VR-Zone Tech News for the Geeks Mar 2011 Issue

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Published by VR-Zone
March 2nd, 2011 VR-Zone.com Stuff for the
Geeks!
March 2nd, 2011 So what will Apple be
surpising us in this special media event?
Well, we have took the liberty of summerising
what has happened at Yerba Buena Center in San
Francisco for your reading pleasure.
VR-Zone Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly
publication covering the latest gadgets and
stuff for the geeks. Apple slash
first-generation iPad prices Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/apple-slash-first-gene
ration-ipad- prices/11433.html March 2nd, 2011
Apple has slash their prices of their previous
generation tablet since the introduction of
iPad 2 and prices of iPad have dropped by
more than S200 for some models. The event
kicked off at 10am Pacific Time (2am
Singapore Time) and the first major surprise we
got was the arrival of Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, on
stage for the presentation. Many didn'texpecthimt
oturnupduetohisdeterioratinghealth,but he did.
Weve been working on this product for a while
and I didnt want to miss today, said Jobs,
garnering a standing ovation from the
audience. iBooks milestones OncetheAppleOnlineS
torecameback,wenoticedthatApple has dropped their
prices for the original iPad by a
substancial ammount. This is not surprising since
the new iPad 2 will hold the same prices as the
original iPad's launch price. Apple's March 2nd
media event Roundup Source http//vr-zone.com/art
icles/apple-s-march-2nd-media-event- roundup/11431
.html 1
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March 2nd, 2011 Besides having over 2500
publishers in iBookstore, Random House will
joining the iBookstore today, bringing
another 17,000 books to the iBookstore catalog.
100,000,000 books have been downloaded so far
from Apple's iBookstore. According
to Jobs, Apple should have the "most accounts
with credit cards anywhere on the
internet". Apple has also
reportedly paid out US2 billion to
app developers on their App Store.
Published by VR-Zone Apple has announced its
iPad 2 and overall it's upgrades all around
with a new dual core A5 processors, much
faster graphics, lower weight, slimmer
profile and of course the much wanted
cameras. That's pretty much what everyone
was hoping for and Apple has left out
surprisingly little for an iPad 3upgrade,butwe'res
urethey'llfiguresomethingouttoattract people's
attention next year. Apple has announced its
iPad 2 and overall it's upgrades all around
with a new dual core A5 processors, much
faster graphics, lower weight, slimmer
profile and of course the much wanted
cameras. That's pretty much what everyone
was hoping for and Apple has left out
surprisingly little for an iPad 3upgrade,butwe'res
urethey'llfiguresomethingouttoattract people's
attention next year. The A5 processor is still
ticking away at 1GHz, but it now has two cores
and the graphics core is said to offer up
to nine timestheperformancecomparedtotheoriginal
iPad.Therear camera will shoot 720p video at
30fps, while the front camera is stuck at VGA
quality at 30fps. To go with the cameras Apple is
adding FaceTime to its next release of iOS and
we'll also see a new app called Photo Booth
alongside a US4.99 version of iMovie for the
iPad 2. Amazingly Apple has managed to
slim down the iPad 2 to a mere 8.8mm which is
0.5mm thinner than the iPhone 4 and
the Wi-Fi model weighs in at 601g while the 3G
model adds another12g.Evenso,we'relookingatthesam
e10hbatterylife for the Wi-Fi models, or in the
case of the 3G models, 9h. The screen remains
the same as on the old model, in other
words we're still looking at a 9.7-inch unit
with 1024x768 resolution. Some features that
have been carried over includes 802.11a/ b/g/n
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR and in the case of the
3G model, support for HSDPA/HSUPA on the
900, 1900 and 2100MHz bands, although Apple
has also made a CDMA EV- DO version for Verizon
in the US which is another first. Applehasalsor
ecentlyshippedouttheir100millionthiPhone. Apple
launches the iPad 2 Source http//vr-zone.com/art
icles/apple-launches-the-ipad-2/11432.html March
2nd, 2011 OneothernewfeatureistheoptionalUS39
HDMIoutdongle which connects to the docking port
and adds an HDMI port as well as a docking port
so the iPad 2 can be charged at the 2
3
March 2nd, 2011 same time as it's connected to an
HDMI screen or projector. It supports 1080p video
mirroring, but oddly enough Apple states that
it'll only play back H.264 video with resolutions
of up to 720p at 30fps. The dongle doesn't look
like the most solid piece of equipment to ever
come out of Apple and it's really quite an
awkward way to connect the iPad to an
HDMI equipped display device. Apple also designed
a new Smart Cover for the iPad 2
which attachesbymagnetsandfeaturesahinge.Thecoverf
oldsupin
Published by VR-Zone According to leaked
NVIDIA slides, the reference GeForce GTX 550
Ti will be clocked at 900MHz and 1025MHz for
the core and memory respectively. A kind reader
has dropped us some scores which do look in line
with all the current GTX 550 Ti specifications
bits pieced together. 3DMark 11
three and can be used as a stand. Apple offers
the cover in two different materials,
polyurethane and leather, each available in five
colours for a price of US39 and US69.
GeForce GTS 450 P2100
GeForce GTX 550 Ti P2400
Radeon HD 5770 P2600
Lost Planet 2
GeForce GTS 450 22
GeForce GTX 550 Ti 27
Radeon HD 5770 22
It appears that the new card isn't as fast as
expected, with a performance gain of about 25
over AMD's offering in just certain games. Things
look pretty ugly in 3DMark 11 though.
Most of the rumours about the iPad 2 didn't come
true, as we didn'tgetahigherresolutionscreen,nobui
ltinSDcardreader and most definitely no
Thunderbolt support, but even so, it looks like
Apple has managed to a pretty good job in
updating its tablet. Asfaraspricinggoes,theWi-Fimo
delscostUS499for16GB, US599 for the 32GB model
and finally US699 for the 64GB model. Apple will
be offering them in both white and black from
day one, which is another first for the
iPad 2. In the US the 16GB 3G model is priced
at US629 with the 32GB model at US729 and
finally the 64GB model at US829, but so far
pricing for other countries haven't been
announced. AvailabilityintheUSisMarch11thfollowedb
yEurope,Japan, th Apple didn't announce
availability dates for other markets. NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 550 Ti benchmark leak?
Overclockability-wise, the GeForce GTX 550 Ti
will continue the legacy of the GeForce GTS
450 by offering excellent headroom. Clock
speeds in excess of 1050MHz are said to
be attainable and that will send the 3DMark 11
score past P3000 on a well-overclocked 'Sandy
Bridge' system. If the performance figures are
true, then perhaps the GF116 should be branded as
a GTS, and not a GTX? ASUS unveils new ROG
gaming products at CeBIT 2011 Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/asus-unveils-new-rog-g
aming- products-at-cebit-2011/11422.html March
2nd, 2011
Mexico, Australia and New Zealand on the 25
of March.
Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce
-gtx-550-ti-benchmark- leak-/11420.html March
2nd, 2011 ASUS has unveiled a number of new ROG
gaming products at CeBIT 2011. These include the
G74Sx gaming laptop, the Rampage III Black
Edition motherboard and MATRIX GTX 580 graphics
cards for enthusiasts, VG278H 3D monitor,
RT- N66U high performance dual-band wireless
router, and the
We've gotten some rough performance
numbers of the upcoming GeForce GTX 550 Ti in
Futuremark's 3DMark 11 and Lost Planet 2. Is it
as fast as it is rumored to be?
Vulcan-ANC gaming headset. ASUShasunveiledanumbero
fnewgamingproductsatCeBIT in March this year,
including Republic of Gamers (ROG) notebook
PCs, high-performance motherboards,
graphics cards, 3D monitors, a router and a
headset. With an expanded 3
4
March 2nd, 2011 product portfolio, ASUS
hopes to fulfill its promise
of providing choices for everyone.
Published by VR-Zone enthusiasts to monitor and
optimize clock speed, voltage and fan speed to
achieve extreme levels of performance.
ROG Rampage III Black Edition
motherboard delivers extreme gaming
performance The ROG Rampage III Black
Edition motherboard is an evolution of the
award-winning Rampage III Extreme, which set new
world records in overclocking. Everything that
made the Rampage III Extreme so great is back,
but with a stylish black-themed design, plus
many hardware and software improvements.
The ROG MATRIX GTX 580 also runs cool,
thanks to the exclusive DirectCU II design
that places copper heatpipes in direct contact
with the GPU for improved thermal
efficiency. Twin custom-made fans circulate
up to 600 more air for a 20 cooler
operation too, while the 16-phase Super
Alloy Power components ensure greater
operational stability and a longer product
lifespan.
Apple Online Store down ahead of iPad media
event Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/apple-on
line-store-down-ahead-of- ipad-media-event/11429.h
tml March 2nd, 2011 With just a few hours
to go to Apple's media event,
the Cupertino-based tech giant has taken its
online stores around the world offline, including
here in Singapore.
Most notable is the supplied ROG
ThunderBolt expansion card that enhances both
LAN and audio performance. This incorporates an
award-winning Bigfoot Networks Killer E2100
networking platform that automatically classifies
and accelerates online game traffic for
maximum networking performance. Class-leading
XONAR audio technology also provides increased
sound quality and a built-in
headphone amplifier with adjustable impedance
settings - perfect for getting the drop on the
competition when gaming. Combined, these two
technologies provide gamers with a
superior online gaming experience that will
overwhelm the competition. Better yet, the ROG
Rampage III Black Edition also comes with
the ASUS GPU TweakIt utility that
is upgraded feature combined in ROG
Connect and allows gamers to modify the
graphics card settings for greatest
visual impact. It is a standard operating
procedure for the iPhone and iPad makerstobringth
eironlinestoresdownaheadofmajorevents and new
product releases. So we can safely say that this
is
Apple's way of telling us that they are
going to introduce something new to their
online store. The next-generation iPad is
expected to announce within the next few
hours. Stay with us as we bring you the
latest developement from Apple's special media
event.
ROG MATRIX GTX 580 graphics card makes
overclocking easier than ever The new ROG MATRIX
GTX 580 graphics card ships with a number of
proprietary ASUS iROG technologies for
superior gaming performance, including TweakIt
for real-time GPU
voltage adjustment, ProbeIt for instant voltage
readings and a Safe Mode reboot button
for a foolproof overclocking experience.
The all-new ASUS GPU Tweak utility also
allows 4
5
March 2nd, 2011 Asus and MSI displays mini- ITX
H61 boards at CeBIT Source http//vr-zone.com/art
icles/asus-and-msi-displays-mini-itx-h61- boards-a
t-cebit/11428.html March 2nd, 2011 We
should soon be seeing some much more affordable
mini- ITX boards for Intel's second generation of
Core i processors and both Asus and MSI has shown
off new models based on the new H61 budget
chipset for the platform. The two
boards arequitedifferentintermsofwhattheyofferthou
ghandwe're pretty sure that these are only two of
the first boards of many to come.
Published by VR-Zone ASRock
also shows off Z68 board at CeBIT Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-also-shows-off-
z68-board-at- cebit/11427.html
March 2nd, 2011 We should soon be seeing some
much more affordable mini- ITX boards for Intel's
second generation of Core i processors and both
Asus and MSI has shown off new models based
on the new H61 budget chipset for the platform.
The two boards arequitedifferentintermsofwhattheyo
fferthoughandwe're
pretty sure that these are only two of the first
boards of many to come. Asus has gone for a
full-on HTPC design for its P8H61-I with a x16
PCI Express slot, four SATA 3Gbps ports and two
headers for an additional four USB 2.0
ports. Around the back the boardhasaPS/2port,f
ourUSB2.0ports,twoUSB3.0ports,a Gigabit Ethernet
port, a D-sub, DVI and HDMI port and three audio
jacks for 5.1-channel audio. Bear in mind that
this is a budget board and it won't compete with
the H67 boards in terms of features.
ASRock decided to show off its Z68 board as CeBIT
too and it actually looks like one of the better
boards that have been shownsofar.We'renotentirelys
oldonthecolourscheme,but that's really a minor
issue considering that ASRock appears to have
loaded up the Z68 Extreme4 with pretty much
every feature you could need or want. ASRock
decided to show off its Z68 board as CeBIT too
and it actually looks like one of the better
boards that have been shownsofar.We'renotentirelys
oldonthecolourscheme,but
that's really a minor issue considering that
ASRock appears to have loaded up the Z68
Extreme4 with pretty much every feature you
could need or want. Slot wise the board has
three x16 PCI Express slots, of which of course
the second one is of the switchable x8 type while
the third slot only has four lanes worth of
bandwidth. The board also has two x1 PCI Express
slots and two PCI slots. ASRock has also fitted
a pair of additional SATA 6Gbps ports for
a total of four, as well as four SATA 3Gbps
ports. There are also headersfortwoUSB3.0ports(us
inganEtroncontroller),four USB 2.0 ports, a
FireWire port and even a parallel
port. MSIontheotherhanddecidedtogoreallybasicwith
itsH61I- E35 and only included a x1 PCI Express
slot, although you still get four SATA 3Gbps
ports and two headers for four USB 2.0 ports.
Around the back the MSI board appears to have a
PS/2 port, six USB 2.0 ports, a D-sub and HDMI
port and three audio jacks for 5.1-channel audio.
