VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #24

April 26th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone

VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
were added, but the expansion slots offered and connector
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication placements are unchanged.
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
The Firewire and Super I/O controllers are now placed
near the front of the board. The MOSFET heatsinks for
First Looks: ASUS P8Z68-V the processor's voltage regulation module (VRM) have been
slightly re-designed as well.
PRO (Intel Z68 Express)
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-looks-asus-p8z68-v-pro-intel-z68-
express-/11972.html
April 26th, 2011

We had a visitor to our labs yesterday evening, the ASUS
P8Z68-V PRO motherboard. The P8Z68-V PRO uses Intel's
upcoming Z68 Express chipset, which primarily combines
features present in the current P67 Express and H67 Express
chipsets. While the media is not allowed to publish reviews (of
any Z68-based product) just yet, we can still share some details
Two switches at the right corner enable ASUS' Energy
of this new board.
Processing Unit (EPU) and TurboV Processing Unit (TPU).
We had a visitor to our labs yesterday evening, the ASUS The EPU is a real-time power saving and monitoring chip
P8Z68-V PRO motherboard. The P8Z68-V PRO uses Intel's that can detect workloads and intelligently moderate power
upcoming Z68 Express chipset, which primarily combines consumption, while the TPU will overclock the system for you
features present in the current P67 Express and H67 Express by raising the BCLK and processor multiplier automatically.
chipsets. In this short preview, we take a look at what this new
Memory power supply is regulated via a 2-phase VRM.
board has to offer.
There are two pairs of DIMM slots for dual-channel memory
configuration.

Compared to the P8P67 PRO, some components may have
moved about printed circuit board (PCB) and a few more
The four light blue and two grey SATA ports are linked to the
Intel Z68 Express chipset. The light blue ones support SATA

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3Gbps and the grey ones SATA 6Gbps. The two dark blue SATA
ports are also SATA 6Gbps-capable, but they are connected to
a third-party Marvell controller.
A USB 3.0 front panel header, linked to an ASMedia ASM1042
ASRock's Z68 Extreme4
SuperSpeed USB Host Controller, can be found to the right of motherboard smiles for the
the eight SATA ports. As ASMedia is a subsidary of ASUS, it
comes as no surprise that there are quite a number of ASMedia camera
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-s-z68-extreme4-motherboard-
components on the P8Z68-V PRO.
smiles-for-the-camera/11976.html
April 26th, 2011

We're getting very close to the launch of Z68 chipset
based motherboards now and details of the first boards are
already starting to arrive en masse. A picture of ASRock's Z68
Extreme4 motherboard has turned up over at TechPowerUp
and we're looking at a pretty feature packed board that has a
couple of interesting things of note.

Apart from the USB 3.0 front panel header, there are another
We're getting very close to the launch of Z68 chipset based
three sets of (blue) headers for six USB 2.0 ports and two
motherboards now and details of the first boards are already
(black) ones for two Firewire ports.
starting to arrive en masse. A picture of ASRock's Z68
Just right behind the row of headers, there are three chips. Extreme4 motherboard has turned up over at TechPowerUp
The ASMedia ASM1083 (partially hidden) is a PCI Express x1 and we're looking at a pretty feature packed board that has a
to 32-bit PCI bridge, Firewire is provided by VIA's VT6308P couple of interesting things of note.
2-port IEEE 1394 host controller and the last one is a Nuvoton
The base configuration is actually quite similar to that of Asus'
NCT6776F LPC Super I/O IC.
P8Z68-V Pro as both boards have three x16 PCI Express slots
in a dual x8 and one x4 configuration, as well as two x1 PCI
Express slots and two PCI slots. Both boards also feature a
pair of additional SATA 6Gbps ports as well as on-board power
and reset buttons. However, things start to look up for ASRock
once we take a look at the rear I/O as the Z68 Extreme4 is
loaded to the brim with features here.
For starters and maybe most importantly to a Z68 board is the
fact that we have a DisplayPort, an HDMI port, a DVI port and
a D-sub connector here, although only two of them can be used
simultaneously. Then we have a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports,
and eSATA port, a FireWire port, two USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit
Ethernet, 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out and even
a clear CMOS button. The only thing potentially missing here
would be a Bluetooth dongle, but we can manage without it.
A total of seven expansion slots here: three PCI Express x16
slots, two PCI Express x1 slots and two PCI slots.
Only the first PCI Express x16 slot in dark blue is capable of
the full x16 link.; the grey colored one can provide only an x8
link while the black one a maximum of x4.
However, as PCI Express bandwidth from the Z68 Express
chipset is limited, the default setting in the BIOS is an x1
configuration for the black slot. (First two PCI Express x16
slots are connected directly to the processor.) Alternatively,
the user can force 'x4 mode' on the black slot but that will
result in the USB 3.0 front header, eSATA ports and both PCI
Express x1 slots to be disabled.

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ASRock has also added support for a pair of front USB 3.0 Seedonk's website and after that you can access it easily via the
ports, just like Asus, but ASRock has gone for host controllers simple app without any need of entering IP addresses or any
from Etron rather than ASMedia if it makes any difference. other kind of hassle.
The rest of the front connectors include three headers for six
USB 2.0 ports (one designed to work with ASRock's Smart
Remote), a FireWire header and for some reason a parallel and
serial port header which we don't really think is of much use
on a board like this. We're also curios about the inclusion of a
PLX bridge chip as ASRock is using an ASMedia PCI Express
to PCI bridge, so the PLX bridge is intended for something to
do with the PCI Express peripherals.
Overall so far this looks like one of the better Z68 boards for
anyone that's looking at taking advantage of the video out
options on offer as ASRock hasn't cut any corners here. It's not
hard to see why ASRock has gained the number three spot in
the motherboard market space, as the company is starting to
make some really appealing motherboards with overall good You have full camera control via the Seedonk app and it works
features. with Compro's PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) cameras as well. On top
of that you can share your video feeds with anyone that uses
Compro shows off new, easy the Seedonk app so you could actually use your IP camera
as a high-end webcam as well, as the Seedonk Windows app
to use home security IP also doubles as an IM client. There are of course also mobile
cameras apps available for both iOS and Android based devices which
mean that you can easily access your IP camera on devices that
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/compro-shows-off-new-easy-to-use- generally don't work with well with most IP cameras. Seedonk
home-security-ip-cameras/11975.html also offers a cloud based DVR service where you can have your
April 26th, 2011 surveillance videos stored for you.

