latest bill, or confirm a delivery date.
“When texting was first conceived many saw it as nothing
more than a niche service,” said James Thickett, Director
of Research at UK regulator Ofcom. “But texts have now
surpassed traditional phone calls and meeting face to face
as the most frequent way of keeping in touch for UK adults,
revolutionising the way we socialise, work and network.”
He also said that text volumes have, for the first time in
history, shown “signs of decline.” This is largely due to
the availability of other forms of text communication, such
as instant messaging services and social media, which are
widely used on internet-enabled smartphones.
Slender sequel to be made in
collaboaration with Marble
Hornets creators
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/slender-sequel-to-be-made-in-
collaboaration-with-marble-hornets-creators/18169.html
December 3rd, 2012
The sequel to the short, but terrifying game Slender is
receiving a sequel, and the creators of Marble Hornets are
crafting the story for it.

3
The slenderman mythos originated in the Something Awful
forums, and spread throughout the internet, eventually
inspiring, among others, a popular free downloadable game
called Slender: The Eight Pages, and a successful YouTube
series called Marble Hornets. Now the creators of Marble
Hornets have signed up to craft the story for Slender's
sequel, "The Arrival". This will most likely mean a very good
sequel. Mark Hadley, the creator of Slender, stated he's
"confident that together we can produce a mind blowing
horror experience in The Arrival."
An encounter with the slenderman during Slender: The
Eight Pages
The slenderman was created as part of a contest in 2009
on Something Awful's forums, in which users were to
doctor real images to include a supernatural entity and then
spread the image on paranormal communities online. One
contestant, Victor Surge, spread a series of photos from the
late 19th century depicting children and a tall figure with
tentacles in the background, stating that the children later
vanished. Since then, the character has evolved and today,
is generally defined as a tall faceless (literally) man wearing
a suit and tie, often associated with trees and forests... and
indeed, with the disappearance of children.
The first encounter with the slenderman in Marble Hornets
Slender popularized the Slenderman myth to a large
audience, though it drew much of it's inspiration from the
earlier YouTube series, Marble Hornets. Gameplay elements
such as the pages which must be collected were designed
after similar pages in MH, and several locations, such as a
large drain pipe and abandoned house, were inspired from
MH as well. Marble Hornets is an ongoing YouTube series
filmed in the found-footage style, depicting interactions
between the slenderman and a character named Jay who is
attempting to find a missing friend. The series is presented
as an alternate reality game, and allows viewers to interact
with the content and tries to convince the viewer that the
events in the series are unfolding in the real world.
Slender: The Arrival is due to be released in early 2013.
Crysis 3 PC requirements
released
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crysis-3-pc-requirements-
released/18167.html
December 3rd, 2012
Crysis 3 is due to be released in February of 2013 for Xbox
360, Playstation 4 and PC, and now, the requirements for
the PC version have been released. The game will support
Windows versions Vista and above, and will require a
minimum of 2GB of RAM and a DirectX 11 compatible
graphics card with 1 GB of memory.
Crytek has posted the minimum, recommended and high-
spec requirements for the game, which are below:
Minimum:
Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8
DirectX 11 graphics card with 1Gb Video RAM
Dual core CPU
2GB Memory (3GB on Vista)
Example 1 (Nvidia/Intel):
Nvidia GTS 450
Intel Core2 Duo 2.4 Ghz (E6600)
Example 2 (AMD):
AMD Radeon HD5770
AMD Athlon64 X2 2.7 Ghz (5200+)
Recommended
DirectX 11 graphics card with 1GB Video RAM
Quad core GPU

4
4GB Memory
Nvidia GTX 560
Intel Core i3-530
Example 2 (AMD):
AMD Radeon HD5870
AMD Phenom II X2 565
High-performance
Latest DirectX 11 graphics card
Latest quad core CPU
8GB Memory
NVidia GTX 680
Intel Core i7-2600k
Example 2 (AMD):
AMD Radeon HD7970
AMD Bulldozer FX4150
Star Wars Battlefront III was
99% done upon cancellation
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/star-wars-battlefront-iii-was-99-
done-upon-cancellation/18166.html
December 3rd, 2012
Co-founder of Free Radical, the developer behind the
canceled Star Wars Battlefront III, revealed recently that the
game was 99% finished when funding was cut.
Free Radical Design, who developed Haze and were working
on Star Wars Battlefront III, recently had some leaked
footage of the latter hit YouTube. Nearly an hour of leaked
footage hit the web earlier this year, and was met with
positive feedback. Now, Free Radicals' co-founder, Steve
Ellis, has commented on the game. He explained that during
the development of Haze, the developers had tech problems
and were generally in a slump, but that they had climbed out
of that slump. Battlefront III was very ambitious and in Ellis'
mind, would have been their most successful game:
Screenshot from the game
"We were making a game with very high ambition. You could
start a battle on the ground, jump into a ship and fly into
space, continuing on to dock in a capital ship and continue
the battle there. We'd had to build all kinds of new tech and
overcome numerous technical challenges and limitations
but we had done it." he explained. In fact, Ellis claims they
had done it to 99%; that all which remained in the game's
development was bug fixes and patching, and that the game
was essentially finished.
However, when LucasArts had a change in management, it
seems that for whatever reason, it was decided not worth
investing in the game anymore, and Battlefront III was
canceled. As the game was due out for current gen consoles,
perhaps we can hope for a digital release at some point.
Canadian Samsung Galaxy
S III Jelly Bean update now
available
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/canadian-samsung-galaxy-s-iii-jelly-
bean-update-now-available/18160.html
December 3rd, 2012
It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE version is getting
updates pushed to it. The new 4.1 update has been a long
time coming for the GS3. The new update is just over 324MB
so make sure you are connected to power and have WiFi
enabled if possible!
Other Canadian carriers like Wind aren't showing any
updates quite yet, and this isn't really a big surprise as
Wind isn't really known for pushing out updates as fast as
mainstream carriers. The Galaxy S3 came with Android 4.0
from the factory but that soon changed when it got root and
Jelly Bean ROM's came out for "The Next Big Thing".
It is being reported that the Samsung servers are getting
increasingly slower but with the amount of GS3's that are
being updated it's to be expected. If you haven't gotten the
update pushed to your device yet you can try and manually
force it by the following steps:

5
Intel's NUC in Interactive
Displays
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-nuc-in-interactive-
displays/18161.html
December 3rd, 2012
Nobody has cracked teleportation or world peace yet
but advertising-oriented digital signages and interactive
displays have certainly invaded every facet of our lives. With
its small and versatile form factor, the NUC is the perfect
choice to be the brains behind the screen.
For denizens living in the civilized world of 2012, it is
virtually impossible now to step out into the urban concrete
jungle without being bombarded by some kind of digital
signage, which have taken over static billboard displays as
the medium of mass public messaging. These screens have
gradually improved over the years in pixel densities and
clarity, attracting and overloading your senses with useful
information and other advertising messages. From the MRT
train arrival notice board to the interactive point of sales
interface on soft drink can machines, there is a computer,
usually embedded, controlling what is displayed to the user
and running the software routines programmed on it.
When building such interactive displays, the underlying
hardware plays an important role in the decision making
process. As with our previous usage examples of the Intel
NUC, its small but versatile 4" x 4" form factor comes
into play, especially if you want to build a sleek and
attractive structure to house the screen and machine. Also
its sub-20W TDP means hardly any cooling is required in the
storage compartment/cabinet, and is therefore eco friendly
compared to the usual offerings. Its dual-core mobile Ivy
Bridge processor augmented by a speedy SSD and up to
16GB of DDR3 ram entails that you can run a few foreground
and background processes simultaneously without hiccups,
such as a stock ticker at the side with a Full HD video playing
and background webcam recording for crowd analytics and
nanny-state surveillance.

6
In places where Ethernet LAN connectivity is not possible,
the (optional) WIFI module of the NUC should allow the
maintenance people to push and retrieve updates wirelessly
from a central location.
For custom displays such an array of video walls and other
unconventional screen sizes, system integrators can define
custom resolutions and orientations/rotations from the HD
4000 graphics control panel to suit their needs.
Plastic light bulb might
replace fluorescent bulbs in
the future
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/plastic-light-bulb-might-replace-
fluorescent-bulbs-in-the-future/18165.html
December 3rd, 2012
Fluorescent bulbs seem to be the theme in energy
conservation these days, but proponents of fluorescent bulb
may want to keep an eye out for field-induced polymer
electroluminescent (Fipel) bulbs once they hit the market.
Developed by a physics professor, Dr. David Carroll, at
Wake Forest University in North Carolina, Fipel technology
utilizes three layers of white-emitting polymer that contains
minute amount of nano-materials which glow when electric
current passes through.
Carroll claims that fluorescent bulbs produce a harsh blue
tint that can aggravate the human eye, but his Fipel-based
bulb on the other hand can produce more natural tints that
are more accommodating.

7
“I’m saying we are brighter than one of these curly cubes and
I can give you any tint to that white light you want,” Caroll
says.
Furthermore, the new lighting technology is made of
plastic, so therefore it could be made into shapes that are
constrictive to bulbs utilizing technologies derived from
other materials. Supposedly, Carroll has been running a
Fibel-based bulb in his lab for the past decade or so, which
is a testament to the technology’s longevity.
Although fluorescent bulbs are the predominant popular
‘energy saving’ consumer products, LED and OLED
technology is creeping into people’s mind. Many LED lamps
have quoted life expectancies of somewhere between 25,000
to 50,000 hours. LED bulbs have also gone down in prices
in recent years, making it much more affordable now as they
did in the past. Even so, Carroll claims that his plastic-
derived Fipel bulb is ‘cheap’ to make and that he already has
a ‘corporate partner’ interested in mass producing the new
light source. The first round of production could possibly
start in as early as 2013.
Intel's NUC as a Home Server
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-s-nuc-as-a-home-
server/18162.html
December 3rd, 2012
Intel's Next Unit of Computing, with its power sipping
17W mobile Ivy Bridge processor housed inside a small 4"
x 4" form factor, is quite the ideal candidate as a 24/7
small server to take advantage of your unmetered home
broadband connection.
After years of stop-start progress, we are finally living
in a glorious age where home broadband, especially of
the fibre variety, is becoming more prevalent with decent
download and upload throughput speeds. Implication being
more ambitious network activity can now be carried out,
including proper HD media streaming, speedy remote
access to your work/play file repositories and low latency
communications/gaming, all happening at the same time.
Therefore it is not uncommon nowadays to find homeowners
runnning servers at home huming along in one corner next
to their networking equipment, in one form or another,
as an extension of their digital lifestyle for automation
and monitoring of pre-assigned tasks. No longer are
servers found only inside expensive datacentres under the
watchful eyes of security guards in an sterile, arctic winter
environment.
Two of the main pre-requisites for any household appliances
are low power consumption and heat/noise level emissions,
both of which the sub-20W NUC will excel in, other than the
most important fact that it is basically an x86 PC that can run
Windows/Linux/OSX natively without compromise. After
all, we all need a comfortable amount of compute power for
applications to be responsive, without putting a glaring hole
in the monthly energy bills or spoiling the tranquility of the
home environment. With four-usable CPU threads and up
to 16GB of DDR3-1600 memory augmented by an SSD, the
NUC is fully capable of running file/web/game servers to
serve dozens if not hundreds of concurrent users, better than
some of the aging, power hungry machines in the traditional
datacentres even. I dare say that if we cluster a handful of
NUCs together in a properly configured Linux/Nginx/PHP/
MySQL/Memcached setup, they can run a high traffic site
like VR-Zone.com.
In Singapore, the three main residential ISPs (SingTel,
StarHub and M1) are joined by a host of other smaller
players like MyRepublic, ViewQuest and Super Internet, all
of which offer a plethora of unlimited service plans and

8
packages for the different usage tiers. Some of these services
have port filtering (blocks) turned on for common TCP
applications like HTTP, FTP and SMTP, rendering them
impractical if you are doing that sort of hosting. Static IP (as
opposed to the usual dynamic IP) options are also available
from some of these providers, so you can have a somewhat
permanent presence on the internet and access your home
network without the need for Dynamic DNS.
Some of the other essential items in such a setup include
a capable home gateway router, such as the Asus RT-
AC66U which can provide near wire-speed WAN-LAN
routing and handle an abusive amount of simultaneous
connections, and a Gigabit/Thunderbolt NAS for dedicated
storage of files.
Samsung Galaxy
Stratosphere II 4G
Android phone for $0.01 at
Amazon.com
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-galaxy-stratosphere-ii-4g-
android-phone-for-0.01-at-amazon.com/18154.html
December 3rd, 2012
The Samsung Galaxy Stratosphere II isn't what you would
call a superphone in today's standard but it is still a good
deal. Amazon Wireless has this Verizon phone on sale for
just a shiny penny with free shipping.
It's Christmas time again and without fail the phone prices
are dropping like crazy. If you are in the market for a new
phone, you may want to take a look at this one. Powered by
Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich is boasts a 1.2GHz dual-
core CPU, 4" Super AMOLED screen, 4G with LTE and NFC.
The full retail price of the phone is $449.99 but still $129.99
with a two-year term on the Verizon Wireless website.
You can take a gander at this phone on the Amazon.com
website by going here. If you are in fact interested in getting
this phone we'll give you a quick rundown of the specs to it,
even at a penny it's still good to see what you'll be locked into
for the next couple of years.
• Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960
• Dual core, 1200 MHz
• Adreno 225 - Graphics Processor
• 1024 MB RAM
• 8GB Internal storage
• Up to 32GB expandable SD Card
• 5 MP rear / 1.3 front camera
• 4" Super AMOLED @ 480 x 800
• 1800 mAh battery
A great starter phone for sure but probably not the one you
want to buy if you are Galaxy S3 material!
New trailer released for Halo
4's Spartan Ops episode 5
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-trailer-released-for-halo-4-s-
spartan-ops-episode-5/18158.html
December 3rd, 2012
The newly released trailer for Spartan Ops Episode 5
"Memento Mori" gives players a brief glimpse into the events
that take place in the new episode. Jump in to check it out!
Episode 5 "Memento Mori" of Halo 4's newest Spartan Ops
addition delves deeper into the expanding story arc put into
place by the series, expounding upon the canon of the Halo
universe along with the events that take place within the
game's campaign.

9
The newly released trailer from Halo Waypoint shows off
an impressive glimpse into episode 5's cinematics, showing
players what they can expect from the newest chapter.
Continuing in the tradition in keeping gameplay fresh,
Memento Mori adds in five new missions to Spartan Ops,
offering new branching objectives and goals to complete.
The trailer reveals that Dr. Halsey has made some terrific
finds in her investigations of the Forerunner artifact: she
has figured out that the artifact actually contains human
memories, unlocking some of the cryptic secrets behind the
mysterious Prometheans.
Meanwhile, the Spartan IV's of Crimson Team are busy
battling the Elite hierarch Jul M'dama who vies for
dominance with a nefarious scheme. What will become of
Crimson this time around, and will they be able to stop
M'dama and his bloodthirsty warriors?
Episode 5 of Spartan Ops will be available for free on Dec.
3, 2012. For more information please visit Halo Waypoint's
official website.
Prolimatech Genesis CPU
Cooler Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/prolimatech-genesis-cpu-cooler-
review/18159.html
December 3rd, 2012
It is well known that nowadays CPU coolers come in all
shapes and sizes but today we are going to present you one
of the largest and weirdest designs ever to hit the retail
market. This CPU cooler is no other than the Prolimatech
Genesis, a hybrid design of massive proportions combining
a C-type with a tower-type cooler. How well this behemoth
can perform? We will find out in this review.
It is well known that nowadays CPU coolers come in all
shapes and sizes but today we are going to present you one
of the largest and weirdest designs ever to hit the retail
market. This CPU cooler is no other than the Prolimatech
Genesis, a hybrid design of massive proportions combining
a C-type with a tower-type cooler. How well this behemoth
can perform? We will find out in this review.
The Prolimatech Genesis is not a new design, with the
company presenting the first version nearly two years
ago. Prolimatech kept the design up to date with minor
modifications, mostly in the form of installation kits for
the newer CPU sockets, suggesting that the performance of
the Genesis is sufficient to counter the competition even so
many months after its initial release. We will explore all the
strengths and weaknesses of this strange design in our latest
review.
• High clearance for better motherboard compatibility.
• Massive cooling range; cools not only CPU but also
MOSFET and RAM.
• Cooler surrounding temperature allowing more stable
environment for higher overclock.
• Takes both 12 and 14cm fans for a maximum
installation of 3 fans.
• Six high quality heatpipes for effective heat transfer.
• Light weight at 800 g (without fans) in the high end
class.
• Intel and AMD platform supported. All mounting
hardware are included.
Heatsink Dimension (L)146mm X (W)216.5mm X
(H)160mm
Heatsink Weight 800 g(without fan)
Suggest Fan 120mm X 120mm X
25mm,140mm X 140mm X
25mm
Heatpipe Ø 6mm X 6pcs
Suggest Fan Speed 800~1600 rpm
CPU Platform Intel Socket LGA
775/1366/1156/1155/2011 ,
AMD Socket
AM2/2+/3/3+(FM2)
Net statistics back up
Microsoft's claim of quick
Windows 8 adoption rate
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/net-statistics-back-up-microsoft-s-
claim-of-quick-windows-8-adoption-rate/18155.html

10
December 3rd, 2012
While Windows 7 only just passed the popular classic
Windows XP in terms of market share three months ago,
new data corroborates Microsoft’s statement that Windows
8 is shipping at a much higher pace than its previous
versions.
Data from Net Applications shows what a success the month
of November was for the new OS. While Windows 7 gained
a mere 0.02%, (bringing it to 44.71%), Windows 8’s share
increased a hefty 0.68%, bringing it to a total of 1.09%
market share in the short time since its release.
Windows Vista and XP, on the other hand, fell 0.10% and
0.84% respectively, marking an end of an era for the dated
systems.
This doesn’t tell the full story of the OS wars, however, as
it’s important to note that Windows as a whole lost 0.22%
market share (dropping to 91.45%) between the months
of October and November, giving up part of its reign to
OS X and Linux, who now enjoy 7.30% and 1.25% shares
respectively.
While Windows 8’s adoption rate isn’t particularly
surprising, it is somewhat a relief for Microsoft that people
are finally abandoning the XP ship, which stubborn users
have clung onto for years.
The attachment to Windows XP of less than savvy computer
users was to the chagrin of many a web designer, who was
forced to accept the hard cold truth that many of these users
still used XP’s default internet browser – the dreaded IE6.
For the past two years, Microsoft have ran a more or less
successful strategy to get people off the web-standards-
ignoring, security-hole-ridden browser and onto something
more modern, with an ultimate objective of “less than 1%
IE6 market share worldwide”. The score currently hangs at
6%, which is a hefty 5.3% less than it was last year, but as
Microsoft’s market share map shows that the main culprits
are in China, Japan and Korea.
The reasons behind Asia’s obsession to the browser differ
with each country. It is well known that China has vast
hordes of Windows XP pirate copies, and these come without
any Service Packs, which is why users end up using the
terribly outdated Internet Explorer 6.
Korea’s problem lies in banking websites, which force
users to install Active X plugins and refuse to work
on other browsers such as Chrome or Firefox (this is
reportedly thanks to a deal Microsoft made with the Korean
government several years ago).
Japan’s Internet also has a similar reliance on Internet
Explorer, and while their websites are not as “broken” to
the same extent of Korea’s, the larger population of Japan
ensures them double the IE6 market share of Korea by
default.
Thankfully though, most of the western world has dropped
into “green” status, meaning that web developers can rest
easy with the knowledge they no longer have to create
multiple CSS files and design configurations to support the
IE6 dinosaur. Unless they want to target Asian clients -- then
they’re boned.

December 4th, 2012 Published by: VR-Zone
1
geeks.
Swiss spy agency warns of
major data leak
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/swiss-spy-agency-warns-of-major-
data-leak/18204.html
December 4th, 2012
Switzerland's intelligence agency, the NDB, has warned of a
massive data theft by one of its technicians, which has put
top secret information on counter-terrorism from multiple
world governments at risk.
Switzerland's intelligence agency, the NDB, has warned of a
massive data theft by one of its technicians, which has put
top secret information on counter-terrorism from multiple
world governments at risk.
An anonymous source reported to Reuters that Swiss
authorities have alerted intelligence agencies in the US and
UK, including the CIA and MI6, that they were among a
number of countries whose sensitive security information
may have been exposed.
The disgruntled employee, who allegedly felt he was not
being taken seriously at work, was arrested during the
Summer after acting suspiciously, but was released pending
further investigation. It is believed he intended to sell the
data to foreign governments or other commercial buyers.
Reports suggest that the man, whose name has not
been released, downloaded terabytes of data, numbering
potentially millions of pages, onto portable hard drives and
simply walked out of government buildings with them in a
backpack, highlighting the obvious lack of security in place.
The man worked for the NDB for eight years and was
described as being very talented. He was a senior technician
with administrator rights, which gave him unrestricted
access to the spy agency's servers. He apparently did not
show up for work on a number of occasions, but alarm
bells were only rung when a bank copped onto a suspicious
attempt to set up a new bank account.
The hard drives were seized in the arrest, and the NDB
believes it managed to step in before any sale of the data was
arranged. However, one source said that the agency could
not be certain that any of the information was not handed
on to another party. National spy agencies around the world
have thus been notified as a precaution.
Image Credit: Setreset
Motorola fails to secure Xbox
360 ban
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/motorola-fails-to-secure-xbox-360-
ban/18202.html
December 4th, 2012
Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, has failed to secure a
sales ban on Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console over the
alleged infringement of its patents.
Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, has failed to secure a
sales ban on Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console over the
alleged infringement of its patents.
The mobile firm was hoping to prohibit sales of the console
in the US and Germany, but US Judge James Robart denied
its request, citing the fact that the disputed patents operate
under FRAND rules, which means they must be offered
under “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” terms.
Motorola also wants Microsoft to pay fees of up to $4 billion
a year to use the patents, which cover Wi-Fi connectivity
and H.264 video-coding technology. A sales ban would have
given the company considerable leverage over Microsoft.

2
However, Microsoft is not contesting Motorola's request for
a fee, but wants the figure to be reduced. Motorola suggested
negotiations with a starting point of a 2.25 percent royalty,
which a jury will decide on in the near future.
Although a sales ban may not have been in place in time,
Microsoft will likely be considerably relieved, given the
importance of the Christmas shopping season for console
sales. Lack of supply for Nintendo's next-generation Wii U
console has helped with sales of rival gaming systems.
While Microsoft might enjoy some relief over the holidays, it
will still end up paying a pretty penny to Motorola to keep the
Xbox 360 on the market, as it cannot afford to axe features
like the ability to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi.
Student group to sue
Facebook in Ireland over
privacy issues
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/student-group-to-sue-facebook-in-
ireland-over-privacy-issues/18199.html
December 4th, 2012
An Austrian student group is preparing to sue Facebook in
Ireland over what it claims is poor handling of the privacy
of users.
An Austrian student group is preparing to sue Facebook in
Ireland over what it claims is poor handling of the privacy
of users.
The group, called Europe-v-Facebook, has been
campaigning for over a year, securing a number of changes
to the popular social networking website, such as the facial
recognition feature being switched off in Europe.
However, it does not believe Facebook has made enough
changes, and it has also expressed disappointment at
the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, which it said
was “miles away from other European data protection
authorities in its understanding of the law, and failed to
investigate many things.”
It said it is hoping for a “legally compliant solution” from
the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, but added that it is
“highly doubtful,” suggesting that Facebook has been giving
the data protection authority “the runaround.” The student
group is now preparing a lawsuit to bring the issue to the
next level.
Facebook is also in trouble in the US, where a class action
lawsuit over the privacy of user's “likes.” A settlement of $10
per user is being negotiated at the moment, and if successful
then a similar proposal may be made in Ireland.
Facebook's international headquarters is in Ireland, thanks
mostly to the country's low corporate tax rate and highly
educated workforce. Many other top technology companies
also have bases in the Emerald Isle, including Google, Apple,
Amazon, eBay, and most recently Dropbox. They will likely
all be watching this case closely, especially Google, since its
own social network could come under scrutiny for privacy
concerns.
Image Credit: Lawyers.com
Americans spent 121 billion
minutes on social media in
one month
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/americans-spent-121-billion-
minutes-on-social-media-in-one-month/18197.html
December 4th, 2012
Information and measurement company Nielsen has
announced it's annual social media report, and the results
say that Americans alone, spent 121 billion minutes engaged
in social media this July.
Social media is, unsurprisingly, on the rise. Nielsen, which
is a company specializing in assessing and gathering
information, has put out it's annual social media report, in
which it presents data on the habits of social media users.

3
This July alone, Americans spent 121,13 billion minutes of
time engaged in social media. This is a rise from 88 billion
minutes the year before. Nielsen reports that one reason for
the rise is due to the extensive use of social media and apps
for mobile devices, which has seen a collective 63% rise from
last year.
Social media usage for July of 2012 (blue) and July of 2011
(grey)
However, before drawing any conclusions from the
numbers, which do seem staggering, one must put them
into perspective. The United States has a population of
about 310 million. A simple check with a calculator reveals
that the numbers actually only amount to 6.5 hours per
person during that month, or 13 minutes per person per
day. Of course, not everyone in the United States uses social
media. There's probably more than a few who spend hour on
Facebook every day to make up for those who don't.
Portal is now available on
calculator!
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/portal-is-now-available-on-
calculator-/18196.html
December 4th, 2012
Bored of math class? Love Valve's puzzle game Portal? Well,
you can kill two birds in one stone now, with the new Portal
game for Texas Instruments calculators.
If you own a Texas Instruments graphing calculator, chances
are, like me, that you have some games on it. TI calculators
have a surprisingly robust programming language available
to them, and games (many, many games) have been made for
them over the years. Super Mario clones and even a version
of Doom have been released by homebrew programmers
who wanted to make math class more entertaining.
The latest game to hit the TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus
calculators, is Portal, the puzzle game by Valve. Before you
get your hopes too high, this isn't a port of the original game,
but rather a remake akin to the flash based Portal game you
can find here. Still, for a game on a calculator, it's really
impressive. The game was created by a programmer named
Builderboy and is available on Omnimaga. Check out a video
of it below:
Steam launches Big Picture
Mode
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steam-launches-big-picture-
mode/18195.html
December 4th, 2012
Steam has launched Big Picture Mode, a full screen user
interface especially intended for users who enjoy playing
their games on a TV
Big Picture Mode is a new full screen UI accessible via a
button in the upper right corner of your Steam window. It's
intended mainly for people who enjoy playing their games on
a TV, as opposed to a computer, and has an easily navigated
and sleek interface with increased gamepad support.
The main window in Big Picture Mode
The new interface reminds somewhat of other full screen
UIs, such as the windows media center, but is far better
organized and less cluttered. The main window cycles
between the Steam store, community and library, and are
explored via mouse, keyboard or gamepad. Games are
organized in nice, high resolution icons in a grid that's
easy to navigate. The same can be said for the store and
community features as well
To celebrate the new UI, Steam is having a sale until
December 10, where they're offering some of their more
controller friendly games for very reasonable prices, some of
which are on as much as 75% sale.
"Father" of SMS speaks
on 20th anniversary of
technology
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-father-of-sms-speaks-on-20th-
anniversary-of-technology/18194.html

4
December 4th, 2012
20 years after the first SMS, the "reluctant father" of the
technology sat down with the BBC to reflect upon it's
development.
20 Years ago, on 3 December 1992, the first text message was
sent from a PC to a mobile phone on Vodafone's UK network,
stating simply "Merry Christmas". Matti Makkonen, the
Finnish engineer who conceived of the technology, first came
up with the idea for the SMS, or Short Message Service, in
1984 during a telecommunications conference, but it took
eight years before his vision became a reality.
Matti Makkonen
The technology didn't truly find a foothold though, until
it was incorporated into the GSM standard. Makkonen
considers the "true" birthday of the SMS to be 1994, when
Nokia released the 2010, the first mobile phone which easily
facilitated texting.
Makkonen calls himself the reluctant father of the
technology. Though he may have come up with the idea,
he pointed out to the BBC that the SMS technology was
developed through a team effort, and that he does not hold
any claim to creating it himself. He also never made any
money on the technology, as he felt it couldn't be patented.
Makkonen stated that he loves texting, but he never uses
shorthand when he texts. He is currently the CEO of Anvia
Oy, a Finnish telecommunications service provider.
Kickstarter project misses
goal by $28
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kickstarter-project-misses-goal-
by-28/18193.html
December 4th, 2012
A Kickstarter project for a game called Alpha Colony just
missed its deadline by $28. Kickstarter says tough luck, but
it won't bend the rules.
Alpha Colony, an "Exploration, Building and Trading
simulator" game, fell short of its Kickstarter goal over the
weekend. The dev team was looking for $50,000 worth
of pledges and it missed this goal by a measly $28. This
means the game won't get any of it's funding: Kickstarter
works through "pledges"; a supporter's credit card is only
billed if the goal is reached. Kickstarter has stated that it
won't bend the rules, despite how close the project got. A
spokesperson explained to Kotaku yesterday: "That's really,
really uncommon. It was a tough finish, but unfortunately
we wouldn't bend the rules. Of course, creators can always
relaunch a project that was initially unsuccessful."
Screenshot from Alpha Colony
The game's website however, has announced that this will
most likely have to wait. The developers have invested
$60,000 into the project and they need to focus on projects
with a more immediate financial payoff. However, the game
has been in development for 14 years and so likely won't stop
because of this. The website states that "I believe there is still
a way to build Alpha Colony in all of it’s glory".
Dropbox places first non US-
based office in Dublin, Ireland
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dropbox-places-first-non-us-based-
office-in-dublin-ireland/18192.html
December 4th, 2012
Dropbox is the latest of many large companies who are
placing offices in Ireland. Dropbox claims the location they
chose has nothing to do with the country's low taxes.
Dropbox is a cloud based storage system which launch
in 2007. Since then, it has grown dramatically, and after

5
declining an offer by Steve Jobs to be bought out in 2009,
has amassed more than 100 million users. 95% of Fortune
500 companies utilize Dropbox today. Their headquarters in
San Francisco have 240 employees, but now, the company is
hoping to expand overseas, putting their first international
office in Dublin, Ireland.
This will make a few people's ears perk up; Ireland is one of
several tax havens which have been at the center of a lot of
controversy recently, as several major US based companies
have set up offices in Ireland and eventually relocated
their financial headquarters there. Google, for example,
funneled their income through several places, including
Ireland (a technique known as a double Irish), to reduce
their income tax to 2.4% 2010. Google is not alone: Apple,
Amazon, LinkedIn, Microsoft, eBay, Facebook and PayPal
(and several others) all have their European headquarters in
Ireland.
Ireland's flag
In an interview with the Guardian, Mitra Lohrasbpour,
head of business development at Dropbox, claims that the
main reason for moving to Dublin is not for tax related
purposes: "We took a look at cities in Europe with strong
technical people. Dublin had a passionate pool of talent.
There are many cities were a technical company can be
successful, but Dublin had a strong user base and they also
had multilingual skills that weren't available elsewhere."
Lohrasbpour declined to comment if and how much of a
factor taxes played in the decision.
Internet Explorer 10 is good
now, according to Microsoft
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/internet-explorer-10-is-good-now-
according-to-microsoft/18191.html
December 4th, 2012
Over the past several years, Internet Explorer has garnered
a reputation of being the browser you use to download other
browsers, but now Microsoft is claiming IE10 is actually
good.
Internet Explorer is almost universally regarded as a crappy
browser. Chrome, Firefox and the other browsers are faster,
more secure, more customizable... but that has all changed,
according to Microsoft. Internet Explorer 10 has been
reworked from the ground up - it is, in essence, a completely
new browser.
It seems they haven't been completely oblivious to the
criticisms their browser has received, because their new ad
campaign, titled "The browser you loved to hate" admits
straight out that everyone dislikes IE, but that we should
give it a new chance, because things are different now. The
promotional website for IE10 is full of praise from various
publications, and states that the browser is built for speed
and during tests received 29% less malware than Chrome.
If this is all true, it's quite promising. Personally, I'll remain
skeptical until it proves its worth to me.
Rounding off the promotional campaign is a video ad for
the browser which pokes fun at the old IE and the people
criticizing it. You can check it out below, it's well worth it:
$3000 Nexus 4 8GB variant
found on Ebay
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-3000-nexus-4-8gb-variant-found-
on-ebay/18185.html
December 4th, 2012
With the 8GB Nexus 4 out of stock it seems that some
people are trying to capitalize on the phone and the lack of
availability. Most of the Nexus 4's on eBay are selling for
the $300-$600 range and then you come upon this one for
$3000. I can't imagine why there are no bids but I have a
pretty good idea.
I am all for getting the latest technology and sometimes you
will pay a premium for a product that is normally unavailable
such as this phone. The only thing that could have made this
even more hysterical is if they charged shipping. There is
one part of this ad that has me just plain dumbfounded, the
seller doesn't have the product either.
This is located at the very bottom of the ad.

6
So let's recap..we have a seller on eBay that is charging a
criminally insane price for a Nexus 4 8gb (base model with
the least amount of storage) version AND he doesn't have it
in hand to send it to you. What could possibly go wrong?
If for some reason you feel the need to spend $3000 on a
Nexus device you can buy it here.
Qualcomm to invest $121
million in Sharp to study its
IGZO technology
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/qualcomm-to-invest-121-million-in-
sharp-to-study-its-igzo-technology/18187.html
December 4th, 2012
Sharp Corporation and Qualcomm Corporation are about
to work out a deal together that will help the struggling
Japanese tech firm. Sharp has been looking at numerous
ways in which to remain profitable in a highly competitive
world market, and sharing its technology seems to be one of
them.
Qualcomm 's initial investment will be about 121 million
dollars. The two will be combining their efforts to further
develop the next generation IGZO display, which is a Sharp
technology.
With this deal Sharp will allow Qualcomm to study its
indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) technology. As part of
the agreement Qualcomm will initially invest $121 million
in the partnership and then another estimated $60 million
once the project progresses.
Sharp has been struggling, and in 2012 alone the company
lost over 75% of its stock value on the Tokyo stock exchange.
Sharp is expecting a second consecutive net loss as well,
and with a capital ratio somewhere around 10% at the end
of September 2012. Sharp is looking for ways to bring up its
capital, and Qualcomm’s investment would give the popular
mobile chip maker an approximate 5% stake in Sharp.
Sharp’s advancement with their LCD displays may help them
become more profitable, and the company is doing fair as
of late as it ranks second with about 16% of the global
market share for smaller LCD panels used in smartphones
and tablets.
Qualcomm is a California based company that manufactures
and designs digital wireless telecommunications products,
and is also a major semiconductor provider. In a move to
expand its reaches, Qualcomm putting effort into further
development of its mirasol display technology, which is
based on a reflective technology called “Interferometric
Modulation” or IMOD. The MEMS-based development uses
less power and is highly reflective, allowing it to be seen in
direct sunlight.
BlackBerry 10 and the 106
forbidden passwords
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/blackberry-10-and-the-106-
forbidden-passwords/18184.html
December 4th, 2012
One of Blackberry's main focuses is security. The RIM
servers are just about the most secure in the world for
good reason, most companies use the BIS severs for data
transmission. BlackBerry 10 seems to be increasing their
security stand by disallowing 106 of the most common
passwords, some of them may surprise you.
RIM apparently spent some time in research when
developing this list. Some of the passwords they forbid are
on the list for good reasons while others are pretty "colorful"
you might say. While BlackBerry is barely holding on to it's
own ground they are still not willing to cut any corners in
what made them the company they are today.
The file that holds the list is PasswordService.properties
which is kept in sync with the BB IdM server. Without
further delay, here is the list:
1=123456
2=12345678
3=123abc
4=a1b2c3
5=aaaaaa
6=abc123
7=abc123
8=abcdef
9=amanda
10=andrew
11=angel
12=asdfgh
13=august
14=avalon
15=bandit
16=barney
17=baseball
18=batman
19=biteme
20=brandy
21=buster
22=butthead
23=calvin
24=canada
25=changeme
26=chelsea
27=coffee
28=computer
29=cowboy
30=diamond
31=donald
32=dorothy
33=dragon
34=eeyore
35=falcon
36=fishing
37=football
38=freedom
39=f***me
- replace *
with obvious
letters
40=f***you -
replace *
with obvious
letters
41=gandalf
42=george
43=harley
44=hello
45=helpme
46=hockey
51=jordan
52=letmein
53=maggie
54=marina
55=master
56=matthew
57=merlin
58=michael
59=michelle
60=mickey
61=mike
62=miller
63=molson
64=Monday
65=monday
66=monkey
67=mustang
68=natasha
69=ncc1701
70=newpass
71=newyork
72=pamela
73=password
74=patrick
75=pepper
76=piglet
77=poohbear
78=pookie
79=princess
80=qwerty
81=rabbit
82=rachel
83=ranger
84=rocket
85=secret
86=service
87=shadow
88=snoopy
89=soccer
90=sparky
91=spring
92=steven
93=success
94=summer
95=sunshine
96=thomas
97=tigger
98=trustno1
99=victoria
100=whatever
101=wizard

7
47=iloveyou
48=internet
49=jennifer
50=jonathan
102=zapata
103=blackberry
104=blackberryid
105=bbidentity
106=playbook
Steam's aggregated usage
numbers shows Windows 8
blowing by OS X
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steam-s-aggregated-usage-numbers-
shows-windows-8-blowing-by-os-x/18183.html
December 4th, 2012
In the slow but steady news it would seem that Windows 8
is on the road to proving Valve's Gabe Newell wrong as the
Windows 8 numbers blow past the aggregated numbers for
OS X, and it's rising.
Just before Microsoft launched its newest version of the
Windows operating system Gabe Newell from Valve, a
prominent game developer and one of driving forces behind
the Steam digital game distribution channel, came out very
strongly against Windows 8. As a headline generator and
rallying point for all those anti-Microsoft tech pundits it
doesn't get any better than strong rhetoric like what Gabe
Newell had to say.
So it is both interesting and humorous that we get news
today that Steam's own official usage stats shows that
Windows 8 has a combined usage share of 4.69% on the
Steam network; and this is still early days for the new
operating system. When compared to the numbers for OS X
on the same network we can see that even at this early stage
Windows 8 has surpassed Apple's operating which sits at just
3.26%.
To date Windows 8 has snagged almost 5% of platform usage
on Steam but it still lags behind its older brother as Windows
7 has the largest percentage of Steam usership coming in a
t 72.56%.
A couple of other interesting tidbits from the Steam numbers
are:
• Multi-monitor usage: 19.11%
• DirectX 11 - the newest generation of the DirectX
engine: 9.17%
• Primary display resolution of 1920 x 1080: 29.71%
Bathrooms are social media
hot spots according to a
recent study
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/bathrooms-are-social-media-hot-
spots-according-to-a-recent-study/18181.html
December 4th, 2012
A recent Nielson study shows that 18-24 year olds are likely
to be using social media from the bathroom. Social media
while driving and Twitter while watching television has also
become more commonplace.
Smartphones and busy schedules make it more likely that
people will access social media from some very unusual
places. Since texting while driving has become such a
problem, it isn't surprising to hear that more people are
checking their Twitter and Facebook feeds while behind the
wheel. It turns out that people are more likely than ever to be
using social media from some very unusual places, including
the bathroom.
Nielson's most recent annual social media study found that
more than 27% of 18-24 year old report using social media
from the bathroom. It's great that the digital natives are
connected 24-7, but do they really need to bring their
Facebook friends to the bathroom with them? Alas, this
statistic pales in comparison to the number of people who
reported using social media while at the office: a whopping
51% of employees access sites like Facebook, Twitter and
Pininterest while at work.
Watching television used to be a sacred activity, but now
more than 38% of smart-phone owners and 41% of tablet
users access social media while watching their favorite
shows. During the 2012 US Presidential debates, live Twitter
updates were posted on-screen, and most viewers agreed
that it added to their overall enjoyment of the program. In
fact, more than 33% of Twitter users twitter about T.V, and
it isn't just the 18-24 crowd. The age group most likely to
use social media to discuss television shows were adults aged
35-44.
It's too early to tell how these trends will affect the future
of social media and how companies will continue to use it
to connect with their customers, but we can be sure that it
has never been more important for a business to understand
their customers. The best way to do this is still through
creative uses of social media. What are those 18-24 talking
about on Facebook while in the bathroom? It will be up to
some talented data crunchers to find out.
CyanogenMod 10 for Galaxy S
III fixes December bug
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cyanogenmod-10-for-galaxy-s-iii-
fixes-december-bug/18179.html
December 4th, 2012
CyanogenMod is a very well known team of custom ROM
developers. They have have paved the way and almost
pioneered custom ROMs. The Cyanogen ROM is just about
the most used base for all modded ROMs. Now they are

8
showing off that famous cyan colored beauty on a GS3. Once
they have this down then more developers can emerge for
the development of the GS3.
As you can see from the image above this is running on the
SCH-T999, more commonly known as the Samsung Galaxy
S3. The ROM itself isn't officially released - yet; but the
Cyanogen team is working very hard to get it all done and
rolling to a device near you. This among numerous other
additions and code changes apparently fixes the December
issue as well. If you aren't familiar with that bug, it's
where the month of December was missing. Mayan calendar
conspiracy?
Just a few more days of work left and I expect we'll have
nightlies going for all the D2s. 4.2 is super smooth"
As you can imagine the ROM is good news to people
anxiously waiting for CM10. We can assume that when it
is all finalized and given Steve's stamp of approval it'll start
being ported to other devices.
Lights out, Boeing creates
the first working EMP bomb
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lights-out-boeing-creates-the-first-
working-emp-bomb/18163.html
December 4th, 2012
It’s official now – Boeing and the US Air Force have
successfully demonstrated a working electro-magnetic pulse
(EMP) device over a military compound in the Utah desert.
A spokesperson for Boeing stated, "Today we turned science
fiction into science fact.”
The story received very little attention in the media, and
a lot of us who follow science and technology research
missed it – we now have a working electro-magnetic pulse
(EMP) missile that will be used as an offensive or defensive
weapon by the military. The project test was announced
on September 22, 2012, and codenamed, the ‘Counter-
Electronics High Power Advanced Missile Project’, or simply
‘CHAMP’. This is the first time a real EMP missile has been
tested with positive real world results.
For years many people felt that in order to create an EMP
weapon, there might be some collateral damage involved
from some form of an explosion used to create the pulse.
However, this system does not make use of any explosive
whatsoever, thereby resulting in zero collateral damage.
Boeing in partnership with the US Air Force Research
Laboratories Directed Energy Directorate created the
CHAMP weapons system, and successfully tested the system
over the Utah desert on a military compound. The exact
details on how the device was made will remain a secret,
but we do know that it is transmitted from a missile-like
device that flies over the intended target and directs its
concentrated microwave energy.
Keith Coleman who serves as Boeing’s CHAMP program
manager in their Phantom Works division stated that the
tests were conducted on a military compound set up in
the Utah desert with cameras to record the very instant
the device was deployed. In the video that was recently
declassified and made public, one can clearly see the images
of numerous desktop computers running, and then suddenly
all of them go out quickly followed by the camera going to
black.
“We hit every target we wanted to - we prosecuted every one.
Today we made science fiction, science fact”, said Coleman.
He went on to say that the EMP device not only worked well
but he also implied it worked better than expected. Coleman
goes on to say, “When that computer went out, when we
fired, it actually took out the cameras as well. We took out
everything on that. It was fantastic.” Coleman further noted
that this new technology would be marked as a new age for
modern warfare.
James Dodd who serves as Boeing’s Vice President of
Military Aircraft said the device was made with troops in
mind. “We know this has some capabilities and some
impact”, said Dodd. “So we’re really trying to engage the
customer and see if we can find a way to get this filled and
implemented sooner than later.”
Now that EMP technology is a reality and not just sci-fi,
one has to fear is that it may become more of a danger to
those who created it, rather than the enemy. Sure, an EMP
weapon may prove useful against an enemy that are just as
technologically advanced, but it wil be useless against an
enemy that uses fighting tactics that are not affected by an
EMP weapon, much like what we see today in Afghanistan.

9
First round of Ouya Android
game consoles for developer
ship on December 28
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-round-of-ouya-android-game-
consoles-for-developer-ship-on-december-28/18180.html
December 4th, 2012
When we heard about the Ouya (pronounced “oooh-yah”)
Android-powered gaming console it was still gathering
up steam on Kickstarter. However, after a successful
Kickstarter campaign, which helped Ouya raise $8.6 million
from over 60,000 backers; the developer of this interesting
new console has promised that supporters and developers
will have access to their units around December 28th when
they're shipped.
Ouya is a NVIDIA Tegra 3-based platform that runs an
interface based off of Google’s Android OS. The system
will have a game store, and is open to any developer who
wants to publish games for the system. The Ouya campaign
boasts support from developers such as Mojang, inXile, and
Canabalt (among others). Outside of the above mentioned
developers, game/app makers like Vector Unit (developer of
Tegra-enhanced titles such as Beach Buggy Blitz and Riptide
GP) are closely monitoring Ouya's progress.
Vector Unit said the following in an email:
"Currently we are not working on an Ouya version of our
games, but we're keeping an eye on it to see how it does, and
may consider adding games in the future!"
Developers seeking to make apps for the Ouya receive the
SDK for free with the purchase of a console.
For gamers, the Ouya promises playability of AAA to
indie titles, and functionalities from Android apps such as
TwitchTV for streaming of e-Sports to a television. All games
will all be free-to-play, with in-game purchases and trials
being the exceptions. The console has a planned pricing
of under $99, and will come a standard controller with
touchpad.
For the Android enthusiasts, the Ouya is ‘built to be hacked.’
For instance, rooting the device won’t void the warranty,
and every unit will come with a debug console. On the
hardware front, the Ouya is held together by standard
screws, which will make it easy for tinkerers to bust the
unit wide open without too much effort. USB ports will be
available for attachment of peripherals, and the PCB comes
with ‘clearly documented test points’ for people who want to
solder a thing or two onto the Ouya hardware.
The first batch of dev consoles will be ‘pretty special’
according to a blog post on Ouyah’s official homepage. The
announcement neglected to mention what will make the
early dev consoles ‘special,’ and teases people that they’ll
know once they receive it.
For the rest of us who are still eyeing this project, the maker
of Ouya is projecting that the first consumer-ready consoles
will ship in early 2013.

10
Curiosity detects organic
material on Mars, but
scientists are unsure of its
origin
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/curiosity-detects-organic-material-
on-mars-but-scientists-are-unsure-of-its-origin/18177.html
December 4th, 2012
There seems to be no signs of little green men on Mars, but
that hasn’t stopped NASA’s latest Mars rover—Curiosity—
from scurrying around and examining Martian soil. That’s
not to say that Mars doesn’t contain some sort of organic
materials, which NASA has confirmed there are organic
compounds on Mars.
Curiosity’s onboard lab has examined various Martian soil
samples and found chlorinated methane gas floating around
the sample in the microwave-sized test chamber. Before
ET fans get too excited, it’s worth noting that perchlorate
released from the heating of the soil sample may have
bonded with carbon dioxide (found in Mar’s atmosphere)
to form the chlorinated methane. It was known prior to
Curiosity’s arrival that Martian soil contained perchlorate
salts, which has a tendency to destroy organic compounds
when combined and heated up together.
Even if organic matters are found on Mars, it doesn’t mean
that their origins are also from Mars. Meteorites and
comets bombarding the planet may have carried along with
it organic compounds, and it’s tough to be sure about any of
these possibilities.
(Caltech's John Grotzinger)
“There are many processes that could destroy even the
organic material that falls in from space: cosmic radiation,
hydrogen peroxide, or ultra-high-dose radiation,” said John
Grotzinger, project scientist for the mission, said in a press
conference.
Piecing the puzzles together to determine the history of Mars
will be a difficult task, but scientists of past, present and
future Mars-related missions will continue to use what’s
available to them to figure out a small part ‘next frontier.’
“We’re doing science at the speed of science,” Grotzinger
said. “Curiosity’s middle name is patience, and we all have
to have a healthy dose of that.”
Scientists have at their helm some of the most advanced
analytical instruments available on the Red Planet, but
that don’t mean that they will make an amazing discovery
overnight.
CPU and GPU clock speeds
revealed for the Nintendo Wii
U
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cpu-and-gpu-clock-speeds-revealed-
for-the-nintendo-wii-u/18168.html
December 4th, 2012
The notorious hacker "Marcan" has solved the riddle
surrounding the Wii U's CPU and GPU clock speeds, finding
that its slower than Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Nintendo's new Wii U console is extremely popular, and
stores around the world have sold out countless systems and
have thousands upon thousands of gamers on waiting lists.
Having already sold millions, Nintendo's latest console is
taking the gaming world by storm with its functionality as a
media entertainment device as well as a full-fledged gaming
console.
Although the Wii U has been met with critical acclaim and
is a success, a recent look at its CPU and GPU clock speeds
by renown hacker "Marcan" reveals that the Wii U's internal
specs aren't very impressive.
According to GamingBolt's recent article on the subject,
the Wii U's CPU speeds run at 1.24 GHz per corewith 3x
PowerPC type cores.
Marcan also revealed that the GPU speed of the Wii U runs
at 549.999755MHz.

11
According to GamingBolt, the Wii U has slower CPU clock
speeds when compared to an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3
(X360's Xenon @ 3.2GHz, and PS3's Cell cores @ 3.2 GHz).
Marcan, however, warns people about comparing the speeds
of a Wii U to that of an X360:
So yes, the Wii U CPU is nothing to write home
about, but don't compare it clock per clock with a
360 and claim it's much worse. It isn't.
Now that the CPU and GPU clock speeds have been revealed,
gamers and tecchies have a better idea of what Nintendo has
been keeping secret all this time.
If you've missed our coverage of the recent teardowns of
the Nintendo Wii U by various third-party websites, you can
check out both Anandtech's and PCPerspective's teardowns
that expose various specs for what the Wii U is hiding under
its hood.
The Nintendo Wii U is now available in 8GB Basic ($299) or
32GB Deluxe ($349) editions.

1
geeks.
Toshiba launches first eco-
friendly multifunction printer
that can erase printed text
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-launches-first-eco-friendly-
multifunction-printer-that-can-erase-printed-text/18223.html
December 5th, 2012
Toshiba has developed the world's first eco-friendly
multifunction printer which can erase text and images on
printed documents and thus allow paper to be reused.
Toshiba has developed the world's first eco-friendly
multifunction printer which can erase text and images on
printed documents and thus allow paper to be reused.
The e-STUDIO 306LP/RD30 printer employs a special toner
which produces an erasable colour, which is removed from
paper when passed through at a high temperature.
The result is that paper can be reused multiple times, instead
of binned after a document is no longer needed. A page
recycled five times would result in a 57 percent reduction in
CO2 emissions for the entire printer system. It will also save
businesses a significant amount in paper costs.
Toshiba claims it has always attempted to produce eco-
friendly printing options, reducing the size and weight of
printers, as well as making them more energy efficient, but
the ability to reuse paper marks a major step forward.
The printer is also made using bio-based plastics instead of
traditional petroleum-based plastics, further reducing the
device's carbon footprint by 20 percent.
Inventor of the web voices
concern about UN internet
treaty
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/inventor-of-the-web-voices-concern-
about-un-internet-treaty/18222.html
December 5th, 2012
The inventor of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee,
has joined a growing list of people, nations and companies
expressing concern about the United Nations meeting on the
future of the internet.
The inventor of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee,
has joined a growing list of people, nations and companies
expressing concern about the United Nations meeting on the
future of the internet.
Berners-Lee said the groups running the internet at the
moment are already doing a good job and thus he sees
no need for the International Telecommunications Union
(ITU) to take over, as some countries have suggested should
be the case.
“I think it's important that these existing structures continue
to be used without any attempt to bypass them,” he said.
“These organisations have been around for a number of
years and I think it would be a disruptive threat to the
stability of the system for people to try to set up alternative
organisations to do the standards.”

2
Changes that have been proposed include a Russian
suggestion for better tracking of internet users and a tax
on internet companies like Google when content is access
abroad, both ideas potentially damaging privacy and leading
to difficulties accessing information in poorer countries.
Google has been championing a campaign against the treaty.
The aim of the meeting, which includes 193 countries, is
to revise the telecommunications treaty that is already in
place, which has not been touched since 1988. Some see the
need to address the vastly different technological world we
live in today, while others like the US and EU have voiced
opposition to changes.
The ITU itself denies it is trying to seize power over the
internet, with its secretary-general, Dr. Hamadoun Toure,
stating that there is “no need” for the agency to take over.
The ITU hopes to reach agreement by consensus, but with
so many differing views expressed by the large number of
countries involved, the two week conference may not meet
much success.
Image Credit: Paul Clarke
US graduates who post
inappropriate photos online
are 84 percent less likely to
get job interviews
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-graduates-who-post-
inappropriate-photos-online-are-84-percent-less-likely-to-get-job-
interviews/18219.html
December 5th, 2012
College graduates in the US who post inappropriate photos
online reduce their chances of getting a job interview by a
whopping 84 percent, according to a study by anti-virus firm
AVG.
College graduates in the US who post inappropriate photos
online reduce their chances of getting a job interview by a
whopping 84 percent, according to a study by anti-virus firm
AVG.
The research, part of AVG's Digital Diaries, surveyed 230
human resources professionals in the US and UK, in addition
to 4,400 people between the ages of 18 and 25 in 11 different
countries.
The results show that the vast majority of young people do
not review their online profiles, which means they could
be negatively impacting their career prospects. In fact,
the study shows that social media is becoming a major
asset to recruiters in determining the qualities of potential
candidates.
90 percent of human resources professionals search for
unprotected profiles in order to assess applicants, and
those who have photos of themselves drunk, for example,
are significantly less likely to get the job, with recruiters
assuming that this irresponsibility displayed online would
likely carry over into work life or negatively affect the
reputation of the company.
91 percent of recruiters will not offer an interview if they
find evidence of “obnoxious behaviour,” over 90 percent
will pass on an applicant if they find nude photographs
on their profile, 93 percent will never call back if they
find extremist or racist comments, and a whopping 95
percent will pass over a candidate if they have been making
derogatory comments about their previous employer.
If you think this is all talk, close to 50 percent have already
turned down applicants because of their online profiles,
and that includes Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,
Instagram, and Flicker, with the vast majority of recruiters
searching the first three.
“AVG’s latest research shows that the Internet and social
networks in particular, have changed the way that human
resources professionals approach the recruitment process,”
said Tony Anscombe of AVG. “Nowadays, online content
posted about, or by a candidate, has become the modern day
equivalent of a first interview. AVG’s research emphasises

3
that our digital brand is potentially just as important as
our resume. AVG encourages consumers to take control of
their online privacy --- more than ever, young adults need to
proactively manage their online brand to avoid missing out
on career opportunities.”
Image Credit: Fair Employment Legal Update
Nooka commissions Back to
the Future taxi
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nooka-commissions-back-to-the-
future-taxi/18218.html
December 5th, 2012
In an attempt to promote fashion brand Nooka's
"technoprogressive" product line, the company has
commissioned the creation of a Back to the Future themed
taxi.
Nooka is a fashion brand which, in order to promote it's
"technoprogressive" line of products has drawn inspiration
from the past; specifically form 1985's hit movie Back to
the Future. Art director Mike Lubrano has looked to the
DeLorean time machine featured in the movie to create a
time-machine themed taxi which is now crushing through
new York.
The taxi is concept only, but is likely to draw more attention
than an actual taxi of the future, the Nissan NV200
minivan, which was introduced recently with such features
as USB ports for all pass angers and germ-fighting seats.
The NV200, despite being a minivan, which critics find
boring, has other features too, including a transparent roof,
odor fighting interior, no floor hump, and a smaller carbon
footprint.
How much physical space
does the internet take up?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/how-much-physical-space-does-the-
internet-take-up-/18217.html
December 5th, 2012
We don't think of the internet as something with an actual,
physical size, but if we gathered all the information online in
one place, how big would the storage have to be? XKCD has
answered that question.
Randall Munroe, creator of the XKCD webcomic, has
recently been delving into answering science and technology
related questions from his fans on a weekly basis. The
questions have ranged from whether Yoda (yes, the Star
Wars character) could be used as a power source, to what
would happen if all the rain from a storm fell in one massive
drop. This week, he's answering a series of short questions
and one of them deals with the internet.
A map of the internet, courtesy of the Opte project
Max L wrote to XKCD, asking how much physical space
the internet takes up. Munroe gave this very informative
response, revealing that the internet is smaller than you may
think:
"There are a lot of ways to estimate the amount of
information stored on the internet, but we can put
an interesting upper bound on the number just by
looking at how much storage space we (as a species)
have purchased.
The storage industry produces in the neighborhood
of 650 million hard drives per year. If most of them
are 3.5” drives, then that’s eight liters (two gallons)
of hard drive per second.
This means the last few years of hard drive
production—which, thanks to increasing size,
represent a large chunk of global storage capacity
—would just about fill an oil tanker. So, by that
measure, the internet is smaller than an oil tanker."

4
The internet: Smaller than this.
The new question answering section of XKCD is called "What
if" and is updated regularly. If you're interest in these kind
of things, head on over and read the rest of them!
Snakes on an actual plane
cause emergency landing
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/snakes-on-an-actual-plane-cause-
emergency-landing/18216.html
December 5th, 2012
In a case of real life copying fiction, a plane outbound from
Cairo, Egypt was forced to make an emergency landing
because a snake was loose in the cabin.
When Snakes on a Plane hit the cinemas, one of the reasons it
was so entertaining was because of it's absolutely ridiculous
premise that could never... totally happen. An Egypt Air
flight from Egypt to Kuwait was indeed recently forced to
make an emergency landing because of snakes on the plane.
A 48-year old Jordanian man who owned a reptile shop
decided to bring his Egyptian Cobra along for the flight and
smuggled it in via his carry-on luggage. During the flight, he
for some reason wanted to say hello to the snake, and while
attempting to handle it, the man was bitten in the hand. After
this, the cobra slithered away, loose in the cabin.
A motherf***ing snake on a motherf***ing plane.
Egyptian Cobras can kill an Elephant in 3.5 hours and a
person in 15 minutes, but still, the Egyptian newspaper al-
Masry al-Youm reports that the man refused treatment,
claiming the wound was superficial. After local authorities
confiscated the snake, the flight resumed to it's original
destination with no further incidents.
This story raises some questions. First, how did this man
manage to smuggle a live cobra onto a plane? And if security
is that bad in Cairo, then how does the TSA justify stopping
me for bringing nail clippers onto a plane? Thirdly, and
most importantly, where was Samuel L Jackson during this
incident? It should also be noted, that this isn't the first time
there's been snakes on a plane. Last year, a traveler in South
America was stopped after attempting to travel with checked
baggage contain over 400 snakes - they never made it into
the cabin though.
Scientists determine how
tall can you make a tower of
Lego
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scientists-determine-how-tall-can-
you-make-a-tower-of-lego/18215.html
December 5th, 2012
Every material has a theoretical limit to it's load bearing
capacity. Now, scientists have determined what that limit is
for Lego, and by extension, how tall a Lego tower could be
Every material has an Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS), a
load limit for the material which, if exceeded, will crush (or
tear apart) the material. This can be compensated for, to a
degree, by the structure of the material (which is why we
have I-beams), but no matter how you look at it, the material
will fail at some point. This is true not only for concrete and
steel, but for Lego too.
So, bearing this in mind, have you ever wondered how tall
you could make a Lego tower? I certainly have, and after a
lively debate on Reddit, it seems some scientists at the Open
University in the UK have decided to answer that question
using science! They placed a standard 2x2 Lego brick made
from ABS plastic,in a hydraulic stress testing machine, and
applied pressure. The material began deforming slowly once
it had passed it's yield point at 430 kg, and shortly thereafter,
it became flattened in a process known as plastic failure.
The Lego brick, after being crushed
So, a Lego brick can take around 430 kg before it is crushed
by the weight above it. Now, if we know the weight of an
individual brick, we can determine how many bricks can
be stacked on top of each other, before the bottom one
collapses. Each brick weighs in at 1.152 grams. A quick visit
to the calculator reveals that we could theoretically stack
373,000 bricks on each other, to a height of 3,591 m.