This board should be very affordable and a great
match with the upcoming Sandy Bridge Pentium and
Celeron processors expected later this
year. 5
6
March 2nd, 2011 Aroundthebackthebo
ardhasaPS/2port,fourUSB2.0ports, two USB 3.0
ports, a FireWire port, an eSATA port, a
Gigabit Ethernetport,aDisplayPort,HDMI,DVIandD-sub
connector and finally 7.1-channel audio with
optical S/PDFI out. There's also a CMOS reset
button around the back and the board also appears
to have power and reset buttons and a POST80
debug LED display. We also noted a PLX bridge
chip on the board that we're not quite certain
what the purpose of it is. OveralltheZ68Extreme4is
whatwe'dexpectfromahigh-end Z68 board, but this
might not be the top of the range model from
ASRock, as the company offers higher-end P67
models, so we might get to see something even
more feature packed by the time the platform
launches. The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 02
Mar 2011 Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/the-d
aily-vr-zone-news-summary--02- mar-2011/11425.html
March 2nd, 2011 In today's daily news
roundup Bigfoot Networks announces its new
high-performance Killer WiFi cards for
notebooks Intel releases a new dual-core Atom
processor for netbooks TP-Linkshowcasesnewenergy-
efficientpowerlineadaptersat CeBIT Razer's Naga
Epic MMO gaming mouse gets reviewed Sony is
reportedly thinking of exploiting a loophole
to get around the import ban on PlayStation 3
consoles in the EU, and Dawn of War 2
Retribution gets a new launch trailer. Hardware
News GIGABYTE P67A-UD4 Motherboard Performance
Review _at_ Legit Reviews DescriptionGIGABYTEMotherb
oardshavealwaysemployed a wide variety of
colors on them. At least until now.
The GIGABYTE P67A-UD4 motherboard features
the all new blacked out color scheme! First
impressions, they look great! Unfortunately,
looks won't do anything for
performance. Today we are going to take the newly
designed GIGABYTE P67A-UD4 out for a test
drive. While it looks great, the
Published by VR-Zone question will be does it
perform? Read on to find out if the performance
matches the looks! New, more effective optical
fibers have semiconductive core Description
Fiber optic cables can transmit over a
terabyte of information per second but
that doesn't mean there still isn't room for
improvement. One of those improvements, which was
officially announced today, involves replacing
the silica glass core of fiber optic
strands with semiconductive zinc selenide.
This new class of fiber optics, invented
and created at Penn State University, is said to
"allow for a more effective and liberal
manipulation of light." The technology could
have applications in the fields of medicine,
defense, and environmental monitoring. Sunbeamtech
Rheosmart 6 Fan Controller Review
_at_ XtremeComputing Description Sunbeamtech have
been around for as long as I can remember,
however due to their limited product range, they
often dont get the recognition they deserve.
This latest fan controller will hopefully
continue their high-quality, high- value
reputation. Personally I own a Scythe Kaze
Master, so I know what a quality fan-controller
should do. Coolit Vantage A.L.C. CPU Cooler _at_
Benchmark Reviews Description Sealed, all-in-one
water coolers seem to be the fastest-growing
segment of the CPU cooler market today.
Air coolers are reaching their physical
limits given the room inside existing
cases, and the (frequently ignored)
weight limits defined for CPU coolers, something
like a Prolimatech Megahalemsisaboutasbigasyoucang
etwithoutrunninginto problems.Watercoolingsystemsw
orkaroundtheseproblems by moving the heat
exchanger off of the CPU socket, and using a
fluid to transfer heat from the CPU to the heat
exchanger. Coolit Systems has been making
retail and bespoke liquid cooling systems for
some years now, and the Coolit Vantage A.L.C.
cooler brings new features and performance to the
fray. Benchmark Reviews pits this new entry
against existing air and water coolers in a
performance showdown. Be Quiet Silent Wings USC
12cm Review _at_ XSReviews Description It can't
always be about the graphics cards, the
gaming mice, the motherboards and the high
powered speakers, right? Well no indeed,
sometimes us reviewers have tolookatsomethingalitt
lelessexciting.Ladiesandgents,may I present to
you the BeQuiet Silent Wings USB 12cm fan.
Let's check it out. Hurray! Chip Shot Intel
Delivers New Dual-Core Intel Atom Processor for
Netbooks Description Today, Intel announced
the dual-core Intel Atom processor N570,
providing netbook users Internet access on
the go and a more responsive experience in
the same compact form factor and great battery
life as single-core Intel Atom processors.
Running at 1.66 GHz, these processors support
four threads, with 1 MB of L2 cache, 8.5W TDP
and DDR3 667, helping spur further innovation
around netbooks and other devices requiring the
low power goodness of Intel Atom
architecture. NAND flash contract prices
stable Description Contract prices for 16Gb,
32Gb and 64Gb MLC NAND flash chips dropped
slightly in the second half of February,
while 8Gb parts went flat, according to latest
data 6
7
March 2nd, 2011 posted by DRAMeXchange.
Meanwhile, the price of 32Gb 3- bit per cell MLC
products was similar to the level in the
first half of the month. Killer NICs Comes to
Laptops for Latency Freaks Description Bigfoot
Networks, the technology
company behindtheKillerlineofnetworkingproductsfor
onlinegames, today introduced its new Killer
Wireless-N family of high- performance Wi-Fi
adapters for laptops. Consumer Electronics and
Software News Smartfish Whirl Laser Mouse w/
Anti-Gravity Comfort Pivot Review _at_
TestFreak Description The mouse is the one thing
that most of use take for granted, not for how
its used but for what can happen to you with
long terms usage. For those of us that use a
mouse everyday for hours on end we can be
susceptible to RSI or repetitive stress injury.
Sure there are companies out there that have come
out with ergonomic mice, but only one claims to
be the worlds first truly ergonomic mouse and
thats the Whirl from Smartfish. The mouse is
wireless and it sits on top of pivoting platform
so you hand moves more naturally when youre
using thus possibly reducing the risk of RSI to
the user. The Whirl has been designed in
collaboration with the 1 orthopedic hospital in
the states, so they might know what theyre
talking about. Googles Schmidt States Mobile
Growing Faster than All Predictions Description
Google representatives, especially those
high up on the ladder, are no stranger to
major events. This is especially true for Eric
Schmidt who, over the years, has
given keynoteaddressesatalmosteverytoptechnologyan
dbusiness event even slightly related to his
industry. Its no surprise, then, that he
would be selected for the opening keynote at
the IAB Leadership Conference... An Exciting
Keynote for Skype at Enterprise Connect and News
with Citrix Description Skype today announced a
partnership with Citrix Systems that will expand
Skypes web and audio conferencing capabilities.