If you're concerned about your home security, or just want to
be able to check in at home from time to time over the web,
an IP camera is a good way of doing this. However, most of
them aren't that easy to use unless you're tech savvy, or at least
that used to be the case. Compro was showing off its new range
of IP cameras for home use at Secutech and it has partnered
up with a new service that makes it as easy to access your IP
cameras as it is to use an online messaging service.
Compro was also showing off a new model called the IP55G
If you're concerned about your home security, or just want to which supports 3G dongles for places where a wired or wireless
be able to check in at home from time to time over the web, internet connections isn't available. The 3G connection isn't
an IP camera is a good way of doing this. However, most of intended to be used in lieu of an always on broadband
them aren't that easy to use unless you're tech savvy, or at least connection, but rather as a means of accessing the camera
that used to be the case. Compro was showing off its new range feed remotely when needed. As such the IP55G doesn't stream
of IP cameras for home use at Secutech and it has partnered video constantly over the 3G connection as you'd normally do
up with a new service that makes it as easy to access your IP with an IP camera; instead it keeps the 3G connection live and
cameras as it is to use an online messaging service. only streams video when accessed. The trick here is that the
IP55G has a built in micro SD card slot like many of Compro's
Normally using an IP camera involves accessing it remotely other cameras and you can use this as the recording media if
via an IP address to watch the video stream, but Compro there's a need to constantly record video on an offsite location
has teamed up with Seedonk to use its very simple utility to that lacks a broadband connection.
access its cameras. The Seedonk software looks by an online
messaging app by all intents and purposes, although it's tied
in with Seedonk's online service which is also required for it
all to work. The idea here is that you sign up to Seedonk's
online service which offers a free basic service and a paid
for premium service. You then set up your camera once via

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Description: The factory-overclocked 6870 IceQ X Turbo X
and HIS Radeon HD 6850 IceQ X Turbo have upgraded
coolers and are meant to be the fastest 6850 and 6870 graphics
cards available out of the box -- albeit at a premium price. The
6870 IceQ X Turbo X is currently retailing for $250, while
the 6850 IceQ X Turbo costs $190. Being the inquisitive type,
we're determined to see if the extra fee is worthwhile.
Sentey Arvina GS-6400B Full Tower Case Review @Hi Tech
Legion
Description: The Sentey Arvina is a feature packed full-tower
gaming case. The Arvina full-tower case is part of Sentey’s
Extreme Division line and comes in red, blue or black. The
Sentey Arvina supports the latest dual-GPU video cards and
Compro offers a wide range of rather compelling consumer the largest aftermarket heatsinks. To keep system components
oriented IP cameras, of which most have features such as two- in optimal thermal condition, the Sentey Arvina comes out of
way audio (for building access usage), motion detection, micro the box with six fans pre-installed, which can be turned off
SD card video recording and simple Wi-Fi upgradability via a through a fan controller at the top. Users can also connect
USB dongle. Some of the higher-end models also support IR an eSATA enclosure or a SATA HDD through an external
LEDs for night usage, power over Ethernet, H.264 video and extension on the top I/O module of the Sentey Arvina.
of course PTZ, although only its top of the range model has
Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 1GB DDR5 DX 11 Video Card
optical zoom. Now if we could just think of a reason why we'd
Review @Hi Tech Legion
need one of these…
Description: The Radeon HD 6670 looks to take over its
predecessor's, the 5670, position in the market. With the
The Daily VR-Zone News 6670, we get an increase in architecture that boosts computing
performance. The core clock is set to 800 MHz and the
Summary - 26 April 2011 memory 1GHz, 4GHz effective. Onboard memory for the HD
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--26- 6670 equals 1GB of 128-bit GDDR5. There is an increased
april-2011/11971.html SIMD core, giving a total of 480 stream processors and 24
April 26th, 2011 texture units. Similar to the previous generation, there are 32
Z/Stencil ROP units and 8 color ROP units. The 6670 has
support for DX11, Eyefinity, and AMD App Acceleration.
Kingston sees stable DRAM prices, slight NAND supply
constraints
In today's news roundup: ARM is reportedly next in line to Description: Contract prices for DRAM chips are set to be
support OpenCL, which means that the standard is now being flat in the current second quarter of 2011, and will likely
officially backed by all major CPU and GPU manufacturers; trend upward in the third and fourth quarters, according to
AMD hints at what might eventually be a partnership with Kingston Technology. Kingston said it has so far seen little
the likes of ARM in its upcoming software developers impact on the worldwide DRAM industry supply chain from
conference; Sony has announced two "Sony Tablet' that will the recent disasters in Japan. There are rumors of shortages
reportedly be optimized for multimedia and productivity and of manufacturing-use raw materials, such as silicon wafers,
will run off Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system; The circulating in the market.
Samsung Galaxy S II tablet gets reviewed; Nintendo has finally
ARM jumps in to OpenCL with both CPU and GPUs
announced its Wii successor that will be unveiled in 2012, and
Description: It looks like ARM is jumping aboard the OpenCL
A new demo of Star Ocean showing off the game's "out of this
train, meaning all the major players are now behind the
world" graphics engine has been released.
standard. It may not sound like all that big a deal, but it is,
Hardware news OpenCL is now officially supported top to bottom.
ASUS E35M1-I Deluxe Motherboard Review @ Vortez AMD Hints at Possible ARM Partnership
Description: That drive to produce excellence no matter what Description: AMD will be holding its first software developers
the product has helped them to secure an enviable reputation conference, the AMD Fusion Developer Summit, from June 13
as one of the PC world's top manufacturers. Even the HTPC to 16. The purpose of the event is, we were told, to educate
market is in their sights with ASUS aiming squarely at the developers how to take advantage of AMD's hardware, which
compact home cinema market with their brand new E35M1- would be primarily its APUs. However, AMD also said that
I Deluxe. Using the ultra compact ITX form factor the board it would be releasing some information about its next-gen
packs a truck load of current features like USB 3.0, SATA GPUs and how they can interact with software. The really
6.0Gbps (courtesy of AMD's Hudson M1 chipset) and AMD's interesting part of this conference is the fact that AMD sends
low power Zacate E350 dual core processor. out announcements highlight one of the big keynote speakers,
HIS Radeon HD 6850 & 6870 IceQ X Turbo Crossfire Review ARM's Jem Davies.
Corsair Obsidian 650D review

