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

1. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
HP's TouchPad priced, coming
July 1st
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-s-touchpad-priced-coming-
july-1st/12703.html
June 20th, 2011
Other features include 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 +
HP has finally unveiled the official pricing for its first two EDR (which is a bit surprising considering the Snapdragon
TouchPad tablet SKUs and we're looking at 16 and 32GB with SoC supports both Bluetooth 3.0 + HS and Bluetooth 4.0), a
Wi-Fi for now, although 3G models are set to follow suit. micro USB 2.0 port, a headphone socket, Beats Audio branded
The question that remains unanswered is if HP's webOS will speakers and a front facing camera for video calls, but oddly
have enough pull to win over consumers and business users enough not one around the back. Of course there are features
alike from Apple and the vast array of Android tablets already like light sensors, an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a digital
available in the market. compass built in as well, but the non 3G versions of the
TouchPad lacks a built in GPS.
HP has finally unveiled the official pricing for its first two The battery is rated at a healthy 6,300mAh which is about the
TouchPad tablet SKUs and we're looking at 16 and 32GB with same as Apple's iPad. At 740g the TouchPad isn't light; in fact
Wi-Fi for now, although 3G models are set to follow suit. it's one of the heaviest ARM tablets out there, albeit only just.
The question that remains unanswered is if HP's webOS will HP's webOS main strength is multitasking, something it does
have enough pull to win over consumers and business users better than most other hand held device operating systems,
alike from Apple and the vast array of Android tablets already but this alone isn't going to make it a winner. The biggest
available in the market. problem for HP is going to be the lack of apps for the TouchPad
at launch, although most standard apps come pre-installed.
What's on offer is a 9.7-inch screen with 1024x768 resolution,
a screen size and resolution that many an iPad user should At US$499.99 for the 16GB, HP wants 99 cents more than
be familiar with. On the inside HP hasn't skimped on the Apple charges for an iPad and the 32GB follows the same
hardware though with a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon route with a price tag of US$599.99. At least it's also roughly
APQ8060 SoC clocked at 1.2GHz (3G models would have and the same you'd expect to have to pay for a Motorola Xoom,
equivalent MSM model) paired with a healthy 1GB of RAM. but you can pick up Asus' 32GB Eee Pad Transformer for the
same price as HP's 16GB TouchPad. The proof will be in the
pudding as they say and HP is really going to have a tough time
convincing both consumers and business users that its webOS
is the way forward.
Intel adds new ULV mobile
CPUs to its line up
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-adds-new-ulv-mobile-cpus-to-its-
line-up/12702.html
1

2. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
EVGA outs GeForce GT 545 for
June 20th, 2011
retail market
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/evga-outs-geforce-gt-545-for-retail-
market/12701.html
June 20th, 2011
This one nearly slipped us by, but Intel launched no less than
four new ULV mobile CPUs on Sunday, ranging from a mere
1.1GHz all the way to 1.8GHz. These are of course all Sandy
Bridge based CPUs and we're looking at two Core i7's, a Core i5
and last, but not least, Intel's first ULV Sandy Bridge Celeron.
Details of three of the models leaked a month ago, but now we The NVIDIA GeForce GT 545, originally an OEM card, has hit
know how much they'll cost as well. the retail market thanks to EVGA. The EVGA GeForce GT 545
is based on the GF116 GPU and has been paired with 1.5GB of
GDDR3 memory running on a 192-bit bus. 2-way NVIDIA SLI
This one nearly slipped us by, but Intel launched no less than
is supported and the card does not require additional power.
four new ULV mobile CPUs on Sunday, ranging from a mere
1.1GHz all the way to 1.8GHz. These are of course all Sandy The NVIDIA GeForce GT 545, originally an OEM card, has hit
Bridge based CPUs and we're looking at two Core i7's, a Core i5 the retail market thanks to EVGA. The EVGA GeForce GT 545
and last, but not least, Intel's first ULV Sandy Bridge Celeron. is based on the GF116 GPU, which is also the chip powering
Details of three of the models leaked a month ago, but now we the faster GeForce GTX 550 Ti.
know how much they'll cost as well. A fully-enabled GF116 has 192 CUDA cores, 32 texture units
Starting at the bottom we have the dual core Mobile Celeron and 24 ROPs. For the GeForce GT 545, some portions of
847 which unsurprisingly is Intel's slowest ULV Sandy Bridge the GPU have been disabled, leaving it with 144 CUDA cores
processor at a mere 1.1GHz. Oddly enough it's still a 17W TDP and 24 texture units. The number of ROPs and memory bus
CPU despite having a mere 2MB L3 cache, no Hyper Threading depends on the memory type used on the GT 545. There are
and no Turbo boost and of course that very low clock speed. 24 ROPs and a 192-bit memory bus if GDDR3 memory is used,
It's also worth remembering that Intel's Celeron and Pentium and 16 ROPs and a 128-bit memory bus if GDDR5 memory is
Sandy Bridge CPUs have inferior graphics to the Core i models. used.
Next up we have the Core i5-2557M which is a step up from the
current and so far only ULV Core i5, the 2537M. Here we're
looking at a dual core CPU with Hyper Threading clocked at
1.7GHz which is a 300MHz jump in speed over the 2537M. The
top Turbo frequency has also been boosted from 2.3GHz for
the 2537M to 2.7GHz for the 2557M, although the L3 cache
remains the same at 3MB.
The first ULV i7 is the 2637M which end up faster than the
2657M, as this is yet another dual core 1.7GHz part. The
2637M also beats the 2657M when it comes to Turbo frequency
as the older top of the range ULV part stops at 2.7GHz whereas
the 2637 goes all the way to 2.8GHz.
The final CPU is the Core i7-2677M which is a 1.8GHz part
with a Turbo frequency of 2.9GHz and at full Turbo speed it
gets quite close to Intel's entry level 25W LV Core i7-2629M
in terms of single core performance, although with a slower
graphics clock.
Pricing is as follows in quantities of 1,000 units, Mobile
Celeron 847 US$134, Core i5-2557M US$250 (the same as the
Core i5-2537M), Core i7-2637M US$289 (the same as the Core
i7-2617M) and finally the Core i7-2677 is US$317 (the same
as the Core i7-2657M). Pretty impressive stuff for 17W TDP
As for the EVGA card, the company has decided to go with
CPU's, now let's see some nice 11.6 to 12.5-inch notebooks that
1.5GB of GDDR3 memory, hence its GeForce GT 545 has 24
take advantage of the new CPUs.
ROPs and a 192-bit memory bus. The graphics core clock and
memory clock are 720MHz and 1800MHz respectively, similar
to reference operating frequencies for the GDDR3-equipped
2

3. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
variant. 2-way NVIDIA SLI is supported and the card does not
require additional power (connectors).
Patriot introduces G2 Series
AMD Edition memory kits
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/patriot-introduces-g2-series-amd-
edition-memory-kits/12699.html
June 20th, 2011
Patriot has introduced the new G2 Series, AMD Series Memory
kits which are designed for AMD 9-series platforms. More
details inside.
Gregory Wade, managing director of Research in Motion,
Southeast Asia, said that the new BlackBerry Bold 9900 will
make its Asia debut at CommunicAsia 2011, whereby this
year, the event is held at Marina Bay Sands.Convention.
"The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is our flagship device in the Bold
franchise. It is the ultimate communication, performance and
The Patriot G2 Series, AMD Edition modules have low profile productivity device and (I sincerely believed) it is the best
heatsinks which aid heat dissipation, and yet not obstruct large BlackBerry built ever. With its premium design and high-
CPU coolers. end functionality, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 combines the
The G2 Series, AMD Edition memory kits will be available in QWERTY keyboard plus a vivid touchscreen; is sleek and the
two speed flavors of 1333MHz and 1600MHz. There will be most powerful BlackBerry smartphone yet, featuring the new
two different capacities, 4GB (2 x 2GB) and 8GB (2 x 4GB) in BlackBerry 7 OS," Wade said.
low and enhanced CAS latencies to suit the needs of various
users.
BlackBerry Bold 9900 quick hands on
Patriot will provide standard lifetime warranty as well and the
kits are expected some time late June.
Research in Motion unveils
BlackBerry Bold 9900 in
Singapore
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/research-in-motion-unveils-blackberry-
bold-9900-in-singapore/12700.html
June 20th, 2011
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 sports a brushed stainless steel
This evening, Research in Motion unveiled the frame and besides the QWERTY keyboard, you can also
latest BlackBerry Bold 9900 in Singapore. The Bold 9900 navigate and type messages on the touchscreen display.
claims to be the thinnest and most powerful BlackBerry Overall user experience is quite good, and the device is pretty
smartphones yet with the renowned Blackberry keyboard, responsive.
brilliant touchscreen display and the new BlackBerry 7 OS.
VR-Zone brings you the coverage.
3

4. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Pricing and availability information has yet to be released
though. But we will let you know once we got the details.
The Daily VR-Zone News
Summary - 20 June 2011
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--20-
june-2011/12698.html
June 20th, 2011
On the right, we spotted the 3.5mm audio jack and the
microUSB connector for charging the phone's battery and
connecting to the PC for file transfer. In today's news roundup: Analysts are predicting that demand
for USB 3.0 is set to experience a huge spike as a result of
AMD's introductions of new chipsets that integrate support
for it into the core logic chipset, and that Intel's upcoming Ivy
Bridge platform, when released in 2012, will see support for
the standard reach even higher levels; Word has it that Apple
is planning something major for the Thunderbolt interface
which will not only change the way users work with their
Macs, but will also help stimulate demand for the interface
as well; HP has released a new wireless computer mouse
which is reportedly capable of connecting to PCs through a
WiFi connection, as opposed to most existing wireless mice
which require the use of additional hardware such as bluetooth
dongles; Engineers from Google's Chrome team have claimed
that future versions of the Chrome browser will be capable of
predicting a user's next link and automatically pre-rendering
pages to further reduce loading times; Sony unveils a new
variant of its PlayStation 3 console, the CECH-3000B, which
is said to be both slimmer and less power hungry than its
predecessor, in Japan, and DICE has confirmed that the
console ports of Battlefield 3 will have their framerates locked
to 30fps in order to "allow a greater degree of graphical detail
whilst enabling the consoles to cope better with vehicles and
multiplayer".
Hardware news
80 Million 3.0 Devices Set to Be Shipped in 2011
Description: 2011 should be a much bigger year for the
technology, especially in mobile PCs, driven by the first
chipsets from AMD that integrate SuperSpeed into the core
logic chipset. Intel is expected to follow with its Ivy Bridge
chipset in 2012. This all will lead to sales of USB 3.0-capable
devices to 80 million units.
Is this summer the real debutante ball for Thunderbolt?
Description: Thunderbolt, Intel’s new high speed data transfer
tech, has arrived, but it’s been on the market now since
Here we see the power button on the top of the BlackBerry February, and we’ve heard a lot of noise, but have yet to see it
Bold 9900. The rear holds the battery compartment and really do much in the way of changing how we use our Macs.
the 5-megapixel camera that can capture 720p videos. Signs indicate that this summer could be the time we do see
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 also supports Near-Field that happen.
Communication (NFC) and comes with Orientation Sensor
(Accelerometer), Digital Compass (Magnetometer), Proximity OCZ Vertex 3 240GB Max IOPS Edition SSD Review @ Legit
Sensor. Reviews
Description: We've done quite a few SSD reviews this year and
frankly, some of the drives we test seem like carbon copies of
the one before save for different branding. Performance tends
4

5. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
to be relatively equal, at least within the standard deviation of the advanced functions and extra features found on more
the benchmarks used and it's rare for a drive to really stand expensive solutions.
out. The Vertex 3 MI is one of those rare drives that, in a sea Consumer Electronics and Software News
of virtual SSD homogeny, distinguishes itself with all around
performance perceptively better than any other single SATA HP Shipping a Mouse That Connects Using Wi-Fi
III interfaced drive we've tested to date - except maybe the... Description: Wireless mice are pretty handy, but not everyone
can utilize them the same way. Some run off Bluetooth, which
GIGABYTE X58A-OC (Intel X58 Express) Motherboard requires for the computer to have Bluetooth hardware – not
Review a standard part. An alternative is for an external USB dongle
Description: Back at CES (during the G1-Killer launch) we that adds a Bluetooth or RF receiver. HP is now selling a
were shown something pretty special; besides the G1 we mean. third option that uses a Wi-Fi connection, which these days is
While Tim Handley was telling us about the virtues of the standard on laptops, to add a wireless mouse on a Windows
G1-Killer line-up, he flashed us a picture of a new board that 7 system without the requirement of Bluetooth or use of any
was still under development. This was an early image of the additional dongles.
X58A-OC. The concept was a streamlined product intended
just for overclocking and performance. You still get audio and RAZER Chimaera Wireless Gaming Headset Review @
LAN on the board, but for the most part the extras that are Madshrimps
on many boards are gone. Of course, with the items removed Description: The RAZER Chimaera Gaming Headset offers
other pieces have been dropped in to handle the extra voltage wireless connectivity for maximum liberty of movement,
and current load from pushing the CPU and multiple GPUs features large cups for confortable wear during long gaming
to extremes. Despite the lack of all of the "extra" features, the sessions, a uni-directional microphone with a flexible mic
price is still $380 from Newegg.com. boom and an easy to use charging dock.
Corsair Vengeance 1866 MHz DDR3 Memory @ Benchmark Skype rolls out bespoke low-bandwidth client for "hardship
Reviews locations"
Description: Corsair is a well-known name within the memory Description: A bespoke low-bandwidth version of Skype has
market and although they have diversified in recent years now been rolled out to 90 hardship locations, providing
their main focuses is still memory. Their most recent addition UNHCR employees with both free and low-cost voice and
to their arsenal line is the Vengeance which fits in-between video calls over the Internet even when connection quality is
their XMS and Dominator lines of RAM. Benchmark Reviews poor. By the end of 2011, the aim is for Skype to be in at least
will be looking at the Corsair Vengeance 1866Mhz 9-10-9-28 80% of UNHCR hardship locations and available to more than
CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9 kit which is perfect for Sandy Bridge 3,000 staff members.
systems which require memory speeds to be divisible by Future Versions of Chrome Will Predict Your Next Link & Pre-
266.66 MHz in order to run at their rated speeds. Since prices Render Pages Automatically
have for high performance DDR3 have plummeted in the Description: ChromeGoogle engineers are known for doing
recent years this kit is priced at only $104.99 compared to the whatever it takes to shave precious milliseconds off of page
comparable Dominators $169.99 price. Benchmark Reviews loads, but it’s pretty rare to see them steal a page from the past
will see if corners were cut to reach this price or if Vengeance in pursuit of their goal. Upcoming releases of Chrome however
is the frugal enthusiast best friend. will do just that, adding link pre-fetching/pre-rendering to the
ASUS BC-12B1ST Internal 12X BD-Combo Drive Review @Hi latest editions of the company’s flagship browser.
Tech Legion Google's Father's Day Reminder Sparks Backlash
Description: The ASUS BC-12B1ST drive can read a Blu-Ray Description: In Buzz-like fashion, Google set off a backlash
disc and has the ability to burn data onto a DVD media. among some U.S. Gmail users unhappy to see a "Call dad"
The ASUS BC-12B1ST BD-Combo drive can reach read speeds reminder automatically show up in their inboxes on Sunday.
of 12X for BD-ROM discs and 16X for DVD-ROM discs. As The search giant meant to use Father's Day as a chance to show
for data burning speed, the ASUS BC-12B1ST BD-Combo off Gmail's built-in voice calling feature that Google launched
drive can burn a DVD+/-R disc up to 16X and store data in 2010. Instead it has sparked another embarrassing episode
on CD-R discs up to 48X. Using ASUS’ E-Green technology, for Google earning it another social black eye.
the BC-12B1ST BD-Combo drive conserves energy by closing
unused drive applications while the Optical Tuning Strategy Canon brings multi-color Rebel T3 hues to US
employed by the BC-12B1ST drive when burning results in Description: After previously limiting the production runs to
excellent error-free burning. Using a SATA interface and being a handful of countries like Australia and Canada, Canon on
compatible with a Windows operating system, makes the Monday brought new colors of the Rebel T3 to the US. The
ASUS BC-12B1ST a great addition to your PC-based home DSLR now comes not just in conservative black but but also
theater system. the previously seen red hue as well as brown and metallic gray.
The palette swap is the first in years for the Rebel after the
RaidSonic Icy Box IB-NAS6220 HDD Network Mediaserver company stopped shipping the camera in silver.
Review @ Real World Labs
Description: The ICY BOX IB-NAS6220 HDD Network Gaming news
Mediaserver by RaidSonic is the ideal choice for people Sony unveils greener, lighter PS3 slim in Japan
looking for a cost-effective dual-bay NAS solution without Description: Sony's mystery new PS3 model was uncovered
on Monday with a new model in Japan. The CECH-3000B,
5

6. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
a Japanese version of the CECH-3001B, should be better- experience; it can support full high definition (HD) 1080p
behaved than the old model with a 200W power draw instead video playback as well as HD HDMI output" Xu explained.
of 230W on the current slim PS3. The newer design would be Of course, that is not discounting that the MediaPad
lighter, too, at 5.7 pounds instead of the usual 6.6. is equipped with Qualcomm’s dual-core 1.2GHz processor
Battlefield 3 on Console Will Run At Half PC Frame Rate and supports Huawei Device’s Hi-Space cloud solution and
Description: Over the weekend, DICE confirmed that Google Android Market. According to Huawei, the company
Battlefield 3 will run at 30 frames per second on consoles, half will have the Wi-Fi and 3G versions, though the offering
the framerate of the PC version. The developer claims that this would differ from country to country. No pricing information
will allow a greater degree of graphical detail whilst enabling is available at press time, though the MediaPad is said to be
the consoles to cope better with vehicles and multiplayer. available in Q3 this year.
Huawei launches MediaPad, Huawei MediaPad hands on
world's first 7-inch Android 3.2
Honeycomb Dual-Core Tablet
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/huawei-launches-mediapad-world-s-
first-7-inch-android-3.2-honeycomb-dual-core-tablet/12697.html
June 20th, 2011
It was just two weeks ago when Chinese networking
and telecommunications equipment company, Huawei,
introduced their new range of Android smartphones. This
afternoon, Huawei had a global launch of their MediaPad,
which touts to be the world's first 7-inch dual-core tablet to
run Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS.
The MediaPad has a aluminium uni-body which feels very
Victor Xu, chief marketing officer of Huawei, talked about the sturdy, and at 7-inch, it doesn't really feel very heavy. While
company's position and goal, which is to be the top five leading the tablet claims to incorporate Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS,
vendor in the handset space worldwide by 2015, and leader in the one we hands-on was said to be a prototype model running
mobile broadband device and home device (connected home Android 3.1. From what we gathered from Huawei, Android
solution). 3.2 is said to be optimized for 7-inch tablet devices with
improvement including graphics performance and Google
"This year, we are proud to launch the the first Android 3.2
Maps functionality.
operating system for a 7-inch tablet. One important feature is
the high definition display of this device; the MediaPad has a
rated 217 PPI (pixels per inch) compared to the competitors
in the market to give you a better visual experience. The
tablet can also provide you with the very best entertainment
6

7. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
At the top of the MediaPad holds the power button and the
volume controls. On the upper left hand corner of the display
is the 1.3-megapixel front camera, designed for video calls.
BIOSTAR TA75M
Opening the rear compartment revealed the SIM card and
microSD memory card slots. On the right side (close to the
rearcompartment) are the power, mini HDMI and microUSB
connectors.
BIOSTAR to release AMD APU
BI OSTAR TA75M+
motherboards
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/biostar-to-release-amd-apu-
motherboards/12696.html
June 20th, 2011
BIOSTAR will be releasing new AMD motherboards based on
the A75 chipset in July to coincide with the official worldwide
launch of the Llano APU. More details inside.
BIOSTAR TA75A+
7

8. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
It is often said that the rumour mill is not the most credible
source to go mining for information, but there are always rare
instances where data obtained from such sources can turn out
to be right on the money, and this particular case appears
to be a shining example of one of those "rare instances".
Apparently, the rumour that HP's upcoming Pre 3 smartphone
will be powered by version 2.2 of the webOS operating and
that Skype will be fully integrated into the aforementioned
BIOSTAR will be releasing three motherboards based on the
operating system has been proven to be true, and a German
AMD A75 chipset, namely the TA75A+, TA75M and TA75M+.
blog known as webOS Blog claims to have in its possession
The BIOSTAR TA75A+ is basically an ATX motherboard a bunch of screenshot that should be enough to put all other
whereas the TA75M and TA75M+ are microATX form claims to the contrary to rest.
factor motherboards. The BIOSTAR TA75A+ will feature the
According to the webOS blog, the integration of Skype into
upcoming FM1 processor socket, four DDR3 memory slots,
webOS 2.2 has been done in such a way that users are able
two PCI Express x16 expansion slots allowing CrossFire, and
to set the Pre 3 to allow the routing of all international
six SATA3 ports. It also has USB 3.0, 7.1-channel surround
calls through Skype and its VoIP protocol, which would be
sound and Blu-ray audio output.
extremely convenient if they intend to make use of Skype as
their main means of making phone calls. Alternatively, the
See the full press release here. Pre 3 also allows users to configure webOS in such a way that
the operating system will automatically prompt them to select
between Skype and the carrier's telephony services for every
phone call, as shown in the screenshot below:
HP Pre 3 shows off Skype
integration
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-pre-3-shows-off-skype-
integration/12695.html
June 20th, 2011
Some time back, rumour had it that HP was planning to launch
its Pre 3, webOS-powered smartphone with version 2.2 of the
operating system instead of the newer 2.3.1, and that support
for Skype will be fully integrated into said operating system,
thus negating the need to install a separate, standalone app if
a user wanted to engage in some VoIP telephony. As it turns
out, those rumours were right on the money this time. Read
on for more information.
8

9. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
In addition, webOS Blog also claims that users do not have Unfortunately, webOS Blog was not able to provide any
to import their contact lists over from Skype, as the HP specific dates for the HP Pre 3's release, although most sources
Pre 3 supports the making of Skype calls directly from the claim that HP is still sticking to its plans for a mid to late July
smartphone's contact list. This essentially eliminates any release for Germany and the US. Here's hoping that it will not
remaining need to have a discreet Skpye app installed on the take too long before the Pre 3 starts showing up for sale as part
Pre 3. of a bundle from one of our own local telcos.
More hidden features in
Windows 8 revealed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/more-hidden-features-in-windows-8-
revealed/12694.html
June 20th, 2011
We may still be months away from the RTM release of
Windows 8, but that has not stopped developers and curious
hackers from getting their hands dirty with the various leaked
builds of Microsoft's upcoming operating system in the hopes
of turning up new, unheard-of features that might eventually
debut in its final release. And from the looks of it, it seems that
Microsoft has indeed hidden quite a few surprises in Windows
8 which may very well challenge most people's perception of
what an operating system should be.
9

10. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
location, although how Microsoft intends to implement it
without running afoul of privacy issues remains to be seen.
Last but definitely not least, the code dumps also seems
to suggest that Windows 8 may come with built-in SMS
capabilities. Once again, this makes perfect sense, considering
There may still be a long time before the finalized build of how Microsoft has been attempting to pitch its Windows
Windows 8 will ever see the light of day outside of Microsoft's operating system as being suitable for use on non-PC devices,
labs, but as it is always the case with unreleased software, such as tablets. And with most tablets already being 3G-
one can always count on the large number of curious users capable (and are thus able to accept SIM cards), it might not
and enterprising hackers to start pouring over leaked builds be too much of a stretch to speculate that Windows 8 may even
of Microsoft's upcoming operating system in a bid to find feature built-in calling capabilities to complement its SMS
out more about various features which Microsoft has yet to functionality.
announce publicly. After all, when one has an operating system
as ubiquitous as that of Windows, it really goes without saying
that any major release will be the subject of intense scrutiny
and interest, especially when it has the potential to completely
change the way things are usually done in Windows.
As it turns out, some enthuasiasts have managed to get hold
of a leaked copy of a new Windows 8 build, Build 7989, and
has since proceeded to reverse-engineer certain system files
in leaked build; this has resulted in some rather interesting Of course, there are bound to be more surprises in store
results that seemingly hint at a variety of unannounced for consumers as Windows 8 passes through each stage of
features which Microsoft may have in store for Windows 8. For the development process, and suffice to say the features we
example, one particular code dump suggests that Microsoft have described today are probably nothing more than the
may be looking to follow in Apple's footsteps by offering its proverbial iceberg's tip. Still, considering how much Microsoft
own App Store for Windows 8, ostensibly to make it easier has managed to achieve at this point of time, we cannot help
for users to download popular software applications. However, but feel that the company might just be able to outdo itself
the code also seems to suggest that Microsoft has got bigger when Windows 8 is finally released for retail.
plans in mind for the App Store, as there are references
to what appears to be the capability to license and 'unlock'
various features in the operating system through it, as shown
Mitsubishi releases new 23-
in the image below. This discovery has led to speculation inch, 120Hz widescreen IPS
that Microsoft may decide to do away with the various SKUs
introduced for Vista and Windows 7, opting instead to ship a monitor
single, bare-bones image with most of the features disabled Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/mitsubishi-releases-new-23-
by default, thus allowing users to purchase and unlock the inch-120hz-widescreen-ips-monitor/12693.html
features of their choice as and when needed. June 20th, 2011
Need a new monitor with an extremely high refresh rate?
If so, look no further than Mitsubishi for such needs; the
Japanese company has just announced the release of a new
Additional code dumps have also unearthed information of 23-inch monitor in Japan that boasts an IPS display panel
two unannounced features that appear to be in line with capable of supporting full HD resolutions and a refresh rate of
Microsoft's aims of putting Windows 8 on a wider variety of 120Hz, among other features. Read on to find out more about
devices instead of limiting itself to desktop and notebook PCs. Mitsubishi's new monitor...
The first such feature concerns geo-location, which supposedly
IPS panels? Who needs them, considering how they usually
allows Microsoft to track a Windows 8-powered machine's
tend to suffer from much slower pixel response times which
10

11. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
usually results in ghosting when used for various tasks such
as gaming or video playback? Well, tell that to people who
require near-perfect colour accuracy, image quality and an
extremely wide viewing angle on their displays, which have
been widely accepted as some of the needs that can only be
solved by IPS monitors. And leave it to Mitsubishi to provide
consumers with yet another choice in the market for high-end
IPS monitors with the introduction of its new RDT233WX-Z
widescreen monitor, as shown below.
Quick Look: Kingston HyperX
Plug n Play DDR3-1866
SODIMM
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/quick-look-kingston-hyperx-plug-n-
play-ddr3-1866-sodimm/12623.html
June 20th, 2011
We received an interesting set of notebook memory in the mail
recently. Kingston claims these HyperX Plug n Play modules
will run at DDR3-1866 speed right out the box, so we decided
At first glance, the RDT233WX-Z looks just like any other to take them for a quick test drive...
typical LCD monitor available for sale on the market today,
Kingston recently sent us a pair of HyperX notebook
except that its hardware specifications are anything but
memory modules rated for a whopping DDR3-1866. What's
typical. According to Mitsubishi, the matte IPS panel used
more, Kingston says these "Plug n Play" memory modules
in the assembly of the 23-inch RDT233WX-Z monitor is not
should automatically run at DDR3-1866 when installed in a
only capable of displaying content at full HD resolutions (1920
compatible platform. How is this possible, you ask.
x 1080), but also delivering extremely high refresh rates of
up to 120Hz. Mitsubishi also claims that the RDT233WX-Z At the start of this year, JEDEC updated the DDR3
also comes built-in support for what it calls its Giga Clear specification to officially support DDR3-1866 and DDR3-2133
Engine II technology, which is supposedly capable enhancing speeds. This raises the speed ceiling for SPD profiles (Serial
video playback by delivering crisp and high quality images. In Presence Detect), which are used by a system to automatically
addition, Mitsubishi has also confirmed that the RDT233WX- determine and select the maximum speed supported by both
Z supports PinP or Picture in Picture technology, and boasts a the memory modules and the platform.
variety of video input ports such as having two HDMI ports, a As enthusiasts would know, when using modules rated above
DVI port, a VGA port and even the old Japan-only D5 port. JEDEC's official speeds, memory speed and timings have to
Unfortunately, it would seem that Mitsubishi has no plans be set manually to fully exploit the module's capabilities.
release the RDT233WX-Z for sale outside of its domestic Alternatively, XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) can also be
market, so chances of having the monitor appearing for sale used if both the motherboard and memory support it. But
in a country that is not explicitly spelt "Japan" are next to changing memory settings is usually impossible on notebooks,
zero. Still, if you happen to have a wad of cash to burn and a which renders the updated JEDEC specification of greater
Japanese friend who is willing to help you ship the monitor significance there than on the desktop.
over to your residence, the RDT233WX-Z can be yours for This is where Kingston's HyperX Plug n Play DDR3-1866
54,800 yen (approx US$683) once it is officially introduced SODIMM comes in to take advantage of the new speed ceiling.
into the Japanese market on June 29 this year.
11

12. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
We first installed these modules in a ASUS N82JV, which
uses a previous-generation (Arrandale) Intel Core i7-620M
processor and a Intel HM55 chipset. Disappointingly, the
notebook decided to run the HyperX modules at the same
DDR3-1333 speed as the default modules, albeit at much
tigher timings.
Next stop was a Fujitsu Lifebook NH751 using the latest mobile
Sandy Bridge platform. At this point we were feeling somewhat
pessimistic since both Intel and Fujitsu list support for only
DDR3-1333. To our surprise, the modules worked exactly as
advertised.
Kingston sells the HyperX Plug n Play SODIMM modules in
4GB and 8GB kits. DDR3-1866 as well as slower DDR3-1600
parts are available. In the table below you'll see that the slower
parts are actually rated for tighter timings at DDR3-1600.
Part Number Capacity Rated Timings
8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866
CL11-11-11 @1.5V
DDR3-1600
CL10-10-10 @1.5V
DDR3-1333
CL8-8-8 @1.5V
4GB (2 x 2GB)
8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
CL9-9-9 @1.5V
DDR3-1333
There's even a DDR3-2133 SPD profile, but the timings for that
CL8-8-8 @1.5V
are so loose there's really no point.
DDR3-1066
CL6-6-6 @1.5V
4GB (2 x 2GB)
Click on a part number to view its datasheet.
We received the DDR3-1866 8GB kit. In typical HyperX
fashion, Kingston has decided to prettify the modules
with heatspreaders. Being very thin, they shouldn't cause
any compatibility issues unlike the notoriously oversized
heatspreaders found on some HyperX desktop modules.
Let's find out how much of a performance advantage these
modules will give us over standard DDR3-1333 modules of the
same capacity.
Benchmarks
The Fujitsu Lifebook NH751 has the following specifications:
Installation
12

13. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Processor Intel Core
i7-2630QM
Chipset Intel HM65
Memory Samsung Kingston HyperX
DDR3-1333 Plug n Play
2 x 4GB (9-9-9-24) DDR3-1866 2 x
4GB (11-11-11-32)
Graphics Intel HD Graphics
3000 / Nvidia
GeForce GT 525M
1GB (Optimus)
Storage 500GB 7200rpm
Operating System Microsoft Windows The performance increase so far is marginal, which is hardly
7 Home Premium surprising since we've encountered the same results on
SP1 64-bit desktop Sandy Bridge.
13

14. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Likewise, gaming performance shows hardly any gains when
using the faster DDR3-1866 modules. We had been hoping for
a bigger increase when using Intel HD Graphics since it shares
system memory.
Conclusion
Kingston's HyperX Plug n Play notebook modules don't *Price based on an average of online stores. We were unable
provide any noticeable performance advantages in return for to find this item on sale in Singapore.
their considerable asking price. There are far more cost-
effective ways to improve your notebook's performance, such
as replacing that slow 5400rpm drive with a speedy solid state LulzSec promises "retribution"
drive.
against hackers responsible
Furthermore, these modules only worked for us on a recent
Sandy Bridge notebook, and even then we can't guarantee for attacking SEGA
that they work on all Sandy Bridge notebooks since Intel Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lulzsec-promises-retribution-against-
doesn't appear to support such high memory speeds officially. hackers-responsible-for-attacking-sega/12692.html
If Kingston were to provide a notebook compatibility list (a tall June 20th, 2011
order, we know) or even a CPU/chipset compatibility list, we
would at least feel somewhat safer when spending this much
on memory.
Now this has got to be an interesting twist to SEGA's recent
Kingston HyperX Plug n Play DDR3-1866 SODIMM
woes of having the personal information of its subscribers
compromised after a successful attack by hackers on its
database. Apparently, the well-known hacker group known as
LulzSec has not only made an announcement to distance itself
from the attack; the group has even put up a notice claiming
that it wants to help SEGA by threatening to retaliate against
those who were responsible for forcing the company's service
offline. Looks like vigilantism is still alive and well in the
virtual world after all.
So you have read the news about SEGA being the latest
victim in a string of cyber attacks that have seen many huge
Pros Cons corporations being forced to take their servers offline in a bid
Plug and play in compatible Minimal performance gains to perform damage control and prevent hackers from further
notebooks compromising any more personal information. However, in
Twice the price of the this case, SEGA can probably thank its lucky stars that it did
cheapest memory not suffer the same kind of damage and data loss that some of
Not be compatible with some its fellow victims have faced; while the company did not deny
notebooks, especially older that it did lose a huge chunk of personal information as a result
ones of a successful attack on one of its databases, it has also assured
Retail Price: US$148* users that the most important piece of information, which is
14

15. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
the credit card details of its subscriber base, was still safely June 20th, 2011
secure in its servers.
According to a report posted by ZDnet, SEGA has confirmed
that the attack has resulted in its SEGA Pass service being
forced offline, and that the information that had been stolen
as a result of the attack consists of personal information such
as names, dates of birth, email addresses and passwords that
that subscribers typically use to access the service, although Singapore telco operator, M1, has announced the launch of
it was quick to point out that the damage is not as severe as their Long Term Evolution (LTE) based network, which claims
most people may have imagined it to be. For example, the to be the first in South East Asia region. However, the coverage
company has revealed that the stolen passwords stored in its at launch will only be limited within the financial district
database were encrypted and not stored in plain text; as such, though the company said that it will be expanded nationwide
hackers or individuals in possession of those passwords will by Q1 next year.
have their work cut out of them in the form of decrypting
the information in order to obtain a subscriber's original
passphrase. And even then, SEGA is clearly taking no chances,
having taken additional measures to prevent unauthorised
access by resetting the passwords for all its subscribers, so
the possibility of having someone successfully gaining access
to SEGA Pass with a stolen password is decidedly slim. More
importantly, SEGA also revealed that the server used to store
its subscribers' credit card information is in the custody of
an external service provider, and was therefore safe from the
attack.
However, it would seem at least one prominent hacker group
does not condone such actions, and has gone out of its way to
offer SEGA its assistance in finding and exacting vengeance on
those hackers who perpetuated the attack. Indeed, a quick look
at LulzSec's twitter page reveals that the hacker group does
mean business this time round:
Today, M1 has announced the launch of its Long Term
Evolution (LTE) based Next Generation Mobile Network on 21
June 2011 - which claims to be the first in South East Asia. M1’s
dual band LTE network, operating on both the 1.8 GHz and 2.6
GHz frequency bands, will have an initial theoretical downlink
speed of 75 Mbps and uplink speed of 37.5 Mbps. By end 2012,
the theoretical downlink and uplink speeds will be upgraded
to 150 Mbps and 75 Mbps respectively.
At launch, the LTE network covers areas within the financial
district which include Marina Bay, Suntec, Shenton Way and
other areas (shown in above pic). Coverage is progressively
expanding and is scheduled to be nationwide by the first
quarter of 2012.
The launch will involve customers from M1’s enterprise
By the way, just for the record, a total of 1.3 million accounts sector. These customers will be able to access M1’s Next
were compromised in the recent attack against SEGA's Generation Mobile Network service via USB modems on
database. Now that is definitely food for thought. existing mobile broadband plans at S$59.40 (with GST) per
month. An expanded range of LTE devices, including tablets
and smartphones, are expected to be available later this year.
M1 claims to be first to launch
South East Asia's LTE network BlackBerry PlayBook:
officially available in
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/m1-claims-to-be-first-to-launch-south-
east-asia-s-lte-network/12691.html
Singapore on 23 June
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/blackberry-playbook-officially-
available-in-singapore-on-23-june/12690.html
15

16. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
June 20th, 2011
- 1080p HDMI output
- Dual 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video
capture (3MP front and 5MP rear)
It was only slightly over a week when Research in - 1GB RAM memory
Motion announced the launch of the BlackBerry PlayBook
in Singapore, though pricing and availability details - Up to 64 GB internal storage (16, 32 and 64 GB models)
weren't made known then. Today, the company said that the
BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will be availabile in Singapore - GPS, Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), 6-Axis Motion
from 23 June. Sensor (Gyroscope), Digital Compass (Magnetometer)
- Stereo speakers and stereo microphones
- Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity
- Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support
LG finally rolls out Optimus
3D with world's first Tri-Dual
architecture
Research In Motion (RIM) today announced that the Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-finally-rolls-out-optimus-3d-with-
BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will be available in Singaporeon world-s-first-tri-dual-architecture/12689.html
23 June 2011 from SingTel, M1, and Starhub, as well as some June 20th, 2011
nation-wide retail stores. The BlackBerry PlayBook will come
in three Wi-Fi models, featuring 16GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of
memory storage. Starting today, customers can place orders
for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Customers can preorder online
at http://sg.blackberry.com/playbook/wheretobuy .
The BlackBerry PlayBook features an ultra-portable design
Korean manufacturer LG has finally launched their highly-
and claims to deliver superb performance, uncompromised
anticipated Optimus 3D smaartphone which features glass-
web browsing with support for Adobe Flash Player, true
free 3D display and claims to incorporate world's first Tri-Dual
multitasking, high definition (HD) multimedia, advanced
architecture. It will be available in Europe first and later other
security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a
parts of the world in the next several weeks.
robust development environment.
Three versions of the PlayBook will be available in Singapore
at the recommended retail price (RRP) of:
16GB: S$668 (incl. GST)
32GB: S$798 (incl. GST)
64GB: S$928 (incl. GST)
BlackBerry PlayBook specifications:
- 7-inch 1024x600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen
- Ultra-portable at 425g and measures 130mm x 194mm x
10mm
- 1GHz dual-core processor
LG has recently launched the long-awaited LG Optimus
- BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for symmetric 3D, a smartphone that features second generation dual
multiprocessing core technology and advanced “Tri-Dual” architecture. The
Optimus 3D was first unveiled at Mobile World Congress
- MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback (MWC) in Barcelona in February, and claims to offer a full 3D
experience -- recording, viewing, sharing.
- Support for high resolution video playback (H.264, MPEG4,
WMV)
16

17. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
With its Tri-Dual configuration – dual-core, dual-channel and June 20th, 2011
dual-memory; it offers improved performance when multi-
tasking, enjoying a movie or playing graphics-intensive games.
Users can also record and immediately view content in 3D
without the need for special glasses.
Peak Efficiency and Performance Powered by Unique Tri-Dual
Configuration
Sony Ericsson has announced that it has selected NXP
Unlike other smartphones, the Optimus 3D has a dual-channel Semiconductors N.V.'s Near Field Communication (NFC)
configuration, data transfers take place simultaneously technology to be incorporated in their Android smartphones,
between the dual-core and dual-memory, resulting in offering users enhanced mobile entertainment experiences.
noticeably faster performance. As a result, the LG Optimus Details inside.
3D maximizes run-time efficiency leading to noticeably
smoother, faster, and longer multi-tasking, browsing, gaming
and multimedia enjoyment than ever before.
Full 3D Experience: 3D Recording-Viewing-Sharing
3D recording, viewing and sharing is faster and more
convenient in the Optimus 3D and can be enjoyed without
cumbersome glasses. LG’s latest smartphone enables owners
to capture high quality 3D content with 3D video stabilization
technology and real-time misalignment correction algorithm
which automatically corrects for shake during recording.
The smartphone also offers wide viewing angle which
makes watching videos and movies more convenient and
comfortable.
The 4.3-inch WVGA display offers bright and flicker-free
Today, NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced that
images in HD, up to 1080p in 2D and up to 720p in 3D.
its near field communication (NFC) technology has
Special software allows for real-time conversion of 2D photo
been selected by Sony Ericsson for inclusion in
and video content into 3D. Free software for converting 2D
its Android-based smartphones. Sony Ericsson will
games will be available for download during the third quarter
use NFC to enhance consumers’ mobile experiences,
this year, letting users enjoy a variety of multimedia content
creating a portfolio of smartphones that enable mobile
in 3D. Captured 3D content can be shared to 3D TVs via
transactions. Using simple touch gestures, users can make
a HDMI connection and the phone can also send content
purchases or connect to a point of sale (POS) terminal,
to any DLNA certified device. In addition, users can upload
ticketing terminal or location-based promotional tag simply
and stream 3D content on YouTube’s dedicated 3D channel
and securely with their NFC-enabled smartphones.
(www.youtube.com/3D).
NXP provides complete embedded, secure NFC solutions and
recently announced that its NFC software is open source
The LG Optimus 3D also incorporates the world’s first 3D on the Android platform and enables the Google Wallet
augmented reality (AR) browser in collaboration with AR application. Sony Ericsson intends to use the NXP PN65
pioneer Wikitude. The browser will be available through an NFC solution in their Android-based smartphones, which
app downloadable from LGWorld (www.lgworld.com). The includes the NFC radio controller, the embedded secure
Optimus 3D will be available in Europe first, and then in more element and NFC software. The embedded secure element
than 60 markets around the world over the next several weeks. enables NFC to be used for mobile transactions. The PN65 uses
advanced cryptography to offer the highest level of security
for transactions, with the technology already being extensively
Sony Ericsson Android used in contactless banking cards, e-passports, e-ID cards and
smartphones to use NXP's secure access systems.
NFC solutions
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-android-smartphones- PC SHOW 2011 Lucky Draw
to-use-nxp-s-nfc-solutions/12688.html Results Released - Winners
Not So Random After All?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/pc-show-2011-lucky-draw-results-
released--winners-not-so-random-after-all-/12687.html
17

18. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
June 20th, 2011
During the recent PC SHOW 2011, every $50 spent entitled
the shopper to a lucky draw ticket. A few of our sharped eyed
VRForum members spotted a few anomalies in the Lucky
Draw Results released yesterday - some of the winning ticket
numbers chosen were in series, the implication being that
some "winners" could have got multiple prizes. Is this a case of
a careless drawing process, divine intervention, or something
more sinister?
Lucky Draw Results with the anomalies highlighted in yellow:
The Prizes
As most productive shoppers in the PC SHOW would spend
Prizes on display
hundreds to thousands of dollars on their IT gadgets, they will
be holding on to multiple tickets numbered in series.
A look again at the Lucky Draw Prizes and Processes:
18

19. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Redemption of Tickets • Very high efficiency (80PLUS Bronze)
• Very reliable and stable operation by 3x12V rails
Continuous power (W) 400
Peak power 500 ms (W) 450
Form factor ATX 12V ATX12V Version 2.3
Form factor EPS 12V
Modular cable management
Special technology DC/DC
Voltage (Vac) 100 - 240
Frequency (Hz) 50 - 60
Input current (A) 8-4
PFC, active Yes
PF Power factor at 100% load 0.99
Compliant to Intel C6 mode Yes
Power consumption in <0.3
Coupon Drop-off standby (W)
Average life time (h / 25°C) 100.000
VR-Zone won't be drawing any conclusions without first
Operating temperature (°C) 0-40°C
getting the organizer's side of the story.
Tell us what you think in the comments section below or this
forum thread!
Sony Ericsson going dual core
Be Quiet Straight Power E8 with Xperia duo
400W PSU review
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-going-dual-core-with-
xperia-duo/12685.html
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/be-quiet-straight-power-e8-400w-psu- June 20th, 2011
review/12686.html
June 20th, 2011
Dual core smartphones are starting to gain more and more
Be-Quiet is a company based in Germany which for the past traction and so far we've seen devices from pretty much all
few years has been creating computer related products for of Google's Android partners with one major exception being
enthusiasts. It was only a few weeks ago that we reviewed Sony Ericsson. Well, it seems like the company is getting close
one of their high performance, modular power supplies, the to announcing the Xperia duo which is expected to be the
Straight Power E8-CM 680W unit. Today we are going to put company's first dual core smartphone and a picture of what
to the test the weakest and simplest product of the Straight is believed to be the upcoming handset has now made an
Power line, the Straight Power E8 400W unit. appearance on the web.
Dual core smartphones are starting to gain more and more
traction and so far we've seen devices from pretty much all
Be-Quiet is a company based in Germany which for the past
of Google's Android partners with one major exception being
few years has been creating computer related products for
Sony Ericsson. Well, it seems like the company is getting close
enthusiasts. It was only a few weeks ago that we reviewed
to announcing the Xperia duo which is expected to be the
one of their high performance, modular power supplies, the
company's first dual core smartphone and a picture of what
Straight Power E8-CM 680W unit. Today we are going to put
is believed to be the upcoming handset has now made an
to the test the weakest and simplest product of the Straight
appearance on the web.
Power line, the Straight Power E8 400W unit.
Beyond having a as yet unknown dual core CPU the Xperia duo
is expected to sport a larger screen, a 4.5-inch unit has been
Manufacturer features and specifications suggested and judging by the picture it reaches almost from
edge to edge of the handset. Can we hope for a qHD 960x540
display, or is this trying to push our luck too far?
• Extremely quiet running
19

20. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
June 20th, 2011
In today's news roundup: Rambus has announced the
development of a fast power-on, low-power clocking
technology that boasts 5Gb/s+ data transfer speeds with
minimal power consumption; AMD Graphics CTO Eric
Demers has revealed some interesting facts about the
company's next graphics processor architecture, claiming that
it will serve as the foundation for all future AMD GPUs over
the next few years; Acer has given its Predator line of gaming
PCs a makeover with the new Predator G5910 series, which
trades in the funky orange case for a matte black body that is
supposedly meant to "evoke power and performance" and "a
high-tech futuristic mood"; Word has it that Google is keen on
bringing out a "Nexus 3" smartphone to the market, and that
the device will feature a dual-core processor and is expected to
be bundled with version 4.0 of the Android operating system,
aka Ice Cream Sandwich; John Carmack has outlined the
direction he'd like to take the Quake series in the future, and
that is a remote possibility of id Software abandoning the
Strogg-based storyline of Quake 2 and Quake 4, and The first
console-based action from Battlefield 3 appeared last evening
on Jimmy Fallon's late night show.
Hardware news
ASUS P8H67-I Deluxe mITX Motherboard @ Benchmark
Reviews
Description: By now we have all heard of the media capabilities
The processor is likely to once again be from Qualcomm and of the Intel H67 Chipset. With so much going for it in this
it's very possible that it'll be the MSM8260, but once again, aspect, it seems like an H67 motherboard would be great
this is purely based on speculation and Sony Ericsson's current as a starting point for the perfect Home Theatre PC. ASUS
models. That said, we would go out on a limb here and say has decided to take this idea to the next level with the
that Sony Ericsson might be eyeing ST-Ericsson's Novathor ASUS P8H67-I Deluxe mini-ITX motherboard. In this article,
U9500, but the problem here would be the different graphics Benchmark Reviews will break down all the special features
solution used, something we're not sure if Sony Ericsson would ASUS has included in the P8H67-I Deluxe motherboard to see
take a chance on. if it is ready to provide a comprehensive solution for the HTPC
enthusiast.
If the picture of the handset is the real deal, then we can
expect a front facing camera on the Xperia duo (if that really Mushkin Enhanced Joule 700 Watt Power Supply Review
is the name of the final handset), something the Xperia arc Description: This time around we have another power supply
is missing. Otherwise the design of the handset is similar to from Mushkin ready to go through our load tests. Last month
the Xperia arc, albeit a lot less angular as all the corners are we took a look at the Mushkin Enhanced Joule 800W power
now rounded. Hopefully it won't take too long until we find out supply. Now we have the Joule 700W on the bench for testing.
what Sony Ericsson is up to, as the company desperately needs Being that the unit is from the same series and manufacturer,
a dual core handset to keep up with the competition, at least you would expect almost identical builds and results. Right
as far as headline features are concerned. off the delivery truck we could tell a big difference in design
between the 700W and 800W models. It was quite apparent
that the Joule 700W didn't have nearly as extensive cooling on
The Daily VR-Zone News the inside. We also noticed that while the 800W model holds
an 80Plus Silver rating, the smaller 700W model only manages
Summary - 17 June 2011 to hold an 80Plus Bronze rating.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--17-
june-2011/12684.html Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 Ultimate Edition 1GB DDR5 DX 11
Video Card Review @Hi Tech Legion
Description: One of those products is the Sapphire Radeon
HD 6670 Ultimate Edition. The 6670 Ultimate includes two
special features that differ from a traditional 6670. Those
being the "Ultimate" passive cooling, and a key to Dirt 3.
20

21. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Under the hood the 6670 Ultimate is no different from a stock Report: Dual-core Nexus 3 Specs Leaked
version. The core clock speed is set at 800MHz while the Description: According to BGR sources, what’s believed to be
memory speed is set at 1000Mhz. Onboard is 1 GB of DDR5 the next Nexus phone will feature a next-generation dual-
memory. The 6670 comes with 480 stream processors and a core 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz CPU (likely an OMAP 4460 or an
40 nm chip. The interface includes a single HDMI, Display ultra low-power 28nm Krait-based Snapdragon); 1GB of RAM;
Port, and Dual-Link DVI input. All of the usual 6000 series 1080p HD video capture and playback; a 1-megapixel front-
features apply such as DX 11, Eyefinity, OpenGL 4.1, UVD3, facing camera; and a rear-facing camera with an “advanced
and AMD App acceleration. 5-megapixel sensor delivering class-leading image quality in
addition to superior low-light performance.” All of this will run
Chillblast Fusion Impact 3D Review @ XSReviews.co.uk
on Ice Cream Sandwich, aka Android 4.0.
Description: Chillblast may not be as well renowned – or
as infamous – as Overclockers or Scan, but they’ve been Acer Gives Predator Desktop a Makeover, Inside and Out
around the block enough to know the game and they’re Description: Acer's attention-seeking Predator desktop series
well established as a solid, affordable gaming system builder. has been known for its over-the-top chassis design that some
Today we take a look at another of their setups, this one that find totally bad ass, and many others feel is gaudy, to put it
provides the full 3D experience: monitor, glasses and GPU. It’s nicely (and ugly, if we're being blunt). The new Predator G5910
got a Sandybridge i5 CPU too. series trades in the funky orange case for a matte black body
that Acer says is supposed to "evoke power and performance,
Rambus Develops Clocking Technology for Power Reduction
while the angles and grooves on the front add a high-tech
in High-Speed Interfaces.
futuristic mood."
Description: Rambus, a designer of various memory and
interface technologies, has announced the development of a Chrome Nearly Replaced Firefox as Ubuntu's Default Browser
fast power-on, low-power clocking technology that can enable Description: Chrome adoption has also been on a rapid rise
a whole new class of memory devices. The new technology in recent versions, doubling its market share in some regions
enables 5Gb/s+ data transfer speeds with minimal power from just one year ago. The upstart browser is raising even
consumption. more eyebrows now that Chromebooks are hitting the market,
and when you combine these three factors -- performance,
AMD's Demers reveals details of next GPU architecture
consumer interest, and Shuttleworth's personal endorsement
Description: At the Fusion Developer Summit here in
-- it's really no surprise that Firefox was nearly unseated as the
Bellevue, Washington this morning, AMD Graphics CTO
default browser in Ubuntu 11.04.
Eric Demers made some interesting revelations about his
company's next graphics processor architecture. While he Gaming news
didn't talk about specific products, he did say this new core Carmack outlines vision for a new Quake
design will materialize inside all future AMD products with Description: John Carmack has outlined the direction he'd like
GPUs in them over the next few years. to take the Quake series in the future, explaining to Eurogamer
Consumer Electronics and Software News that there are factions within id Software that want to abandon
the Strogg-based storyline of Quake 2 and Quake 4.
A.C.Ryan PlayOn!HD2 Media-Player Review (German)
Description: (Machine translation) The A.C.Ryan PlayOn! Sega Europe opens its third UK code shop; studio already at
HD2 Media-Player arrived Technic3D. Store thousands of work on a "next gen" action adventure.
photo, music and video files on the internal Hard Drive. The Description: Sega Europe has announced the formation
Playon!HD2 brings again your music, video and photo library of a new boutique studio based in the UK's West
to life with unsurpassed audio and visual quality? We will Midlands, set up to focus its resources "exclusively for
check the new Features on the HD2 Player. next generation platforms." The forward-looking studio has
an unnamed "unique action adventure experience" project
Sony Teases New Tablets With a Mysterious New Video
already underway, due for release late next year.
Description: Sony wants you to know that it’s about to launch
two tablets – the Sony S1, and the Sony S2 – but it doesn’t Battlefield 3 console footage unveiled on latest Fallon
want to reveal much about them, promoting them instead with Description: As promised, the first console-based action from
a visual feast that gives little info, but is amazing to watch. The Battlefield 3 appeared last evening on Jimmy Fallon's late
video is actually the first episode of a 5-episode story dubbed night show, teasing a scene we've watched play out a dozen
“Two will”, featuring Sony’s tablets; we can expect the next or so times now on the PC version. Despite the grumblings
four installments soon. Back in early May 2011, Sony released a of many long-time PC Battlefield gamers -- not to mention
far more straightforward teaser video for its upcoming tablets, our own doubts -- BF3 running on PlayStation 3 looks pretty
showing us at least a little of what they can do. wonderful.
RAIDON GT5630-SB3 USB 3.0 4 Bay Desktop Data Backup
Storage Solution Review @ Real World Labs
Description: With 4 easy swap HDD tray modules for up to
Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz
a massive 12TB of storage capacity and both eSATA and USB CL9 8GB DDR3 Kit Review
3.0 connectivity for blazing fast transfer speeds the GT5630- Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/corsair-vengeance-1600mhz-cl9-8gb-
SB3 USB 3.0 4 Bay Desktop Data Backup Storage Solution by ddr3-kit-review/11921.html
RAIDON is the ideal unit to house your backups and/or media
collection.
21

22. June 20th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
June 20th, 2011
While nearly every single memory kit introduced these
days appears 'designed for the second-generation Intel Core
platform', this Corsair Vengeance dual-channel memory kit is
Gigabyte readying no less
designed to work on both Intel or AMD DDR3 platforms. than 12 AMD Llano compatible
motherboards
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-readying-no-less-than-12-
amd-llano-compatible-motherboards/12683.html
June 20th, 2011
We're about two weeks from the desktop AMD Llano CPU
launch which is meant to take place on the 30th of this
month and although we've already seen plenty of boards at
Computex, Gigabyte has now kindly provided some additional
details of its Llano plans. Gigabyte's German branch posted a
A rather eye-catching image adorns the front of the packaging
whole bunch of information about Gigabyte's upcoming Llano
with a pair of Vengeance memory seated on an ASUS
motherboards on Facebook and according to it we can expect
Republic of Gamers (ROG) motherboard. According to
12 new boards with the A75 and A55 chipsets.
Corsair, Vengeance kits are designed with overclockers in
mind and the memory chips used are specifically selected to
meet their needs. We're about two weeks from the desktop AMD Llano CPU
launch which is meant to take place on the 30th of this
month and although we've already seen plenty of boards at
Computex, Gigabyte has now kindly provided some additional
details of its Llano plans. Gigabyte's German branch posted a
whole bunch of information about Gigabyte's upcoming Llano
motherboards on Facebook and according to it we can expect
12 new boards with the A75 and A55 chipsets.
However, it seems like Gigabyte is starting to divide up
its products into different sub-categories and although we
can understand that the rising price in raw materials have
something to do with it, it's getting a little bit confusing for
consumers. It's not as if Gigabyte is trying to hide the fact
that its new Llano boards will fit in to the Ultra Durable 3,
Ultra Durable 2 and Ultra Durable 1 sub-categories, but a lot
A universal product code (UPC) label is affixed at the bottom of people wouldn't know what the difference is.
left corner, and there are two small cut-outs which are There are only three Ultra Durable 3 boards, namely the
positioned where the product labels on the two memory sticks A75-UD4H, the A75M-UD2H (mATX) and the A75N-USB3
are. (mini ITX). Of course, if you're an avid VR-Zone reader, you'll
already know that we've seen the first two boards, just ahead
of Computex, but judging by the slides, a few things have been
Before we proceed further, here is a quick run through of the
changed on the A75-UD4H, but more on that a little bit later.
Vengeance kit's specifications:
Type 240-pin DDR3
Capacity 8GB (2 x 4GB)
Speed PC3-12800 (1600MHz)
Latency CL9-9-9-24
Voltage 1.5V
Registered / Unbuffered Unbuffered
Error checking Non-ECC
Warranty Lifetime
22