Based on Citrixs successful
GoToMeeting product,SkypesnewWebconferencingandau
diofeaturesare expected to become available
towards the end of the year. TP-LINK showcases
new energy-saving powerline adapters at CeBIT
2011 Description TP-LINK, a global provider of
SOHO and SMB networking products, today
announced a new range of powerline
adapters which will be on display at CeBIT 2011.
Published by VR-Zone in the iTunes App Store,
now supports multiple attachments and up to 90
minutes of audio recording per note. A
new resources button helps to find information
based on context, anduserscanfindnotesonamap,based
onthelocationwhere the data was entered, or
browse by images or attachments. Android Users
Get An Official Taste Of Foodspotting Just
In Time For SXSW Description Back in December
of last year, I noted the existence of
the first Foodspotting build for Android
just in time for the holidays. Turns out,
the app was a little undercooked still in
beta and the team didnt really want me giving
out the link to download it. Whoops. Gaming
News Sony can get around LG patent shipment
ban Description Sony could still get around the
PS3 shipment ban thanks to a loop in the patent
enforcement code... Dawn of War 2 Retribution
Gets Launch Trailer Description Retribution is
setting in at Dawn of War 2 as the 2nd expansion
of the original game goes on retail today.
The gameoffersvariouscampaignsfromdifferentracesv
iewpoint in the sub-sector of Aurelia, new map
for The Last Stand and of course, new units in
multi-player. Japanese developers comment on
NGP Description With the introduction of
the Sony NGP, it's inevitable that the people
who will be working on the system's software, the
game developers and publishers, will be
putting in their two cents on the handheld
device. How to turn your iPhone
4 transparent Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/
how-to-turn-your-iphone-4- transparent/11412.html
March 2nd, 2011 Still remember a while back
we ran an article on how a guy in Hong Kong
managed to strip his iPhone 4's front
and back panel and made them transparent? Well,
there's now a simpler(yetsomewhatcomplicated)wayof
achievingthatjaw- dropping transparent panel.
The adapters, which offer energy savings of up to
75, feature a range of benefits from AC
pass-through to speeds of up to 500Mbps, making
them ideal for high demand usage. Razer Naga Epic
gaming mouse review at Examiner Description The
Razer Naga Epic MMO gaming mouse is more
than just a wireless version of the Razer Nagait
also sports some design enhancements to level
up the Naga even more. Too Much Data? New
Evernote Should Help Description Evernote
launched a redesigned version of its iPhone
software Tuesday, adding new views and features
that furtherhelporganizethoughtsonthego.Evernote4,
available 7
8
March 2nd, 2011 In the original story of the
transparent iPhone 4, what the Hong Kong
enthusiast did was to disassemble and remove
the front and back panel of the phone. He then
used paint thinner and carefully remove the paint
from the panels and assemble the iPhone back
again once the panels are clear. Whilethatsoundspa
instakinglyriskyandrequiressometime, there's now
a somewhat easier way of achieving the
same effect. And this method is reversible. The
folks over at M.I.C gadgets has brought in a
transparent back panel iPhone 4 DIY kit. It comes
with a clear back panel and the required set of
screw drivers so you can start pimping your
iPhone 4 right away. As I've mentioned, since you
are accuiring an additional back panel, you can
keep your own original back panel and do a swap
if you fancy. Available in 3 frame colours,
you can get yours from their website for a
measily US23.90. TazTag to unveil new
Android tablet at CeBIT? Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/taztag-to-unveil-new-a
ndroid-tablet-at- cebit-/11421.html March 2nd,
2011 With the whole world going
'goo-goo-ga-ga' over tablets, smartphones and
the operating systems used to power them, it
should probably not be surprising to see
unheard-of OEMs attempting to capitalize on the
mobile bandwagon by offering a product which runs
off the ever-popular Android OS. And it seems
that there is one such OEM right there at CeBIT
as we speak TazTag is reportedly announcing a
new Android- poweredtabletthatwillboastcertainconn
ectivityfeaturesnot found in today's
devices. Near-field communications or NFC is
definitely one of the neater features to exist
in the market, and it is understandable astowhytec
hnologistsarekeenonintegratingthistechnology into
the highly advanced smartphones and tablets of
today. After all, the idea that one could simply
a tablet at a reader to perform certain tasks
such as electronic transactions and scanning
mobile RFID tags sounds like something that
has the potential to be a both a major time-saver
and source of convenience. Unfortunately, it
would seem that the adoption of NFC has been
rather slow, despite the fact that it was
introduced to the market way back in 2003.
However, the first major break for NFCmightjustcom
eintheformofanAndroid-poweredtablet thatwillsuppos
edlybeunveiledinCeBITthisyear.Ladiesand gentlemen,
we present to you...the TazPad.
Published by VR-Zone Not much is
known about the device, although its
OEM TazTag, has claimed that the TazPad
will feature a seven- inch color display
capable of recognizing multitouch input. In
addition, the tablet will also come standard with
common hardware such as a built-in camera,
GPS module and an accelerometer. However, the
real draw of the TazPad stems from the fact
that the TazPad is touted by TazTag to be the
world's first device which fully supports the NFC
communication stack. Not to mention that TazTag
has apparently come up with a rather novelwayofuti
lizingtheTazPad'sNFC'scapabilitiesbyusing itasame
ansofdeliveringHDcontentviaHDMI-out.Nowthat is
not something you often get to see in a
tablet. Last but definitely not least, the
TazPad will also feature support for other
wireless communication protocols such as WiFi,
Bluetooth and ZigBee, as well as an option for
biometric authentication. No pricing or release
date has been announced for the TazPad though,
although various sources claim that the tablet
is due toshipsometimeinQ2thisyear.Andwhilethereisn
odenying that the TazPad might have the potential
to change the way we all look at our tablets, the
key question remains will the NFC infrastructure
be ready by the time the tablet starts
shipping? We shall see. ASUS unveils new
Blu-ray player and voice-cancelling headphones at
CeBIT Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/asus-unv
eils-new-blu-ray-player-and- voice-cancelling-head
phones-at-cebit/11419.html March 2nd,
2011 TodaymightbeonlytheseconddayofCeBIT,butit
seemsthat ASUSisnotabouttositdownandtakeiteasyinth
isparticular exhibition. Unveiled today at ASUS's
booth in the exhibit are three new consumer
electronics device, and they come in the form of
a new Blu-ray player, a Blu-ray writer and an
active noise-cancelling headphones. ASUS may be
a well-known brand when it comes to
PCs, notebooks, hardware components and media
players, but it would seem that the company is
now attempting to diversify its portfolio by
attempting to compete in other areas that do not
necessarily make up part of the PC ecosystem. And
that cannot have been more clearly
demonstrated at this year's 8
9
March 2nd, 2011 CeBITexhibitionheldinGermany,where
theTaiwaneseOEM has rolled out what appears to be
its first foray into the home theatre market with
three new offerings a Blu-ray player,
an external Blu-ray writer for PCs and a
pair of active noise- cancelling
headphones. ASUS O!Play BDS-700 The new
ASUS O!Play BDS-700 Blu-ray player uses
Qdeo video post-processing to deliver clear,
vivid images in native high definition and
upscaling of 480p DVD content. On top of that,
ASUS claims that the O!Play BDS-700 also
supports Blu-ray 3D playback on compatible
screens, and is capable of delivering
7.1-channel surround sound mastered in
Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD. In addition, the O!Play
BDS-700 comes with built-in support for a wide
range of video, audio, image and subtitle
formats to ensure maximum compatibility with most
existing media formats today, while content
can also be played directly from external
storage devices via the included USB port,
or streamed through a network via Ethernet or
WiFi. Last but definitely not least, ASUS claims
that the O!Plau BDS-700 will feature support
for remote control via any existing
iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry and
Symbian device.