4


Description: We review the Corsair Obsidian 650D. And yeah, forking the OpenOffice code base. Conflicts in the version
they stripped away the removable front drive bays, made the numbering is causing confusion.
chassis smaller and boom, the Obsidian 650D was born. A Dell's New Mobile Workstations: These Are The Laptops
chassis that is just as impressive as its bigger brother the 800D You're Looking For
really. Description: Having had the chance to check out Toshiba's and
Consumer Electronics and Software news HP's impending enterprise-class notebooks, more and more
I'm convinced spending up is the way to go when it comes to
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Sigma Headset Review
Description: Today we are looking at the Sound Blaster Tactic buying a notebook that both looks and feels like quality. While
Dell's Precision notebooks are still a little boxy and aren't
3D Sigma, which most notably uses the company's famous
quite the ladykillers the new HP EliteBooks are, there's still
Sound Blaster name in order to swing attention away from
something very austere and functional about them that puts
competition and towards this product. Nothing really exiting
consumer-grade laptops from any manufacturer to shame. If
with regards to the specifications list except that Creative
you're one of the people that didn't much care for Dell's new
has chosen to use a large 50mm driver like much of the
XPS line, these may be for you.
competition. This large driver allows for greater mid range
extension and clarity while providing an overall bigger sound Android 2.3.4 rumored adding GTalk video chat support
from the headset. Description: The next update for Google’s Android 2.3.4 for
smartphones is rumored to be adding Google Talk with video
Google Gmail Speeds Up with Background Sending
chat support. An alleged Samsung employee with the Twitter
Description: The concept is fairly straightforward: rather than
profile @MAFiA303 has tweeted that they have used the
clicking send and waiting for a message to shoot off to the
feature on the Nexus S, equipped with the yet to be released
intended recipient, you can click send and move on right away
Gingerbread 2.3.4. The features is expected to be officially
while Google worries about getting your message through
unveiled at Google’s I/O developer conference scheduled in
the wires. If any issues arise with sending the message, a
the next two weeks.
notification will appear at the top of the screen, prompting the
Gmail user to pop back and resolve the problem (e.g., wrong Gaming news
email address, internet connection timed out, etc.). Otherwise, Nintendo Sees Profit Falling 66%, Announces Wii Successor
the user will get a notification once the message has officially For 2012
been sent. Description: Nintendo posted a new financial report today,
Sony Announces Optimally Designed “Sony Tablet” with and in a nutshell, things aren’t looking too good. The
Android 3.0 that Complements Network Services for an company’s net profit dropped a whopping 66% to $944 million
Immersive Entertainment Experience in the fiscal year that ended March 31, compared with $2.78
Description: Sony Corporation (“Sony”), announces “Sony billion in the same period a year earlier. Revenue in the same
Tablet” that delivers the perfect combination of hardware, time frame fell 29.3% to $12.2 billion.
content and network with seamless usability for a high- Five Things That Will Surprise You About Prey 2
quality, engaging entertainment experience. Based on decades Description: Bethesda Softworks recently invited members
of engineering heritage, Sony is developing two tablets with of the gaming press to Park City, Utah, where the publisher
unprecedented design, including S1 (codename) which is revealed some of the games it plans to release in the coming
optimized for rich media entertainment and S2 (codename) year. Among those games was Prey 2 -- a follow-up to the long-
which is ideal for mobile communication and entertainment. delayed 2006 shooter Prey, from developer Human Head. But
“Sony Tablet” will become available in the global market Prey 2 isn't quite the game any of us expected. Here are the five
starting in fall 2011. biggest surprises that Prey 2 has in store for fans.
Samsung Galaxy S II - Thin @ Computing on Demand Star Ocean developer's real-time graphics demo is out of this
Description: Samsung is doing a good job at hyping us up for world
their Galaxy S II Android powered smart phone. The Galaxy S Description: This video shows off the new graphics engine
II is impossibly thin at just 8.49 mm and still manages to pack created by Star Ocean dev tri-Ace to great effect. While not
a 4.3" Super AMOLED screen. Meanwhile, the thin design based on any existing game (or future title), it does feature
doesn't look like it will inhibit processing power as the phone clever cameos by a couple recognizable characters -- and looks
comes with a Dual Core processor accompanied by 16/32GB absolutely stunning...
of memory. With all the excitement surrounding the second
iteration of the Galaxy phone, I can only hope that the cell
phone carriers will not cripple this as they did with the first Targus new 360-degree
series...
Open Office and Libre Office duel over versioning
rotating case/stand for the
Description: During all of the fuss over Oracle’s (NASDAQ: Apple iPad 2
ORCL) announcement that it intends to move OpenOffice to a Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/targus-new-360-degree-rotating-
community based project, the release of OpenOffice 3.4 Beta casestand-for-the-apple-ipad-2/11973.html
1 flew under most people’s radar. This is the first beta release
since The Document Foundation split from the OpenOffice
project, and released the competing Libre Office suite by

5


April 26th, 2011 6.Inforcom Technologies - Funan Ctr #04-20
7.istudio - Change Alley, Changi T3, Novena, Orchard
Central, Paragon, Plaza Singapura
8.Multimedia Integrated – Funan Ctr #05-06/08
9.PK Computer - Funan Ctr #04-07

Targus has launched their complete and unique range of Apple 10.South Asia Computer - Funan Ctr #03-01
iPad 2 accessories including the first-of-its-kind 360-degree 11.Sprint-Cass - Changi T1 to T3
rotating case/stand (THZ045AP) . The THZ045AP is a unique
stand that can be used in portrait and landscape orientations.
HTC Flyer coming to
Singapore in May
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-flyer-coming-to-singapore-in-
may/11968.html
April 26th, 2011

HTC held a media event today to unveil their highly
anticipated Android tablet, the HTC Flyer. The HTC Flyer is
Targus has launched their extensive and innovative range of scheduled to be available in May. Read on for the coverage.
iPad2 products. The company claims to offer an enhanced and
advanced range of products for the Apple iPad 2 that comes in
a gamut of silhouettes, colors, materials, functionalities.
Part of the range includes the 360-degree rotating stand/case
(THZ045AP). A unique dual function 360-degree rotating case
and stand.
As a case, the form-fitting design securely holds iPad2. The
hard-shell exterior provides a sturdy, protective cover, while
the microfiber faux suede interior stylishly lines and protects
the iPad 2 against scratches.
It is also a unique stand that allows presentation or use in both
portrait and landscape orientations. The two-in-one case/
stand creatively frames the Apple logo and allow users to rotate
the iPad 2 vertically and horizontally inside the case. Wayne Tang, product manager of HTC Singapore, says that the
company did well in 2010 with sales of 25 million handsets,
The case/stand features three different viewing angles, and the which is double the figure shipped the year before, and
easily accessible ports and buttons to ensure optimal hands- revenue grew 93% while the global brand awareness grew
free viewing comfort and convenience. more than 50% as compared to 18 months ago whereby the
Suggested Retail Price: S$99.90 number was 15%. Tang also introduced the new HTC Flyer, the
manufacturer's first Android tablet with HTC Sense.
Available at
"One thing that really sets HTC devices from other devices on
1.Targus® Boutique - Funan Ctr #05-09
the market today, is the great experience you get with HTC
2.Apple Shop @ Best Denki - Century Sq, City Sq, Compass Pt, Sense. Today, we are expanding the experience of HTC Sense
Great World City, IMM, Junction 8, Parkway Parade, Plaza from smartphone, to tablet. And with the new Sense, the HTC
Singapura, Takashimaya, Vivo City Flyer features an immersive 3D user experience that brings
3.Challenger - Ang Mo Kio Hub, Bedok Pt, Clementi Mall, to life, all your favorite content - weather, email and even
Eastpoint, Funan Ctr, Hougang Mall, IMM, Jurong Pt, Nex, ebooks."
Parkway Parade, Plaza Singapura, Sembawang, Tampines Tang then introduced the HTC Scribe technology that is
1, Thomson Plaza, Tiong Bahru Plaza, United Square, Vivo incorporated the tablet which lets users take notes, draw
City, White Sands pictures, or scribble using a special Magic pen, and you can
4.EpiCentre - 313 Somerset, Bugis, ION Orchard, Marina Bay save or share with friends.
Sands, Suntec City, Wheelock Place In addition, the HTC Flyer will come with HTC Watch that
5.Infinite - Millenia Walk #01-108, Vivo City #02-11 allows users to watch Hollywood movies on the fly and the

6


service is scheduled to be available in Q4 this year. Good
news is, the tablet which is selling next month, will come with
HTC Watch Lite that enables you to watch movie trailers.
The company is still negotiating with OnLive gaming, to offer
cloud-based gaming in Singapore. OnLive gaming is currently
available in the US.