5
Size of the Lego tower in perspective
The scientists explain that at such a height, even the smallest
deviation in loading could destroy the tower, and factors
such as wind would therefore make a real structure of this
height impossible. Of course, the scientists also state that
if you built the tower tactically, placing gaps in the tower's
walls, it could be substantially higher than the limit they've
discovered. It is also possible that the 1x2 bricks are stronger
than the 2x2 ones, so building with those may result in a
better result as well.
Now there's science put to good use!
New theory may explain odd
ridge on Satrunian moon
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-theory-may-explain-odd-ridge-
on-satrunian-moon/18214.html
December 5th, 2012
Saturn's moon Iapetus has a puzzling mountain range which
stretches across it's equator. It's the only one of it's kind and
science has been unable to explain it. Now, a new theory may
hold the key to how it was formed.
The equatorial ridge on Saturn's moon Iapetus has confused
scientists for years. The moon is the only one of it's kind that
has been discovered, and has an appearance reminiscent
of a walnut. Many theories have been presented to explain
the strange mountain range, including tectonic movement,
as well as a smaller body which broke apart, forming a
ring, and eventually fell to the surface. Gabriel Tobie of
France’s University of Nantes however, has used computer
simulation to suggest a new idea.
The strange equatorial ridge on Iapetus
Tobie points to a 500 mile wide impact crater on the moon's
surface, and suggests that at some point, a body of between
500 and 650 miles wide, impacted the moon, and that this
impact changed the rotational speed of Iapetus. Iapetus
currently rotates at around 30 hours per revolution, but if it
had originally rotated at a much higher rate, closer to 6 hours
per revolution, the theory may explain the ridge. By suddenly
slowing the rotation of the moon by such an extent, it may
have deformed the crust of the moon, eventually leading to
the flattened poles and 12 mile high ridge we see today.
The theory was presented at the American Geophysical
Union conference on December 4. Critics state that
the simulation isn't perfect and that Tobie may have
misrepresented the internal composition of the moon, and
that de-spinning a moon isn't quite as easy as simply
impacting it. There's also the mystery of why the ridge only
goes part of the way around the equator.
Square Enix pulls trigger on
Hitman Facebook app and
misses, badly
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/square-enix-pulls-trigger-on-
hitman-facebook-app-and-misses-badly/18208.html
December 5th, 2012
When it comes to the video game Hitman by Square Enix
there is no getting around the fact that the company has had
more than a couple promotion screw-ups when it comes the
the newest game in the franchise - Hitman: Absolution; but
that doesn't seem to stop them from doing it again
If you are a gamer, and follow the video game news, you
will remember that not too long ago Square Enix found itself
getting some serious flack over a game trailer involving sexy
nuns in the Hitman: Absolution game, the newest addition
to the Hitman franchise. So one would think that given the
negative pushback from people Square Enix would be a little
more careful when it came to any future promotion of the
game.
Well think again because it would seem that the company
hasn't learned anything if the news about their newest

6
promotional attempt is any indication. It appears that this
morning the company launched an app on Facebook that
would let you put out a hit on your friends on Facebook. Yes
you read that right. Here is the opening couple of lines from
the press release announcing the new Facebook app:
FACEBOOK APP “HIRE HITMAN” CREATED TO
PROMOTE HITMAN: ABSOLUTION
BAFTA winning creative agency Ralph has teamed
up with videogame publisher Square Enix to create
a personalised video experience that lets fans put a
‘hit’ on their mates on Facebook.
The experience brings the iconic character of Agent
47 to life in a moody, live action video which
incorporates the target’s individual information
from their Facebook account. Agent 47 tracks them
down and pieces together his sniper rifle before
assassinating them with cold, clinical precision.
Pulling together a collage of their photos, the victim
then witnesses their life flash before their eyes.
Needless to say the uproar that ensued the app's launch was
very loud and clear - people didn't find anything humorous
or fun about the app; and very shortly after the launch
Square Enix pulled the app. This was followed up with an
apology that went something like this:
“Earlier today we launched an app based around
Hitman: Absolution that allowed you to place
virtual hits on your Facebook friends. Those hits
would only be viewable by the recipient, and
could only be sent to people who were confirmed
friends.We were wide of the mark with the app, and
following feedback from the community we decided
the best thing to do was remove it completely and
quickly. This we’ve now done. We’re sorry for any
offense caused by this.”
Kudos to Square Enix for pulling this as quickly as they did,
but seriously, who in their right mind thought this would be
a good idea in the first place.
FCC's data roaming
requirements upheld by
appeals court
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fcc-s-data-roaming-requirements-
upheld-by-appeals-court/18210.html
December 5th, 2012
A recent appeals court opinion is that the FCC does have the
authority to make mobile carriers to enter into data roaming
agreements.
Mobile phone carriers will be forced to use data roaming
agreements with each other as per FCC regulations;
according to a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia. This ruling was in reference
to the FCC’s April 2011 mandate forcing mobile carriers to
offer their data roaming fees and services to competitors at
a reasonable rate.
In may 2011, Verizon Wireless challenged the FCC mandate
stating that the government agency was overstepping their
authority by making any carrier impose any data roaming
regulations.
While the Court’s ruling will stand for now, Verizon’s
argument was a solid argument. Verizon argued that the
FCC had no authority over regulating the Internet, which
is what their mobile data is used for. The courts rejected
Verizon’s arguments saying that the FCC does have ‘broad
authority’ as per the telecommunication’s Act, which is to
manage all wireless data in regards to the public’s needs or
interests.
"This unanimous decision confirms the FCC's authority to
promote broadband competition and protect broadband
consumers,” said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowsk. "Our
rules have empowered consumers and expanded their ability
to enjoy the benefits of seamless and nationwide access
to mobile data services, including wireless Internet and e-
mail."
Yahoo! aquires OnTheAir
to compete with Google's
Hangout?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/yahoo-aquires-ontheair-to-compete-
with-google-s-hangout-/18203.html
December 5th, 2012
On the Air has been aquired by Yahoo! for an undisclosed
amount. This quite popular video chat application will
hopefully help Yahoo gain some momentum in the race to
compete with Google's Hangout.
On The Air launched 9 months ago and took the world by
storm. This video chat application was founded by five
members who will all be joining the Yahoo! team to compete
with Google and hangouts or mobile video chat applications.
The application itself is is built around WebRTC, which is
an Open Source framework that powers Hangouts designed
by Google.

7
All five of the founders will be going to Yahoo! and
will be working under Adam Cahan on the mobile team.
The founders include Abel Allison, Daniel Hopkins, Erik
Goldman, Josh Schwarzapel and Mike Kerzher.
This is a very momentous occasion for the once largest
search engine. This could be the opening of the door to
bigger and better things from Yahoo!. The only thing we
can do is wait to see what they do with the software, where
they take it and to what degree they choose to make it
better. Yahoo says 'hiring talented mobile product thinkers
& engineers is a big priority.'
OnTheAir.com has this written on their homepage:
Friends of OnTheAir,
We are excited to share some big news: OnTheAir
has been acquired by Yahoo!.
When we started OnTheAir, we had dreams of
building a company that made a difference in the
daily lives of millions. Our pursuit was challenging:
We put in late nights together. We debated intensely.
We worked like crazy to build a product we were
proud to put our name on.
Despite the challenges, our experience has been a
rewarding one. We got to launch multiple products
to a wonderful community. We were coached and
mentored by some of the brightest investors and
advisors in Technology (see our list below and
work with them if you ever get the chance!). Most
importantly, we developed deep bonds as a team
and learned how to work together as a unit.
While we haven’t yet attained our dream of building
a widespread daily use product, we are just as
committed to it. And this is why we’re so excited
to be joining Yahoo!. When we first met with
the team at Yahoo!, it was clear that everybody
there is committed to making mobile products the
backbone for the world’s daily habits. All in all,
it’s a fascinating time to be joining Yahoo!. There’s
a tremendous amount of energy in the company.
There are big things to be done and great products
to be built, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.
We want to conclude this letter with a word of
gratitude. Thank you to all of our customers, team
members, mentors, advisors, investors, consultants,
friends, and family for being a special part of
OnTheAir. Building a company is no easy task, and
we realize we wouldn’t be anywhere without your
support.
The OnTheAir Team
Abel, Dan, Erik, Josh, and Mike
Black Friday not kind
to everyone - consumer
electronic sales fell 5.6%
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/black-friday-not-kind-to-everyone--
consumer-electronic-sales-fell-5.6-/18205.html
December 5th, 2012
One of the biggest draws to the huge Black Friday Sales that
happen every year has typically seen massive numbers when
it came to consumer electronics. However this year's Black
Friday saw a reversal of those numbers as consumers didn't
appear to be buying as many electronics.
Every year in the US there is this tradition called Black
Friday insanity which is when everyone and their brother
(and mother, father, aunts and uncles) all head to the big
chain store for insane midnight sales as well as all kinds of
mayhem if the police reports are any indications.
Pushing and shoving aside this is a big time of the year for
merchants in the lead up to the Christmas holiday shopping
sprees so a lot is made of the numbers generated out of the
sales made during that time, especially when it comes t o
consumer electronics.
However this year held some bad news for merchants as
outlined in the recently released report from The NPD Group
with the overall sale of consumer electronics dropping by
5.6% over last year on Black Friday.
“This slow start is merely a continuation of
the challenges seen in the consumer electronics
business throughout 2012,” Stephen Baker, vice
president of industry analysis at NPD, said. “In an
unbalanced market, where just a few categories
deliver significant dollars, and even fewer offer any
growth, the ability to deliver positive results will
remain difficult for companies exposed to the entire
consumer electronics marketplace.”
The report also goes on to state that even though televisions,
Android tablets, and PC were the most purchased items the
flat panel revenue fell by 6 percent. Notebook computer sales
fell, as well, by 10 percent with even the sales of Apple's
laptops remaining flat.
You can read the complete NPD Group report here
Wirefly offers 30+ free
phones
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/wirefly-offers-30-free-
phones/18206.html
December 5th, 2012
Wirefly, the largest internet Authorized Agent for Sprint,
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon kicks off the holidays with
super nice deals on 30+ phones all free. These phones range
from clamshell form factor all the way up to Androids and
Blackberrys.

8
Wirefly is widely known as a place where you can get great
deals on phones from big brand carriers. The biggest issue
faced with this authorized dealer is that it normally only
offers great deals to new activations. In this sale, however,
Wirefly includes new lines AND activations. This is a limited
time offer so you might want to act soon on it. With this deal
you will also get Free Shipping, Free Contact Transfer and
Free Mobile Backup.
Facebook Messenger no
longer requires a Facebook
account
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/facebook-messenger-no-longer-
requires-a-facebook-account/18201.html
December 5th, 2012
The largest social network in the world has made some
improvements to it's quite popular Facebook Messenger
app. There are some people that don't want a Facebook
profile but still want to connect with friends that do. With
the new Messenger app you will be allowed to use the app
with simply your name and phone number. It is now a SMS
based service among the many!
You could, however, do this before, with the same app. The
real feature change is that now they have opened up the
doors to the app for everyone. So what is the big deal about
this? There are more than one SMS-based apps around -
ChatON from Samsung, WhatsApp and more but the true
greatness comes from the fact that it's not locked down.
This is a wonderful day for Facebook as Google+ tries to
reel themselves in for the kill shot. With the inability to
send pictures on GTalk, Facebook now has a fighting chance
against the second largest (and growing) social media. Time
will tell if this change was worth it or not but from my
standpoint, this can be a real game changer.
Put on Adam Jensen's suit
in Hitman Absolution's new
Deus Ex DLC
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/put-on-adam-jensen-s-suit-in-
hitman-absolution-s-new-deus-ex-dlc/18198.html
December 5th, 2012
A new DLC pack from IO Interactive allows Agent 47 to
wear Adam Jensen's stylish cybernetic outfit from Deus Ex:
Human Revolution.
The new 'Deus Ex DLC' for Hitman: Absolution isn't really
a full-fledged DLC that adds new missions, but is instead a
small add-on that offers a brand new disguise in the form of
Adam Jensen's armor from the popular prequel game Deus
Ex: Human Revolution.
Gamers can perform stylish executions while wearing
Jensen's definitive cyberpunk outfit, offering an interesting
opportunity to add that distinct stylish visual flair to every
assassination.
Also available is the Zenith Gun add-on that brings even
more Deus Ex-themed authenticism to Agent 47's arsenal,

9
allowing use of the iconic pistol while competing in-game in
Contracts Mode.
The newly released Deus Ex DLC trailer on Hitman
Absolution's official YouTube page offers a glimpse of the
new Deus Ex DLC disguise and the Zenith Handgun add-ons
in action, showing their sleek cyberpunk style while Agent
47 kills with incredible efficiency.
The Deus Ex DLC and Zenith Handgun add-ons are now
available for Hitman: Absolution for 80 Microsoft Points
($1) each on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, PlayStation
Network, and Windows PC platforms.
Can MySpace make a
comeback using a different
approach?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/can-myspace-make-a-comeback-
using-a-different-approach-/18207.html
December 5th, 2012
Can the new MySpace bring back the old fans and attract the
new, or is it too late for one of the original social networking
sites to make a comeback? Justin Timberlake teams up with
the renovated site to connect artists with their fans.
One of the newest social networking sites turns out to be not
so new after all. MySpace is back for Round 2, and it has
been renovated and refocused. It has been a couple of years
since MySpace was considered a serious contender in the
social networking arena, but investors believe that the brand
still has value. The social networking site was purchased by
Chris and Tim Vanderhook for only $35 million, a deeply
discounted price compared to the princely $500 million that
NewsCorp paid in 2005.
Instead of positioning itself as a direct competitor of
Facebook, the new MySpace actually encourages its users
to login using their Facebook or Twitter accounts, implying
that it is simply a way to enhance the social media
experience. MySpace has teamed with the mega pop star
Justin Timberlake to put a new face on the company, and is
focusing on providing a unique user experience in the music
space. The goal is to attract artists from all genres with the
opportunity to connect directly with their fans, as well as
allow fans to interact with their favorite artists. The site is
not restricted to musicians, since photographers, designers
and other artists are encouraged to join and display their
work.
Many experts agree that the decision not to take on the social
media giant Facebook is wise. With hundreds of millions of
users that have invested years of their lives storing photos
and conversations on Facebook, it seems unlikely that users
would abandon their profiles and create them on a brand-
new, untested site.
There are many beautiful, well-designed websites that
already do a great job filling the space that MySpace
is actively pursuing. While MySpace is extremely well-
designed and has all the features that anyone listening to and
exploring music online could want, it might be walking the
thin line between something great and too much of a good
thing. MySpace has advantages that other music sites don’t,
such as licensing agreements that date back several years,
from the times when the company was in a good position to
leverage excellent deals.
In order to join the new MySpace, you have to request an
invite from the site. They are rolling it out by invite only,
which was a very effective strategy for Gmail. While no
one can tell for sure whether former MySpace users will be
willing to give the site another chance, it is true that there
are tens of millions of new internet users who were never
exposed to the previous site. Only time will answer the $35
million dollar question of whether MySpace can finally be
revived.
iTunes opens in 55 countries
including Russia
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/itunes-opens-in-55-countries-
including-russia/18188.html
December 5th, 2012
Apple's latest expansion by enabling 56 more countries with
access to iTunes will nearly double the number of countries
that Apple offers access to their popular on-line media store.
iTunes has nearly doubled its presence worldwide now and
have taken a big offensive move against any future rivalry.
This latest announcement came just a few days after the
new layout for iTunes 11 was unveiled. The makeover
simplified iTunes, making it more visually appealing and
more iCloud integration for added functionalities.
Russia will be a very big market for Apple, and expansion
into growing markets like India, South Africa and Turkey
will increase the range of iTunes' digital distribution services
to a total of 119 countries.
Apple also announced that they will be catering to the local
tastes in music by featuring more local artists for each
particular regions.
In a December 4, 2012 press release, Apple stated, “The
iTunes Store features local artists including Elka in Russia,
Sezen Aksu in Turkey, AR Rahman in India, and Zahara
in South Africa, international artists including The Beatles,
Taylor Swift and Coldplay, and world-renowned classical
musicians including Lang Lang, Yo Yo Ma and Yuja Wang.
Customers can choose from over 20 million songs available
to purchase and download on the iTunes Store.”
Russia recently enacted a law where the government could
censor or block any material that is deemed offensive. So
this latest move by Apple into that region may prove to
be a bit of a struggle. And if you are following news out
of Russia, you may recall the arrest of the Russian band,
“Pussy Riot” over their offensive language, and 2 of the
members in the band were sent to prison for insulting the
Russian President, Vladimir Putin. It will be interesting to

10
see how well Apple does in this department and what they'll
be offering to the Russian audience.

1
geeks.
Crytek partners with
filmmaker Albert Hughes for
Crysis 3 video series
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crytek-partners-with-filmmaker-
albert-hughes-for-crysis-3-video-series/18241.html
December 6th, 2012
Electronic Arts and Crytek have teamed up with filmmaker
Albert Hughes to make an online video series inspired by the
game Crysis 3.
Electronic Arts and Crytek have teamed up with filmmaker
Albert Hughes to make an online video series inspired by the
game Crysis 3.
The series, entitled The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3, helps
establish the setting of the upcoming game and will show
off the game's graphics, in addition to some of the weapons,
enemies and gameplay features players can expect.
Hughes has directed critically-acclaimed films like Dead
Presidents, From Hell, and Book of Eli, but he has done more
than just direct the Crysis 3 video series; he also helped work
on the scripts, storyboards, and shot plans.
The actual footage is created using in-game assets, so
this won't be another case of top-notch visual effects for
a cinematic trailer, only to disappoint players when they
get into the game itself, as is often the case with many
games today. What people see in these videos should be
replicated in what they experience in February when the
game launches.
“When EA and Crytek approached me about being involved
in creating ‘The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3’ video series, I
liked the idea of creating emotional stories using only
computer generated images,” said Hughes. “The challenge
of producing something intensely human without ever
seeing a human on screen was incredibly compelling, and
the technology of the CryENGINE that Crytek developed
enabled me to do that and venture into a completely unique
medium of storytelling.”
The first episode of the series, Hell of a Town, will go live
on 12 December. Crysis 3 launches for PC, Xbox 360 and
PlayStation 3 on 19 February in North America and 21
February in Europe.
Philips teams up with
StarMaker for wireless
karaoke microphone for iOS
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/philips-teams-up-with-starmaker-
for-wireless-karaoke-microphone-for-ios/18240.html
December 6th, 2012
Philips has teamed up with StarMaker to launch a wireless
karaoke microphone and Bluetooth speaker that will work
with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
Philips has teamed up with StarMaker to launch a wireless
karaoke microphone and Bluetooth speaker that will work
with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
Users can dock their iPad into the 30-pin connector on the
speaker to amplify sound and wirelessly transmit signals
from the microphone, making for a much smaller karaoke kit
to bring to parties. Of course, this means it is not compatible
with the 8-pin Lightning port of Apple's latest devices,
including the iPhone 5, iPad 4 and iPad Mini—that is without
an adaptor.
The StarMaker app provides the songs and lyrics, including
latest hits and old classics, along with the ability to record
performances for sharing online, and a challenge mode for
singing simultaneously with a friend, with the app delivering
a verdict of best singer based on pitch and timing.

2
The app can also perform auto-tuning of a user's voice, which
might help make some people that little bit more bearable
when they get up to sing.
The AEA7100 sells for $179.99. Philips is also planning to
release the AEA3100, which includes a wireless microphone
and a Bluetooth receiver, for iOS devices in March, retailing
at $99.99.
Study suggests strong
support for revised laws to
protect children online
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/study-suggests-strong-support-for-
revised-laws-to-protect-children-online/18237.html
December 6th, 2012
There is overwhelming support for changes to laws to protect
children online in the US, according to a study conducted by
Princeton Research Associates International, in conjunction
with the Center for Digital Democracy and Common Sense
Media.
There is overwhelming support for changes to laws to protect
children online in the US, according to a study conducted by
Princeton Research Associates International, in conjunction
with the Center for Digital Democracy and Common Sense
Media.
2,000 adults were surveyed over a two-week period in
November, and the vast majority of them not only agree with
the core elements of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection
Act (COPPA), but want to see further changes to the law to
better protect kids on the internet.
COPPA requires that online companies that wish to obtain
personal information on children must first seek the
permission of the parents, and 90 percent of those asked
agree that this should be the case. However, technology has
advanced significantly since 1998, when COPPA was passed,
and 2000, when the law was finally implemented, and since
then privacy has become a growing concern.
91 percent believe advertisers should not be able to identify
a child's location through their mobile phone.
94 percent of parents and 91 percent of adults in general
believe parental permission should be sought before any
kind of tracking software is allowed to be installed on a
child's computer.
96 percent of parents and 94 percent of adults in general are
against the idea of websites asking children for the personal
information of their friends.
80 percent of adults opposed the collection of activity
reports of a child's online usage, even when such reports are
anonymous.
“It is clear from these findings that the public supports
strong action by the FTC to address the disturbing and
widespread practices that threaten the privacy and safety of
our nation’s children,” said Kathryn C. Montgomery, Ph.D,
professor of communication at American University and one
of the leaders of the campaign to pass COPPA. “Children
should be able to reap the benefits of this new participatory
media culture without being subjected to techniques that
take advantage of their developmental vulnerabilities. We
must ensure that the COPPA rules are updated effectively so
that the generation of young people growing up online today
will be treated fairly in the growing digital marketplace.”
Changes to COPPA are expected to be announced by the
Federal Trade Commission in the coming weeks, which will
likely affect mobile location tracking, cookies, plug-ins, and
other tracing software.
Image Credit: Jarenwicklund

3
Japanese police use
Playstation Vita to catch
criminals
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/japanese-police-use-playstation-vita-
to-catch-criminals/18232.html
December 6th, 2012
A recent episode of a Japanese police reality show showcase
how the Japanese police are using Sony's handheld gaming
console to fight crime and catch criminals.
Japan has a TV show called Gekiroku: Keisatsu Micchaku
24ji!!, which is similar to COPS in the United States. This
past week, they aired an episode which focused on a cyber-
crime division in Fukuoka Prefecture, in southern Japan.
The cyber cops were hot on the trail of a criminal wanted for
several accounts of identity theft.
At one point, the police officers were trying to look for Wi-Fi
signals in their immediate area, and whipped out a "device
to check Wi-Fi connections". That device was a Playstation
Vita. The Vita is actually quite good at picking up Wi-Fi
signals, and Japanese news site GetNews thinks that perhaps
the Vita was chosen for the job because it could be better at
finding the signals than smartphones or tablet computers.
Alright boys, let's catch this guy and then play Call of Duty
multiplayer!
Naturally, some are suspicious that the Vita was simply used
as a plug for Sony, but then again, the cops on the show never
named it as anything else than a "Wi-Fi checker" so perhaps
that's a bit overly suspicious.
Apple and Intel racing to hire
former TI engineers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-and-intel-racing-to-hire-
former-ti-engineers/18231.html
December 6th, 2012
Apple intends to build a new R&D center in Ra’anana, Israel,
and is thus looking to hire some engineers. A group of 250
employees from Texas Instruments' Ra’anana development
center were conveniently let off recently, and so Apple
decided to offer them jobs. The engineers were mainly
working on TI’s OMAP and radio chips. When Intel found
out about this, they decided to hire the same engineers
before Apple could get to them, hoping to put them to use
in Intel's R&D centers in Haifa, Jerusalem, Petah-Tkva and
Kiryat Gat.
As incentive, Intel is offering “healthy compensation
packages” to those who come to work for them instead
of going to Apple. Apple, meanwhile, is rumored to be
planning an interview day specifically for Texas Instruments
employees. Apple is planning their new Research and
Development center for the end of 2013, but unless they can
hire the engineers, the center won't be able to open.
AT&T has sold 6.4 million
smartphones this quarter
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/at-t-has-sold-6.4-million-
smartphones-this-quarter/18230.html
December 6th, 2012
AT&T is selling a lot of smartphones, with 6.4 million in this
quarter alone and in total, a million more than projected for
the year.
A few days ago, consumer reports listed that AT&T
was America's worst mobile carrier (again), but it seems
like nobody told AT&T, because they're selling a lot of
smartphones. According to CNET, Ralph de la Vega, wireless
chief for AT&T, has been boasting about his company's sales,
which in this quarter, have hit $6.4 million. For all of 2012,
de la Vega announces that the company will sell 26 million
smartphones, a million more than originally projected.

4
“What we’re seeing is tremendous response in the
marketplace,” de la Vega said at an investor conference
this week. While some thought that an LTE iPhone would
hurt AT&T's sales growth (while helping Verizon), AT&T
has compensated by expanding it's smartphone catalog to
include high-end phones such as the LG Optimus G and
Samsung Galaxy S III.
New Stealth computer is
waterproof, can be run over
by a truck
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-stealth-computer-is-
waterproof-can-be-run-over-by-a-truck/18229.html
December 6th, 2012
The new Stealth WPC-525F computer is built to last. It's
completely water proof and the case is strong enough to
handle being run over by a truck!
Stealth make some pretty rugged computers. Their new pc,
the WPC-525F, is both water-proof and truck proof. It's
the perfect computer for people who spend a lot of time in
hazardous environments... or who are simply very clumsy.
The base model goes for USD 1,595. That's a lot for a fairly
basic computer, but then again, it does bring something
unique to the table.
The WPC-525F after being run over
The WPC-525F can withstand being completely submerged
in water; or as Stealth themselves put it, the computer can
"[survive] liquids, chemicals, dust and dirt intrusion." It
doesn't have any fans, instead relying on the metal casing
for passive cooling. This also makes the computer very
quiet, especially with the solid state drive minimizing the
amount of moving parts. The casing itself also provides
a lot of protection. Three images on Stealth's website, all
captioned with "Rugged, tough" shows the computer being
run over by a pickup truck. In addition, the computer is very
portable. It's only 25.8 x 15.8 x 5.2 cm, meaning it'll fit almost
anywhere.
The computer uses bayonet connectors to remain
waterproof
The WPC-525F is weak from a hardware perspective, but it
will suffice for doing most of the essentials. The computer
comes with an Intel Dual-Core D525 Processor which runs
at 1.8GHz and has 4 GB of RAM. It has an onboard Intel
Graphics Media Accelerator 3150, a 120 GB solid state drive,
and an Intel ICH8M chipset. To round it off, there's also
an Ethernet controller and two PCI-E slots internally for
upgrading the machine. The computer comes with a number
of attachments, including VGA, USB LAN ports. However,
as these have to be waterproof, the Stealth uses watertight
"bayonet" connections. This means you'll need to use the
provided cables to attach your peripherals.
Hue Toaster toasts your
bread perfectly every time
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hue-toaster-toasts-your-bread-
perfectly-every-time/18228.html
December 6th, 2012
A new toaster uses photo sensors to ensure that your toast
never comes out burnt, and never needs to go back in to get
it right.
Toasters don't usually experience a lot of innovation, and
whether you buy a cheap one or an expensive one, chances
are they'll have the same problem: Toasters have a burn
intensity set by a numerical dial. Since there's no real way to
equate "5" on a dial to a certain amount of heat, and since
there's no standard to what "5" means in a toaster, various
toasters will burn differently. You also have to consider that
different breads will burn differently. The Hue Toaster aims
to change this.

5
The toaster uses color to determine how much heat should
be applied
The Hue Toaster is the creation of Basheer Tome, an
interaction designer with a BS in Industrial Design. The
toaster relies on photo sensors to toast your bread. Sensors
are placed throughout the toaster and check the color of the
bread. Once it reaches your desired hue, it shuts off. It's
simple to use and consistent every time, says Tome. What's
more, since bread only browns once it reaches a certain
temperature, there's no need to have a specialized mode for
frozen bread.
It looks good sitting in the kitchen too
The toaster was created as an undergraduate project by
Tome while attending Georgia Tech. Unfortunately, the
toaster is still a prototype, and needs to find backers to move
it into production.
League of Legends pro player
banned for life
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/league-of-legends-pro-player-
banned-for-life/18227.html
December 6th, 2012
Riot Games, makers of League of Legends, has made the
rather weighty decision to ban the pro player IWillDominate
of Team Dignitas from the game... for life. The player has had
increased complaints filed against him in recent months of
what Riot describes as "toxic behavior". This ban will end the
player's career early, and undoubtedly cause Team Dignitas
some issues in the new season.
Harsh news from the League of Legends community today
– player IWillDominate of pro team Team Dignitas has
officially been banned. According to Riot's public message
on their League of Legends forum, “IWillDominate is
ineligible to play in the League of Legends Championship
Series for a period of one year. This suspension shall
commence immediately. In addition, all other existing
known accounts used by IWillDominate are permanently
banned.” The ban was due to, as Riot put it, IWillDominate's
“toxic behavior” - listed more formally as in-game
harassment, verbal abuse, offensive language and negative
attitude.
Christian “IWillDominate” Rivera is (or was) the assigned
jungler for Team Dignitas – a top ranking and highly
respected team. Christian has only been with the team since
January, but they've seen their share of victories together.
Now it seems that they've seen their last.
“We take sportsmanship and player behavior very seriously,
and we fundamentally believe that pro players should not
be exempt from scrutiny over their behavior,” said RedBear,
VP of League of Legends eSports, “In fact, we believe pros
have an additional opportunity to act as positive role models
for the entire community.” The player has also been known
to be generally un-sportsman like outside of the game as
well, says Riot: “There also have been repeated incidents of
similar behavior outside the game.” And for a pro player on
a big-name team, that's a strict no-no.
This news is sure to make huge waves in the League
of Legends crowd, not to mention all the online gaming
community. It may send a shiver down the spine of those
who make their living off of playing games – seeing that
you can be top dog one day and banned the next due to
bad behavior is a bit humbling. “The decision to impact
someone’s career is not one we make lightly, which is why
this is tough news to deliver,” said the VP of LoL eSports.

6
While there are a few voicing outrage already, many League
players seem to be alright with the ruling. Seeing as the
judgment was passed by the Tribunal – average players of
the game who get to weigh in on the ruling – I suppose it
should be no surprise that the outrage is minimal.
League of Legends players are, admittedly, among some of
the worst in gaming when it comes to flaming, or “toxic
behavior”... second only perhaps to Halo players. Gamers
and League enthusiasts are wondering if this will cause a
shift in the way players approach the game... and how they
approach their fellow players.
US Navy has to combat over
110,000 cyber attacks every
hour
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-navy-has-to-combat-
over-110-000-cyber-attacks-every-hour/18225.html
December 6th, 2012
It's no surprise that US military gets hit by a lot of cyber
attacks but a recent report from the US Navy pegs that
number at 110,000 attacks every hour, or 30 attacks every
second of the day
It should come as no surprise to anyone that when it comes
to cyber attacks there is no bigger target than the military,
but an inadvertantly released report Hewlett Packard shows
that those attack numbers are far greater than we might
imagine.
HP provides the network used by the US Navy and its
800,000 men and women in around 2,000 locations
worldwide. Mike Nefkins, the head of enterprise services at
HP, said at the recent Discover event held by the company
that the Navy network faces 110,000 attacks every hour,
which averages out to 1,833 per minute or 30 every second.
The reason that HP has these kind of numbers to share, even
if only internally, is because they manage the Navy Marine
Corps Intranet as well as its transition to a Next Generation
Enterprise Network, a deal that is apparently worth $3.3
billion.
Also at the same event Nefkens told attendees that HP
currently manages some 5.5 million mobile devices across
100 countries and handles 13 billion credit card transactions
every year.
Can Microsoft's Socl survive
in harmony with Facebook?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/can-microsoft-s-socl-survive-in-
harmony-with-facebook-/18226.html
December 6th, 2012
On Wednesday, Microsoft began allowing new user
registrations to its new social networking site that is,
according to the company's website, not intended to be a
competitor to Facebook and other similar sites.
On Wednesday, Microsoft began allowing new user
registrations for their new social networking site named
“Socl.” Experts are not sure if Microsoft plans to compete
directly with Facebook, or change the social media landscape
entirely. The company insists that the site is not intended
to be a competitor, but is in fact an “experimental research
project”, according to the website. Additionally, the site
explains that there are only minimal active features, leading
many to believe that there may be more exciting capabilities
to be released in the future.
While users can log into Socl using their Facebook accounts
and connect with their existing friends, Socl encourages
users to connect with other Socl members with like interests.
Socl focuses much more on the visual, using pictures and
collages of images to help users organize their interests.
Some of the more interesting features include the display
of posts by random users from across the entire site, ideally
encouraging the forming of new connections. The site is also
integrated with Bing, Microsoft’s budding search engine,
meaning that when a user searches for a term in the search
bar, they will also receive internet results.
The technology included in the site’s design is undoubtedly
amazing, but the real test will be whether potential users
can find a need for this site in their lives. They can already
organize pictures via Pinterest, and many Gmail users
automatically have Google+ accounts which are integrated
somewhat with the search engine, Google. Facebook is very
well established, and it seems unlikely that users will leave
the site in critical mass any time soon.
Microsoft has a decidedly conservative, if not old-fashioned,
image. No one argues that Microsoft reinvented the world
of personal computing with its design and marketing of
the Windows operating system. Whether the company can
repeat this success in the online space remains to be seen,
since Bing has been able to grab limited market share
from the search engine giant Google, despite very aggressive
marketing campaigns.
Many of us here at VR-Zone will be experimenting with
this new site and will report back findings as they become
available.

7
Verizon Applies For Patent To
Eavesdrop On You
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/verizon-applies-for-patent-to-
eavesdrop-on-you/18213.html
December 6th, 2012
Verizon just filed for a patent on a DVR that can watch and
record what you are doing so it can target you with special
advertisements.
Verizon says the technology to serve their customers better
to fit the mood for what you are doing. Verizon is calling
it a way of presenting an advertisement associated with the
ambient action of the ‘user’.
The information would be collected from microphones and/
or infrared cameras that would eavesdrop on what was being
said near the TV or even what might be nearby it such as
people or even your pets. The publication of the patent was
disclosed recently but it was filed in May 2011.
The abstract of the patent explains that the system is a
means of making targeted advertising by detecting the
ambient action of the user/s during a presentation of the
media being presented. It suggests that when there is an
advertisement break, the system would then know what type
of advertisement to display.
In an explanation of how the device targets its
advertisements, the patent application explains the ambient
action in part by stating, “To illustrate, the ambient action
may include the user talking to, cuddling with, fighting
with, wrestling with, playing a game with, competing
with, and/or otherwise interacting with the other user In
further examples, the ambient action may include the user
interacting with a separate media content access device (e.g.,
a media content access device separate from the media
content access device presenting the media content).”
Whether this patent is approved and if Verizon sells such a
product remains to be seen. The big question is if customers
would want such a device in their homes?
Unity Game Engine 4 oozes
with mobile goodness, pre-
order ready
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/unity-game-engine-4-oozes-with-
mobile-goodness-pre-order-ready/18224.html
December 6th, 2012
Unity is back again with its latest beta release of Unity
4. With cool and critical new features, the game engine is
showing promising foreshadows of the soon-to-be-released
engine.
New editions! We all like to see how our favorite products
progress, and Unity 4 is no exception. For the true gamer
and gamemaker at heart, Unity is taking the next step to
allow end developers to create beautiful AAA titles. With new
features "such as the all-new Mecanim animation system,
DirectX 11 support, [and] hypermodern mobile graphics,"
Unity is nothing to play around with... Actually, it is. Rather,
it's to be taken seriously because it will undoubtedly mark its
notch in the game industry.
(Talks about the upcoming release of Unity 4, available now
for pre-order)
Windows and Mac OS games have been readily creatable
with previous versions of Unity. Who doesn't love cross-
platform distribution after all? The horizons have expanded
with the advent of the Linux publishing option, another new
feature in U4. With more fluid graphics, solid performance,
and all around tight-knit work, this game engine is
promising.
But it doesn't end with desktops! Unity is very kind to its
mobile developers. In fact, they included crucial updates in
the latest beta for the mobile makers. One of those updates
being shadowing, but not just any shadows - dynamic
shadows. Now, that may seem dismissable to the novice
user, but the pros will make a stiff about it. Take a look
at the latest releases of other engines and you will surely
find lighting and shadowing as a key feature. This engine is
making itself very well-rounded in this version Unity, which
is now available for pre-order.
Don't Worry, She'll Hold
Together! - Fans Build Full
Scale Millennium Falcon
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/don-t-worry-she-ll-hold-together--
fans-build-full-scale-millennium-falcon/18209.html
December 6th, 2012
A resident in Nashville, Tennessee (U.S.) has purchased 88
acres of land where a full scale Millennium Falcon model will
be constructed. The projected is being put together by fans
from all over the world.
Star Wars fan take note, a full scale replica of the Millennium
Falcon is being built just west of Nashville, Tennessee and
you an be a part of it.
For those of us who can’t get enough of the Star Wars
franchise and the numerous fan clubs that have spun off
of it, there is now an even bigger idea being put together.
A Nashville man has started a project where fans and
fabricators of Star Wars props can contribute to building a
full size replica of the Millennium Falcon.
The project, which is the brainchild of Chris Lee of Nashville,
Tennessee, has purchased 88 acres of land just west of the
city where the full-scale model will be constructed. While all
of the work on the project will be very expensive, all of the
work and money will come from volunteers and donations.

8
Once the ship is completed it will be about 114 feet in length
and docking ring to docking right (beam) of 81 and one half
feet. The height of the ship to the dish will be over 30 feet
and a height to the top body itself will be approximately 25
feet.
The project builders say that while they appreciate any
donations to the project, and in keeping with any copyright
laws with Lucas Films and the Walt Disney Company there
will be no charge to see it once it is completed. The builders
also say that due to the intellectual property rights to Lucas
Films, they will not be publicly soliciting funds through any
3rd party fundraising entity or on-line site like IndieGoGo or
Kickstarter to help pay for the construction.
To learn more about the project you can visit the full-scale
Millennium Falcon project here. The site also has a forum
for those wanting to talk about the project and a page where
you can make donations for the project.
NSA Whistleblower Says All
E-mails Are Monitored
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nsa-whistleblower-says-all-e-mails-
are-monitored/18211.html
December 6th, 2012
An NSA whistleblower is saying that all U.S. citizens are
under surveillance by their own government and should be
careful how they write their e-mails.
According to NSA whistleblower, William Binney, all U.S..
citizens are under surveillance. Binney stated that the
Federal government can and will use this information
against them if they choose to do so. Because of his efforts
in exposing such information, Binney was recently awarded
the Callaway Award which is prize given to those who
have defended Constitutional rights of Americans by placing
themselves in harm's way by doing so.
Binney who is said to be one of the greatest mathematicians
in history for the NSA says he quit the agency in 2001
because he felt the acts being perpetrated against the
American people was a violation on the Constitutional
rights for all Americans. Binney also claims that the
Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently uses widespread
surveillance on American Citizens and cited the case with
General Petraeus as a prime example that no person is
exempt.
In an interview with Binney was asked if there was no
such thing as privacy today. Binney answered with the
affirmative and elaborated on how. “Yes, that’s what I’ve
been basically saying for quite some time, is that the FBI has
access to the data collected, which is basically the emails of
virtually everybody in the country. And the FBI has access to
it,” said Binney “All the congressional members are on the
surveillance too, no one is excluded. They are all included.
So, yes, this can happen to anyone…”
Binney elaborated that the NSA was building different social
networks on citizens before he left and that made him
rethink his association with the agency. He suggested
that the violations of the constitution being committed by
the government agency played on his conscience. “That
was the part that I could not be associated with. That’s
why I left. They were building social networks on who is
communicating and with whom inside this country. So that
the entire social network of everybody, of every US citizen
was being compiled overtime. So, they are taking from one
company alone roughly 320 million records a day. That’s
probably accumulated probably close to 20 trillion over the
years.”

1
geeks.
Apple to move some Mac
production to US in 2013
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-to-move-some-mac-
production-to-us-in-2013/18266.html
December 7th, 2012
Apple is planning to bring back some Mac production to
the US next year in what could signal a major shift from its
reliance on cheap Chinese manufacturers.
Apple is planning to bring back some Mac production to
the US next year in what could signal a major shift from its
reliance on cheap Chinese manufacturers.
The company's CEO, Tim Cook, announced the change in
policy in an interview with Bloomberg, which will see over
$100 million being spent to put everything in place.
Apple will not be doing the production itself, but rather will
outsource it to another company in the US, much like it
currently does with Chinese firms. The costs are likely to be
higher, but the good PR from the move will be significant.
Apple has been the subject of much criticism in recent
years over poor working conditions at the facilities of
manufacturers and suppliers it uses in China. It has also
been condemned for shipping jobs overseas, a general issue
that featured prominently in the recent US presidential
election.
The production shift will include manufacturing of
components and final assembly, so there will likely be
several lucrative contracts up for grabs. However, only one
of the Mac product lines will be made exclusively in the US.
While some have praised the move as a positive first
step to restoring the US manufacturing industry, the sheer
difference in costs between production in the US and
production in China will make it a difficult move to follow
up on. However, it might just be enough to encourage other
companies to make similar changes.
NASA uses Nvidia GPUs for
flight simulators
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nasa-uses-nvidia-gpus-for-flight-
simulators/18264.html
December 7th, 2012
NASA is using Nvidia graphics cards to develop a more vivid
and realistic flight simulator experience.
Current simulators offer a 20/40 vision, significantly poorer
than the standard 20/20 vision or the 20/13 vision that most
young military pilots have when starting their flight careers.
This means the images displayed are blurred or difficult to
identify, providing for a less effective training routine.
NASA's latest simulator, co-developed with the US Air Force
Research Labs, provides displayed images at 20/10 vision,
which means even those with exceptionally good eyesight
will see no blurring for objects twice as far away as the typical
viewer.
To manage this feat, NASA is using nine 4K projectors, which
have a resolution that is 36 times that of a normal high-
definition television, powered by lots of Nvidia Quadro GPUs
and Quadro Sync cards, all packed with the largest frame
buffer memory available.
The result is that the technology has been reduced from
the previous requirement of 36 computers to just five

2
computers, while maintaining a frame rate of 60 frames per
second while drawing a new scene every 1/60th of a second.
The graphics cards handle the warp and bending between
the projectors, reducing latency and costs.
NASA plans to increase the resolution of the simulator in
early 2013 by adding an additional six projectors.
Humble THQ Bundle nears $4
million
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/humble-thq-bundle-nears-4-
million/18259.html
December 7th, 2012
The Humble THQ Bundle is a big hit, and the for-charity sale
is already approaching $4 million in sales with more than
five days left to go.
That's a lot of cool content!
The Humble Bundles are a series of pay-what-you want
game collections which go on sale on a semi-regular basis.
The Humble THQ Bundle has been on sale since November
29, and let's you pick a price, from $1 dollar and up, for
a games and soundtrack collection worth a total of $210.
What's more, you get to choose what to do with the money
you paid. You can send it to charities, such as the American
Red Cross and Child's Play charity, to THQ (they kinda need
it too) or the Humble Bundle organization.
So far, more than 692,000 bundles have been purchased at
a total of $3.8 million. The games included in the bundle
are Red Faction Armageddon, Darksiders, Metro 2033 and
Company of Heroes (including it's two DLC packs). If you
pay more than the average, which is currently $5.61, you'll
also receive Titan Quest and Saints Row: The Third. The sale
ends on December 12, so you still have plenty of time to chip
in - and remember, the gift of giving is the best gift of all, so
don't be too cheap.
Google funds drones to watch
endangered species
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-funds-drones-to-watch-
endangered-species/18258.html
December 7th, 2012
Google is giving $5 million to the World Wildlife Fund to put
drones in the skies over Africa and Asia in order to monitor
endangered species
Google has just given $5 million to the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF). With this money, the WWF will build drones to fly
over areas of Africa and Asia to monitor endangered species.
The primary goal of the effort will be to protect the animals
from poaching. As an added bonus, the money will also
fund the development of software which can map out where
poachers strike most frequently.
This is a drone used by the WWF
The World Wildlife Fund has already used drones in Nepal,
where they could fly for as much as an hour at a time,
monitoring the ground with onboard cameras and recording
suspicious behavior. They act in supplement to rangers who
are already on the ground searching for the poachers. In
essence the drones serve, much like in the military, as "eyes
in the sky".
Poaching is a serious problem for certain species, such as
elephants and tigers, who are desired by poachers for various
body parts which are believed to have healing or magical
powers. The parts usually sell for top dollar. The poaching of
Rhinos is so bad that they may risk going extinct within a few
years unless the poachers can be stopped. Google's efforts
will hopefully aid significantly in that purpose.
YouTube has been redesigned
across all platforms
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/youtube-has-been-redesigned-
across-all-platforms/18257.html
December 7th, 2012

3
YouTube has undergone a major overhaul. The interface has
been redesigned, for all platforms, with focus on a pretty
important thing: watching videos
YouTube is yet again redesigning itself, and this time, the
product team is putting focus on a new feature called the
YouTube Guide. The guide sits on the left side of the screen
and will show your subscriptions, recommend channels
to you based on your viewing habits, and even tell you
what your friends are watching. The Guide will permeate
YouTube, no matter what platform you're experiencing
it through, whether it is a computer, smart phone or
Playstation. It also eases the navigation from video to video,
allowing you a simply way to browse videos from the user
you're currently watching.
The new YouTube
YouTube has been receiving complaints that the videos on
the site have been too messy, with subscription buttons,
social media buttons and other content taking up too much
space and focus. Now, the video will once again take center
stage. All of the other content has been placed below the
video, and the buttons have a lower profile, standing out
less and not cluttering up the screen. Generally speaking,
the interface is much more crisp, with sharp edges and
comfortable colors.
Another change is the playlist menu, which has been moved
to the immediate right of the video and allows you to
navigate the current playlist with more ease. This is part of a
conscious effort to help users have an easier time accessing
videos and not have to use the search function as much. Last
year, YouTube attempted a similar change meant to affect
their users' experience, by easing the channel subscription
process. This worked very well, as the number of subscribing
users doubled, despite subscriptions being an already 6 year
old feature at the time.
The new design went live yesterday, so if you head on over
there, it'll be waiting for you.
Private company plans
manned moon mission
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/private-company-plans-manned-
moon-mission/18256.html
December 7th, 2012
A private company called Golden Spike, is planning to
launch a manned moon mission by the year 2020, for the
relatively small price of 1.5 billion dollars.
On July 20, 1969, we walked on the moon. We returned for
the next three years, but in 1972, the last Apollo mission
ended, and apart from a few probes, we haven't been back.
There are some valid reasons for why we haven't gone
back; one reason being that it has been more important to
learn how to survive for long periods in space, rather than
simply going far away. Nevertheless, it is disheartening to
see humanity take a step back from it's days at the frontier.
Now, a company called Golden Spike, hopes to bring us back.
Golden Spike was named after the last spike put into the
First Transcontinental Railroad. It's president and CEO,
Alan Stern, is a former director of NASA’s Science Mission
Directorate. He and the board of the directors for the
company announced their plans to sell round trip tickets
to the moon at the National Press Club in Washington DC
yesterday (Dec. 6): For a mere $1.5 billion, Golden Spike will
send two humans to the Lunar Surface by 2020.
Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, during the
Apollo 11 mission
$1.5 billion may seem like a lot of money, but it's actually
comparatively cheap, comparable to unmanned robotic
missions. It may be too pricey for the average Joe, but it
should be manageable by private companies or nations who
lack their own space program. "We're selling to nations,
corporations and individuals," Stern told SPACE.com, "Get
in line — and I think it's going to be a long one." Indeed,
some nations have already shown interest: "We have spoken
to space agencies from both Asian and European countries
and found real interest," Stern said.
The company has not chosen a rocket yet, but they are
expected to finalize this choice by 2014. To keep costs low,
they are most likely going to use already existing or in-
development technology. Rumor's that they will be using
SpaceX's Falcon9 Heavy Rocket are "not true" according to
Stern. In addition, the company will need to manufacture
their own space suits and a lunar lander.

4
The base of the Eagle Lunar Lander is still on the moon,
along with this plaque
This isn't the first time private companies have attempted
to reach the moon. The Google Lunar X Prize is offering
$30 million to anyone who can land a rover on the moon
and drive it 500m while sending back data. Stern is part of
another venture competing for this prize as well. However,
no private venture has attempted to send a manned mission
to the moon before.
Golden Spike hopes to send regular missions to the moon
throughout the 2020s. Each flight would consist of four
launches; two to get the lander into orbit, and two to get the
crew and supplies into orbit. That's going to cost a lot, and
Golden Spike doesn't have a ton of funding, but according to
Stern, this isn't a problem: "We don't need it. We're going to
make our business run on sales,"
The Earth rise, one of the most iconic photos taken
Golden Spike has been under development and kept under
wraps for the past two and a half years, reveals Stern. He
and his team chose to announce the news on a significant
date, and chose yesterday as it was the eve of the last Apollo
mission; Apollo 17, which launched today (Dec. 7) 40 years
ago.
Journey soundtrack has been
nominated for a Grammy
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/journey-soundtrack-has-been-
nominated-for-a-grammy/18255.html
December 7th, 2012
The soundtrack for the videogame Journey has become
Grammy nominated, marking the first time a game
soundtrack is considered for the award.
Journey is a game developed by Thatgamecompany for the
Playstation 3. It was released in March and has the player
take control of a robed figure in a desert who is journeying
towards a mountain. The game was meant by the developers
to inspire a sense of wonder, and the game was praised
for it's visual and auditory art style. The audio hasn't gone
unnoticed, as Journey's soundtrack has just been nominated
for a Grammy.
This is the first time a game's soundtrack has been
nominated for a Grammy. It's a big deal, and Journey's
composer, Austin Wintory, unsurprisingly tweets "Well I
don't really have words right now.". The soundtrack is
a contestant in the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual
Media category, alongside Hans Zimmer's score for The
Dark Knight Rises, Howard Shore's soundtrack for Hugo,
Ludovic Bource's The Artist score, and Trent Reznor and
Atticus Ross's music for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
The score was meant to be "as universal and culture-
less as possible," according to Wintory. The soundtrack
was released a month after the game's release and quickly
became one of the top ten downloaded soundtracks in over
20 countries on iTunes.
TorrentReactor Offers
Proxy After Court Orders
Censorship
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/torrentreactor-offers-proxy-after-
court-orders-censorship/18252.html

5
December 7th, 2012
The Italian Vallo della Lucania Court has ordered that
all BitTorrent site access be censored by all ISPs in their
country. In reply, TorrentReactor is offering a proxy to
bypass the censors.
BitTorrent sites have been under a lot of criticism and attack
from many government agencies, and it's partly due to the
music industry and its war on illegal music downloading.
In an effort to fight the censorship, TorrentReactor has
created a free proxy service to circumvent the censorship
blocks by the Italian government. The new domain called
come.in will operate for all manner of torrent services such
as Torrents.net, KickassTorrents and The Pirate Bay. The
proxy helps a person access the blocked sites by fooling
the ISP, particularly when a server is using an IP-based
geolocation to block access from a particular country.
The recent Italian block of all BitTorrent sites will allow
for police to investigate or seize downloaded material from
individuals. However, many feel this is a direct infringement
on the purpose of the Internet, which was founded as a free
and open source of information sharing.
Google+ Over 500 Million
Users and Apps No Longer
Free for Business
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-over-500-million-users-and-
apps-no-longer-free-for-business/18250.html
December 7th, 2012
Google+ members just surpassed the 500 million member
mark and Google says that they will soon overtake Facebook
as the most used social media site. Also, Google will be
making changes and no longer offer a free business version
of Google Apps.
When Google + was introduced as a new alternative to other
popular social media sites, many felt it would never take off.
Now Google says they have 500 million users and of those
users, over 135 million are active users.
In mid-September, Google announced on their blog that they
reached 400 million users, with 100 million active users.
And according to Google, their social media network is
currently the fastest growing social media. Google measures
their usage by taking the total number of registered Google
users who use the Google App store through Chrome or other
means, those who search YouTube or Google Search and
then by looking at those who use the Google+ application.
During a November 28 business conference in New York
City, Google’s Vice President of Product, Bradley Horowitz,
spoke with Business Insider Deputy Editor Nicholas Carlson
at the Business Insider, IGNTION Conference. In the
interview, Horowitz implied that Facebook is a social
network that would fade away, and that Facebook was not
set up in a way that works efficiently for its users. Horowitz
iterated that more than a billion people use Google if you add
up Google search and all of the other services that Google
offers.
“We think we can do a better job for our users than we did in
the last decade of hyper growth. Those products are great,
- honestly they’re not as great as they could be. And Google
+ is an attempt to weave them together into an experience
that provides immense value for our users and brands as
well,” Horowitz said. “The way that we think about Google+
is a foundational layer. It’s not a parallel product that lives
as a vertical equivalent to those products. It is the identify
relationship and interest system for Google.”
Horowitz went on to say that Google+ would eventually
surpass Facebook in regards to active users because it
allows people to have conversations without having to
involve others along with offering all manner of other useful
applications. "In designing Google+, we keep thinking about
the real world, the way people actually are," Horowitz said.
"We're trying to make a product that's ergonomic for the
way our attention is wired."
In other news, a December 6th blog post by Google’s Director
of Product Management, Clay Bavor, writes that Google
Apps would no longer remain free for businesses. He advised
that individuals who wish to use Google’s web apps should
create a free personal Google account.
Bavor explains that the services would now be combined for
different users.
“When we launched the premium business version
we kept our free, basic version as well. Both
businesses and individuals signed up for this
version, but time has shown that in practice, the
experience isn't quite right for either group…With
this in mind, we’ve decided to make things very
straightforward.”
Clay states that for businesses there will be only one service
from this point on, but would includes 24/7 phone support, a
near 100% uptime guarantee and a 25GB inbox at 50 dollars
per year.
The blog did make sure to emphasize that Google Apps for
education would be available and remain as a free service for
all schools and colleges, and Google Apps for Government at
50 dollars per year.
iPhone 5 Gets 1-Up With Xbox
SmartGlass App Update
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iphone-5-gets-1-up-with-xbox-
smartglass-app-update/18249.html
December 7th, 2012
Microsoft is dealing some nice cards this quarter. Alongside
Windows 8, they released Xbox SmartGlass, a smart phone
app supplementary to the Xbox 360. It serves peripherally
as either an additional screen or additional controller
to greatly expand on interactivity. Plenty of Xbox users
have smartphones, so the SmartGlass app was a brilliant
implementation on Microsoft's behalf. Smartphone owners
get to use what they already own as an aide. Not even 2

6
months into the release of the app, SmartGlass has an update
that has iPhone 5 users animated.
With a 4" screen and an aspect ratio of 16:9, the iPhone 5
is certainly bigger than the previous generations. Hitherto,
iPhone 5 owners using the SmartGlass app had to deal
with the constraints of the iPhone 4 screen. Yikes! We all
remember widescreen movies with the black bars on the top
and bottom of the screen. Well, say goodbye to that! The
latest iPhone screen gets its potential maximized, which is
not just convenient, but aesthetically gratifying, too.
Hacking pacemakers isn't
just fiction folks
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hacking-pacemakers-isn-t-just-
fiction-folks/18243.html
December 7th, 2012
As we increasingly put medical devices into our bodies, and
able to interact with them with all kinds of apps, the question
has to be asked - just how safe are these devices from being
hacked?
When it comes to medicine we think of bugs and viruses as
something that, at best, make us sick and, at the worst, can
kill us. What we don't think of is what effect the electronic
versions of those things could have on the medical devices
that are becoming all the more prevalent as we seek to
overcome illness and other medical maladies.
In fact the very idea of anyone being able to hack
medical devices, like pacemakers, don't even register in our
conversations about the dangers of technology when in fact
the ability to hack pacemakers has been doable for some time
and the terrifying part of this is that agencies like the FDA in
the US don't even have any types regulations in place when
it comes to security in relation to medical devices.
This type of technology is increasingly important in our lives
as more and more people become reliant on some sort of
medical device, and while devices have been around for a
very long time, it is only within the last ten years or so that
they have become totally accessible. It is this accessibility
that allows doctors, and patients, to collect all kinds of data;
but it is that kind of accessibility that also makes them
vulnerable to illegal and dangerous attacks.
Last year big news was made at one of the security
conferences when a researcher hacked into his insulin pump
using nothing more than a cheap Arduino module that cost
less than $20. This was followed up by another example from
a researcher at McAfee who could scan for and compromise
insulin pumps wirelessly; and then cause any pump within
300 feet to dump its entire contents.
The same researcher showed at another conference how he
had reverse-engineered a pacemaker so that it could deliver
an 830-volt shock to a person's device from 50 feet away - in
other words a medical assassination.
This medical cybercrime isn't just being directed at
personal medical devices either as hospitals are starting
to see a dangerous rise in malware infections in their
computerized equipment. Part of the blame can be placed on
manufacturers who are running older versions of Windows
on their equipment and not allowing that equipment to be
modified regardless of the fact that it could be desperately
needed security updates for those systems.
While government regulators have been studying the issue
the fact is that we are going to have to be even more stringent
when it comes to security and the medical devices that our
lives depend on.
Steam celebrates the release
of Big Picture with a huge
sale
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steam-celebrates-the-release-of-big-
picture-with-a-huge-sale/18248.html
December 7th, 2012
Steam offers big savings on select controller-friendly titles
on the digital marketplace in celebration of the release of Big
Picture, allowing gamers to play Steam games on their TV.
The launch of Steam's new Big Picture mode has been met
with an exclusive sale on an impressive variety of controller-
friendly titles, including such PC favorites as Left 4 Dead 2,
Portal 2, and a slew of Indies like Super Meat Boy, Braid,
and Bit Trip Runner just to name a few.