Published by VR-Zone though it was recently
launched, the device has purportedly been cracked
to run copied DS games easily.
Nintendo's latest generation of handheld
consoles were recently launched in Japan to a
great start, with the console maker reporting
an initial shipment numbering 400,000 units.
Due to be released in the West on 27
March, the companyexpectsworldwidesalestohitfourm
illionbytheend of this fiscal year. Estimates by
Enterbrain (a Japanese magazine
publisher) indicates that only 371,326 units were
sold. Reuters has also reported a slump in
Nintendo's stock over the sales figures, which
may indicate investors feeling unimpressed
by the launch. And yet despite the huge
popularity of the 3DS, complaints
are arising from significant numbers of users
about eyestrain withinfiveminutesofusage.Thisisdes
pitethecompany'sown official health advisory of a
ten to fifteen minute break every hour for non-3D
usage, and for the touted 3D mode, thirty minutes
is necessary to warrant a break. Needless to say,
Nintendo supporters are hoping that these users
are only the vocal minority. Otherwise, it could
suggest a intrinsic fatal flaw to the
3DS, which would have Sony supporters
celebrating. Whether or not the 3DS faces a bleak
future in sales, despite being merely available
for days, the device has purportedly been cracked
to run copied DS games without fuss, with video
S pecifications O!Play BDS-700 3D
Blu-ray player Blu-ray 3D Video noise
reduction Separated A/V HDMI output Wi-Fi 802.11n
wireless Dimensions Weight
Supported Supported Supported Built-in 430mm x
50mm x 252mm 3kg
Nintendo 3DS launched in Japan, with user
complaints and purportedly already cracked Source
http//vr-zone.com/articles/nintendo-3ds-launched
-in-japan-with- user-complaints-and-purportedly-al
ready-cracked/10971.html March 2nd,
2011 Nintendo's latest generation of
handheld consoles were recently launched in
Japan to a great start, with the
company reporting an initial shipment of
400,000 and Enterbrain
evidence embedded below. (Note The 3DS
is backwards compatible with legit DS game
cards.) 3DS with Ninjapass, a device that enables
users to play stored DS games.3DS with Codefreak,
a device that enables cheats, running a GBA
game.3DS with Codefreak, this time running a DS
game. Olympus unveils TG-810, SZ-30MR and SZ-20
digital cameras Source http//vr-zone.com/article
s/olympus-unveils-tg-810-sz-30mr-and- sz-20-digita
l-cameras/11418.html
annoucing an estimate of 371,326 sold. Despite
the popularity of the 3DS, complaints are arising
with regards to eyestrain in just five minutes of
usage in 3D mode. Additionally, even 9
10
March 2nd, 2011 March 2nd, 2011
Published by VR-Zone Comes in black or
silver, there's no news as to when the
Olympus SZ-30MR will be available, or its
pricing. Olympus has unveiled the new
additions to their line of digital cameras,
namely TG-810, SZ-30MR and SZ-20. The TG-810 will
be available this month, though no
availability dates confirmed for the SZ-30MR and
SZ-20. The 16-megapixel OLYMPUS SZ-20
sports a stylish body, supports
high-sensitivity shooting and features
super-wide 12.5x optical zoom from its 24mm
wide-angle lens, DUAL IS, and full high
definition movie recording. Like the TG-810
and SZ-30MR, this one also offers eight Magic
Filters for various effects, 3D photo shooting
and is Eye-Fi card compatible. The SZ-20 will be
available in black and silver. No word as to
when it will be on retail shelf, or its pricing.
The OLYMPUS TOUGH TG-810 digital camera
claims to be waterproof to a depth of 10 meters,
shockproof against falls fromashighastwometers,fre
ezeproofattemperaturesaslow as-10Candcrushprooflo
adsupto100kgf.Availableinblack, blue, red and
silver, the 14-megapixel compact camera is
also equipped with GPS functions and an
electronic compass that record location data.
Other features include high definition movie
(1280x720) recording, eight Magic Filters for
various
England attempts to hit the 'Del' button on
Facebook cyberbullying Source http//vr-zone.com/
articles/england-attempts-to-hit-the-del- button-o
n-facebook-cyberbullying/11416.html March 2nd,
2011
effects, 3D photo shooting and Eye-Fi card
compatible. The TG-810 is scheduled to go on sale
in Singapore in March, 2011. Pricing to be
announced. Think that you are well protected by
a veil of anonymity when youpostmessagesonlinetov
ariousmessageboardsandsocial networkingsites?Well
,thinkagainlawenforcementagencies are hard at
work in ensuring that users who
frequently intimidate other web users online
face the consequences of their actions under the
legal system. And what better way to ensure a
more civil Web by hitting users where it hurts
the most at the popular online social
networking service known as Facebook? Design
ed for travel, sports, athletic meet or
other events, the Olympus SZ-30MR is an
easy-to-use "all-in-one" camera that lets users
enjoy advanced photography and movies. It
features a 16-megapixel Backlit CMOS sensor
and dual
image processing engines for multi-recording,
simultaneous recording of photo and movie, and
full HD movies. With its 24x optical zoom lens,
you can go up-close to the subject and capture
almost every details conveniently. On top of
that, the DUAL IS uses a CMOS-shift image
stabilization mechanism and high-sensitivity
image capturing to reduce picture blur.
This should be a common scenario for certain
Facebook users someone who just has a bone to
pick with you will not stop harrassing you and
your virtual account for days, or
even weeks on end. And more often than not, the
victim is often helpless in such situations, as
the veil of anonymity offered by humankind's
invention known as the Internet all that is 10
11
March 2nd, 2011 needed to bring out some of the
more undesirable facets of human
behaviour. Still, it does not mean that other
more sensible humans have not been hard at work
in attempting to make sure that such situations
cease to be common occurrences. And the
good news is that law enforcement agencies are
starting to clamp down on acts of online
bullying, with the latest action being centred
around the popular online social networking
service known as Facebook. Details are somewhat
sparse, but according to a report posted by The
Telegraph, detectives now have the authority to
send warning messages to cyber bullies informing
them that their actionsarerunningafoulofthelawandc
ouldfaceprosecution if they do not desist.