The HTC Flyer comes with the magic pen that lets you write
or draw on the display, even on the home page. According to
HTC, the pen uses a single 4A battery.
So how much is the HTC Flyer? It is priced at S$1,068 before
telco subsidies. Quite expensive compared to the Motorola
Xoom which run Android 3.0 and with a retail price of S
The HTC Flyer has a aluminium unibody and feels solid. It is a $888. However, the company says that the HTC Flyer will be
7-inch tablet which is similar size to the Samsung Galaxy Tab upgradeable to Android 3.0 with the HTC Sense UI, though no
that was launched in November last year. word as to when the upgrade will be available.

NVIDIA Quadro Success
Stories
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-quadro-success-
stories/11970.html
April 26th, 2011

NVIDIA has a very successful Quadro line-up based on
There aren't many physical buttons on the HTC Flyer. On the
Fermi architecture from the very high end like Quadro 6000,
right are the volume controls.
5000 and all the way down to their value solutions like
Quadro 600 and 400. Today, we bring you two of the many
success stories of NVIDIA Quadro and they are Mars-500
and Bandito Brothers. Mars-500 is an international virtual
space expedition that simulates a manned flight to Mars. The
main aims of the project are to study medical, biological,
psychological, technical and organizational aspects of an
actual, planned long-run interplanetary expedition, as well as
train the crew. With the help of NVIDIA Quadro, they are able
to simultaneously render complex landscapes, various special
effects (dust storms, meteorite showers) and correctly manage
moving objects like the Mars-rovers. As for Bandito Brothers,
it is a L.A. based filmaker who specializes in using technology
to create authentic action/adventure content. With the help
The power button and 3.5mm audio jack are at the top, of NVIDIA Quadro, Bandito Brothers is able to edit its work
while the 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and capable of in real-time and at full-scale resolution.
capturing 720p high definition videos is at the rear. There is The future is now with NVIDIA Quadro
also a 1.3-megapixel front camera for video conferencing.
NVIDIA technology delivers real-time, virtual reality for the
interplanetary expedition crew of “Mars-500”

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In order to fulfill take off and landing, and model the
cosmonauts’ and astronauts’ activity on the Mars surface,
JCSI created a 3D, interactive, 10x10 km virtual model of the
Red planet’s surface, equipping one of the modules of the
terrestrial experimental suite with a virtual reality modeling
system.

The international virtual space expedition, “Mars-500,”
composed of 6 cosmonauts and astronauts from Russia, the
European Union and China, started on June 3, 2010, and
has just reached a new milestone this month (February 2011).
Last June, the state research center of the Institute of the
Medical and Biological Problems of RAS (IMPB) started a
520-day international experiment, simulating a manned flight
to Mars. The main aims of the project are to study medical, This powerful system utilizes a professional workstation
biological, psychological, technical and organizational aspects equipped with a pair of NVIDIA Quadro professional
of an actual, planned long-run interplanetary expedition, as graphics processing units (GPUs), which render real-time
well as train the crew. complex interactive graphics scenes on two 26”, high-
resolution monitors (running at 1920?1200). Depending on
the application* these monitors display control panels of
moving objects, including: the takeoff and landing suite;
automatic and manned Mars-rovers; 3D animated models
of spacemen, and more. In addition, the display also shows
information on the external environment, which reflects
the main features of the Mars landscape—low natural
illumination, dust storms and other atmospheric phenomena
unique to Mars.

“NVIDIA’s Quadro professional graphics were chosen
to solve the complex problems of real-time processing
and visualization of the 3D environment,” said Evgeny
To achieve these goals, NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics Chernyakov, CEO of JCSI. “The model we created is intended
solutions, with their massively parallel processing capabilities, to simultaneously render complex landscapes, various special
have become an important component of modeling and effects (dust storms, meteorite showers) and correctly manage
displaying the virtual reality of the flight to the ‘red planet.’ moving objects like the Mars-rovers. Chernyakov concludes,
“Such problems can be solved only with a top visualization
solution, such as NVIDIA Quadro. We achieved great results,
pushing the limits of visualization.”
The landing portion of the virtual expedition, which started
240 days after the flight began last June, is one of the key
aspects of the project. When the expedition reached the near- In addition to utilizing NVIDIA Quadro pro graphics, the
Mars orbit on February 12th, three crewmen moved to the workstation is connected to a full-color helmet display system
take-off and landing suite, where they carried out the landing with a ‘head attitude position sensor,’ which lets the user
to the Mars surface, and will be conducting research studies feel like he’s inside a spacesuit. Various interactive tasks are
on the planet the rest of this month. done with two multifunctional joysticks, including: choosing
required tools, selecting soil samples, and placing scientific
instruments on the field.
Helping with the project is JCSI Group, Russia’s largest
provider of broadcast automation, computer graphics and
digital movie services, which also develops and deploys The cosmonauts and astronauts in orbit also took part in the
real-time, 3D visualization technologies, virtual reality and project’s Mars landing with NVIDIA 3D Vision stereoscopic
industrial design. viewing technology. A part of the content prepared for the 3D
virtual reality model was copied to their notebook PCs. This
is useful in providing high quality, 3D stereoscopic images to

8


deliver the required level of psychophysiological stress as part the machine, as the system automatically recognizes faster
of the research study. memory speed with no further BIOS settings required. Users
will notice performance gains as overclocking is automatic
with the HyperX Plug and Play modules. In addition, the
*3D models of virtual reality, natural effects, spacemen, rovers modules are backwards compatible with previously released
and others were created using software from Presagis, DI-Guy, DDR3 systems on the market.
CMLabs Vortex, and DiSTI.

“The HyperX engineering team has been thoroughly
MARS-500 Virtual Reality (photos and video) – http:// innovative in designing a memory module that automatically
mars500.jcsi.ru/gallery.html raises performance with no overclocking steps required,”
said Ann Bai, DRAM Memory Sales Director, APAC Region,
Kingston. “By using JEDEC-compliant settings to create
Other useful links: performance timings, enthusiasts can max out native
frequencies on current Sandy Bridge systems and older DDR3
machines.”