7
This sale offers up to -75% off on select games, with some
retail titles of yesteryear offered as low as $4.99.
The bargain coincides perfectly with the release of Steam's
Big Picture mode--which allows gamers to play Steam games
on their TV--and many of the selected games offer full
controller support to deliver that classic couch gaming
experience.
The Big Picture Celebration Sale ends at 10 am on Dec. 10,
2012, so get your favorites while they're still on sale today!
For more information including what games are included in
the sale, please visit Steam's official website.
Register for the Halo 4
Infinity Challenge and win
great prizes
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/register-for-the-halo-4-infinity-
challenge-and-win-great-prizes/18245.html
December 7th, 2012
The new Halo 4 Infinity Challenge gives everyday gamers
a chance to win awesome Halo-themed prizes for staying
on top of the newly-implemented leaderboards for Halo 4's
multiplayer.
Halo 4's brand new Infinity Challenge allows gamers a
chance to win awesome prizes just for playing Halo 4's online
multiplayer over Xbox LIVE, rewarding them for staying on
top of the brand new enlisted leaderboards for the game's
Infinity multiplayer mode.
Registration for the new event is now open, and players who
get to the very top of the leaderboards for Spartan Ops, War
Games or Weekly Challenges have a chance to earn great
prizes like an appearance on the next Halo game or winning
a UNSC-themed 2013 Ford SVT Raptor.
Be sure to register today and jump into the fray for your
chance to win!
The Halo 4 infinity Challenge is sponsored by the upcoming
Arnold Schwarzenegger movie The Last Stand and powered
by Virgin Mobile. For more information including terms and
conditions, please visit the event's official website
Dotcom free to sue New
Zealand's spy agency
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dotcom-free-to-sue-new-zealand-s-
spy-agency/18242.html
December 7th, 2012
Kim Dotcom - the Internet entrepreneur that everyone loves
to hate - is back in the news again after getting the okay from
a New Zealand judge to sue the island's spy agency for its
actions leading up to the raid on his home.
Kim Dotcom, the brains and hilarity behind Megaupload,
has always maintained his innocence when it comes to the
charges being leveled against him by the US Department
of Justice, as well as declaring that the January raid on his
mansion was illegal and violated his rights.
He has also stated quite publicly that the government's
surveillance of him through the island's intelligence service,
GCSB, was a lot more extensive than the government was
admitting to, and to make matters even worse some of the
information was shared with the United States.
Well it would seem that Dotcom might just have the island's
justice system on his side as Judge Helen Winklemann has
given her approval for Dotcom to sue the GCSB and that the
agency must disclose:
"...anything they shared with other intelligence
agencies in the 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance—
made up of the US, Australia, UK, and Canada,"
according to one news report. "And they must reveal
if they carried out surveillance on Doctom's wife
Mona and his co-accused Bram van der Kolk."
In order to protect any government intelligence the judge
has appointed Stuart Grieve as an independent expert who
will review any classified material and deicide what is
relevant to the case and what might comprise the country's
national security.
MetroPCS adds Samsung
Galaxy Admire 4G
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/metropcs-adds-samsung-galaxy-
admire-4g/18239.html
December 7th, 2012
MetroPCS today announced the release of the Samsung
Galaxy Admire 4G today. Even with the 4G speed of
MetroPCS this phone still isn't even in the same category of
powerful phones but at $169 you cant expect much.

8
This wasn't a secret to anyone if you are into Android news at
all. It was, in fact, in the list of phones to be released; we just
didn't know it's name. The phone itself has the look of the
Galaxy S2 and S3 but it doesn't have the size or the power of
Samsung's previous and current flagship. It's predecessor,
the Samsung Galaxy Admire, reveals that the step up to a
Galaxy Admire isn't huge change with the exception of the
phone's appearance. If we look at the specs of the new versus
the old it's basically got a slightly bigger screen, a slightly
faster processor and a slightly better battery. And of course,
all for a slightly higher price tag.
It's a better looking phone for sure but the differences in
the phone aren't worth it to me to run out and grab one.
The Galaxy Admire 4G is slightly better than your average
entry level Android devices, but it's nothing to rave about
either. It is worth noting that the Galaxy Admire 4G will run
Android Gingerbread out of the box, which is more or less
very outdated in today's Android world.

1
geeks.
Pre-CES 2013 Crystal Ball -
Intel's Atom might win the
ARMs race
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pre-ces-2013-crystal-ball--intel-s-
atom-might-win-the-arms-race/18275.html
December 8th, 2012
During our short time with the Atom Medfield powered
Motorola RAZR i, which surprised us in many areas, we
had an epiphany - What if Intel added moar cores and a
better GPU engine into their upcoming torpedo (Clovertrail
+) aimed at the ARM dominance in smartphones?
There is no denying that ARM has enjoyed considerable
success in the smartphone arena, with virtual dominance
in the Android market by CPU makers like Samsung,
Qualcomm and Nvidia reaping the rewards as seen in their
recent financial reports, not forgetting too that Apple uses
its own custom ARM SOCs in their wildly popular mobile
devices. In contrast, traditional x86 CPU giants like Intel and
AMD are facing a sluggish desktop market, with the latter
shedding heaps of vital personnel (read: engineers) and even
going ARM in a last ditch effort to stay afloat and keep the
Mubadalas happy.
Of course, Intel is a behemoth filled with boatloads of
cash and very talented engineers, and the world's largest
semiconductor firm isn't going to disappear anytime soon.
Four seasons ago (or one year if you live in Singapore), they
introduced the Atom Medfield smartphone platform, based
on its own mature 32nm HKMG process and a custom x86
version of Android (currently 4.0.4 ICS only) with ARM
binary translation for application compatibility. The actual
rollout was delayed until the middle of this year and Intel
got vendors like Lenovo, ZTE and Motorola in addition to a
host of smaller brands to sign up for their first assault into
the smartphone market.
Motorola Mobility's (recently acquired by Google) RAZR
i, shares many similarities to their regular TI OMAP
ARM powered Droid RAZR M with its use of a 4.3-inch
Gorilla Glass covered Super AMOLED pentile display and
the iconic DuPoint kevlar backplate. The first impression
that you'll get when picking up the candy bar shaped phone
is how comfortable it grips in your hand, and it is also
lighter (126g) compared to the usual Nexus 4 (139g) and
iPhone 4S (140g). There is some thoughtful industrial design
experience going into the placement of the power, volume
rocker and camera shutter buttons, all located on the right
side.
On the left side which has the micro USB port, we find the
micro SIM / SD slots cleverly tucked under a rubber cover
for easy access without needing to turn the phone off for
replacement. A non-removable 2000mAH battery takes care
of the single core, dual (hyper)threaded 2 GHz Atom Z2460,
with formal reviews from sites like The Verge reporting a
respectable 72 hours of regular use on a single charge, far

2
longer than most of its ARM competitors. Admittingly the
RAZR i doesn't have LTE (HSPDA+ from an Intel radio),
which plays a big part in its long battery life. Just imagine
if Motorola were to come out with a MAXX version of the
phone - finally we can go through a whole week while on a
desert island with no charging points!
The rest of the phone is what you'd expect from any
typical Android offering - Phone, Loudspeaker, WIFI,
Bluetooth, Camera, A-GPS and a lightly skinned interface
with unrestricted access to a rich application ecosystem
(*cough RT*). Here are some of the performance figures
from popular benchmarks:
Passmark CPU Tests 4824
Passmark Disk Tests 4425
Passmark Memory Tests 3745
Futuremark Peacekeeper
HTML5 Benchmark
725 marks
Sunspider 0.91 Javascript
Benchmark
1050.9ms
Amdahl's law states that a small portion of the program
which cannot be parallelized will limit the overall speed-up
available from parallelization.
To put the performance figures in perspective, the single-
core synthetic CPU numbers are about half of the top
performing quad core ARM SOCs found in phones like
the Samsung Galaxy S3 (Exynos 4) and LG Optimus G
(Snapdragon S4 Pro). The LPDDR2 memory controller
performance absolutely blitzes the competition by a factor of
3 to 4 and the graphics (400 MHz PowerVR SGX540) is not
too bad for an aging 5-year old design. All these translates
into a silky smooth web browsing experience, where absolute
single threaded performance (hence the Amdahl's law
reference) is more important especially in JavaScript heavy
sites like VR-Zone.com. Even with only 1GB of RAM, I'm also
happy to report that regular applications load and switch
in an instant (including Facebook and WhatsApp), and that
the overall Android experience doesn't get diminished by an
aggressive low memory killer.
With its performance leadership in desktop and server
frontiers locked up for years to come, it is only logical
that Chipzilla will pump in more R&D and marketing into
the still-exploding smartphone and tablet arena. So what
happens when Intel doubles the number of cores while
maintaining the same IPC and puts in a more effective GPU,
augmented by manufacturing process improvements and
tweaks, into their next Atom (codenamed Clover Trail+)?
Lets hope we'll see some of them at CES next month...
Century's Drive Desktop
Beefs Up Your Home Data
Storage
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/century-s-drive-desktop-beefs-up-
your-home-data-storage/18260.html
December 8th, 2012
Century makes sure that you'll never run out of data storage
space in your home or office with the Hadaka-zoku Capsule
Hotel. It is a convenient peripheral that allows you to
instantly install and use up to four separate storage drives as
an external data storage tower.
Are you the type that likes to archive many files in one day?
Do you always like storing large HD media files? Then this
peripheral by Century may be for you. The Hadaka-zoku
Capsule Hotel is essentially a drive desktop that allows the
external installation of a multi-drive system for your home or
office computer system. The primary focus of the product is
to conveniently use multiple desktop storage drives without
the need to constantly open your desktop, or to constantly
plug or connect multiple wired or wireless external drives to
your computers.

3
As seen from the image, the Capsule Hotel is capable of
using up to 4 SSD's or HDD's simultaneously. Each drive is
powered separately, and can be turned on/off accordingly
without affecting the other storage drives. To install a
storage drive in it, you only have to open the drive bay, insert
the drive as you would put a tray in an oven, then close the
drive. It would automatically line up with the appropriate
connectors inside, making drive switches fairly easy and
convenient. And because they're powered separately, you
can simply switch to a new drive in one slot, while the others
are in operation.
Power management is also quite efficient, because the
Capsule Hotel can be set to turn on only when the drives are
accessed by the computer connected to it. Unfortunately for
backup fanatics, though the unit is capable of using 4 drives
simultaneously, it cannot be setup for a RAID system. Each
drive will be recognized as a separate storage drive.
The primary drives that are compatible for you to use in the
Capsule Hotel are 3.5 inch SATA HDD and SSD's. For those
who want to use 2.5 inch storage drives in it, they would
have to use a special Hadaka-zoku mounting adapter to fit
them in. The connection interface of the unit is USB 3.0
(5Gb/s). For cooling, it has two 2,500 RPM cooling fans. Its
dimensions are set at 130 x 185 x 260 mm, and it weights
3.2 kg.
The official price for the unit hasn't been set yet, but it is
estimated that it would be around 17,800 yen (220 USD).
Crytek introduces the seven
wonders of Crysis 3
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crytek-introduces-the-seven-
wonders-of-crysis-3/18244.html
December 8th, 2012
The newest teaser trailer from Crytek goes behind the scenes
of Crysis 3, showing off many of the game's incredible
cinematic sequences.
The newest trailer released from EA delves behind the scenes
of Crytek's latest chapter in the Crysis franchise, taking a
brief glimpse at many of the cinematic sequences and scenes
that comprise the game's dynamic campaign.
The new video features an introduction by Albert Hughes,
visionary director of the films From Hell and The Book of Eli
who has worked on Crysis 3, trying to blend cinematic film
elements with the game's distinct action-packed first-person
shooter gameplay.
The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3 refers to the seven environments
detailed in the game's story arc, and this teaser takes an
impressive look at storyboards and much of the impressive
artwork that has gone into the planning and execution of the
upcoming title.
Crysis 3 is slated for release on Feb. 19, 2013 for Xbox 360,
PlayStation 3 and PC. For more information please visit the
game's official website.
Cooler Master Seidon 120M
and Hyper T4 Mini-Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cooler-master-seidon-120m-and-
hyper-t4-mini-review/18190.html
December 8th, 2012
Today we take a quick look at two inexpensive aftermarket
CPU coolers from Cooler Master - a regular heatpipe tower
heatsink that is the Hyper T4 and a closed-loop water cooling
kit called the Seidon 120M. How well do they perform?
Similar to the famous Hyper 212 series that have been the
choice of enthusiasts for years. the Cooler Master Hyper
T4 is a slim aluminum tower heatsink with four direct
touch copper heatpipes at its base. Equipped with a 120mm
PWM fan rated at 1800rpm / 70CFM / 31.6dBA, it is an
inexpensive way (SGD$59) to upgrade the stock heatsink
solution for almost every modern Intel/AMD CPU socket
type.

4
The relatively slim profile of the Hyper T4 allows it to
be installed onto motherboards or enclosures with tight
space constraints. Also, the position of fan can be adjusted
vertically to accomodate tall RAM heatspreaders. Brackets
to install another 120mm fan are included in the package as
well.
Installation is fairly quick and painless with the use of
thumbscrews and clips for every step. Mounting pressure
isn't as tight as the more advanced towers that we've come
across but it does its job fairly well for its price.
Our test setup is the top of the line Intel i7-3960X (rated
at 130w TDP) mounted on an Asus Rampage IV GENE.
When pushed hard with a "power virus" like Linpack, the
heat output can be as much as 180w according to the
on-die power reading. The Hyper T4 reached a maximum
load temperature of 62 degree celcius, which is way below
the thermal throttling limit and a good result as regular
applications and games will be way below that figure.
Further tests showed that we can push the Vcore safely up to
1.4v, which should allow for overclocks around 4.4 GHz on
our Sandy Bridge-E system. This cooler should also be able
to handle mainstream Ivy Bridge and Trinity CPUs near the
fabled 5 GHz frequency range, which have a much lower heat
output than the 6-core processor that we used.

5
Over $47 Million Stolen Using
Infected PCs And Phones
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/over-47-million-stolen-using-
infected-pcs-and-phones/18270.html
December 8th, 2012
Europe is being hit hard by a new version of the famous
Zeus trojan as over 30,000 users have found their PCs and
smartphones infected and being used to steal their money.
There's a new version of the famous Zeus trojan out in the
wild in Europe and as to be expected it is causing all kinds of
havoc and is believed to be behind the attacks against some
30,000 electronic banking customers.
The new version of the malware; and the botnet behind it,
has been dubbed "Eurograbber" by security experts at Check
Point Software and Versafe. The trojan was first detected
in Italy earlier this year and has since spread throughout
Europe.
Researchers believe that Eurograbber is responsible for
over $47 million in fraudulent transfers from victim bank
accounts in amounts that range from 500 Euros; $650 USD,
to as much as 25,000 Euros; $32,000 USD.
The attack vector requires the victim to click on a malicious
link; typical part of a phishing attack, which then will take
them to a site that will attempt to download one or more
trojans that will then install themselves on the computer or
phone. The two trojans involved in this latest attack appear
to be customized versions of Zeus as well as its SpyEye
and CarBerp variants. These then will record the user's web
visits and then inject HTML and JavaScript into the victim's
browser.
Then the next time the victim visits their banking site
the trojan will snag their credentials and use JavaScript
injection to launch a request that the user install a security
upgrade from the banking site. The JavaScript completes
the first part of the attack when it captures the user's phone
number and mobile operating system, which is then used
to send a text message to the user's phone requesting that
they go to the attached link to download and install some
"encryption11 software".
What they actually end up with though is Zeus in the mobile
(ZITMO) which is a trojans specifically made for the Android
and Blackberry phones. With both systems compromised,
the installed malware waits patiently for the victim to access
their bank account at which point it will automatically
transfer a percentage of the account balance to the criminal's
accounts.
It doesn't just stop there though, as the malware will
intercept the confirmation text message sent by the bank and
forward it on to the trojan's command and control server.
At this point the trojan will use the message to confirm the
transaction and withdraw the money. This process happens
every time the victim accesses their bank account online and
they are none the wiser.
Posting Mug Shots To
Pinterest Nets Increased
Arrests For Police
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/posting-mug-shots-to-pinterest-
nets-increased-arrests-for-police/18269.html
December 8th, 2012
Police around the world are no slouches when it comes to
using social media in all kinds of ways but it would seem
that they are getting great results from Pinterest, the newest
social media darling.
From Twitter to Facebook, and now Pinterest as well,
police agencies around the world have found unique and
interesting ways to use social media. Whether it is just
simple outreach to the citizens or using social media to
actually track down and arrest criminals law enforcement
is turning out to be pretty quick to take advantage of these
new forms of communication like Facebook, and other social
media networks.
The interest in Pinterest however first started when a crime
reporter at The Mercury in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, started
posting mug shots of the towns criminals in a gallery on the
new social network only to discover that the local police saw
a 57% increase in arrests as well as catching more people
based on tips as a result of the mug shot gallery.
However, it isn't just small towns trying this out as
evidenced by the Philadelphia police setting up their own
mug shot gallery on Pinterest after seeing the results in
Pottstown.

6
Using social media to catch criminals isn't something new
to the Philadelphia police department but the addition of
something like Pinterest and its growing success is another
tool in the police toolbox.
With this kind of early success it wouldn't be surprising to
see more police agencies around the country taking a look at
Pinterest and the idea of mug shot galleries.
5.7" Zopo ZP950 images
leaked
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/5.7-zopo-zp950-images-
leaked/18263.html
December 8th, 2012
Zopo is going to be replacing their current flagship phone
with a new one and it looks like this is it. The Zopo ZP950 is
the next step up from the current top dog, the Zopo ZP900.
Leaked images have surfaced of what this phone will look
like and the specs to go with it.
This phone is quite a large one, in fact, it is .2" larger than
the Galaxy Note II and that is a pretty good sized phone.
The funny thing is that this phone isn't being marketed as a
phablet. I am not sure what to think about that aspect, not
that it is really all that important but it could lead into more
from the company itself. This unit was rumored in China a
while back but nothing could be confirmed with it until now.
It seems that the dual-core rumor wasn't accurate as it will
come with a dual-core MT6577 and 1GB RAM.
It also states that it will have a resolution of 1280 x 720 and
run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The 4.1 part is confirmed but
that could change with Android 4.2 on the horizon. With this
being the new flagship, chances are they will have the latest
Android OS planted deep in it. In the picture you can see an
8MP rear shooter and it will also have a 3MP front, dual-sim
support and a few other nice updates from it's predecessor.
Leaked images of Huawei
Ascend Mate phablet surface
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/leaked-images-of-huawei-ascend-
mate-phablet-surface/18262.html
December 8th, 2012
Phablets are becoming more and more prevelant as users
want more from phone makers. Huawei is even jumping on
board to create a new hybrid and this one is going to be an
absolute beast!

7
Let's start with a small back story here. I got my first Android
from MetroPCS, it was a Huawei Ascend, the original. The
phone had a single core 600MHz CPU which I over clocked
to 867MHz. Advance forward and now I have a LG Esteem
with a single core 1GHz CPU which is over clocked to 1.7GHz.
This new phone takes both of these CPUs' and laughs. And
for good reasons.
The leaked images that surfaced a couple days ago show this
beast of a phone to be pretty plain in design, but the reported
internals are some of the best you will see in a phablet to
date. Reports indicated that this will have a 6.1" FULL
HD 1920 x 1080 resolution screen, 2GB RAM and a quad-
core 1.8GHz CPU. The actual chip will most likely be a K3V3
which is their 3rd generation CPU. This information has
been confirmed by a Huawei executive. The actual release
date isn't known yet but it will most likely be around the time
of CES or MWC. As it stands it will be receiving the Jelly
Bean treatment of Android 4.1 but that is subject to change.
To top it all off it's got a 4000mAh battery which will be the
largest battery in a smartphone to date.
Like I said, this will be a beast of a phone. If this is anything
like the Ascend P1 then we are probably going to see changes
in the specs as time goes on to different chips and screens
and such but either way, WOW! Now as said before this is
a confirmed phone - we know it is coming but we will still
follow it to see what, if any, changes are made to keep you
up to date.
Akasa Venom Power 1000W
PSU Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/akasa-venom-power-1000w-psu-
review/18268.html
December 8th, 2012
Akasa is a company which offers a very wide variety
of products to technology junkies, from cooling solutions
to modding parts and from power supplies to tablet
peripherals. Today we will be having a look at the latest and
most popular unit of their power supply range, the Venom
Power 1000W. The unit bears an 80Plus Gold certification
and sports a unique design; but will it also perform well
enough in order to have a chance against the myriads of 1kW
units available today? We will find out in this review.
Akasa is a company which offers a very wide variety of
products to technology junkies, from cooling solutions
to modding parts and from power supplies to tablet
peripherals. Today we will be having a look at the latest and
most popular unit of their power supply range, the Venom
Power 1000W. The unit bears an 80Plus Gold certification
and sports a unique design; but will it also perform well
enough in order to have a chance against the myriads of 1kW
units available today? We will find out in this review.
Metal Gear Rising
Revengeance Demo Sweeps
Japan with Free Shirts
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-
demo-sweeps-japan-with-free-shirts/18254.html
December 8th, 2012
Konami, in commemoration to their upcoming release of the
full demo of Metal Gear Rising Revengeance on December
13, plans to give all gamers across Japan a treat by giving
exclusive prizes at demo booths installed in various tech
stores starting December 15.
There are still a few months before the game is officially
released, but at least gamers all across Japan can have a
little extra beside the sword-slashing treats that the PS3
game Metal Gear Rising Revengeance has to offer. This is
because Konami, in celebration to their upcoming release
of the game's updated demo on December 13, 2012, plans
to roll out a country wide campaign to promote the title, by
opening up demo booths at selected tech stores all around
Japan.

8
The chance to play the demo alone may already be very
enticing, but it would be quite better for those who will
participate in Konami's live demo. This is because each
person who played the demo of the game in the selected tech
shops will be awarded with a special fan pack. The first item
on the pack is an exclusive pamphlet of the game, and the
other is a limited-edition Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
T-Shirt. The fan pack will not be delivered at a later date,
but would be instantly handed to the participants after they
played the demo. There are of course a limited number of fan
packs available, so if you're in Japan, you better line up very
early in the morning if you ever want to have the chance to
have one.
So far, Konami has been quite secretive about the entire
game project. We first saw Metal Gear Rising Vengeance
as a short clip. Then, the trailer progressed little by little.
Afterwards, the promotion campaign moved forward until a
very short demo of the actual game was publicly released.
Now, with just a few months wait, it probably wouldn’t hurt
to get a little warm up from their free demo release, although
it'd certainly be more memorable to those who could get the
shirts.
The campaign is slated to start from December 15, and
would last for about two days until December 16, 2012. Of
course, people who may not be interested in the event, and
those who cannot attend the event anyway (due to obvious
regional "restrictions") may simply enjoy the full demo at the
Playstation Store.
AMD Releases New Piledriver
Server Processors
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-releases-new-piledriver-server-
processors/18265.html
December 8th, 2012
AMD continues to fight to keep its footing in the server
market with new series of mid-range server processors. The
Opteron 4300 and 3300 lines hit stores!
On Tuesday, December 4th
, AMD released two new series of
their Opteron server processors. The 4300 and 3300 series
are the direct successors of 4200 and 3200 Bulldozer-based
Opterons, which failed to meet expectations last year, and
are meant to take on the mid-range and lower-mid-range
server processor market, leaving the current 6300 series for
the high end. According to AMD’s press release: The AMD
Opteron 4300 Series processors offer up to 15 percent better
performance versus the prior generation, based on SPECint
benchmark results and SPECpower results show up to a 24
percent improvement in performance per watt.
The new models are built on AMD’s Piledriver architecture
that is geared to make good on the promises of the previous
line of Opteron CPUs. Like the older series they intend to
replace, the 4300s uses the C32 socket while the 3300s uses
socket AM3+ making it easy to upgrade from the previous
generation. Below is a chart of the models in each series:
Model Cores Clock
Speed
(GHz)
Turbo
CORE
(GHz)
TDP Socket Pricing
(USD)
4386 8 3.1 3.8 95W C32 348
4376
HE
8 2.6 3.6 65W C32 501
4340 6 3.5 3.8 95W C32 348
4334 6 3.1 3.5 95W C32 191
4332
HE
6 3.0 3.7 65W C32 415
4310
EE
4 2.2 3.0 35W C32 415
3380 8 2.6 3.6 65W AM3+ 229
3350 4 2.8 3.8 45W AM3+ 125
3320 4 1.9 2.5 25W AM3+ 174
Every model continues the trend of Turbo CORETM
technology that allows some cores to exceed their stock clock
speed (and TDP) for brief amounts of time when needed.
While the 4300 and 3300 series may not reinvent the way
AMD does servers, hopefully it gives them a solid footing
against Intel for cloud and small-business computing and
other ventures until the next big thing comes around.
For a full list of details see the source below.
Sony Online Entertainment
publicly shames cheaters of
Planetside 2
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-online-entertainment-publicly-
shames-cheaters-of-planetside-2/18251.html
December 8th, 2012

9
SEO is cracking down hard on cheaters, hackers, and
general ne'er-do-wells in their popular game Planetside
2. The president of the company, John Smedly, took to
personally naming the "scumbags" on his Twitter account.
While hackers and cheaters really do have it coming, the
violent lash-out by Smedly leaves some wondering if he went
too far.
"Haruhi at http://artificialaiming.com was just
banned. all 3 of his accounts. Goodbye you scumbag.
Find a new hobby or get good at the game."
Ouch! This was posted publicly from John Smedley,
president of Sony Online Entertainment. If that won't bring
the red out in your cheeks, nothing will.
This was only part of a chain of posts by Smedley, though it
may be the most cutting. He and SOE have been ruthlessly
hunting down cheaters, hackers, and ne'er-do-well-ers on
the game Planetside 2. They ban the players, and then
periodically publicly shame them via social media sites such
as Twitter. That's where Smedley has been posting these
biting gems.
In truth, the players of the game itself have been complaining
at length about the amount of cheaters in the game. SOE is
only, in essence, responding to what the majority of their
gaming audience wants - retribution.
“I want to make some very clear statements about hacking in
PlanetSide 2. We are aggressively banning people,” Smedley
said. “We play the game — we see the people using aim bots.
We are banning them. We see people attempting other stuff.
We are banning them. As they develop hacks, we will break
the hacks. We have time and great people. Trust that this is
a top priority. Hackers will not win.”
There was some negative response to the naming-of-names
by John - he has this to say about that: “People are asking
why I publicly named Haruhi. Ordinarily our policy is not
to do that. Since he’s pushing the Aimbot site I thought
an exception has to be made for the guy pimping the tools
hackers are using. It’s not to shame him. It’s to make an
example and say ‘the stuff this guy is selling or giving you
will get you banned… just like him.”
Wow. What a warning. These are some pretty strong words
from the president of such a big company. It seems there
is a trend growing with large online games to outright ban
people from playing - earlier this week we saw Riot Games
ban a pro player from League of Legends, and now this.
Better question - is this hot, or not?
Researchers develop contact
lenses that can display text
messages
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/researchers-develop-contact-lenses-
that-can-display-text-messages/18267.html
December 8th, 2012
Researchers at the Centre of Microsystems Technology
in Gent University have developed contact lenses that
can display text messages, marking the latest advance in
augmented reality technology.
Researchers at the Centre of Microsystems Technology
in Gent University have developed contact lenses that
can display text messages, marking the latest advance in
augmented reality technology.
The scientists came up with a curved LCD display that can
be made into contact lenses and can project images over a
wireless connection.
“This is not science fiction,” said Jelle De Smet, chief
researcher for the project. “This will never replace the
cinema screen for films. But for specific applications it may
be interesting to show images such as road directions or
projecting text messages from our smart phones straight to
our eye.”

10
The potential applications are not limited to a mini
experience of what we have on our smartphones, however,
as the researchers are exploring the idea of one pixel, fully
covered contact lenses that can act as a pair of adaptable
sunglasses, adjusting to match the sun.
They could also be used to treat damage to the eye, by helping
control the light transmitted to the retina, or they could
be used to adjust people's eye colour instead of switching
contact lenses.
Displays made into contact lenses are not a new thing, but
they usually have severe limitations in place, such as only
being able to display a few pixels of information on part
of the lens. This latest development utilises the whole lens
surface.
Image Credit: Gent University

1
geeks.
White Hacker Faces Jail
Time For Exposing AT&T's
Incompetence
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/white-hacker-faces-jail-time-for-
exposing-at-t-s-incompetence/18292.html
December 9th, 2012
A jury could find Andrew Aurenheimer guilty of identity
theft and conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to
computers - he faces up to 10 years in prison for exposing
AT&T's own mistake.
Many on-line security experts known colloquially as ‘white
hatters’ or ‘white hat’ hackers are eyeing a certain legal case
regarding an Andrew Auernheimer. Auernheimer is accused
of hacking into an AT&T website. They say if he is convicted
of his accusations, the case could very well jeopardize the
very way in which we use the Internet and set a precedent in
regards to how someone is prosecuted for using the Internet.
White hat hackers look for flaws in websites and servers and
then give that information back to the company or website
security firm to help with making needed changes. Their
purpose is quite clear and they are to prevent bad hackers,
or ‘black hat’ hackers from exploiting vulnerable websites.
According to an Andrew Auernheimer’s defense, in June
2010 AT&T ‘published’ the names of numerous iPad 3G
users E-mail on their public webserver. According to
Auernheimer, AT&T had no password set up for the data,
no firewall or any type of authorization in place to prevent
anyone from the public accessing this data. Auernheimer
took the data and gave it to a journalist to publish because
he felt the company was putting a lot of users data at risk.
However, instead of getting a lot of positive feedback,
AT&T pressed charges on him and accused him of stealing
company data. Auernheimer is now looking at 10 years in
prison for ‘hacking’.
The crimes he is being accused of are found in the “Computer
Fraud and Abuse Act, or CFAA”. He is being tried as a
criminal for posting information that was publicly available,
but prosecutors say he should have given the data to AT&T
or the FBI instead of a journalist.
The charges against Mr. Auernheimer are USC 1030,
“Conspiracy to access a computer device without
authorization”. However, the charges against him are also
said to be in violation of a New Jersey state statute that uses
the term ‘discloses’, which means that that act of giving the
information to another individual, including a journalist, is
a criminal act. Furthermore, he is also being charged under
USC 1028 which is identity theft and simply because he
possessed the names that AT&T had listed on the webserver.
Many experts are in agreement that Auernheimer’s case is
unique and it makes a white hatter more reluctant to show
any of the information they have found on-line. In an
article from the Huffington Post regarding Auernheimer’s
case, a Jeremiah Grossman, founder of White Hat Security
was quoted in an interview as saying, “ If other researchers
find flaws but are scared about disclosing them, that's going
to give them pause. And that makes it easier for the bad guys
to put people at risk."
Another individual by the name of Dave Aitel of the security
firm Immunity stated that his conviction could mean that it
may trickle down to other parts of the industry or a flood of
new cases involving matters such as this “If they manage to
make it stick,” said Aitel. “The collateral damage is all of us.”
Final Fantasy IV headed for
iOS December 20th
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/final-fantasy-iv-headed-for-ios-
december-20th/18291.html
December 9th, 2012
Final Fantasy fans can rejoice - Square Enix has hinted that
the game will be available on December 20th on the iOS. Just
in time for Christmas!
Phone-based gamers and Final Fantasy fans will be happy to
know that Final Fantasy IV will be released for iOS within the
month – December 20th, to be exact. Though there wasn't
an official release announcement from Square Enix, both the
publisher and iTunes have advertised for the game on their
respective websites.
Now, the game is technically a remake of the original – it
will have additional content in the form of mini-games, bug
fixes, and other improvements. The game will even have 3D
graphics and a new translation. Not bad for a iOS release,
considering the version for the Nintendo DS was released all
the way back in 2008.

2
There's a bit of sad news when it comes to Android owners,
as the game will not have the same release date for them.
They'll be getting the short end of the stick, as the release
date is lost somewhere in 2013. Not a great Christmas for
Android owners.
The price may be a little off-putting – once the initial launch
price has ended, it's estimated to go up to a little over $17.
That's quite a bit to be set back for an iOS game, especially
not an original game. Perhaps Square Enix thinks it'll really
draw in the crowds. Or the niche group. In any case, the
fellow over there are trying to weigh things out by cutting
prices of other final Fantasy titles. If you head over to the
App Store, you can see that FF1 and FF2 are both only $4
instead of their normal $9. A bit of relief on the wallet, but
doesn't quite make up for the loss on the new release.
Check out the App Store on December 20th if you're
interested - you can get that gamer in your life a nostalgic
gift they'll enjoy... and if that gamer just happens to be you,
so be it!
Bioshock Infinite is delayed
one last time (?)
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/bioshock-infinite-is-delayed-one-
last-time--/18289.html
December 9th, 2012
Seems that gamers are looking at a delayed Bioshock Infinite
release... again. The game has been delayed several times,
originally looking at a October 2012 release, and now moving
into March 2013. Some are agitated by the delay, but many
more are expressing their relief that the game should be
finely tuned by the time the makers, Irrational, finally do
release it.
Gamers around the world flinched slightly at the news that
Irrational Games is delaying Bioshock Infinite... again. This
is not the first time the game has been delayed, but will it be
the last? That depends on the reasoning behind the delay,
many suppose, and according to Ken Levine, the creative
director for the game, the snag was less of a snag and more
of a pause for refinement.
“It’s primarily polish and bug fixing,” Ken Levine
said. “You know, 'let’s make that narrative scene
that much better. Let’s do another pass on the timing
of that scene. Let’s do another balance pass.’ It’s a
game we could have shipped in February. It just
wouldn’t be the game that we think the fans deserve.
And that doesn’t mean it was far off from that, but
they deserve what they deserve. And when we ask
people to pony up a lot of money for this game,
we have to feel confident that we’re giving them
something that they deserve.”
Ken expected to take “slings and arrows” for the delay,
but overall the response was rather mature – many are
applauding the game studio for taking the time to make
sure that the game is quality, rather than focus on the speed
of release. While there are undoubtedly those complaining
(there always are), the majority of the audience seems to be
fine sitting by and waiting. As long as the final product is
good, of course.
From what we've been hearing from those who have
previewed the game, the wait will be worth it.
Contrary to what you may think, this game is not a prequel
or sequel to any other Bioshock game. The short-and-sweet
premise of the game... (if you enjoy going into a game
completely blind you may consider some of this paragraph to
be spoilers, so shield you eyes) – you play a character named
Booker DeWitt in 1912, sent to the floating city of Columbia
to find a woman named Elizabeth. Yes, we can all imagine
that Elizabeth must be the woman-in-the-dress-with-the-
chest. Don't tell Ken Levine, boss at Irrational Games, you've
been looking... he doesn't appreciate that.

3
The project was originally due in October of this year. Not
much later, the date was pushed to February of 2013. While
the March 2013 release date isn't much of a push, any push
at all usually makes gamers bite at their finger nails... even
wonder if the third time's the charm, and will be the final
delay. Everyone will need to keep their fingers crossed. Very,
very hard.
News Source: IGN
Self-powered Robot Crosses
the Pacific
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/self-powered-robot-crosses-the-
pacific/18290.html
December 9th, 2012
A wandering robot that was powered by the waves of the sea
called a ‘Wave Glider’ recently completed a nine thousand
mile journey, arriving safely in Australia. The robot was one
of four that were set off just over a year ago in San Francisco,
California in an effort to study ocean data.
In November 2011 two pairs of self-propelled robots called
‘Wave Gliders’ were launched in San Francisco, California.
There four robots would have tallied about 38 thousand
miles if they all had completed their perspective journeys,
however, 2 of them were pulled due to problems, and
another is off course about 800 miles from Australia.
The one Wave Glider, "Papa Mau", that successfully reached
Australia did so perfectly, and the robot logged in a lot
of useful data that scientists were able to study. The
company press release dated December 6th stated, “Papa
Mau navigated along a prescribed route under autonomous
control collecting and transmitting unprecedented amounts
of high-resolution ocean data never before available over
these vast distances or timeframes.”
The purpose of the scientific experiments with the robots
is to monitor temperatures of the sea in relation to where
they are. The bots also monitor salinity of the seawater in
different regions, and wave height along with ocean oxygen
levels.
The one wave glider to that successfully reached its Australia
destination on December 8th proved that autonomous, self-
powered data gathering robots could be made inexpensively
and left to explore the oceans on their own. While standard
trade routes have been in existence for centuries, there
hasn’t been any real ocean data gathering to speak of until
recently. This new technology will help scientists better
understand what is happening to the climate and just how
much climate change may be affecting oxygen levels and
temperatures in the oceans.
The four robots were built by the Liquid Robotics Company,
which was founded in 2007. The company operates as
an ocean data service provider. The Wave Glider bots
were the first fully operational wave-powered, autonomous
marine robots. According to their website, Liquid Robotics
wants to use this new technology to study ocean data on a
continual basis and according to their About page create a
“game-changing scientific discoveries to help us address the
biggest challenges our world faces, including global climate
change, national security, hurricane & tsunami warning, and
offshore energy & resource management.”
Steam PC gaming rolling into
your living room by 2013
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steam-pc-gaming-rolling-into-your-
living-room-by-2013/18286.html
December 9th, 2012
When it comes to gaming, specifically PC gaming, there is no
bigger name than Valve and its online game store--Steam.
Following the company's negative comments regarding
Windows 8 there has been all kinds of rumors floating
around that we could see anything from controllers to
consoles in 2013.
Over the past year there have been all kinds of rumors
making their way through the tech blogosphere about the
future of Valve and Steam, its online game store. These
rumors have included everything from Steam specific game
controllers to Valve building their own consoles. These
rumors have been helped along with comments from Gabe
Newell about how Windows 8 will be a failure for game
developers and gamers as well as the fact that Steam has
added support for Mac OS X and is working on support for
Linux.
Add to that the announcement this past week of the
company's "Big Picture" initiative, which is designed to
be used with your big screen television and gamepads.
According to a recent interview with gaming blog Kotaku
Newell has said the response to the "Big Picture" mode has
been a lot stronger than expected.
It is things like this that some believe could help push Valve,
and possibly other companies as well, to release living room
PCs that are designed to be more like consoles. In regard to
this Newell had this to say:
I think in general that most customers and most
developers are gonna find that [the PC is] a better
environment for them. Cause they won't have to

4
split the world into thinking about 'why are my
friends in the living room, why are my video sources
in the living room different from everyone else?'
So in a sense we hopefully are gonna unify those
environments.
When it comes to a Steam branded "Big Picture PC" he said
that it would have to be a "very controlled environment" -
you know .. like a game console.
Facebook growth potential
in Middle East and Africa
[Infographic]
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/facebook-growth-potential-in-
middle-east-and-africa-infographic-/18285.html
December 9th, 2012
Facebook is the biggest social network in the world and even
though it is hard to believe that it could get any bigger the
fact is that in places like the Middle East and Africa it is only
getting started.
That is a mind numbingly large number and even more mind
boggling that this is the number that Facebook likes to claim
it has as members in its social network. The thing about
that number is that it really only reflects U.S. and Europe
which means that there is still plenty of growth ahead for the
company as it turns its attention to places like the Middle
East and North Africa.
To give you an idea of the potential for the company social
media analytics company SocialBakers has put together
an infographic showing how Facebook has grown in these
regions and how there is still plenty of opportunity ahead for
the social network.
Capcom announces Street
Fighter X Mega Man
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/capcom-announces-street-fighter-x-
mega-man/18284.html
December 9th, 2012
Capcom celebrates Mega Man's 25th birthday on Dec. 17,
2012 with a free PC download that infuses the Street Fighter
franchise into the retro 2-D sidescroller.
In celebration of Mega Man's 25th anniversary, Capcom
has planned a hilarious and fantastic cross-over that pits
the characters of Street Fighter right into the signature 2-D
sidescrolling action of every Mega Man game.
The newly released announcement trailer from Capcom
Unity's YouTube channel shows off actual in-game footage of
Street Fighter X Mega Man, featuring old-school retro
NES bit-styled awesomeness that every fan of the series who
grew up playing the infamously hard games will love.
Rather than being an all-out fighting game, Street Fighter X
Mega Man introduces fan favorites from the franchise into
the 2-D world of Mega Man as end-level bosses, and will
feature the same layout and style as the early Mega Man
games.
The upcoming release will be available for FREE on Dec.
17, 2012 for PC. For more information please visit Capcom
Unity's official website.
Spike TV's VGA 10 awards
show aftermath
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/spike-tv-s-vga-10-awards-show-
aftermath/18282.html

5
December 9th, 2012
Did you miss Spike's VGA 10th anniversary awards show?
Jump in to see which of your gaming favorites won, as well
as a look at the world premieres.
Spike TV's annual Video Game Awards have recognized the
year's most acclaimed and enjoyable games, and this year's
10th anniversary special hosted by Samuel L. Jackson was
no different.
Many of the winners of VGA 10 were surprising, but the
VGA's have always given the power to the people, tallying
up their votes to announce the winners of each respective
category during the gala event.
Millions of people--including gamers and geeks
everywhere--tuned in last night for Spike TV's distinct brand
of award show awesomeness, but if you were one of the
unlucky ones who weren't able to catch the show, you can
find a few of the winners for the major categories below:
2012 Game of the Year:The Walking Dead (Telltale Games)
Best Xbox 360 Game: Halo 4 (Microsoft Studios343
Industries)
Best PS3 Game:Journey (Sony Computer Entertainment
America/ ThatGameCompany)
Best Wii/Wii U Game:New Super Mario Bros. U (Nintendo)
Best PC Game:XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2K Games/Firaxis
Games)
Best Indie Game: Journey
Best Shooter: Borderlands 2 (2K Games, Gearbox Software)
Best Action/Adventure Game:Dishonored (Bethesda
Softworks, Arkane Studios)
Best RPG:Mass Effect 3 (EA, BioWare)
Best Fighting Game:Persona 4 Arena (Atlus, Arc System
Works)
Best Graphics: Halo 4
For the full list of winners and nominees included in Spike's
VGA 10, please visit the official website.
Spike's VGA's also give gamers and viewers a first-hand look
at upcoming titles that are in the works, allowing them to
see a sneak-peek at what's to come next year in the world of
gaming.
VGA 10's world premieres included a brand new trailer for
Gears of War: Judgment, a new Bioshock: Infiniteteaser
trailer, an additional teaser trailer for The Last of Us and
finally a trailer for Castlevania: The Lords of Shadow 2.
ImageFORMULA DR-P208
mixes portability with
productivity
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/imageformula-dr-p208-mixes-
portability-with-productivity/18281.html
December 9th, 2012
The ImageFORMULA DR-P208 is one of the latest models
in Canon's imageFORMULA product line of scanning
peripherals. This particular model proves yet again to
its users the productive potentials of highly portable and
lightweight scanners.
The basic working principle of scanners haven't really
changed for the past few years, and the design and
application of its functions are always just modified to
gradually improve overall convenience. That is why the
ImageFORMULA DR-P208 may not seem that outstanding
or amazing in any way. However, it may still have a few good
points that you may find interesting for a modern portable
scanner.
Let's first talk about it most important plus point: the size.
The dimensions of the unit are set at 312 x 55.5 x 40 mm, and
it weighs about 600 grams. The general form factor of the
unit is comparably similar to other portable scanners such
as Fujistsu's ScanSnap S1100, albeit a bit heavier and stouter
in one or two sides.

6
Like the other Canon scanners that preceded it, the
ImageFORMULA DR-P208 uses Canon's proprietary
Capture OnTouch software option for Windows and Mac
OS. For mobile devices using the iOS and Android
operating systems, the application CaptureOnTouch Mobile
may be appropriately used to provide the same software
functionality. There are several regular scanning modes in
this unit, which includes: black/white scanning, colored
scanning, blank line skip, word recognition, end-point
emphasis and moire deletion, among others.
The largest paper size that this unit can scan is A4. It
uses a CIS sensor, the scanning resolution can be set at a
maximum of 600dpi, and the average scanning speed (when
set at 200dpi) is around 8ppm/16ipm. It supports ADF
functionality, and can handle up to 10 sheets of paper at
a time. Connectivity is provided by a USB 2.0 port, but it
can also be accessed wirelessly through a standard Wi-Fi
network.
Of course, these portable scanners are ultimately designed
for short and quick uses. They are not to be placed in line
with heavy duty scanners. So while the ImageFORMULA
DR-P208 may not perform at the same level as those gigantic
and bulky office scanners, we can see that in terms of raw
specs, its capabilities are more than sufficient enough for
casual users.
The ImageFORMULA DR-P208 is slated to be released
around December 2012. As for its price, there are no official
announcements yet, though it would probably cost around
10,000 yen (123 USD).
Source: PCWatch (JP)
Apple and Google join up to
buy Kodak patents
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-and-google-join-up-to-buy-
kodak-patents/18273.html
December 9th, 2012
Google and Apple are looking to legally obtain Kodak’s
imaging patents (IP). In a recent Bloomberg news report, it
states that Apple and Google are actually working together
to purchase the IP from Kodak in the amount of 500 million
U.S. dollars.
Two individuals acquainted with the deal stated that Apple
and Google were joining forces to offer more than 500
million U.S. dollars for the Eastman Kodak Company
imaging patents. It further stated that while the two
companies may be rivals, a partnership in a patent
liquidation is good because it rids the companies of any
future disputes over patent rights. In all the report states
the two companies are looking to buy 1,100 imaging patents
from Kodak.
Kodak, which was once the pioneer in camera’s and film
never caught up with the digital revolution that began in
the 1990s. Soon sales of film and cameras began to hurt
the company even though it was the Kodak company that
invented the core technology used in digital cameras today.
Kodak attempted to make a comeback marketing their
EasyShare cameras and printing devices, but it just never
worked out for the company. Kodak filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy in January 2012 with a debt of 6.75 billion U.S.
dollars and 5.1 billion in assets.
In August of this year the company announced that they
would be selling off their film and kiosks but motion pictures
made by Kodak would remain Kodak's.
Konami releases new
gameplay boss battle
footage of Metal Gear Rising:
Revengeance
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/konami-releases-new-gameplay-
boss-battle-footage-of-metal-gear-rising-revengeance/18283.html
December 9th, 2012
Konami's newest footage for the highly anticipated release
of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance shows gamers a
nice bit of video that displays an action-infused boss battle

7
between Raiden, the game's protagonist, and a RAY, a
formidable and villainous Metal Gear mech.
The footage shows off the game's combat, which is flawless
and invigorating, making for an impressive and fluid
gameplay experience from start to finish. It also shows off
the game's Blade Mode in action which accounts for much of
the awesomeness of the game's combat.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance takes place in 2018, four
years after the events of MGS4: Guns of the Patriots, and
follows the cybernetically-enhanced Raiden as he carries out
missions for the PMC (Private Military Company) known as
Maverick Enterprises.
A rival PMC, Desperado Enterprises, seeks to destroy
Maverick, and Raiden is sent in to ensure that Desperado is
shut down.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is slated for release on Feb.
19, 2013 in North America for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
For more information please visit the game's official website.
Hitachi Maxell announces
new tube shaped speakers
modeled on wind instruments
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hitachi-maxell-announces-new-tube-
shaped-speakers-modeled-on-wind-instruments/18271.html
December 9th, 2012
Need powerful speakers but live in a small space? Hitachi
has a solution for compact home dwellers. These newest
speakers from Hitachi Maxell incorporate Magic Speaker
and Dynamic BassReflex Horns in order to get a rich three
dimensional sound while measuring only 81mm tall. No
price has been announced for them but they are expected to
cost around 10,000 Yen ($121).
The speakers come in both a wireless Bluetooth connected
model (MXSP-BT1300), and one which connects via the
same 22 pin USB 2.0-compatible WM-port as a Walkman.
Alternatively, they can both be connected with a 3.5mm jack.
The output of the new Maxells measures 4.2W x 2, and they
come with an 80Hz ~ 20kHz frequency response. They are
light but not tiny; weighing in at 900 grams, measuring
113cm in length, and come with a remote control.
Maxell is really hoping to attract customers to the unique
design, which will make them fit nicely and elegantly in
your home. The company's description of Magic Speaker
includes a surround sound-like effect, where it should feel
like you have additional speakers to the left and the right
of the MXSP. Thus, giving you a more three dimensional
listening experience.
The Bass Reflex, the bouncing of sound off the back of the
speaker housing in order to increase the efficiency of the
system, will supposedly boost bass without the need to make
the unit larger.
It will definitely come down to personal taste on whether or
not these tube-shaped speakers are right for you but they are
a nice addition to the market's current offerings.
Best Buy fined 27 million for
stealing trade secrets
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/best-buy-fined-27-million-for-
stealing-trade-secrets/18272.html
December 9th, 2012
Best Buy was just slammed with a 27 million dollar
settlement that must be paid to TechForward. Of that 27
million the courts say the electronics company must pay 22
million for the trade secret damages and another 5 million
for punitive damages.
TechForward, which filed the suit in the United States
District Court for the Central District of California in 2011,
alleged that Best Buy misappropriated their trade secrets
in relation to their ‘Guaranteed Buyback Program’. The
program allowed for customers to exchange an electronics
product for credit in the store on another item. Best
Buy used TechForward’s idea with the buyback program
by working with the company and then cancelled their
agreement and began using the company’s own, nearly
identical, customer purchase credit program.
In a statement to the press, Jade Van Doren who co-founded
TechForward stated, “We are extremely pleased that the
jury recognized Best Buy’s misconduct, and we hope this
verdict puts large companies on notice that there are real
consequences to illegally exploiting start-up businesses like
ours.”
Techforward is a smaller California based company that
focuses on buyback programs for other stores. Their website
states that the company’s purpose is to give customers the
opportunity to upgrade their computers or electronics more
easily. The trademarked “Guaranteed Buyback” product
allows customers to return electronic items which are then
recycled or resold, and Techforward claims that it was the
first to market the idea back in 2006.

1
geeks.
Hackers upload 1.6 million
NASA, FBI and other
accounts
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hackers-upload-1.6-million-nasa-fbi-
and-other-accounts/18327.html
December 11th, 2012
A hacktivist group calling itself Team GhostShell has posted
online the log-in details of 1.6 million accounts belonging
to major government agencies like NASA, the FBI, the
European Space Agency, and numerous others.
A hacktivist group calling itself Team GhostShell has posted
online the log-in details of 1.6 million accounts belonging
to major government agencies like NASA, the FBI, the
European Space Agency, and numerous others.
The sensitive details include usernames, passwords, email
addresses, and even CVs and other data that was uploaded
to the various agencies' databases. They have now been
uploaded to several different websites to ensure they are
widely circulated.
37 organisations and companies were hit in the attack,
covering "fields such as aerospace, nanotechnology,
banking, law, education, government, military, all kinds
of wacky companies & corporations working for the
department of defense, airlines and more," according to a
press release by the group posted on Pastebin. 150 servers
were hacked, using SQL injection to force databases to
hand over data, and exposing the databases as lacking the
necessary protection one would expect for such agencies,
including encryption of log-in details.
The group said the attack is part of Project White Fox, a
campaign it is waging to promote free speech online, but
added that it had informed security personnel about the
insecure servers that were utilised in the hack. This will be
a major wakeup call to officials, given that the information
could also have been acquired by various espionage agencies
throughout the world.
Team GhostShell, which is an offshoot of hackers operating
under the Anonymous banner, said this is its "last project,"
though it suggested that this might only be the final foray for
this year. It has certainly gone out with a bang, and it has
encouraged others to follow suit, which means we will likely
see similar attacks in 2013.
Getac upgrades convertible
rugged tablets
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/getac-upgrades-convertible-rugged-
tablets/18325.html
December 11th, 2012
Getac has released updated versions of its V100 and V200
rugged convertible tablets, allowing a hybrid tablet and
laptop experience in the most extreme environments.
Getac has released updated versions of its V100 and V200
rugged convertible tablets, allowing a hybrid tablet and
laptop experience in the most extreme environments.
The fourth generation V-series feature a 2.6GHz Intel Core
i5-3320M or 2.9GHz Core i7-3520M processor with vPro
technology, helping boost speeds by 251 percent and 177

2
percent respectively over the previous models. Graphics
responsiveness is also up by more than four times, thanks to
the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4,000.
The real selling point of these devices, however, is their
rugged design, which can withstand a bit more of a beating
than an iPad. Both models are fully MIL-STD 810G and
IP65 certified, which means they can resist electric shocks,
vibration, and high drops, and they can even operate at
extreme temperatures (a freezing -20 degrees Celsius to a
searing 60 degrees Celsius).
Since you might be wandering the desert with one of these,
the latest models now come with QuadraClear, which makes
the screens readable in direct sunlight. The touchscreen has
also been adapted so that it will be usable by people wearing
thick industrial gloves. Both models can also be configured
to feature LTE mobile connections.
“Now in its fourth generation, our V-series is a proven
workhorse in flight-line maintenance, field service, and the
utility and oil & gas sectors,” said Jim Rimay, president
of Getac. “Updating our convertible tablets is part of our
initiative to incorporate the latest technologies across the
full line of rugged and semi-rugged notebook computers.”
To prove the point of just how durable these hybrid devices
are, Getac is also offering a five-year warranty.
Mobile banking usage
increases by 50 percent in
US since 2011
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mobile-banking-usage-increases-
by-50-percent-in-us-since-2011/18324.html
December 11th, 2012
Mobile banking has boomed over the last year, with usage
growing by a whopping 50 percent in the US since 2011,
according to a report by business consulting firm Bain &
Company.
Mobile banking has boomed over the last year, with usage
growing by a whopping 50 percent in the US since 2011,
according to a report by business consulting firm Bain &
Company.
150,000 bank account holders were surveyed in 14 markets
throughout the world, revealing the growing importance of
banking on mobile devices.
Asia is taking the lead in terms of market penetration, with
South Korea topping the polls with 47 percent of survey
respondents stating that they have used mobile banking in
the previous three months.
While less people in the US log into their bank accounts
from their smartphone, those that do so log in more often
than anyone else in the world, with the survey revealing an
average of 4.9 mobile transactions in the previous quarter.
The report also found that banking loyalty increased with
mobile users in the US compared to other banking models,
with larger banks like Citi and JPMorgan Chase gaining the
most in loyalty scores. Customers in Asia and developing
markets tend to be more loyal to their bank, while wealthier
customers in the US and Europe have a substantially lower
loyalty rating.
When asked about future smartphone and tablet
interactions that would be most valuable to customers, 64
percent of respondents said that the ability to check their
account balances is important. 41 percent want remote
deposit capture, while 26 percent would like to be able to pay
their bills from their mobile device.
“Mobile banking presents profit-strapped banks with an
opportunity to shift routine transactions from high-cost
physical channels to much lower-cost digital channels,” said
Gerard du Toit, financial services partner at Bain and lead

3
author of the report. “It also presents opportunities for
banks to create more 'wow' experiences that use new digital
technologies to delight customers and deepen customer
loyalty.”
Image Credit: Bank of America
"The Phantom Pain" premiers
at VGAs
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-the-phantom-pain-premiers-at-
vgas/18319.html
December 11th, 2012
A mysterious new game called "The Phantom Pain" is
headed our way. The VGA awards saw the release of the first
teaser trailer for it... but is there more than meets the eye
here?
The Phantom Pain seemingly came from nowhere. During
the VGA awards last week, we were unexpectedly treated
to an amazing, disturbing and very mysterious trailer for
this new game. It shows a man who has been in a coma for
some time, and wakes up in a hospital with a missing arm,
bandaged face and no idea of where he is or what happened.
Soldiers suddenly arrive and begin exterminating everyone
in the hospital, sending the man on a terrifying escape, made
even more difficult by his atrophied muscles which keep
him from properly moving. Towards the end of the trailer,
there's hints at supernatural involvement as we're treated to
a burning man, a flying entity and a giant burning whale...
though I suspect the last one is an hallucination. All in all,
it's an absolutely beautiful and quite disturbing trailer:
However, a lot of people have begun suspecting that there's
more to this trailer than meets the eye. The first time I saw it,
I felt something was amiss too. There's quite a lot of evidence
actually, but the first thing which caught my attention was
the protagonist. He looks very much like another gaming
character, and the conclusion more and more people are
reaching is that The Phantom Pain is really Metal Gear Solid
V. Here's a comparison of Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes'
Snake with the protagonist from the new trailer:
The man from the trailer (left) and Big Boss/Snake (right)
The bandages may very well be from the time Big Boss lost
his eye. There's more evidence though. The title of the game,
"The Phantom Pain", obviously refers to the imaginary pain
one can feel in limbs which have been amputated, but it may
also be a reference to "From FOX two phantoms were born",
which was written on a teaser image for Ground Zeroes.
There's another hint in the trailer: The game engine for
The Phantom Pain is stunning, and it looks very much like
the Fox game engine used in Metal Gear Solid: Ground
Zeroes. The Fox Engine is proprietary to Kojima Productions
though, and should not be showing up in other games.
Obviously, we can't confirm that it's the same engine, but the
kind of fidelity it's presenting would be very challenging for
an hitherto unknown studio to produce.
On that note, let's talk about the mysterious developer: The
Phantom Pain is being developed by Moby Dick Studios,
which seems to have appeared out of thin air with no
social media presence and a one week old website. The
development studio is based in Stockholm, Sweden and it's
CEO Joakim Mogren is virtually unknown in the gaming
world (and as a Stockholm resident, I can attest that I've
never heard of the studio or Mogren either). Curiously
though, Joakim is an anagram for Kojima.
Finally, there's the logo, which has gaps in the lettering, as
if blacked out lettering was covering parts of the logo. Some
clever people have been fitting in the words Metal Gear Solid
V into the gaps, and it fits pretty nicely.
Chump to champ; 2012
Nissan GT Academy winner
to race in Dubai 24 Hour
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chump-to-champ-2012-nissan-gt-
academy-winner-to-race-in-dubai-24-hour/18317.html
December 11th, 2012
29-year-old Steve Doherty was the 2012 North American
winner of the Nissan GT Academy. Doherty was formerly an
unemployed mechanic hailing from the U.S. Illinois town of
Plainfield.
This win will allow Doherty to race in the upcoming United
Arab Emirate, Dubai 24 Hour race that will take place on
January 10, 2013. Doherty successfully beat out thousands
of other race hopefuls, which included 15 of North America’s
fastest virtual Gran Turismo racers finalists.
SPIKE TV broadcasted all of the challenges each contestant
had to endure during the event, and the racers were all
judged by pro racing greats such as Danny Sullivan, Maryeve
Dufault and Boris Said.
The win gives Doherty the privilege to continue racing and
further undergo intense professional training in England.