In addition, to strike the fear
of having that very veil of anonymity
stripped away into the aforementioned
bullies, the offenders' parents will also
be notified by law enforcement agencies via a
letter describing the offences committed by the
child and what are the possible consequences of
not ceasing such activities. This scheme is the
brainchild of a police constable in England known
as Dave Thomas, who described it as a move
designed to "nip the problem in the bud". "By
alerting their parents to the problem, we are
aiming to nip the problem in the bud and prevent
it becoming something more serious.," he said,
adding that Internet users typically do not think
twice about what they write online. "If we have
to investigate Facebook messages as harassment or
public order offences and the young person gets
charged, it could seriously affect their future.
While we want them to realise how serious the
matter is, we also want to avoid that and keep
young people out of the criminal justice system
if possible," he explained.
Published by VR-Zone It seems
like the numbers for browser market share are
filly out for public viewing, and that is always
good news for most browser fans and pundits.
After all, there is no better proof than a
bunch of statistics to justify one's claim
of 'which browser is the next thing to look out
for', especially when the browser market is chock
full of competitors today from the likes of
heavyweight software vendors such as Apple,
Google, Microsoft and Mozilla. So, the question
most of you will probably be having
right now will probably go along the lines of
'How much market share did Microsoft lose in
February' or 'How much did Firefox/Chrome/Safa
ri gain'. However, it would seem that the
numbers for February seem to buck the
trend we have all been accustomed to instead
of continuing to lose market share like it had
always been, Internet Explorer actually saw a
gain of 0.77 in browser share for the month of
February. On the other hand, Firefox was the
unexpected casualty time, dropping 0.99 from
its January results, as shown in the charts
below.
Internet Explorer sees modest gains in market
share for February Source http//vr-zone.com/arti
cles/internet-explorer-sees-modest-gains- in-marke
t-share-for-february/11415.html March 2nd,
2011 It seems like February may have
been a very good month for Microsoft and
its Internet Explorer team in
particular. According to the latest statistics
released by Netmarketshare, Microsoft's web
browser gained more than 0.5 in
market share, all at Firefox's expense. Does this
mean that Microsoft has finally gotten things
right with Internet Explorer? 11
12
Published by VR-Zone single message and
folder in their Gmail account has
been cleaned off without their knowledge? We're
sure you did after all, email conversations are
serious business, and having all your messages
wiped out in an instant without warning
is definitely the best way to ruin anyone's
day. Well, the good news about this little issue
is that Google has confirmed what most people
were probably anxiously waiting for. According to
a message posted on Google's official Gmail blog,
the loss of emails was caused by a
botched storage software update this update
apparently contained a bug severeenoughtoaffect
severalcopiesofbackupcontentstored across
multiple data centres. However, uses can rest
assured that their data is still safe
from complete erasure. This is because the search
giant claims that it has kept additional backups
on tape drives which are not hooked up to
online-capable machines, and has thus
survivied the failed update. The only issue is
that it will take time for the search giant to
restore said data from the tape drives, as the
recovery process appears to be much more complex
than simply sending a request to another data
centre. Still, users can take consolation in the
fact that Google has beenworkinghardtoensurethatal
lrecoveredcontentisbeing processed and sent out
to affected users as soon as possible. Accordingto
thelatestupdatefromthesearchgiant,allbackup conten
t has already been successfully processed and are
now currently on their way back to their
respective users' mail folders, where they
rightfully belong. With any luck, affected
users should have their Gmail messages
fully restored by the end of today. IT Show 2011
Promotions Sony Source http//vr-zone.com/articl
es/it-show-2011-promotions- sony/11400.html March
2nd, 2011 Sony will be at the IT Show
2011, which is happening from 10 to 13 March at
the Suntec City Convention Centre. Here are some
of their promotions at the Show.
March 2nd, 2011 However, fans of Microsoft and
Internet Explorer might want to holdtheir
horsesinstead of celebrating their newfound
gain inbrowsermarketshare.Thisisduetothefactthatth
eanalyst firm responsible for churning out the
results have claimed in an announcement that the
spike in IE's share was the cause of switching to
a new counting algorithm released by the
C.I.A. Unfortunately,thelackoffurtherdetailsfromNe
tmarketshare means that it is not possible to
determine whether Internet Explorer's sudden
spike in popularity is truly caused by more users
moving back to Internet Explorer (especially when
IE9's Release Candidate was only released
recently), or whether it is merely the result of
a simple adjustment to the way browser market
share is calculated. Still, it does
not change the fact that the numbers
reflect positively on Microsoft and Internet
Explorer for the month of February. After all, a
gain is still a gain, and with Microsoft having
demonstrated that it can produce a
standards- compliant browser with IE9, it may not
be that surprising to find out if the Redmond
giant is really starting to win more Internet
users back to its fold. Google fixes Gmail
issues, provides explanation for the freak
incident Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/googl
e-fixes-gmail-issues-provides- explanation-for-the
-freak-incident/11414.html March 2nd,
2011 Remember the little freak accident
caused by Google by some users woke up on Monday
only to find their Gmail accounts emptied of
all their messages? Well, it seems that
Google has managed to identify the culprit
responsible for the little incident, and has
issued a statement describing what actually
happened that day. On the plus side, the search
giant has also assured users that no data was
permanently wiped off the face of the virtual
world. Read on to find out more. Do you
remember the article we posted two days back
about some users logging into Gmail, only
to find out that every 12
13
March 2nd, 2011
Published by VR-Zone
Varies depending on each application Intel
Solid State Drive 320 Series to launch
mid-April Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/int
el-solid-state-drive-320-series-to- launch-mid-ap
ril/11407.html March 2nd, 2011 Sony
Electronics Asia Pacific has announced their
latest USB charger, which boasts 4,000 mAh
capacity. Sporting two USB ports, it allows
users to power up two mobile devices
The Intel Solid State Drive 320 Series, codenamed
'Postville Refresh', is the long-awaited
successor to the present mainstream X25-M.
The new SSDs are set to launch in mid- April.
simultaneously and was designed to for mobile
professionals. The Sony USB Charger
is also equipped with
USB Authentication software, allowing instant
charging with most USB powered devices such as
smart phones, mobile phones, Walkman, iPod,
iPad, portable game consoles as well
as upcoming models of Cybershot and Handycam
with USB power supply function. It features a
conventional AC input for fast charging
and comes with a detachable USB output module
with embedded Li-ion rechargeable battery for
portable power supply. Uses can detach and carry
just the USB output module when they need extra
power on-the-go for their mobile devices. The
USB Portable Power Supply CP-A2L will be
launched during IT Show 2011 at a suggested
retail price of S49.90 inclusive of GST.