Kingston HyperX Plug and
Play (PnP) Series Announced HyperX Plug and Play is available through Kingston’s channel
of authorized distributors, resellers, and retailers. Kingston
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kingston-hyperx-plug-and-play-pnp- HyperX memory is backed by a lifetime warranty and free
series-announced/11969.html technical support. For more detailed product information
April 26th, 2011 please visit the Kingston Web site at www.kingston.com/asia.

Kingston today announced the new HyperX Plug and Play
(PnP) series of high-performance enthusiast memory specially
for Sandy Bridge chipset in both desktop and notebooks.
The memory SPD is pre-programmed with faster frequencies
of either 1600MHz or 1866MHz so when 'plugged' in, it
will automatically 'play' at that speeds without the need to
overclock or tune from the BIOS.

Xbox 360: Portal 2 Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/xbox-360-portal-2-review/11955.html
April 26th, 2011

Hsinchu, Taiwan -- April 26, 2011 -- Kingston Technology
Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory
products, today announced the new HyperX Plug and Play Portal 2 is the sequel to its acclaimed predecessor back in
(PnP) series of high-performance enthusiast memory. HyperX 2007. The first-person action puzzle game has grown from
PnP are the first modules to scale the higher memory heights a single-player campaign to include a co-operative gameplay
that are a part of the second generation Intel Core i5 and i7 which is equally, if not, more challenging than the single-
CPUs. The memory is programmed with faster frequencies and player campaign. How good is this game ? Let us make the
when ‘plugged’ into a system using the Sandy Bridge chipset, jump into the portal to find out
will automatically ‘play’ at either 1600MHz or 1866MHz in
both desktop and notebook PCs.

The modules are programmed using JEDEC-compliant
settings, allowing 1600MHz and 1866MHz frequency support.
It is as simple as plugging in the memory and turning on

9


wakes you up and tries to be friendly and at most occasions,
wacky.

Returning to the facility will be filled with many surprises, the
area is in a wreck and you will eventually run into GlaDOS,
the 'female' anatagonist in Portal 1. She calls you a monster for
ruining her life but she will be put the past behind her in the
name of science.

The usual tests will continue with growing intensity since you
had returned to be her test subject once again. Very often,
she will throw junvenile insults at you using her signature
Portal 2 is available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 malevonlent tone. She bitches quite a lot as an AI but she is
consoles and PC (via retail copy and Steam) more complex than you think and you will learn to love her
during the course of your game.

From the story standpoint, Portal 2 is a remarkable
achievement, packed with brillaint voice acting and characters
(or robots) with depth. Gameplay-wise, Portal 2 puts you back
in Aperature Laboratories again with a twist.

Many things have changed, from a squeaking clean facility
to a ruined surroudings beyond repair with crumbling walls
and overgrown fauna. The Portal Gun is still your trusty
companion which you will learn to use in the current dynamic
environment.
The console versions are published by Electronic Arts (EA)
The original Portal came with 19 missions, each filled with
various puzzles to solve before you make your escape from You don't need complicated puzzles to ramp up the difficulty,
GLaDOS, an AI existance that administrates the Aperature the dynamic changes in the puzzle will often leave you stumped
Laboratories who is pretty much "omni-potent". Well, that is and pressed for time to make desperatre choices. Having
untill you tear her piece by piece and throwing them into the said that, the new mechanics added to Portal 2 makes the
incinerator. entire puzzle solving session more fun and mind-boggling as
well. There are mirror cubes which can be used for redirecting
lasers to unlock doors or trigger certain mechanisms. Light
Many questions were left unanswered in the ending until now bridges are also the new tools of the game that can be
redirected using your portal gun to reach different places.

The sequel sets you in perspective with events taking place
Later in the game, there is yet another but an interesting tool
after the original story, your name is Chell and returning to
which you will use. They are gels or blobs of different colours
Aperature Laboratories will not be a walk in the park. Your
that splatter onto the floor that produce different effects.
journey will be accompanied by Wheatley, a metal sphere who

10


There are three colours: blue, orange and white. The white gel April 26th, 2011
is the most basic; it paints the surface white which allows you
to create a portal. The blue gel creates a surface you can bounce
off, while orange gel grants you an acceleration boost when you
run on it.

After much anticipated wait, Nikon D5100 is real and official.
Product availability and prices will be announced at a later
date but let us look at the official specs. Update: The Nikon
D5100 is available from today, at S$1,199 with AF-S DX
NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens.

The Excursion Funnel defies gravity

Another feature is the Excursion Funnel, glowing tunnels that
transports you on a straight path. They defy laws of physics in
their path so imagine the possibilites when you create a portal
with the funnel running through it.
Update: The Nikon D5100 is available from today, at S$1,199
with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens.
The explorable surroundings have grown larger, some of the
environments are filled with various environmental obstacles, Nikon announces the D5100 Digital SLR camera, introducing
forcing you to look around for a solution. It is amazing that new features and upgraded specifications as compared to its
Valve has created incredibly made surroundings that focus predecessor.
on thinking while making a well-paced story with plenty of The D5100 will come with Nikon’s latest CMOS image sensor
humour. No thanks to GlaDOS and her new dose of sarcarstic and the new EXPEED 2 image-processing engine. The updated
quotes. sensor will bump the effective megapixel count to 16.1, the
same that was found in Nikon D7000. The camera adds a
new High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature that captures two
You will come to understand the events in Portal and the shots of varying exposure each time the shutter-release button
eventual happenings in Portal 2 that brings about a surprise is pressed, and then combines the two shots into a single image
ending. with a broad dynamic range.

A tip to our gamers is to observe the surroundings and The D5100 another new feature known as the "Effects mode"
objects carefully which gives you hints on what happened in found on the Mode selection dial which is essentially special
Aperature Laboratories and also the unseen character's (Rat effects applied on images and videos. A total of seven
man) doings. You will want to try the "Zoom" function to special effects, including Selective Color and Color Sketch are
observe the far surroundings. included.

The single player campaign should clock an estimated eight to Night Vision is another feature which ramps up the ISO to
nine hours of gameplay, a huge leap than the original classic 102400 which enables shooting under conditions of darkness
but what happens after that ? Cooperative gameplay comes while verifying the subject and composition in the monitor
into play (this feature shoots in JPEG format and in black and white.
RAW recording is not possible)
Nikon D5100 Digital SLR
Camera Announced Visibility has been increased with the large 3-inch display
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nikon-d5100-digital-slr-camera- found on the D5100 that has approximately 921k-dot high-
announced/11802.html resolution that supports viewing on various angles.