4
He will then be given his professional, international racing
license.
Doherty actually made it to the finals in 2011, but he missed
the final 16 challenges by just a miniscule six-tenths of a
second. Doherty did not give up and made a point to come
back and give it all he could. "After being so close, I knew
I could never let a chance like that slip through my fingers
again. That's where my history in sports helped me,” said
Doherty. “The only person who can motivate you is yourself.
I knew I would never get another chance like this, so I
tried to make the best of every day. All of the hard work and
commitment has paid off in the biggest way possible, but
there's much more work ahead."
Doherty said he wants to ultimately find himself competing
in the Daytona 24 Hour race, but for now the Dubai 24 Hour
will be his main priority. Doherty and 3 other GT Academy
winners will race with a Nissan 370Z.
Online democracy a fail;
Facebook ends the user vote
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/online-democracy-a-fail-facebook-
ends-the-user-vote/18315.html
December 11th, 2012
Facebook's final user vote has come to a close at long
last, putting an end to the social network's extremely
unsuccessful attempt at an online form of democracy.
In 2009, Facebook announced that any change in site policy
receiving 7,000 or more comments would be pushed to a
vote for users of the site to engage in. Three votes have
since taken place, all of them ending with disastrously
disappointing results. It turns out that the average user
apparently had no idea that such a vote was going on. On this
third and final occasion, an extremely meager 0.067 percent
of the site's population participated. That makes 668,872
votes out of one billion users.
Facebook will now be adopting an altered policy, effectively
putting an end to the life of a sad and miserable government.
In fact, the policy change was voted against by 88% of
voting users. However, the votes only count as long as they
represent 30% of Facebook's population – a little figure
which here means no less than 330,000,000 people. As
stated, this did not occur. Thus, Facebook is now free to
make decisions without consulting the votes of its users.
Does Facebook in any way resemble a Roman forum...?
This news may come as a surprise to some who are
familiar with the tendency of Internet dwellers to criticize
their surroundings. Facebook has become an especially
famous environment for this ironic mentality, in which users
complain about the changes of the social platform they
refuse to dump.
However, while some users may love to rant about new site
features and changes to policies, that doesn't mean that they
are willing to go through the arduous process of reading
lengthy documents before casting decisions. As one reader
of arstechnica points out,
“The only way they'd get a 30% turnout is if they made the
ballot 2 simple sentences and put it at the top of your feed
until you voted.”
It is clear that for a successful attempt at an online form
of democracy, simpler methods than those of conventional
governments must be employed. This strikes a difficult
balance between a quick and easy method of voting, and
adequately informing users about their choices.
Whatever the case, one thing is for sure; if anyone is to
pioneer successful digital democracy, it will not be Facebook.
So, if Facebook decides it wants to stick an unwieldy banner
on the top of your flawless user page – tough.
Hacker claims he will release
a working untethered iOS 6
jailbreak on December 22
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hacker-claims-he-will-release-a-
working-untethered-ios-6-jailbreak-on-december-22/18313.html
December 11th, 2012
The iPhone 5 came out with iOS 6 and then the rest of
the iFamily followed suit thereafter. Now that the iPhone
community has the latest operating system it is only a matter
of time before there's a 'permanent' jailbreak. So who's the
first to claim that they have found a true untethered jailbreak

5
for iOS 6? A hacker going by DreamJailbreak claims to have
done so, and will release his work to the public soon.
We ran a story back in September about pod2g not being
involved in the development of a jailbreak for iOS 6, and
since then nothing too major has been going on surrounding
the untethered iOS 6 jailbreaking scene--until now. An
unnamed hacker using the twitter handle "DreamJailbreak"
announced recently that he has a working untethered iOS 6
jailbreak, and will release it on the 22nd of December.
Dream has set up a twitter account to accommodate all of the
emails he is getting, and plans to use social media to keep
people informed until the actual release date of the supposed
untethered jailbreak. As per the various 'popular' questions
that people may have regarding the legitimacy his jailbreak,
he has a FAQ section on his website that will answer those
inquiries.
People who doubt that DreamJailbreak actually
accomplished what many others haven't will see proof of his
work of art "some time mid next week," according to the
FAQ. All else aside, he claims that the jailbreaking process
is safe, and that users will have the option of restoring the
factory iOS 6 via iTunes in case anything goes wrong.
Proof will be posted both here and on my Twitter
account on Wednesday. As far as the video that
will be uploaded, it will be a single-take shot of
the entire jailbreak process, including a restart and
usage of the device to prove it is untethered. It will
be uploaded as raw video straight from my camera
to YouTube. So no edits in any form. Thank you all
for your patience and support.
Hackers demand ransom
money after encrypting
Australian medical facility's
patient records
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hackers-demand-ransom-money-
after-encrypting-australian-medical-facility-s-patient-records/18314.html
December 11th, 2012
The Miami Family Medical Centre in Australia is facing
a scary prospect – it may lose the medical records of its
patients forever, thanks to a group of hackers who broke into
the digital records and encrypted them. It is a melancholy
case of “so near and yet so far”, as the records still exist
as data accessible to the facility. Only, not in a form that
anybody can read.
In exchange for the key which will unencrypt the medical
center's data, the hackers are demanding a ransom of 4,000
Australian dollars, which is equivalent to about $4,196.
Simply put, unless the center gives into the demands, or
figures out how to crack the code on their own, they may lose
the data forever.
David Wood, co-owner of the medical facility insists that the
data was under good security. “We’ve got all the antivirus
stuff in place,” Wood told ABC News. “There’s no sign of a
virus. They literally got in, hijacked the server and then ran
their encryption software.”
Without the medical records, it will be, in Wood's own
words, a “very, very, very difficult” task of running the
facility.
The choice seems a very simple one - $4,200 to get back the
documents back, so that operations may resume as normal.
After all, the well-being of people is involved. It can even be
argued that it isn't an exceptionally expensive demand – but,
in an interview with ABC News, former investigator with the
Australian High-Tech Crime Centre Nigel Phair explained
that extortionists often follow up one ransom demand with
another, and never actually hold up their end of the deal.
A digital barrier stands guard between sensitive data and
hackers - what happens when they break it?
This incident illustrates the dangers of an era where even
vital records have widely gone digital. Any programmer or IT
expert worth his salt will be quick to admit that computers
cannot and do not think. They only ever do exactly what
they are told. Without – and sometimes even with - secure
measures in place to eliminate the possibility that computers

6
will take instructions from the wrong person, they will do
precisely that.
But as bleak as the possibilities for digital data may be, there
are pros and cons to every method of data recording. In
the past, physical media was certainly not impervious to
destruction – while attempts to hold such records ransom
was certainly much more unlikely, physical mediums are
subject to decay, fire, theft – and perhaps more commonly -
human error and forgetfulness.
While the incident will lead some to question the
modern methods of storing information, perhaps the most
immediate thing it does is to teach a lesson that Woods had
to learn the hard way. In his own words, “Check your IT
security and don’t leave backups connected to servers.”
Google offering $99
Chromebooks to teachers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-offering-99-chromebooks-to-
teachers/18308.html
December 11th, 2012
While tech companies in the United States throw up
advertisements galore, thrashing desperately for grabs at
the wallets of holiday consumers, Google has quietly found
a more generous way to celebrate Christmas, the annual
season of giving.
Google's Rajen Sheth revealed in a blog post that Google
will be offering Chromebooks to teachers at $99 apiece, a
fraction of the regular price tag, starting at $430. While
the hardware in question might not impress such PC power
users as gamers and artists, it is certainly an incredibly useful
tool for education. This is evidenced by the fact that for
years – and in some cases, even now – simple PCs running
versions of Windows from the 1990s have been used many
times over as a regular part of children's education, in home
and public schooling alike.
As such, the offer seems like a great way for Google
to provide support for teachers, and simultaneously get
Google notebooks into schools around the states. Obviously,
Windows based computers have always dominated the
personal computer market at large. It certainly isn't an easy
task to compete with such a well-established monster, but at
the chance of purchasing a computer for $99, it's hard for
even the biggest tech giant to compete.
Teachers cannot purchase the $99 notebooks directly from
Google, however. If they wish to purchase one on the
discount, they must place a request through DonorsChoose,
the educational charity website with which Google has
partnered. Using a “crowd-sourced” platform, notebooks
will be sent out as soon as they are funded by various donors.
Those who wish to participate will have to hurry, as the offer
ends on the 21st of December.
Apple updates Maps app in
response to warning from
Australian Police
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-updates-maps-app-in-
response-to-warning-from-australian-police/18304.html
December 11th, 2012
When one thinks of Apple and its products it is usually
coupled with high praise for quality and consumer appeal,
however lately the company has been facing some difficult
times over two of its products: Siri and Maps. Of the two,
Maps has been getting the most attention as evidenced with
the Australian police issuing a warning against using them.
It's not very often that Apple gets a black eye over its
products, but ever since the release of Apple Maps the
company has been facing a lot of criticism and has resulted in
the firing of Richard Williamson, manager of the Maps team,
as well as countless memes about how bad Apple Maps is.
Recently, we heard that the police in Victoria, Australia,
issued a warning that people should not use Apple Maps
after finding several motorists were led to the middle of a
national park with high temperatures and no water.
It turns out that the people were looking for the city of
Mildura, but instead found themselves in the middle of
Murray Sunset National Park which is about 70 kilometers
away from the city.
“Police are extremely concerned as there is no water
supply within the Park and temperatures can reach
as high as 46 degrees, making this a potentially
life threatening issue,” Victoria’s Acting Senior
Sergeant Sharon Darcy noted in the warning.
“Some of the motorists located by police have been
stranded for up to 24 hours without food or water
and have walked long distances through dangerous
terrain to get phone reception.”
Apparently the police service has been in touch with
Apple over the issue and until the problem is resolved
are recommending that people use one of the other map
offerings available for the iPhone.
Update: Apple has pushed out an update that corrects the
problem and has Mildura in its proper place.

7
Google doodle celebrates
Ada Lovelace, 197 year old
computer programmer
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-doodle-celebrates-ada-
lovelace-197-year-old-computer-programmer/18310.html
December 11th, 2012
Today's Google doodle celebrates Ada Lovelace, a woman
who is widely regarded as the first computer programmer,
since she wrote algorithms for Charles Babbage's analytical
engine.
Today's Google doodle celebrates an underexposed but
significant figure in history, especially to those who use
computers – which essentially enumerates the population at
large. Ada Lovelace, born 197 years ago today, is considered
by many to have been the first computer programmer.
Any human being with a knowledge of our technological
history can understand the confusing implications of this
statement – how could a woman living in the 1800s program
computers, which weren't invented until the next century?
But inventions never pop-up – they are built on the
achievements of yesterday, and the modern computer is
an excellent case in point. While it may appear at first
glance as if computers suddenly emerged in the middle of
the twentieth century, and exploded towards its end, it was
the mathematical and theoretical contributions of thinkers
such as George Boole and Charles Babbage which built the
foundation of their creation.
Ada Lovelace was highly talented from an early age.
Tutored by her mother, who was herself a mathematical
wizard, Ada came to become highly experienced in the
subject of numbers. In her life, Ada corresponded with
her contemporary Charles Babbage, who had designed a
thinking machine – otherwise known as the analytical
engine, the mechanical predecessor to the modern
computer. So thrilled was Babbage with Ada's skill, that he
came to call her “The Enchantress of Numbers”.
Babbage's own machine was an incredibly complicated one,
and would not be successfully built for another century. It
existed only on paper, and as a concept.
However, it is clear from her notes that Ada understood how
the analytical engine worked, and she wrote algorithms for
it. These mathematical algorithms for a mechanical machine
were instructions; programs for a mass of gears that would
literally crank out calculations with the base-10 number
system, and print information to a notebook of paper – the
modern day equivalent of 16.7 kilobytes.
It is difficult for us, in our modern environment, to
understand what such a machine would seem like in the
1800s. Before Thomas Edison had invented the light bulb,
when cars were still impractical novelties for the rich, and
in a time that woman were discouraged from pursuing
academic careers, Ada Lovelace was writing computer
programs.
Though she never got to see the effects of her work, she
remains a hero in the minds of many modern programmers,
and an asset to technology which is now an inseparable part
of the worlds infrastructure.

8
Google outed for global tax
dodging, again
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-outed-for-global-tax-
dodging-again/18307.html
December 11th, 2012
It's a game that all multi-national corporations play in one
fashion or another - the game of evading as much tax as you
can; and Google is the latest corporation to be outed as a
global tax dodger.
Last month the team at Ars Technica first reported about
Google and its use of the "Double Irish" and the "Dutch
Sandwich" techniques in order to move incredible sums of
money - legally - from countries where they would have to
pay taxes to countries where they didn't have to pay any, or
at least a vastly smaller amount. It is the "in" method for
companies to avoid paying double-digit tax rates in most of
the countries where they do business.
Now today we have a report out of Bloomberg where they
have found out that a Google subsidary in the Netherlands
managed to avoid paying $2 billion on worldwide taxes by
moving almost $10 billion to a shell company in Bermuda.
To be clear here - as questionable and shady as these
kinds of transfers might be they are totally legal - but the
techniques being used are starting to get the attention of the
governments of the countries where companies like Google
are moving money from, to the point that one British MP
called Google's use of these types of tax avoidance practices
as being "immoral".
The Bloomberg investigation isn't alone either as Ireland's
Sunday Independent newspaper has been conducting their
own and found that Google has been doing everything it can
to avoid paying a fair tax rate as the company was found
to have "paid a puny 0.14 per cent tax on sales of over €47
billion ($61.5 billion) in seven years"
“While people reel in the aftermath of another
austerity budget, entirely legal accounting magic
allowed the multibillion-earning multinational to
pay fractional tax to the Irish Exchequer,” the
newspaper reported Sunday.
“On turnover of €47.44 billion ($62.1 billion),
Google Ireland paid total tax of €69.91 million
($91.5 million) between 2005 and 2011. And in spite
of its massive earnings, profit before tax during
that period is an astonishingly small €114 million
($149.3 million).”
Google Ireland is quick to point out though that the company
makes a substantial contribution to the Irish economy
through their employing 2,500 in the European HQ in
Dublin as well as their investments in the recently open data
center and the purchase of three office building in Dublin in
the year 2011 alone; but the company also has an obligation
to their shareholders and that they comply with all the tax
rules in Ireland.
Dark Souls II world premiere
unveiled at Spike's 2012
VGA's
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dark-souls-ii-world-premiere-
unveiled-at-spike-s-2012-vga-s/18300.html
December 11th, 2012
Check out the official world premiere trailer of Dark Souls II
originally shown live at Spike TV's 2012 Video Game Awards
ceremony.
The most infamously difficult game of our era, Dark Souls,
is back for an even more challenging sequel that promises
to enduce that special kind of video game rage that's
responsible for many a broken controller.
"Sequel to one of the most challenging and
rewarding games ever released -- Dark Souls II
will deliver its signature brand of unrelenting
punishment, devastation and emotional highs for
the iron-willed."
--Official Namco Bandai YouTube description
The world premiere announcement trailer for Dark Souls
II recently aired at Spike TV's 2012 VGA 10 awards show,
displaying in-game footage of the upcoming sequel from
Namco Bandai Games.
The trailer itself offers an inside look at what gamers
can expect from the sequel, and it appears that the
second chapter continues the franchise's distinct bizarre

9
and tortured medieval style, introducing new mysterious
characters with that same stylish ominous flair.
Dark Souls II is being developed for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3,
and PC. No release dates have been officially announced, and
for more information please visit the game's official website.
New 5" HTC will be first with
Nvidia Tegra 4
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-5-htc-will-be-first-with-nvidia-
tegra-4/18299.html
December 11th, 2012
The new HTC 5-incher is set to hopefully bring them back
into the game with smartphones. They have had it rough
over the last year or so and revenues have declined pretty
severely. Not too long ago the leaked images of the supposed
"M7" surfaced, which suggests that HTC is pushing harder
than ever before to get back to prominence.
I have said it before and I'll say it again, the phablets are
going to become standard after a while. Samsung started it
all out but now it's a race to see who can make the biggest
phone and still call it a phone. The specs on the HTC aren't
a real big secret; HTC has always been very helpful and
semi-transparent when it comes to information about their
phones.
One thing we didn't know was that HTC is planning on using
the new Nvidia Tegra 4. The Tegra 3 is a sweet chip, it really
is, and if the Tegra 4 is half the beast its predecessor was then
HTC is in very good hands. If the HTC does, in fact, come
out with the Tegra 4 then that will make it the world's first
mobile phone to have it.
South Korea Wages War on
Internet Pornography
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/south-korea-wages-war-on-internet-
pornography/18297.html
December 11th, 2012
A band of South Korean volunteers calling themselves
the “Nuri Cops” are fighting a battle to end Internet
pornography in South Korea.
According to a recent Associated Press article, a team of 800
or so anti-porn zealots known as “Nuri Cops” feel it is their
job to get pornography out of South Korea. The volunteer
net police are going about it by literally scanning the Internet
looking for places that may be getting around the filters.
The team members then report the sites to the government
so that the site IPs can be blocked by the internet service
providers or stopped altogether if it is coming out of the
country itself.
Pornography is illegal in South Korea, however, the
government or any Internet provider has an extremely
hard time stopping it due to South Korea being such a
technologically advanced nation that is well connected to
the Internet. Currently South Korea is one of the most
connected places in the world to the Internet with some
90% having high-speed access to it. Furthermore, of the 50
million inhabitants in South Korea, 30 million of them are
connected to the Internet with smartphones.
The AP report further stated that during a six-month period
ending in October of this year, South Korea has arrested
about 6,400 individuals who were caught either selling
or producing pornography. South Korean government
agencies believe that pornography is directly related to sex
crimes being committed in the country and are not easing
up on any restrictions with accessing pornography on-line.
Furthermore, the Korean National Assembly recently
passed a law enforcing the prohibition of pornography
distribution in the country making the maximum sentencing
to be 10 years in prison. Formerly the maximum sentencing
was 7 years, but anti-pornography advocates were pushing
lawmakers for harsher penalites.
The Korean Institute of Criminology stated that the reason
South Korea is seeing more sex crimes is not because of a
rise in that type of offense, but that more people are coming
forward to report it. They also reported that in 2010, 18,000
people were arrested for rape, which was nearly 2.5 times
higher than that reported in 2000.
ZTE N9210 Anthem 4G shows
up in FCC database
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zte-n9210-anthem-4g-shows-up-in-
fcc-database/18298.html
December 11th, 2012
The ZTE Anthem 4G is one of the four phones that are
scheduled to arrive at MetroPCS. We have seen, so far, the
Galaxy S3, Admire 4G and Coolpad Quattro and now we have
the 4th showing up to the party. The ZTE Anthem 4G is a
mid-range Android 4.0 phone, typical of what you would see
with the 5th largest carrier in the USA.

10
The above image is image that passed through the FCC on
December 7th. It's where the FCC label will sit on the phone.
Nothing we haven't seen before but it does give some specs
confirmation that we all love to see. MetroPCS has been
pushing out some phones as of late and they have now got a
range to suit almost everyone, unless you are an Apple fan.
With T-Mobile still planning on buying MetroPCS, it makes
us wonder why they are still putting out CDMA phones as T-
Mobile is a GSM company. The logistics of the whole deal
are still foggy at best. It is nice to see that MetroPCS is finally
breaking free of the stagnant position they held on to for
such a long time. Going back to the phone, you can see the
specs below. They are nice and robust but still speculation at
this point, it's a mid-range unit, probably priced in the $199-
$250 area like most the other ZTE's are.
Hotels install pedal-powered
exercise bikes that charge
laptops and tablets
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hotels-install-pedal-powered-
exercise-bikes-that-charge-laptops-and-tablets/18306.html
December 11th, 2012
Humans are soon to mimic hamsters, thanks to the Element
Hotels implementation of eco-friendly exercise bikes that
can charge laptops, monitors, smartphones and tablet
computers just by pushing the pedals.
Humans are soon to mimic hamsters, thanks to the Element
Hotels implementation of eco-friendly exercise bikes that
can charge laptops, monitors, smartphones and tablet
computers just by pushing the pedals.
The technology, first announced in Spring and debuting at
the Element Miami Internation Airport hotel, includes a
generator built into the pedals of the machine, allowing users
to generate electricity as they do their workout.
Frits van Paaschen, President and CEO of Starwood
Hotels and Resorts, the company that runs the Element
brand, demonstated the capability of the bikes at a pilot
program at the Element Miami hotel, where he and others
generated enough power to run plasma monitors and laptop
computers.
Now all of the Starwood fitness centres, open 24 hours a
day, have been fitted with one of the electricity generating
bikes, providing an option for improving health while also
improving the well-being of the planet.
“The Element brand was founded on an innovative,
balanced-living approach to hospitality,” said Brian
McGuinness, SVP of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood.
“Not only do our pedal-powered bikes add an element of fun
to a workout, but they also encourage our guests to think
creatively about sourcing the energy we all depend on to fuel
our daily lives.”
We wonder how long it will be before we end up doing a Fred
Flintstone and powering our own cars too.

11
London taxis to get free Wi-Fi
next year
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/london-taxis-to-get-free-wi-fi-next-
year/18305.html
December 11th, 2012
London is about to get another boost with free Wi-Fi in taxis
next year, part of efforts to make the capital of England a
major technology and tourism hotspot.
London is about to get another boost with free Wi-Fi in taxis
next year, part of efforts to make the capital of England a
major technology and tourism hotspot.
Transport for London has approved the plans, which will
see TechCity startup Eyetease rolling out Wi-Fi to taxis
throughout the city, operating over 3G or 4G networks,
depending on coverage.
The service, called CabWifi, will be free for customers of the
taxis, but there is a catch: they will have to watch a 15-second
ad every 15 minutes. That is a small price to pay for free Wi-
Fi, however, and the funding from advertising should help
with a possible roll-out to other cities around the world.
So what's in for the taxi drivers? Apart from the fact that it
might encourage more people to hop into a taxi, Eyetease
will also give the drivers free Wi-Fi without ads, accessed via
a special driver login. This will help cover costs for taxi and
GPS apps.
London already enjoys widespread free internet coverage,
with the London Underground and Overground both
offering Wi-Fi hotspots, while Nokia and O2 also provide
free coverage throughout large parts of the central city.
Eyetease is in talks with a number of big brands to secure
advertising, and it likely will only be a matter of time before
it secures a slew of backers, thanks to those 15 seconds of
undivided attention it can offer.
Image Credit: The London Taxi Company
Laptop display panel prices
continue to fall in 2012
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/laptop-display-panel-prices-
continue-to-fall-in-2012/18302.html
December 11th, 2012
Prices for laptop display panels are continuing to fall since
the second quarter of this year, according to a report by panel
market research firm DisplaySearch, with expectations that
prices will remain low in the first half of 2013.
Prices for laptop display panels are continuing to fall since
the second quarter of this year, according to a report by panel
market research firm DisplaySearch, with expectations that
prices will remain low in the first half of 2013.
Weak demand has led to prices for 14-inch and 15.6-
inch laptop modules with wedge-type backlights falling
below $40, almost at manufacturing costs, and the lack of
difference between the pricing for the different sizes means
some panels are even selling below their value.
TV display panels are still going strong, with prices
increasing over the last three quarters, while monitor panel
prices are stagnant, but the laptop market has been hard hit
by the tablet computer boom, an issue that is exacerbated
by poor enterprise IT spending due to continued economic
downturn.
The result is that many of the top brands have forecast a drop
in laptop shipments next year, with Dell seeing the biggest
drop, from 25.3 million units in 2012 to just 16 million in
2013. HP's shipment target is also down, from 36.5 million
to just 29.5 million, while Acer's is down from 27 million to
24.5 million. Other drops include Samsung from 15 million
to 14.4 million and Toshiba from 15.8 million to 14.5 million.
It is not all bad news for some companies, however. Apple
expects laptop shipments to increase from 15 million to
16 million, while Lenovo and Asus expect to go from 27
million to 31 million and from 18.8 million to 20 million
respectively. Sony also predicts some modest growth from 7
million units to 7.3 million.

12
However, when tallied together, the overall shipment target
for 2013 is 173.2 million, down from 187.4 million this year,
showing that the launch of Windows 8 and high resolution
panels have failed to halt the slowdown in the laptop market.
AMD Trinity A10 Revisited
(Part 1/2) - Going ITX with
MSI's FM2-A75IA-E53
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-trinity-a10-revisited-part-12--
going-itx-with-msi-s-fm2-a75ia-e53/18279.html
December 11th, 2012
In the first of a two-part series to revisit the curious enigma
that is the AMD Trinity APU, we look at the MSI's much-
awaited ITX offering for the FM2 socket. Then, later in
the week, we will explore how the setup handles recent
blockbusters like Borderlands 2, Hitman Absolution and Far
Cry 3.
AMD's Trinity APUs can be described with all sorts of
superlatives by supporters and critics alike, but we can all
agree that they are priced at ridiculously cheap levels (USD
$64.99 for an A4-5300 to $119 for an A10-5800K) relative
to the competition, and offer an integrated GPU capable of
entry level DX11 gaming that is streets ahead of Ivy Bridge
at the same price points. Since there is a considerable CPU
bottleneck with multi-GPU setups as we've tested some time
ago, it makes a lot of sense to pair Trinity APUs with smaller
microATX/ITX sized motherboards to reduce the physical
footprint. Enthusiasts have been clamouring for ITX options
for their HTPC/Lan Party box builds since the October
Trinity launch with the new FM2 socket, and only recently
have we seen motherboard manufacturers like MSI, ASRock
and Zotac fulfilling that demand.
MSI's take on the FM2 ITX is the FM2-A75IA-E53, based
on the recycled A75 Hudson chipset from last year's Llano,
which is still endowed with niceties like native USB 3.0
and SATA 6Gb/s support with RAID. There is also a
Wifi/Bluetooth module included in the US$89.99 / SGD
$188 bundle, which raises its value proposition for a budget
HTPC build.
The motherboard layout is fairly straightforward, with
most of the connectors situated on the right side with the
exception of the 4-pin 12v and HD Audio pinouts. This
should help with cable management in a confined space
of a typical ITX case. The CPU socket positioning could
also handle the Cooler Master Hyper T4 that we've tested
last weekend (12cm, installed perpendicular to the ram
slots), although one of the heatpipes just missed the nearest
standard height memory module.
A single PCIe 2.0 x16 slot is provided for expansion, and if
you want to utilize the Dual Graphics/Crossfire functionality
with the onboard GPU then you've got to pair it with the
older Turks VLIW-5 HD 6670/6570 cards. Still, to get a more
tangible improvement in framerates, I would recommend at
least a HD 7850 or GTX 650 Ti.
Over at the rear I/O panel, we see all the standard USB
3.0/2.0 , Gigabit LAN (Realtek 8111E) and audio (Realtek
ALC887) ports. Display is handled by Analog D-SUB and

13
HDMI, and there is the surprise inclusion of a legacy PS/2
and eSATA connector.
The CPU+NB VRMs are fairly decent for its price
bracket, with Tantalum capacitors and ON Semiconductor's
PowerPAK MOSFETs being employed in a dual-channel 3+2
phase configuration, and an Intersil ISL62773 controller
(datasheet) to take care of things.
This is the part that will disappoint the enthusiast readers
- although there are base clock frequency and multiplier
adjustments for the CPU and GPU, the FM2-A75IA-E53
lacks adjustable core voltage controls (verified with MSI).
This puts an end to any meaningful overclocking, which is
pretty ironic/misleading given its emphasis on the product's
marketing literature and box design. We will check with MSI
again if they have plans to restore this in a future BIOS
update since the PWM controller apparently has support for
it.
Update 12/11 - Apparently it is possible to adjust the CPU/
NB voltage with tools like AMD Overdrive and macci's TCI
K2
utility.However any attempt to overvolt the CPU above its
default VID will immediately cause the multipliers and base
clock to be locked at their stock values, even with throttling
mechanisms like CPB/APM switched off.
Fortunately, memory voltage, sub-timings and frequency
strap can still be adjusted to alleviate the well-documented
memory bottlenecks on the Fusion platform.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we will we will explore how
the setup handles recent blockbusters like Borderlands 2,
Hitman Absolution and Far Cry 3!

1
geeks.
The Walking Dead rises in
North American retails
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-walking-dead-rises-in-north-
american-retails/18337.html
December 12th, 2012
Named "Game of the year" by Spike TV’s 2012 game awards,
the retail version of “Walking Dead” is now available in
stores!
If you are a fan of the AMC series, The Walking Dead, or
anything to do with 'zombies', you’ll be happy to know the
game based on the series is now available. Aptly named The
Walking Dead, this new point and click RPG will be sure
to excite those of us who love anything to do with killing
zombies. Developed by Telltale games, the RPG will be
based on episodes taken directly from the series with the
same chronological timeline, however, new characters are
introduced to the game.
Interestingly, your movements and decisions in the game
will directly affect which way the game's timeline will go.
It will allow the user to interact with characters and things
needed in order to survive, rather than puzzle solving. In a
2011 Entertainment Weekly interview, Robert Kirkman who
developed the story for the comic stated that the game will
be focusing more on character development.
“…One of the key aspects of Walking Dead is it focuses on
characters and the emotion,” said Kirkman. “And that theme
is very much alive in the game, and luckily with modern
games you can actually do that.”
The Walking Dead first appeared in comic form in 2003
by Image Comics. Written by Robert Kirkman, the story
was based on the life and times of character, Rick Grimes.
Grimes is forced to search for his family and other survivors
of a zombie apocalypse that he awakes to while he is in a
hospital. In 2010 AMC picked up the comic and turned it
into a live action weekly series based on Kirkman’s concept
in the comic. However, the TV series is a bit different and it
doesn’t follow the character timeline quite in the same way.
The Walking Dead is filmed entirely in Atlanta, Georgia and
is in its third season on AMC. Along with other zombie
films and franchise, the series has been quite the ratings
hit and has received numerous nominations and awards,
which includes a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best
Television Series Drama. The season 3 premiere received
nearly an 11 million-viewer count by Nielsen ratings, which
is said to be the most viewed cable TV program in history.
Editor's Note: The Walking Dead was previously only
available through digital distribution. The boxed version of
this title recently hit North American retails, and is available
for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC for $29.99.
US military launches top
secret mini shuttle
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-military-launches-top-secret-
mini-shuttle/18346.html
December 12th, 2012
The US military has launched a rocket containing a small
space shuttle from Cape Canaveral in Florida as part of an
ongoing top secret test programme.
The US military has launched a rocket containing a small
space shuttle from Cape Canaveral in Florida as part of an
ongoing top secret test programme.
The X-37B experimental robotic space plane, otherwise
known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, launched atop an
unmanned Atlas 5 rocket at 1:03pm Eastern Time on
Tuesday, the third flight of the spacecraft in the classified
mission.
The first flight occurred in 2010, when the shuttle orbited
Earth for 224 days. The second flight, using another similar
ship, resulted in a 469-day stint in space, but the military
refused to state how long it expects the third flight will last
—or what it will be doing up there.

2
“The focus of the program remains on testing vehicle
capabilities and proving the utility and cost-effectiveness of
a reusable spacecraft,” Tracy Bunko, a spokesperson for the
US Air Force, told Reuters. Not much to go on then.
The solar-powered shuttles, built by commercial aeroplane
giant Boeing, may land at NASA's base in Florida, now
that the space agency has no shuttles of its own to use the
infrastructure there. This is expected to save the mission a
considerable amount of money.
On the surface of it the X-37B might simply be an extension
of the US space programme, though cuts in funding would
contradict that idea, as would the question of why the
military is involved. What is clear is that lips are sealed about
what exactly these spacecraft are designed for.
Images Credit: Reuters/Scott Audette
Sony brings "Cinemagraphy"
to Android with Motiongraph
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-brings-cinemagraphy-to-
android-with-motiongraph/18339.html
December 12th, 2012
Sony develops a new Android application called the
Motiongraph. This app uses various photo editing
techniques to create what is called as a cinemagraph,
something that is technically similar to a GIF image.
Are you looking for something to spice up those boring static
photographs that you have in your mobile device's gallery?
Well Sony has brought a nice new digital toy for you. Sony
Digital Network Applications has recently developed and
released a new application that will let you sprinkle bits of
fantasy in your pictures.
The name of the app is Motiongraph. To put it simply, it is
an application that is designed to create cinemagraphs. To
those who are new to the term, cinemagraphs are technically
defined as very, very short edited videos that has most or
all of its moving visual elements controlled or manipulated
in some way. They are in a way similar to a GIF, but the
relationship is more of a subtype than that of a synonym. The
effects that are brought to cinemagraphs most of the times
give the edited images a surreal feel, as they are often given
attributes or motion sequences that are usually impossible
to do in the real world.
To use the Motiongraph, you first have to use the mobile
device's camera to record a very short video of something (2
seconds). Then, you will be given the chance to edit certain
elements of the video that you want to move and don't want
to move throughout the entire sequence. The final product
will be a cinemagraph that is animated or given motion
exactly according to your preferences. App usage is mainly
divided between the shoot, play/rub and save options. There
are also various other lighting or color controls to edit the
basic visual properties of the cinemagraph depending on the
camera used by your unit.
The Motiongraph app is now available at the Google Play
Store (starting December 12, 2012), with a price tag of 104
yen (1.2+ USD).
Source: Androwire (JP)
Blizzard testing Diablo III on
consoles
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/blizzard-testing-diablo-iii-on-
consoles/18344.html

3
December 12th, 2012
Blizzard is testing Diablo III on consoles in what it said could
eventually turn into an “official project,” a major shift from
its usual PC-only approach.
Blizzard is testing Diablo III on consoles in what it said could
eventually turn into an “official project,” a major shift from
its usual PC-only approach.
The company first suggested a possible console port of the
game in March, but there appeared to be no development
of that idea since. Now it has been revealed that the studio
already has console builds running internally, suggesting it
might only be a matter of time before Diablo III is available
for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Wii U.
“We're still kind of exploring it,” Rob Pardo, chief creative
officer at Blizzard, told Polygon. “We've got builds up and
running on it. We're hoping to get it far enough along where
we can make it an official project, but we're not quite ready
to release stuff about it, but it's looking pretty cool.”
Diablo III launched in May and became one of the fastest-
selling games of all time. Despite some criticism of its online-
only functionality, it received widely positive reviews, as did
many of its subsequent updates.
Lead writer at Blizzard, Jay Wilson, said that the company is
working on “the next big Diablo thing,” which is likely to be
the rumoured expansion for Diablo III that was confirmed
to be on the table by the company's CEO, Mike Morhaime.
He said there is no timeframe for release, however, which
means players could be waiting for this, and a console port
of the game, for quite a long time.
The Ray Kingston Company
develops a Bluetooth enabled
'Sneaker Speaker'
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-ray-kingston-company-develops-
a-bluetooth-enabled-sneaker-speaker-/18336.html
December 12th, 2012
The New York City based Ray Kingston Company has
recently developed a new Bluetooth enabled and ankle-
mounted speakers dubbed, with a rhyming poetic flair of an
artist, the ‘Sneaker Speaker’.
A new Bluetooth enabled speaker device called the ‘Sneaker
Speaker’ has been designed by a New York based company
named Ray Kingston. Named for its current founder and
designer, Kingston designed the Bluetooth ready speakers
to mount directly to the users ankles. The device is said by
Kingston to be a ‘futuristic urban device’ made to increase
one’s ‘ghetto vibe’.
Kingston says the new speakers were developed to help what
they called ‘urban artists’ and anyone else looking for some
inspiration from the power of music. The designs of the
speakers are somewhat drawn from the days of the 80's style
'boom box' that often rested on the shoulders of the listener
strolling down the sidewalk with their music blaring for all
to hear. When the advent of the Sony Walkman came about,
the fad quickly disappeared from the public eye with a big
thank you from those who weren’t so amused by the boom
box craze.
The Ray Kingston Company often designs current trends
with that of fashion, urban art and music. Kingston says he
wanted a concept would blend art and music together. The

4
speakers help to demonstrate a fashionable-looking speaker
all the while providing inspiration during a creative process
by the urban artist.
Ray Kingston who founded the company says he’s very active
as a new concept designer and had previously spent 14 years
designing products for Sony. This company is his own way of
reaching back to his origins, and focuses more on developing
products that people can use in daily life on the street.
Mitsubishi builds radiation-
resistant robot
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mitsubishi-builds-radiation-
resistant-robot/18343.html
December 12th, 2012
Mitsubishi has become the latest company to develop a robot
that can resist toxic radiation levels, making it useful for
cleaning up the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was
damaged in the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that hit
Japan in 2011.
Mitsubishi has become the latest company to develop a robot
that can resist toxic radiation levels, making it useful for
cleaning up the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was
damaged in the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that hit
Japan in 2011.
Given the dangerous conditions inside the plant, officials are
already employing robots, primarily to record the radiation
levels inside. Hitachi and Toshiba have also developed
robots for use in Fukushima, but Mitsubishi claims that no
other company has developed anything for the kind of work
its robot is capable of.
The robots currently inside the plant were built for other
purposes, such as searching mines, giving Mitsubishi's
purpose-built robot an edge over the competition.
The device is called MEISTeR, short for Maintenance
Equipment Integrated System of Telecontrol Robot, and it is
made of specially hardened material to withstand radiation.
It is 1.3 metres tall and has two arms, each of which can hold
up to 15kg.
Robots are generally not seen as intelligent enough to be
truly effective in disaster zones, where human improvisation
comes in useful, but with Fukushima still remaining
dangerous for people Mitsubishi's invention looks like the
next best thing available.
Image Credit: Mitsubishi
Chinese tech company
offering Doomsday Vacation
for upcoming apocalypse
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chinese-tech-company-offering-
doomsday-vacation-for-upcoming-apocalypse/18342.html
December 12th, 2012
A Chinese tech company is giving it's workers the day off next
Thursday and Friday, in anticipation of the coming end of
days as "predicted" by the Mayan calendar.
For years, we've been hearing about the upcoming Mayan
apocalypse. On December 21st, 2012, which is next Friday,
the Mayan calendar officially runs out, and a lot of people
have been claiming this means the end of the world is upon
us. The Mayans were astoundingly skilled at mathematics
and astronomy, and their ancient calendar managed to
predict the movements of astronomical bodies and the
passing of time with an incredible accuracy. As an example,
the Mayan calendar has estimated the length of one year on
Earth to be 365.2420 days. The currently accepted length of
a year is 365.2422 days, a difference of just 17 seconds.

5
I'm hoping for a cool apocalypse... Zombies would be fun.
Because of the Mayans' skills at telling time and their
calendar's abrupt ending, a lot of people have drawn the
conclusion that if the end of the calendar quite simply means
the end of the world. Of course, the Mayans themselves
never claimed such a thing. Next Friday marks the end of
a 5125-year long astronomical cycle for which the calendar
calculated. If anything, the Mayans believed that the end of
the cycle would involved the ushering in of a new age and
a positive transformation for it. Also, there's absolutely no
scientific evidence that the world is going to end.
Nevertheless, a Chinese tech company called Chengdu
Higgses Internet Technology Company is giving their
workers a long weekend, just in case. Most likely, this is a
light hearted way to give overworked employees some well
deserved time off. You can read the company's memo below:
To all Comrades in Arms:
In light of the special meaning of December
21, 2012, and after careful consideration, the
company has reached the following decision:
[To make] 2012 "Doomsday Vacation"
arrangements, with vacation days on
December 20 (a Thursday) and December 21
(a Friday), for two days in total.
We hope that during this vacation time,
everyone will take the following steps:
1. Please take measures to prevent fire and
theft.
2. You may choose to entirely shut down your
cell phone for the duration of the vacation to
ensure you are not bothered.
3. As everyone is usually always busy with
work, we suggest you take advantage of this
"final" time to spend more time with your
closest family.
We wish everyone a meaningful
"doomsday."
Ever wanted to own a
Warthog? Now you can.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ever-wanted-to-own-a-warthog-now-
you-can./18341.html
December 12th, 2012
A custom-made warthog originally created for a Halo fan-
film is now up for sale, and you can buy it for just $28,000
Back in 2009, Peter Cooper and a few friends were making
a Halo fan-film called Operation Chastity, and they needed
a warthog, the game's futuristic answer to the Humvee.
They bought an old Land Rover via GumTree4x4.co.uk and
modified it until they had a replica of Halo's iconic vehicle.
Check it out Halo fans!
Operation Chastity's blog details the construction of the
vehicle, and shows how the team stripped the Land Rover
down to its bare essentially, before constructing a metal
frame around it and filling in the gaps with wood and
fiberglass. After painting it, adding minor details here and
there and adding custom seats, hubcaps, instruments and
windshield, they ended up with just about the coolest car
ever.
The Warthog, mid-construction
Cooper is no longer using it however, and has put it up
for sale, which he announced via Twitter. He'll take any

6
reasonable offer and has stated that the car is currently
worth about $28,000.
Water activated seat belt
could prevent drowning
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/water-activated-seat-belt-could-
prevent-drowning/18340.html
December 12th, 2012
The escape belt is a new type of seat belt which automatically
activates when in contact with water, and thereby releases
the restraints. It will allow people to escape a submerged car
just a little bit easier.
Around 400 people drown every year in the United States
alone, after their cars have become submerged in water.
To help prevent this, or at least remove one of the hazards
involved, a dutch company called Fijen TMLS has developed
the Escape Belt, a seat belt with an automatic release to help
you get out when your car is filling with water.
If too much force is being applied on the buckle of a normal
seat belt (such as if you're hanging against it), it may be
difficult to operate the release, and so the Escape Belt
employs a salt release mechanism to do the job for you. The
buckle on the Escape Belt looks almost like a normal one,
except for a canister on the side which houses a salt pill,
the same kind used by airlines in automatic inflators for life
jackets. When the pill is dissolved, a hammer releases the
belt, freeing you.
The pill is hardy enough not to go dissolving on you if you
drop a coke in the car, but it will need replacing every few
years. The belt buckle costs about $40 a piece and Fijen
TMLS is currently looking for buyers in the auto industry.
North Korea launches
satellite; everyone is
outraged
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/north-korea-launches-satellite-
everyone-is-outraged/18338.html
December 12th, 2012
Back in April, North Korea attempted to launch a rocket
into space. This was one of the first things North Korea's
new leader Kim Jong Un did after assuming power, and it
failed miserably. Now they've gone for a second attempt,
and it seems they succeeded. The rocket launched Tuesday
evening with the intent of putting a weather satellite into
space. The rocket's first stage dropped into the Yellow sea,
and the second stage crashed into the pacific ocean, just east
of the Philippines.
Initially, neither the South Korean nor Japanese
government were able to confirm if the launch had been
a success. NORAD, the US aerospace defense command
however, confirmed that they had tracked a long range
missile launch from North Korea and confirm that an object
has been placed in orbit.
North Korea's Launchpad
As usual, the world is really angry at North Korea again.
President Obama has stated that he's considering "Iran-
style" sanctions against North Korea, and the US National
Security Council spokesperson Tommy Vietor, called the
launch a "highly provocative act that threatens regional
security." China has expressed "deep concern" for the act as
well, and Japan is calling for an emergency meeting with the
UN Security council. Britain is condemning North Korea and
stating that it too, will speak with the security council.
The world's reaction isn't surprising, seeing as North Korea
is usually regarded as a violent and dangerous nation;
however, I wonder if the reaction is appropriate. It is true
that North Korea has a vendetta against the United States
and has an intimidatingly large army. It would be bad if
North Korea began developing long range ballistic missiles,
and for a nation that can hardly feed itself it seem odd to be
focusing their efforts on space exploration. However, there's
a new guy in charge, and it is very possible that they did
indeed just intend to launch a harmless weather satellite.

7
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
If the launch was innocent, this kind of reaction is going to
do more harm than good. I can't help but fear that the last
thing we should do is have the entire world condemning and
threatening Kim Jong Un's every move, thereby confirming
his father's opinion that the world is out to get North Korea.
Even Kim Jong Un's Disney-themed parade earlier in the
year ended with threats of a lawsuit from Disney. Perhaps
I'm naive, but I'd say the best thing we can do is send them
some food aid, and perhaps try to turn over a new leaf.
Infographic plots out world's
oldest trees
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/infographic-plots-out-world-s-
oldest-trees/18320.html
December 12th, 2012
An infographic detailing the locations and ages of the world's
oldest trees has surfaced on the web, demonstrating how
ancient parts of our world really are.
Above is an infographic showing the location and age of
some of the oldest living plants in the world. Graphic
designer Michæl Paukner created the infographic which
details some 20 of the oldest trees and clonal colonies.
A clonal colony differs from an individual tree in that it
is an interconnected super-organism of cloned plants, all
connected via an enormous root system. Technically, such
colonies are regarded as one organism, and due to their
expansive size, they are excellently adapted for survival: The
loss of a single "tree" in the colony is basically insignificant,
so unless large parts of the colony are wiped out at once, it'll
survive.
This is evidenced as the oldest tree in the list, the Trembling
Giant, or Pando (Latin for 'I spread') has been determined
to be at least 80,000 years old, though some estimates place
it as high as a million years old. Pando is a clonal colony
of a single male Quaking Aspen tree, and sits in southern
Utah. The colony weighs in at around 6,000 metric tons,
making it the heaviest living organism in the world. There
is some debate of course, as to whether this is true - though
one hasn't been found, if a clonal colony of just 7 Sequoia
(redwood) trees were to be found, the record would be
broken.
The oldest individual tree in the world, Old Tjikko is a
Norwegian spruce tree growing in the mountainous Dalarna
region of Sweden. Old Tjikko is 9550 years old, and spent
much of it's lifetime in a bush-like state known as a
Krummholz formation, due to the extreme conditions it
was growing in. Due to the past century's warming weather
though, the spruce has grown into a full grown tree, now
standing about 5 meters tall.

8
Asus Zenbook UX31A Touch
Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-zenbook-ux31a-touch-
review/18277.html
December 12th, 2012
Whether you like it or not, Microsoft's Windows 8 requires a
touchscreen for optimal use around its controversial Modern
UI interface. So is the touch followup to the acclaimed Asus
Zenbook series any good?
Last year at Computex, Intel introduced Ultrabook brand
which were a set of premium laptop specifications to push
for sleeker and more innovative form factors, without
compromising on battery life or performance. These
Windows based offerings with 17W ULV CPUs and SSDs
were designed to compete head on with Apple's uber
successful MacBook Air concept, and used a high profile
marketing campaign featuring stars like Megan Fox and
Will.i.am. to paint the Ultrabook buyer as coffee sipping, hip
and smug content creators.
While there were some notable successes, many Ultrabook
models faced lackluster sales due to the use of bog standard
glossy TN displays (especially those of the 16:9,1366x768
variety) and uninspiring industrial designs, not helped
also by their above-average price tags in a bad economy.
The overall situation was expected to improve with the
introduction of Ivy Bridge (improved battery life and
graphics) and, uhm... Windows 8, paving the way for
convertible tablet form factors and touch screens.
ASUS has one of the more well-received Ultrabooks with
their Zenbook line, no thanks to its sharp and beautiful all-
aluminium chassis with Bang and Olufsen ICEpower audio,
and later from their Prime models, a full HD 1920x1080 IPS
+ panel even on the diminutive 11.6" UX21A. Today, we take
a look at their latest 1.4kg creation with Windows 8 touch
capabilities added - Zenbook Touch.
As a proud owner of the original first generation Sandy
Bridge based Zenbook which I have used throughout the past
year on my work and travels, I wanted to see if this was a
worthwhile upgrade. Mind you, my own precious has seen
many TSA checkpoints and other hostile locations, surviving
a few accidental drops and even a coffee dunking on the
keyboard. I'm proud to report that it has gone without a deep
scratch or dent (its owner is quite a klutz), and this bodes
well for our review unit today as it shares almost the same
chassis design. Four rubber feet anchors the laptop to the
surface that its on and raises the Z-height just enough for the
air intake vents at the bottom.
This is how the internal layout looks like, which we will go
through the later sections of the review.

9
Epson's updated projector
gets closer to conventional
whiteboards
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/epson-s-updated-projector-gets-
closer-to-conventional-whiteboards/18335.html
December 12th, 2012
Epson presents the EB-1410W, one of the several updated
units based from the projector products that they have
developed and introduced almost a year ago. This particular
product unit bases its function on the fundamental use
of a projector pen, and attempts to make projector-based
presentations and lectures far more intuitive than before.
The elegance of using projectors is in the malleability of
screen interfaces. Just like a touchscreen, the fact that
you can change elements on the board instantly and
systematically makes lectures more technically presentable.
Epson has been developing new projector concepts that
focus on this theme for quite a while now, and we'll briefly
present one of the upcoming updated product units that they
introduced on December 11, 2012.
The EB-1410WT is, as technically specified, an office-type
projector that is specifically designed to be used in lectures
and presentations. The resolution of the unit is set at
1280x800, its maximum brightness at 3100 lumens, and
contrast ratio at 3000:1. It is essentially an updated version
of the EB-485WT, and as seen from the image, the projector
unit is installed right above the board where the screen is
projected.
The simple fact that it is installed very near the board already
makes it better than standard projectors in two ways. First,
shadow coming from the person standing in front would no
longer obstruct the projected image. Second, the person in
front would no longer be bathed in the bright light beamed
by the projector. Of course, shadows would still appear as
you get right below the projector however.
In standard white board mode, you can use the projector
pens freely like a normal pen. With no obstructions in the
screen, writing on it should feel and look fairly intuitive, as
if writing with real ink. This mode does not require the unit
to be connected to any device or peripheral, and it would
slide out a default interface that would allow you to actively
change ink color and thickness. Additionally you can also lay
the projected screen horizontally flat if that would be more
convenient, and if you need to use it for something other
than lectures and presentations.
If you want to save and edit the notes you've made during the
lecture or presentation, you can simply hook the EB-1410WT
to a computer via USB. Unfortunately, wireless connectivity
is not natively supported. But don't worry; it comes with
a special adapter that provides such functionality. And
speaking of PC's, the EB-1410WT could easily coordinate
its functions with Microsoft Office's ink features, as well
as having the option to be used as a drawing tool for
PowerPoint and Excel (live slides anyone?). Finally, it can
also communicate with other Android and iOS devices using
the Epson iProjection app.
The commercial release date of the EB-1410WT is on
January 17, 2013. It will be available with a set price of
300,000 yen (3,750 USD).
Windows 8 hacked, Games
unlocked
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/windows-8-hacked-games-
unlocked/18334.html

10
December 12th, 2012
A Nokia engineer has found some exploits in Windows 8
that will allow games to be pirated, cracked and the likes.
If there's a will there's a way, and if there's a hack, it
will be found. Nokia engineer Justin Angel posted on his
twitter, "Research done. Writing my next blog post: 'Hacking
Windows 8 Games." And that he did.
Windows 8 came out in late October, but hackers and
crackers never cease to make haste. Justin Angel, in this
case, was the vanguard in this literal breakthrough. He
mentions the flaws of the Windows Store, which, to a
novice would slip the eye and likely be beyond skill, but to
a moderate techie, would be like striking gold. Microsoft
allegedly stored (and may still store) the key/hash in
plaintext! That's not all. According to Mr. Angel, they also
stored the algorithm to both encrypt and decrypt the data
alongside the app! He remarks, "storing encrypted data
locally, alongside the algorithm and the algorithm key/hash
is a recipe for security incidents." With this information,
hackers could alter the permissions of the app to unlock
full game modes from within a trial app, as well as remove
advertisements and unlock in-app purchases.
Though he did not condone the unethical exploitation, he did
outline the steps of the compromise on his blog, which, at
this point, is not available. It is believed that excess traffic
has made the site jam. Microsoft is aware of the exploit,
however. It's not just MS who is worried on resolving the
issue. Windows 8 game developers are also quite fretful.
Microsoft had better get to working before more hackers get
to playing.
Surveillance devices
on buses recording
conversations without you
knowing
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/surveillance-devices-on-buses-
recording-conversations-without-you-knowing/18333.html
December 12th, 2012
From San Francisco to Baltimore governments are installing
surveillance devices on buses that will allow them to record
any and all conversations that we might be having while
travelling on the buses because we all know that buses are
the ultimate ride for criminals and terrorists.
From San Francisco to Baltimore governments are installing
surveillance devices on buses that will allow them to record
any and all conversations that we might be having while
travelling on the buses because we all know that buses are
the ultimate ride for criminals and terrorists.
While there has been video surveillance on many city
buses for years, they didn't have any audio to go with the
images being captured. However, that is about to change
in a number of major city transit hubs across the nation
including cities like San Francisco, California and Baltimore,
Maryland.
Once installed, the audio recordings will be linked with
the existing cameras which will allow easier browsing of
the incoming feeds because of the ability to play them
back simultaneously. The recordings will be stored in the
equivalent of a "black box" on the bus where it can then be
accessed at a later date for viewing. These boxes are said to
be able to hold up to a month's worth of recordings at a time.
As to be expected the arguments - pro and con - are
beginning to rage over this addition to the already existing
system with some saying that this is just a further protection
of both the passengers and drivers while others are saying
that this is an infringement of basic civil liberties. The
discussion on this side of the argument is that because
these "conversations" can be transcribed they can then be
collected and scrutinized by officials without any warrants—
with or without the supervision of the courts.
The only problem with this argument is that this isn't
something new as these audio surveillance devices are
being added to already existing video surveillance systems
on the buses, which, as creepy as it might be, have already
passed any legal sniff tests.
Sharp releases limited
edition Vivienne Westwood
phone
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharp-releases-limited-edition-
vivienne-westwood-phone/18321.html
December 12th, 2012
In a move that is certain to interest the orb bedecked fans
of Vivienne Westwood's designs; Sharp is now selling a
limited edition version of one of their popular Android smart

11
phones, produced in collaboration with the world renowned
British fashion designer.
Part of the new winter and spring lines of accessories,
the body of this Sharp SH-01E is covered in a camouflage
motif, and decorated with a gold Vivienne Westwood label.
The user interface has also been jazzed up with 16 custom
backgrounds based on iconic Westwood designs like Harris
Tweed and Pagan Kiss.
From the photo you can see that the icons are also
slightly dramatized versions of standard Android icons.
What apparently most delighted users who tried the phone
out at its premier were the mischievous satyrs who appear
when you get a call or a message.
The handset itself is none too shabby either. The selling point
is its 4.1 inch 540x960 QHD screen which takes up the entire
front side of the phone, and it’s light weight—weighing just
115 grams. DoCoMo calls this size "Just Fit" and markets
it to women, because apparently Japanese women aren't
offended by the implication that they are weak and their
hands are small. The SH-01E's 12.1 megapixel HD camera
also allows you to take full HD video.
The other features of the phone like its dual core 1.5
GHz snapdragon processor, and Android 4.0 OS are pretty
standard. It owes its existence to the number of fans of the
Vivienne Westwood label in Japan, which is likely second
only to the UK.
At the moment this limited edition phone is only being sold
in Japan but if fans in the rest of the world showed enough
interest Sharp just might do something about that.

1
geeks.
US immigration and customs
agency to test BlackBerry 10
platform
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-immigration-and-customs-
agency-to-test-blackberry-10-platform/18371.html
December 13th, 2012
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
agency has indicated that it will be testing BlackBerry
10 devices next year, signalling a potential restoration of
government confidence in RIM's platform.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
agency has indicated that it will be testing BlackBerry
10 devices next year, signalling a potential restoration of
government confidence in RIM's platform.
The agency will run a pilot programme employing
BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry Enterprise
Service 10, designed for governments and big businesses,
traditionally RIM's strongest audience.
RIM has suffered at the hands of Apple's iOS and Google's
Android, both of which have stolen essentially all of
its consumer market share, while also making a dint
in the enterprise sector. Many government agencies that
previously used BlackBerry have switched to iPhones or
Samsung Galaxy devices, but confidence in RIM is beginning
to be restored.
In October ICE signalled that it would switch to iOS, with
17,600 employees set to get an iPhone to replace their aging
BlackBerries. That may change now that it plans to see what
BlackBerry 10 is like, and it is a major contract that RIM
really needs to secure, not least of all because it is such a large
number of devices, but because it will help encourage other
agencies to follow suit.
After months of doom and gloom, RIM's shares are now
enjoying reasonable growth. Today they are up $0.39, or
2.93 percent, to $13.70, at the time of writing, after having
gained several percentage points over the last few days. In
fact, share prices have more than doubled since September,
thanks in part to Goldman Sachs upgrading the company's
stock rating from “neutral” to “buy” at the end of November.
BlackBerry 10, and a slew of devices running the OS, will
launch on 30 January. Many see it as the make or break event
for the company, but things are starting to look a little better
for the Canadian smartphone maker.
Google Maps is back on the
iPhone
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-maps-is-back-on-the-
iphone/18369.html
December 13th, 2012
Google has restored Google Maps to the iPhone, filling the
gap caused by Apple's removal of the app earlier this year.
Google has restored Google Maps to the iPhone, filling the
gap caused by Apple's removal of the app earlier this year.
The search giant's latest offering has been designed from
scratch to give iOS users an intuitive interface, with all the
functionality of a reliable map application that Apple could
not deliver.
Google is promising that users will be able to see more of
the map on screen now, with better quality thanks to vector-
based images, faster loading times, and smoother tilting and
rotating in both 2D and 3D views.
The company also highlighted the fact that it makes “tens
of thousands of daily updates” to Google Maps to keep it
“accurate and comprehensive,” two words that Apple failed
to consider before launching its own rival product. Google
even added a new way to send in feedback—users can simply
shake their screen when they spot something that is a little
off.

2
Google is also releasing a software development kit for
Google Maps for iOS, along with a simplified URL
scheme, which means other app developers can more easily
incorporate Google Maps into their software.
The release comes only days after Australian police labelled
Apple's Maps app as "potentially life-threatening," thanks to
its misplaced roads, cities, and just about everything else.
Apple previously featured Google Maps as a default app
on iOS devices, but growing rivalry between the companies
prompted it to ditch Google's long-standing service for a self-
built replacement using data supplied by GPS firm TomTom.
The result was a disaster, prompting Apple's CEO, Tim Cook,
to issue an apology.
Fans of Google Maps, which is likely to be just about every
user who tried Apple Maps, can now rejoice in no longer
having to access it via a mobile browser.
Google Maps is available immediately from the App Store
on the iPhone and fourth-generation iPod Touch, providing
they are running iOS 5.1 or higher.
Visceral Games adds Kinect
voice control to Dead Space
3
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/visceral-games-adds-kinect-voice-
control-to-dead-space-3/18368.html
December 13th, 2012
Visceral Games, a studio under the Electronic Arts wing, has
announced that the much-anticipated third-person shooter
Dead Space 3 will feature voice commands with the Xbox
360's Kinect.
Visceral Games, a studio under the Electronic Arts wing, has
announced that the much-anticipated third-person shooter
Dead Space 3 will feature voice commands with the Xbox
360's Kinect.
The game will take advantage of the built-in microphone in
Microsoft's motion sensor camera, allowing players to issue
simple voice commands to find objectives, give health or
ammo to a partner, revive allies, attack enemies, and more.
“The voice commands in Dead Space 3 give players a unique
way to take down the terror, whether they choose to face the
Necromorphs alone in single-player, or alongside a friend
with drop-in / drop-out co-op,” said Steve Papoutsis, VP
and GM of Visceral Games, and Executive Producer on Dead
Space 3. “Dead Space 3 delivers the action-horror experience
our fans have come to know and love. And with the ability
to survive the adventure alone, with a friend, or with Kinect,
we’re excited about extending the spine-tingling Dead Space
experience to a whole new audience of players.”
While the feature sounds most useful for the new co-op
mode, the ability to use voice to issue commands frees up the
gamer to spend more time looking for enemies, where split-
second reactions are important. That said, it will depend
on just how sensitive the Kinect is to picking up those
commands, especially if a player has the sound of the game
on high, as a failed command to use a health pack could make
traditional button-bashing a more reliable option.
Voice recognition with the Kinect allows gamers to issue
commands to, for example, watch DVDs, and some other
games like Mass Effect 3 also feature the option. We will
likely see more games adopt the feature over the next year in
efforts to provide a more immersive experience.
Dead Space 3 launches for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC
on 5 February 2013 in North America and 8 February 2013
in Europe.