Input Source Input Module Dimension (WxHxD mm)
AC 100-240 V 58 x 56 x 21.5
Weight No. of USB output ports Output
Source Output Module Output Module
Dimension (WxHxD mm) Weight USB
Authentication Detachable (Input/Output) Batteries
Capacity Charging Source Charging Time Cycle
Time Output Time (5V/1.0A constant)
45g 2 Standard USB 5V 0.5A per port for 2
ports or USB 5V 1.0A for high power output for 1
port only Li-ion rechargeable battery with USB
Standard Output 58 x 84.5 x 26.4 145g Yes Yes Li
-ion 4,000 mAh AC Approx. 5 hours 500 120 min
The 320 Series will be pushed as
'the fast hard drive alternative' with
performance and data reliability as two key focus
areas. Final performance figures and drive
lifespan are not available yet, but we do
expect them to be pretty much the same
as rumored specifications so far Apple iPad 2
Rumour Roundup Source http//vr-zone.com/articles
/apple-ipad-2-rumour- roundup/11413.html March
2nd, 2011 The moment we have been waiting
for in less than 24 hours to Apple's
announcement of the highly-anticipated iPad,
let's takeamomentandlookatwhataresomeofthethingswe
may expect of the upcoming iPad 2. 13
14
March 2nd, 2011 Literally months
and months of rumours have come about when
it comes to the upcoming iPad 2. While there are
many claims, only a few of them we feel that are
plausible and we have taken the liberty to
feature them here. iPad 2 body thinner and
lighter? Through many leaked cases made for the
upcoming iPad 2, as well as mockups seen at
Macworld, we can conclude that the successorwillfe
atureathinnershellthanthefirstborn.Ontop ofsheddin
gweightinthatslimmershell,itshouldfeatureaflat bac
k with sides tappering in. While the general
consensus is that it will be made of aluminium,
there is a rumour out there that the device will
be covered in carbon fiber to reduce the weight
and offers scratch resistant. One of the most
recent rumour is that the tablet may feature
a white face as seen in the leaked front bezel
found in China. If Apple do drop the whitey on
us, it would not be surpising for Apple to launch
it alongside a black version. No Retina but
better screen? Since the introduction of the
Retina screen on the iPhone 4, many have
expected Apple to incorporate that into
the next iPad. But this myth was debunked
by analysts and manufacturers as it would
require more juice and raw power to drive the
tablet. Instead, we believe that screen will
have the same size and resolution, but thinner
design (which gives the iPad 2 a thinner shell
too). Quality of the screen could be improved
too. The insides What's the point of including
the same power graphics, CPU and RAM in the newer
version? That's why many speculated that Apple
will be using a faster ARM Cortex A9-based
unit withdualcores.SomehavecalledthatA5,andsomeA8.
Guess we will only find out when it is officially
out. Cameras Many other tablet makers have
included cameras in their own versions and
Apple has been criticised for not including any.
With reference to FaceTime in the iOS 4.3
betas for iPad, and leaked iPad 2 cases with
camera holes on the back, we are extremely
certain that Apple will include a front and rear
camera for video-taking, photography and FaceTime
(for videoconferencing).Thefrontcameraissaidtobeof
thesame resolution to those found on the iPhone 4
(VGA-resolution). The back, on the other hand,
should feature a 3.2-megapixel camera that is
capable of recording HD videos.
Published by VR-Zone Storage It is sort of
Apple's tradition to bump up their
products' internal storage. But judging from the
sizes of current iPad and flash RAM prices, it
would be unlikely. We go with the guess that
Apple would stick to their offering of 16GB,
32GB and 64GB. Internal storage size will be
somewhat irrevelant if Apple really launch their
cloud-based iTunes and MobileMe. Holes With
closer analysis of the holes of the leaked iPad 2
cases, it can be said that Apple will
still retain its 30-pin iPod connector. Some
might argue that Apple is scrapping that due to
recent EU rulings. But we expect Apple to just go
around that issue with a 30-pin to micro-USB
adaptor. The large hole at the bottom left of the
iPad is expected to be a much superior
speaker. But the hole that raises
more questionsisthe"new"holeonthetopoftheiPad2case
s.Some say it is a mini DisplayPort, for easier
connectivity to HDTV screens. But it might be a
hybrid port featuring the recently released
Thunderbolt. It is unlikely to be a USB port. In
a nutshell... There are other rumours that
circles around the next iPad, but these are the
ones which we feel might actually come true
for iPad 2. To find out the truth, remember to
stay tuned to our coverage of Apple's media event
tomorrow. The Daily VR-Zone News Summary - 01
Mar 2011 Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/the-d
aily-vr-zone-news-summary--01- mar-2011/11408.html
March 2nd, 2011 Intoday'snewsroundupIntel'
sunlockedi7-2600Kprocessor gets reviewed AMD
claims that Intel's Thunderbolt
is 'just another proprietary interface',
Samsung is reportedly planning a Galaxy Tab
2 launch on March 22 Images of Apple's
iPad 2 appears to have been leaked out
before its official launch Our sister site
SGCafe has a quick hands on with the new Crysis 2
demo, and Thousands of PlayStation 3 consoles
have been seized in the EU, ostensibly due to
an ongoing dispute between LG and Sony over
Blu-ray copyright infringement claims Hardware
News Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro CPU Cooler
Review _at_ Legit Reviews Description The sound
level rating that Arctic Cooling used for the
Freezer 13 Pro is the Sone. The Sone is a
perceived level of sound it is not like
dB ratings. Since there is no direct
conversion, in a roundabout way, 0.4 Sone is
roughly equivalent to 24 dBA. Now the Scythe fans
I use in the test bench for top exhaust are rated
1200RPM and push 68.5 CFM at 24dBA. In my testing
I found the Freezer 13 Pros fans to 14
15
March 2nd, 2011 sound the same or quieter as the
Scythe fans I know I could not hear the Freezer
13 Pro over the Scythe fans... Increasing
processor efficiency by matching power
with demand Description As more and more devices
go mobile and these devices become more and more
powerful, chipmakers must also take the energy
efficiency into account. Harvard graduate student
Wonyoung Kim has developed and demonstrated
an on-chip, multi-core voltage regulator
(MCVR) that he says could allow the creation
of "smarter" smartphones, slimmer laptops and
more energy efficient data centers by more
closely matching the power supply to the demand
of the chip. Intel I7-2600K Sandybridge Processor
Review _at_ Tweaknews Description After several
weeks testing and trying out Intel's Core
i7-2600k Sandybridge processor, there isn't a
whole lot tosayotherthanit'srelativelycheap,it'sfa
standit'sextremely overclockable. When a
processor comes in just over US300 and is this
fast, NO ONE can complain Apevia X-Fit-100
Mini-ITX Case Review _at_Hi Tech Legion Description
One lucky case in the Mini-ITX market is
the Apevia X-Fit-100 Mini-ITX Case. The X-Fit-100
offers a slim profile and sleek look that
will work with any mini-ITX application.