11


Nikon adopts a side hinge for the vari-angle monitor that
prevents the monitor from hitting the tripod when it is opened
while the camera is mounted on a tripod.
Specification Chart
Type Single-lens reflex digital
The vari-angle monitor opens from 0 to180° to the side, and
camera
can be rotated up to 90°clockwise and up to 180° counter-
clockwise when it is open. Say yes to self-portraits. Lens mount Nikon F mount (with AF
contacts)
Effective pixels 16.2 million
Image sensor 23.6 X 15.6 mm CMOS sensor
mage size (pixels) • 4,928 X 3,264 (L)
• 3,696 X 2,448 (M)
• 2,464 X 1,632 (S)
File format 1) NEF(RAW), 2)JPEG,
3)NEF(RAW)+JPEG
Media SD (Secure Digital) memory
cards *1
SDHC, and SDXC memory
cards
Frame advance rate Up to 4 fps *2
ISO sensitivity ISO 100 – 6400 in steps
of 1/3 EV. Can also be set
Additional Features and Functions to approx. 0.3, 0.7, 1, or 2
EV (ISO 25600 equivalent)
- High-speed continuous shooting at up to approximately 4 fps
above ISO 6400; auto ISO
and a very precise and
sensitivity control available
durable shutter unit that has passed testing for 100,000 cycles Movie Frame size (pixels) and frame
rate :
- Equipped with Quiet shutter-release mode for shooting in • 1,920 X 1,080, 30 p/25
situations in which quieter shutter p/24 p, high/normal
operation is desired. Infrared receivers for remote control • 1,280 X 720, 30 p/25
operation on the front and back of the camera enable wireless p/24 p, high/normal
control over the shutter from both in front of and behind the
camera (optional • 640 X 424, 30 p/25
p, high/normal
ML-L3 wireless remote control supported).
A frame rate of 30 p (actual
frame rate 29.97 fps) is
- Equipped with 16 scene modes that enable the simple capture available when NTSC is
of beautiful photos of the selected for video mode.
desired scene with automatic optimization of camera settings 25 p is available when PAL
is selected for video mode.
Actual frame rate when 24 p
- Built-in HDMI-CEC compatibility enables control over is selected is 23.976 fps.
playback of still images and movies File format/Video
using the television's remote control when the camera is compression:
connected to a high-definition TV
MOV, H.264/MPEG-4
via the HDMI connector. Advanced Video Coding

Audio recording device:
- HD movie recording and editing
Built-in monaural or external
stereo microphone; sensitivity
1Manual focus, M or S mode, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster,
adjustable
and other settings at default values
Monitor 3-in., approx. 921k-dot
(VGA), vari-angle low-

12


temperature polysilicon TFT
LCD with 170° viewing angle,
approx. 100% frame coverage,
and brightness adjustment
Power source Battery : One rechargeable Li-
ion EN-EL14 battery
AC adapter : EH-5b AC
adapter; requires EP-5A
power connector (available
separately)
Dimensions (approx.) 128 X 97 X 79 mm
(W×H × D)
Weight (approx.) 510 g without battery,
memory card, or body cap The Android-powered HTC Incredible S that has made
560 g with battery and waves since its recent inception for its superb design and
memory card but without mobile experience now looks set to turn the heat up on the
body cap competition draped in a striking new red finish.
Major supplied accessories EN-EL14 rechargeable Li- The HTC Incredible S brings the HTC Sense experience and
ion battery, MH-24 battery cutting-edge innovation to its users in a simple and natural
charger, AN-DC3 strap, EG- way. The red edition features the same stunning body contours
CP14 audio/video cable, UC- as its sleek black counterpart that highlights the internal
E6 USB cable, DK-5 eyepiece hardware makeup of the device and at the same time, provide
cap, BS-1 accessory shoe better grip in-hand. The HTC Incredible S also features an
cover, DK-20 rubber eyecup, 8-megapixel camera (with dual flash) that can capture high-
BF-1B body cap, ViewNX 2 definition videos and crystal clear 4-inch display that brings
CD-ROM images to life.

• *1Not applied to Multi Media Card Pricing and Availability
The red edition of the HTC Incredible is available now at all
• *2Manual focus, mode M or S, shutter speed 1/250 s or authorized resellers at a suggested retail price of S$758 (before
faster, and other settings at default values operator subsidies).
• Unless otherwise stated, all figures are for a camera
with a fully-charged battery operating at an ambient Logitech launches Wireless
temperature of 20° C (68° F).
Keyboard K270
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/logitech-launches-wireless-keyboard-
k270/11966.html
April 26th, 2011

HTC Incredible S red edition.
Now in stores
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-incredible-s-red-edition.-now-in- Looking for a new keyboard? Check out the new Logitech
stores/11967.html Wireless Keyboard K270. The sleek and stylish peripheral
April 26th, 2011 incorporates Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity
and features battery life of up to two years.

The HTC Incredible S was on the shelves in Singapore since
early March, and today, the company has come up with a red
edition of the popular Android smartphone.

13


Logitech has introduced their Wireless Keyboard K270, a sleek a vivid 1.5 metre image from as little as 0.75 metres away.
keyboard that delivers Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless With the projector placed close to the wall, shadows caused
connectivity and up to two years of battery life. by tabletop objects or presenters are virtually eliminated.
The short throw of the IN146, combined with its small size,
With the Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity,
low profile design and 2,700 lumens brightness, offers an
you will enjoy virtually no signal loss from up to 10 meters
extremely versatile and portable display solution that will
away. The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K270 also delivers up
work beautifully in a variety of environments and lighting
to 24 months of battery life as well as auto-standby, which
conditions.
helps you save energy when you are not using the keyboard.
Built for Long-Life at a Low Cost
The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K270 also features the
tiny USB receiver, which is small enough to stay in your The IN146 is future-ready with 3D capability and an HDMI
laptop. Plus, you can easily add another compatible mouse or input. It can be turned into a wireless and networked display
keyboard — without the hassle of multiple USB receivers. with the optional InFocus LiteShow III wireless adapter,and
the RS232 port allows connection to Creston, AMX or any
The sleek, compact keyboard saves space without sacrificing
other room control system. The IN146 offers years of worry-
comfort while having full-size keys and a wide-curved space
free operation with a long lamp life ofup to 6,000 hours, filter-
bar. And Logitech’s newest keyboard offers hot keys that give
free DLP technology, and 5-year limited warranty.
you instant access to your favorite websites, e-mail, play/
pause, volume and more. Pricing and Availability
The IN146 (WXGA, 1280 x 800) model is available now with
Pricing and Availability
a list price of S$1,399.
The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K270 is now available for a
suggested retail price of S$32.
The Daily VR-Zone News
InFocus unveils low cost short Summary - 25 April 2011
throw projector IN146 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--25-
april-2011/11961.html
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/infocus-unveils-low-cost-short-throw-
April 26th, 2011
projector-in146/11965.html
April 26th, 2011