3
Google Sound Search widget
now in play store
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-sound-search-widget-now-in-
play-store/18365.html
December 13th, 2012
Google's sound search widget has been released to the
Google Play Store letting you do from the home screen of
your android device, what you've already been doing through
apps.
Google's "Sound Search for Google Play" widget was
previously only available on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, but now
it's compatible with 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Thus, it has
been released to the Google Play Store and is available for
free in the North America region.
The Sound Search widget can be dropped onto the home
screen of android devices and allow you to search for a song
with the touch of a button. If a piece of music is playing
around you and you don't know what it is, this is the tool for
you. The widget is really very similar to apps such as Shazam
and Sound Hound, with a key difference, which may indeed
make it worth a download:
The Sound Search widget is integrated with Google Play,
meaning that a song you hear in a coffee shop will be
available for purchase in the Play Store when you get
home. Unfortunately, for the time being, the widget is only
available in North America
Cassini finds longest
extraterrestrial river in the
solar system
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cassini-finds-longest-
extraterrestrial-river-in-the-solar-system/18364.html
December 13th, 2012
The Cassini space probe has just found a river on Saturn's
moon Titan. Outside of earth, it is the longest river found in
the solar system thusfar.
The Cassini space probe is continuing it's exploration of the
outer solar system and now, it's taken a few new pictures
of Saturn's moon Titan. What it's discovered is a river, 320
kilometers in length, which makes it the longest river known
to exist outside of earth. Rivers have been found on Titan
before, but none of this size, which is impressive, despite
being 20 times shorter than our own Nile river.
Unlike terrestrial rivers however, the rivers on Titan are
not composed of water. The temperature on Titan is a brisk
-170C, meaning all water is well below freezing. However,
hydrocarbons such as methane and ethane are in a liquid
state, and they behave much like water does here on earth;
Titan has lakes, rivers like the newly discovered one, and
liquid-eroded landscapes, making it an oddly familiar place
far from home.
North Korea's satellite is out
of control
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/north-korea-s-satellite-is-out-of-
control/18363.html
December 13th, 2012
The controversial satellite launched by North Korea is now
out of control, flying haphazardly around the planet risking
collisions with other satellites
Yesterday, we reported on North Korea's new rocket test,
which placed an object (according to the North Koreans it

4
was a weather satellite) in orbit. The launch outraged pretty
much the entire international community, and though Japan
and South Korea were initially unable to confirm success
of the launch, NORAD and now several other monitoring
entities around the world, have confirmed that the North
Koreans did indeed get something into orbit.
It's the Korean peninsula from space. Can you tell where
NK is?
Getting something into orbit is one thing; getting it to behave
is quite another. Originally, the satellite was intended for
a polar orbit (an odd choice considering that the rotation
of the earth would make a prograde launch to the east
easier). However, the object is now tumbling out of control,
according to US officials. This makes the object a collision
risk for other satellites, and that's bad news for two reasons.
First, obviously, a collision will mean the end of a satellite,
and it wouldn't be the first time it happened. In 2009, an
American satellite collided in orbit with a 1-ton derelict
Russian satellite, destroying both. The second, and more
dangerous problem with an orbital collision, is that it will
create fast flying and tiny debris. Such debris is too small
to track from the ground, and thus impossible to avoid
during space missions. Even something as small as a screw,
when traveling at several kilometers per second, could easily
punch it's way through the hull of a spaceship, threatening
the lives of the astronauts and equipment within. Then of
course there's the concern that this was no satellite at all, but
rather a missile test for ICBMs.
Mass Effect 4 will be arriving
in 2014 or 2015
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mass-effect-4-will-be-arriving-
in-2014-or-2015/18362.html
December 13th, 2012
Bioware has announced that the next Mass Effect game is in
production, but we won't be seeing it for another two years
or so.
In an interview with Gamer Syndrome, a Bioware employee
revealed some news about the next installment in the Mass
Effect franchise. The employee stated that the next game
is most likely looking at a release sometime between late
2014 and mid 2015. They went on to reveal that full time
production on the new game started about a month or two
back.
Bioware made it no secret that we would receive more
Mass Effect games; revealing almost immediately after the
trilogy ended that the universe they'd created would be a
waste to just throw away, and that there would indeed be
another sequel. Bioware made it pretty clear though, that
Mass Effect's protagonist, Commander Shepard, would not
be featured in any major way.
A while back, the developers reached out to the fans to ask for
their input on whether the new game should be a sequel or
prequel, and while the majority of gamers seemed to indicate
they wanted the story to pick up in the aftermath of Mass
Effect 3, we have no definitive knowledge so far, of what the
game will contain.
Developers of Last of Us
refuse to move Ellie to back
cover
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/developers-of-last-of-us-refuse-to-
move-ellie-to-back-cover/18361.html
December 13th, 2012
Naughty Dog, the developers behind The Last of Us, was
asked to move Ellie, one of the game's female protagonists,
to the back cover, but the devs refused.
Naughty Dog, the developers behind the Uncharted
Franchise and currently in the middle of developing The Last
of Us, was recently asked to move one of it's protagonists
from the cover. Creative Director Neil Druckmann explains
that the development team was asked to move Ellie, a young
girl central to the plot, to the back of the box, as there was
some concern as to whether a game would sell as well with
a female on the front cover. Druckmann explains that this
is a major misconception and that the entire team flat out
refused to move her. She's now safely front and center on the
box.

5
Ellie
This isn't the first time cover art has become the focus of
heated discussion. Recently, fans of the upcoming Bioshock
Infinite were upset that the cover art would feature a
stereotypical tough-guy-with-shotgun and make just about
no references to the characters and themes central to the
plot, such as Elizabeth and the Songbird. Irrational Games
has listened to the complaints however, and are now offering
a reversible cover, with the art on the backside to be chosen
by the gamers.
Get a free copy of Metro 2033
for liking their Facebook page
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/get-a-free-copy-of-metro-2033-for-
liking-their-facebook-page/18332.html
December 13th, 2012
To promote their upcoming title, the makers of Metro 2033
are offering the game for free to anyone who likes the
Facebook page. What're you waiting for? Go get it!
It's not often you get a real reward for liking a page on
Facebook. From today until December 16th
, you can – you
can get a free copy of the spectacular game, Metro 2033, for
liking their page on Facebook.
Bribery? Probably. Do we care? Not at all.
You may ask, “Why? Why free, why now?” The game has
already been featured as a part of the Humble Bundle by
THQ, where you could offer whatever you wanted for the
game... and get at least five other games along with it. That
meant you could have paid pennies for an awesome game.
Thought you got a good deal? You did – now there's one out
that's better.
Besides that, the company that released Metro 2033, 4A
Games, is almost ready to release the sequel – Metro: Last
Light. With that game due out early 2013, the studio is most
likely looking for as much publicity as possible. What better
way than to be those cool guys that give out their game for
free?
If you've never played the game, you're missing out. It might
have passed under the radar due to its Ukrainian origins, but
this game packs a punch. Based on the novel of the same
name, you play Artyom in this post-apocalyptic version of
Moscow. Funny enough, you reside mostly in the metro. Go
figure. A FPS with a pinch of steal and a heaping cup of
horror, this beautiful game has captured many a heart.
Now, what are you waiting for? If you don't have a copy yet,
go and grab it! You can get to their Facebook page here. Once
you agree to all the mumbo-jumbo, you'll either be allowed
to download the game independently or given a code for a
Steam version. Bon voyage!
Humble Bundle fundraiser
finishes with over 5 million
earned
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/humble-bundle-fundraiser-finishes-
with-over-5-million-earned/18356.html
December 13th, 2012

6
The most recent bundle by The Humble Bundle has come to
a close, earning over 5 million dollars. Much of this money
will be going to charity, as well as to fund the company and
future projects.
It's not every day you see gamers everywhere unite to better
the world they live in, unless it's driven by greed. That might
do it.
The Humble Bundle is a project that periodically gathers
music movies, and even games together and lets you pay
whatever you want for the entire package. These bundles are
great for everyone – fantastic promotion for the products
involved, a great deal of money goes to charity, and a bit goes
to Humble so they can keep offering these sweet bundles.
Before the most recent bundle, Humble had a collection of
music, a bunch of games for the Android... and now this: The
bundle that proved to be the most successful – games from
THQ.
The Humble THQ Bundle had some pretty noticeable titles,
including Metro 2033, Darksiders, and several Company
of Heroes games. Nothing to sniff at, especially when you
consider that you could pay anything you wanted for the
whole lot. Anything – though, of course, there were some
perks if you paid more than a certain amount, such as
extra games. But this amount ended up being little more
than $7-$8, which is significantly less than the games were
worth. Even though many only contributed a few dollars,
the average being precisely $5.76, the names of the highest
contributors were shown for all to see on the Humble Bundle
page, which was $10,000.
Best of all, as the bundle went on, Humble started realizing
they were going to be making a ridiculous amount of money.
Extra games were included to make up for the massive win –
namely Titan Quest and Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War.
Those who had already bought the bundle were sent codes
to redeem these games, as well as the original titles. It was
like getting Christmas early.
Now, the Humble THQ Bundle is over, showing staggering
numbers. They ended up “with 885,286 bundles sold for a
total of $5,097,454.84.” Crickey.
If that wasn't enough game-based bundling for you, Humble
is still running an exciting project called the Double Fine
Amnesia Fortnight. The team from Double Fine studios is
in the midst of sending 5 teams to make 5 games... in two
weeks. It's like Project Runway... only better because it's
about games, and you get to play them when they're done.
If you're interested in the Humble Bundle, check them out
here. At the top of the page you'll also see the link to all the
info about Amnesia Fortnight... or you can just click this link
here.
Oppo launches Find 5 in
China with U.S. market next
in line
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/oppo-launches-find-5-in-china-with-
u.s.-market-next-in-line/18357.html
December 13th, 2012
Oppo launched its 5-inch Oppo Find 5 in Beijing recently,
and will launch the device in the U.S. soon as an unlocked
smartphone. But does it have what it takes to compete with
the Nexus 4?
Oppo’s past products seem to have been geared more toward
the Chinese consumers, but the latest phone from Oppo—the
Find 5—will be deployed for consumption in the U.S as well.
The Find 5 was recently launched in China, and will soon
make its way to global markets sometime next month.
The Oppo Find 5 sports a 5-inch screen with a
1920x1080 resolution. It comes with 2GB of RAM,
16GB of internal storage and, unfortunately, there’s no
microSD expandability option—so you’re stuck with 16GB.
Connectivity-wise, the Oppo Find 5 has the standard
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC is always nice if you’ve adopted
the functionalities that comes with it. At the center of it all is
a Qualcomm APQ8064 Quad-Core humming at 1.5GHz, and
Android Jelly Bean 4.1 to boot.
According to Oppo’s USA website, the Find 5 will be available
to consumers for $499, and comes unlocked so that it’ll
be compatible with major GSM carriers like T-Mobile and
AT&T. On another unfortunate note, however, it seems like
the Find 5 will only be capable of handling 3G.

7
The Find 5, despite its hefty screen size, is actually not that
‘fat’ as it’s purported to have a thickness of just 8.8mm. Not
too long ago, Oppo launched the Finder claiming that it’s the
world’s thinnest smartphone coming in at a mere 6.65mm
in thickness. Soon after, ZTE dropped an empty bomb on
Oppo’s parade claiming that it will release a 6.20mm thick
smartphone—the rumored ZTE Athena.
Regardless of its specs, the Find 5 will have to face
some tough competition once it becomes available to U.S.
consumers. Google’s recently launched Nexus 4 has been
flying off the warehouse shelves due to its impressive specs
as well as its outrageously low price tag for an unlocked
‘high-end’ Android device. The Nexus 4 has slightly less
screen real estate compared to the Finder 5, but a 4.7-inch
1280x768 display is nothing to jeer at. The 8GB Nexus 4
is priced at $299, while the 16GB is just $50 more ($349).
Hence, any unlocked Android device in the U.S. will have a
hard time competing with the LG rebranded Nexus 4.
Hot Deal: Duke Nukem 3D
free to Mac and PC users for
a limited time
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hot-deal-duke-nukem-3d-free-to-
mac-and-pc-users-for-a-limited-time/18355.html
December 13th, 2012
Looking to relive the glorious early days
of PC video gaming then GOG.com has the perfect offering
for both PC and Mac users - Duke Nukem 3D for free.
Google steps up its safe
search game
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-steps-up-its-safe-search-
game/18354.html
December 13th, 2012
Like most search engines Google has always had a "safe
search" option so that you wouldn't be inundated by
questionable (aka porn) results when you are searching for
images but they have apparently stepped up their game by
making it harder to get adult content unless you are really,
really, specific.
It's not hard at all these days when searching for images on
any of the major search engines to suddenly find yourself
faced with adult content that can even make me blush
and quickly hit the next button. While search engines like
Google and Bing offer a family type "safe search" option
they sometimes fall short and let really questionable images
escape into your results.
This is apparently why Google has decided to change, or
modify, the way that its search engine handles safe searches.
Where before you could turn SafeSearch on or off in your
settings, Google has changed it so that it will only let you
"filter explicit images" or "report offensive images" with the
effect that even searching images with the keyword "porn"
will only return you things like lollipops and funny images.
This new "feature" of Google was discovered reddit user
Fake_Cakeday when he was doing an image search for a
common sex term and in the ensuing discussion on reddit
many were quick to fling the "censorship" word around.
However, when asked by CNET Google had this to say
regarding the change:
We are not censoring any adult content, and want to
show users exactly what they are looking for — but
we aim not to show sexually explicit results unless
a user is specifically searching for them. We use
algorithms to select the most relevant results for
a given query. If you’re looking for adult content,
you can find it without having to change the default
setting — you just may need to be more explicit
in your query if your search terms are potentially
ambiguous. The image search settings now work the
same way as in web search.
Interestingly enough, several tech bloggersare making the
point that this move by Google could lead to search engines
like ICM Registry's Search.xxx and Microsoft's Bing scoring
a win in this particular segment of web search.
So how do you feel about Google's efforts to "puritanize" your
search result - especially if you don't want them to?
New trailer for South Park:
The Stick of Truth released
by South Park Studios
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-trailer-for-south-park-the-stick-
of-truth-released-by-south-park-studios/18352.html
December 13th, 2012
A brand new trailer shows hilarious in-game footage of the
upcoming South Park: A Stick of Truth RPG, coming to
consoles in March of next year.
Ever since it was announced at E3, gamers and fans of
the hilarious and sometimes controversial television show
South Park have been awaiting and anticipating any news or
updates concerning The Stick of Truth.
South Park Studios has recently released a brand new trailer
for the upcoming parody-infused RPG, showing actual in-

8
game footage that chronicles the basic storyline as well as a
few combat scenes.
The Stick of Truth centers around an imaginary medieval
adventure conjured up by the loveable scamps of South
Park who use their youthful imagination to bring quite an
immersive--and outrageously funny--RPG experience.
The game is being developed by Obsidian Games, who are
no strangers to RPG's: they've developed such games as Star
Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II and Fallout New Vegas
just to name a few.
With THQ handling the publishing of the game, The Stick of
Truth seems to be in more than capable hands.
The upcoming RPG features authentic cartoonish graphics
that adequately portray the characters as they are
represented in the show, giving that distinct South Park-look
to every scene, making the game actually look and feel like a
huge episode that players can interact with.
This makes for a quite rewarding and enjoyable experience
for any fan of the show.
South Park: The Stick of Truth will release on March 5, 2013
in North America for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. For
more information please visit the game's official website.
No apps for Windows 8 users
says Google
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/no-apps-for-windows-8-users-says-
google/18348.html
December 13th, 2012
There's no getting around: Windows 8 is having a really hard
time finding love in the tech world. Adding insult to injury,
now Google has given Microsoft's latest OS the thumbs
down, and is in no hurry to develop apps like Gmail for
Windows 8.
Microsoft is doing whatever it can to bring developers into
the world of its Windows 8 platform but it would seem that
one of the biggest tech companies in the world, and a major
competitor, is giving the new operating system a big thumbs
down.
Google let it be known today that they have no intention of
developing any apps for the Windows 8 platform claiming
that there isn't enough interest in the platform from
consumer to warrant them devoting any developer time to
bring things like a Gmail app to windows 8.
While that might change at some point in the future, the
impression being given is not to hold your breath as Google's
product management director for Google Apps, Clay Bavor,
said recently that the company is "very careful" when it
comes to where they invest their time, energy, and resources.
Google will go where the users are said Bavor, but for now
Google doesn't believe that consumers aren't falling all over
themselves to buy into the Windows 8 Phone or Windows 8
OS.
All I can say as both a Windows 8 Phone (Nokia 920) and
windows 8 OS user is - this sucks and is just plain stupid.
One has to wonder if it is more about platform competition
as Google has a lot invested in the Android and Chrome OS
platforms. In the end though, it's the users that are getting
screwed - thanks Google.
ZTE prepares lobbying force
to prove it's not a threat to
the U.S.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zte-prepares-lobbying-force-to-
prove-it-s-not-a-threat-to-the-u.s./18347.html
December 13th, 2012
ZTE wants to prove that it's not spying on America and its
people, and is reportedly gathering a lobbying force to clear
its name.
Consumer electronics, in general, play a big role in the North
American market. The United States, in particular, has
some of the most gadget-hungry consumers, so it comes
as no surprise that foreign firms want to target American
consumers when developing things like smartphones and
tablets. That said, ZTE, a Chinese hardware manufacturer
and the world’s 4th
largest smartphone maker, has been
tagged as a brand that might threaten the national security
of the red, white and blue.
Government officials in the U.S. (some say that competing
firms, i.e. Cisco, have a hand in the matter) have gone
out of their way to say that ZTE devices imported into the
country may be used to spy on America and its people.
The White House Intelligence Committee released a report
in October stating that the U.S. needs to “consider the
long-term security risks associated with doing business with
either ZTE or Huawei for equipment or services.” The report

9
also went to say that ZTE and Huawei cannot be trusted
because of the companies’ strong tie with their authoritarian
government.
There are no conclusive evidences that can prove ZTE (or
Huawei) has malicious intents, but its brand has been
tainted with the conspiracy stamp nonetheless. So what
now? ZTE can’t simply just abandon one of its largest
markets. True to the cliché “fight fire with fire,” ZTE is
purported to be gathering a lobbying force in the nation’s
capital to clear itself of the ‘threat’ label.
It certainly won’t be easy for a Chinese firm to convince the
portions of the U.S. government that it poses no threats to
national security. However, ZTE seems to know the U.S.
lobbying system well as it has linked up with some very
notable names in the lobbying business. ZTE has reportedly
brought aboard Ogilvy and DLA Piper, and former U.S.
ambassador Tom Korologos to help the Chinese firm regain
a positive image in front of the American people.
The move to tackle its branding issues in the heart of
America is a bold one, and ZTE’s march into Washington
will definitely be met with oppositions. But win or lose, ZTE
won’t wave the white flag anytime soon.

1
geeks.
McAfee warns of cyber threat
to 30 US banks
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mcafee-warns-of-cyber-threat-to-30-
us-banks/18396.html
December 14th, 2012
Computer security firm McAfee Labs has warned that 30 US
banks face a major fraud attack by hackers in the New Year,
which could result in the loss of millions of dollars.
Computer security firm McAfee Labs has warned that 30 US
banks face a major fraud attack by hackers in the New Year,
which could result in the loss of millions of dollars.
McAfee claims that hackers have developed software called
Project Blitzkrieg, which it said has been in the works since
2008 and has already stolen $5 million, but the US has only
recently come on the radar for these kinds of attacks.
The report shows that there have already been up to 500
victims in the US in the past few months, but it predicts that
the real efforts won't materialise until Spring of 2013.
Attacks recorded in the US in recent months
The software is designed to utilise the protocols banks use
to protect against attacks, intercepting tracking emails that
flag suspicious activity and mimicking genuine transactions.
Large transactions are expected to be targeted in efforts to
slip under the radar, as discrepancies are likely to appear less
significant on those than on smaller amounts.
US banks have already come under attack recently, with
Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase suffering from
Distributed Denial of Service (DdoS) attacks in September.
However, these attacks that are just on the horizon are likely
to be the largest ever seen in the US banking sector.
The American Bankers Association said that banks are aware
of the threat.
Image Credit: McAfee
Woman tasered in Apple
Store for wanting to buy
iPhones
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/woman-tasered-in-apple-store-for-
wanting-to-buy-iphones/18395.html
December 14th, 2012
A Chinese woman who could not speak fluent English was
tasered in an Apple Store in the US after she tried to buy
more than the allowed quota of iPhone 5 devices.
A Chinese woman who could not speak fluent English was
tasered in an Apple Store in the US after she tried to buy
more than the allowed quota of iPhone 5 devices.
Xiaojie Li, a 44-year old Chinese woman living in Newton,
Massachusetts, bought two of the latest iPhones last Friday
at the Apple Store in the Pheasant Lane Mall. She ordered
two more online and tried to collect them on Tuesday, but
the store refused to sell her them, thanks to a limit of two
devices per customer.
The store manager then asked Li to leave, but she claims
that her poor English meant she did not understand the
command. The manager brought in a police officer, who
asked her to leave, but she again refused, resulting in her
being held down and tasered, which police say is “standard
procedure.”

2
The woman had a whopping $16,000 in cash on her when
she was arrested, though given the price of Apple devices
that is not necessarily such a large amount. She claims she
was buying the phones for relatives in China, but some
suspect she planned to resell them for a profit.
Regardless, the incident appears to be a case of overreaction
to someone who clearly presented no threat to the store, staff
or other customers. To make matters worse, Li now faces
charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest, all for
wanting to buy more iPhones.
NASA releases video
explaining why world will not
end on 21 December
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nasa-releases-video-explaining-why-
world-will-not-end-on-21-december/18389.html
December 14th, 2012
NASA has released a video explaining why the world will not
end on 21 December 2012, as many people believe.
NASA has released a video explaining why the world will not
end on 21 December 2012, as many people believe.
The video, entitled “Why the World Didn't End Yesterday”
was designed to be published on 22 December, the day
after the supposed Armageddon, but the space agency is so
confident that things will keep on going that it decided to
release the video early.
The primary reason for expectations that the world will end
in a week's time is down to an ancient Mayan “long count”
calendar, which covers thousands of years and mysteriously
stops on the 21 December of this year, a fact that sounds
ominous until one considers that it is a rolling calendar,
according to Dr. John Carlson, director of the Centre for
Archaeo-Astronomy.
What the world will look like on 22 December 2012
Carlson states that the Mayan calendar is the most complex
ever developed, with dates in some Mayan ruins spanning
billions of years, even further back than when scientists
currently postulate the Big Bang occurred. Yet there is
nothing in the Mayan material that suggests the world will
end next week.
Putting prophecies aside, NASA was able to assure people
that there were no comets or asteroids on a collision course
with Earth, nor was a planet coming too close either. The
agency explained that such impending space objects would
be visible to the naked eye if they were anywhere near the
planet.
Fears about the Sun's flares are also deemed to be
unfounded, and while the Sun is approaching the end of an
11-year cycle, which means a peak in violent eruptions, this
cycle has been the tamest we have seen in 50 years.
For those still not convinced, NASA also has an FAQ on
its website. Of course, none of that will put the conspiracy
theories and doomsday predictions at rest, but we expect
many scientists will be saying the words “I told you so” in
just over a week's time.
Metro: Last Light details pre-
order bonuses
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/metro-last-light-details-pre-order-
bonuses/18388.html
December 14th, 2012
Metro: Last Light has just revealed what kind of goodies you
can expect from pre-ordering the game, and there's a pretty
big bonus for those who want their game to be extra hard.
Metro: Last Light, THQ's shooter due to arrive in March
of 2013, has just detailed what bonuses you'll get for pre-
ordering the game. There's some fairly standard bonuses as
well as couple of really cool ones. You'll get a new weapon,

3
the AKS-74U as well as extra pre-war bullets. The new rifle is
compact and apparently pretty powerful, which should give
you an edge in the harder parts of the game. The pre-war
ammunition functions in the game as both extra powerful
ammunition, and as currency, so that's always welcome.
The big bonus though, is Ranger Mode, which returns from
Metro 2033. Ranger mode is an extra hard difficulty, where
bullets are much more damaging (only a few shots will kill
you), cross hairs and indeed the entire HUD is disabled,
and ammunition is sparse. Ranger mode should be more
than enough for those looking to challenge themselves: I can
personally attest that ranger mode in Metro:2033 will make
you cry.
If you pre-order through the Playstation Network, there's
another bonus: Continuing THQ's recent habit of throwing
games at their customers, any PSN pre-orders will also come
with a free copy of Homefront.
"Woven" turns you into a
walking game console
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-woven-turns-you-into-a-walking-
game-console/18387.html
December 14th, 2012
Two graduates form the Utrecht School of Arts have created
a wearable game console, with electronics and LEDs woven
into the fabric.
Christiaan Ribbens and Patrick Kersten are two recent
graduates from the Utrecht School of Arts in the
Netherlands, and they've created a new game console. Their
creation, "Woven", consists of (among others) Bluetooth
modules, motion sensors, speakers, shake motors and LEDs
which have been woven into a pair of jeans and a sweater.
Three Arduino microcontrollers keep the system running.
The Woven's insides exposed
Wearable technology is becoming more and more popular
these days, and Woven has proven itself among it's peers
by being quite diverse. Though originally built as a gaming
console, Ribbens and Kersten discovered a number of
alternate uses for it during development: They discovered
it could be used to monitor the health of the user, alert the
wearer of their social media updates, or quite simply, it could
function as cool looking clothing with LEDs built in.
It's first and primary use as a game console is quite
interesting by itself though. The developers have created a
game called spooky, in which you attempt to fight ghosts
and phantoms which attack you at random. The game is
played by connecting a smartphone to Woven via Bluetooth
and connecting the speakers to the headphone jack on said
phone. The LEDs will display a 12x12 inch broadcast of the
game's progress to onlookers. The idea of using your entire
body to play, much like a connect, but augmented into the
real world, is an interesting concept.
Oh and did we mention? It's washable.
Medal of Honor update rolling
out
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/medal-of-honor-update-rolling-
out/18386.html
December 14th, 2012
An update is rolling out for Medal of Honor: Warfighter,
partially due to player feedback and partially in preparation
for the upcoming Zero Dark Thirty map pack.
An update for EA's shooter, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, is
rolling out on December 18 for all platforms. The update,
which is mandatory for all platforms except the Xbox 360,
includes a number of fixes and changes. Player feedback over
the past months are the primary force behind the update,
and include everything from damage alteration, to menu

4
fixes. Four changes in particular are PC specific and have to
do mainly with game options.
The update is required for anyone who wants to play the
upcoming Zero Dark Thirty map pack, which focuses on
the Bin Laden raid. It contains preparatory changes and
additional content required for the map pack, which is free
for anyone who purchased the Limited and Digital Deluxe
editions of the game. The complete list of changes is below:
-VoIP improvements
- Front-end visual improvements in MP
- Increased bullet damage in Real Ops
- In-game Party improvements
- Shortened post-match timer and updated post-match
progression display
- Several fixes for Eyefinity setups (PC)
- Added server leaderboards post-match
- Added Fireteam leaderboards in Battlelog
- Added Quick Select for classes/weapons
- Added server password protection support (PC)
- Added ability to modify FOV through in-game options (PC)
- Added ability to modify ADS mouse speed option (PC)
- 10 additional multiplayer ranks: Atlas Commander Bronze
1/2/3, Atlas Commander Silver 1/2/3, Atlas Commander
Gold 1/2/3, and Atlas Supreme Commander
- Improved stability for SP and MP
- Numerous fixes addressing known bugs and exploits
- Additional content and changes in preparation for the Zero
Dark Thirty Map Pack.
Metal Gear Rising:
Revengence demo is coming
to North America
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/metal-gear-rising-revengence-demo-
is-coming-to-north-america/18385.html
December 14th, 2012
A demo for the upcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengence,
previously released and region locked for Japan, is hitting
North American in January.
Kojima Productions' next game, Metal Gear Rising:
Revengence, is departing a bit from the rest of the Metal
Gear series, by providing fast paced action gameplay instead
of the stealth commonly associated with the franchise. Due
to be released in February next year, it will take place
four years after the previous game (though it was originally
intended as an interequel, meant to explore what happened
to protagonist Raiden between Metal Gear Solid 2 and 4).
Revengence is still a ridiculous word in my opinion
A demo for the new game has been out in Japan for some
time, and the demo was also shipped with copies of the
Zone of Enders HD collection. Now though, Konami has
announced that the demo is being released for Xbox360 and
PS3 in North America in January. No news as to whether the
demo will be showing up elsewhere, but with just a month
between the North American demo and the game's release,
how much of a difference is it really going to make?
US Senate bill bans
cyberstalking apps
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/us-senate-bill-bans-cyberstalking-
apps/18384.html
December 14th, 2012
Loopholes in the law have permitted the sale of cyberstalking
apps for cell phones, but a new bill by the US Senate hopes
to put an end to such sales.

5
Software companies have been utilizing loopholes in the
law to sell apps for cyberstalking people via their cell
phones. The software has been popularized for being able
to keep track of your children and can easily record the
movements of a spouse. However, the US Senate Judiciary
Committee has just approved a new bill that would make
it illegal to intentionally manufacture such an app. Stalking
and wiretapping is already illegal, but there exists no law
to regulate the manufacture of software which facilitates
stalking.
Senator Al Franken, one of the bills supporters
The bill is supported by Senator Al Franken, chairman of
the US Senate subcommittee on privacy, technology and the
law. He is hoping to further diminish the use of the app by
forcing it to reveal it's presence when in use, and hopes to
increase the liabilities, both civil and criminal, to include the
company which manufactured the app. The bill requires the
app to alert the user of it's presence within seven days of
being installed, and would require permission by the phone's
user to run. If these requirements are not met, the company
would be subject to liability charges. The new bill would
update antiquated laws which were created years before the
introduction of the wireless technologies we today surround
ourselves with:
"What's most troubling is this: Our law is not protecting
location information," said Franken, explaining that the
current laws prohibit revealing location information for
landlocked phones, but that wireless location information
can be freely extracted and used without the user's
permission.
Opponents of the bill stated that asking for the users
permission would stifle innovation in an industry that's
still developing and growing, something echoed by Senators
Charles Grassley and Chuck Schumer. However, both these
senators voted on the bill and it passed. Congress may thus
soon put an end to cyberstalking, or at least cripple it.
Shenzhen Touts Highest
Micro-Blogger Usage In China
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/shenzhen-touts-highest-micro-
blogger-usage-in-china/18383.html
December 14th, 2012
Shenzhen now has the highest micro-blogging usage in all of
China and its Internet penetration rates will soon rival that
of Japan.
Shenzhen, which is located in China’s Quangdong province,
has a well connected population on the Internet (netizens),
with a good percentage of that population being college
educated. The Internet usage by its citizens is quite regular
and more so than the national average. Now statistics state
that Shenzhen is not only becoming the leader in Internet
usage penetration, but Shenzhen currently has the highest
Weibo penetration rate in China with the number of Weibo
users who actively use the social network three or more
times per day, 16% higher than China’s national average. It is
also reported that Shenzhen Internet users are more active
bloggers, BBS users and other on-line apps as well.
In China, the abbreviated term for a microblog is referred
to as a ‘Weibo’. A Weibo or micro-blog is a communication
exchange platform used so people can talk and exchange
real time information with one another through different
kinds of clients like WEB or WAP. Operating very much like
Twitter, it only allows up to 140 characters or less.
For sometime now, Shenzhen has been growing quickly
and is fast becoming China’s version of Silicon Valley.
It is the home of China’s main Internet portal,
Tencent, and Huawei, the latter being one of the largest
telecommunication corporations on the planet. Shenzhen
is also the headquarters of Baidu, which is China’s version
of Google. The city is also the home headquarters for
dozens of major manufacturers of all types of electronic
consumer devices, computer software, medical equipment
and all manner of other electronic devices and technology
used around the world.
A recent report from the Shenzhen Internet
Development Research Report says that the Internet usage
in Shenzhen, China is nearly at 77 percent and that nearly
8 million people are actively using the Internet there
on a daily basis. In other Chinese regions the Internet
penetration is growing as well. The Beijing, Guangzhou
and Shanghai regions are at 70.3%, 72.9% and 66.2%
respectively. Internationally, Internentworldstats show that
Singapore has an Internet penetration of around 77.2%
with Hong Kong at 68.7%. The report further states that
the Internet penetration in the Shenzhen region will soon
surpass Japan, which has the highest Internet penetration
in the world.

6
Samsung Galaxy Note III
Rumored to Come With a 6.3
inch Display
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-galaxy-note-iii-rumored-
to-come-with-a-6.3-inch-display/18380.html
December 14th, 2012
A Samsung official speaking under anonymity says that the
new phablet will have the largest screen to date in the
smartphone industry at a whopping 6.3 inches.
If you are a fan of oversized smartphones, often referred to as
‘phablets’, you’ll be happy to know that they are here to stay
for a while. A South Korean news agency is reporting that the
upcoming Samsung Galaxy III will come with an impressive
6.3” screen.
When Samsung first introduced their Note line of
smartphones it came with a generous 5.3” display, howerver,
many critics felt that a mid-range tablet’ish device wouldn’t
work in the market. Samsung quickly proved the critics
wrong and now the Galaxy II model boasts and impressive
5.5” display. Now Samsung plans to doone better by
increasing its display size by nearly another inch for its 2013
release.
It is apparent that Samsung is attempting to see just how
large they can create a smartphone without the tablet title.
Needless to say, a 6.3” display would be close in size to
what many consider a tablet like the iPad mini with its 7.85”
display or the Nexus 7, which has a 7” display.
At this time Samsung has not disclosed any other
specification on the Note III but it will have the organic light-
emitting diode (OLED) display. Furthermore, the Korea
Timesrecently reported that Samsung would be taking a turn
from conventional LCD display and move towards more
research and development in OLED display. When asked
about the new display route being taken by Samsung, a high-
level subcontractor Samsung requesting anonymity stated,
“Because the LCD industry is approaching full saturation,
Samsung, as well as its biggest rival LG Display, is expected
to lower investment for its LCD plant in southern China. The
reason is simple. LCD is no longer a cash generator.” In
the same article, the Korea Times also quoted a Samsung
parts supplier who stated that the global market for LCD
displays is at saturation and that consumers will begin to
see a major shift over to OLED and even flexible displays.
“With money saved from LCD restructuring, the firm plans
to spend more on OLED and flexible displays. Profitability
is the top priority for Samsung’s display-making business
next year,’’ said an executive from one of Samsung’s key local
parts suppliers by telephone on Monday.
According to reports conducted by ABI research, researchers
say that we are in the beginning of what they call the
dawn of the ‘phablet’ era, and that by 2015 the tablet
like smartphones may see sales as high at 208 million
units by 2015. “One of the chief drivers for phablets is
the amount of time people use their smartphones for web
browsing, reading articles and newspapers on the go, or
simply navigating their journeys,” says ABI analyst Joshua
Flood. “The larger screen sizes make a significant difference
to the user’s experience when compared to conventional-
sized touch screens between 3.5 to 4 inches.”
Back From the Dead: Turbine
Announces Asheron's Call 2
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/back-from-the-dead-turbine-
announces-asheron-s-call-2/18379.html
December 14th, 2012
Game developer Turbine Inc. has announced the relaunch of
its 2005 MMORPG Asheron's Call 2. After a quiet 7 years,
AC2 returns abruptly and without a subscription fee.
It will be a very Merry Christmas for some this year.
In a sudden announcement yesterday, Turbine’s producer
Severlin announced via their forums that Asheron’s Call 2
has returned. You heard it right, after shutting down in 2005
shortly after the release of its first expansion, Legions, the
game is already live and back seven years later with a single
server called Dawnsong. It is free to play for those with an
active Asheron’s Call account. Though still running a version
of the old client, Turbine considers the game in beta and is
actively monitoring for any hiccups.
A screenshot of AC2 before its premature demise.
This is unprecedented for an MMORPG developer to re-
release a game so long after it has closed down and it is
raising some eyebrows. After Turbine bought out Microsoft’s
share of the Asheron's Call IP back in 2004 and choose to
publish for themselves, the game seemed to tread water for a
time but struggled to draw in significant numbers. Only time
will tell if there is still a place for old MMOs.
Seattle looking to bypass
ISPs with its own gigabit
network
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/seattle-looking-to-bypass-isps-with-
its-own-gigabit-network/18378.html

7
December 14th, 2012
There are a growing number of cities that are looking
seriously at bypassing the typical ISPs high-speed
broadband access, and provide their citizens with true high-
speed broadband access much like what we have seen Google
do in Kansas City.
There are a growing number of cities that are looking
seriously at bypassing the typical ISPs high-speed
broadband access, and provide their citizens with true high-
speed broadband access much like what we have seen Google
do in Kansas City.
It might be too soon to think about declaring 2013 as the year
that cities around the nation decide to give the traditional
ISP companies the finger and roll out gigabit networks for
its citizens en masse but I think that we are definitely seeing
a real trend of this type of thing happening.
It is a trend that Google help publicize with its Google Fiber
project that recently went live in Kansas City and has Eric
Schmidt of Google saying that they are looking at extending
the project to other cities. However, some cities aren’t
waiting for the Google Fiber project to come their way and
instead are beginning to build out their own gigabit network
infrastructure often in partnership with other companies
like Gigabit Squared.
This is the case with Chicago, Kansas City, Bristol (Tenn.),
and now Seattle. These cities are all teaming up with Gigabit
Squared in an effort to build a gigabit broadband network
in a total of six college towns, including the cities already
mentioned. In the case of Seattle, the new network would
take advantage of the dark fiber network the city already
owns.
For the Seattle deal there will be three parts to the network.
First there is the fiber-to-home component that will reach
some 50,000 homes in 12 of Seattle's neighborhoods.
Secondly, the city will see the network take advantage
of point-to-point wireless. Lastly, some sort of mobile
broadband service will come about.
From Gigabit Squared side this will mark its second fiber
commitment under an already existing agreement that
the company has with Blair Levin's Gig.U project. The
company's first commitment was in Chicago and will see the
project piggyback itself on the city's upgrade to their utility
infrastructure.
Even though there have been previous efforts by cities to
provide their own broadband service to their residents, in
most cases the projects failed due to pressure in the courts
and lobbying of state houses by the telecoms and cable
companies. What could make this different this time around
is that you have companies like Google getting involved as
well as cities that are willing to make this type of fiber project
an integral part of any utility upgrades they are doing to their
cities.
The snowball could be starting its roll and I don't think that
the telcos and cable companies are going to be able to stop
the momentum this time around.
Samsung Galaxy S IV won't
have a flexible display
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-galaxy-s-iv-won-t-have-a-
flexible-display/18377.html
December 14th, 2012
Clumsy people who are looking forward to having an
unbreakable flexible display technology for the next Galaxy
S smartphone will have to keep on wishing.
Sorry folks, Samsung won’t be outfitting the Galaxy S IV
with its flexible AMOLED display. The idea of having a
screen that’s virtually unbreakable is definitely something
worth looking forward to, but for now Samsung will keep
that technology off the shelf.
The Galaxy S III was one of the most anticipated
smartphones this year, and words are that the S IV probably
won’t be announced at CES or even MWC. Despite
Samsung’s ‘short-shelf-life’ tactic, the Galaxy S III will
probably remain the flagship for possibly another 5-6
months. The S III became the most popular smartphone
when 18 million units were shipped in the third quarter,
according to Strategy Analytics.
Many are expecting an announcement of the S IV to come in
the later part of 2013, and people can expect a 1080p display
considering how HTC (among others) has already began
utilizing higher res displays in devices like the J Butterfly and
Droid DNA.
When Samsung was developing the S III, the Korean-tech
giant took extra precautions when it came to protecting its
trade secret. Samsung engineers reportedly built several
prototypes and dummies, and made sure that only the
people that were involved in the project knew which were
prototypes and which were dummies—even the engineers
had a hard time keeping track of the ‘real’ thing.
So throw caution to the wind when the S IV rumors begin
to swirl later next year, because Samsung really don’t want
people to know anything about their next flagships until it’s
officially announced.
Steam announces new
Community Feature - Game
Guides
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steam-announces-new-community-
feature--game-guides/18372.html
December 14th, 2012

8
Steam, Valve's online game site, is on quite the roll of late
with an announcement recently of a new beta feature for
Steam members - Games Guides.
Over the past couple of months Steam has been on quite the
roll when it comes to rumors about the company and the
rolling out of a number of beta features for the service and
its users.
We've heard about the rumors of a Steam game console
(which still makes no sense to me personally) to support
for Mac users along with early testing for Linux support…
Then there is the Steam Greenlight project that allows Steam
members to select and vote on which indie developer games
will make into the Steam gaming portfolio.
Now we get news that a new feature for the Steam
Community called Game Guides has been made available as
a beta that is open to all Steam users (as long as they have
selected to be notified of beta versions of the service).
As any serious, and not so serious gamer knows, there are
times when playing a game for the first time that having
something like a walkthrough, or guide, can make the
difference between enjoying that new game and pulling out
one's hair while banging one's head against the desk. With
this new Game Guides feature you can create a guide for your
favorite game and then share it with your fellow players.
Once you have selected to create a guide you will be able to
upload and insert images, or use screenshots that are already
in your Steam gaming cloud. You can insert YouTube videos
and add friends to help you write the guide as well. When
done just hit the publish button and your guide for that
specific game will become available for everyone to use.
To use this new beta feature you will need to be a member of
the Steam Community Beta Group.
Personally I think that this will be a great addition to Steam
especially after suffering through having to hunt up game
walkthroughs in the past. Having guides available at the
same place as your games, and hopefully a step above the
ones you find in the wilds of the Internet, will be a really nice
bonus.
Dream JailBreak is just that,
a dream
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dream-jailbreak-is-just-that-a-
dream/18367.html
December 14th, 2012
The iOS hacker @DreamJailbreak made a claim that the
"First Untethered iOS6 Jailbreak" would debut 12/22/2012.
The name holds true, however, the jailbreak is still
nonexistent.
We previously ran a story of an iOS hacker that made claim
of a jailbreak for the illusive iOS 6. From the DreamJB.com
website it seems that this was an elaborate social media
experiment. It was simply to show what can happen when
a claim is made. The website received over 300,000 unique
views and the Twitter account had 20,000 followers in just a
week. Whether or not the reason is true is unknown. It could
be he was caught in false claims and this is the backtrack.
This tweet came out and that is when we knew the whole
claim was false. When we tried to find the DreamJB twitter
account it seems it has been deleted. Dream says:
......There are services out there that charge for
jailbreaks that are intended to be free. Imagine what
could have happened should this have gone for sale?
The provided proof tonight was intended as a
final boost to the viewers before this message was
released.
Let this be a lesson to the public. PLEASE be
careful when it comes to jailbreak solutions that are
advertised outside of the prominent and accepted
dev teams. Do some research and follow them on
Twitter now......
If and when a true iOS 6 jailbreak does come out, we will be
sure to inform you.
Julian Assange runs for
Australian senate under new
Wikileaks Party
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/julian-assange-runs-for-australian-
senate-under-new-wikileaks-party/18359.html
December 14th, 2012
Julian Assange, better known as the founder of the
controversial ‘Wikileaks.org’ whistleblower website, is
running for a Senate position in Australia.
The 41-year-old Wikileaks founder recently revealed his
intention to run for a Senate seat in the 2013 Australian
federal election. Assange says that his new goal for a political
party has quickly gained some momentum and that it has a
lot of support in his home country of Australia.

9
The Senate seat Assange is seeking will be under his own
new political party he has aptly named, the ‘Wikileaks Party’.
Currently Assange is wanted in connection with the rape of
two Swedish females while he was purportedly visiting that
country for a conference. Some U.S. federal lawmakers are
calling for his extradition to the U.S. and are saying he is
guilty of international espionage.
Assange says he will need to have at least 500 Australian
citizens to sign up for the new Wikileaks Party name for it
to be recognized. Assange feels that a new Wikileaks party
would be good for an open government that he envisions for
all Australians. Other like-minded supporters feel an open
government is a necessity in this day of what they perceive as
illegal government operations and spying on its own citizens.
Assange feels that personal privacy is at stake around the
globe, and it is his goal to make sure people keep their right
to privacy.
Assange gained a lot of notoriety for his controversial
website Wikileaks, which has disclosed thousands of
secret government and business documents, E-mails and
other secret records. Most of the material is turned in
anonymously but there have been a few whistleblowers
that were caught, such as the U.S. Army Private, Bradley
Manning who is currently on trial for turning over to
Wikileaks a large amount of classified U.S. Army intelligence
material.
Wikileaks is credited with uncovering and disclosing
thousands of private E-mails from Syrian government
officials that they are calling, “The Syria Files”. “The material
is embarrassing to Syria, but it is also embarrassing to
Syria’s opponents,” says Assange. “It helps us not merely
to criticize one group or another, but to understand
their interests, actions and thoughts. It is only through
understanding this conflict that we can hope to resolve it.”
Assange was in England on house arrest fighting extradition
to Sweden, but in June 2012 Assange violated his parole
and moved into the Ecuadorian embassy in London where
he applied for political asylum, fearing that a deportation
to the U.S. meant he could be put to death if convicted.
The following month the Ecuadorian government accepted
Assange’s political asylum request and stated that Assange
may stay in the Embassy for as long as he wished.
Assange says the accusations of rape against him are totally
false, and it is a way for the U.S. to have him extradited
to them. He called on the U.S. to end the witch-hunt
against him and that “the US Administration’s war on
whistleblowers must end.”
Google Fiber "not just an
experiment" according to
Eric Schmidt
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-fiber-not-just-an-experiment-
according-to-eric-schmidt/18353.html
December 14th, 2012
From the moment when Google first announced its Google
Fiber project to the point when it actually launched this past
month techies have been drooling at the idea that you could
actually have incredible broadband speeds at a reasonable
price. Now we find out that Google is looking to make the
project "a business" and not just an experiment.
When Kansas City was announced as the winning city
that would be ground zero for Google's fiber high-speed
broadband project the collective weeping of the cities that
lost out could be heard throughout the Internet, but if
what Eric Schmidt said at the New York Times' DealBook
conference was not just hot air then those cities may just
have another shot at getting Google Fiber.
During his talk at the conference Schmidt said that Google
wasn't treating the fiber project just as an experiment but
rather the company was running it as if it were a business
and that it will come to "hopefully more cities if we're able
to expand our service".
While the promise of the fiber project is broadband speeds
of 1GB up and down the reality is that many people in Kansas
City who are using the service are reporting speeds of 841
Mbps download and 923 Mbps upload; but even that for an
price of $70 per month is just plain mind-blowing and puts
any of the other providers services to shame.
Right now Google Fiber is only available to certain
residential areas and won't be available for businesses for
some time. There is also no real information from Google as
to when, or if, we will see their service spread to other cities.

5
On their side, Intel has also helped by finally enabling Quad
HD level resolutions like 3840x2160 and 3840x2400 in
their Ivy Bridge display support this month. The upcoming
Haswell generation will, of course, support these resolutions
by default anyway, as Nvidia and AMD GPUs did for years
in any case.
So, from a hardware standpoint, there is nothing to prevent
PC vendors from exceeding the tablets – or Apple – in the
notebook display resolution and quality. Oh yes, quality here
also means non glossy display, as US$ 1K++ Ultrabooks are
usually not bought for watching movies or being used as a
mirror, but for productive work.
As for the usual ‘no guts’ PC vendor behavior in avoiding to
demand from LCD panel vendors the right displays for their
laptops’s use, rather than just taking what panel makers
throw at them to “save on glass cutting costs” and such
dumb excuses for the pathetic 16:9 format, the only party
who can correct the problem are the vendors themselves
– the users have already voted with their money, looking
at the dwindling notebook, including Ultrabook, sales, and
exploding tablet sales, even without the “PC application
base”.
Or, maybe, Intel can be the one to gently, or less gently,
nudge the PC vendors into solving this issue. Because, once
Apple really moves into 64-bit ARM-based laptops as they
likely will in a year or two, they will make sure these are
vastly superior to anything in the PC marketplace, and then
Intel will suffer far more too. And, it seems, Intel – not the
users - is the only ‘shepherd’ that PC vendor sheep lot listens
to, at the end of the day.
Samsung plant guilty of
exposing female worker to
carcinogens
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-plant-guilty-of-exposing-
female-worker-to-carcinogens/18401.html
December 16th, 2012
A female working in the chip production area of Samsung
developed breast cancer while being exposed to caustic
chemicals. Family was awarded compensation for her death.
The Associated Press has reported that South Korea's
Worker’s Compensation and Welfare Service government
agency stated on Friday, December 14th that an employee
working at a Samsung Electronics factory did develop
breast cancer from exposure to carcinogenic elements in a
computer chip production area of the plant.
The Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service,
official statement was that there was a "considerable causal
relationship" between the female who developed breast
cancer while she worked in the chip assembly section of the
plant. The woman whose name was withheld for privacy was
said to have worked at Samsung from 1995-2000 and passed
away in March of 2012, three years after being diagnosed
with breast cancer. According to the Welfare agency, they
stated that the cancer was likely attributed to the woman
being exposed to different organic solvents and radiation.
The agency awarded the family compensation for her death;
however, a spokesman for Samsung stated that the company
would not be seeking an appeal in the matter. This is
the fourth case in which an employee, who worked for
Samsung, or the family of such, was awarded compensation
for unsafe working conditions. In 2011, it was ruled that two
former Samsung employees got cancer from working in the
semiconductor area of the plant, and in April of this year
one former employee who suffered from aplastic anemia was
awarded compensation as well.
The purpose of the Korea Worker’s Compensation and
Welfare Service is to process and make rulings in regards
to claims from workers who say they have a disease or
illness attributed to working conditions. Contrary to most
countries, employees file directly with the agency, and not
the company they work for. If the person’s case is thrown
out, they have the right to appeal, and the same for the
company found negligent. There have been 30 claims filed by
employees who have worked for Samsung stating that they
developed some form of a disease from working at Samsung,
many of which have been thrown out.
Yahoo and AVG announce
partnership to protect your
links
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/yahoo-and-avg-announce-
partnership-to-protect-your-links/18404.html
December 16th, 2012
One of the dangers of our ever increasing mobile world is
that the malware out there is being made available through
what they call "drive-by clicking" which potentially makes
every link you click on a danger to your security and
information. Yahoo and AVG have announced a partnership
to help fight that danger.
For many years AVG has been well known for providing an
antivirus software that became the mainstay for a very large
number of computer users, myself included, but the days of
malware only being available via infected software that you
might have downloaded to install is long gone.
Malware can find its way on to any of your computers,
laptops, tablets, or smartphones by the simple action of
clicking on a link. In a world where even you search results in
your favorite browser can lead to malware being installed the
time has come for different tactics to be used, which is why
we are starting to see partnerships like the one announced
today between Yahoo and AVG.
The deal will see Yahoo powering AVG's secure search which
uses their own LinkScanner technology to scan the links to
protect their users from malicious web sites that will try to
download and install malware in the background when you
end up on t heir sites.
According to a recent report via Search Engineland, there
has been an 80% increase in the number of infected search

6
results which makes this kind of partnership a needed
service.
Shashi Seth, senior vice president of Connections at Yahoo,
said when the partnership was announced that it was the
company's commitment to being able to provide a safe and
rich search experience for AVG users that helped lead to the
partnership.
Police catch Anonymous
hacker with a simple Google
search
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/police-catch-anonymous-hacker-
with-a-simple-google-search/18402.html
December 16th, 2012
22-year-old Christopher 'Nerdo' Weatherhead was
convicted by U.K. Police for his role in a DDoS attack in
2010 and 2011 that cost PayPal approximately £3.5m ( $5.7
million U.S.).
Police in the United Kingdom recently busted a hacker, who
referred to himself as ‘Nerdo’ on the Internet, when they
performed a simple Google search of his name. ‘Nerdo’,
whose real name is Christopher Weatherland, was charged
with conspiracy to impair the operation of computers.
Weatherhead was part of the ‘Anonymous’ hacktivist group
that has often plagued many servers around the globe.
The U.K. Police caught Weatherhead because he made the
mistake of using the same IRC network name for some time,
thereby giving police a long trail of Internet history to track
him by. A Detective Constable Trevor Dickey who worked
on the case explained they basically did a simple keyword
searching via Google. "We then did some keyword searching
and spent a lot of time looking social leakage,” says Dickey.
“Combining all these elements we then identified the NICs of
interest and did open source research on them. Weatherhead
was easy to identify as he had been using the NIC of ‘Nerdo'
for quite some time."
According to a report from the U.K. based, The Register,
Weatherland, 22, was studying at Northampton University
when he took an active part in what was called "Operation
Payback", which was a denial-of-service attack (DDoS)
campaign that began when the on-line hacktivist group
‘Anonymous’ began a defense of the whistleblower site,
Wikileaks.org. Between 2010 – January 2011, Weatherland,
along with others involved with the hacktivist group,
targeted many Internet media sites along with PayPal.com
that blocked payment portals for donations to the Wikileaks
site. PayPal says it cost the company approximately 5.7
million (U.S.).
The Guardianreports that an Ashley Rhodes, 27, of South
London, a Peter Gibson, 24 of Hartlepool and an 18-year-old
Jake Birchall had previously pleaded guilty in connection to
the same case.
Sony unveils the new
PS3...Lunch Box?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-unveils-the-new-ps3...lunch-
box-/18390.html
December 16th, 2012
In appreciation of continued support for series like Final
Fantasy and Metal Gear for more than 25 years, Sony
Computer Entertainment Japan happily unveils a new PS3…
Lunch Box!
Themed lunch boxes may be far from being a staple of tech
news, but this one might interest you in many "tech" ways.
Presenting the new PS3 Lunch Box! Unveiled on December
14, 2012, this special limited edition item was a token of
appreciation from Sony Computer Entertainment for the
continued support of long running series like Final Fantasy
and Metal Gear (yes, even though they didn't originally
come from the Playstation console). It was dubbed as "the
Ultimate Theme Lunch Box".
As it is slated to be released in Japan, the shape and form
of the lunch box is that of a bentou, or a Japanese meal
box. This particular type is that of a juubako, or a nest box
type bentou. The cover on top of the lunch box is of course,
the unmistakable top portion of your average PS3, with the
proportions accurate to about 0.1mm of the original (albeit
a bit modified though to add to the aesthetic quality of its
design).
And speaking of design, it has been claimed that the lunch
box was made with the highest woodworking and laser
etching techniques that were available to the designers. Not
that it means anything too critical for us who won't really get
their hands on the item (or don't care about those details),
but it does look quite impressive for a simple nested/stacked
lunch box to have such high-quality design. In addition, it is
also claimed that it's absolutely safe to put any kind of food
in it, no need to worry about accidentally damaging it with
"certain" condiments.

7
The dimensions of the PS3 lunch box are 230 x 290 x 145mm,
and there are at least two stackable boxes as seen in the
sample images. Though it looks quite ready to use in the
images, this is actually not the final version yet. Sony still
plans on unveiling the finalized version on December 18,
2012.
Source: 4Gamer (JP)
Windows Phone seeing 40%
sustained submission rates
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/windows-phone-seeing-40-
sustained-submission-rates/18397.html
December 16th, 2012
For a number of Microsoft employees this year's Christmas
holidays will be business hours as usual, which Microsoft
says is due to a sustained increase in app submissions to the
Windows Phone 8 store.
With all the emphasis being placed on the number of apps
available in mobile online stores like iTunes, Android Store,
and the Windows Phone store it is no surprise that Microsoft
will do anything to make sure that the number of apps
available in their store continues to grow, regardless of it
being a holiday season or not.
In a post on the Windows Phone Developer Blog the
company announced that since the launch of Windows
Phone 8 in October the Windows Phone Store has been
experiencing a sustained 40% increase in Windows Phone
app submissions. To be able to keep up with this momentum
and maintain their certification process Microsoft is pulling
a bit of a Grinch and making sure that they have a full
complement of staff on hand over the holidays.
To help developers Microsoft also posted this timeframe
chart for them so that developers can know what to expect
turn-around wise when it comes to their submissions over
the holidays.
Hopefully there will be a nice bonus once the holidays are
over for those staff members who were there to help get the
apps from developers into the hands of consumers looking to
play with their new Windows Phones they might have gotten
as a present.
Prepaid carriers, MetroPCS
and Cricket start financing
smartphones
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/prepaid-carriers-metropcs-and-
cricket-start-financing-smartphones/18394.html
December 16th, 2012
Not having a contract has its advantages, you're not locked
in to anything so no early termination fees (ETF). It does,
however, have its disadvantages as well, such as higher
priced cell phones. Carriers like MetroPCS and Cricket have
found a way to get you the technology you want, and they
to do so without destroying your bank account. They have
started financing options.
With the ever rising cost of new phones coming out, people
with prepaid carriers may not be able to afford the phones
they really want. Smartphones are the wave of the future;
this has been known for years. Samsung, HTC, Apple, LG are
making it so people have the ability to run their lives from
their phones but it comes at a pretty steep price.
Giving the option of financing would normally require a
credit check and approval to get the credit you need, but
in these cases, it simply just comes out of your checking
account each month. Since the phone will be financed it
will cost a bit more, but overall, I feel it is worth it. Both
MetroPCS and Cricket have confirmed with Fierce Wireless
that they will be using Progressive Finance.
MetroPCS currently uses BillFloat, which allows you to make
a smaller initial payment, and then two more payments
thereafter to complete the transaction.

8
I am on MetroPCS and have been looking into getting the
Galaxy S3 and this has really peaked my interest. This is the
perfect time to do this as the holidays are coming around the
corner at light speed and now, with this option, people can
get out of their older 3G phone into a nice 4G. T-Mobile has
wanted to do a re-farm for a while now. With them buying
MetroPCS, getting people into 4G phones and getting the
much needed spectrum, they can start the re-farm and allow
the iPhone space to pick up when they get it later next year.
Keep in mind, this has not been confirmed or even rumored
about the spectrum, but I have no doubt it is in the plans and
this is the reason for the financing options.