There is enough space to fit a 2.5" hard
drive, slim optical drive, and a low profile PCI
card. The X-Fit-100 comes equipped with a Apevia
Flex ATX 250W power supply, which is more than
enough for a mini-ITX system. There are vents on
the top and sides that help expel heat and keep
the case quiet. The X-Fit-100 also has a sturdy
build, constructed from 0.7mm metal SECC. The
style and finish is black, which matches perfect
with most people's decor. ARM strikes
microcontroller licensing deals Description ARM
has announced two strategic partnerships in the
microcontroller (MCU) market with an
aim to strengthening ties and developing on the
technologies. Enermax ErPRO 80 -350W PSU Review
on Technic3D (German) Description (Machine
Translation) The Enermax ErPRO 80 -350W PSU
arrived Technic3D. See you in the
following Review from Technic3D the next PSU
with two 12V rails (17A), 120mm Twister Fan,
6x SATA hard disk connectors and 1x PCI-e
62-Pin. Seventeam V-Force 650w Preview -
XSReviews Description While we may have reviewed
this unit before and we may not be doing full PSU
reviews unless we have access to the proper
equipment, that doesn't stop us doing a
quick unboxing and feature analysis preview
right? So here we have the Seventeam V-Force 650w
ST-650Z-AF. Let's, you know, open the box and
look at it and stuff. " AMD Does Not Believe in
Intel's Thunderbolt. Description Advanced
Micro Devices, the second largest supplier of
x86 microprocessors on the globe and the
designer of half of the world's discrete
graphics adapters, said that Intel Corp.'s
recently introduced Thunderbolt
input/output technology will become just
another proprietary standard with not a lot
of chances to be adopted widely. The
chip designer also doubted that the TB actually
brings any tangible improvements.
Published by VR-Zone Consumer Electronics and
Software News Samsung To Launch 8.9-inch Galaxy
Tab on March 22? Description Samsung has
announced a special March 22 event where its
very likely to unveil a new, 8.9-inch version
of its Galaxy Tab tablet. Fujitsu shows off
wireless PC display at CeBIT Description Many
of us can now wirelessly stream images from
a computer to a screen over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
without too much trouble, but the display is
still inevitably powered by cables. At CeBIT
2011, Fujitsu is showing off a
working prototype of a 22-inch computer
display that receives both images and power
wirelessly. The power transfer is
made possible by magnetic induction
technology similar to Powermat chargers
that's concentrated into hotspots built into
office furniture or conference tables. OKI Adds a
Flair of Colour to its Dot Matrix Printer
Range Description Blisteringly fast,
printing up to 700cps (characters per
second) the ML5700eco Series is a range
of reliable,highperformancedesktopdotmatrixprinter
sallwith truly versatile paper handling and low
energy consumption. A first for OKI, the
ML5700eco Series incorporates a convenient front
paper feed to complement rear, bottom and top
paper inputs for maximum flexibility.
Included as standard is a multi-position
tractor feed unit to make feeding
continuous paper, single or multi-part, easy and
straightforward. Tobii unveils the worlds first
eye-controlled laptop Description Tobii
Technology today unveiled the worlds
first laptop with integrated eye control. The
prototype laptop has been developed in
collaboration with computer manufacturer Lenovo
and will be shown publicly for the first time at
CeBIT in Hannover, March 1-5. Antec SoundScience
Rockus 3D Speaker System _at_ Benchmark
Reviews Description Antec has dominated
the computer chassis market for more than
a decade, and with many of their customers
slowly converting to portable platforms it
makes good business sense to diversify the
product portfolio. Enter soundscience, a
subsidiary of Antec, that is dedicated
to audiophile-level products for use on
multiple platforms. The soundscience rockus 2.1
speaker system features 3Dsst sound technology,
which makes use of 3D-audio optimized solid
aluminum satellite drivers and an active
subwoofer with passive radiator to create an
extended low frequency response. In this
article, Benchmark Reviews tests the
Antec SoundScience Rockus 3D speaker system
against the Logitech Speaker System Z623 and see
how well it works for gaming consoles. Did The
iPad 2 Just Leak Out? DescriptionIsthistheiPad2?N
earlyeverythinglinesupwith the leaked info flat
back with tapered edges, speaker in the bottom
corner, camera up top. It even matches-up with
most of the leaked cases. If its not the real
thing, its a damn good render. Im sold. Gaming
News PS3 shipments halted in Europe as Sony, LG
fight over Blu- ray patent 15
16
March 2nd, 2011 DescriptionSony'scourttroublescur
rentlyinvolvemorethan just tracking down hackers.
According to a report from the Guardian,
shipments of PlayStation 3s are being
confiscated by European customs officers as Sony
fights a patent battle with LG over
Blu-ray. Quick Look Crysis 2 Multiplayer
Demo Description It is time to put on your
nanosuit and have a feel of Crysis 2 PC demo. The
PC multiplayer download is now available on the
official site, that offers 2 maps available
for online play. Pier 17 and Skyline. Valve is
Bringing Steam to the Living Room with Big
Picture Mode DescriptionPCgamersthatpreferplaying
videogamesonthe big screen will soon be able to
take Steam from their monitors to their
televisions. Valve announced its "big picture"
plan for Steam today, responding to consumer
requests to make the online gaming platform
available in more places. Read More
Published by VR-Zone instantly". You probably
noticed the above screenshot stating "The Next
Generation in Game Advertising". Well, that is
also part of what Gaikai do since it
provides a new video game advertising network
for publishers, developers, retailers
and affiliatesviaonlinegamedemosandsoftwareapps.We
ll,there is no free lunch in this world -
the company will need to sustain itself while
providing users like us with great
gaming experiences. At the moment, Gaikai is
currently in closed beta though you can sign up
for a beta invite and hopefully be chosen to try
out Gaikai. Gigabyte shows off early Z68 board
at CeBIT Source http//vr-zone.com/articles/gigab
yte-shows-off-early-z68-board-at- cebit/11411.html
March 2nd, 2011 Cloud-based gaming technology
Gaikai goes live Source http//vr-zone.com/articl
es/cloud-based-gaming-technology- gaikai-goes-live
/11410.html March 2nd, 2011 Not to be out
done by its competitors, Gigabyte was
also showing off an early Z68 board prototype at
CeBIT, although in this case it appears to be a
much earlier sample than its competitors were
displaying, at least judging by the blue
PCB, black sl