In today's news roundup: Hitachi DeskStar 7K3000 3TB
HDD reviewed; Commander PC gets benchmarked ; Nook
InFocus has introduced their latest IN146 short Color gets Froyo update and app store; Dell readies 10-Inch
throw projector that boasts widescreen resolution,HDMI tablets to fend off the Apple iPad, and Nintendo says successor
connectivity and 3D at affordable price. If you are looking for to Wii coming in 2012
a projector like this one, the InFocus IN 146 is available now.
Hardware news
Description: Another thing that sets the Lian Li PC-A04 apart
from the norm is that it's limited to micro-ATX motherboards.
Two or three years ago, this would have been a showstopper,
but in recent times there have been some excellent uATX
boards hitting the market.
Description: The DeskStar 7K3000 3TB model by Hitachi GST
is a real star since not only does it combine excellent single/
Raid0 performance with low temperatures and noise levels but
it also comes at a bargain price.
Description: The NZXT Sentry LXE is not your standard run-
of-the-mill fan controller. Combining the ease of a touchscreen
InFocus has announced their InFocus IN146 short throw and the flexibility of having an external controller add to its
projector is available in Singapore. With native WXGA (1280 appeal - and not having to bend down under the desk to change
x 800) resolution to project today’s widescreen notebooks and a setting is nice.
high definition video without scaling, the IN146 offers big,
beautiful images in tight spaces at an exceptionally low price. Description: As we treat the Commander PC as a system, we
will take a slightly different approach to it than we normally
Short Throw Capabilities Offer Great Flexibility would when reviewing a video card; instead we'll add some
The short throw and wide resolution makes the IN146 ideal for system benchmarks into the mix.
use with interactive whiteboards. It can be easily installed on a Description: Microstar's latest Hawk video card is here,
wall or ceiling or placed on a tabletop or media cart, projecting packing a highly overclocked NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti.

14


Can its enhanced PCB and cooler fend off the Radeon HD designed to offer great electrical performance at the best
6950's falling prices? possible price to performance ratio. Today we are going to have
a have a look at a power supply from their updated version of
Consumer Electronics and Software news
the TX series, the TX850 V2 unit.
Description: Barnes & Noble on Monday announced a major
update to its Nook Color tablet that includes access to a new • Conforms to the latest ATX12V v2.31 and EPS 2.92
app store and a built-in email system for organizing Web mail standards, and is backward compatible with the ATX12V
accounts. 2.2 and ATX12V 2.01 standards
Description: That's the period during which the company's • A dedicated single +12V rail offers simple configuration
online Firefox 4 download tracker climbed into the nine-digit and maximum compatibility with the latest graphics
territory. The milestone achievement happened in just a little cards and other components
over a month after the software was made available on March • An ultra-quiet, 140mm double ball-bearing fan delivers
22. excellent airflow with exceptionally low noise levels by
Description: A leaked roadmap suggests Dell has in store two varying fan speed in response to temperature
Windows 7 tablets and a 10-inch Android Honeycomb tablet • Complies with the European Union ErP Directive
for release later this year, as the company aims to grab tablet (2009/125/EC) so the power consumption of the whole
market share. system, in either standby or off mode, can be less than 1W
Description: Low Carbon PC aims to take this one step further when used with a properly configured, ErP-compliant
by putting together eco-friendly systems that use little power motherboard
but deliver big on performance, while looking rather stylish at • 80 PLUS® Bronze certified, delivering up to 85% energy
the same time. efficiency under real-world load conditions
Description: These earphones are designed for both stereo • Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) with PF value of
playback and as a hands free device for cell phones. The in- 0.99
line remote helps the user control music playback and volume
without having to handle one’s cell phone or mp3 player. • Universal AC input from 90~264V
Gaming news • Over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, and short
circuit protection provide maximum safety for your
Description: Nintendo says the successor to the hit Wii console
critical system components
will arrive next year, but isn't saying anything about what the
new system will do. • High-quality Japanese capacitors provide
uncompromised performance and reliability
Description: Sony has yet to determine the full scope of an
attack on its PlayStation Network and Qriocity services that • A five year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair's
has left more than 75 million people without access for more legendary technical support and customer service
than four days. • Safety Approvals: cTUVus, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TÜV,
CCC, C-tick
PSU Review - Corsair TX850
V2 Asrock released "real AM3+"
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/psu-review--corsair-tx850-
v2/11964.html
motherboards
April 26th, 2011 Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asrock-released-real-am3--
motherboards/11963.html
April 26th, 2011

Most motherboard manufacturers claim that their latest AM3
motherboards are AM3+ capable after a mere BIOS update.
Corsair owes much of that reputation to their TX power ASRock claims that this is not the case and claims that there
supply series, which were designed to offer great electrical are no less than six reasons to buy an ASRock "real AM3+
performance at the best possible price to performance ratio. motherboard".
Today we are going to have a have a look at a power supply
The company makes the 6 following claims regarding their
from their updated version of the TX series, the TX850 V2 unit.
new motherboards:
Not too long ago Corsair subtly diversified towards the PSU
1. The new "black" AM3b CPU socket make you recognize
market by releasing a handful of products, yet their reputation
the new AM3+ motherboard at the first sight! With the 11%
grew so rapidly that today their company is one of the
bigger pin hole size, it can get rid of the possible mechanical
most respected brands in the PSU market and has tens
mismatch when installing the CPU, and avoid the CPU pin-
of power-related products available. Corsair owes much of
bent problem.
that reputation to their TX power supply series, which were

15


2. Thanks for the AM3+ MB 3.4 MHz Serial VID support,
it provides faster link between CPU and power controller.
Compare to the old AM3 MB 400 KHz link, the new AM3+ MB
can support better power management & Power saving.
3. Not only meet AMD's requirements, the new AM3+ MB
design provides efficient power supply up to 11.8% better CPU
power saving. An added bonus will be its environment-friendly
feature.
4. As we know, the lower CPU noise, the better system stability.
When the system is at the same loading, the new AM3+ MB
design improves the Vcore variation and reduces the CPU
power noise up to 22%!
5. Compare to the old AM3 CPU only needs 110A current, the The main screen consists of nine main icons as well as five
new AM3+ CPU needs higher 145A current! The New AM3+ that represent what appears to be a power button, a reset
MB can satisfy the demand of 32% higher current and get rid button, an adjustment up/down button, a snapshot button
of any power shortage issue. and one icon we can't quite figure out what it stands for, but
6. With the new C.C.R. (Combo Cooler Retention Module) we'd guess it's a save button of some kind. The nine main
design, the ASRock new AM3+ MB can get better cooling icons as far as we can make sense of it are for quick boot,
effect for CPU, memory and power components. According hard drive settings, Q-Flash (BIOS flashing), system settings,
to our test result, it makes the CPU power choke 5.4 °C @BIOS (second BIOS flashing option?), USB, power settings,
cooler! Besides, the C.C.R. is backward compatible with the old download and security. That said, it's just us making guesses
AM3 / AM2+ CPU cooler as well. here based on Gigabyte's current technology, so some of this
is likely to be wrong.

Gigabyte shows off first Touch
BIOS screenshots
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-shows-off-first-touch-bios-
screenshots/11962.html
April 26th, 2011

Pictures of Gigabyte's upcoming Touch BIOS have been posted
on the unofficial Gigabyte blog as well as Gigabyte's Facebook
page and they're detailing what appears to be a Windows utility Moving on we can see that Gigabyte has put its overclocking
rather than an actual graphics UEFI. In fact, if anything these settings in the Touch BIOS, although the screenshot doesn't
new screenshots bring more questions with them than they give away too many details. However, it appears that you have
answer. the option to change the colours here via an icon that wasn't
on the main screen.