1
geeks.
NASA crashes probes on the
Moon
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nasa-crashes-probes-on-the-
moon/18438.html
December 18th, 2012
NASA has crashed two probes into a mountain on the Moon
in a controlled mission that ends their year-long attempts to
map Earth's sattelite.
NASA has crashed two probes into a mountain on the Moon
in a controlled mission that ends their year-long attempts to
map Earth's sattelite.
The probes, dubbed Ebb and Flow, were part of
NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)
mission, taking measurements as they orbited the Moon and
giving scientists at the space agency enough data to construct
detailed gravity maps, thanks to the probes speeding up or
slowing down when gravity changed from region to region.
They made their last map of the Moon's most recent crater
on 6 December.
The spacecraft also helped with the discovery that the
Moon's crust is thinner than previously thought, and
that impacts cause significant unseen damage beneath
the surface. The discoveries are expected to help with
understanding not only how the Moon formed, but will give
more insight into Earth and other planets too.
An artist's depiction of the twin spacecraft (Ebb and
Flow) that comprise NASA's Gravity Recovery And Interior
Laboratory (GRAIL) mission.
Despite the success of the mission, the probes were running
out of fuel and presented a threat to the spacecraft and relics
left on the Moon in the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing.
“We do feel the angst about the end of the mission,” said
Charles Elachi, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at
NASA, which orchestrated the mission. “On the other hand,
it is a celebration because this mission has accomplished
tremendous science.”
The resting place of of the probes has been named after
the first US woman in space, Sally Ride, who helped with
GRAIL's outreach programme before her passing in July of
this year.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MIT
London Fire Brigade
exploring answering Twitter
emergency calls
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/london-fire-brigade-exploring-
answering-twitter-emergency-calls/18437.html
December 18th, 2012
The London Fire Brigade is exploring the possibility of
responding to emergencies posted to it on Twitter, the latest
in its efforts to engage in social media.

2
The London Fire Brigade is exploring the possibility of
responding to emergencies posted to it on Twitter, the latest
in its efforts to engage in social media.
Currently the service advises people to use its traditional
contact method, dialling 999 on a phone, but it has now
pledged to look into responding to incident reports on social
networking sites.
“With over a billion people now using Facebook and half
a billion using Twitter, it’s quite clear that social media is
here to stay,” said Rita Dexter, Deputy Commissioner of
the London Fire Brigade. “The London Fire Brigade is the
biggest fire service in the country and we think it’s important
to look into ways to improve how we communicate with the
public and how they can get in touch with us.”
Dexter said that in 1935 people doubted that dialling 999
to report emergencies would work, but now British Telecom
handles over 30 million such calls every year. Social media
could in the future become the new way to quickly and
efficiently report incidents, she said.
The London Fire Brigade is not a stranger to social media.
It set up a Twitter account, @LondonFire, in 2010, where it
posts real-time information about incidents around London.
It also has a Facebook account, where it posts fire safety
information and communicates with the public about its
work.
The service does not currently monitor social media on a
24/7 basis, but it will have to implement such monitoring
or it might miss potentially life-threatening situations across
England's capital. Dialling the emergency number will likely
remain the default for now, but tweeting could be the default
of tomorrow.
Instagram to sell users'
photos to advertisers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/instagram-to-sell-users-photos-to-
advertisers/18436.html
December 18th, 2012
Photo-sharing website Instagram plans to sell users' photos
to advertisers, thanks to an update to its privacy policy.
The Facebook-owned website has given itself the right to sell
photos without notifying users, and there is only one way to
opt out: delete your account before 16 January.
The updated terms include: “To help us deliver interesting
paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that
a business may pay us to display your username, likeness,
photos, in connection with paid or sponsored content or
promotions, without any compensation to you.”
Photos will still belong to users and other privacy restrictions
will remain in place, but advertisers will be able to
use people's photos to effectively recommend a product
without the person even knowing they are making the
recommendation.
Facebook bought Instagram in April for $1 billion, and
while Facebook has frequently made headlines for its privacy
issues, this is likely to be one of its biggest PR headaches to
date.
Already social media has been flooded with complaints
about the change, including numerous threats to quit the
website. The lack of a proper opt-out will be a particular
focus of criticism, and if the changes go ahead as planned,
then the service will certainly lose users by the mid-January
deadline.
Huawei Ascend D2 to
compete with Samsung's
Galaxy Note II
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/huawei-ascend-d2-to-compete-with-
samsung-s-galaxy-note-ii/18435.html

3
December 18th, 2012
Huawei (along with ZTE) is trying to regain the trust of
the American government and, by extension, the American
people. Regardless of the hubbubs that are going on behind
the scene and on Capitol Hill, let’s just hope that Huawei
is not in cahoots with the Chinese government in trying to
spy on the US. Why you say? It is because of devices like
Huawei’s rumored Ascend D2 that we don’t want Huawei to
be guilty of any conspiracies.
The rumored Huawei Ascend D2 is an Android phablet that
features a 5-inch 1080p display. Samsung may have been
the brand to push the phablet craze, but it certainly won’t be
the only company to ship tablet-esque smartphones in the
coming months.
Smartphone manufacturers like LG and Oppo have launched
smartphones that boast displays with a lot of screen real
estate as well as high resolution. The Oppo Find 5 was
recently launched in China, and will make its way to the
US and other countries in the coming months. LG, on the
other hand, have already received some good press reviews
for its Optimus Vu, and Samsung has followed up its popular
Galaxy Note with the Note II.
Calling phablets a craze is certainly somewhat of an
understatement as many of these devices have sold in the
thousands and millions of units. Therefore, it is only proper
that consumers who want to have a 5+ inch smartphone have
a wide selection to choose from.
The Huawei Ascend D2 is a feature packed device that will
give even Samsung’s Galaxy Note II a scare. Under its shell,
the Ascend D2 has a 1.5GHz quad-core processor (probably
Huawei’s in-house K3V2) to power Google’s Android 4.1
Jelly Bean, a 13MP rear camera for taking pictures and
shooting videos (1.3MP front), and a hefty 3000mAh battery
to get you through the day.
Keep in mind that the above specs are not yet confirmed
as a Huawei spokesperson has explicitly said that the
“product details from anonymous sources are incomplete
and inaccurate,” and that people can expect an official
announcement about the product itself in January 2013.
Samsung to launch red
Galaxy tablets the day before
Valentine's Day
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-to-launch-red-galaxy-
tablets-the-day-before-valentine-s-day/18433.html
December 18th, 2012
Samsung is planning its sales strategy accordingly next year,
and will launch some red Galaxy tablets the day before
Valentine's Day. Why gift your lover flowers that will
eventually die when you can offer him/her a passionately
dressed Galaxy tablet?
Chivalry is one of those things that every man should
practice—if not often, then at least once in a while. Now,
chivalry for a tech lover means buying a tech toy for the
woman that you love. A dozen roses are nice, but after a
few days they’ll wilt and then perish. So instead of gifting
flowers on Valentine’s Day next year, how about surprising
that special lady with a red Samsung tablet?
Although Samsung is a South Korean-based company, it is
well-aware of the day in which men in the US shower their

4
lovers with flowers, jewelry and chocolate. Hence, according
to Sam Mobile Samsung will be releasing three tablets in red
come February 14. The three tablets that will grace us in red
dress next year are the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1
and Galaxy Tab Note. Keep in mind, however, that the fiery-
colored tablets will only apply to the 3G/Wi-Fi models (GT-
P3100, GT-P5100 and GT-N8000, respectively).
120 US companies begin beta
testing BlackBerry 10
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/120-us-companies-begin-beta-
testing-blackberry-10/18432.html
December 18th, 2012
The year 2012 brought about many busts and musts for
gadget lovers, and for companies like RIM 2012 is one that
it doesn't want to remember. As 2013 approaches, however,
RIM is hoping that BlackBerry 10 will be the company's
saving grace. Can RIM scratch and claw its way back to
prominence? Or will iOS and Android seal BB's fate with the
final blow?
RIM’s future is one of great uncertainty, but that doesn’t
mean the Ontario-based handset maker is going to let the
ship sink slowly without a fight. The Android-iOS iceberg is
large and sharp, but RIM’s upcoming BlackBerry 10 is built
to withstand the unforgiving smartphone market—at least
that’s what RIM is hoping BB10 will do.
BB10 began its beta testing today in corporate settings which
included more than 120 US companies. Richard Piasentin,
RIM’s US business managing director, said that the test
will focus on RIM’s touch-screen device rather than the
traditional QWERTY BB device. Furthermore, he claims
that the test clients “agreed to implement the full solution
into their infrastructure,” which means that by beta’s end
RIM should have a good grasp as to whether or not BB10 is
the real deal.
RIM’s marketing department has been very active in
promoting the next BB platform, and a recent video showing
a demo of the BB10 Dev Alpha device reveals that RIM wants
to be a serious contender in the smartphone battle. Although
BB10 lacks in terms of app count, it seems like the OS is in
line with current trends set by Google and Apple. Until we
can get an actual hands-on of BB10 however, it remains to be
seen whether or not BB10 is just an Android or iOS knock-
off.
The public will get an official look at BB10 on January 30,
2013 when RIM unveils the new lineup of BB devices at Pier
36 in New York. Consumers will have their hunger for BB (or
lack thereof) in February when RIM and its partners launch
the devices globally.
It’s hard to imagine that RIM was once a behemoth in
the smartphone space with its stock trading at a peak of
$147.55 in June 2008. However, the glory days that BB
once experienced are long gone as RIM is currently trading
90 percent below its heyday number. Despite losing the
loyalty of average consumers, RIM managed to hold onto
a number of corporate and government clients. However,
recently companies and organizations like Yahoo and the US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency have spent
millions on integrating more iOS and Android devices into
their infrastructures.
RIM is set to close out the year with about 4.7 percent of the
smartphone market share, and if BB10 is a bust come early
next year then that may be it for the once prosperous handset
maker.
Hacker gets 10 years in jail
for stealing private pictures
of celebrities
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hacker-gets-10-years-in-jail-for-
stealing-private-pictures-of-celebrities/18430.html
December 18th, 2012
A hacker by the name of Christopher Chaney stole hundreds
of private photos of Hollywood female celebrities, and will
be spending the next 10 years of his life behind bars for his
crime. Chaney was taken down in an FBI sting nick-named,
"Operation Hackerazzi".
The 36-year-old Florida man was charged with 28 counts
of hacking and obtaining private images and texts of
celebrities, which included that of Scarlett Johansson, Mila
Kunis and pop-rocker, Christina Aguilera and many others.
Before Chaney was sentenced, Hollywood starlet Scarlett
Johansson had a pre-recorded video testimony sent to the
court in regards to her private images being stolen. “I
have been truly humiliated and embarrassed,” Johansson
said while crying in the video, “I find Christopher Chaney's
actions to be perverted and reprehensible."
Christina Aguilera also sent a video the court saying that her
previous feeling of security couldn’t be restored no matter
what was done. “…There is no compensation that can restore
the feeling one has from such a large invasion of privacy,”
said Aguilera.
Another actress by the name of Renee Olstead appeared
live in court. Olstead stated that when her photographs
appeared on the Internet, it drove her to deep thoughts of

5
suicide. She was astounded that a person could lose all they
had acquired simply by the actions of a total stranger.
In all, Chaney was uncovered to have hacked into the lives
of at least 50 celebrities that included the likes of Miley
Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Demi Lovato. He said that he
broke into the accounts by simply resetting their passwords
by answering security questions that he knew about the
stars such as their birth date or mother’s maiden name. He
further testified that his hacking into thee private accounts
of the stars became an addiction and that he was ‘relieved’
when police finally busted him. “I was almost relieved
months ago when they came in and took my computer,” said
Chaney. “…Because I didn't know how to stop.” He further
added that he didn’t make any monetary gain from the
celebrity photographs, and he simply tossed them around on
the Internet in forums and gossip sites.
Chaney was convicted by U.S. District Judge S. James Otero
and will spend up to 10 years in prison in addition to a
$67,000 fine.
Heroes of Newerth hacked,
your account could be at risk
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/heroes-of-newerth-hacked-your-
account-could-be-at-risk/18428.html
December 18th, 2012
This kind of news seems to go hand-in-hand these days
for people playing online games so it’s not surprising that
another online game has announced that they've had a
security breach.
Online gaming is one of the hottest forms of gaming these
days with more and more online games going with the "free
to play" model that relies on either advertising or in-game
purchases to make their money. In order to play these games
though we are often required to hand over a lot of personal
information which we hope that the company will make sure
is kept safe; but increasingly that isn't the case.
It is this treasure trove that makes online gaming sites so
attractive to hackers and today we find out that a fairly
popular MOBA game called Heroes of Newerth has become
the latest victim to hackers when they announced in the
game forums that their servers had suffered a security
breach.
S2 Games, the developer behind the game, has been pretty
slim on the details beyond what little they have announced
so far, but that is likely because they are still probably trying
to assess what damage has been done and how much, if
any, data the hackers made off with. The company was
quick to respond though taking the game offline shortly after
announcing the breach in order to "fix some things on the
backend," and even though the game is back in operation
right now some are reporting that the game doesn't seem to
be fully operational yet.
Needless to say, if you are a player of Heroes of Newerth
you might want to head over to the site and change your
passwords.
Highgrounds, a free and
highly addictive browser
game
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/highgrounds-a-free-and-highly-
addictive-browser-game/18414.html
December 18th, 2012
Highgrounds is a sweet multiplayer strategy game by
Spryfox and Heart Shaped Games that puts a very interesting
twist on forefront combat.
There are three types of gamers: those who play their few
favorites over and over again, those who dabble into every
single game without ever really finishing them all, and those
that are mixture of the first two, who play lots and lots of
game from start to end. Whichever of the three you may
be, you will find Highgrounds to fit nicely into your gaming
agenda.
Developed by Spryfox (SteamBirds: Survival and Triple
Town) and Heart Shaped Games (Hero Generations),
Highgrounds is a game developed by people with solid
backgrounds in the industry.
So what's so cool about it? Well, consider a trading card
game without cards. That's right. Remember games like
Magic: The Gathering? The game where you have to set
up attack and defense strategies by turn, count the cost of
attacks, and strategize one move at a time? Highgrounds has
that. The basis of the game is that you have a small army
that escaped a great flood and eventually crash landed on a
mysterious island which is already inhabited. You engage in
turn-by-turn offense and defense while heeding income per
turn against cost per unit, as well as gathering resources and
hiring more fighters to strengthen and expand your army.
The points are tallied at the end of each turn, and when one
base is reduced to 0, that player loses.

6
The simplicity of the game makes it so enjoyable. It's easy to
play, but not necessarily easy to win. You follow? It's an all-
around fun game, well-developed, and the best part is that's
you can play in your browser!
HTC cancels 1080p big
screen Windows Phone 8
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-cancels-1080p-big-screen-
windows-phone-8/18427.html
December 18th, 2012
Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 might still be struggling
for any serious mobile market share, but that hasn't
stopped handset makers like HTC from making some really
outstanding Windows Phone 8 smartphones. However, any
plans for the company to bring a WP8 device with a larger
screen to market have been scrapped.
There is no denying that Microsoft is taking a big chance
with Windows 8, and Windows Phone 8, and while the
former may be having a hard time getting off the ground
the latter has been getting some really good press. This good
press is also extended to the handset makers like Nokia
and HTC with praise for their lines of Windows Phone 8
handsets.
In fact HTC's 8X is being touted by many in the tech world
as the best Windows Phone 8 handset on the market along
with high marks for the smaller and cheaper 8S. There were
recent rumors that suggested that HTC was planning on
launching a third, larger screen, handset alongside the 8X
and 8s with a codename of Zenith but it never materialized.
Now today we have a report from Bloomberg that said HTC
was canceling any plans for a larger screen version of the 8X.
The decision was reached by HTC apparently because they
believed that that the 4.7 screen technology would have
been out of date even before the handset hit the market.
The reasoning was that the larger screens would have to be
able to support 1080p resolution but the Windows Phone 8
platform is only able to support a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution.
The only thing that might have saved the Zenith was that it
was also rumored to be running the quad-core Snapdragon
processor, but in the end it was screen size and resolution
that was the deciding factor.
Toshiba ships out nearline
storage enterprise HDD
samples
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-ships-out-nearline-storage-
enterprise-hdd-samples/18407.html
December 18th, 2012
Toshiba recently started shipping sample units of their
new high-capacity USB 3.0 HDDs. These drives will utilize
nearline storage technology, allowing it to be used as
transitional database for multiple networks or machines.
Toshiba recently began conducting sample shipments of
their new MG03SCA400 and MG03ACA400 HDDs. These
two models are classified as high-end 3.5-inch SAS/SATA
storage drives, having a data capacity of 4TB. The focus point
of its specs and capabilities is its configuration to be used as a
nearline storage device. This means that both models can act
as transitional archiving units, capable of being efficiently
accessed in any local/wide area network or system.
Security-wise, both the MG03SCA400 and the
MG03ACA400 are capable of using its special overwrite
functionality. It would follow a data transfer command
from an authorized system, and would record that specific
command data on each disk within the drive. This way, the
data that is recorded to the HDD becomes exclusive, and
would not be extracted by any other user.
Aside from security and raw performance/capability, power
management options are also improved in these large disk
drives. Control options for energy consumption modes when
idle and active for example, are readily available to each unit.
Efficiency and green standards are also actively met by the
models. For instance, its manufacture goes in line with the
European RoHS Directive, and is halogen and antimony-
free.
The HDD's are of course directly targeted towards
enterprises and other business type consumer entities
that requires huge data space capacities (e.g. data
centers). The model that would use the SATA interface
is the MG03ACA400, and for the SAS interface, the
MG03SCA400.
Source: MyNavi (JP)

7
Facebook ramp up user
privacy with the ultimate
'sexting' app
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/facebook-ramp-up-user-privacy-
with-the-ultimate-sexting-app/18421.html
December 18th, 2012
According to insiders, Facebook is about to launch another
mobile app messaging system that will offer self-destructing
images, chat and possibly video.
For some time now, critics of the social media giant have
complained about user privacy and image usage, which
notoriously gets stolen and used by others. To calm a lot
of privacy fears, Facebook is said to be releasing a recently
developed application that can send text along with images
that has the ability to self-destruct after a period of time. The
development of the app is said to be a direct competition to
‘Snapchat’,
Some sites are already deeming the new app ‘the ultimate in
sex chat’, aka a ‘sexting’ app that will allow users to send their
own x-rated images without worrying about it getting in the
wrong hands. Like the purported new Facebook chat app,
many of these sexting applications have security measures
enabled to protect your private conversations and images.
Since Facebook went public earlier this year, the company
has been acquiring different technologies to help advance its
site. Their popularity has maintained steady growth and the
site now boasts nearly 1 billion users, and just a few weeks
ago the social media giant introduced chat software that does
not require one to have an actual user account to download
and use.
While Facebook’s latest app may be directly competing with
Snapchat, the technology first came about with another
lesser-known app called ‘Wickr’. Wickr, with their motto,
“Leave No Trace”, was one of the first apps that could
encrypt all images, text and other information sent over your
smartphone. It also allows the sender to decide who can see
the images or text and for how long. And while Facebook has
not said if Wickr is working with them on the technology, it
will be interesting to see just how much alike the two services
will be. If the ideas are very much alike, or even identical, it
could lead to a future patent dispute, which is nothing new
in today’s corporate world.
Fighting cancer with 3D
printed drugs
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fighting-cancer-with-3d-printed-
drugs/18424.html
December 18th, 2012
If there is one technology with the potential to make radical
changes to our society it would have to be 3D printing, and
nowhere will we see a more apparent effect of this change
than in the drug manufacturing business.
As someone who has followed technology for a very long time
and having seen many changes and shifts, I can honestly say
that we are facing one of the biggest shifts in our society and
technology with the rise of 3D printing technology. Even the
average consumer will soon be able to afford one.
Now as cute as it might be to be able to print out things like
3D avatars of ourselves, the real change comes when you
can print out things like parts for machinery or even more
radically - print out drugs that we can take.
This might seem fanciful and too futuristic for some but the
fact is that there are companies out there that are trying to do
just this. Two of those companies: Parabon NanoLabs and
Janssen Research & Development recently got a grant from
the National Science Foundation, which they used to move
just beyond the theory and actually create cancer drugs that
are now in testing.
The technology is called Parabon Essemblix Drug
Development Platform and the companies involved believe
that this technology could bring about rapid prototyping
of drug creation and thereby drastically reduce the time
it takes to bring these new drugs to market. Co-developer
of the technology, Steven Armentrout, commented on the
news by saying that the company can now "print" the exact
compound that they want—molecule by molecule—but what
differentiate their technology from other companies is that
they are able to specify the exact placement of every atom in
any compound they design.
Right now the team at Parabon is working on creating a new
prostate cancer drug that, in its current form, “combines a
toxin with a chemical that makes cancer cells susceptible to
that toxin.” Researchers can also track the drug as it moves
to tumors to prevent healthy tissues from being targeted by
the drug. All this can be done in a matter of a few weeks.
Google avoids anti-trust
litigation with the FTC
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-avoids-anti-trust-litigation-
with-the-ftc/18420.html

8
December 18th, 2012
It's been reported that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
will be officially ending their investigation into Google
Incorporated's alleged antitrust violations that included
blocking patent licensing to their competitors.
The investigation came after competitors accused Google
of blocking competition by using their popular search
engine to direct users to their products, which includes
shopping, travel and directions. The company was also
being investigated for purposely refusing patent licensing
for other competing mobile-devices and accusations that the
company somehow blocked a competitor’s access to their
Android wireless operating system.
It was recently reported that Google will be working
with the FTC to officially end the investigation and make
some recommended changes in how they operate. These
voluntary changes were reported to begin this week and may
include things such as ending targeted advertisements and
how the search feature works with sales competitors.
It appeared early on that the FTC did not have enough
evidence on Google to go forward with any anti-trust lawsuit.
Nevertheless, Google felt the investigation was worrisome
enough that they will be making the changes to avoid any
future allegations. It has also been reported that the FTC's
probe into Google’s licensing of mobile-technology patents
will be negotiated and changed as well. Google will be
working more closely with their competitors and make it
easier for them to be granted a license on patents they hold
from the acquisition of Motorola Mobility.
This latest announcement came after the recent complaints
by Google’s rivals. They were fearful that an antitrust
investigation into Google by the FTC would not materialize
because the agency was not working hard enough in the
investigation. Some even insinuated they should take the
case to the U.S. Department of Justice and see if the
FTC actually investigated Google’s practices. Some even
proposed a full blown congressional hearing on the FTC
itself and their recent actions with Google.
These latest voluntary changes by Google are more than
likely directly attributed to the FTC's Safari Web browser
ruling against the company in August of this year. In that
investigation the FTC found Google guilty of ignoring the
settings made by users of the Safari web browser. Google
was forced to pay a hefty 22.5 million dollar fine (U.S.) to the
FTC; the fine was noted as the largest fine the federal agency
has imposed on any one company to date.
Sharkoon Gaming Mice 3-way
review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sharkoon-gaming-mice-3-way-
review/18426.html
December 18th, 2012
Perhaps the most important device to a PC gamer is
the mouse, a peripheral which refuses to be replaced by
gamepads and joysticks. Although some years ago there
was a very limited number of mice specifically designed for
gaming, nowadays almost every manufacturer involved In
this review we will be having a look at the latest three gaming
mice from Sharkoon, a well-known manufacturer of gaming-
related products.
Perhaps the most important device to a PC gamer is
the mouse, a peripheral which refuses to be replaced by
gamepads and joysticks. Although some years ago there
was a very limited number of mice specifically designed for
gaming, nowadays almost every manufacturer involved In
this review we will be having a look at the latest three gaming
mice from Sharkoon, a well-known manufacturer of gaming-
related products.
Sharkoon is a company which originates from Germany,
specializes on PC peripherals, modding supplies and
accessories. They are currently offering five gaming mice,
three of which we will present you in this review. These
three mice are the Squad, a compact laser mouse, the
Drakonia, a rather peculiar high performance mouse, and
the DarkGlider, a top performance mouse designed for
maximum speed and accuracy.

1
geeks.
Sky to broadcast Queen's
Christmas speech in 3D
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sky-to-broadcast-queen-s-christmas-
speech-in-3d/18464.html
December 20th, 2012
The Queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth
countries will be giving her Christmas speech this year in 3D,
thanks to British broadcaster Sky News.
The Queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth
countries will be giving her Christmas speech this year in 3D,
thanks to British broadcaster Sky News.
The Christmas message from the monarch is a tradition
dating back to 1932, when King George V gave a speech at
3pm UK time. The tradition will continue this year, but the
technology has taken a big leap forward.
Sky was the producer for the Queen's speech in 2011, but this
year it is hoping to wow viewers by showing the event in 3D
on its Sky 3D channel. BBC HD will also show it.
Sky has been pushing for adoption of 3D TV in the UK,
showing sporting events and documentaries by Sir David
Attenborough, as well as Avatar, the film that renewed
interest in the technology.
While the Queen's speech is unlikely to have anything flying
at the screen like the recently-released The Hobbit, it does
make for an interesting end to the monarch's Diamond
Jubilee year.
Steam pulls zombie game
The War Z after complaints
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/steam-pulls-zombie-game-the-war-z-
after-complaints/18463.html
December 20th, 2012
Steam has pulled online zombie game The War Z from its
store after receiving numerous customer complaints that it
was missing advertised features.
Steam has pulled online zombie game The War Z from its
store after receiving numerous customer complaints that it
was missing advertised features.
Valve, the game studio behind Steam, said it was a mistake
to put the game on sale, as it had been issued prematurely. It
said it would not sell it again until it resolves the issues with
the developer Hammerpoint, and it also offered full refunds
to purchasers.
When the game initially went on sale players were promised
a number of features, including the ability to play with up
to 99 other players on a server, add players to a friends list,
customise their characters with a skill tree, and even rent
their own private servers. Many were disappointed to find
that several of the features were not available.

2
Another key complaint was an update to the game that
lengthened the respawn timers for dead characters from one
hour to four hours, while allowing instant respawning if
players paid with an in-game currency that could be bought
with real cash. Effectively it looked like the developer was
forcing people to pay for respawns by making the normal
timers less accomodating.
Sergey Titov, Executive Producer of the game, said that the
game is a “foundation release” and like other online games
it grows over time.
He said several of the missing features, including
leaderboards, rental of Gameworld and Stronghold servers,
locker items for loot storage, and building blocks for the
Stronghold experience, would be coming in the next one to
four weeks. Skill trees are being tested, but won't make it this
year.
Apple pinch-to-zoom patent
under review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-pinch-to-zoom-patent-under-
review/18462.html
December 20th, 2012
Apple may lose its pinch-to-zoom patent, thanks to a
review currently being conducted by the US Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO), which gave a preliminary ruling
that the patent should not have been given to the Cupertino,
California-based company.
Apple may lose its pinch-to-zoom patent, thanks to a
review currently being conducted by the US Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO), which gave a preliminary ruling
that the patent should not have been given to the Cupertino,
California-based company.
The patent, along with five others, plays a key role in Apple's
lawsuit against Samsung and could help Samsung evade
paying damages for using that technology on its mobile
devices.
The reason for the preliminary rejection of the patent
is because the USPTO has discovered that the 21
methodologies Apple claimed in the patent had already been
awarded to previous applicants, a fact it was not aware of in
2010 when it initially approved the application.
Apple will likely appeal against the preliminary ruling, while
Samsung is expected to use it to convince the courts to
reduce the $1.05 billion payment it was ordered to make to
Apple in August.
This is not the first time the iPhone maker's patents have
been questioned. It previously came under fire from the
USPTO in October when it put the patent for the so-called
“rubber band” user interface effect under review.
We may see further patents at the heart of the ongoing patent
war lose their validity as they are exposed to more scrutiny
in the coming months.
Corsair Carbide 200R Case
Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/corsair-carbide-200r-case-
review/18461.html
December 20th, 2012
Corsair might have started as a RAM manufacturer, yet
the company successfully diversified towards several other
kinds of products, making them one of the most well-known
and favored companies amongst technology experts and
enthusiasts. Today we will be having a look at the Carbide
200R, the latest addition to Corsair's rich computer case
line-up for those who are unwilling to spend a fortune on a
case.
Corsair might have started as a RAM manufacturer, yet
the company successfully diversified towards several other

3
kinds of products, making them one of the most well-known
and favored companies amongst technology experts and
enthusiasts. Today we will be having a look at the Carbide
200R, the latest addition to Corsair's rich computer case
line-up for those who are unwilling to spend a fortune on a
case.
What Corsair is trying to achieve with the Carbine 200R is
pretty obvious from a consumer's point of view; it is a notably
simpler and cheaper case compared to any other Corsair case
that we have ever seen before, clearly meant to be a product
with which Corsair is trying to enter the budget and builder
segments of the market. Yet, the Carbide 200R is nothing
alike a generic cheap "tin box" computer case. Read on to
find out what this new product is capable of.
Smart ergonomics for easy, great-looking builds
• Side panel thumbscrews
• PCI-E expansion card thumbscrew mounts
• Tool-free SSD, hard drive, and optical drive
installation
• Cutouts for cable routing and CPU cooling
Serious Expansion and Cooling Capacity
• Seven PCI-E slots with thumbscrews and room for
cards up to 430mm long (300mm with drive cage)
• CPU coolers up to 160mm in height
• Install up to four hard drives and four SSDs at once
• Up to eight fan mounts (depending on hard drive
configuration)
High-End Features
• Front panel USB 3.0, headphone and microphone
ports
• Dust filters behind the front intake fan help keep the
interior clean
Warranty Two years
Dimension 16.9 x 8.3 x 19.6 inches, or
430mm x 210mm x 497mm
(H x W x L)
MB Support ATX, mATX
Expansion Slots 7
Form Factor Mid-tower
Material Steel structure with molded
ABS plastic accent pieces
Drive Bays (x3) 5.25", (x4) 3.5", (x4)
2.5"
Cooling (x5) 120mm/140mm fan
mount locations
Front I/O (x2) USB 3.0, (x1)
Headphone, (x1) MIC,
Power, Reset
Power Supply ATX (not included)
FTC adds new amendments
to COPPA
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ftc-adds-new-amendments-to-
coppa/18458.html
December 20th, 2012
A recent action made by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission
shows the agency giving young children greater protection
over the information that third parties may accumulate. The
changes will go into effect July 1, 2013.
In regards to the Internet, the FTC has adopted their final
amendment to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
(COPPA). These new amendments will protect children’s
privacy and particularly those less than 13 years of age. The
aim of the amendments is directly targeted to third parties
and what information they can obtain on children through
numerous Internet downloaded children’s apps used on
smartphones and other mobile devices. The amendments
also help parents by giving them easier to understand
controls on what the third party can and cannot do in regards
to private information.
In 2010 the FTC conducted a review of COPPA to make
sure it was in par with the current technology at the time.
Amendments were made to COPPA such as closing any
loopholes on information collection, and insistence that site
operators adopt reasonable practices for data retention and
deletion, among other things.
Earlier in the month the FTC released a report where they
went over hundreds of apps targeted to children. The
report stated that the vast majority of the apps found in the
Google Play and Apple App Store were transmitting private
information to app developers or third parties to help them
build profiles on the child. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz
stated that the FTC was concerned that the ‘gatekeepers’
needed to do a better job at monitoring what they allow.
Leibowitz added that the apps were retrieving “an alarming
amount of information”.
On December 19th
, 2012, FTC Chairman Leibowitz unveiled
the new amendment changes and guidelines in a public
statement. "The Commission takes seriously its mandate
to protect children's online privacy in this ever-changing
technological landscape,” said Leibowitz. “I am confident
that the amendments to the COPPA Rule strike the right
balance between protecting innovation that will provide
rich and engaging content for children, and ensuring that
parents are informed and involved in their children's online
activities.”
The new amendments have changed many definitions from
the 2010 review, and the amendments clarify many of the
mandates. For example, when defining the term usage of
'Operator”, it has been updated to make clear that the rule
applies to services that integrate outside services that collect
information. "This definition does not extend liability to
platforms, such as Google Play or the App Store, when such
platforms merely offer the public access to child-directed
apps," the FTC writes.

4
The definition of confidentiality and security requirements
has been amended as well and reads, “The amended Final
Rule requires operators to take reasonable steps to make
sure that children’s personal information is released only
to service providers and third parties that are capable of
maintaining the confidentiality, security, and integrity of
such information, and who assure that they will do so. The
Rule also requires operators to retain children’s personal
information for only as long as is reasonably necessary,
and to protect against unauthorized access or use while the
information is being disposed of.”
The FTC website stated that the Commission vote to issue
the amended Final Rule was 3-1-1, with Commissioner
J. Thomas Rosch abstaining. Commissioner Maureen
Ohlhausen voted no and issued a dissenting statement on
the grounds that she believed a core provision of the
amendments exceeds the scope of the authority granted
by Congress in COPPA. She stated that, regardless of
policy justifications, she cannot support extending COPPA’s
statutory definition of “operator” to impose obligations on
websites or online services that do not collect personal
information from children or have access to or control of
such information collected by a third-party.
The site further states that final amended rule will be
published in a notice in the Federal Register, and will go into
effect on July 1, 2013.
To read more on the changes made, you can read Chairman
Leibowitz's statment in full by clicking here.
SpamSoldier hits
smartphones by sending
thousands of unwanted SMS
messages
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/spamsoldier-hits-smartphones-by-
sending-thousands-of-unwanted-sms-messages/18456.html
December 20th, 2012
The Trojan horse called SpamSoldier infects smartphones
running the Android operating system and blurts out
hundreds of SMS messages without the user’s knowledge.
The virus is mostly spread through a smartphone via
seemingly innocent adverts or texts that claim to offer free
versions of popular paid-for games.
When an individual downloads what they think may be a
popular game like Angry Birds Space and Need for Speed:
Most Wanted, they actually open up the Trojan installer
app which then infects the smartphone. Once installed, the
Trojan then works to make sure you become the vector for
other smartphones by using your phone to send out the fake
messages. There have been a few cases of an actual game
install, but the installation was made to cover up and fool
the smartphone user as the Trojan sends out hundreds of
messages.
Cloudmark Incorporated, which operates as a major
anti-Spam software maker, says that this latest Trojan
infection could get out of hand since so many individuals
carry smartphones. "With the rising popularity of text
messaging, U.S. consumers of all ages are susceptible to
receiving unwanted text messages," said Neil Cook, CTO
of Cloudmark. "There is a tremendous opportunity to help
consumers learn how to effectively combat Spam and utilize
the resources their mobile providers offer."
Cloudmark researcher Andrew Conway further notes that
users infected phone can and will send out literally
thousands of Spam SMS and it will also give out your
private information. “A user's phone will be used to
silently send out thousands of Spam SMS messages without
permission to lists of victim phone numbers that the
malware automatically downloads from a command-and-
control server.” Conway further added that Cloudmark has
seen peak rate of over 500 thousand Spam SMS per day so
far.
Cloudmark says that the Trojan seems to be coming
from .mobi servers in Hong Kong and that it first appeared
in October of 2012. The Trojan originally appeared as an
anti-SMS Spam program before they changed the look to be
a game download. According to Cloudmark this is the first
threat as the "first functioning Android botnet sending SMS
spam.”
SimCity 5 always connected
requirement angers fans
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/simcity-5-always-connected-
requirement-angers-fans/18454.html
December 20th, 2012
Even though Maxis and EA forewarned SimCity fans that
the next game in the series would require that they need an
always-on Internet connection in order to play the game it
is only now that we are finding out just how restrictive this
requirement is going to be.
There is some really bad news starting to percolate through
the gaming world regarding the much anticipated release of
the next game in the SimCity franchise from Maxis and EA.
While fans have known from the beginning when SimCity 5
was announced that having a persistent Internet connection
was going to be a requirement in order to play the game, we
didn't realize just how much of a requirement it was going
to be. When word first leaked about this it was thought that
the connection requirement would only be for the multi-
player portion of the game however thanks to a recent AMA
(AskMeAmything) on Reddit with the game developers we
found out that this will apply to even the single player
portion as well.
One of the questions in the reddit thread asked the
developers in regards to the connection restriction was what
about players who were "experiencing connection problems"
while playing the game. In other words would the game still
be playable if the player's internet connection goes down and
then reconnects.
The response from the Maxis developers only added fuel to
the fire when they said that players would be allowed for as
long as their game state could be preserved and remained
within a time period of "minutes". What this really means is
that players who lose their connection for anything longer
than "a few minutes" would be in danger of losing any game
progress.

5
One other point that was raised during the AMA with Maxis
was that all activity in the game would require the players
using EA's terrible Origin service.
Needless to say this has angered many of the game's fans
with many that I have talked to on Twitter and Google+
saying that because of this they have changed their minds
about getting the game, a game that they all wanted to get.
Being a longtime fan of the game I was really looking forward
to getting SimCity 5, but given these requirements I'll be
saving my money for something else.
Crytek confirms that Crysis 3
is DirectX 11-only title
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crytek-confirms-that-crysis-3-is-
directx-11-only-title/18453.html
December 20th, 2012
Crytek's CEO Cevat Yerli revealed in a recent interview that
the upcoming Crysis 3 will be a DirectX 11-only game and
will not support DX10.
In a recent interview with GameTrailers, Crytek's CEO Cevat
Yerli revealed that Crysis 3's PC version will be wholly
dependent upon DirectX 11, contrary to beliefs that it may in
fact support DirectX 10.
As the PC spec requirements for Crysis 3 were recently
released and made available to the public, the inclusion of
Crysis 3 to be DX11-only doesn't come with a lot of surprise,
seeing as DX11 was spotted as a minimum GPU requirement.
In the interview, Yerli discusses many things that are
made available with Crysis 3's DX11 support, including
dynamic environments that provide more than scenic flora,
but actually afford many in-game choices for players to
strategically utilize.
Yerli also talks about Crysis 3's Seven Wonders series and
how the videos actually show off the game's environments
and allows players a brief preview of what they can expect
from certain areas of the game.
Everything from the grass--which isn't just decor but
actually bends when players walk or hide within it, making
for interactive environment pieces within the game's nature-
infused overrun metropolis.
"Crysis 3's environments cater to every player's
style, making it a more natural playing field where
players have many flexible options and aren't
constrained to one set path or area.
Players can hide in the grass, swim underwater,
or within the shadows of objects--there are many
options to utilize within the game.
There are natural player choices, but the game
doesn't force any one single path or area." --Cevat
Yerli
Yerli does introduce many elements that are made possible
by the dependence upon Direct X 11, such as the beautiful in-
game environments and visuals, but as for an official reason
as to why DX10 isn't supported, no comment was made.
People that still have DX10 machines may be disappointed
with this news and will have to make do with console
versions of the game or buy a new GPU.
Crysis 3 is slated for released on Feb. 19, 2013 in North
America for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. For more
information, please visit the game's official website.

6
Santa uses theoretical
physics to deliver toys this
Christmas?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/santa-uses-theoretical-physics-to-
deliver-toys-this-christmas-/18455.html
December 20th, 2012
Santa has a big job ahead of him next week. According
to Larry Silverberg, professor of mechanical and aerospace
engineering at North Carolina State University, Santa must
deliver presents to approximately 200 million children
within 24 hours.
Luckily for him, some of these 200 million children were
possibly naughty and not nice, which would only slightly
reduce his workload. As there are roughly 2.67 children per
household, Santa would need to make 75 million household
visits in one night. As these houses are approximately 1.63
miles apart, Santa would need to travel a total of 122 million
miles. Let’s say Santa traveled these 122 million miles in a
24 hour window of time, he would have to travel at a speed of
5,083,000 miles per hour to complete his deliveries before
Christmas day. This speed would still clock him under the
speed of light, so he wouldn’t even have to take the form of
a neutrino to accomplish this amazing feat.
Keep in mind, however, that Santa isn’t as young as he used
to be, and not at his most fit. Therefore, Silverberg proposes
another explanation -- that Santa is well-versed in the theory
of relativity. Taking advantage of the fact that “time … can be
stretched like rubber bands, space itself can be squeezed like
an orange, and that light itself can be bent,” it is plausible
that Santa travels in relativity clouds, controllable domains
within which space-time is controlled.
Silverberg explains that, “inside the relativity cloud, Santa
has months to deliver presents. Santa sees the world frozen
and only hears silence. Upon returning to the North Pole,
and leaving the domain of the relativity cloud, only a few
minutes go by.”
Further, if Santa spread his work-load among his many
elves, he could drastically reduce the amount of time it would
take to deliver his presents.
Doctoral candidate Danny Maruyama of the University
of Michigan remarks, "While I don’t know much about
relativity clouds myself, I think it’s very possible that a
man who flies in a sleigh, lives with elves, and has flying
pet reindeer could have the technology needed to utilize
relativity clouds."
Nevertheless, perhaps we should think about leaving Santa
a more nutritionally satisfying snack than milk and cookies.
Boost Mobile to throttle data
speed of unlimited data plan
after 2.5GB
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/boost-mobile-to-throttle-data-speed-
of-unlimited-data-plan-after-2.5gb/18451.html
December 20th, 2012
Boost Mobile, a popular subsidiary of Sprint, is going to start
throttling user data at 2.5 gigabytes. This decision is made,
despite the fact that few people are actually using this kind
of data, according to the company itself.
Boost is a prepaid service, as opposed to the monthly plans of
Sprint's regular wireless services. Strongly recalling a typical
MNVO – though it is strictly owned and operated by Sprint
itself – Boost offers a variety of CDMA phones, ranging
from feature phones to smart devices, including Android
and Blackberry phones. For a set fee a month, a user can
choose between a variety of wireless plans, promising a flat
or unlimited amount of certain features, such as data and
phone minutes.
Boost Mobile, outlining its "Monthly Unlimited" plan
Although Boost's advertising campaign strongly features
the word “UNLIMITED” in reference to its data plans, the
company is now following suite with the vast majority of
so-called unlimited data plans offered by various carriers.
When a Boost user hits a cap of 2.5 gigabytes data, his service
will switch from standard data speeds way down to 256kbps.
Technically, this is still a connection – it is just incredibly
slow and useless for many purposes.
Boost assured its subscribers that the vast majority of them
will not be affected by the decision. On a network such as
Boost, this is more than likely true.

7
Nevertheless, if users are upset, they can very easily move to
one of several good competitors – including Virgin Mobile,
which also operates on Sprint towers, and the prepaid
services from T-Mobile. Both are cheaper than Boost, but
offer essentially the same services.
EFF gets $500k from donors
to fight flawed patent system
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/eff-gets-500k-from-donors-to-fight-
flawed-patent-system/18450.html
December 20th, 2012
The Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) got an early
Christmas present to help them with the battle to bring about
serious patent reform. The money came from Mark Cuban
and famous indie game developer Notch with each of them
donating $250,000 to the foundation.
The Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) is best known for
helping people who have happened to run afoul of the law
and their activities online, but the EFF is also working hard
at trying to bring about some serious change in our patent
system. This kind of work takes money however, and that
is something that the EFF doesn't have a lot of as they are
an organization that exists totally on contributions from the
public. Therefore, the EFF hasn’t been as front and center
in the battle over patent law as they would like to be.
Well, thanks to an early Christmas present that situation
could change in the new year. In an announcement made
on the EFF's site we found out that Dallas Mavericks owner
Mark Cuban and Minecraft creator Markus Persson (also
known as Notch to the world's Minecraft fans) each donated
$250,000 to the EFF to help the organization move forward
in their push for patent reform.
In what might seem at first to be a joke, Cuban's money
will go toward creating a new position at the EFF entitled
"The Mark Cuban Chair To Eliminate Stupid Patents."
However, Staff Attorney Julie Samuels, who will be filling
that position, assured us that it is no joke. As well, part of
Cuban's money will be used towards hiring Daniel Nazer, an
experienced patent lawyer, who will join the EFF as a Staff
Attorney.
Persson, a longtime proponent of software reform believes
that there needs to be some deep and meaningful reform to
the patent system in order to protect software development,
will see his donated money used in a more general manner
when it comes to the EFF and their fight for patent
reform. EFF's Rebecca Jeschke says that this donation
from Persson will allow them to increase their activism
campaigns, push for reform in the courts, as well as trying
to educate politicians about what is wrong with the current
patent system and how it needs to change for the future.
Dell shifts focus with
acquisition of Credant
Technologies
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/dell-shifts-focus-with-acquisition-of-
credant-technologies/18444.html
December 20th, 2012
Dell has recently acquired Credant Technologies as part
of their expansion plan of moving beyond the hardware
business and more into services and management.
Credant Technologies develops encryption technology that
is used in many mobile devices, other server connected
devices and the cloud. Currently, Credant is responsible for
securing over 2 million endpoints with customers from all
manner of industries ranging from retail, IT, nuclear energy,
healthcare, and the aerospace and defense industry.
The latest acquisition of Credant Technologies by Dell is said
to be the latest effort by the computer maker to expand their
development of device management technologies. Earlier in
2012, Dell acquired Wyse for just over 1 billion U.S. dollars.
Wyse has helped to develop the K3000 system, which offers
IT administrators increased management of mobile devices
that includes the ability to turn off a device or lock it out
entirely.
In May of 2012, Dell acquired SonicWall, which according to
Dell was to expand their enterprise solutions portfolio. The
idea is for Dell to give customers a wider range of services
to help manage their IT infrastructure. The acquisition
of SonicWall was Dell’s ambition to grow their security
portfolio, which includes cloud security solutions and data
encryption services.
“Protecting critical information has only become more
important as organizations globally struggle to protect their
data in an ever more complex world,” said Bob Heard, chief
executive officer and founder of Credant. “This combination
allows Credant to bring its deep capabilities in data security
to Dell’s robust solution set and customer base. Together we
will continue to focus on innovation and building value that
results in beneficial outcomes for our customers.”
Apple exonerated in Motorola
patent case
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-exonerated-in-motorola-
patent-case/18443.html
December 20th, 2012
A United States International Trade Commission judge
recently exonerated Apple Corporation of any wrongdoing
or infringement on a patent owned by Motorola.
Judge Thomas P. Bender of the U.S. International Trade
Commission has recently exonerated Apple Incorporated
of any infringement on Motorola’s patent on embedded

8
proximity sensors. The Administrative Law Judge found
that Motorola’s patent number 6,246, 862 for a “sensor
controlled user interface” for a portable communication
device was invalid, and Apple cannot be held liable for any
infringement on the device.
The Patent by Motorola they claim Apple violated explained
the device to be an infrared proximity sensor that would
trigger a touch screen when it detected a user’s ear, which is
often a problem with many touch screen smartphones. This
very same feature is on the Apple iPhone as well.
In August 2011 Google announced they would be buying up
Motorola Mobility for around 12.5 billion dollars (U.S.). This
buy was part of Google’s official transition from a simple
search engine company to full-fledged consumer mobile
electronics maker. Both the European and U.S. antitrust
government agencies approved the deal soon after the
announcement even though many rival companies worried
it would result in unfair trade.
Google’s purchase of Motorola gave the company more than
17,000 patents along with more than 7,000 that needed
further approval. Google announced that the purchase of
Motorola Mobility was to prevent any future lawsuits from
competitors like Apple and Microsoft that have been eyeing
Google’s popular Android operating system.
Nevertheless, Apple has vehemently argued time and again
that Android has violated many of their patents. They have
also claimed the Android operating system from Google has
copied many distinct features adopted by Apple for their
iPhone line of smartphones.
This latest contest with Apple came just days after they
decided they would allow Google Maps back onto the
iPhones. On December 12th Google announced on its official
blog that Google Maps would be available in the Apple
App Store. “People around the world have been asking for
Google Maps on iPhone. Starting today, we’re pleased to
announce that Google Maps is here—rolling out across the
world in the Apple App Store,” reads the official Google
Blog. “It’s designed from the ground up to combine the
comprehensiveness and accuracy of Google Maps with an
interface that makes finding what you’re looking for faster
and easier.”
Both Apple and Google have quickly rose to become to very
powerful competitors in the mobile device market and it
leaves only more questions about what lawsuits and new
devices we’ll see in the near future.

1
geeks.
How Intel secured the
Chinese Supercomputer Deal
(feat. Ivy Bridge-EP + Xeon
Phi)
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/how-intel-secured-the-chinese-
supercomputer-deal-feat.-ivy-bridge-ep--xeon-phi-/18457.html
December 22nd, 2012
Sometimes in the next 18 months, Intel will power the
world's most powerful supercomputer. Consisted out of
approximately 100,000 Ivy Bridge-EP based Xeon E5's and
100,000 Xeon Phi boards (Knights Landing), the Chinese
supercomputer should be the world's most powerful,
reaching no less than 100 PFLOPS of compute power.
The target for the Chinese supercomputer is not a
secret - even with the limitations of Amdahl's Law,
as well as incurred latencies which reduce the peak
compute power, the supercomputer should reach 100
PFLOPS, approximately 10 times faster than the fastest
supercomputer in 2011 and five times faster than the current
fastest supercomputer.
This project is heavily backed by the Chinese government
and Ministry of Sciences, viewed as the system needed to
aid the China space exploration, as well as rising the health
research to a new degree. The government sees that within
the next couple of decades, it will have to start battling the
older population, predict where to build cities, calculate the
highway system (by 2020, China plans to build more new
highways than the current total in the United States, for
example - and have twice as much highways than U.S. by
2030), public transportation system as well as wild projects
such as intelligent license plates, real time traffic calculation
to suggest preferred speed to reduce stoppages on the roads
etc.
However, the dark cloud in otherwise a fantastic design
win is one of reasons why Intel got chosen in the first
place. Anyone who had to compete against the 800-pound
gorilla nicknamed "Chipzilla" knows that the company will
do anything to win the deal, and if the deal has a budget that
would not pass the mustard with the accounting, there are
special budgets (marketing, academic, research etc.) where
those projects can be placed and ultimately, won.
Thus, we were not surprised to hear that the world's largest
(public) installation of Xeons and Xeon Phis will be located
in Southwest China. What we were surprised to hear was
the overall budget for the system. This project was budgeted
with around 100 million dollars for the processing power,
which is a large sum indeed. However, given that Intel is
placing almost the top-end Ivy Bridge-EP processors and
top-of-the-line Xeon Phis, the budget starts to look small. If
we take a look at commercial terms, a Xeon E5-2567W v2
should set you back (note: this is a future part, pricing was
an estimate based on current line-up) for $2,500. Top end
Xeon Phi, the 5110P with 8GB GDDR5 memory should set
you back between $1,500 and $2,500.
If we take that into calculation, 100,000 Xeon E5 should
retail for $250 million. Xeon Phi would add additional
$250-350 million, bringing a total for just the processing
silicon north of half a billion dollars. This excludes
motherboards, memory, storage, enclosure, cooling and just
about anything else.
Following the TACC deal, where Intel sold the Xeon Phi
boards for mediocre $400, the calculation for this deal is
even worse. According to sources in the know, the processors
are going for less than $300, while Xeon Phis will also fit the
sub $300 bracket. This deal will net less than $250 per piece
of silicon. When you look at the pricing model, it is clear as
day that Intel won't even cover the manufacturing cost - but
this is a prestige deal, after all. Also, they will earn some nice
dollars off the special warranty arrangements.

2
When it comes to the memory used with this beast, we're
talking about several million DIMMs (each CPU will be
outfitted between 16 and 24 DIMMs), which is more memory
than some memory manufacturers make in year. We're
talking about Registered ECC DDR3L memory, and at retail
value, we're talking over quarter billion dollars. At present
time, we do not know how much the memory setup will
go for, but one thing is certain - this will be the fastest
supercomputer for some time.
Naturally, there's only progress and the 100PFLOPS
machine won't stay on top for too long. Back on GPU
Technology Conference 2009, we talked with researches
from Australia involved with building the 1EFLOPS
(Exascale Computing, 1000 PFLOPS or 1,000,000 TFLOPS,
or 1,000,000,000 GFLOPS - the magic "billion billion"
floating point operations per second) supercomputer which
will accompany the Square-Kilometer-Array (SKA) radio
telescope, which is set to go into operation in the next couple
of years. Last time we checked on that project, it was based
on the architecture which succeeds Maxwell, combining the
ARM and GPU cores on a single die. The projected cost of
such system was set in the region of billion dollars just for the
compute parts. From our conversations with the scientists,
Nvidia had the pole position in this setup, but if Intel offers
$100 per Xeon Phi board (Tesla K10 can be bought for
$1500 in quantities larger than 10,000 units), we wonder at
what point we can start discussing uncompetitive practices
and price dumping... for the record, the EFLOPS system
is planned to use at least 250,000 GPGPU boards (initial
deployment, update with as much as 250,000 additional
units 5 years after the initial launch of the exacomputer).
If we leave financials aside, the Chinese supercomputer will
be a majestic rig indeed, with over 200,000 pieces of silicon
processing weather simulations, calculating Chinese space
projects (manned missons to the Moon by 2020, Mars by
2025), and many more.
However, one thing is clear - Xeon Phi is not going anywhere
and Intel's sales team will fight with every mean possible to
increase the market share, even if that means giving the parts
completely for free, which is what they did with an unnamed
Wall Street financial institution. The only problem with that
deal was that the analyst in place accidentally dropped that
news bomb.
Thus, the sale strategy is simple - offer simpler programming
model than GPUs, offer unbeatable price and then start
charging after the competition is gone.
Nokia Lumia 820 Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nokia-lumia-820-review/18486.html
December 22nd, 2012
Introduction
Those of us who were teenagers in the late 1990s and
early 2000s (yours truly included) would have had Nokia
phones as our weapon of choice in communications. My very
first cellphone was a Nokia 3310 with a yellow backlight,
paid for out of my own pocket from a vacation job. That
was considered the ‘typical’ standard among students back
in 2001, and the BMOC (Big Man on Campus) was the one
who carried a Nokia 8250 with a blue backlight.
Nokia’s star has apparently faded over the years though,
especially after smartphones made their debut and captured
the hearts of many. Apple had their line of iPhones,
while other manufacturers for the most part went with
Android, with Samsung leading the way. Nokia chose to
walk a completely different path with their own Symbian
OS, which was eventually superseded by the Windows-
enabled Lumia line starting in 2011. Their exclusivity with
Microsoft, starting with the Windows 7-enabled Lumia 710
and 800 has had the effect of pushing the company to the
sidelines. A tech friend of mine once summed up the current
mobile phone wars as such: ‘Samsung/Android on one side,
Apple/iOS on the other, and Nokia/Microsoft getting caught
in the crossfire.’
While this might be a gross oversimplification of the true
scenario, it does contain a certain grain of truth. While
everyone is swooning over the latest Galaxy Note II or
the iPhone 5, Nokia gets short shrift. This review aims to
shine the spotlight on one of Nokia’s first offerings with the
Windows 8 mobile OS, the Lumia 820.
The phone on the wireless charging stand (optional)
Initial Impressions: Size, Weight, and Build Quality
The phone does seem a little hefty in the hand, even though
it only has a 4.3 inch screen. With dimensions of 123.8 x 68.5
x 9.9 mm and a mass of 160g, it does weigh quite heavily
on the hand, and the thickness is considerable. By way of
contrast, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is slightly thinner at
9.4 mm and is only 23 g heavier in spite of its much-larger
5.5-inch screen.

3
Left Side view. There are no ports or buttons here.
Right Side view. From left: Camera shutter button, power
button, volume controls
Bottom view. The ‘Back’, Windows and Search buttons
on the screen can be seen. The bottom itself consists of
the microUSB port and microphone.
While the back cover is made of cheap-looking glossy
plastic, looks can be deceiving. The plastic appears to be
strong and does not flex easily under manual pressure. The
glossy texture lends itself to being susceptible to grime and
fingerprints, however.
Back view with the camera lens and flash.
Among the first things I did upon receiving this phone was
to open the back cover so as to insert the micro SIM and
micro SD cards. At least, I attempted to. A full five minutes of
fumbling with the phone did not yield any hidden catches or
buttons that could allow the back cover to be removed easily.
A quick search of the manual revealed that the removal of
the back cover could be done by sliding a thumbnail into the
crack between the back cover and the main body. That took
another five minutes to accomplish properly, even though
my thumbnail was long (I had been planning to trim it
later in the day, honest!). And I wasn’t the only person with
this quirky problem, as a cursory web search of Lumia 820
reviews reveals.
Sliding my thumbnail into the crack. If you had just trimmed
your nails five minutes before, good luck to you.

