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1. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
using the Marvell controller and others using SandForce, how
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication will these drives measure up? Read on to see.
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
LG Super-Multi N2A2 2TB NAS Review
Description: when LG told us they had a new 2-bay NAS that
The Daily VR-Zone News costs less than $250 with a pair of 1TB hard drives included, we
sat up and took notice. As we have repeatedly discovered when
Summary - 21 Mar 2011 dealing with NAS products, there is much more to consider
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--21- than just storage capacity and price. These devices are highly
mar-2011/11668.html dependent on the hardware and software that drives them
March 21st, 2011 and either can cause the product to fail. Realizing that, we're
extremely eager to find out what makes the LG N2A2 tick, let's
take a closer look...
Noctua NH-C14 CPU Cooler Review @Hi Tech Legion
Description: The Noctua NH-C14 may be the most versatile
“convertible” CPU cooling solution around today. The Noctua
In today's news roundup: Digitimes discusses the impact NH-C14 has the ability to go from ultra-low profile and silent
limited wafer availability will have on the DRAM market; to a dual 140mm fan enthusiast cooler with just a couple of
Foxconn's A9DA-S motherboard gets reviewed; Motorola's clips. Standing at only 105mm tall with a bottom mounted
Android-powered tablet, the Xoom, gets reviewed; Gizmodo fan, the NH-C14 can fit into almost any case. Despite its small
reviews the iPad 2; Microsoft's Kinect motion controller gets height, the NH-C14 still has six copper heatpipes running
hacked to run on the PlayStation 3, and The latest installment through a 140mm square aluminum fin array, making the
of the Dissidia series, Dissidia 012 Duodecim: Final Fantasy , absolute most of a small space. The included Low and Ultra-
gets compared against its predecessor Low Noise Adapters throttle back the fan (or fans) to near dead
silence while still maintaining excellent cooling.
Hardware news
MSI 890FXA-GD65 Motherboard Review @Hi Tech Legion
Foxconn A9DA-S Motherboard Review @ Vortez Description: The MSI 890FXA-GD65 motherboard is a low
Description: To trade blows (and quite often better) a high cost option for value-minded enthusiasts. The 890FXA-
end board like the Crosshair IV Extreme is something else. Of GD65 is part of MSI’s gaming series of motherboards,
course there are caveats in that updated chipset drivers could featuring Military Class II high quality components and high
have a noteworthy effect on scores but in all honesty I couldn't overclockability. The MSI 890FXA-GD65 supports all the
see the boosts being so great that the A9DA-S would get left latest AM3 processors and has two PCIE x16 slots for AMD
behind. CrossFireX. Despite being a budget 890FX board, the MSI
Digitimes Insight: Limited wafer availability good for DRAM 890FXA-GD65 is rife with connectivity options, with eight
industry USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports at the rear and support for up
Description: With major silicon wafer plants remaining closed to six SATA 6Gb/s devices.
following the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Deepcool Ice Blade Pro Review at Overclockers Online
Japan, there is growing concern in the memory industry Description: Deepcool has hit the intended mark again. The
whether chip companies are preparing for any possible Ice Matrix Pro triumphs above its contenders with four heat
disruption to production. pipes, 47 aluminum fins, and a single 120mm fan. The well-
Corsair Performance 3 Series 128GB SSD Review in RAID 0 @ constructed base also contributes to the heat sinks exceptional
Legit Reviews performance. And who wouldn’t give an aesthetically pleasing
Description: Corsair jumps feet first into the 6Gbps equipped CPU heat sink a second look?
SSD race with latest installment of their Performance series Zalman CNPS5X-SZ Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com
drives. This time, they put a Marvell controller at the heart Description: Zalman's CNPS5X-SZ heatsink is an updated,
of their Performance 3 Series. With multiple manufacturers vertical interpretation of a 2006-era heatsink Zalman released
under the CNPS8000 nomenclature. Like its forefather, the
1

2. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
CNPS5X-SZ fills the role of a lower profile, light weight cooler with deep bass can be achieved at the same time and for almost
that's ideally suited to sub-95W TDP processors. It's stacked every types of game. In-line microphone control enables users
aluminum fins are connected by three 6mm diameter copper to easily mute or talk to teammates when needed-. We will
heatpipes to a small aluminum base block with a thin bit of check this and many more in the following Review.
copper covering the otherwise exposed heatpipes. iPad 2 Review
Consumer Electronics and Software news Description: Here's the simple truth about the iPad 2: There
is nothing else like it. Maybe it won't make you feel the way
Introducing Nexus S 4G for Sprint
Description: Recently, we introduced Nexus S from Google, it makes me feel. Maybe it won't replace your laptop. Maybe
it could be even thinner and lighter and faster. But there is
the first phone to run Android 2.3, Gingerbread. In addition to
nothing else like it.
the UMTS-capable Nexus S, today we’re introducing Nexus S
4G from Google, available for Sprint. Nexus S 4G is part of the Gaming news
Nexus line of devices which provide a pure Google experience GameSpy Reveals Six of the 3DS' Most Exciting Upcoming
and run the latest and greatest Android releases and Google Games
mobile apps. Description: With the 3DS nearly in gamers' sweaty, trembling
T-Mobile USA Is Not Getting the iPhone (Yet) hands, Nintendo has graciously revealed some of what we'll
Description: A burning question among users following eventually see on the system. Zelda, Star Fox, Animal Crossing,
AT&T’s $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA was: Will T- and -- yes, shock of shocks, a new Mario platformer -- are on
Mobile start offering the iPhone? The answer is no. their way. But beyond those obvious titles, what other games
can we expect? Well, we here at the GameSpy Humor Division
Thermaltake Black Gaming Mouse @ Benchmark Reviews
have been working our (possibly imaginary) sources hard, and
Description: Thermaltake is best known for the variety of
are ready to reveal, for the first time anywhere, six of the most
cases they've released, aimed at budget-conscious buyers
exciting games in development for Nintendo's new handheld.
as well as high-end hardware enthusiasts. In contrast to
this, they have recently decided to expand their grip on DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] F Review
the market by releasing a new line of gaming peripherals, Description: When you first start playing Dissidia 012
dubbed Thermaltake eSports. This lineup includes a handful Duodecim: Final Fantasy (a mouthful, that title), you might
of gaming devices such as mice, keyboards and headsets. be struck by how little progress has been made since the
Thermaltake consistently pumps out quality cases, but are first Dissidia fighting/role-playing hybrid was released. If you
they able to do the same with gaming peripherals? Within this give it time, however, Duodecim reveals its unique strengths,
review Benchmark Reviews takes a look at the Thermaltake building on the original in meaningful ways without sacrificing
eSports Black laser gaming mouse (model MO-BLK002DT) its cinematic energy.
and sees how this new competitor fares against the many well- Xbox Kinect Running on The Playstation 3
established gaming peripherals manufacturers available. Description: Microsoft's Xbox Kinect is hacked together to
Motorola Xoom Review @ TestFreaks play Killzone 3 in this early tech demo of the two rival consoles
Description: The latest and greatest Android tablet is here, working together.
the Motorola Xoom that runs the newest version of Android
called Honeycomb. The Xoom is a 10.1 inch tablet that comes
with dual cameras and even a flash along with the ability to Crysis 2 Launched: Quick
capture 720p videos and play it back over HDMI. This tablet
features a dual core 1Ghz processor and 1 gig of ram and 32gig
Performance Preview
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/crysis-2-launched-quick-performance-
of memory. The Xoom is available right now on the Verizon
preview/11662.html
wireless network for $600 on contract, and it’s well worth the
March 21st, 2011
cost.
Epson WorkForce 840 All-in-One Printer @ TestFreaks
Description: Today for review I’ve got the latest Epson printer,
the WorkForce 840 that is an all-in-one style printer that does
everything your home or small office might need it to do.
The 840 is something for users that need a workhorse of a
printer like this. The 840 features dual paper trays so it can The most anticipated game of the year has finally arrived!
handle a whopping 500 pages, and it has built-in double sided We do a quick performance runthrough and use the built-in
printing so you won’t waste paper on those less important timedemo facilities.
documents, like draft or like coloring pages for your kids. The
Quick Observations/Notes:
Epson WorkForce 840 is a worthy addition to the WorkForce
line of printers, it certainly live up to the name. Still no DirectX 11 support
Tt eSports Shock Gaming Headset Review on Technic3D Day 1 Patch used
(German) Uses 3-4 CPU threads hovering around 70% - doesn't scale
Description: (Machine translation) The Tt eSports Shock with CPU after 3ghz
Gaming Headset arrived Technic3D. -Thanks to its oversized
40mm drivers and enclosed ear cups, ultra-crisp audio quality
2

3. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Near 100% GPU usage - scales linearly with shader clocks/
memory bandwidth.
FOV options can be changed in console/launch command line
(default 55 degrees)
We will provide a more in depth review and include more
system configurations during the next few days after the game
launch on the 22nd March 2011, and hopefully include DX11
numbers when available.
Hmmm.... the way its meant to be green?!!
Samsung launches new
compact digital cameras
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-launches-new-compact-
digital-cameras/11666.html
March 21st, 2011
Today, Samsung Asia held a media event to announce their
new digital cameras - ST700 dual LCD; WB210 and PL210
Graphical Settings are now renamed to High, Very High and with high zoom and wide angle technology; SH100 with Wi-Fi
Extreme. connectivity; and the stylish ST6500.
Additional options like details and antialiasing can be specified
at launch/in the drop-down console.
The WB210 boasts a 12x optical super zoom lens set in a slim
22.4mm body, to make capturing distant subjects in perfect
detail easier. The new camera also includes the option of a
21mm wide angle setting, through its super wide shot mode,
to get deeper shots at close range.
The WB210 also includes 14-megapixel sensor for crystal clear
pictures, and a large 3.5-inch touch screen with Samsung’s
new Smart Touch 3.0 UI to deliver unprecedented usability.
The camera delivers HD quality movie recording, as well as
Face Detection technology.
With Smart Filter 2.0, users can change their still images and
movies with new modes including ‘Soft Focus’ for smoother
looking images, ‘Half Tone Dot effect’, ‘Old Movie’ for a retro
style shot and an ‘Enhanced Movie Filter’ to capture the unique
feeling of a special day within your films. The WB210 will be
available end of March. Pricing to be announced later.
3

4. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The ST700 features a 1.8-inch front LCD screen, the largest
ever incorporated into a dual screen camera, giving more The SH100 is a compact, Wi-Fi enabled camera with 14.2-
opportunities to take great self-portraits. It also features megapixel and 26mm Wide Angle Lens with 5X optical zoom.
an impressive 3-inch Touch Panel featuring Samsung’s The Wi-Fi capability lets you upload your pictures instantly to
innovative Smart Touch 3.0 feature on the back of the camera, your social networking sites such as Facebook, Picasa or Photo
16.1-megapixel image sensor and a 26mm 5x optical zoom lens Bucket, or to email them to individual email addresses straight
for closing up to your subjects. from the camera, meaning the people you care about can enjoy
The Smart Filter 2.0, which includes ‘Soft Focus’, ‘Half Tone your experience from wherever they are.
Dot’ and ‘Cinema’, sit alongside more common features such You can also use your Samsung Galaxy S smartphone or even
as ‘Fish-Eye’, ‘Miniature’ and ‘Sketch’ in the ST700, giving Galaxy Tab tablet device as a remote control and viewing
entertaining and professional finishes at the touch of a button. device for your camera. If you are shooting over a crowd at
The ST700 will be available end of March. Pricing to be a concert, you can enable the Remote Viewfinder function,
announced later. meaning that you can hold your camera high over your head
while you can see a preview of the picture in real time on your
phone screen. The Samsung SH100 is available at Courts, at S
$399.
Futuremark Unveils PCMark 7,
Windows 7 Only Benchmark
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/futuremark-unveils-pcmark-7-
windows-7-only-benchmark/11667.html
March 21st, 2011
The ST6500 incorporates the latest angled design, with the
camera’s body curved around the lens and angled at 7-degree
to make for a more ergonomic fit in the hand. It comes
equipped with a 16-megapixel sensor, to guarantee crisp and Futuremark announced PCMark® 7 today, a new benchmark
clear images, alongside the powerful 5x zoom lens. With a new offering complete PC performance analysis for Windows 7.
Smart Touch 3.0 User Interface which works with a wide 3.0- PCMark 7 includes 7 separate test suites combining more
inch multi-purpose LCD touch screen, users can quick access than 20 individual workloads covering storage, computation,
the various modes and settings easily. image and video manipulation, web browsing and gaming. The
Storage suite is ideal for testing SSDs and external hard drives
The ST6500 can also capture boasts the latest 720p HD in addition to the system drive. Pricing is unannounced yet and
Movie settings with additional voice recording, along with high is to be available soon according to Futuremark.
definition (HD) shooting and playback. It is available at all
retail stores now, with a price tag of S$429.
4

5. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
• The PCMark Suite measures overall system performance
and returns an official PCMark score.
• The Lightweight Suite measures the capabilities of entry
level systems unable to run the full PCMark suite.
• The Entertainment Suite measures system performance
in entertainment, media and gaming scenarios.
• The Creativity Suite measures performance in typical
creativity scenarios involving images and video.
• The Productivity suite measures system performance
scenarios using the Internet and office applications.
• The Computation Suite contains workloads that isolate
the computation performance of the system.
HELSINKI, FINLAND – MARCH 21, 2011 – Futuremark®, • The Storage Suite contains workloads that isolate the
the developer of the world's most popular benchmarking performance of the PC’s storage system.
software, announced PCMark® 7 today, a new benchmark
Price : Unannounced
offering complete PC performance analysis for Windows 7.
PCMark 7 includes 7 separate test suites combining more than
20 individual workloads covering storage, computation, image KiWi PC aims to sell Linux-
and video manipulation, web browsing and gaming. A release
date has not been announced though the official website states loaded PCs to senior citizens
that PCMark 7 is coming soon. http://www.pcmark.com/ Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/kiwi-pc-aims-to-sell-linux-loaded-pcs-
to-senior-citizens/11665.html
March 21st, 2011
"Hardware innovations like solid state drives (SSDs), and
new form factors such as netbooks and tablets are greatly
increasing the range of PC performance available to businesses
and home users," said Jani Joki, Director of PC Products
and Services at Futuremark. "With so much choice available,
PCMark 7 is an essential and easy to use tool to test and
What is the most user-friendly operating system in use today:
compare PC performance accurately and reliably across a wide
Windows 7 or Mac OS X? Well, it seems that KiWi PC's answer
range of usage scenarios."
to that question will be a resounding 'none'. Apparently, the
American OEM which claims to specialize in selling senior
PCMark 7 provides a set of 7 suites for measuring different citizen-friendly PCs believes that Ubuntu is the OS users
aspects of PC performance with a high degree of accuracy. should be looking for if one intends to get aged people started
Overall system performance is measured by the PCMark on the digital life the younger generation takes for granted
Suite. The Lightweight Suite measures the capabilities of entry today. To that end, it has even rolled out its own KiWi PC for
level systems and mobility platforms unable to run the full sale that is aimed squarely at senior citizens.
PCMark suite. Common use performance is measured by the When it comes to building a PC meant to be used by an ageing
Entertainment, Creativity and Productivity scenario suites. senior citizen, it goes without saying that raw performance and
Component performance is measured by the Computation and power is no longer the top priority. Instead, you'd want such a
Storage hardware suites. The Storage suite is ideal for testing PC to be as user-friendly as possible, if only just to ensure that
SSDs and external hard drives in addition to the system drive. you do not receive phone calls late into the wee hours of the
day from the user asking for help over simple issues such as
how to press the 'Any' key.
Platforms
Needless to say, the OS used in such PCs play an extremely
PC: Windows 7 important part in ensuring that senior citizens feel right at
DirectX 9 graphics card required for PCMark score home with their PCs at all times. And while most people will
swear by Windows 7 or Mac OS X as the ideal operating system
DirectX 10 graphics card required for some additional tests
for such users, an American OEM which specializes in making
DirectX 11 graphics card required for some additional tests PCs for aged users believes that there exists only one OS which
is suitable for senior citizen use. Enter the KiWi PC, a senior
citizen-friendly nettop PC which runs of....Linux. Or more
Benchmark Suites specifically, a Linux distribution known as Ubuntu.
PCMark 7 includes more than 20 individual workloads
combined into 7 separate suites to give different views of
system performance.
5

6. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
phone calls from parents asking for help in disinfecting their
PCs from various Windows-specific malware.
If that sounds like the kind of PC you'd want to set up for your
parents, perhaps you'd want to start saving. This is because the
KiWi PC is not going to be the cheapest nettop in the market
with its retail price of US$499.99.
LG's passive 3D television
sets to be available for sale in
Korea soon
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/lg-s-passive-3d-television-sets-to-be-
According to KiWi PC, the Linux-based PC which is currently available-for-sale-in-korea-soon/11664.html
being sold under the same name as the OEM which assembled March 21st, 2011
it will be pre-loaded with a customized version of Ubuntu
10.10. The website goes on to claim that the customizations
made to the operating system include a certain Me Menu
which provides easy access to often-visited websites and
programs straight from the desktop. KiWi PC also states that
the Me Menu will be completely customizable, and that the
font size has been increased to make onscreen text more Do you remember the news about LG announcing its new line
readable for senior citizens. of passive 3D television sets way back during CES this year?
Well, the good news is that the aforementioned television sets
are no longer just display units; LG has just announced that the
company plans to release the devices for sale in its domestic
Korean market soon.
On the hardware side, the KiWi PC does not feature impressive
specs, although this is understandable if one takes into
consideration its nettop nature and the variety of tasks its
Do the current batch of 3D television sets making use of active
intended user base might use it for. Powering the nettop is
shutter 3D glasses give you a nasty case of giddiness? If so, LG's
Intel's Atom processor clocked at 1.66GHz and 2GB of DDR3
latest announcement might be just the news you need to perk
memory, while the other essentials include a DVD-RW drive,
up your Monday, especially if you eventually plan to get a 3D
a 250GB hard disk for storage purposes and onboard Intel
television set someday. This is because the Korean electronics
GMA 3150 graphics. Internet connectivity is achieved via an
giant has just announced in an official press release that its
Ethernet connection which is handled by the motherboard's
new line of passive 3D television sets that were first introduced
onboard Realtek controller.
way back in this year's CES will be made available for sale in
Last but definitely not least, the KiWi PC comes bundled with Korea soon.
a 19-inch monitor for complete out-of-the-box functionality,
and 24/7 tech support ensures that senior citizens do not have
to call up their children every few minutes just to learn how to
navigate a Linux desktop.
That being said, the user interface found on the customized
Ubuntu 10.10 Linux distribution does not appear to be
anything more than a slightly tweaked version of the Unity
desktop environment. Which, for those who are unfamiliar
with the Ubuntu distribution, is currently an an experimental
user interface ported over from the netbook versions of the
operating system. While it is debatable as to just how much
user-friendlier a PC can get by ditching Windows for a Linux
distribution, users will be hard pressed to deny that they can
rest easy at night knowing that they will not have to deal with
6

7. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
According to the press release, the new LW6500 smart TVs
are touted as being the solution for "the next generation" of
3D imaging as its use of passive 3D technology means that
users do not have to splurge on expensive active-shutter 3D
glasses. In addition, LG claims that the aforementioned glasses
are responsible for various discomforts viewers commonly
experience when viewing 3D images, such as vertigo and eye
fatigue.
Furthermore, LG claims that its new LW6500 3D TVs are
capable of achieving a 180-degree viewing angle, which makes
it idea as a living room television.
The LW6500 line of 3D television sets will be made available
for sale in Korea soon, although LG claims that early birds who
According to Chinese gadget website Shanzhaiben.com, the
purchase these TVs before the end of April will be able to enjoy
tablet shown in the image above does not have a name yet,
"special offers" in the form of a 3D Blu-ray player and various
although its hardware configuration appears to be somewhat
film titles. For those who decide to pass up on the offer, the
decent. Apparently, the tablet will feature a seven-inch
LW6500 will be available in three different display sizes: the
resistive touchscreen that sports a native resolution of 800
55-inch version will cost 4.5 million won, while the smaller 47-
x 480 and will be preloaded with version 2.2 of the Android
inch and 42-inch versions will be sold at the retail price of 3
operating system. On the hardware side, a Marvell PX166
million won and 2.3 million won respectively.
processor based off the ARM11 processor family is used
to power the device and is clocked at 800MHz, and is
HTC clone surfaces in China, complemented with 256MB of memory and 2GB NAND flash
for storage purposes.
looks nothing like the original The back of the tablet is kept simple with nothing more than
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/htc-clone-surfaces-in-china-looks-
a simple speaker grille, along with a decorative array of dots
nothing-like-the-original/11663.html
situated at the lower right corner which make up the Android
March 21st, 2011
mascot.
Clones of popular consumer electronic devices are usually
available at a dime a dozen, especially when China has got
anything to do about it. That being said, one common feature
about cloned devices is that they often bear an uncanny
semblance to the original product in terms of design, right?
Well, it seems that this is not always the case, considering how
this little device right here has little to no similarity to the
actual device its design is allegedly based off on. Read on to
find out more.
Shanzhaiben.com claims that the biggest selling point of the
We have been featuring Chinese clones of various well-known unnamed tablet stems from the fact that it features a built-
consumer electronic devices like notebooks, smartphones and in GPS module, a feature which is generally found only in
tablet PCs for quite some time already, and in most cases the higher-end tablet devices. This allows consumers to use the
clone's biggest selling point is usually involves being able to device as though it were a GPS navigational system, a fact
mimic the original device's design and most of its functionality which is further backed up by the assortment of car mounting
while retailing for only a fraction of the former's asking price. accessories available for the unnamed tablet.
After all, no one is going to buy a clone if it is does not look
similar to the real deal, or is going to cost an arm and a leg,
right?
Well, it seems that the latest clone to make its way
out of the factories of Shenzhen has completely done
away with 'clones-are-supposed-to-look-like-the-real-deal'
practice, opting instead to produce an imitation which bears
little to no semblance to the original product. After all, one
will be quite hard pressed to find any similarities between
this device and a certain seven-inch HTC device which it is
supposedly modelled after.
7

8. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Apple has a new TV ad for their iPhone and it began telling
the audience that if one does not have an iPhone, one cannot
do and enjoy a lot of things - access the App store, download
the apps, show your mobile boarding pass, pay for coffee etc.
This is unlike its previous ads that focus more on the apps that
are available on the App store and what they can bring to the
iPhone users.
And the new ad ends with "If you don't have an iPhone, well,
you don't have an iPhone" which looks to be indirectly mocking
users. While the Android camp may not surpass the Apple
App Store in terms of the number of apps or downloads,
however, it does have a huge number of apps of 170,000
and growing. On top of that, there are Android versions of
the various airlines that lets you access your flight booking
With that being said, chances are you will be just a little curious and even mobile boarding pass, and with more smartphones
as to how much this unnamed HTC clone will be retailing coming up with built-in NFC technology, you can pay for your
for, right? Well, according to Shanzhaiben.com, the device is things with your smartphone.
currently being sold to wholesalers at the low price of 825
yuan, or approximately US$130. Of course, like what the ad said, if you don't have an iPhone,
you don't have an iPhone. But you do have other choices
available that can do the same.
New Apple iPhone ads look to
mock indirectly at users who NTT establishes free wireless
do not own one LAN networks in areas
damaged by the Great Tohoku
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/new-apple-iphone-ads-look-to-mock-
indirectly-at-users-who-do-not-own-one/11661.html
March 21st, 2011
Kanto Earthquake
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ntt-establishes-free-wireless-
lan-networks-in-areas-damaged-by-the-great-tohoku-kanto-
earthquake/11660.html
March 21st, 2011
Apple has a new iPhone ad which shows that if you do not have
an iPhone, you cannot do a lot of things. Somewhat indirectly
mocking users who do not own the phone and missing out on
the wonders of what the iPhone can bring. Read on.
Even as Japan struggles to recover from the disastrous
earthquake and tsunami that has claimed the lives of
thousands of Japanese, digital information still needs to be
disseminated around the wrecked places in order to facilitate
everyday life. To that end, the NTT Group has announced their
latest contribution to the country's disaster relief efforts: free
wireless LAN networks in various areas for all to access.
8

9. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
So Apple has just released their iPad 2, and it is getting an
extremely warm reception in countries all over the world.
Even though natural disasters such as the recent quake that That is to be expected though: after all, Apple does have an
levelled much of North-Eastern Japan may have knocked out impressive track record for producing well-designed, drool-
much of the region's digital infrastructure, it should be of worthy consumer electronic devices that always have a knack
little surprise that service providers and telecommunication for fitting neatly into a user's digital lifestyle.
operators are working to ensure that the dissemination of However, it is also a given that Apple does not believe in
digital information suffers from as little impact as possible. standing still and letting the competition catch up to it in terms
After all, information about disaster recovery efforts and of innovation and design, especially when it concerns their
developments are vital for survivors, and anything than can best selling devices. To that end, the rumour mill is churning
facilitate such efforts will be important to ensure that the out information claiming that the Cupertino giant is not about
populace remains calm and do not panic. to give its competitors any breathing room, for some sources
Apparently, in a bid to ensure that areas affected by the recent close to Apple are claiming that an upgraded version of the
earthquake and tsunami do not suffer from a communications iPad might be well on its way to making an entrance on the
blackout, the NTT Group has announced that it is setting market by as early as September this year.
up free wireless LAN spots in various locations around the Should this information be true, it will mean that Apple is
affected areas. To prevent people from abusing the free giving itself less than six months of development time to
networks, each user will only be allowed to sign in onto the design, test and finalize its new product. To put things in
free networks for a maximum of 30 minutes, after which he or perspective, the iPad 2 was only launched an entire year after
she will be disconnected from the network to ensure that other that of the first iPad; this suggests that Apple might have
users can utilize the service. already had new features and designs planned for the iPad
The free networks will remain operational until June 30. A 3, but decided to release an iPad 2 as a stopgap to ensure
complete list of the areas which will be receiving the service that consumer interest in its tablet PCs remain high. This
can be found at NTT's press release here. will make sense, considering that the rapid introduction of
equally well-design Android-powered tablets are starting to
take some attention away from Apple's iPad; indeed, Microsoft
Rumour: iPad 3 to debut in also adopted a similar approach with its Windows Mobile
September this year? platform when it introduced Windows Mobile 6.5 to maintain
its market presence while it focused on Windows Phone 7.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-ipad-3-to-debut-in-september-
this-year-/11659.html In addition to the estimated release date of the iPad 3, the
March 21st, 2011 rumour mill is also claiming knowledge of certain new features
that are most likely to make their way into the new tablet.
Examples of such features include the introduction of iOS
5, which is extremely possible considering how the iPad 3
will debut after the iPhone 5's introduction, which is almost
definitely going to come bundled with the aforementioned
Sure, Apple's iPad 2 has just been released to widespread version of Apple's iOS platform.
fanfare across the world, but it seems that the Cupertino giant Other features that are speculated to make an appearance
is not about to stand still, especially with the competition in in the rumoured iPad 3 include a Retina Display in order
the tablet space is starting to heat up. Once again, leave it to the to truly position the tablet as the real media consumption
rumour mill to churn out a never-ending stream of juicy tidbits device Apple markets it to be, along with a built-in camera
regarding Apple's upcoming products, and the latest bit of info flash and HDMI-out, most of which are standard features in
from China seems to suggest than an iPad 3 might just make all of its competitors' products today. Last but definitely not
its appearance on the market by September this year. Read on least, it is said that the iPad 3 will finally feature a built-in SD
to find out more. card reader, a feature which has been conveniently missing in
9

10. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Apple's entire Mac (until recently) and existing iPad product
lines.
Last but not least, all the information shown above are nothing
but the latest churnings produced by the rumour mill, so
chances are their accuracy is anything but. Therefore, it will
be wise to take in the news with nothing less than a huge
truckload worth of salt.
Android Gingerbread update
coming to LG Optimus One
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/android-gingerbread-update-coming-
to-lg-optimus-one/11658.html
March 21st, 2011
Sony rumoured to launch
Chrome notebook and hybrid
PC
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-rumoured-to-launch-chrome-
notebook-and-hybrid-pc/11657.html
Korean manufacturer LG has announced that the Android March 21st, 2011
Gingerbread update will be coming to the Optimus One,
and it could arrive around May. Definitely good news for
Optimus One owners over here who had bought the phone
Details of what is said to be future VAIO notebooks from
since October last year.
Sony have turned up online and if they turn out to be true,
we have a couple of rather unusual and intriguing products
to look forward to from Sony later this year. Apparently
Sony is not only working on a Chrome notebook powered by
Nvidia’s Tegra 2 SoC, but also some kind of hybrid notebook/
desktop solution which is said to feature support for Intel’s
Thunderbolt interface.
Details of what is said to be future VAIO notebooks from
Sony have turned up online and if they turn out to be true,
we have a couple of rather unusual and intriguing products
to look forward to from Sony later this year. Apparently
For Android phone owners, the main concern is whether their
Sony is not only working on a Chrome notebook powered by
phone is able to get future update in order to have a better user
Nvidia’s Tegra 2 SoC, but also some kind of hybrid notebook/
experience. And while phone manufacturers have promised
desktop solution which is said to feature support for Intel’s
updates to their various Android phones, some had failed to
Thunderbolt interface.
deliver their promises.
The Google Chrome OS model is interesting in more than one
The latest Nexus S from Google and Samsung is equipped with
way, as Google’s on Cr-48 notebook is using an Intel Atom
the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread mobile operating system.
CPU, whereas apparently Sony is going for an ARM based
And apparently, from a recent FaceBook post, the Optimus
Tegra 2 SoC from Nvidia. We’re not sure how demanding
One (LG P500) may be getting the update this May.
Google’s Chrome OS is, but 1GB of RAM seems a bit on the
The LG Optimus One is currently retailing at S$428 (without stingy side, but might very well prove to be sufficient. We
contract). doubt that this will be upgradable, although this wouldn’t be
impossible, just improbable.
For storage Sony has gone with 16GB of eMMC memory which
is an embedded type of memory that doesn’t quite offer the
performance of an embedded SSD such as the one on offer
from SanDisk, mainly due to the different interface used for
the Flash memory. Other features include an 11.6-inch display,
Wi-Fi of some kind, a regular notebook size keyboard said to be
similar to that on Google’s Cr-48 notebook and finally it’s said
to feature both a GPS and Bluetooth functionality, but neither
will apparently be working from day one. The notebook is said
10

11. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
to be weighing in at around 1kg, yet offer up to 8h worth of
battery life.
As for the hybrid PC, well, here things get complicated. The
notebook part is said to feature an Intel Core i7 CPU, an SSD
and Intel’s Thunderbolt technology. This means that it’ll have
a mini DisplayPort connector, although it’s also said to have
an HDMI port and support for Intel’s second generation WiDi
technology. It’s meant to weigh a mere 1.13kg yet offer 8h
battery life, although this can be extended to 16.5h presumably
via an optical battery solution of some kind.
However, this is said to be only half of the system, so if that
wasn’t impressive enough, Sony will be offering an add-on
unit which presumably connects via Thunderbolt and is said
to feature a Radeon HD 6700M series graphics card with Apparently, things are going so well over at Intel that they are
1GB of memory, a Blu-ray drive, a further HDMI port, a D- going to launch their 25nm MLC based 320 Series (Postville
sub connector, Ethernet port, USB ports and presumably a Refresh), ahead of schedule, on the 28th of March. Intel 320
mini DisplayPort connector, although oddly enough this isn’t series Gen3 SSD is set to replace the current X25-V and
mentioned specifically. This units weighs in at 680g although X25-M series at the same price point targeting mainstream
presumably it’ll be some kind of dock that you’d leave at home consumers, SMBs, data centres and embedded markets.
most of the time, hence the duplicated ports.
VR-Zone first revealed about the Intel 320 series earlier this
It sure sounds like Sony will have some interesting toys coming month and now we are going to bring you the finalized specs
later this year, although we’d expect the hybrid PC to be and estimated retail pricing.
quite expensive while the Chrome OS notebook might be the
cheapest notebook yet from Sony. • Up to 39,500 IOPS random 4 KB reads; up to 23,000
IOPS random 4 KB writes
Intel First 25nm SSD On March • Full Disk Encryption via AES 128 bit Encryption
Technology
28th, Pricing Unveiled • Enhanced power loss management
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-first-25nm-ssd-on-march-28th-
pricing-unveiled/11655.html • 1.2M hours MTBF
March 21st, 2011
• Intel® 25nm compute NAND
Available in 6 capacities; 40GB, 80GB, 120GB, 160GB, 300GB
and 600GB, they are estimated to be priced at $109, $189,
$239, $329, $569 and $1119 respectively.
Apparently, things are going so well over at Intel that they are
going to launch their 25nm MLC based 320 Series (Postville NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590
Refresh), ahead of schedule, on the 28th of March. Intel 320
series SSD is set to replace the current X25-V and X25-M series listed in E-tail
at the same price point targeting mainstream consumer, SMB, Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-590-listed-in-e-
data center and embedded markets. VR-Zone first revealed tail/11653.html
about the Intel 320 series earlier this month and now we are March 21st, 2011
going to bring you the finalized specs and estimated retail
pricing.
Canadian e-tailer EXPC has jumped the gun and listed NVIDIA's upcoming flagship, GeForce
GTX 590. The card in question is a GTX 590 and comes with a straight "Buy Now" button
and complete specifications and price. As expected, the GTX 590 combines two of massive
GF110 GPUs on one package. All units are enabled and the GTX 590 is essentially GTX 580
SLI with severe downclocks. The final clock is 612 MHz for the core, 3420 MHz for the 3GB
GDDR5. The card features 3x DVI outputs, 1xHDMI and even 1xMiniDP - finally bringing
NVIDIA's 3D Surround to a single graphics card.
Needless to say, the GTX 590 is one massive card, 11" long and
4.5" thick. That makes it slightly shorter than the HD 6990, but
slightly thicker, and right on the limit for dual-slot graphics
11

12. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
card. While TDP is not mentioned, the GTX 590 is expected to
consume 375W.
The price? CA$799. That is more than $100 more expensive
than the HD 6990, setting up an intense fight between the two.
Of course, the final pricing may vary.
The GTX 590 was originally scheduled for 22nd, but is now
set to release on 24th. The reason cited has been last minute
driver tweaks, especially for Crysis 2 which releases around the
same time.
You can view the EXPC listing here.
Cubitek Announces Magic Magic Cube B210
Cube Modular Chassis The main "box", compatible with all Micro-ATX, ATX, and E-
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/cubitek-announces-magic-cube- ATX motherboards, has seven expansion slots, two rear holes
modular-chassis/11652.html for water-cooling tubes, and a top-side I/O panel with two
March 21st, 2011 USB 3.0 ports, eSATA and audio connectors. It comes with
three pre-installed fans (x1 rear 120mm, x1 front 140mm, & x1
top 140mm fans) and supports both long graphic cards (up to
310mm) and tall (up to 180mm) CPU coolers.
Taipei-based Cubitek Co. Ltd has expanded its line-up of PC
chassis aimed at enthusiasts with the addition of the modular
Magic Cube series. Available in two models (Magic Cube
B210 and Magic Cube B211), the aluminum chassis sports a
anodized black coating, and boast a modular design i.e. made
up of three "boxes" - one for mainboard, expansion cards, &
PSU, one for 5.25" optical drives, and a third one for 3.5" SSDs/
HDDs.
Main "Box"
Magic Cube B211
Taipei-based Cubitek Co. Ltd has expanded its line-up of PC
chassis aimed at enthusiasts with the addition of the modular
Magic Cube series. Available in two models (Magic Cube Main "Box"
B210 and Magic Cube B211), the aluminum chassis sports a
anodized black coating, and boast a modular design i.e. made
up of three "boxes" - one for mainboard, expansion cards, &
PSU, one for 5.25" optical drives, and a third one for 3.5" SSDs/
HDDs.
12

13. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Main "Box" 5.25" "Box"
Main "Box" - Stripped Bare B210 3.5" "Box"
The B210 comes with a "box" that holds three HDDs (cooled
by x1 80mm fan), whilst the B211 has a "box" that houses eight
HDDs (equipped with x2 140mm fans). Last but not least, the
5.25" "box" has room for up to two 5.25" optical devices or 3.5"
drives via a bundled adapter.
B210 3.5" "Box"
5.25" "Box"
B210 3.5" "Box"
13

14. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
March 21st, 2011
Designed for professional users, the new ASUS P6X58-E WS
workstation motherboard is based on the tested-and-proven
Intel X58 Express chipset. Notable features include dual Intel
Gigabit LAN, an NVIDIA NF200 bridge chip, USB 3.0 and
ASUS-exclusive Xtreme Phase 16+2 power delivery and EPU
energy saving optimizations. The new board ships with the
B211 3.5" "Box" ASUS '24X24' pledge - 24-hour non-stop operation and 24-
month guaranteed market availability.
B211 3.5" "Box"
Singapore (March 15, 2011) - Proving the Intel® X58
architecture's enduring potential and value, the P6X58-E
WS ships with multi-GPU support for both NVIDIA® SLI™
and AMD CrossFireX™, SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0. It also
includes built-in server-class Intel® LAN, as well as ASUS-
developed highlights such as Xtreme Phase power delivery
and EPU energy consumption optimization. The new board
ships with the ASUS '24X24' pledge, meaning 24-hour non-
stop operation and 24-month guaranteed market availability
to reduce costs due to involuntary product replacement.
Flexible multi-GPU configuration
B211 3.5" "Box" A dedicated expansion slot controller ensures increased
bandwidth availability for each connected graphics card,
The Magic Cube B210 and Magic Cube B211 are available hence the P6X58-E WS supports up to 3-way NVIDIA® SLI™,
now from www.caseking.de at MSRPs of €179.90 and€199.90 with each of the triple PCI-E channels working at full X16
respectively. speeds. For AMD CrossFireX™, the P6X58-E WS offers up to
quad-GPU arrangements, with each PCI-E channel working in
News via [Techconnect] X16.
This graphics flexibility and capacity aims to serve the
ASUS launches P6X58-E WS needs of workstation users who require advanced graphics
processing capabilities for professional ventures, including
workstation motherboard computer-aided design, graphics rendering, high definition
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-launches-p6x58-e-ws- video editing, animation, engineering and modeling.
workstation-motherboard/11651.html
14

15. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Intel® Core™ i7 desktop
processors
Intel® Xeon 5500 / 5600 /
3500 / 3600 series server
processors
Chipset Intel® X58 Express
NVIDIA® NF200
Memory 6 x DIMM, max 24GB
DDR3 2000(OC) /
1866(OC) / 1800(OC) / 1600
(OC) / 1333 / 1066MHz,
ECC / non-ECC unbuffered
memory
Power delivery Xtreme Phase 16+2
Expansion slots 2 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@x16 or
SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0 x8)
The P6X58-E WS represents the first appearance of SATA 2 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@ x8)
6Gb/s and USB 3.0 data transfer standards on an Intel®
X58-based workstation motherboard. USB 3.0 works up to 1 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (@ x16)
ten times faster than USB 2.0, offering significant time
savings when handling large amounts of data. SATA 6Gb/s 1 x PCI-E x1 (@ x1)
likewise doubles the throughput of SATA 3Gb/s, expediting Multi-GPU support NVIDIA® 3-Way GeForce
transfer rates and creating a more reliable and efficient work SLI™
environment. AMD® quad CrossFireX™
CUDA support Up to 4 NVIDIA® Tesla™
GPUs
Dual server-class Intel® Gigabit LAN
Gigabit LAN 2 x Intel® 82574L
Two hardware-accelerated Intel® Gigabit LAN ports double Storage 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s
the connection bandwidth available to users, while at the 6 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s
same time reducing CPU utilization. The implementation by
USB 2 x USB 3.0 (at back panel)
ASUS of server-grade Intel® LAN reduces CPU load in half
12 x USB 2.0 (6 ports at mid-
when compared with competing workstation motherboards by
board, 6 ports at back panel)
carrying out net-related calculations off the main processor.
As a consequence, connections become faster and more stable, Audio Realtek ALC889, 8-channel
featuring reduced packet loss and lower latency. Users also HD
benefit from an overall faster system, as greater CPU resources Firewire 2 x 1394a (1 port at mid-
remain free to tackle other tasks. These accelerated Gigabit board, 1 port at back panel)
ports support dedicated server operating systems as well Back I/O 1 x PS/2 KB / Mouse, 1 x
as VMWare® virtualization for increased functionality and IEEE1394a, 2 x Intel LAN,
efficiency on streamlined hardware. 1 x S/PDIF Out (optical and
coaxial), 8 x USB (2 for USB
3.0 and 6 for USB 2.0), 1 x 8-
Exclusive ASUS Features
channel audio
To better handle professional applications, the P6X58-E WS Form factor ATX, 12" x 9.6"
features ASUS Xtreme Phase power delivery components
for more efficient, cleaner power, improved stability and
increased reliability. Users also benefit from the inclusion of
the exclusive Energy Processing Unit, or EPU, a proprietary Source: ASUS Press Release
ASUS programmable microchip that supervises energy
consumption across the system to reduce power wastage. The
AI Suite II application center brings together a wide range of
utilities and ASUS tools, offering users greater control over
system performance, capabilities and features, among them
ASUS prepares new M5A
the versatile TurboV overclocking interface. motherboards, BIOS updates
for AMD AM3+ CPU support
Specifications Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-prepares-new-m5a-
motherboards-bios-updates-for-amd-am3-cpu-support/11650.html
CPU 1 x Socket LGA1366
15

16. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
March 21st, 2011 debut while Turbo Unlocker offers real-time adjustments to
enhance system performance. All utilities are designed to help
the user achieve maximum performance from their systems.
BIOS upgradable models:
AMD 890FX / SB850 AMD 890GX / SB850
ASUS has announced the release of the industry's first AM3+ Crosshair IV Extreme M4A89GTD PRO / USB3
CPU enabled motherboard solution based on the existing Crosshair IV Formula M4A89GTD PRO
AMD 8-Series chipsets. Current owners of an AM3-based
M4A89TD PRO / USB3
board can make their AMD 8-Series motherboards compatible
with the latest AM3+ CPUs with a simple BIOS update from M4A89TD PRO
the official ASUS website.
Upcoming ASUS M5A models (AM3+ socket):
AMD 880G AMD 870 AMD 760
M5A88-V EVO M5A87 M5A78L
M5A88-M EVO M5A78L LE
M5A88-M M5A78L-M / USB3
M5A78L-M PLUS
M5A78L-M LE
M5A78L-M
Note: Current BIOS updates are beta releases. Please check the
ASUS support site for continual updates.
Source: ASUS Press Release
Why UPS systems are rated
Singapore (March 16, 2011) - ASUS, the worldwide leader in in VAs and PSUs in Watts;
motherboard design and sales, today announced the release
of the industry's first AM3+ CPU enabled motherboard
Explaining Watts, VAr and VA
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/why-ups-systems-are-rated-in-vas-
solution based on the existing AMD 8-Series chipsets. Current
and-psus-in-watts-explaining-watts-var-and-va/11473.html
owners of an AM3-based board can make their AMD 8-Series
March 21st, 2011
motherboards compatible with the latest AM3+ CPUs with a
simple BIOS update from the official ASUS website.
ASUS provides options for users to be the first to enjoy AM3+
AMD's new AM3+ CPU is a complete microarchitecture
redesign from previous AMD CPUs, and offers better
performance over the previous generation. As such, ASUS When shopping for an uninterruptible power supply (UPS),
is committed to provide continuous support for the latest almost everyone would have noticed that they are either
technologies, and is the first to market for a product solution rated in VA's only or in both VA's and Watt's. This is not so
for user's needs. Current ASUS 890FX and 890GX series with the vast majority of household equipment, including the
motherboards can be upgraded to enjoy the extra performance very power supply unit (PSU) of the computer itself which
offered by future AM3+ CPUs. ASUS will also be releasing comes rated in Watts only. As a result, this usually leads to
AMD 8-Series Chipset motherboards based on 880G and 870 confusion as most people either lack the technical knowledge
as well as the 760G with the AM3+ socket for increased to understand the difference between VA and Watt units or,
selection so users can enjoy AM3 and AM3+ CPUs. even worse, do not even realize that there is a difference.
When shopping for a UPS, almost everyone would have
noticed that they are either rated in VA's only or in both
Current AMD 8-Series chipset based motherboards feature VA's and Watt's. This is not so with the vast majority of
award-winning overclocking utilities, along with ASUS Core household equipment, including the very power supply of the
Unlocker which was widely recognized by global media at its computer itself which comes rated in Watts only. As a result,
16

17. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
this usually leads to confusion as most people either lack the
technical knowledge to understand the difference between VA
and Watt units or, even worse, do not even realize that there
is a difference.
Of course, this is something natural because such knowledge is
usually limited to electricians and electrical engineers, people
who are educated and work on the AC power grid. To make
matters worse, not only VAs (Volt-Amperes) and Watts are
different but there is even a third "form of electrical power",
Volt-Ampere reactive or VArs.
In this article, we will try and explain in terms comprehensible
from the majority of users, who possess only basic skills and
little to no knowledge on the matter, the difference between
Tt eSPORTS spoke to gamers around the world about what
the three types of power.
they wanted to see from the MEKA and as a result added two
additional USB ports to allow plugging additional devices in
to the keyboard. The MEKA has been designed to allow for
Tt eSPORTS Unleashes MEKA
the 1.8m braided cable to be positioned based on the users
requirement, whether left, right or centre of the keyboard.
Mechanical Keyboard
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/tt-esports-unleashes-meka-
mechanical-keyboard/11649.html The MEKA is a smaller design compared to the original MEKA
March 21st, 2011 G1 Mechanical keyboard but as Tt eSPORTS grows, it shall
continue to develop a complete range of gaming peripherals
to meet different gamers requirements. Tt eSPORTS aim
to continue releasing a range of gaming products to allow
all gamers to find their right equipment, whether a social,
hardcore or professional gamer.
Tt eSPORTS has announced the MEKA Mechanical Keyboard, New MEKA Keyboard Joins The Tt eSPORTS Mechanical
adding on to its line-up of peripherals aimed at gamers. Product Range
Measuring 370 x 150 x 3.5mm, it has a smaller footprint http//www.ttesports.comproductsproduct.aspxs=19
compared to the original MEKA G1 Mechanical keyboard and
features a 1000Hz polling rate, two USB 2.0 ports, Cherry
Black mechanical switches (50 million keystrokes before
failure), anti-ghosting function (up to 16 keys), and a 1.8m For more information, please visit http//
braided cable with gold plated USB connector. Prices and www.ttesports.comindex.aspx
availability is unknown so stay tuned for more news.
TTESPORTS PRESS RELEASE Genius Announces Traveler
Tt eSPORTS are very excited at being able to announce the 6000 Mice
imminent release of our new and exciting MEKA Mechanical Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/genius-announces-traveler-6000-
Keyboard, which was on display last week at Cebit 2011 in mice/11648.html
Hannover, Germany. March 21st, 2011
The MEKA keyboard is the first USB Mechanical Keyboard
that is offering Anti-Ghosting without the use of a PS2 adapter.
This gaming keyboard has been designed and manufactured
using the popular Cherry Black Switch, which allow for up to Genius has started shipping its Traveler 6000 series of
50 Million Keystrokes and by using this product an increase in wireless mice in both America and Canada. Available in
APM (Actions Per Minute) is a high possibility. two variants (Traveler 6000 & Traveler 6000 Classic), these
ambidextrous mice boast a 1200 dpi optical sensor, a 2.4 GHz
wirelss interface (via bundled pico receivers), three buttons
(with scroll), and are powered by one AAA battery.
17

18. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Toshiba's Satellite L750 Sandy
Bridge notebook leaked
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/toshiba-s-satellite-l750-sandy-bridge-
notebook-leaked/11646.html
March 21st, 2011
Notebooks with Intel's second generation of Core i processors
are slowly starting to trickle out to retailers and today we found
an unannounced model from Toshiba on sale online. The
model is the Satellite L750 which appears to be a replacement
model for the current Satellite L650. It's a consumer model
that should end up somewhere in the middle of Toshiba's
notebook range.
Genius has started shipping its Traveler 6000 series of
wireless mice in both America and Canada. Available in
two variants (Traveler 6000 & Traveler 6000 Classic), these Notebooks with Intel's second generation of Core i processors
ambidextrous mice boast a 1200 dpi optical sensor, 2.4 GHz are slowly starting to trickle out to retailers and today we found
wirelss interface (via bundled pico receivers), three buttons an unannounced model from Toshiba on sale online. The
(with scroll), and are powered by one AAA battery. The model is the Satellite L750 which appears to be a replacement
Traveler 6000 is available in Diamond Black, Royal Blue or model for the current Satellite L650. It's a consumer model
Ruby Rose patterns whilst the Traveler 6000 Classic has a that should end up somewhere in the middle of Toshiba's
'elegant top cover design'. They can be purchased from major notebook range.
resellers and e-tailers at a MSRP of US$14.90 and US$16.90.
News via [Techconnect]
Rumour: AMD preparing
Phenom II X4 980 BE
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-amd-preparing-phenom-ii-
x4-980-be/11647.html
March 21st, 2011
Just as we thought the Phenom II X4 975 BE was the last The L750 is a 15.6-incher with a standard 1366x768 resolution
hurrah for the Phenom II X4 series, AMD is rumoured to be screen which is driven by a GeForce GT525M which is paired
preparing yet another top Phenom II X4 part - the 980 BE. As with 1GB of DDR3 memory, although we couldn't find any
suggested by the nomenclature, the 980 BE is another minor details of Optimus support, but it might be supported. It has
speed bump, to 3.7 GHz. It retains the same 125W TDP and is a Core i5-2410M CPU which has a base clock of 2.3GHz;
expected to release sometime between April to August. although we're sure other CPU models will also be available.
It only comes with 2GB of RAM as standard, but again this
With all the anticipation focussed towards AMD's next-gen might differ between the various markets it's sold in. The hard
FX and A series processors, releasing in June/July, it is drive configuration on the models we found on sale included
commendable that AMD has been eking out these minor speed a 640GB 5,400rpm drive, but again we'd expect other options
bumps at regular frequencies. The close proximity to the next- here. You do of course also get an optical drive.
gen releases also suggest the 980 BE will release closer to April
than to August. Pricing is an unknown, but is likely to end up
under $200.
Surely, the 980 BE will be the final Phenom II X4 product.
However, given AMD's track record, we are not entirely read
to dismiss a future 985 BE!
18

19. March 21st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
has a volume of just 0.6 of a litre, but it can handle HD
streaming and playback; Dell has introduced the Inspiron R
Series Of Notebooks ; The world's first LTE phone, the HTC
Thunderbolt, is now officially available from Verizon; HP is
betting on the Cloud and WebOS , and Angry Birds developer
Rovio aiming for IPO.
Hardware news:
Description: Now equipped with the next-generation heat
sink, HyperX T1 memory kit is Kingston’s latest offering for
the most exquisite overclocking memory product one could
ask for. Featuring an all new heat sink construction, the
HyperX T1 is capable of challenging the limits to deliver a new
overclocking experience like never before.
Other features include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 + HS,
an HDMI port, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port, a Gigabit Description: The Xigmatek Aegir SD 128264 features the latest
Ethernet port, a D-sub connector, a memory card reader and a in stacked Heatpipe Direct Touch design, taking layering and
pair of audio jacks. The webcam is a standard VGA resolution heatpipe mass to a new level in cooling. Breaking down the
affair and Toshiba is using its own keyboard type which should model number of the Xigmatek Aegir SD 128264, we know that
fall in the “floating island” category. The touch pad is offset it features a 120mm fan, 2 8mm pipes and 4 6mm pipes, which
to one side thanks to the inclusion of a numerical keypad and is quite an impressive array.
looks quite small considering the size of the notebook. Description: The Kühler H2O 620 from Antec is another all-in-
one water cooler which does not need any maintenance during
its lifetime, and it is recommended for people who want a very
easy installation, without the hassle of building a complete
water cooling loop from scratch.
Description: Rosewill recently released Thor case is an XL-
ATX tower able to support the extra large motherboards like
the EVGA X58 Classified 4-way SLI, Gigabyte 890FXA-UD7
and others. This XL-ATX case enters a rank in terms of size
that few other cases venture to, so let's see if it can hold up to
the competition and rise above the rest.
Description: With a volume of only 0.6 of a litre, the Foxconn
NT-535 is a significant step forward from its predecessor with
an upgrade to DDR3 memory and the inclusion of two specific
The standard battery pack is a 6-cell unit, but sadly it's only chips to enable true Blu-ray standard of HD streaming and
good for about 4.5h of usage and that's with the discrete playback.
graphics switched off and the battery life will fall to about 2h
when it's enabled while on battery power. The L750 weighs in Consumer Electronics and Software news::
at 2.6kg, it will be available in at least brown and white and Description: Dell has introduced the Inspiron R series, which
Windows 7 Home Premium is the operating system of choice. features Intel's new and improved Sandy Bridge series of
The retail price is NT$32,800 in Taiwan which is about S processors. These new rigs are designed for style-focused
$1409/US$1107 which seems a little bit on the expensive side, consumers, with loads of color options and an interchangeable
but it's worth keeping in mind that consumer electronics and lid option standing out.
computers, especially by Japanese brands, aren't all that cheap
Description: Bored bloggers at a German website tried typing
in Taiwan.
the expected address of Amazon's forthcoming app store, and
were rewarded with a glimpse of the initial stock and pricing.
The Daily VR-Zone News Description: The Mozilla wiki page lists March 22 as the ship
Update - 18 Mar 2011 date; when asked if that was accurate, a Mozilla spokeswoman
said the company was "trying to make that decision today."
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-update--18-
mar-2011/11645.html Description: The Razer Ferox portable speakers boast big
March 21st, 2011 sound for a pair of speakers that are barely bigger than a
standard computer mouse, and they are outstanding audio-
enhancing companions for virtually any portable media
players (iPods, iPhones, Droid phones, etc) and gaming
laptops.
Description: It’s becoming increasingly clear that with last
To round up this week's news: Review of the Kingston year’s purchase of smartphone maker Palm and its WebOS, HP
HyperX PC3-2133 CL9 memory modules; Foxconn NT-535 is going to develop its own cloud offering.
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