Pictures of Gigabyte's upcoming Touch BIOS have been posted
on the unofficial Gigabyte blog as well as Gigabyte's Facebook
page and they're detailing what appears to be a Windows utility
rather than an actual graphics UEFI. In fact, if anything these
new screenshots bring more questions with them than they
answer.
The logo itself is suggesting that Gigabyte is still sticking to
its guns by using the Award BIOS, as so far the additions
of GPT boot and support for 2.2TB+ hard drives are the
biggest changes that UEFI has brought with it and Gigabyte
has implemented both of these in their BIOS and simply called
it Hybrid EFI technology. The subtitle to the logo is just that,
Hybrid EFI technology and as such we're thinking that we're
looking at a Windows utility for adjusting the BIOS settings
here rather than a graphics UEFI interface.
16


The fourth and final screen shot shows the Boot Disk settings
which actually seem to be general boot settings and not just
related to the boot disk. The other three menu options are
fairly self-explanatory as well and aren't likely to hold any great
secrets.

The G.Skill kit comes in an easy-to-open blister pack and the
memory modules can be comfortably popped away from the
packaging.

Below the main screen is a Save CMOS button, a close icon, a
help icon, an @ icon which Gigabyte in general tends to assign
for internet updates and finally an exclamation mark which
we're not sure what it's for. It should hopefully not be too long
until all is revealed and we'll be pestering Gigabyte for some
hands on time with whatever it is that they're working on.

G.Skill RipjawsX 1600MHz CL7
4GB DDR3 Kit Review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/g.skill-ripjawsx-1600mhz-cl7-4gb-
ddr3-kit-review/11890.html
April 26th, 2011
Nothing much to see on the other side; we have a short
introduction about the RipjawsX series and a label affixed at
the bottom right corner for you to make sure the right memory
kit is in there.

Having just a fast processor isn't really enough these days; a Here is a quick run through of the G.Skill kit's specifications
high-speed memory kit can provide quite a bit of performance before we proceed further.
boost to your bandwidth-hungry Intel 'Sandy Bridge' Type 240-pin DDR3
platform gaming rig. VR-Zone.com finds out how much an Designed for Intel P67
improvement there can be with the F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM
Capacity 4GB (2 x 2GB)
kit from G.Skill. Overclocking included.
Speed PC3-12800 (1600MHz)
G.Skill, a leading manufacturer of high performance memory, Latency CL7-8-7-24-2N
was one of the first to introduce new memory kits designed for
Voltage 1.5V
the 'Sandy Bridge' platform. Known as the RipjawsX, there are
over twenty different configurations available for enthusiasts Registered / Unbuffered Unbuffered
and gamers to choose from for their new rig. Error checking Non-ECC
This weekend, VR-Zone.com tries out the Warranty Lifetime
F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM. Well, that is the SKU code, and
we shall call it the RipjawsX 1600MHz CL7 4GB DDR3 kit
for simplicity's sake. This particular kit is a matched pair
of two 2GB double-sided memory modules, programmed
Rumour: NVIDIA releasing
and tested for 1.5V operation at 1600MHz CL7-8-7-24-2N. GeForce GTX 560 on May 17th
Offering impressive specifications and excellent pricing as its Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-nvidia-releasing-geforce-
predecessors, it would be interesting to see if this new kit can gtx-560-on-may-17th/11959.html
perform in the overclocking department.

17


April 26th, 2011 speeds of 330MB/s and write speeds of 160MB/s which is up
there with full-size 2.5-inch SSDs.

The GeForce GTX 560 we first heard about 4 weeks ago, is
now rumoured to release on May 17th. Not to be confused with
the GTX 560 Ti, the GTX 560 will be a direct replacement to
the GTX 460. The specifications are expected to be remarkably
similar to the outgoing GTX 460 1GB - 7 SM enabled for 336
SP, 56 TMU, a 256-bit memory interface tied to 1GB GDDR5.
However, the main difference would be the core frequency, up
from 675 MHz to over 800 MHz.
Needless to say, the GTX 560 is aimed straight at the Radeon The company also offers mSATA SSDs, but these have much
HD 6870. A majority of stock-clocked HD 6870s are now lower speeds of 120MB/s for reads and 110MB/s for writes,
selling in the $200-$210 range and it would thus make sense but at least the write speed compares favourably to that of
for the GTX 560 to release at around the $199 price point. Intel's 310 series of mSATA SSD's which top out at 70MB/s,
Other details are still sketchy and there's still four weeks to go although Intel does offer much better read performance at up
to May 17th so things could change. to 200MB/s depending on model.
Other peculiarities that we spotted at innoDisk's booth
innoDisk shows off new SSD included their new EverGreen Plus series of MLC SSDs which
comes with a six year warranty. However, innoDisk suggests
products at Composec that this series of SSDs' are best for usage scenarios where
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/innodisk-shows-off-new-ssd-products- files of 128KB or smaller are written to the SSD which seems
at-composec/11960.html to be a very limited market. The performance figures aren't
April 26th, 2011 impressive either with read speeds of 180MB/s and write
speeds of a mere 55MB/s, but it's not always about speed
everywhere an SSD is used and we're sure that there are plenty
of vertical markets where this SSD would find a comfortable
home.

You don't have to worry if you've never heard of innoDisk
before, as the company mostly makes solutions for the
embedded market rather than the consumer market and as
such it's not a company you'd come in contact with regularly.
During Composec last week, innoDisk was showing off some
of its new storage products, including what is currently
the world's fastest mini PCIe DOM as well as some other
interesting products.

You don't have to worry if you've never heard of innoDisk
before, as the company mostly makes solutions for the
embedded market rather than the consumer market and as
such it's not a company you'd come in contact with regularly. Next up we have an SSD with a SAS 6Gbps (Serial Attached
During Composec last week, innoDisk was showing off some SCSI) interface, although it seems like innoDisk needs to get
of its new storage products, including what is currently their hands on some much faster NAND Flash here as this
the world's fastest mini PCIe DOM as well as some other drive offer read speeds of 190MB/s but unless it's a typo on
interesting products. the little sign, write speeds of a mere 30MB/s. That said, this
is an interesting product if you take into account that Intel will
Although a mini PCIe DOM (Disk on Module) looks identical
offer native SAS support on its high-end LGA-2011 consumer
to an mSATA SSD, the mini PCIe DOM uses the PCI Express
platform later this year and it's likely that we'll be seeing a lot
interface as the name implies, rather than the SATA interface.
more SAS SSD's as we get closer to that launch.
The downside of a PCI Express connected SSD is of course
that most computers won't boot from it and that's pretty much
how the mSATA standard came up. That said, innoDisk is
offering some impressive performance figures from its second
generation mini PCIe DOM as the company is promising read

18

VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #24

VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #24

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VR-Zone Technology News | Stuff for the Geeks! Issue #24