4
Square Enix reveals new
assets for Lightning Returns:
Final Fantasy XIII
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/square-enix-reveals-new-assets-for-
lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiii/18480.html
December 22nd, 2012
Square Enix has released a few new screenshots and a brand
new trailer showing off the epic conclusion of Lightning's last
adventure in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.
The newly released screenshots of Square Enix's upcoming
last chapter in Lightning's dynamic adventure show off
incredible visuals, displaying that Lightning Returns: Final
Fantasy XIII still incorporates that bizarre and dynamic
signature style.
Everything from the in-game cities and towns to the enemies
and bosses--and, of course, Lightning herself--are rendered
in such crystal clarity, painting a dazzling picture to a series
that has continually pushed the bars of innovative RPG
mechanics and distinctly amazing visuals.
Every character and environment is detailed in that
signature magical "Final Fantasy" look, building upon the
visuals within the first two games (Final Fantasy XIII and
Final Fantasy XIII-2) to bring an all-new experience that
keeps those trademark elements that fans have come to
expect from the franchise.
Square Enix's legendary RPG series has always ushered in
a new era of both dynamic story-telling and amazing art-
infused visuals to deliver a truly remarkable and engaging
experience, bringing gamers into a new fantasy world where
magic and mystery run rampant with our imaginations.
The screenshots themselves truly imbibe that sense of
mystery and fantasy that have become distinct elements that
make up the Final Fantasy franchise, giving gamers a brief
look at the many environments and characters--as well as
Lightning's brand new stylish look.
Lightning Returns is no different in this regard, and looks
to be one of the most graphically impressive titles in Square
Enix's current line-up.
The newly released "The Final Journey of Lightning" trailer
goes far to encapsulate the overall plot of the upcoming
game, which continue the story arc set forth by the two
previous titles before it:
There are only thirteen days left until the world ends,
and Lightning allies with her former team--including Snow
Villiers and Hope Esthiem--to save the new merged world of
Coccoon from the devastating Sea of Chaos that threateans
to annihilate all life.
Lightning Returns follows the last days until the end of the
world, chronicling the events that take place in her struggle
to save the floating sky-islands of Nova Partus and New
Coccoon from certain doom.
Personally I find the plotline to the game to be quite
inventive and creative, merging emotional turmoil with a

5
destined Hero's Journey archetype, and Lightning--to me
at least--is the ultimate female hero (besides maybe Samus
Aran!).
It will be interesting to see how the plot develops and what
happens at the very end to conclude Lightning's epic and
legendary saga that's spanned across a trilogy of games.
A release date for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
will be announced in 2013, and the game will be available for
Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
For more information, please visit the game's official
website.
The Rheinmetall 50kW laser
weapon scores big
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-rheinmetall-50kw-laser-weapon-
scores-big/18478.html
December 22nd, 2012
The (wet) dream of probably every general in the military is
to be able to have a working laser weapon that they can use
for both defense and active duty has gotten one step further
to reality with a successful testing of the Rheinmetall 50kW
laser system.
Designed as a weapon to be used for air defense, asymmetric
warfare and also in Counter Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-
RAM) operations, the Rheinmetall high energy laser system
is a dream come true for the military.
This past November the company tested its newest version,
a 50kW laser, in a series of exercises at the German-based
company's Ochsenboden Proving Ground in Switzerland to
show what improvements they have made since last year's
10kW version of the system.
The system isn't a single laser but rather two laser modules
that are mounted on the Oerlikon Revolver Gun air defense
turrets and with additional modules for supplying the power
needed. These two lasers are combined using Rheinmetall's
Beam Superimposing Technology to focus a 30kW and a
20kW laser on the same spot, which is what give the system
its combined 50kW destructive power.
Testing of the laser system was against three different targets
with the first being a 15 mm-thick steel girder which was cut
through at a distance of 3,281 ft. Second was against a group
of nose diving drones that were flying at 164 ft/s, detected
by the system at 1.24 miles within a few seconds. The last
test was a simulated mortar attack using a steel ball 3.22
inches in diameter moving at 50 meters per second and was
immediately tracked, locked on to, and destroyed.
Rheinmetall says that the tests have shown that the laser
system can work in all types of weather and also meeting the
energy and cooling requirements while delivering twice the
power compared to previous equipment of the same size.
There are plans for a 60kW next year and the company sees
no reason why it wouldn't be possible to develop a 100kW
version as well.
Psy breaks 1 billion views for
Gangnam Style YouTube MV
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/psy-breaks-1-billion-views-for-
gangnam-style-youtube-mv/18479.html
December 22nd, 2012
“Gangnam Style” helped propel Psy into a global spotlight
that rarely any other Asian music stars get to experience.
How big is this spotlight? Well, Psy recently overtook
Justin Bieber to become the musician with the most views
in a single YouTube video. Psy’s hot streak didn’t end there
as the Korean pop/rap star has just broken the 1 billion view
mark for his Gangnam Style MV on YouTube.
It’s staggering how much fame an individual can obtain
through just a single production during the digital age.
What’s even more amazing is that Psy’s feat has been
achieved despite racial and cultural boundaries. Psy’s
comical Gangnam Style choreography played a huge role in
his newfound global stardom. This, however, leads many
critics to consider Psy as nothing more than a novelty artist
with little substance in term of lyrical depth.
While it’s true that Korean is not a globally used language, it
should be noted that many catchy tunes that turned artists
into ‘stars’ had little to do with the lyrics. Take for example;
CUPID’s 2007 hit “Cupid Shuffle” gave CUPID a bit of fame,
but the performer—along with his dance—soon faded into
obscurity.
What about Soulja Boy’s “Crank That”? One could pose the
question: How much depth is there in Soulja Boy’s Crank
That lyrics? Substance and depth are clearly one of those
topics that should be left for the listener to decide, but no one
can deny that Soulja Boy’s dance played a role in boosting
the MV’s popularity and entertainment value.
Oh, and how can we forget the “Dougie.”
There were countless catchy tunes and choreographies that
helped many people obtain fame and fortune, but rarely do
these stars hold onto their statuses. Skeptics in the Western
world are wondering if Psy can produce another hit that
will be on the same level as Gangnam Style. There’s no
doubt that Psy will ride his Gangnam Style streak for as
long as possible, but like all legitimate artists there has to
be something in the works to prove that Psy is not just a
‘novelty.’
Google working on "X
Phone", it's the next Nexus
phone
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/google-working-on-x-phone--it-s-
the-next-nexus-phone/18477.html
December 22nd, 2012

6
While many of us have yet to get our hands on a Nexus 4,
Google is purportedly to be already working on its successor.
A rumor has begun swirling surrounding Google suggesting
that the company is working on the next Nexus device. The
public’s reception to the Nexus 4 was great, and the only
thing that people had to gripe about was that demands were
high and supplies were low. If people couldn’t get their
hands on a Nexus 4 device from Google, then perhaps they
should wait it out until the next Nexus phone arrives.
According to WSJ, Google is working on a pure Android
device known as “X Phone.” Apparently, the X Phone will
focus heavily on a high-quality camera and a robust photo
editing program to go along with it. Speaking of high-
quality, X Phone might also come with a bendable display
and built using durable ceramic materials.
Recently, Samsung was rumored to be considering using its
flexible AMOLED technology in the Galaxy S IV. However,
that rumor was douse when another report came out stating
that insiders said the S IV won’t feature the flexible display,
because the technology itself was not far along enough in its
development.
If Samsung and Google partners up again for the X Phone
project however, then there may be some similarities
between the S IV and X Phone. For instance, X Phone might
utilize Samsung’s AMOLED and Exynos technologies, which
the S IV will undoubtedly feature. For fans of Samsung, this
means that we may see a pure Android phone with S IV-like
hardware, but at a lower price—take a look at the Nexus 4
and compare it to LG’s Optimus G.
In addition to X Phone, the WSJ also reported that an “X
Tablet” will follow once all the X Phone details are finalized.
Scientists unveil greener,
smarter sleigh for Santa
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scientists-unveil-greener-smarter-
sleigh-for-santa/18476.html
December 22nd, 2012
Scientists working at General Electric (GE) have made a
number of modifications to Santa's sleigh, making it faster,
smarter and more energy-efficient.
Scientists working at General Electric (GE) have made a
number of modifications to Santa's sleigh, making it faster,
smarter and more energy-efficient.
With only days to go before Santa's lightning speed trip
around the world, which internet users can track via Google's
Santa Tracker, GE has implemented a number of new
features to Santa's aging vehicle.
First up is a thin cooling solution, which can help improve
the sleigh's jet engine aerodynamics (yes, Santa did upgrade
to jet engines) and even produce a thinner and cooler
laptop for Santa (yes, Santa does have a laptop). The
technology, unveiled earlier this month, is half the thickness
of conventional cooling systems.
Secondly, GE added new Air Traffic Management
Technology, similar to the one the company is working on
with NASA to bring air traffic control “into the cloud.”
Thirdly, GE is fitting Santa's sleigh with an Electric
Traction Motor with MEM switching technology, similar to
technology used in electric cars.
Fourthly, the sleigh blades were made using a 3D printer,
using a tougher and yet more flexible fabric, building on
previous advances in 3D printing.
Finally, GE has added Ceramic Matrix Composites for
energy saving, in addition to a Durathon battery for durable
powering of the various equipment on board Santa's high-
tech sleigh.
“It has been three years since we introduced a new sleigh for
Santa, and we figured it was time to provide a few upgrades
to make his ride even better,” said Mark Little, SVP and
Director of GE Global Research. “With the advancements
GE scientists have made in 3-D printing, new materials like
CMCs and the great opportunities to make machines smarter
with the Industrial Internet, we have incorporated several
new technologies to give Santa and his reindeer team a
greener, smarter sleigh.”
Santa was equally enthused. “I am looking forward to flying
into outer space,” he said. “This will really save time by
helping me get to destinations in different parts of the world
much faster.”
Image Credit: General Electric
iPhone numbers in Southern
Europe are down, Windows
up
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/iphone-numbers-in-southern-
europe-are-down-windows-up/18474.html

7
December 22nd, 2012
There is no doubt that Apple's iPhone is one of the
most popular and sought after smartphones on the market
especially in the United States, France, and the United
Kingdom but some recent numbers from the report by
Kantar Worldpanel show that Apple has some weak points
internationally. Weak points that apparently are leading to
increased numbers for Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.
There is no doubt that Apple's iPhone is one of the
most popular and sought after smartphones on the market
especially in the United States, France, and the United
Kingdom but some recent numbers from the report by
Kantar Worldpanel show that Apple has some weak points
internationally. Weak points that apparently are leading to
increased numbers for Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.
In the North American markets there is no doubt that
Apple's iPhone is the smartphone leader and most likely
to stay that way, but as we found out in a new report for
November from Kantar Worldpanel, Apple isn't doing so
well in many of the other international markets that include
Australia, Brazil and Southern Europe.
In fact the report shows that in those countries the iPhone
has been seeing some pretty hefty declines: Down 5.4
percentage points in Australia to 35.9%, down 1.6 points in
Brazil to 1.6%. When it comes to Southern Europe Windows
Phone has been making some big market gains with Italy
hitting 11.8% and Spain saw Windows' market share hit the
3% mark.
Much of this gain in Southern Europe can be attributed
to a number of factors that include everything from new
smartphone users entering the market to the aggressive
pricing by Nokia and HTC when it brings the affordable 8S
to Europe at the end of January.
Granted Apple's strong showing in countries like the United
Kingdom and France managed to keep its overall European
growth at 2.5%, the company is facing the lack of a low-end
model in other parts of Europe. With consumers concerned
about the economic situation in their countries, coming
up with the money needed to purchase the higher priced
iPhones is making smartphones like the Lumia 820 and 620
as well as the HTC 8S much more attainable smartphones.
As long as Apple maintains its $620 ASP level around the
world we could see a point where Android could have a 10-
to-1 volume lead outside of the United States and Northern
Europe; but we could also see Windows Phones pulling
ahead of Apple in lower income countries like Spain, Brazil,
and South-East Asia.
Hideo Kojima reveals new
Fox Engine screenshots
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hideo-kojima-reveals-new-fox-
engine-screenshots/18471.html
December 22nd, 2012
Hideo Kojima has revealed screens via Twitter of the
new cross-platform Fox Engine which will serve as the
foundation for next-gen titles from Kojima Productions.
Hideo Kojima has recently uploaded a few screenshots
of Kojima Productions' new game engine onto his official
Twitter feed, showing off the cross-platform engine's
amazing visuals and incredible next-gen graphics.
Labeled the "Fox Engine" after the iconic fox logo behind the
FOXHOUND special operatives from the Metal Gear Solid
franchise, Kojima Productions began working on the Fox
Engine after the completion of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of
the Patriots all the way back in June of 2011.
The Fox Engine will serve as the foundation for many
next-gen titles from Kojima Productions, providing more
graphical enhancements and capabilities that build upon
the older engines while incorporating many new features,
making for a truly dynamic and impressive visual
experience.
Now Kojima is giving gamers a brief look at the fruits of
the team's labors, displaying their finely tuned skills and
attention to detail in a few absolutely stunning screenshots.
With the Fox Engine, Kojima and his team sought out to
make the "best engine in the world", and based on these
screens, the engine may obtain a place somewhere near the
top.

8
The screenshots display a very detailed Snake holding Hideo
Kojima's masterfully crafted culinary artwork within one of
the Metal Gear Solid 25th Anniversary bento boxes, and
gamers who have viewed the Fox Engine's lighting demo will
recognize the conference room's chairs and table.
The lighting demo is another example how far the
Fox Engine has come within a year, displaying dazzling
photorealistic environments and remarkable lighting effects
that truly live up to gaming's next-gen standards.
As a gamer, I look forward to the new next-gen era of gaming
in terms of graphics and visuals, especially when engines
such as Kojima's bring such dynamic realism to the table.
It's exciting to think about how they will incorporate the Fox
Engine's capabilities into the next Metal Gear Solid game--
or any other games made by Kojima Productions.
Personally I am impressed by these screens and I can't wait
to see more, especially in alternating environments--maybe
scenic landscapes with plenty of grass and trees. It'll be
interesting to see how flora and fauna look with the Fox
Engine.
Be sure to follow Hideo Kojima on Twitter for more updates
and picture uploads--who knows what he'll bring us next!
Also check out Kojima Productions' official website for news
and other goodies
Objet 1000 3D Printer creates
models in sizes other printers
can't
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/objet-1000-3d-printer-creates-
models-in-sizes-other-printers-can-t/18470.html
December 22nd, 2012
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UK government to spy on
computers of unemployed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/uk-government-to-spy-on-
computers-of-unemployed/18475.html
December 22nd, 2012
The UK government is to spy on the computers of jobseekers
to make sure they are actually looking for work, an approach
which could reduce welfare numbers, but also marks a major
invasion of privacy.
The UK government is to spy on the computers of jobseekers
to make sure they are actually looking for work, an approach
which could reduce welfare numbers, but also marks a major
invasion of privacy.
Claimants of benefit in the UK can look for jobs through
the new Universal Jobmatch website, which presents people
with potential job opportunities that match their skills on
their CV.
All sounds well and good, but users may be tracked using
cookies to see how many jobs they are looking at and if they
are turning down valid jobs to live off the dole. Government
advisors can then impose sanctions on the jobseekers to
encourage them to get back into the workforce.

9
The privacy implications are huge, but the system is
entirely voluntary, as the UK cannot monitor people's online
activities without user consent, thanks to laws imposed by
the European Union, a fact that will put the minds of more
privacy conscious jobseekers at rest.
Iain Ducan-Smith, Secretary for Work and Pensions, said
the programme would reolvutionise how people would look
for work. More than half of the 690,000 people who signed
up for the service so far have granted permission for the
government to spy on their job browsing.
Facebook testing $1 charge
for messages to strangers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/facebook-testing-1-charge-for-
messages-to-strangers/18473.html
December 22nd, 2012
Facebook is testing a feature that allows users to send
messages directly to strangers for $1, potentially opening
the way for other features to be locked behind micro-
transactions.
Facebook is testing a feature that allows users to send
messages directly to strangers for $1, potentially opening
the way for other features to be locked behind micro-
transactions.
Currently people can send messages to users not on their
friends list, but they go to the Other folder rather than the
Inbox, leading to many of them being lost. Now users will be
able to send a message directly to a stranger's Inbox, but at
the cost of $1 per message.
The company said its research found that a financial cost
would be the best way to discourage unwanted messages, but
it is also implementing some restrictions to prevent spam,
such as a maximum limit of receiving one paid message per
week, up to a total of three in a month.
This should help prevent celebrities, for example, being
bombarded with messages, but it also presents a problem in
that only those who manage to get their message sent at the
beginning of a month may be able to communicate in this
way with people. We would expect the restrictions will be
loosened in the future, both for the convenience of users, but
also for more profit for Facebook.
When users first visit Facebook, the sign-up page states: “It's
free and always will be.” While the core service is indeed free,
many users may fear that this trial will lead to them having to
pay to use the social network, or at least some of its essential
features.
The service, which is similar to one used by LinkedIn, is
being trialled with a small group of people in the US. There
are no immediate plans for tests in other regions like Europe.
Boeing tests Wi-Fi on planes
by using potatoes for humans
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/boeing-tests-wi-fi-on-planes-by-
using-potatoes-for-humans/18472.html
December 22nd, 2012
Boeing is testing the signal strength of Wi-Fi in aeroplanes,
substituting humans with sacks of potatoes, which are
thought to produce a similar effect as humans on electronic
signals.
Boeing is testing the signal strength of Wi-Fi in aeroplanes,
substituting humans with sacks of potatoes, which are
thought to produce a similar effect as humans on electronic
signals.
The US plane manufacturer is attempting to improve in-air
Wi-Fi, while also ensuring safety standards are met, which
includes stopping signals from interfering with the plane's
electrical systems.
People obstruct Wi-Fi signals, which makes aeroplane
cabins problematic, as people getting up to use the bathroom
or even cabin crew walking up and down the aisle can cause
fluctuations in signal strength.

10
In order to test the signals, Boeing used a decommissioned
plane, loading the passenger seats with a whopping 9,000kg
of potatoes, which is perhaps not a very flattering assessment
of passengers. Given that the assessments were conducted
over several days, using real people would have been
extremely difficult, not to mention less cost effective.
The company said the potatoes produce a similar effect on
signals as human bodies, adding one more alternative use
to the hearty spud, which already can be used in beauty
treatments, to make alcohol, and even to generate electricity.
The findings of the tests could produce a more reliable Wi-
Fi service in the air, without affecting any of the plane's
equipment. With Boeing aircraft used throughout the world,
any improvements in this area could benefit a lot of people.
Image Credit: Boeing
Halo 4's Infinity Challenge is
now live
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/halo-4-s-infinity-challenge-is-now-
live/18467.html
December 22nd, 2012
The Halo 4 Infinity Challenge has been officially launched,
allowing gamers a chance to rack up points for completed
games on War Games or Spartan Ops and compete for
awesome prizes.
Three days ago on Dec. 17, 2012 Virgin Mobile teamed up
with Xbox LIVE to kick off the Halo 4 Infinity Challenge,
offering gamers the chance to compete with one another to
win fantastic Halo-themed prizes.
Players can choose between both of Halo 4's Infinity
multiplayer game types--Spartan Ops and War Games--
to amass points which accrue and determine global
leaderboard rankings which can be seen anytime on Halo
Waypoint.
Along with the new challenges the first-ever Halo Waypoint
challenge has been issued: "Spartan Takedown" will be live
from Dec. 17 to Dec. 23 and requires players to kill 250
players in War Games multiplayer.
"If that wasn’t enough, we’re also running Weekly
Challenges where 20 players will win a Halo® 4
prize pack every week.
Every Monday, during this challenge, check the
“Waypoint Challenge” for that week and aim
to complete it as fast as possible. Winners are
announced ever week."
As players earn more points and progress farther up the
leaderboard rankings they will earn Tier rankings for both
Spartan Ops and War Games, allowing eligibility to win the
Grand Prize for each of the categories:
War Games Grand Prize (Tier 1): UNSC 2013 Ford SVT
Raptor
Spartan Ops Grand Prize (Tier 1): 2-minute appearance in a
Halo game
As of now, only the first episode is available for play on
Spartan Ops, and it hasn't been confirmed if 343i is going
to alter the levels week-by-week or not, but a slew of new
weekly and monthly challenges have also been added in for
extra XP opportunities.
With War Games, all of the playlists are included within the
competition and players can choose whichever gametype or
playlist they want: there is no specially selected or required
gametype for the Infinity Challenge.
This is the perfect time to jump into Halo 4's frenetic
multiplayer and take advantage of your holiday vacation
with some good old-fashioned FPS fragfests, and get
rewarded with the chance to win awesome prizes in the
process.
Also be sure to pick up some Mt. Dew for some Halo 4
Double XP and earn bonus experience while you rack up
more points for the Infinity Challenge!
If you haven't already, be sure to register for the Halo
4 Infinity Challenge now, and remember, the competition
only lasts until Jan. 20, 2013...but on Jan. 10 all of the

11
leaderboards will be taken down so that the participants can
be grouped in their final Tier rankings and groupings.A
After you've had your fill of simulated Spartan-on-Spartan
battles or gunning down Covies and Prometheans be sure
to check your progress on the official global leaderboards
which can be accessed any time on Halo Waypoint!
Twitter lets you download
ALL your tweets - now what?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/twitter-lets-you-download-all-your-
tweets--now-what-/18468.html
December 22nd, 2012
Did you hear the news? Twitter is now letting you
download all of your tweets that you have made from the day
you joined the service. Wow, how great is that eh. Not really.
If you haven't been hiding under a rock for the past week or
so you'll have heard the incredible and fantastic news that
has driven the social media pundits and pontificators into
a frothy mass of joy, not to mention that quivering mass of
open data evangelists over there in the corner.
You see Twitter announced that they were finally going to
be adding a new feature to the service. A feature that the
social media mavens like Robert Scoble and others have
been begging Twitter to do since almost the first days of the
service.
So what is this new feature?
Are you ready?
You can now download all your tweets that you have made
since the day you joined Twitter, and all in one archived file.
Wow, neat huh.
So I ask ...
Now what?
What exactly am I supposed to do with this file?
Seriously, now that you have downloaded all those treasured
messages of 140 characters that you threw out there in order
to dazzle the world with your brilliance, what are you going
to do with them?
I don't know about you but I couldn't care less about what
I've tweeted about 5 minutes after I hit enter to send my wise
words into the Twittersphere; and you know what, others
couldn't care less either. So the fact that Twitter has finally
implemented the option to download all your tweets is as
about as useful as eating sushi with one chopstick.
Don't get me wrong, I like Twitter and have been using the
service since February 2007 (and even wrote a Windows
client for it) but I can see absolutely no use to having a single
file containing every single thing I posted to Twitter. Sure
it's nice, and will appease all those open data proponents
that are constantly pushing the company to do this, but come
on people, what exactly can you do with this information
beyond inflate your ego a little more?
Can you import it into a competing service like app.net or
perhaps identi.ca? Can you make it available for Facebook
to use in some fashion - not that Facebook would want to in
the first place. On top of that, even if you were able to use all
that data in some other service I again have to ask ... why?
The truth is that in the end all you have from this new feature
is a big lump of a file that is useless for anything.
Thanks Twitter. Thanks for nothing, because that is what
this really amounts to.
(BTW ... how's that improved search feature coming?)
ZTE launches 5-inch 1080p
Nubia Z5
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zte-launches-5-inch-1080p-nubia-
z5/18469.html
December 22nd, 2012
Samsung is battling Apple throughout North America and
Europe for brand supremacy, but in China and throughout
Asia companies like ZTE and Oppo are giving the South
Korean tech giant a run for its money. The latest addition
to the Chinese's arsenal of high tech gadgets is ZTE's Nubia
Z5—a 5-inch goliath that tackles frugality while not negating
the charm of what it means to be 'high-end.'
As more and more people familiarize themselves with
smartphones, they begin to bask in the wonders of how
technology has provided many with the ability to downsize
many aspects of their lives. While many of us are cramming
all we can into our smartphones, manufacturers are finding
ways of upsizing the features—especially the display size.
Samsung’s two Galaxy Note devices are quite a hit, so it
was only a matter of time before Chinese handset makers
followed suit. If you’re not a fan of Chinese-branded gadgets,
then this may not interest you as much, but if you’re
a follower of the market then you should know China-
based handset makers like ZTE, Huawei, and Oppo are all
producing relatively good devices at a decent price.

12
If you’re in the market for a 5-incher smartphone like the
Note, but don’t want to fork out the premium or tie yourself
down to a contract then smartphones coming out of China
is a good alternative. ZTE recently launched its flagship,
dubbed the Nubia Z5, which boasts a 1.5GHz quad-core
APQ8064 S4 Pro processor, a 5-inch 1080p display, 2GB of
RAM, a unibody chassis, and Android Jelly bean to boot.
Those are some nice specs, right? The expected price of
this at launch, however, may surprise you even more. The
Nubia Z5 launch price was around $400—that’s not bad for
a phablet that has specs comparable to that of the Note II.
Wait, there’s more from ZTE. If you’re not willing to drop
$400 for the Nubia Z5 then there’s another 5-incher in
the making from ZTE that will probably go for less than
the Nubia Z5. ZTE is working on a 5-incher that carries
along with it entry-level specs, meaning a lower power dual-
core and much less RAM compared to ZTE’s latest flagship.
Under the hood of this low-end phablet, for now it’s called
the U887, will be a 1.2GHz Mediatek dual-core CPU, 512MB
of RAM, and probably Android ICS or Jelly Bean to run it.
If the specs hold true in the finalized product then the U887
is nothing to be bragging about, but the price might just win
you over. Imagine a contract-free phablet for less than $300.
Launch dates for these devices outside of China has yet to be
confirmed, but hopefully they do make it past the Great Wall.
In the end, more products equal more competitions, and
that may also mean more affordable gadgets for everyone.
BitLocker, PGP, TrueCrypt
cracked real-time with $299
tool
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/bitlocker-pgp-truecrypt-cracked-
real-time-with-299-tool/18466.html
December 22nd, 2012
A Russian security firm has announced that their forensic
disk decryptor software package can now access any
information on disks that have been encrypted with industry
standard programs. The program cost $299 and will work
against BitLocker, PGP, and TrueCrypt; but even worse it
can do it in real-time.
It's bad enough that we have to do everything we can to
protect ourselves against malware and web-based security
attacks looking to steal our data, but one would hope that
using encryption programs like TrueCrypt, BitLocker, or
PGP would protect the data on our hard drives; but that isn't
the case anymore thanks to a Russian security firm.
The firm is ElcomSoft and they announced this past
Thursday that their new software package, Elcomsoft
Forensic Disk Decryptor (EFDD), can access any
information on hard drives that have been encrypted with
any of the software mentioned above. Their new software
runs on all flavors of Windows, 32-bit and 64-bit, as well
as any version right back to Windows XP and their server
packages.
EFDD is able to let you either decrypt all the files and
folders in the "cryptographic container" for full unrestricted
forensic access to all the data stored in it or you can mount
the encrypted volumes as a new drive letter for instant access
—both can be done in real-time. It does all this with a zero-
footprint operation or any alterations or modifications to the
original content.
Now one would think that something like this would cost a
pretty penny especially when it is going up against industry
standard software like Encase, but you can pick up your own
copy of EFDD for just $299 (Encase is only available to law
enforcement agencies).
The full set of features for EFDD is:
• Decrypts information stored in three most popular
crypto containers.
• Mounts encrypted BitLocker, PGP and TrueCrypt
volumes.
• Supports removable media encrypted with BitLocker
To Go.
• Supports both encrypted containers and full disk
encryption.
• Acquires protection keys from RAM dumps,
hibernation files.
• Extracts all the keys from a memory dump at once if
there is more than one crypto container in the system.
• Fast acquisition (limited only by disk read speeds).
• Zero-footprint operation leaves no traces and requires
no modifications to encrypted volume contents.
• Recovers and stores original encryption keys.
• Supports all 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.

1
geeks.
2 Player Productions uploads
Minecraft: The Story of
Mojang to Pirate Bay
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/2-player-productions-uploads-
minecraft-the-story-of-mojang-to-pirate-bay/18505.html
December 24th, 2012
2 Player Productions' (2PP) recently released documentary,
Minecraft: The Story of Mojang, has been uploaded to Pirate
Bay. The culprit, however, isn’t a pirate but rather it’s the
producers themselves that uploaded the torrent.
“We wanted to come here (Pirate Bay) first because we knew
the movie would end up here eventually, and the best thing
to do seemed to be opening a dialogue. Torrents and piracy
are a way of life and it probably won’t be going anywhere
anytime soon,” says the producer in a short memo on Pirate
Bay. “There are many people that want to punish you for
that, but we have a more realistic outlook on things.”
Rather than condemn people who are pirating their movie,
2PP wants downloaders to know that they have also “been
there.” The realistic approach here is basically everyone
have their reasons for pirating movies, software, games and
etc.; these reasons can range from financial circumstances to
anger and so on. However, in the end 2PP still wants people
to realize that the folks behind the project put a lot of time,
effort and money into production the movie. Therefore, if
it’s within the range of the downloaders’ conscience, 2PP
encourages downloaders to pay $8 for the DRM free digital
download or $20 for the DVD.
In addition to supporting the film with their own money,
2PP also pointed to their struggles to obtain backers on
Kickstarter because they didn’t have sufficient funds to pay
for the expenses themselves. It took 2PP nearly two years
to produce Minecraft: The Story of Mojang, and part of
their goal is for people to fully enjoy the documentary.
The other part of their goal is that the folks at 2PP want
continue to do what they love to do, which is produce
quality documentaries/movies about the world of video
games. Without monetary support from viewers of their
documentary, 2PP cannot sustain their efforts to create more
content for people on the World Wide Web to enjoy.
“Please consider helping us continue on this path.
The best has yet to come.”
Pirate Party removes proxy
site after BPI threatens with
lawsuit
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pirate-party-removes-proxy-site-
after-bpi-threatens-with-lawsuit/18504.html
December 24th, 2012
The United Kingdom Pirate Party took down their highly
popular Pirate Bay proxy site due to legal threats from the
British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
The U.K.’s Pirate Party’s political movement, which is said
to be based on the freedom of information sharing, is
experiencing difficulties at home once again. Now six
members of the Pirate Party have come under direct fire
from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) with threats
of a costly lawsuit in regards to the upkeep and operation
of the Pirate Bay Proxy site. Loz Kay who represents the
U.K. Pirate Party fired back arguing that BPI had no right to
threaten party members with what would amount to a costly
legal battle.
On December 23, 2012, fearing personal bankruptcy and
fear of a drawn out fight, the party bowed to BPI and took
down the proxy site for The Pirate Bay. Immediately other
foreign support groups of the party, which includes the
Argentinean Pirate Parties, organized and began their own
proxy service for The Pirate Bay.
This drawn out legal dispute began back in April 2012 when
the U.K. High Court ruled that all U.K. Internet service
providers were to censor and block The Pirate Bay website.
In response to the ruling, people began using proxy sites in
order to access the site, which included the proxy supported
and set up by the U.K Pirate Party, when the ban went into
effect. It was clearly accessible through the party’s website
and soon became the most popular proxy used in the U.K.
and accessed by the millions every month.

2
The BPI demanded that the proxy offered UK Pirate Party
be removed or face legal action, but the party refused to
comply with BPI. In reply, the music group went with what
could be described as a ‘Plan B’, which was to attack the
individual members of the party with personal legal action,
and according to party leader Loz Kaye, bankruptcy.
“Elected members of the party's National Executive
Committee, along with the head of IT, received letters from
lawyers acting for British Phonographic Industry (BPI),
threatening them personally with High Court legal action,”
writes Pirate Party leader Loz Kaye on their official website.
“After seeking exhaustive advice, as well as attempts to open
dialogue with the BPI, it has become clear that the law as
it stands makes any decision to continue hosting the proxy
impossible…”
Contrary to what Kaye has stated, the BPI denies any threats
of bankruptcy on party members. In a recent story published
at the torrentfreak.com website, BPI’s Adam Liversage said
the recent allegations made by Loz Kaye were untrue and
that “BPI has not threatened Pirate Party UK officers with
bankruptcy.”
The Pirate Bay was founded in Sweden in 2003 and
it operates as a magnet link hosting site that helps to
facilitate peer-to-peer file sharing using BitTorrent. In 2009
four of the founders of the site were charged with illegal
downloading of copyrighted material. All four men were
sentenced to each serve one year in prison and pay a fine of
nearly 4 million U.S. dollars combined. Currently The Pirate
Bay is supported by the Swedish Pirate Party who claims to
serve as The Pirate Bay site's ISP.
$80 Edifier 2.1 speaker
system crying out for Alien
dreadlocks
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/-80-edifier-2.1-speaker-system-
crying-out-for-alien-dreadlocks/18502.html
December 24th, 2012
There are some pretty strange looking speaker systems
out there and this one from Edifier definitely falls into
that category with the only thing missing being the Alien
dreadlocks.
It's called the e1100 Predator and is an inexpensive set
of speakers that instantly reminds one of some terrifying
creature from a hit sci-fi movie but at $80 Edifier has put
together a pretty impressive speaker package.
That main unit, you know the one that looks like an Alien
minus its dreadlocks is the main part housing the system's
amplification and a 5-inch down-firing subwoofer. The sub-
woofer can handle frequencies from 20Hz - 100Hz and the
two satellite speakers each sport a 2-inch full range speakers
that are paired with a 2-inch passive radiator. The two
satellites can handle frequencies from 200Hz to 20KHz.
Even though Christmas is almost history for another year
there's no reason to not check these out if you happen to be
in the market for a decent set of speakers. You can get them
from the Edifier site for $79.99.
PC Power and Cooling
Silencer MKIII 1200W Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pc-power-and-cooling-silencer-
mkiii-1200w-review/18501.html
December 24th, 2012
PC Power and Cooling. A legendary name amongst
enthusiasts a decade ago, as it was one of the very few
companies which offered truly high end power supplies at
the time. Although OCZ annexed PC Power and Cooling 5
years ago, they kept the company running even though OCZ
also markets power supplies under their own brand name.
Today we are having a look at one of the latest PC Power and
Cooling power supplies, the Silencer MKIII 1200W unit.
PC Power and Cooling. A legendary name amongst
enthusiasts a decade ago, as it was one of the very few
companies which offered truly high end power supplies at
the time. Although OCZ annexed PC Power and Cooling 5
years ago, they kept the company running even though OCZ
also markets power supplies under their own brand name.
Today we are having a look at one of the latest PC Power and
Cooling power supplies, the Silencer MKIII 1200W unit.
When OCZ bought PC Power and Cooling, many of the
company's original trends, such as the use of a single 80mm
fan and the bashing of modular designs, have been erased.
As a matter of fact, the third revision of the Silencer series
which we are about to review today is both a modular
design and is using a large 140mm fan. These are not the
only notable points of this power supply which comes with

3
numerous features and certifications, the details of which we
will examine in this review.
Manufacturer’s features
• 1200W Continuous @ 50C
• SLI and CrossFire Ready
• 80-Plus Platinum Certified (92% Efficiency); .98
Active PFC
• 140mm double ball-bearing fan
• Up to 90% (10dB) Less Noise per Watt
• +12VDC @99.5A (Powerful Single Rail)
• Premium Components with 100% Japanese 105°C
Capacitors
• Modular Cabling Design
• Dual Thermal Control System: Normal and Silent
Operation
• 7-Year Warranty and Tech Support
Manufacturer’s specifications
AC Input
Operating Range: 115-240 VAC
0.98 power factor
Frequency: 50/60Hz
Current: 15A
Efficiency: 92% typical load (80+
Platinum)
EMI: FCC Class-B, CE
DC Output
Output: +3.3V@20A,+5V@20A,
+12V@99.5A,
-12V@0.5A,+5VSB@2.5A
Regulation: 3% (+3.3V, +5V, +12V)
5% (-12V, +5Vsb)
Ripple: 1% (p-p)
Hold Time: 40ms minimum
PG Delay: 100-500ms
Safety
Over Voltage Protection: +3.3V, +5V, +12V
Over Current Protection: 135% OPP
Agency Approval: cTÜVus, CB, TÜV, CCC, C-
tick, GOST, BSMI, China
RoHS, WEE, RoHS
Environmental
Temperature: 0-50°C
Humidity: 10-90%
Fan Type: 140mm, ball bearing,
thermally controlled
Miscellaneous
Compatibility: ATX12V & EPS12V
M/B Connectors: 1 x 20+4-pin ATX
2 x 4+4-pin CPU
Video Connectors: 6 x 6+2-Pin PCI-E
Drive Connectors: 4 x Peripheral
12 x 5-pin SATA
1 x FDD Adapter
MTBF: 100,000 Hours
Dimensions/Harness: 150mm (W) x 86mm (H) x
180mm (L)
Power Cord: US, EU, UK, CN, AU, JP,
KCC
Warranty: 7-Years
Fake apps posing as Halo 4:
iOS users get scammed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/fake-apps-posing-as-halo-4-ios-
users-get-scammed/18500.html
December 24th, 2012
Apple has recently made a rather large blunder - approving
not one, but two apps that claim to be Halo 4. While they
certainly look to be official ports of the official game, one is
actually a racing game, while the other is a chess game.
Well, what do we have here? Looks like someone ported
Halo 4 to the iPhone and iPad just in time for Christmas!
However, don't be fooled because not all things are as they
seem.
There are two apps out in the AppStore, promoting
themselves as Halo 4. What are they really? The screenshots,
the app logo, and even a 343 Industries copyright logo are
pretty convincing, and the amount of buys have been getting
out of hand. One of the apps is for iPhone and iPad and the
other is iPhone only, each priced at $4.99.
"Halo 4 for iPhone/iPad is the fourth in the Halo series
where Master Chief returns to battle an ancient evil bent on
vengeance and annihilation," reads a summary of one of the
games.
How was Apple tricked? Many look to reviews to check
if a game is really what it says it is, and these games
have many five-star reviews purporting their validity. Each
review requires a unique Apple ID and login, and there
are hundreds of these fake reviews. Not only that, but the
reviews are pretty staggering in the variation and depth. "I’ve
been looking forward to this for awhile," says one review. “I'll
update if I have a poor frame rate as some are claiming."

4
Apple has been shamed thoroughly on this one; the news has
even made it into a recent LA Times article.
While the games were finally removed, many people already
lost their money on the purchase. The apps were put out just
before the infamous “app freeze” - no new apps, bug fixes,
or price changes are allowed during that period. This is also
the highest revenue period for the App Store, being so close
to the holidays.
Someone out there made some nice pocket change off iOS
users.
YouTube cracks down on fake
video views; Sony and UMG
lose billions of views
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/youtube-cracks-down-on-fake-video-
views-sony-and-umg-lose-billions-of-views/18499.html
December 24th, 2012
Just recently, Google stripped Universal, Sony and other
music labels of some 2 billion faked views from their
respective YouTube channels. There has not been any word
from the music labels in regards to the bust.
The cumulative view counts that were recently stripped from
Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG, RCA records and a few
others was in regards to what is known as ‘black hat’ view
counts. The companies were using programs or paying a
3rd party that manipulated view counts on YouTube videos,
which are essentially robot views. The purpose of the higher
counts is to make the songs look more popular than they
really were. Over 2 billion views combined were removed
from the companies' videos.
According to the statistics available on the website
socialblade, it was apparent that Universal was the biggest
instigator with a loss of 1 billion in view count from a former
statistic of 7 billion views total on all videos. Sony/BMG was
the second largest with a loss of 850 million views, which
brought their total down to 2.3 million views. RCA lost 159
million views bringing their total view count to 120 million
views.
While the news is mildly shocking to some, it means a lot
more when you look deeper into what the companies were
doing. By manipulating views and making them appear
more popular, they were able to get more advertisements
near or on the videos themselves.
Google has been meticulously making major changes in how
YouTube looks and operates. The crackdown on fraudulent
activities on YouTube extended beyond big corporations and
businesses as Google tracked down many individuals and
cited them for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service (TOS)
agreement.
At first many users thought it was a bug or some other
glitch when they received notices. However, that theory of a
glitch was quickly put to rest when a Google representative
informed users in a YouTube forum that the notices were
in regards to violations in their view count policy. The
notice also directed users to a page titled 'Views and 3rd
party services'. The webpage goes over how YouTube uses
view counts and that any person or company engaging in
deceptive view counts may be terminated from the site.
The violation in question is specifically mentioned in
YouTube’s TOS item 4, Section H, which bans users from
creating fake views. In part it reads, “You agree not to use or
launch any automated system, including without limitation,
‘robots,’ spiders’, or ‘offline readers,’ that accesses the
Service in a manner that sends more request messages
to the YouTube servers in a given period of time than a
human can reasonably produce in the same period by using
a conventional on-line web browser.”
So far none of the music labels who were caught with faked
views have made an official comment.
Banning spree continues -
Blizzard bans thousands on
Diablo III
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/banning-spree-continues--blizzard-
bans-thousands-on-diablo-iii/18497.html
December 24th, 2012
The ban hammer has visited Diablo III as thousands of
players have been banned by Blizzard, for using bots,
cheating, and other horrid deeds. This, however, begs the
question: Does the ban come too late?

5
We have seen a good deal of banning going on this month
in the world of gaming – from new games like Planetside
2 to established games like League of Legends, companies
everywhere seem to have gotten sick of certain players and
neither casual nor pro players are safe. Whether it's negative
attitude or cheating, big name games are cutting away the
fat.
Diablo III has had its share of news-making: from the
controversial release of its real-money marketplace, to the
idea of the game itself (a third edition of a very old title).
Now, Blizzard released a bit of news: it has gone and
banned thousands of players on Diablo III. Why land the ban
hammer? For using bots, cheating, and also “undermining
the spirit of fair play.”
“We’ve recently issued account bans to several thousand
Diablo III players who were found to be using botting
programs while playing. In addition to undermining the
spirit of fair play, botting, hacking, and other forms of
cheating can also cause technical problems with the game as
well as contribute to performance issues with the Battle.net
service,” said Lylirra, a Blizzard community manager, on the
official forums.
Many are saying that this is too little and too late as players
have been complaining about the increase in cheating and
bot-usage for months now.
The company plans to put in changes, however, to make it
easier for players to report the hackers and abusers of the
game. “We will also be adding the ability for players to report
this kind of behavior directly through the game client in a
future patch,” added Lylirra.
For now, Blizzard is urging players to report cheating,
botting, and other illegal deeds on the forums. Even so, many
have abandoned the game entirely, and Blizzard is hoping
this move will attract old and new players alike.
One thing is for sure, the ban hammer has seen a lot of light
recently. What game will it strike next?
RIM agrees to license Nokia's
patented tech to settle
dispute
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rim-agrees-to-license-nokia-s-
patented-tech-to-settle-dispute/18496.html
December 24th, 2012
Research In Motion (RIM) and Nokia Corporation have
officially ended their patent dispute and have announced a
settlement deal that includes RIM obtaining the rights to
Nokia's WLAN patented technologies.
Research in Motion (RIM) has come to an agreement with
Nokia to pay the company a one-time settlement for Nokia’s
patent dispute litigation. However, the agreement also
stipulates that RIM will pay Nokia for the rights to continue
using their patented technology, which is essentially a lease
agreement.
The lawsuits began when the Finland-based Nokia argued
that the Canada-based RIM was using their wireless
networking technology. RIM did agree that they were
implementing WLAN in their products, but they contested
that their initial contract with Nokia covered the usage. The
court did not agree and RIM was ordered to pay Nokia
royalties on the technologies or their BlackBerry line of
smartphones would risk a sales injunction with no chance of
appeal.
Both companies publicly stated that all former issues
involving any patent usage disputes had officially ended in
every sales region. In regards to the deal made between the
two, neither the cash value nor any of the patents agreed
upon for usage was made public
In an official press statement, Paul Melin, who serves as
Nokia’s chief intellectual property officer, stated, "We are
very pleased to have resolved our patent licensing issues with
RIM and reached this new agreement, while maintaining
Nokia's ability to protect our unique product differentiation.
This agreement demonstrates Nokia's industry leading
patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing
opportunities in the mobile communications market."
Nokia further noted in their press release that the company
has spent nearly $60 billion in research and development
over the past two decades. Nokia says that they have “built
the wireless industry's strongest and broadest IPR portfolio,
with around 10,000 patent families.”
In other news, RIM saw their shares of BlackBerry
plummet drastically by 23% on Friday, December 21st
after
the company's quarterly sales report was released.
RIM's revenue for its fiscal third quarter dropped 47% to
$2.7 billion as shipment of Blackberry devices dropped

6
from 7.4 million to 6.9 million this year as compared to
last’s.
During the financial quarter before last, RIM’s reports shows
80 million subscribers as compared this past quarter of
79 million subscribers. In an effort to help boost sales,
company CEO Thorsten Heins said that the company would
be lowering prices on their BlackBerry 7 units along with
service fees that it charges carriers.
The release of the BlackBerry 10 with its newly designed
operating system will debut on January 30, 2013. The
new BlackBerry 10 is supposed to be an innovative design
targeted at their larger competitors like that of Samsung
or Apple, which have the vast majority of the smartphone
market. Nevertheless, RIM only captured a mere 5% of
the smartphone market worldwide in 2012. That share is
predicted to drop by another percentage point in the next 3
years if current trends continue.
New Minecraft documentary
tells the story of Mojang
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-minecraft-documentary-tells-
the-story-of-mojang/18492.html
December 24th, 2012
2 Player Productions' new documentary Minecraft: The
Story of Mojang chronicles the events that led to the
development of one of the most iconic and popular Indie
Games of our era.
2PlayerProductions takes an in-depth look at the mega-
popular and ever-growing gaming sensation that is
Minecraft, chronicling the story of Mojang's humble
beginnings as a simple team of Indie developers who struck
gold with their pixelated pickaxes and made one of the most
iconic and popular video games of our era.
The documentary, Minecraft: The Story of Mojang, is
a feature-length video that takes viewers to Stockholm,
Sweden, going behind the scenes with exclusive interviews
with Markus "Notch" Persson and the rest of the Swedish dev
team at Mojang (which is actually Swedish for "gadget").
"I kinda always knew I wanted to make
games..."-- Markus "Notch" Persson, creator of
Minecraft & founder of Mojang
Fans of the best-selling cross-platform Indie will enjoy this
documentary the most as Notch answers many questions,
detailing his rise to fame and what it was like making
Minecraft along with the rest of Team Mojang.
Minecraft: The Story of Mojang actually was funded via
Kickstarter, raising over two hundred thousand dollars way
back in March of 2011--one thing was clear, even then: many
people wanted this story to be told.
Industry greats such as Peter Molyneaux and Tim Schafer
offer insight on the game as well as prominent gamers
Yogscast, The Shaft and Minecraft Teacher who have all been
profoundly affected by the game as a whole.
2 Player Productions' documentary truly captures the magic
of Minecraft, encapsulating the joy that millions of players
all across the globe experience day after day in the game's
pixelated world that's full of endless possibilities.

7
Gamers truly have a passion for Minecraft. Whether it’s a
passing hobby or you're a hardcore gamer, it's the every
man's game. It doesn't matter how old you are, or if you
only like certain types of games, Minecraft has something
for everyone.
Millions of gamers have been touched (and still are being
touched) by the magic of the game, allowing them to create
virtually anything out of pixelated blocks. A simple Google
search of "Minecraft creations" brings up thousands of
incredible creations, all painstakingly created by fans of
Notch's low-res Indie masterpiece.
At its heart, both the documentary and the game are social
experiences, ones that players and gamers can share with
one another all across the world. Gamers have a distinct
passion for Mojang's amazingly fun block-builder slash RPG
that range from simple curiosity to hundreds of hours of
game time.
Minecraft has affected the gaming world and has paved the
way for Indie Games as a whole, breathing life into the oft-
beleaguered genre.
If it does one thing, it shows that a game can be magical
and hugely entertaining and not cost a fortune or have
immensely good graphics: at its heart, Minecraft brings the
kid out in all of us and lets every gamer rekindle the magic
of gaming in a living, thriving virtual environment.
Minecraft; The Story of Mojang touches upon all of these
elements and delivers an experience that every fan of the
game will enjoy.
It tells the story of Mojang from its humble beginnings to
its rise to fame and everything in between, showing that the
majesty of gaming that attracts players of all walks of life can
be tapped without million dollar development companies or
next-generation graphics.
2 Player Production's documentary truly is an adventure
through the dynamic and heartfelt story of one of the most
popular and enjoyable games of our time and is a great watch
for every Indie gamer or dev, big or small.
Minecraft: The Story of Mojang will be available later today
on Dec. 23, 2013 as a DRM-free download on Redux.com.
i
Zynga Japan branch to shut
down; fails to woo Japanese
social gamers
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/zynga-japan-branch-to-shut-down-
fails-to-woo-japanese-social-gamers/18491.html
December 24th, 2012
Zynga, the company that brought to the market FarmVille,
Mafia Wars, and by extension, Draw Something (Zynga owns
Omgpop), is closing its branch in Japan come January.
After a cut of 5% of its workforce in October to optimize
its operations, Zynga now decides to eradicate its offices
in Japan in effort to trim its less profitable parts. Gree,
Zynga’s Japan competitor, has made it tough for Zynga in
the Japanese market. In 2010, Zynga attempted to compete
by buying out Unoh Games (a Tokyo based company), but to
no avail present day.
Kenji Matsubara, CEO of Zynga Japan posted to Facebook
the announcement of the closure. In it, he thanked those who
supported and played Zynga and stated "Zynga Japan will
dissolve effective January 31, 2013." He continued by saying
operations will continue up until that date.
Zynga executives tossed around the idea of a closure in
October after the 5% layoff, so the idea was not impromptu.
In fact, Zynga has seen some tough times this quarter. They
had to put an end to three of their games—the ones that did
not match up to their more successful titles. Nevertheless,
Zynga is still a major player in social gaming despite recent
slips in some markets.
Samsung suing Apple over
Notification Center
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-suing-apple-over-
notification-center/18490.html
December 24th, 2012
Samsung has filed suit in South Korea over Apple’s version
of the notification center found in Apple’s iOS. The

8
clarification center found in Apple’s iOS is seemingly
identical to the one found in the Android operating system.
A report mentioned in the Korean on-line news site
iNews24.com states that Samsung Electronics is angry over
Apple’s notification center found in the Apple iOS. The
lawsuit, which was filed in the South Korean court, claims
patent infringement on that application, but no other details
on the lawsuit were mentioned.
Apple added the notification center on their line of iPhones
in 2011 on the iOS 5. However, this suit filed by Samsung
against Apple could very well develop into a much bigger
issue since the Android operating system notification center
is a Google invention. Furthermore, Google was awarded the
patent on the notification center in November 2012, which
lends to some theories that Samsung’s suit against Apple was
waiting for the patent to go through with Google.
In other news, Samsung recently received an official
complaint from the European Commission on a misuse on
their smartphone patents against Apple. The Commission’s
‘Statement of Objection’ was sent to Samsung on Friday,
December 21, 2012. The EC’s opinion was that Samsung was
not acting fairly in regards to their property rights claims
against Apple. The patent claims are in reference to the
European Telecommunications’ Standardization Institute’s
3G UMTS, adopted European industry-Standard on all
mobile phones.
If the European Commission determines that Samsung has
violated patent law they have the power to impose a 10
percent fine of Samsung’s total annual profits, which would
be a massive fine. Samsung will be given the opportunity
to reply to the Commission in writing and requesting a live
hearing and state their case.
For some time now there has been a wave of lawsuits
against Samsung from Apple over all manner of devices
and ideas. Many of the cases were thrown out, but a few
have made history such as the 1.05 billion dollar settlement
against Samsung settled by a California jury in August 2012.
Apple was claiming in the lawsuit filed in August 2011 that
Samsung stole Apple’s ideas in their smartphones and was
seeking 2.5 billion (U.S) dollars in damages. The jury threw
out a lot of the claims made by Apple, but did stick Samsung
with the 1.05 billion dollar (U.S.) settlement in favor of
Apple. The settlement was the largest in history between
two electronics makers. Samsung immediately appealed the
case.
Wells Fargo web site troubles
persist, U.S. OCC issues
DDoS Cyber Alert
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/wells-fargo-web-site-troubles-
persist-u.s.-occ-issues-ddos-cyber-alert/18487.html
December 24th, 2012
Wells Fargo has been having intermittent interruptions with
their on-line banking fearing another DDoS cyber attack.
The U.S. Federal Office of Comptroller Currency has been
investigating the issue.
Wells Fargo, which is the fourth largest banking institution
in the U.S., recently told customers they may have
intermittent or no access to their online banking due to
what is believed to be another DDoS attack. While the flood
of traffic has let up, the bank said customers might still
encounter interruptions during the next few days. The U.S.
Office of the Comptroller Currency (OCC) has been called in
by Wells Fargo to investigate the matter.
Wells Fargo spokeswoman Bridget Braxton stated that
the bank’s IT personnel were working hard to isolate the
problem. Braxton further iterated that they would be
working with federal authorities to see if the attacks can be
thwarted.
A hacking operation calling itself the “Izz ad-Din al-Qassam
Cyber Fighters” has been targeting many of the larger
international banks using denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
DDoS works by inundating a website with thousands of
hits per second thereby slowing down or even shutting down
the site entirely. The group has been on a campaign against
many U.S. banks of late and this latest attack on Wells Fargo
may be from this same group.
"A DDoS attack seeks to deny Internet access to bank
services by directing waves of Internet-based traffic from
compromised computers to the bank. In some instances,
sophisticated groups shift their tactics during attacks and
target Internet service providers (ISP),” reads a December
21, 2012 OCC memo on the attacks. The memo goes on
to say that the fraudsters also use DDoS to distract the
banking personnel so they can gain access to user accounts.
Additionally, the memo states, “In this scenario, the DDoS
can occur immediately before, during, or after the attack.
DDoS attacks also have been used to deny bank customers
the opportunity to report suspected fraud and to block the
banks’ customer-alert communications.”
On December 10, 2012, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Cyber
Fighters announced via a Pastebin posting that they would
start on their "second phase" of their attacks on five major
U.S. banks by DDoS. So far U.S. Bank, Bank of America, PNC
Financial Services Group, JPMorgan Chase and SunTrust
have all been targets.
A more recent December 18th
, 2012 Pastebin post from al-
Qasam states that their attacks would continue and that
they had a bit more up their sleeve, so to speak. “The past
week’s attacks, showed our ability in doing wideness attacks
so efficiently and of course this is not all of the Izz ad-Din al-
Qassam’s ability.”
According to al-Qassam, they have committed their attacks
because of “widespread and organized offends (sic) to
Islamic spirituals and holy issues”. They further stated
that a film widely available on the Internet had insulted
the Holy Prophet Mohammad. While the group did not
mention the film by name, it is presumably the same film
that appeared on YouTube earlier this year that caused so
much controversy in the Middle East.
Phase one of the DDoS attacks began in the middle of
September and ran through most of October. Al-Qassam
claimed they effectively attacked 10 major banks but each
bank was warned ahead of time concerning the attacks.
While some banks were able to hold back the DDoS to some

9
extent, no bank was able to prevent any of the attacks from
happening.
Al-Qassam has not stated what their plans are for 2013, but
until more banks switch to more cloud-based servers, DDoS
will continue to be a major nuisance for on-line banking
systems and websites.

1
geeks.
Wording of Amazon's "Kindle
Care" looks eerily similar to
Apple Care
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/wording-of-amazon-s-kindle-care-
looks-eerily-similar-to-apple-care/18521.html
December 26th, 2012
In mid-December, Amazon filed with the U.S Patent
and Trademark Office an attempt to trademark the Kindle
wordmark. Seems normal, right? For the most part,
yes. However, Amazon quietly included an interesting
description of Kindle associated goods.
Maintenance, repair, updating and installation services
for computer hardware, computer peripherals, computer
networks and consumer electronic devices; consulting
services in the field of physical maintenance of
computer hardware, computer peripherals, computer
networks and consumer electronic devices; technical
support services, namely, troubleshooting in the nature of
the repair of computer hardware."
So what's the big idea? Well, coincidentally it looks rather
similar to Apple's AppleCare statement.
It's notable that the statements are practically identical.
However, there's no room to point the finger at Amazon for
the idea. After all, who wouldn't want protection and care
for their beloved gadgets? With the approval of Amazon's
application, their warranty will significantly better itself.
Talks from consumers and techies are calling it Kindle Care,
but Amazon probably won't copy that, too.
More details coming out
about Windows "Blue"
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-details-coming-out-about-
windows-blue-/18522.html
December 26th, 2012
While Microsoft may not be overly happy with the less than
enthusiastic response to Windows 8 that hasn't stopped
from getting ready for the next version that is going by the
codename 'Blue'.
Even though we are still some ways away from being able
to get our hands on what is being referred to as 'Windows
Blue', it hasn't stopped some of the people working on the
project from sending out some teasers much like the person
posting on a Taiwanese forum; which the other members of
the forum have identifies as being a Microsoft official.
This person apparently is running an alpha version of
this next iteration of Windows and has indicated that the
company will be keeping the much maligned Start Menu as
well as the overall Metro design. However, one of the tidbits
is that we will be able to customize the Start Screen with
resizable tiles, much like Windows Phone 8.
For those hoping that the company would step away from
hiding the desktop you may commence whining now as the
poster said that the "Desktop" will still be there but will
undergo even more flattening.
The final tidbit was that the new "Blue" version of Windows
will be getting an updated kernel which is supposed to bring
some major changes to the core of the OS.
One should point out that "Blue" is still rumor bait as there
has been no "official" word about it or what we can expect
from it.
Cloud-based GPS cuts
smartphone power usage by
99%
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cloud-based-gps-cuts-smartphone-
power-usage-by-99-/18516.html
December 26th, 2012
A new Microsoft Research project shows that smartphone
battery life can be saved by as much as 99% by using the
cloud instead of only using a smartphone’s GPS Chip.
The location GPS chip found in smartphones and tablets
grab most of our battery life due to the amount of work they
must do for our devices to operate. Not only does it take
a considerable amount of time to accumulate the GPS data,

2
the location chips must then calculate our location based on
the codes received from the data received.
Now Microsoft’s Jei Liu says that we could be saving as much
as 99% of our power in our mobile devices. His idea is
simple, we just simply offload the majority of the work onto
the cloud and save that coveted power we need to operate
those devices we love so much.
This new system that Liu developed will grab only the
first few milliseconds of the most important data needed
for the GPS chip. Then on a remote server the data is
crossed referenced with other information gathered from
public databases, such as Earth elevation values and satellite
trajectories. Since the majority of the work determining
location is done by another entity it saves the mobile device’s
energy consumption.
What is really impressive is that Liu says that the system
can perform continuous GPS sensing for well over a year
using only the power contained in two AA size batteries. The
original design concept was developed to conserve battery
life for animal-tracking systems, which is often the main
culprit of lost research done in the wild.
Liu calls the new concept ‘cloud-offloaded GPS’, and the
system itself being called the ‘Cultivating the Long tail
in Environmental Observations’ or CLEO. The research
on the subject was presented at this past 10th annual
ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems
(SenSys 2012) held at Toronto, Quebec; Liu was awarded
'Best Paper' over all other entries.
Lower power consumption GPS on mobile devices means
continuous location logging, which translates into a smarter
mobile device, according to Liu. In theory, you could
monitor your driving speed or habits on a real time basis or
any manner of real time GPS data research.
You can read the paper in its entirety here in PDF format.
It seems Hollywood love
pirated movies too
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/it-seems-hollywood-love-pirated-
movies-too/18519.html
December 26th, 2012
The movie industry and their lapdog trade groups, like
the MPAA, do their damnedest to paint everyone using
BitTorrent as nothing but worthless pirating scum who are
trying to destroy the very fabric of our society, or at least the
movie industry's pocketbook. So it is pretty hilarious when
you find out that those very same companies are also more
than happy to pirate movies using BitTorrent.
As we all know the big Hollywood movie companies and
their trade group, MPAA, do everything in their power
to demonize BitTorrent users as being nothing more than
common thieves and that they are totally responsible for the
movie industry losing billions of dollars.
They are also the driving force behind the implementation
coming this year of the "six strikes" copyright alert plans that
is supposed to be used to help 'educate' the public about the
dangers of piracy and show them more legitimate sources for
their movie needs.
It is this type of hypocrisy that makes this news from
TorrentFreak and Scaneye all the more hilarious. You see the
results of their investigation show that rather than wanting
to stay as far away as they can from BitTorrent, these
Hollywood companies are in fact right up there when it
comes to sharing movies on the service.
What follows is a series of images of lists of movies
available on BitTorrent and the static IP address for the
different movie companies. Keep in mind as well that
TorrentFreak says that these are just a small fraction of the
files being shared - sort of the tip of the iceberg.
First up we have Paramount Pictures:
Next up - Warner Bros.:
Now for Sony Pictures:
Here's a little bit of 20th Century Fox:
And let's finish off with good old Walt Disney:
It's also important to keep in mind as well that even as the
movie companies and the MPAA moan and cry to anyone
who listen about how much these damn pirates are ruining

3
their business, the fact is that 2012 is going to end up being
another record year money-wise for them at the box office.
Two-way multi-function USB
drive makes device storage
access easier
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/two-way-multi-function-usb-drive-
makes-device-storage-access-easier/18518.html
December 26th, 2012
The 600-GUSD Series is a new product line by Sanwa Direct
that features a two-way access option for both PC's and
Android mobile devices by having both a full USB and a
microUSB plug in its hardware.
Connecting USB flash drives to Android devices is easy. All
you need is a proper adapter and presto, your unit now has
another outlet for extra data storage. But don't you find those
adapters kind of hard to use? Well, Sanwa Direct provides
another alternative to Android/PC USB access, with the
600-GUSD series. It is a new set of USB flash drives that
can be accessed in two ways without the need of additional
external hardware.
The 600-GUSD flash drive can be accessed via a full USB
plug at one end, and via a microUSB plug at the other. So,
after using it on a PC, you can simply flip it on the other side
if you want to connect it to your Android mobile device later.
You can intuitively use it as some sort of universal external,
portable storage device to almost any device or computer
that you have at home. There's virtually no need to resort to
USB adapters, which can be difficult to use, and may render
the device unwieldy if it needs to be connected for a certain
period of time.
Additionally, there is a small slot beside the full USB plug
that can be used to plug in microSD cards. This way it can
also act as an SD card adapter for file transfers or if you need
more than two microSD cards in your Android device at that
moment.
While it can be plugged on any Android device with
a microUSB slot, it of course does not have universal
compatibility. Only versions of Android that have inherent
universal USB storage compatibility (Honeycomb and up)
are the ones capable of recognizing 600-GUSD flash drives.
The two-way access concept of the 600-GUSD probably isn't
the most novel idea out there for a USB flash drive, but it
does earn a considerable amount of bonus points in access
convenience. Currently, there are two versions that are
available commercially. The 4GB version (600-GUSD4G) of
the product is priced at 1,980 yen (24 USD), while the 8 GB
version (600-GUSD8G) is priced at 2,480 yen (30 USD).
Source: MyNavi (JP)
Slash the Germ Side of
the Force Away with the
Influsaber
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/slash-the-germ-side-of-the-force-
away-with-the-influsaber/18517.html
December 26th, 2012
The Influsaber is a home-use device that is designed to shoot
a wide beam of ultraviolet light on a specific item to sterilize
it.
It has been widely claimed nowadays that touchscreens can
be dirtier than toilet items. But even if we clean our hands
or our phones, we're still not quite sure how clean we could
still really be. That's where the idea of on-hand sterilization
comes up, and that's where this nifty gadget comes in.

4
The Influsaber is a special home-use device that is designed
to sterilize objects and things using a wide beam of
ultraviolet light. As it is widely known, ultraviolet radiation,
particularly the UV-C part of it, has strong anti-bacterial
and antiseptic properties due to its capability to destroy
the genetic structure of microorganisms. The product was
presented and developed by Forcemedia, and it has a usage
theme centering on the elimination of very common bacteria
like Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (bacteria
that while not inherently harmful, may be the occasional
cause of infections and other common bacteria-related
ailments).
To use the gadget, you simply have to set a specific amount
of time, place it above the target object, and let it bathe
in the light until the time expires. Though it can be set to
operate for a maximum extended period of about 3 hours,
the standard 5-minute UV bathing time period is usually
already enough to remove most of the organisms on the
objects surface.
For those who are worried about getting those UV rays
pointed somewhere where they shouldn't be, don't worry.
The Influsaber is designed so that it would automatically
turn off if the UV bulb is positioned in any way other than
facing laterally downwards.
The UV bulb that is used in the Influsaber is rated to have
an operating longevity of about 8000 hours, and powering it
would require the use of four AA batteries. The product also
comes with protective goggles for added usage safety.
The Influsaber is available in Japan for a price of 9,999 yen
(123 USD)
Source: Androwire (JP)
Scientists create an
inexpensive peel-and-stick
solar cell
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/scientists-create-an-inexpensive-
peel-and-stick-solar-cell/18513.html
December 26th, 2012
Scientists working with Stanford University have invented
the first ever, peel-and-stick solar cells. Working the same
way as glass encased solar cells, these cells are highly
flexible, ultra thin and can be attached to practically any
surface.
Researchers working at Stanford University’s Department
of Mechanical Engineering have successfully demonstrated
the first working peel-and-stick solar cells. Once fabricated
these efficiently produced solar cells are applied to
practically any substrate much in the same way a regular
sticker is applied.
The process for the new solar cell begins with growing a
layer of silicon dioxide onto a standard silicon wafer, and
then a super thin layer of nickel metal is deposited on
the wafer. The last step is to apply the final layer of a
hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin-film solar cell (TFSC).
Once complete the solar cells are covered in a thin plastic
along with some thermal release tape.
To apply the cell, one places it in regular tap water with
the tape partially peeled. Water then permeates the layer
between the nickel and silicon dioxide, and the cell separate
from the wafer. Lastly, the thermal tape is heated briefly to
nearly 200F and then the cell can be stuck to any surface with
any kind of adhesive medium. This new solar cell would help
develop new products and “directly build TFSCs on diverse
previously inaccessible substrates, such as paper, plastic, cell
phones and buildings.”
The maker of the solar cell stickers claims that not only
does it help preserves the TFSC performance, but will
also help rid the problems previously associated with non-
conventional substrates by getting rid of any previously
needed fabrication, and allow direct application the target
substrate. Furthermore, costs will be cut tremendously
because less material is needed to build the functional solar
cells.
ReWalker bionic exoskeleton
lets paraplegic compete in
marathon
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rewalker-bionic-exoskeleton-lets-
paraplegic-compete-in-marathon/18509.html

5
December 26th, 2012
We always look at those who run the fastest to be the big
winners in marathons, but in the case of the recent London
marathon the real winner was Claire Lomas. She took 17
days to complete the marathon thanks to the ReWalker
exoskeleton that allowed the beautiful paraplegic to compete
in the first place.
In 1997 Dr. Remit Gopher, and Israeli electrical engineer,
was in an accident that left him a quadriplegic and for the
next ten years he worked hard at designing a device that
would allow a paraplegic to walk again. Even though there
have been mechanical devices for the past 50 years that
could allow them to maneuver, the effort required by the
wearer was immense.
Gopher and Argo Medical Technologies (the company that
actually makes the ReWalk) CEO Larry Jasinski knew that
the only way to make a practical exoskeleton was if the
energy requirements for the wearer should be no different
than that of a person who wasn't injured in any way.
The design of the ReWalker is such that the robotic
exoskeleton attaches to the user's legs and waist, and can
bear the weight of both the device and the user. Movement is
much the same as using a Segway where the suit is controlled
by shifts in the user’s center of gravity. There is a certain
amount of training required but that can range from the
average of 15 sessions to those that are quite proficient after
three days.
One of the important side benefits of the ReWalker is
that it can help to reduce certain health conditions due
to paraplegia. Many paraplegics experience depleted bone
density, diabetes, reduce cardiovascular fitness, severe bowl
problems, and rising body fat. In the studies involving the
ReWalker and patient health, they are finding that patients
are almost all showing reduced body fat and improved
cardiovascular functions.
The ReWalker is already available in Europe for 52,500
EUR, and while the price tag may seem high the company
believes that the health impact on patients using them will
more than pay for the system.
The ReWalker is already being tested in 22 rehabilitation
centers in the US. Once they get FDA approval to sell to the
public, Argo Medical Technologies believes they will be able
to sell the ReWalker for around the 65,000 USD mark.
Rockstar Games celebrates
Christmas Eve with new GTA
V screens
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rockstar-games-celebrates-
christmas-eve-with-new-gta-v-screens/18506.html
December 26th, 2012
It's Christmas Eve and Rockstar Games wishes gamers
across the world Happy Holidays with five brand new
screenshots of Grand Theft Auto V.
Stylin'!
Rockstar Games has let us open some of our presents early
on Christmas Eve, revealing five new screenshots for their
highly anticipated fifth chapter of the Grand Theft Auto
franchise.
Grand Theft Auto V is the most ambitious title to
date, bringing in a slew of amazing features--including
incredible graphics and expansive new in-game additions--
to deliver a highly enjoyable, crime-infused open-world
gaming experience.
Stay out of the water!
The new screenshots (which were uploaded earlier on
Rockstar's officical Facebook page) depict many random
scenarios: Everything from a gigantic shark to a mini-scuba
sub--hinting at that we will be able to explore the ocean for
the first time in a GTA game--to one of the main characters
cruising around town with his Rottie in the passenger seat.
Explore the high seas!
If you're not familiar with the backstory of Grand Theft Auto
V, the game itself takes place in the fictional Los Santos,

6
continuing Rockstar's tradition of fictitious and parody-
infused environments.
The city itself will be even more grandiose in terms of
spaciousness, providing a huge area for gamers to explore
and pushes the boundaries of open-world gameplay quite
far.
The three kings of GTA V are up to no good, as usual.
GTA V follows a triumvirate of retired cons who ally together
for one last job, breaking away from the traditional "lone
wolf" character plots featured in the previous games.
Players will experience the game through each of the
character's perspectives, and Rockstar has even said that
they will turn on each other and betray one another, making
for an impressively dynamic story plot.
Fighter jets!!
There will be a huge variety of vehicles--including dozens
of variations of cars, scuba subs, and even fighter jets--to
roam the streets (and skies) of Los Santos, allowing players
to wreak havoc in style as they see fit.
GTA V truly brings that feeling of sandbox freedom that
has been a staple in every Grand Theft Auto game, allowing
gamers to do whatever they want whenever they want. It's
the freedom to destroy everything and go ballistic that has
afforded the franchise with so much acclaim, and Rockstar
is bringing out the big guns with this new release for a truly
unforgettable gameplay experience.
Grand Theft Auto V is slated for release in Spring of 2013 for
Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. For more information, please
visit the game's official website.
Nokia's Windows tablet to
have a battery-equipped
keyboard cover
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nokia-s-windows-tablet-to-have-a-
battery-equipped-keyboard-cover/18508.html
December 26th, 2012
While the idea of Nokia coming out with a competitor to
Microsoft's Surface tablet might still be more rumor than
fact we have some more rumors floating around the web
about some features that we can expect if Nokia does indeed
launch a tablet.
There have been ongoing rumors ever since Nokia launched
their Lumia Windows Phone line that they would also be
bringing a Windows powered tablet to market, and those
rumors have been picking up in frequency as we head in to
the New Year.
The tablet is supposedly set to debut running Windows RT
and come with HDMI and USB ports as well as a 10.1-
inch display that's very similar to the Microsoft Surface
RT screen. Unlike the Surface, Nokia's tablet will come
with cellular connectivity with AT&T rumored to be first to
market with it.
What does have everyone's interest though is the rumor that
the tablet will be available with a special cover that envelops
the tablet like a book, and once it has been clicked into place
the cover provides a keyboard and a stand; but the goodies
don't stop there as the cover will also have a battery built in
to it. This additional battery can be used to power the tablet
when it runs low on power from the main battery.
It is believed that Nokia will unveil the tablet at the Mobile
World Congress in February.
Emotion recognition is the
next step in human-computer
interaction?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/emotion-recognition-is-the-next-
step-in-human-computer-interaction-/18494.html
December 26th, 2012
Voice recognition algorithms have advanced steadily in the
past few years. And with a new Dragon coming out each
year, the super-responsive and virtual friends Siri, and
now with Google Voice Search, voice recognition is not
going away anytime soon. But, even though we may be
successful getting the computer to recognize our speech and
transcribing it into words, how do we make the computer
truly “understand” us?
The way voice recognition works currently is based on one
or both of the following modes. The acoustic model uses
statistics to turn sounds into words. Once the first part of a

7
word is spoken, there are only a finite number of subsequent
sound combinations that would lead to a recognized word.
The language model attempts to match words that usually
go together.
Though I can train my computer to convert my speech to
text, other scenarios may pose additional problems, such as
background noise, different accents and poor sound quality.
Further, when I speak to Dragon or to Siri, or any of a
number of my other virtual friends, I have to be deliberate
and clear in my speech. We may think we are training the
computers, but in reality, the computers are training us,
because natural speech does not work that way. Natural,
conversational speech is, more often than not, too fast and
unclear for computers to understand.
(Disney and Pixar's WALL-E captivated young and old
alike with the emotional tale of robots that can 'love'.)
Peter Robinson, Professor of Computer Technology at the
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, wants to
change all that. He wants computers to not only understand
what we are saying, but how we are saying it. Along with just
the words themselves, come a wide variety of cues as to the
emotions of the speaker. For instance, facial expressions,
tone of voice, head movement and body movement all
provide subtext to the meaning of the words. To account
for this, Robinson has programmed into his computer 400
predefined mental states, which are triggered by reading
these expressions and movements in the speaker. “The
computer can correctly read my mind more than 70% of the
time, and that’s as well as most people can understand me,”
he remarks.
Robinson is not satisfied however with just having the
computer read his emotions. Rather, he wants a computer
that can respond emotionally as well. Of course, not all of
us want such an emotional collection of bytes. I, for one,
want my computer to do what I tell it to do. I don’t need a
computer to do what it feels like doing. I’ve got children for
that.

1
geeks.
iPad 5 to be thinner and
lighter than iPad 3
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ipad-5-to-be-thinner-and-lighter-
than-ipad-3/18535.html
December 28th, 2012
If you think Apple’s current iPad 3 isn’t thin or light enough,
then the iPad 5 may gratify your needs for extra mobility.
Some rumors out of China are suggesting that the next iPad
will have 4mm shaved off its height, 17mm from the width,
and 2mm from its depth.
Apple’s iPad mini launched roughly six months after the iPad
3’s inauguration, and this may also be the case for the iPad
5. There are reports hinting that the iPad 5’s design will
be very similar to that of the iPad mini—meaning less bezel
and more screens on either side. Additionally, Apple is also
purported to be working on a second gen iPad mini that will
sport a Retina display.
The screen size of the iPad 5 will probably maintain
the standard 9.7-inch, and there are talks about possible
integration of Sharp’s IGZO display technology into the next
iPad. However, the technology itself hasn’t matured enough
as yield rates and availability of manufacturing lines are
major concerns.
It’s relatively safe to say that the iPad 5 will have a thinner
and shorter profile compared to the iPad 3. The processor
will probably remain an A6, and 1GB of RAM to keep things
going—although 1.5-2GB isn’t out of the question. As for the
shooters, the current iPad 3 sports a 5MP rear camera, and
a 1.2MP front shooter. An 8MP rear camera will definitely
be a nice upgrade, although 5MP is still somewhat up to date
for a tablet.
Science and Technology's
Greatest Achievements of
2012
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/science-and-technology-s-greatest-
achievements-of-2012/18533.html
December 28th, 2012
The year 2012 has seen great strides in scientific and
technological advances, from landing Curiosity on Mars, to
the technology to transplant organs with 3D printed images.
To follow are some of the more memorable achievements
of 2012.
Curiosity on Mars
NASA accomplished one of the most complicated landings
ever attempted by landing the 2000-pound Rover Curiosity
on the surface of Mars in what is now known as the 7 minutes
of terror. Curiosity has been taking Martian samples ever
since, and back in September, proved that the soil contains
remnants water, a necessary ingredient for life. NASA
scientist explained that the large and rounded pieces of
gravel found on Mars “are too large to be transported by
wind. The consensus of the science team is that these are
water-transported gravels in a vigorous stream.”
The Higgs Boson
Physicists at CERN announced in July that they had most
likely discovered the Higgs Boson, the missing piece of
particle physics that would either prove or disprove things
we know and believe about the Standard Model of physics.
The Higgs Boson is believed to be the particle that
gives mass to the otherwise massless particles, and would
therefore explain how the universe was created out of
nothing.
The Smallest Vertebrate
Scientists discovered the smallest vertebrate so far, a frog
living in the rainforests of New Guinea. The Paedophryne
amanuensis measures in at 7.7 millimeters long, the size of
a housefly.
The First Solo Dive to the Deepest Point on Earth
Director James Cameron accomplished the first solo dive
down to the Mariana Trench, the deepest point on Earth, 11
kilometers below the Pacific Ocean.
The Highest Skydive

2
On the other end of the spectrum, Felix Baumgartner
accomplished the highest skydive ever, by jumping from
literally the edge of space, 24-miles high. Though he did not
break the free fall record at 4 minutes and 20 seconds, he
was the first to break the sound barrier without a jet or space
shuttle. Oh, and by the way, he landed on his feet.
A Step Forward in Breast Cancer Research
Scientists in the UK found that breast cancer is not one
disease, but can be differentiated into 10 types, a finding
which will help tailor treatment and potentially increase
survival rates.
3-D Liver Printing
In the United States, an artificial liver made of sugar was
printed in 3D, for blood vessels to grow into. An artificial
jaw was also printed in 3D and successfully transplanted.
3D printing will continue to grow in usage and popularity in
the coming year. Home 3D printers will soon drop below
the $2,000 mark. Brian Barrett, the managing editor of
the blog Gizmodo, explains, “Instead of printing ink onto
paper, it takes these little spools of plastic, [usually], and you
can feed it instructions and it will use that to form basically
any shape that you want, whether it's a utensil or a replica
of the White House," he said. "You can go on the Internet,
find a design, download it, send it to your 3D printer, and
in the course of either several minutes or several hours,
depending on how large your order is, it will construct this
thing. What's fascinating about it is the limits are only as far
as the imagination goes."
Mobile Technology
Mobile technology develops at an ever rapid pace each year,
as more and more people are using their mobile devices
in lieu of computers for most tasks. Microsoft joined
the fray with its new Windows 8, specifically engineered
for touchscreen use. It is growing increasingly evident
that touchscreen laptops will soon become the industry
standard.
2012 has been quite a year for science and technology,
and with the rapid development of new technologies, 2013
promises to see growth at an even faster rate. So, fasten your
seatbelts. It’s going to be quite a ride.
Century develops live info
terminal for earthquakes in
Japan
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/century-develops-live-info-terminal-
for-earthquakes-in-japan/18534.html
December 28th, 2012
The JMB-AH is an information terminal that is specifically
used to monitor seismic activity all across Japan from a
home or on other places where there are a large number
of people. It can provide live, real-time data, so users in
Japan can have an early warning forecast of an impending
earthquake.
Japan's has a particular "specialty" for earthquakes due to its
location. In fact, we all know that one of the worst ones just
happened a year ago. That is why it is always an imperative
task for the Japanese to develop their technologies in
measuring and predicting seismic activity as accurate as
they could. Getting the entire nation to know the current
"ground status" is also equally important, as what this new
innovation from Century demonstrates.
The JMB-AH is an advanced emergency earthquake
information relay terminal. This particular model is
designed for general, all-purpose use, allowing it to be easily
placed and installed at homes and at various facilities like
schools and train stations where information can be quickly
accessed. The terminal connects to the internet, and relays
all kinds of seismic activity data such as an earthquake's
magnitude, epicenter, the entire area affected, duration and
the time left before it arrives. All of the information can
be presented in the terminal in real time, so information
about earthquakes in other areas can be sent instantly to
help people take an early and immediate course of action.
Though the JMB-AH has its own "advanced user" mode, it is
of course made to be generally user-friendly. The advanced
user setting is mostly set only when the unit is installed in
locations where it is required to be used by professionals and
researchers in earthquake-related fields.
The JMB-AH uses a 240x320 LCD touchscreen. Aside from
live seismic activity data, it is also capable of providing minor
data-related stuff such as a tuner radio capability. It also has
slots that allow mobile devices to be charged. It requires four
AA batteries to work, but it can also be plugged to an AC
socket. Its dimensions are 146 x 43 x 101mm and it weighs
350 grams.
The price for the JMB-AH is set at 31,500 yen (390 USD).
The information it sends via the internet though is totally
free.
Source: MyNavi (JP)
Samsung wants to ban sales
of Ericsson products in U.S.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-wants-to-ban-sales-of-
ericsson-products-in-u.s./18532.html

3
December 28th, 2012
Samsung retaliates with an official request of sales and
import ban with the International Trade Commission (ITC),
continuing the ongoing Ericsson-Samsung legal battle.
The Ericsson-Samsung dispute gains more momentum
as Samsung retaliates in the ensuing legal altercation,
returning fire against Ericsson's alleged accusations of
Samsung's patent infringements.
The South Korean telecom giant Samsung has retaliated
against the Swedish Ericsson with a request to the
International Trade Commission (ITC) to ban sales and
imports of certain Ericsson products in the United States.
Samsung has accused Ericsson of violating and breaching
seven of its patents, prompting Samsung to take legal action
against the Swedish telecom company.
"We have sought to negotiate with Ericsson in good
faith. However, Ericsson has proven unwilling to
continue such negotiations by making unreasonable
claims, which it is now trying to enforce in court,"
Samsung Electronics said in a statement.
"The accused Ericsson products include
telecommunications networking equipment, such as
base stations," Samsung said.
A ban on even just a few products in the U.S. could harm
Ericsson quite a bit, and considering Samsung's size and
power within the ever-growing mobile market, it will be
interesting to see which company the ITC finds at fault for
these disputes.
Ericsson may in fact be trying to make up for its recent loss in
sales (which fell 17% in the third quarter) with patent income
gleaned from the courts in this legal dispute--something that
many major companies are resorting to.
Samsung is also currently gridlocked into many legal battles
with Apple, and this dispute seems to only add more fuel to
the fire.
We'll be sure to keep you updated on the Ericsson-Samsung
battle as new information becomes available.
Amazon accidentally reveals
Grand Theft Auto V release
date?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amazon-accidentally-reveals-grand-
theft-auto-v-release-date-/18531.html
December 28th, 2012
Amazon has become well-known for slipping up and
accidentally posting release dates for upcoming games, and
they may have continued the tradition with the release date
of Grand Theft Auto V.
Millions of gamers around the globe are looking forward
to jumping into Los Santos, the fictional mock-city within
Rockstar Games' latest chapter in the acclaimed franchise
Grand Theft Auto V.
If you're one of the millions of fans who are eager to
wreak havoc on the streets and skies of Los Santos (and
have already opened the Christmas present of five new
screenshots that Rockstar gave you) then you'll be excited to
hear the game may be coming sooner than you think.
A slip-up on Amazon's listing page for GTA V revealed that
the game may be releasing on March 26, 2013.
But keep in mind this has not been officially confirmed, it's
merely a date that was listed on Amazon's website, but it's
pretty much the only solid date gamers have received thus
far.
It's interesting to note that this information has been taken
off Amazon's GTA Vpage...but this could be due to two
possibilities: either that the release date was right on the spot
or that it was completely wrong.
OXCGN.com has actually captured a screenshot of an e-mail
sent out to everyone who pre-ordered Grand Theft Auto V at
Amazon, showing the proposed release date.

4
The March date does fit into Rockstar's vague "Spring
2013" release window--a date which was actually leaked to
the internet due to more retail slip-ups--but hasn't been
confirmed nonetheless.
Rockstar has remained tight-lipped on the subject, and this
date actually co-incides with the release date of BioShock
Infinite, which will put tremendous competition between
two of the most-anticipated AAA games of 2013.
If you're not up-to-date with the events of Grand Theft Auto
V, it follows a triumvirate of anti-hero ex-cons who ally
together for one last big job.
With the huge open-world city of Lost Santos to explore
that's complete with a variety of weapons, vehicles, and a
city full of hilarious characters, GTA V looks to be one of
the most exciting and enjoyable chapters of Rockstar's iconic
franchise.
Grand Theft Auto V is to be released for Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3, and for more information including
screenshots and trailers please visit the game's official
website.
Marvell Technologies slapped
with $1.17 billion for patent
infringements
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/marvell-technologies-slapped-
with-1.17-billion-for-patent-infringements/18529.html
December 28th, 2012
An unknown error occured formatting this story.
Oppo Find 5 32 GB model
to launch in the U.S. and
markets outside China
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/oppo-find-5-32-gb-model-to-launch-
in-the-u.s.-and-markets-outside-china/18530.html
December 28th, 2012
There is no official arrival date of Oppo’s Find 5 in the U.S,
and if 16 GB storage is a turn off then there is an update
which may peak your interest of Oppo's take at a phablet.
Oppo’s recently launched Find 5 boasts impressive specs,
but for a lot of smartphone enthusiasts the 16 GB of internal
storage might be the biggest turn off. Worry not, because
Oppo recently announced that a 32 GB model will follow suit
locally as well as internationally.
Aside from the increase internal storage, the 32 GB Find
5 will have the exact same specs as the 16 GB—and for
completeness sake, the Find 5 sports a 5-inch 1920x1080
display (441 ppi), Qualcomm’s APQ8064 quad-core @
1.5GHz, 16GB/32GB ROM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, a
2500mAh battery, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to boot.
Along with the upgrade in internal storage, the Oppo Find
5 will be dropping in some additional countries, which
include: Canada, UK, Spain, Australia, Germany, France,
Belgium, Malaysia, Sweden, Singapore, Finland, Greece,
Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Japan and Hong Kong.
Some sources are pointing to Q1 2013 as the launch time
frame of the Oppo Find 5 internationally. However, even that
time frame is blurred since Oppo has yet to confirm anything
else besides its intent to explore global retail channels. For
now, Oppo’s USA website is stating that the 32 GB Find 5
will cost $569.00, and $499.00 for the 16 GB model.
Some can theorize that Oppo’s decision to tackle competitive
markets like the U.S. is because Chinese competitors like
ZTE and Huawei are struggling supplant themselves in
foreign soils. Recent conspiracy theories slapped upon the
Huawei and ZTE brand have made it extremely difficult for
these Chinese companies to increase its market presence
stateside. Therefore, it’s an opportune time for up and
coming Chinese companies like Oppo to test the water of
other markets with devices like the Find 5.
Samsung has controlled a lot of the attention of the phablet
scene in the U.S. (you can throw LG and HTC into that
conversation, too), but globally people are becoming more
and more interested in smartphones with 5+ inch displays
regardless of the brands. Hence, a growing market in
combination with hard times for its competitors means that
Oppo has a chance in building brand awareness outside of
China.

5
Apple's next iPhone may
use Sharp's IGZO display
technology
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-next-iphone-may-use-sharp-
s-igzo-display-technology/18528.html
December 28th, 2012
Sharp is struggling to maintain its foothold in the consumer
tech industry, and IGZO might be part of the solution to the
company's woes as Apple is considering using IGZO displays
in the next installments of iPhone and iPad.
Apple’s next iPhone installment won’t be for a while, but
that won’t stop ‘industry analysts’ and moles from stirring up
rumors about what Apple may have in store for smartphone/
tablet lovers in the coming months—or years. Sharp’s IGZO
display technology has been well documented in the press,
and it seems like Apple may be pondering IGZO’s application
in the next iPhone.
(Left: standard display, right: IGZO display | IMG:
techjailbreak)
Many Japanese tech firms are struggling right now, and
Sharp is no exception. Despite its struggle, Sharp is still
trying to maintain relevancy and IGZO is a testament to
just that. IGZO—Indium gallium zinc oxide—is purported
to have forty times higher electron mobility than amorphous
silicon, which allows it to have smaller pixels or a higher
display reaction speed***
. Furthermore, Sharp claims that a
device utilizing the IGZO display technology can be thinner
and much more energy efficient.
Digitimes is saying that Apple is currently discussing the
possibility of using IGZO displays in the next iPhone (among
other Apple mobile devices) with Sharp. However, since
the technology itself hasn’t matured in terms of yield rate,
there is a high possibility that Sharp may not be able to meet
demands this early in the game. There is, however, talk of
possible use of Taiwan’s AU Optronics L5C line to produce
IGZO displays. Innolux, another Taiwan-based firm, was
recently granted license to produce IGZO displays, so this
may also play role in whether or not Apple decides to go with
IGZO in upcoming products.
Apple's App Store still the
biggest cash cow out there
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-app-store-still-the-biggest-
cash-cow-out-there/18525.html
December 28th, 2012
As is the case with every end of year celebrations we look to
the market leaders like Apple, Android and others to see just
how well they have done. In the case of competing App Stores
there is no doubt who the winner is, and by a huge margin.
As we come to the close of 2012 analytic firms of all types
are prepping their famous (and sometimes questionable)
reports on just about every aspect of the tech industry
and leading the pack this year is the mobile app analytics
company Distimo where they compared Apple's App Store
vs. Google Play on Android handsets.
Interestingly enough Google Play, according to Distimo, has
been growing faster than the Apple App Store in recent
months, but Play can't even come close to the daily revenues
being generated by Apple's App Store.
To give you an idea of just how big of a difference there
is between the two consider this - on an average day
in November 2012 the App Store made $150 million in
revenue, whereas Google Play only generated $3.5 million in
revenue; and this is with a growth of 43% in revenues.
Of course one of the big things about the "app economy" is
that these companies would have you believe that anyone
can submit an app and find themselves making a good living.
The problem with that is as we see from the Distimo is that
this couldn't be farther from the truth as the report shows
only seven iOS apps were responsible for 10% of the money
being spent there. In the case of Google Play it was four apps
that accounted for 10% of revenues.

6
iPad and Surface sales
according to Twitter
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ipad-and-surface-sales-according-to-
twitter/18524.html
December 28th, 2012
In what has to be a rather unorthodox style of data mining
self-styled "information massage therapist", A.X. Ian took to
Twitter for 24 hours following Christmas to find which of the
tablets on the market was winning the sales numbers.
Just to be clear here - this is not a scientific study by any
stretch of the imagination - at the very best it's an interesting
way to do some simple data mining on Twitter based on
some specific keywords and then putting it altogether in a
quickie chart that is guaranteed to go viral.
What Mr. Ian did was to analyze the tweets being sent out
on Christmas Eve that included the following phrase "first
tweet from [ ]" with the blank obviously the name of the
tablet the person was using Twitter on.
The end result of his analysis: the Apple iPad is outselling the
Microsoft Surface by an "incredible" 50-to-1 margin. Here is
the full chart for you to look over.
Now before all the Apple fan boys start patting each other on
the back and point mocking fingers at Microsoft remember
this - it's a silly 24hr study done by someone who can't even
use his (or is it her?) real name on their Twitter page.
I'm not suggesting that the iPad isn't trouncing the Surface
- I totally expect it would - but let's not get too carried away
with this silliness.
MIT experiment realizes
'Quantum Spin Liquid'
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mit-experiment-realizes-quantum-
spin-liquid-/18507.html
December 28th, 2012
A team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has
discovered the first evidence of the Quantum Spin Liquid
magnetic state within Herbertsmithite minerals.
This month, MIT realized for the first time a new type of
magnetism. Originally theorized by physicist Phil Anderson
in 1973, MIT is the first to show evidence of a Quantum Spin
Liquid (QSL) in crystalline herbertsmithite in an experiment
by Professor Young Lee and his team at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
A chunk of Herbertsmithite
The experiment began with the team spending years to grow
small samples of very pure herbertsmithite crystals. They
then used the process of neutron scattering to observe the
signs of spin liquid physics. Using the Multi-Axis Crystal
Spectrometer (MACS) at the NIST Center for Neutron
Research, the team fired beams of neutrons at the samples
and measured the energies from the scattered neutrons.
Strong evidence for the discovery of the spin liquid came into
focus after the energies recorded varied widely, unlike the
uniform energies of most magnetic materials.
This representation of neutron scattering shows the
magnetic effects within Herbertsmithite crystals. The
green regions depict a higher scattering of neutrons from
the disorder. A highly-ordered magnetic material shows
only small spots of green, while a highly-disordered
material tends to be uniform in color. The amount of both
colors shows the order and disorder unique to spin liquids.
QSL is a third type of magnetism after ferromagnetism and
antiferromagnetism and is considered a “liquid” due to its
disordered state, like water is to crystalline ice, despite being
a solid crystal. The atoms in herbertsmithite form a kagome
lattice, a repeating triangle pattern. The copper atoms within
the mineral form at the points of the triangles in the lattice
and interact with each other in a typical up-down spin
like in ferromagnetism. However, the electron spin at the

7
third corner cannot align with the two other corners and
continuously flips its spin.
What makes Quantum Spin Liquid so unique is its ability
to maintain this disorder even at very low temperatures.
While this is the start to some very fundamental research,
it will take quite some time for QSLs to have any practical
application. Still, we may see them utilized in data storage
and quantum computing in the future.
For more information, visit the source: NIST
Engineers turn 64 Raspberry
Pi's and Lego bricks into a
supercomputer
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/engineers-turn-64-raspberry-pi-s-
and-lego-bricks-into-a-supercomputer/18523.html
December 28th, 2012
A team of computer engineers at the University of
Southampton have successfully created the world’s first
super computer made up entirely of an inexpensive array of
Raspberry Pi computers and Lego bricks.
Lead by a Professor Dr. Simon Cox, the 9-man team, which
included Dr. Cox’s 6 year old son, managed to build a super
computer that consists of 64 interconnected Raspberry Pi
computers all set inside of a frame made of actual Lego
bricks. The Lego brick stack was built around the Raspberry
Pi computers to act as an inexpensive shelf for the computer
array and partly designed by six-year old James Cox.
“As soon as we were able to source sufficient Raspberry Pi
computers we wanted to see if it was possible to link them
together into a supercomputer, said Dr. Cox when asked
about the system’s beginning.” We installed and built all of
the necessary software on the Pi starting from a standard
Debian Wheezy system image and we have published a guide
so you can build your own supercomputer.” He further
added, “The team wants to see this low-cost system as
a starting point to inspire and enable students to apply
high-performance computing and data handling to tackle
complex engineering and scientific challenges…”
The system runs on a free programming language software
called ‘Python’ and has also been tested running another
open source software called ‘Scratch’ that was developed
by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Cox has
named the machine the “Iridis-Pi” after South Hampton
University’s current real size super computer, Iridis.
The Iridis-Pi runs off a single 13 Amp mains socket and uses
MPI (Message Passing Interface) to communicate between
nodes using Ethernet. In all, the system was said to have
cost fewer than 4 thousand U.S. dollars (£2,500). The array
has a total of 64 processors, and 1 terabyte of memory.
The Raspberry Pi concept was devised in 2006 and based
on the Atmel Atmega644 micro-controller. Lead by Dr.
Eben Upton, he was able to organize and challenge a group
of teachers and computer modification enthusiasts to help
design an inexpensive computer that would be used to help
inspire children to learn more about programming.
The first prototype for the Raspberry Pi was about the size
of a memory stick, and included an HDMI port on one end
and had a USB port at the opposite end. Later the computer
had a board added and was ready for public purchase. The
computer comes with 512MB of RAM and uses an SD card
for booting and long-term storage.
The Raspberry Pi is produced through licensed
manufacturing deals with Element 14/Premier Farnell, RS
Electronics and Allied Electronics, all of which sell the
computer online. Also, on December 17, 2012 the Raspberry
Pi Foundation along with IndieCity and Velocix, opened the
"Pi Store” that provides all the software one might need for
programming the computer.
If you think you might be interested in a similar Raspberry
PI super computer, click here and learn how you can do it
yourself.

1
geeks.
First footage for the new The
Walking Dead first-person
shooter arises
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-footage-for-the-new-the-
walking-dead-first-person-shooter-arises/18549.html
December 30th, 2012
IGN's own Greg Miller sits down with Glenn Gamble from
Terminal Reality in a new episode of Up At Noon, revealing
a smorgasbord of footage and facts about the upcoming The
Walking Dead shooter.
So far, details have been scarce on Activision's brand new
shooter based on AMC's hit television zombie drama, and
fans have been in the dark with little to no actual footage.
However in a recent episode of Up At Noon with Greg Miller,
Glenn Gamble from Terminal Reality stops by and delivers
a plethora of new footage and details about the upcoming
game:
"As you're traveling across Georgia, you pick up
supplies--you can pick up supplies and choose new
vehicles as well as the highway you drive down.
You can choose Path A or path B, and you can
pick up survivors...each survivor has their own
strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits...and
when you go out on your missions, you can actually
send survivors out on their own missions."
Glenn goes on to reveal many more expansive details
about the game, painting quite a dynamic picture of
an impressively open-world adventure where players can
choose different paths and aren't locked down on a single
path.
This freedom is quite enticing and has been one of the most
enjoyable features in Telltale's definitive The Walking Dead
series.
Glenn also reveals that resources are shared across the
group, making for a tactical and strategic type game where
players have to make tough decisions and utilize their
resources and supplies with discretion and caution in order
to survive:
"So if I find an axe, I can use the axe or give it to
someone else and say 'Hey, go find me food with this
axe'. Conversely, if I find some food--healthpacks
are food in this game--and someone else is injured,
they will use it heal themselves.
The resources are in a shared pool--so it's all shared.
You not only have to manage what you've got but
manage what everyone else has as well."

2
The strengths of the walkers have also been addressed in
the interview, revealing that the undead in Survival Instinct
keep that distinct "power in numbers" element:
"In the show, Rick almost gets overpowered by three
walkers. So we wanted to take that and somehow
put it in the game.
If you're new and you go against a group of three
walkers, chances are you're going to die..."
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct focuses on the story
arc of Merle and Daryl Dixon before the met the other
survivors in Atlanta, and chronicles their struggle for
survival throughout the walker-infested world right after the
outbreak of the virus.
A release date for The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct has
yet to be announced, and as Glenn puts it the game will be
released "sometime in 2013" for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3,
and PC.
Samsung to expand its
Silicon Valley headquarters
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-to-expand-its-silicon-
valley-headquarters/18552.html
December 30th, 2012
California’s Silicon Valley area is always teeming with
hopeful startups and boastful industry giants, and although
Samsung already has a presence within the area the South
Korean-based tech goliath is about to build itself another den
amongst its kind.
Samsung will be moving its current SISA R&D headquarter
in North San Jose to an 8.5-acre site that will be the
base for two new 6-story class-A office buildings (totaling
~385,000 square ft.) and two 5-6 story parking structures.
Its semiconductor R&D center will also pack up and move to
a different location, with the exception that the new campus
will be a 1.1 million square ft. headquarter with an “amenity
pavilion” for its employees.
Unlike its struggling competitors from Japan (Sharp, Sony
and so on), Samsung has experienced tremendous growth in
recent years due to an expanding mobile market. Japanese
firms like Sony, for a while, had many office buildings and
campuses that made other firms envious, but in light of their
struggles they have sold off many lots as well as cutting jobs
to prevent the ships from sinking.
Samsung’s future campus and offices in the Silicon
Valley area will undoubtedly bring about more jobs and
opportunities for the locals as well as migrators, but one
cannot help but to envision some sort of peak in Samsung’s
future. At which point in time, the only way for Samsung to
go is down. That’s a pessimistic way to look at Samsung’s
growth, but in a more optimistic point of view; let’s hope
Samsung continues to produce quality products to keep it at
the top.
Before starting its mountain
climb Curiosity send a self-
portrait home
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/before-starting-its-mountain-climb-
curiosity-send-a-self-portrait-home/18551.html
December 30th, 2012
There's no doubt that 2012 was an incredible year for NASA
especially after pulling off the landing of the Curiosity Rover
on Mars where it has been moving slowly towards one of
its main objective while conducting some rather important
scientific exploration as it goes. If the Mars rover program
so far is any indication then 2013 could prove to be equally,
or even more exciting than the year we are leaving behind.
One of the reasons the Gale Crater was selected for the
landing site of the Curiosity Rover was because of the
proximity of Mount Sharp and the fairly easy route the rover
could follow to get to it and now that all the preliminary
testing of the rover has been completed it's time for Curiosity
to get down to serious work.
For the rover to travel to and climb to the top of Mount
Sharp, which is situated at the center of Gale Crater (the
landing site of the rover), will take approximately 9 months
but it won't be just a simple one-minded trip to the mountain
but the journey will also include stops along the way for
more drilling and sampling being done by the rover. The
rover's top traveling speed is supposed to be up around the
90 meters per hour range but scientists back on earth don't
expect to have the rover traveling anywhere past a third of
that speed.
Several things are planned ahead of the actual start of the
climb part of the rover's journey; with a software update
being planned for mid-February and then scientists want to
take about a month hunting for what they call "the perfect
rock" to take samples from that will be tested in the rover's
onboard labs.
To celebrate the beginning of its journey Curiosity took the
time to snap another self-portrait but this time it included
the view of Mount Sharp in the background. The image was
actually created from fifty smaller shots that were taken by
Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager located on the end of
the primary robotic arm that was panned around the body of
the rover. Curiosity sent off enough images over the course

3
of a day that the engineers at JPL were able to stitch them
together for that panoramic view.
LG to show off 55 and 65-inch
4K TVs at CES 2013
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-to-show-off-55-and-65-inch-4k-
tvs-at-ces-2013/18550.html
December 30th, 2012
For many people, a “full HDTV” means a display that
supports a 1920x1080 resolution, but in the coming months
companies like LG, Samsung, and Sharp will be pushing for
displays that will make that brand spanking new big screen
of yours look like a kid’s toy. LG will be unveiling several
‘modest’ 4K displays at CES in Vegas, which range from 55
to 65-inch; and for the sake of viability, these ‘smaller’ 4K LG
displays will be more affordable.
The 84-inch 84LM9600 4K behemoth that LG recently
launched sports a resolution of 3840x2160—that’s 4X more
overall pixels compared to the standard 1920x1080. Four
times the pixel doesn’t equate to four times the price of an
average (or even high end for that matter) 1080p display
however. Rather, the price tag of the 84LM9600 is marked
for a blowout low of just $19,999.
If you’re not willing to drop several months of income for
LG’s 84-inch 4K TV, then perhaps the 55 and 65-inch models
will be much more affordable—although… LG has yet to
confirm the price point of those models.
There’s really no arguing the fact that a $19,999 TV is not
something that “mainstreamers” like you and I are looking
into purchasing in the next few months. However, we’ll be
at CES 2013, so hopefully LG will provide us with some more
details about the smaller 4K TVs—we mainly want to see if
an average Joe will be able to afford one in the next couple
years or months.
In addition to the unveiling of the 55 and 65-inchers at
CES, LG will also be bringing out its 30-inch 4K-by-2K
(4096x2160) display for show and tell. This 4096x2160
display, LG claims, is the highest-resolution computer
monitor to date.
New Dead Space 3 demo
release date and trailer
revealed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-dead-space-3-demo-release-
date-and-trailer-revealed/18547.html
December 30th, 2012
Visceral Games and EA have revealed when the Dead Space
3 demo will be available and have also released a brand new
story trailer for their upcoming game.
Earlier this week Visceral games and EA released a new
official story trailer for Dead Space 3 that sheds light on
the upcoming game's story arc, painting a picture of the
events that have taken place in the two previous titles.
Along with the brand new video, EA has also brings the
release date for the game's demo, which will hit Xbox LIVE
and the PlayStation Network on January 22, 2013.
Gamers who have an EA Origin account can actually register
for a code to download the demo a week earlier than its
official release date. If you don't have an Origin account,
don't worry: you can still make one to get a Dead Space 3
demo code.
The early download codes are limited, so be sure to act now
to get yours!
Dead Space 3 continues the epic storyline of Isaac Clarke's
battle with the insidious interstellar Necromorph virus, and
has a new ally in his quest: the merciless soldier John
Carver. Together Carver and Clarke embark on an extremely
risky plan to stop the Necromorphs from annihilating all
of mankind and to save the universe from the intergalactic
threat.

4
The third chapter of the critically acclaimed franchise
features a plethora of new features including a brand
new crafting system, a whole new dynamic story, and an
awesome co-op mode that brings the sheer sci-fi survival
horror that gamers have come to expect from the series.
Dead Space 3 will be available on Feb. 5, 2013 in North
America for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. For more
information, please visit the game's official website.
Europe, U.K. make GPS
progress, China goes public
with 'Beidou' system
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/europe-u.k.-make-gps-progress-
china-goes-public-with-beidou-system/18536.html
December 30th, 2012
China has officially opened up their domestic satellite
navigation network, called 'Beidou', for public use in the
Asian-Pacific region. Russia, the E.U. and the U.K. are also
working on even larger GPS projects of their own.
This new GPS system created by China will operate as an
alternative to the current U.S. NavStar Global Positioning
System (GPS).
The NavStar system that we use today was initially made
inaccurate for the public due to defense concerns by the
military. That soon changed when President William “Bill”
Clinton signed a law in 1996 allowing GPS navigation to
be not only free but more accurate for public use. Since
GPS came about for the masses it has become a mainstay
around the globe, and it is found on all manner of devices like
smartphones, automobiles, guided rockets and cruise ships.
China saw a need of their own and now offers the use of a new
GPS system for to the public. Available only in the Asian-
Pacific region for now, this new ‘Beidou’ navigation system,
which is named after the Chinese word for the Big Dipper,
is said to be as accurate as the U.S. NavStar satellite system
widely in use today.
According to the China Satellite Navigation government
office, the system will be targeting an estimated 80% share
of the Chinese market in the next 7 years. The office also
projected that the service maybe be widely available as a
worldwide alternative as well.
Currently there are only 16 Beidou satellites in orbit (and 4
experimental satellites); however, China claims that another
40 satellites will be placed in orbit in the next decade or so.
The drawbacks on the Beidou system are that the receiver
chips are far more costly than the current GPS system
receiver chips. Nevertheless, China doesn’t seem too
concerned about the cost of the chips. They are basing
their optimism on the fact that production costs for the new
technology will fall as production technology advances and
more manufacturers begin wanting to use an alternative
system.
The Beidou system is capable of finding one’s location within
10meters (33ft), and monitors an object’s velocity within 0.2
meters per second. It can also synchronize signals to within
50 nanoseconds.
While China is advancing their technology and
infrastructure by leaps and bounds, they are not alone
in their quest for a competitive GPS system. Currently
Russia and the European Union have systems that are in
place or in progress. The United Kingdom is also working on
a new GPS that doesn’t need satellites and uses radio signals
that are currently being transmitted by radio or cell towers.
Russia’s GLONASS system currently consists of 21 satellites
in 3 orbital planes, with 3 on-orbit spares. The ground
control for the system is controlled entirely in the former
Soviet Union territory with tracking stations located in
Eniseisk, St. Petersburg and other locations.
The E.U. is working diligently on their ‘Galileo’ navigation
system, but it is only in its early stages with a mere three
satellites in operation. And while they have run tests on
signals with the satellites, they will need a minimum of four
satellites in order for a navigation system to work properly
And while the E.U. may be working on a system for Europe,
the U.K. is creating a system of its own that may rival any
current system in place. What is really interesting about this
system is that it does not need satellites, but uses existing
signals being transmitted, which includes signals for radio,
TV, WiFi, and mobile phones. It is called the “Navigation via
Signals of Opportunity” or NAVSOP, and is being developed
by the British defense contractor, BAE systems.
This novel technology will be able to calculate your position
by making use of the thousands of signals already in place all
around us at any given time instead of relying on satellites.
The NAVSOP exploits the wide array of signals and is better
able to resist any interference by jamming or GPS spoofing.
BAE also says that this navigation system can “learn from
signals that are initially unidentified to build an ever more
accurate and reliable fix on its location.” More importantly,
the NAVSOP system's infrastructure is in place all around
us.
While all of the GPS innovations seem to be a country or
region's way of competing with the U.S. NavStar system,
it's really much more complicated. NavStar is free and any
developer can tap into the signals coming off those satellites.
So why would a nation want their own system? It's quite
simple really, while parading as a means to compete in the
market we must remember that GPS is an important tool in
times of war. If one nation were to be the only holder of GPS
technology, they could easily turn off the system. Now with
the former Soviet Union, the E.U., China and the U.S. all with
their own systems, it evens up the battlefield. It will be very
interesting to see what types of advances other nations make
in the coming years in regards to their own GPS.
Cloud health industry is
primed and ready for hacker
exploits
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cloud-health-industry-is-primed-
and-ready-for-hacker-exploits/18540.html

5
December 30th, 2012
In a lot of ways we have become numb to the number of
stories we hear about hackers breaking into this database or
that database. However with the increasing push to move
all of our data into the cloud, including our medical data,
one has to wonder how long before we start hearing horror
stories of medical data being held for ransom, or being sold
on some hacker network.
There's no getting around it, we're jaded when it comes
to news about the latest database being hacked, the latest
smartphone being jailbroken within minutes, or some site
being DDOS'ed. It's like we've almost gotten to the point
where we think of this type of thing being the cost of doing
business in a modern tech world where companies en masse
don't seem to care one iota about keeping our data safe -
when they aren't trying to sell it themselves that is.
Up until now though, our one and most treasured form of
data has been considered—our health information; mainly
because the health industry as a whole wasn't making the
same mindless rush to the cloud that other industries have.
That is in the process of changing, and changing fast which
is suddenly providing a whole new fertile ground for hackers
to dig into.
One would think of course that because it is our health
information that is at risk here that those involved would
be doing everything they can to make these medical
information repositories safe as possible; and not only that
but also the very hospitals that we go to when we are
ill or hurt. The only problem is, as found out by The
Washington Post after a yearlong investigation, they aren't
doing anything to make our data or healthcare systems
secure.
In fact the report found that the health care industry is one
of the most vulnerable industries in the country to the point
that the Department of Homeland Security has expressed
an increasing fear that our health care industry could be
the next big plum target for activist hackers, cyber warriors,
criminals, and terrorists.
We have already seen the beginnings of this move to hacking
health care and medical equipment but until there is a
serious mind shift in the medical industry when it comes
to security it is only a matter of time before our medical
information and devices become a prime target for hackers
instead an idle curiosity. Until then, we will continue to hear
a growing number of horror stories like:
• University of Chicago Medical Center posting
documents for residents online that included the login
information for a shared Dropbox account
• The Peace Corps prepping to use the open-source
medical records management systems OpenEMR even
though it has scores of known security flaws
• A researcher found a system that can be used to
operate an electronic medicine cabinet for hospital
prescriptions in Oklahoma.
Roamz uses Google Maps
SDK for iOS social search
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/roamz-uses-google-maps-sdk-for-
ios-social-search/18542.html
December 30th, 2012
A local search startup is attempting to bring some search
goodness to Apple's iOS platform but rather than use Apple's
map SDK they are going to be using the recently released
Maps iOS SDK from Google, which they will use to bring an
interesting 'social' aspect to mobile search.
We might like to think that when it comes to search that
the game is over - Google is the big winner; but that isn't
necessarily the case when it comes to our mobile world
where even new comers can come up with interesting twists
on the old search paradigm.
This of course is just what a new startup company by
the name of Roamz is looking to do with their app for
Apple's iOS platform; but not using Apple's own map SDK.
Instead they are using the Maps iOS SDK by Google; which
Google released at the same time as they released their
Google Maps iOS app.
This app from Roamz, however, isn't meant to be
just another mobile search app as founder Jonathan
Barouch said when announcing the app. What the company
wants to do is to bring us "a 'Street View' for social".
Roamz does this by using the 3D maps available through the
SDK and combining them with real-time posts from Twitter,
Facebook, Foursquare, and Instagram to help people find
businesses near where they are, as well as other places of
interest and then layering the social content on top of the
buildings.
Barouch explains: "You're walking in New York and you'll
see the social kind of popping out of the buildings." For
Barouch it's more about the discovery, about exploring
a little further out; which isn't in his mind a return to
the company's "serendipitous discovery" roots but it sure
sounds like that to me.
This idea apparently was just waiting for the Google Maps
for iOS SDK to come out as there was no other 3D mapping
SDKs out there that would let them do what they wanted to
do.
Unfortunately, Roamz is still under wraps but Sarah Perez
at TechCrunch managed to get a video teaser with Jonathan
Barouch showing the app off.
ChatOn 2.0 SMS now
available from Samsung
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chaton-2.0-sms-now-available-from-
samsung/18537.html

6
December 30th, 2012
Samsung has released their latest version of the popular SMS
app, ChatON v. 2.0, which is now up for grab in Google Play.
ChatON is described by Samsung as “a global mobile
communication service that enables you to have better
relationships with your buddies and groups of buddies.”
With version 2.0, ChatOn now offers a few more features
that are in direct competition to other similar SMS apps out
there.
One of the best updates for ChatOn is how it can synchronize
all of your updates and settings for up to 5 Android-based
devices. Quite simply, you just log into your Samsung
account and you will have available your live chat history,
friends list and chat history – it really is that simple. The
app will also be featuring offline support as well, so you
can post your comments even if you are offline. Basically it
stores your comments and once the device is back on-line
the comments are automatically posted for you.
Are you always talking to multiple people at the same time?
Now you have ability to send multiple texts and images all at
once, and you can even change your font features along with
sending many types of animations while you are chatting.
It features a push-to talk voice-messaging service for those
using an Android tablet. There is even a setting that gives
it the same appearance on your tablet as it looks on your
smartphone.
And just in case you forget how often you chat with your
best friend, there is this ‘interaction rank’ feature that tells
you how often and how much you talk to certain people.
And while some might find this feature useful, it isn’t quite
apparent why a person would need such a thing.
ChatOn 2.0 is a free app and it is available for download
at the Google Play store. And if you just recently purchased
an Android-based smartphone or tablet, the app does come
stock with the Android OS, but you may need to update the
software.
Toshiba plans to move
TransferJet technology
externally to Android
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-plans-to-move-transferjet-
technology-externally-to-android/18543.html
December 30th, 2012
Toshiba has announced the development of their special
TransferJet module adapter for the Android OS. The
adapter will turn any Android tablet or smartphone into a
TransferJet compatible unit, capable of high speed wireless
data transfer rates.
Are you exasperated because of the current "selectiveness"
of TransferJet technology for mobile devices? Well Toshiba
has some great news for you. This is because they have just
recently announced that they will be moving the TransferJet
technology externally to Android devices. What does this
mean? It means that they have developed a new adapter
that would turn any Android device into a TransferJet
compatible one.
The TJM35420MU is a module that connects to your
Android device via microUSB. It looks like your average
USB drive tilted sideways. As briefly hinted earlier, the
module provides any compatible Android device with
instant TransferJet capability, allowing it to boost its
wireless data transfer speeds to the high speed rates of
the technology without the need of an internal TransferJet
chip. This implementation of TransferJet to tablets and
smartphones as an external, auxiliary device is a first in the
industry, as TransferJet technology is usually developed to
be internally available on mobile devices.

7
With the data transfer speeds of TransferJet technology,
even smartphones with no internal TransferJet capability
could now transfer, let's say, a 30-minute HD video,
within a short time of about a minute and a half. The
universality of the microUSB slot allows for many kinds
of mobile devices, tablet and smartphone models to use
the TransferJet module adapter seamlessly. Keep in mind
though that universal USB-based peripheral compatibility is
only available for Android 3.0 and up, so it probably won't
connect well to your 2 year-old Android 2.3 smartphones.
There are still no specifics for the release date of Toshiba's
TransferJet module adapter, but they do have announced
that it would be available sometime around March of 2013.
Source: MyNavi (JP)
Xbox LIVE slashes prices of
every "The Walking Dead"
episodes
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/xbox-live-slashes-prices-of-every-
the-walking-dead-episodes/18539.html
December 30th, 2012
Gamers can get every episode of the award-winning The
Walking Dead series at 50% off today on Xbox LIVE, and
even pick up the first episode for free!
Just about everyone who's a fan of AMC's hit television series
based on Robert Kirkman's popular graphic novels already
owns Telltale's definitive The Walking Dead game series,
but for those gamers out there who haven't tried them out
yet, Xbox LIVE is currently offering huge savings on every
episode on the award-winning series.
Telltale's celebrated series has won countless awards
(including Game of the Year on Spike TV's VGA 2012),
garnering a multitude of positive review scores and has been
praised all over the gaming world for its creative, heart-
wrenching realism.
The game has just been made available as a retail purchase in
stores, allowing gamers to buy all five episodes in a physical
copy...however Xbox LIVE's Countdown to 2013 sale offers
a price on The Walking Dead games that's hard to beat.
The first episode is actually free for a whole week, and The
Walking Dead episodes 2-5 are 50% off for a mere 200
Microsoft Points (approx. $2.50).
At this price, you can pick up the entire series for just $10,
which makes the series much more accessible to gamers who
were on the fence or those who haven't experienced it yet.
If you're unfamiliar with Telltale's The Walking Dead series,
the games feature an all-new cast of characters (with just a
few familiar faces from the TV show) who must survive in
incredibly dire situations, struggling to meet even the most
basic needs like food and shelter.
The games themselves feature a point-and-click interface
with a free-roam scheme that is quite inventive and creative;
Telltale has been hailed for its originality in terms of the
game's mechanics and overall UI.
The real heart of the game, however, is the social interactions
between the characters and the dynamic decisions you make
throughout the game.

8
At certain intervals, players must make hard decisions (such
as who to save from rampaging zombies), and these major
decisions have actual consequences. The characters all have
their own personalities and quirks, and the story arc is
inventive and heartbreaking at the same time to deliver a
truly immersing and enjoyable experience.
This is a one day only saleand the sale ends tomorrow on
Dec. 29 so be sure to pick these games up while they're
discounted!
Be sure to check out the games on Xbox LIVE by clicking
here, and for more information on The Walking Dead series
please visit the game's official website.
New E-Notepad by Sharp
brings paper notebooks
closer to their doom
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-e-notepad-by-sharp-brings-
paper-notebooks-closer-to-their-doom/18538.html
December 30th, 2012
Sharp's new WG-N10 acts as your personal, functional
and intuitive electronic notepad. With more specific and
specialized functions than your ordinary e-notepad, it can
take notes, scribble and write anything on it as if you are
actually writing on paper.
Samsung's Galaxy Note series may have its mighty S-Pen,
and this innovative e-notepad vaporware may never really
come to life, but Sharp's new electronic notepad is more than
real, and it is most likely set out to pave out the road that
would connect e-notebooks and tablets.
The WG-N10 is an electronic notebook that, while it can be
used as an ordinary writing notebook, can also be accessed in
more or less the same way that tablets today are used. Unlike
regular electronic notebooks that simply saves the written
pages at best, you are given with an additional interface that
lets you access different kinds of software tools and apps that
are related to information and note taking. In essence, it is
a hybrid e-notebook, with an overly simplified version of a
tablet OS.
The strongest point of the WG-N10 is the accuracy of its
response when used with a stylus. It has a self correction
system that adjusts the output lines accordingly as the stylus
"writes", and can accurately display written notes even in
the centimeter range. The reflective display even adds more
intuitiveness to the unit, since it can be used just about
anywhere that you can use an ordinary notebook, only you
don't use up paper and ink!
The sample images alone provided by PCWatch already
tell us lots of details about what we can do to the WG-
N10. However it still all boils down to handy and intuitive
manipulation of information. Like a tablet, it lets us control
visual elements on the screen directly. Like a notebook, it
lets us write information like how humans have written it for
thousands of years.

9
The WG-N10 is scheduled to be released in Japan around
January of this year, and will be released in two versions:
the standard 6-inch version, and a 7-inch one with a size and
form factor that's reminiscent of the Nexus 7. There are no
official announcements about its retail price just yet.

VR-Zone Tech News for the Geeks Dec 2012 Issue

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