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. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
bonus that USB 3.0 offers and in reality there's no reason for
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication a device with USB 2.0 ports today.
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
In related news, we're also hearing that Apple is working with
some of its partners to create more affordable Thunderbolt
Apple's considering USB 3.0 storage solutions suitable for demanding consumers or small
businesses that don't need the throughput offered by high-
as an addition to Thunderbolt end RAID enclosures. Further on the subject of Thunderbolt,
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/apple-s-considering-usb-3.0-as-an- Intel might allow third party companies to create device
addition-to-thunderbolt/13467.html side Thunderbolt chipsets, although the company is not
September 1st, 2011 considering allowing the competition in on the host side.
Exclusive preview of Lenovo
IdeaPad U400
A lot of people have been disappointed over Apple's lack of Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/exclusive-preview-of-lenovo-ideapad-
interest in the USB 3.0 standard, but thanks to a little bird, VR- u400/13466.html
Zone has heard that the company is still looking at USB 3.0 as September 1st, 2011
a potential feature to add on future products. As to when and
how this might happen is not something we know, but from
our understanding it'll happen before Intel integrates USB 3.0
support into its chipsets.
A lot of people have been disappointed over Apple's lack of VR-Zone was one of the media to get an exclusive preview
interest in the USB 3.0 standard, but thanks to a little bird, VR- of the new Lenovo IdeaPad U400 notebook PC in Singapore.
Zone has heard that the company is still looking at USB 3.0 as Although it is not the U300 UltraBook, the U400 is designed as
a potential feature to add on future products. As to when and an affordable laptop with style and good functionality. Details
how this might happen is not something we know, but from inside.
our understanding it'll happen before Intel integrates USB 3.0
support into its chipsets.
Sadly we can't reveal all the information at hand, as not only
would we cause problems for our source, but also the entire
company in question, but suffice to say, Apple has been looking
into USB 3.0 host controllers, especially as the price has finally
reached an affordable level. A USB 3.0 host controller is priced
at somewhere between US$2-3 in large quantities today which
should be compared to US$10-15 for Intel's Thunderbolt chip.
It's also important to remember that Thunderbolt not only
requires a host chip, but also a device chip and additional
chips on the device end depending on the type of device.
This makes Thunderbolt a very expensive solution for simple
storage device etc.
For this simple reason it makes sense that Apple is considering
implementing USB 3.0 support into its products, especially as
the device end is very simple and equally affordable, if not even
cheaper than the host end. USB 3.0 can of course not match
the performance of a device connected over Thunderbolt,
but that level of performance is often not required by the
consumer market and Apple is seemingly catering more and
more towards consumer. Backwards compatibility is another
1

2. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad U400 looks extremely
stylish with round edges and from its exterior design, it is
inevitable to draw comparisons with the renowned Apple
MacBook Pro. According to the company, the U400 we see
here is a prototype unit. Its chassis is made of aluminium
which makes it fairly durable and comes in graphite grey at this
press time. The laptop has spacious palm rest, a huge multi-
touch touchpad with left/right clickable buttons and uses a
chiclet-styled keyboard for comfortable typing.
The power button is on the top left corner of the keyboard,
and we did not find any notification LEDs as the body is one
piece aluminium. Needless to say, it is impossible to replace
the battery or even upgrade the memory modules without
having to void the unit's warranty. Looking at the dxdiag.exe
information, the U400 is equipped with 2.2GHz Intel Core
i3-2330M, 2GB DDR3 memory and ATI Radeon graphics.
The Lenovo IdeaPad U400 is currently available as an
exclusive bundle with StarHub MaxInfinity Ultimate 100Mbps
fibre home broadband plan (S$99.30 per month). The U400
offered with StarHub is valued at S$1,899 and comes with
2.7GHz Intel Core i7-2620M, 4GB DDR3 memory, 500GB
hard disk, ATI Radeon HD 6470M graphics (1GB VRAM),
DVD SuperMulti drive and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home
Premium. According to Lenovo, the IdeaPad 400 would be
retailing soon at their authorized resellers and retail stores
with similar hardware specifications and price point.
On the right, we find the system recovery button, air vent, LAN
and USB3.0 port, while on the left holds the headphone jack, Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray pre-
two USB 2.0, HDMI out connectors and a slot-in DVD drive. orders began; retails on 9
September in Singapore
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-xperia-ray-pre-orders-
began-retails-on-9-september-in-singapore/13464.html
2

3. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 1st, 2011 September 1st, 2011
Sony Ericsson has a booth at the COMEX Show 2011, located HP Singapore announced the promotion prices for their
on level 6, hall 602, booth number 6341, to showcase their WebOS-based TouchPad tablets just a day before the COMEX
current offerings which include the Xperia Arc, Xperia Mini, Show. Needless to say, there are a lot of enthusiastic buyers
Xperia Mini Pro and Xperia Play. But if you were at their booth, who want to grab the special offer. But in the end, many
you would notice a banner that says taking pre-orders of the were angry and disappointed when they found out the tablets
Xperia Ray. Yes, pre-orders have started, which means the new have been fully redeemed even before the show started.
Xperia Ray Android smartphone is arriving here in Singapore. UPDATE: HP has issued a statement that due to safety and
security concerns, the sale of the standalone HP TouchPads at
COMEX will be discontinued. However, HP PCs purchase with
purchase offers for the HP TouchPad will still be available at
the COMEX show.
The much anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia ray is coming
to Singapore with pre-orders commencing today. Measuring
just 9.9mm thin, the Xperia Ray sports a 3.3-inch screen
and runs the latest Android platform for smartphones
(Gingerbread 2.3). The phone packs a powerful 1GHz UPDATE: HP has issued a statement that due to safety and
processor, Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a security concerns, the sale of the standalone HP TouchPads
8.1-megapixel camera with Exmor R for mobile and high at COMEX will be discontinued. However, HP PCs purchase
definition video functionality. with purchase offers for the HP TouchPad will still be available
at the COMEX show.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray will be available for sale on 9
September at a recommended retail price of S$598. If you pre-
order the Xperia Ray smartphone from today until 9 Sept, you At the COMEX Show 2011, the 16GB HP TouchPad is going
will receive an exquisite gift from Mont Blanc. for S$126 (w/GST) while the 32GB version is selling at S$201
Pre-order of the Xperia Ray is available at M1, Singtel and (w/GST). However, only 100 units of each model will be sold
Starhub, Sony Ericsson Concept Stores (Parkway Parade and with only one tablet per person, and on the first two days of
Ang Mo Kio Hub) and selected Sony Stores and Sony Centres. the show. On top of that, the company will only accept cash
Also available at COMEX 2011, Hall 602 at the Sony Ericsson payment; no credit cards or NETS, and there will also be non-
Booth 6341. Redemption of gift at Mont Blanc boutique at returnable and non-refundable policies. With such attractive
Mandarin Gallery from 10 Sept to 30 Nov, while stocks last. price tags, ever since HP USA announced the US$99 TouchPad
tablets just about ten days ago, it makes sense why people are
going "ga-ga" over them.
HP TouchPad at COMEX 2011 Unfortunately, the arrangement for the COMEX promotion
draws huge (angry) crowd was badly planned. There was no mention as to where one
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-touchpad-at-comex-2011-draws- can queue to get the TouchPad tablets. Not even on the HP
huge-angry-crowd/13460.html Singapore Facebook Page. Not to mention, the comments
on the popular social networking website are not very
encouraging either, with some citing the obvious fact that why
the company is only selling 200 units each day when there are
so many people who would kill to buy the tablet. HP Singapore
3

4. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
only said that if you missed the special promotion, you can still
purchase it with their purchase-on-purchase program which Notebook PCs promotion @
include buying either a HP TouchSmart610 -1138d, 1178d, COMEX Show 2011
1188d; HP Pavilion dv4-3020TX, or HP Pavilion dv6-6144TX, Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/notebook-pcs-promotion--comex-
dv6-6105TX and dv6-6106TX. You can then get the chance to show-2011/13462.html
buy the HP TouchPad 16GB and HP TouchPad 32GB for S$49 September 1st, 2011
(with GST) and S$119 (with GST) respectively.
The COMEX Show 2011 is here. For those who are hunting for
a new notebook PC, well, there are some good offers from the
various manufacturers including ASUS, Sony, Samsung and
Toshiba. Who knows you might find something that would suit
your computing needs.
ASUS
VR-Zone was at the COMEX Show 2011 around 10am,
and learnt that all the TouchPad tablets have already
been redeemed even before the 12pm official opening time!
Apparently, the company had handed out queue numbers to
those "in queue" when there was no mention anywhere (not
even on their Facebook page) as to where the queue would take
place. One of the lucky buyers (above pic) was 83 in the queue
and said that he was there since 6.45am in the morning. This
means that by 8am, all 200 queue tickets would have been sold
out. The best part was that, there was a huge crowd waiting
outside the halls and they were unaware of this. The halls
were opened 30min earlier at 11.30am and the mad horde
all ran to the HP booth at the rear, only to be left angry and The K series laptop is one of ASUS star products which
disappointed when they learnt that all the TouchPad tablets features highly durable premium aluminum textures and
have been redeemed. comes in variopis stylish colors - red, green, blue, pink and
black. The 14-inch ASUS K43SJ29i5 which is equipped with
Check out the crowd pic and video below:-
2.9GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor, 4GB DDR3 memory
(after free upgrade), 500GB SATA hard disk, Nvidia FeForce
GT520M with 1GB VRAM, DVD Super-Multi double layer
drive, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium, is
selling at S$799 (U.P. S$999).
The slightly more power variant, K43Sv29i7, which comes
with 2GHz Intel Core i7-2690QM processor, 6GB DDR3
memory (after free upgrade), 640GB SATA hard disk, Nvidia
GeForce GT540 with 1GB VRAM, DVD Super-Multi double
layer drive, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium,
is retailing at S$1,099 (U.P. S$1,398).
Dell
4

5. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Gamer enthusiasts who are looking for a powerful Incorporating a 14-inch display with LED backlight, the
yet portable gaming laptop would have to check out VAIO C features 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor, 4GB
the latest Dell Alienware M14x. In terms of hardware DDR3 memory, 500GB hard disk, AMD Radeon HD6630M
specifications, the Alienware M14x is equipped with Intel (1GB VRAM) graphics and preloaded with Windows 7 Home
Core i7-2630M processor, 4GB dual-channel DDR3 SDRAM, Premium 64-bit operating system. Available in four stylish
500GB 7200rpm SATA hard disk and Nvidia GT555M colors of black, orange, green and pink, the VAIO C (model:
graphics with 1.5GB DDR3 memory. The 14-inch gaming VCPCCA15FGD) is selling at a decentS$1,399.
monster, which is one of Dell's star products, is selling Acer
at S$2,299. But if you want a slightly lower Intel Core i5
2410M processor variant with Nvidia GeForce GT555M (1.5GB
VRAM), 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, and 500GB SATA hard disk,
you can get it at S$1,999 with free Razer Gaming Mouse and
Headset.
Samsung
The Acer Aspire 4750G-2634G50MN is one of the few very
attractive purchases at the COMEX Show. Inside the 14-
inch notebook PC are 2GHz Intel Core i7-2630QM processor,
8GB DDR3 memory (after free upgrade), 500GB hard disk,
Nvidia GeForce GT540 graphics with 2GB VRAM, DVD+RW
combo drive and preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 7
Powered by 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M processor and comes Home Premium operating system. For such high-specification
with 4GB DDR3 memory, 640GB hard disk, Nvidia GeForce machine, it is selling at S$1,098.
GT520M graphics with Nvidia Optimus technology and Blu- Toshiba
ray combo drive, the Samsung RC420E is designed for work
and play. If the attractive price tag of S$1,099 (U.P. S$1,299)
isn't enough to swing you over, the manufacturer also throws
in free Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security software,
carrying case and second year extended local warranty.
Sony
5

6. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
8th Prize: S$ 600 cash
9th Prize: S$ 500 cash
10th Prize: S$ 400 cash
11th Prize: S$ 300 cash
12th Prize: S$ 200 cash
The COMEX 2011 Show Lucky Draw Results will be published
in the New Paper on 12th September 2011.
At the Toshiba booth, the Satellite P745 stands out among
its peer with its sleek and stylish looks. In the hardware
department, it comes with 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410
processor, 8GB DDR3 memory, 750GB SATA hard disk,
Nvidia GeForce GT525M with 2GB VRAM and Optimus
technology, DVD SuperMulti drive and preloaded with
Windows 7 Home Premium. All these at an attractive price of
S$1,399 (U.P. S$2,199).
COMEX 2011 Lucky Draw
Redemption Counter on Level Making a purchase at COMEX 2011? Remember to redeem
6 Suntec Exhibition Centre and fill up your Lucky Draw Coupons on Level 6. For every
$100 spent at the show, you will get a chance to win up to
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-2011-lucky-draw-redemption-
$20000 cash.
counter-on-level-6-suntec-exhibition-centre/13461.html
September 1st, 2011 Lucky Draw Redemption Counter / Organiser's Office
Making a purchase at COMEX 2011? Remember to redeem
and fill up your Lucky Draw Coupons on Level 6. For every
$100 spent at the show, you will get a chance to win up to
$20000 cash.
Lucky Draw:
For every $100 spent during the show, you will get a chance
to win
1st Prize: S$ 20,000 Cash Coupon Filling Up Area
2nd Prize: S$ 3,000 Cash
3rd Prize: S$ 2,000 Cash
4th Prize: S$ 1,000 cash
5th Prize: S$ 900 cash
6th Prize: S$ 800 cash
7th Prize: S$ 700 cash
6

7. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Considering that this is a weekday and just the start of the
show, we don't expect the situation to change anytime soon.
AMD FX-Series Lineup
Revealed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-fx-series-lineup-
revealed/13458.html
September 1st, 2011
As we move ever closer to the release of AMD's FX-Series,
Gigabyte has revealed a CPU compatibility list for its 990FX
Driving to COMEX 2011? - motherboards, which all but confirms the final FX-Series
Carparks Full Already SKUs. As expected, there will be 8-core, 6-core and 4-core
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/driving-to-comex-2011--carparks-full- CPUs, with the flagship clocked at 3.6 GHz.
already/13459.html
September 1st, 2011
Our correspondent on the ground managed to snap this The final shipping stepping is B2. The top part, FX-8150, is
picture just now - looks like visitors to COMEX 2011 @ Suntec clocked at 3.6 GHz, with a TDP of 125W. Next in line is the
City will have to take public transport or park their cars FX-8120, clocked at 3.1 GHz. There are two versions - 125W
somewhere else as all the parking lots near the exhibition and 95W. This suggests that the FX-8120 was initially targeted
arena is unavailable. for 95W but may ship with a 125W TDP to begin with. The final
8-core CPU is the FX-8100, clocked at 2.8 GHz.
The sole 6-core CPU will be FX-6100 at 3.3 GHz while the 4-
core CPU will be FX-4100 clocked at 3.6 GHz. Both feature
95W TDP, and will likely compete up against the Core i5 series.
All CPUs feature 8MB L3 cache. This suggests that FX-6100
and FX-4100 are likely to be Zambezi with 1 module and 2
modules disabled, respectively, rather than native 3-module /
2-module dies.
The clock speeds mentioned in the table only refer to the base
frequencies, with no mention of Turbo Core.
The latest rumours still suggest a launch in September, while
other rumours suggest mass availability may happen only in
October.
COMEX 2011 Pricelists now
available @ http://vr-zone.com/
comex/pricelists
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-2011-pricelists-now-available--
Our correspondent on the ground snapped this picture just http-vr-zone.comcomexpricelists/13457.html
now - looks like visitors to COMEX 2011 @ Suntec City will
have to take public transport or park their cars somewhere else
as all the parking lots near the exhibition arena is unavailable.
7

8. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
September 1st, 2011 One slight issue with the announcement is that various
Samsung websites contain slightly different details with
regards to the exact specifications and features, so we'll
suggest a smidgen of caution here. The Series 7 carries the
sub brand Chronos borrowed from the Greek god of time, as
Samsung claims to have added several new features that helps
to reduce the boot time of the system and in general speed
things up.
Samsung Series 7 notebooks
have big screens in small
footprints
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-series-7-notebooks-have-big-
screens-in-small-footprints/13456.html
September 1st, 2011
Most of the speed increase comes from what Samsung calls
ExpressCache, which sounds a lot like Intel's Smart Response
Even if the rumours about Samsung's interest in HP's PC technology, but apparently it's not, as Samsung is using a much
business were refuted by the company, if Samsung's Series 7 smaller 8GB SSD, whereas Intel's Smart Response requires
notebook announcement is anything to go by, the company at least 20GB of SSD storage. It works more closely to that
has a bright future in the notebook market. The Series 7 is of a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive; albeit with the SSD
Samsung's new performance line of notebooks, but possibly part being fitted to the notebooks PCB rather than inside the
the most impressive feature is the fact that Samsung claims hard drive. Combine this with something that Samsung calls
that they've managed to stuff a larger screen size inside a FastStart and you end up with a claimed POST time of two
smaller chassis size, but is this even possible? seconds and a cold boot time of 19 seconds.
Even if the rumours about Samsung's interest in HP's PC
business were refuted by the company, if Samsung's Series 7
notebook announcement is anything to go by, the company
has a bright future in the notebook market. The Series 7 is
Samsung's new performance line of notebooks, but possibly
the most impressive feature is the fact that Samsung claims
that they've managed to stuff a larger screen size inside a
smaller chassis size, but is this even possible?
In terms of battery life, Samsung claims an impressive 9h on
a single charge and the company goes on to say that its "Life
Plus" battery technology keeps 80 percent of the cells original
capacity for up to 1,500 re-charge cycles. As such Samsung
claims that its batteries can last up to five times as long as some
of its competitors.
This is all great stuff, but the real selling point of the Series
7 in our opinion is that Samsung has managed to squeeze
a larger screen size into a smaller notebook size. As such,
the model with a 14-inch screen is the size of a 13.3-inch
notebook, the model with the 15-inch screen the size of a 14-
inch notebook and the model with the 15.6-inch screen the size
of a 15-inch notebook. If that wasn't good enough, Samsung
is offering 1600x900 resolution panels across the board, all
sporting 300nits brightness. It gets even better though, as all
four models have matt screens, which is a really welcomed
8

9. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
addition and hopefully something that Samsung's competitors $1,299 (S$1,565) and Samsung is expecting to start selling the
will pick up on. Series 7 on the 2nd of October in the US. Check out the video
below for some additional details.
OCZ's SSD caching solution
launches
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/ocz-s-ssd-caching-solution-
launches/13455.html
September 1st, 2011
It's hard not to call OCZ an innovative company as they keep
coming up with new ways of either connecting your SSD or
take advantage of SSD technology somehow in your PC. The
latest addition to the RevoDrive series of PCI Express based
As for the actual hardware specs, well, Samsung will be SSDs is the RevoDrive Hybrid and if you've been around for a
launching with Intel's updated Core i7 and Core i5 processors while, you might remember that once upon a time ISA cards
and all but the 14-inch model (or is that 13-inch?) will come with a hard drive strapped to them weren't so uncommon and
with a quad core CPU, while the smaller model will have to the RevoDrive Hybrid somewhat harkens back to those days.
make do with a dual core CPU. All models also have discrete
AMD graphics, 6GB of DDR3 memory and a 750GB hard drive
as standard. Do keep in mind that this is the US spec and this It's hard not to call OCZ an innovative company as they keep
might be different in other markets. The rest of the specs can coming up with new ways of either connecting your SSD or
be found in the somewhat messy table below. take advantage of SSD technology somehow in your PC. The
latest addition to the RevoDrive series of PCI Express based
SSDs is the RevoDrive Hybrid and if you've been around for a
while, you might remember that once upon a time ISA cards
with a hard drive strapped to them weren't so uncommon and
the RevoDrive Hybrid somewhat harkens back to those days.
Although the Hardcards as they were known as, are long since
history it looks like we'll once again shove hard drives into our
expansion slots, at least if OCZ has anything to do with it. Early
details from the Flash Memory Summit last year suggested
that OCZ was working on a hard drive caching solution using a
RevoDrive with a pair of SATA connectors on it, but apparently
this idea was scrapped in favour of the RevoDrive Hybrid.
We almost forgot to mention that the keyboards features blue
backlight and that Samsung has of course implemented a pair
of USB 3.0 ports and a slot-loaded optical drive in all models.
The trackpad is also massive and very similar to the one found OCZ demoed an early version of the RevoDrive Hybrid back at
on Apple's MacBook's. Price wise we're looking at a starting Computex, but quite a few things have changed since then. Ok,
price of US$999.99 (S$1,205) stretching all the way to US so OCZ is a couple of months later than it planned, but these
9

10. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
things happen and there are some upsides and downsides performance and reliability under the harshest operating
to this. For starters larger 2.5-inch hard drives have become environment.
widely available and the RevoDrive Hybrid will now ship with • Double-forward switching circuitry: offers low power
a 1TB drive rather than a 500GB drive. The SSD part has also loss and high reliability.
been boosted from 60 to 100GB which should hopefully mean
improved performance and OCZ is claiming speeds of up to • Unparalleled DC to DC converter provides highest
910MB/s in the press release alongside 120,000 IOPS at 4K efficiency, most stable performance, and perfect
random writes, all very impressive numbers indeed. regulation.
The not so good news is that the price also went up, from • 3oz PCB design reduces heat generation and allows
an estimated US$350 to US$499.99 making the RevoDrive greater efficiency.
Hybrid a very costly SSD caching solution. This clearly puts it • Robust & dedicated +12V output: comes with dual +12V
outside of your average consumers reach as well, but hopefully rails design providing up to 40A for 12V1 and 80A for
OCZ will consider launching more affordable options in the 12V2.
future.
• FanDelayCool Technology allows 14cm fan to continue to
operate 15-30 sec after system shuts-down to ensure all
Thermaltake Toughpower components are properly cooled.
Grand 1050W PSU Review • Multi-GPU ready: comes with 8 x PCI-E 6+2pin for
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/thermaltake-toughpower-
cutting-edge gaming machine.
grand-1050w-psu-review/13454.html • Auto switching circuitry for universal AC input from
September 1st, 2011 90-264V.
• Active Power Factor Correction (PFC) with PF value of
0.95 at full load.
• High reliability: MTBF>120,000 hours.
• DIMENSION: 5.9”(W) x 3.4”(H) x ?7.1” (L);150mm(W)
Thermaltake is a well known company and carries a good x 86mm(H) x 180mm(L)
reputation as a high quality PSU manufacturer. Not too • Built-in industry grade protections: Over Current, Over
long ago we had a look at one of Thermaltake’s mainstream Power, Over Voltage, Under Voltage, Over Temperature
power supplies, the TR-2 800W unit. Today we are going to and Short-Circuit protection.
examine and review one of the company’s best products, the
Toughpower Grand 1050W unit, a power supply aiming to • Safety / EMI Approvals: CE, TUV, FCC, UL, CUL, GOST
satisfy the craving needs of hardcore enthusiasts. Let us have and BSMI certified.
a closer look at it.
Thermaltake is a well known company and carries a good
reputation as a high quality PSU manufacturer. Not too
Acer finally launches the
long ago we had a look at one of Thermaltake’s mainstream Iconia Smart
power supplies, the TR-2 800W unit. Today we are going to Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/acer-finally-launches-the-iconia-
examine and review one of the company’s best products, the smart/13453.html
Toughpower Grand 1050W unit, a power supply aiming to September 1st, 2011
satisfy the craving needs of hardcore enthusiasts. Let us have
a closer look at it.
• Compliance with Intel ATX 12V 2.3 & SSI EPS 12V 2.92
standards.
• 80 PLUS Gold certified – with 87-93% extreme high
efficiency @ 20-100% load to cut down electric cost. Sometimes waiting for something good can take too long and
in the case of the Iconia Smart from Acer, which was first
• 24/7 @ 50oC: Guaranteed to deliver 1050W continuous
announced back at the Mobile World Congress in February
power.
has finally launched, well, at least in Taiwan. That said,
• Pure aesthetic design with uncompromising the company did deliver on its September launch date,
performance. although judging by the fact that no hardware changes were
• Proprietary dual ball bearing 14cm flower-shape fan implemented, it feels like the phone is about six months late.
enables longer lifespan and lowers overall noise output
by dramatically reducing bearing frictions.
Sometimes waiting for something good can take too long and
• 100% 105oC (221oF) Japanese made electrolytic in the case of the Iconia Smart from Acer, which was first
& solid state capacitors: provide uncompromised announced back at the Mobile World Congress in February
has finally launched, well, at least in Taiwan. That said,
10

11. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
the company did deliver on its September launch date, Sadly the tech specs are a bit long in the tooth now with a
although judging by the fact that no hardware changes were single core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 SoC, 512MB of RAM
implemented, it feels like the phone is about six months late. and 8GB of internal storage the Iconia Smart is pretty average
in terms of spec today, no matter if you compare it to other
We got some hands on time with the Iconia Smart at Acer’s
smartphones or to tablets. Other features include 802.11b/g/
low key launch event in Taipei and not much has changed
n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, an 8 Megapixel camera that
since February. The only really good news is that Acer has put
can shoot 720p video, a micro HDMI and USB port and finally
Android 2.3 on the Iconia Smart which does at least put it
HSDPA speeds of up to 14.4Mbps and HSUPA speeds of up to
at level playing ground with the competition. To be fair, the
5.76Mbps.
Iconia Smart doesn’t have a ton of direct competitors thanks
to its 4.8-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 1024x480
resolution and this is the saving grace of what can only be
described as something of a hybrid tablet.
Overall Acer has come up with a unique form factor, but we
don’t think this on its own is going to be enough considering all
of its competitors are now offering dual core devices on their
high-end devices. Luckily, Acer has priced the Iconia Smart at
Despite its fairly large size at 141.7x64.5x13.6mm, it’s
a reasonable NT$14,800 (S$615/US$510) which does at least
surprisingly slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy S II with its
make it competitive price wise and we’d expect actual retail
4.27-inch screen as it’s 66.1mm wide. That said, at 185g
pricing to drop lower than this quite quickly.
the Iconia Smart is bordering on obese when you’re talking
phones, but if you consider it a competitor to say the Dell We’ve added a few more pictures from the event on the next
Streak for example, then it’s actually quite light and pocket page.
friendly.
HP Singapore unveils
TouchPad pricing at COMEX
Show 2011
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/hp-singapore-unveils-touchpad-
pricing-at-comex-show-2011/13452.html
September 1st, 2011
While HP has officially dropped their WebOS-based TouchPad
tablet pricing to US$99, there was no news whether the pricing
would be applied at this part of the world. Well, apparently
the company has unveiled the latest pricing of the TouchPad,
Kudos to Acer for hosting the entire presentation from an though there are some terms and conditions. Details inside.
Iconia Smart thanks to its micro HDMI port, this is a first to
us, as we haven’t seen any other company brave enough to host
an entire presentation including demos from the device being
launched.
11

12. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
having large computer systems, even up to the supercomputer
grade, for a long time. A*CRC is a unique combination of
diverse high-end hardware resources led by a team of experts
to support the growing user base.
A Choice of Systems for Every User
In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore may be smaller in scale
compared to the resources of China, Japan or Korea when it
comes to the scientific, research and engineering base, but it
has had accumulated expertise and user base to justify having
large computer systems, even up to the supercomputer grade,
for a long time.
Top Singapore universities, NUS and NTU, as well as various
According to HP, the 16GB and 32GB HP TouchPads will institutes and even companies involved in rendering farms or
be available at S$126 (with GST) and S$201 (with GST) oil exploration simulations have been using large computer
respectively, for the first two days of COMEX Show. However, here, either vector or parallel single image supercomputers,
only 100 unit of each of the versions will be available each day or clusters of standardised servers. As the usage increased,
and that the purchase is limited to only one unit per person leading to many disparate systems in various locations, the
regardless of whether it is 16GB or 32GB. Best of all, the mode Government agency A*STAR created A*STAR Computational
of purchase is cash and carry only; no credit cards or NETS, Resource Centre (A*CRC) where, at least for the numerous
and it will be a non-refundable and non-returnable. So, if institutes under the A*STAR umbrella as well as other research
you want to grab one, you will have to be quick. The units bodies in Singapore, there was now a centralised high end
will be available at HP booth 8428 (specifically the HP Direct supercomputing resource base.
counter), Hall 402/403.
For those of you who are purchasing the HP TouchSmart610 Located on the 17th floor of the humongous Fusionopolis
-1138d, 1178d, 1188d; and HP Pavilion dv4-3020TX, HP behemoth of a building on top of the soon to open One-
Pavilion dv6-6144TX, dv6-6105TX and dv6-6106TX, you will North Circle Line MRT station in Ayer Rajah area, A*CRC has
also get to buy the HP TouchPad 16GB and HP TouchPad one of world's rare heavy-duty supercomputer data centres
32GB for S$49 (with GST) and S$119 (with GST) respectively. located on a high floor of a tall building. It is divided
The purchase-with-purchase HP TouchPad will be available at into five functional areas: Computational Systems, Storage,
RewardsLINK in a first come first serve basis, while stocks last. Networking, Operations, and HPC Software.The two dozen
RewardsLINK can be located at 3 Temasek Boulevard #02-163 staff, headed by Dr Marek Michalewicz, Director, and Stephen
Suntec City Mall, Singapore 038983. Wong, Deputy Director in charge of systems, among others,
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday, 11.00am – 7.00pmEve of provide support for over seven hundred of local, and some
X’mas /New Year/CNY: 11.00am – 3.00pm. Closed on X’mas, international, users on a variety of systems. A*CRC operates
New Year and CNY another data center with large storage, located at the Biopolis,
aimed mainly at bioinformatics users.
A*Star's ACRC: Singapore
aims for Supercomputing
Heights
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/a-star-s-acrc-singapore-aims-for-
supercomputing-heights/13450.html
September 1st, 2011
In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore may be smaller in scale
compared to the resources of China, Japan or Korea when
it comes to the scientific, research and engineering base, but
it has had accumulated expertise and user base to justify
12

13. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Now, A*CRC can't yet fight in size with multi-petaflop systems main systems here, one being a brand new IBM p755
that can now be found in Japan or China, but the centre has Power7 cluster of 30 nodes, each with 32 cores running
diversity of hardware platforms that makes it interesting: from at 3.3 GHz and 128 GB RAM per node; the other one is
their 2048-core Westmere-EX single-image shared memory an older 32-node cluster of 8-socket quad-core Opterons,
machine with 12 TB RAM, the largest of its type in the region, made by HP, but its excellent PCIe I/O bandwidth as
to a 3,800+ core Xeon DP Fujitsu general purpose cluster, well as 128 GB RAM per node make it good for hosting
AMD Opteron SMP cluster combination as well as one of the multiple GPGPUs, for instance.
largest IBM Power7-based RISC clusters in the region. • SMP machine, aimed at very large tera-scale tasks in
terms of both processor and memory load, like the above
The first one would obviously make hackers salivate - how mentioned SGI Altix UV with its 256 eight-core Intel
about seeing a Linux (or Windows, as the machine could Xeons put together sharing 12 TB RAM, all under one
run it too) task prompt showing 2048 cores available with Linux OS boot. Each of the cores runs at 2.66 GHz with
12,000 GB system memory - and there's a good reason for peak 4 flops/cycle, offering theoretical peak performance
it. Too long there was an overemphasis just on the TOP 500 of over 21 TFLOPs in a single machine.
supercomputer ranking in terms of peak and tested GFLOPs
or TFLOPs according to the (in)famous Linpack linear What would seem to be good to add here to the resource,
algebra benchmark routine, however the underlying system I feel, would be a nice visualisation cluster, driving a ~
architecture can influence the real application execution 100 Mpixel 3-D CAVE-style VR facility. Such combination
potential even more. Dr Marek's team has, over the past is normally driven by dozens of tightly interconnected dual-
few years, consciously diversified the available resources for CPU workstations, each with a powerful Open GL GPU or
varied usage types so, whether your application can scale to two, which use Chromium or similar parallel OpenGL software
1,000 cores in a single task, or you just dump 1,000 simple layer to parallelise real-time 3-D across dozens of GPUs at the
unconnected threads at the same time, there is the right kind same time. Cave Automatic Virtual Environment, which really
of system to run either kind of jobs - plus many other types - gives the user an immersion of being in a virtual world 'cave'
in the centre. recursively acronyms as CAVE anyway. A*CRC sister institute
IHPC has a small setup of this type already for awhile.
Machines alone, even with petabytes of associates storage,
huge ventilation, power and backup facilities, and hardware
support staff monitoring the usage constantly, are not
enough. A*CRC expert team helps the users acquire the right
applications - commercial or open source - or, where needed,
additional hardware that can be housed at the premises
- as well as user code tuning and optimisation. And, as
more users from within and outside A*STAR, including NUS,
NTU, associated schools and commercial, as well as selected
international collaborations, are added to the roster, the
pressure to increase resources is constant. It may sound
unbelievable to an outside user, but most of the A*CRC system
resources are constantly used, every moment, at 90% to 100%
usage. Imagine your computer's CPU loaded at that level for,
say, 5 years of its life, non stop!
.
There are three types of computer systems right now at
A*CRC:
• Cluster of large number of small, dual processor nodes
for heavy loads of many serial jobs as well as highly
parallel codes that run well with message passing (MPI);
The Fujitsu BX900 450-node cluster of dual-XeonDP
'small' nodes, each with two CPU sockets and 24 GB
or more RAM per node, all connected via generic
Infiniband QDR, is the main resource here. Its 45
TFLOPs performance capability puts it close to the ~ 50
TFLOPs class where the world's Top 200 systems start
right now.
• Cluster of smaller number of larger nodes, more suitable
for large memory-footprint applications with higher
degree of CPU and thread communication. There are 2
13

14. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Therefore, to keep up with the user requirements and also
competing centres in the region, A*CRC has to increase its
capacity rapidly, as soon as possible. After all, Japan and
China both have multiple petaflop-class systems right now,
including the world's largest one in Kobe reaching close to 10
PFLOPs at RIKEN right now. While we can't have a petaflop
machine in Singapore yet as of today, a slightly smaller one,
say half-petaflop cluster of large core-count noder, would
make very good sense right now, to attract more users to
our shores and provide a good base for an even larger
national level supercomputing core. This takes an investment
in systems, infrastructure and of course people, but would
cement Singapore's role as the high performance computing
centre of the region. Samsung D7000 LED TV
The LED D7000 incorporates improved backlight scanning
technology with Samsung’s new 3D proprietary frame
interpolation algorithm, which improves 3D picture quality
and creates sharp 2D and 3D pictures and smooth frame
transitions without blurring. With access to Smart Hub, the
LED D7000 Series is an ideal media center, complementing
consumers’ ever connected and mobile lifestyles.
Usual Price: 46-inch - S$4,499; 55-inch - S$5,999
COMEX Promotion:TBA
In the Part 2 of the story, we will look at some good application
and code examples how A*CRC users actually make full
utilisation of thousands of cores and terabytes or memory, at
one go, as well as challenges in configuring, benchmarking
and maintaining huge supercomputer systems of this sort,
especially in our hot, humid climate here.
COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: Samsung
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions- Samsung NX11 Camera
samsung/13449.html
Equipped with a built-in flash and electronic VGA (640x480)
September 1st, 2011
viewfinder, the NX11 sports a 3-inch AMOLED LCD screen
which reduces glare from sunlight so that images can be seen
under any lighting conditions. The NX11 also provides high
quality video with 720p HD recording, and its large APS-C
sensor allows the videos to be recorded with shallow depth
of field, providing effects similar to in-motion picture movies.
The NX11 will come complete with an 18-55mm i-Function
Samsung will be showcasing their range of products from lens, as well as two new i-Function lenses, a 20mm pancake
laptops, smartphones, LCD TVs, Blu-ray players, home and a 20-50mm zoom silver color lens.
entertainment systems to tablet devices, video camcorders and
digital cameras at this week's COMEX Show 2011. The COMEX Promotion: S$999 with 20-50 mm i-Function
Samsung booth can be located on level 4, booth 8321, 8328. standard kit lens
14

15. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Samsung Series 9, 900X3A, 13.3-inch Notebook
With a maximum thickness of 16.3mm and an ultralight
weight of 1.31 kg, the 9 Series Notebook 900X3A sports a
high quality screen boasting market-leading 400nit brightness
and 16 million colors. It also comes equipped with an Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1
Intel CoreTM i7/i5 Processor, solid state drive and genuine The GALAXY Tab 10.1 features Samsung’s own TouchWiz user
Windows 7 Home Premium. Using Samsung’s innovative interface implemented on the Android Honeycomb platform,
PowerPlus charging technology and a power-efficient and offering superior multi-tasking and enhanced user interaction
advanced Lithium-Polymer battery, it has a battery lifespan and navigation. It is the world’s thinnest mobile tablet
that lasts up to 6.5 hours. available, at 8.6 mm and weighs approximately 560g. The
COMEX Promotion:S$2,488 GALAXY Tab 10.1, with its WXGA TFT LCD display (1280
x 800) is powered by 1GHz dual core AP. It is the perfect
device for sharing and enjoying media content with family and
friends.
COMEX Promotion:16GB 3G version - S$848
M1 announces new mData
mobile broadband plans
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/m1-announces-new-mdata-mobile-
broadband-plans/13448.html
September 1st, 2011
Samsung GALAXY S II M1 Limited (M1) has announced that it will launch four new
The Samsung GALAXY S II features a 1.2GHz dual-core competitively priced mobile broadband plans for customers on
processor, HSPA+ connectivity providing data transfer of September 1 this year. The new plans, which are claimed to
up to 21Mbps, a Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display. be aimed at providing a better mobile surfing experience to
At just 8.49mm in thickness, the new smartphone is a consumers, will reportedly start from the low price of S$12 a
powerful evolution of its predecessor in speed, screen and slim month and will be differentiated by data bundle sizes.
design. Weighing 116g, the GALAXY II has a 4.27-inch Super M1 has announced the availability of four new mData mobile
AMOLED Plus screen, making improvements in screen size, broadband plans for customers starting from September 1 this
colour gamut and power consumption. year. According to M1, the new plans, which start from the low
COMEX Promotion:16GB - S$998 price of S$12 per month, will help the company to provide a
better mobile surfing experience to customers
The new plans will be provisioned at the speeds of 7.2
Mbps or 21 Mbps theoretical download speeds, although
M1 has claimed that users can expect to experience typical
download speeds ranging between 0.6 to 6.7 Mbps under most
circumstances. M1 has also confirmed that customers who opt
to go for the 7.2 Mbps package will be given the chance to
15

16. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
choose from a range of plans valued from $12 for 5GB to $40 The newly launched Microsoft Touch Mouse is optimally
for 50GB. designed for Windows 7 PCs. The new multitouch mouse
lets you click, flick, scroll and swipe, so it is easy, fun and
Last but definitely not least, the company has also confirmed
interact more intuitively on your PC. The top of the Touch
that mData’s monthly mobile broadband data usage bundle
Mouse is composed of a matrix of capacitive touch-sensing
will be capped at a maximum of $69.30 to help eliminate the
electrodes to track the position of the user’s fingertips along
likelihood of consumers suffering from a heart attack caused
its surface.
by astronomically high data charges due to freak incidents.
COMEX Promotion: S$99 (Free S$10 shopping voucher)
The full list of mData mobile broadband plans from M1 are as
follow:
COMEX Show 2011 Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000
Promotions: Microsoft The Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000 features an ergonomist-
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions- approved contour layout that creates an organic arc to
microsoft/13446.html encourage natural wrist posture. It has a slim and glossy
September 1st, 2011 design makes a modern statement while minimizing clutter on
your desktop, and media keys that provide one-touch access to
popular media functions, such as play, pause and volume.
COMEX Promotion: S$27
Microsoft is making a great presence at this year's COMEX
Show with great promotions on their keyboards, mice and web
cameras, as well as XBox 360 and Kinect games. You can also
trade in your old console and receive up to $150 off a new Xbox
360, as well as pre-order for the higly-anticipated GEARS OF
WAR 3. Their booth can be located on level 6, booth 6126.
Microsoft LifeCam Studio
Enjoy great video chat with friends and family with the new
Microsoft LifeCam Studio webcam. It incorporates a full high
definition 1080p sensor that can deliver widescreen video
at 16:9 at up to 30 frames per second. With ClearFrame
Technology, it can offer smooth, detailed video with an
improved de-noiser, which reduces image graininess —
especially in low light.
Usual Price: S$149
Microsoft Touch Mouse COMEX Promotion: S$129
16

17. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Gears of War 3 Limited Edition Xbox 360 console
Custom designed with artwork inspired by Gears of War 3,
HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One
Xbox 360 is offering this exclusive console with Wi-Fi built-in
for easier connection to the world of games and entertainment The HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One allows small
on Xbox LIVE. This limited offer also includes a copy of the businesses to get professional colour and laser performance
game Gears of War 3, two custom-designed Xbox 360 wireless at a low cost per page. Featuring HP ePrint, users can print
controllers, and a 320GB hard drive. Available only for a anytime, anywhere using any mobile device1. The printer also
limited time. features a 2.36-inch (5.99cm) color touchscreen display to
easily copy, fax, print, scan and more.
COMEX Promotion: S$649
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: HP
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
hp/13445.html
September 1st, 2011
Even though HP has announced the price drop of US$99
for thier TouchPad tablet devices, there is still no news as
to whether the company will be offering that price tag to
consumers. (Probably the reason why we have yet to receive
all the promotions). Well, here are some of the great deals on
their printers and all-in-one devices. You can check out their
booth on level 4, hall 401, booth 8150.
HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer
The HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer is designed to be easy to
use and requires minimal maintenance. Whether you are in
the office, in a car, or at an airport, you can print wherever you
want, knowing that you will get the same quality you expect
from desk-top printers.
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
17

18. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
HP ePrint technology, users can print anytime, anywhere and
from any mobile device.
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: Olympus
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
olympus/13444.html
September 1st, 2011
Photographer enthusiasts would be delighted with some of the
good promotions on Olympus digital cameras including the
Olympus E-PL1, E-P3 and E-PL3 which use micro four-thirds
system, and XZ-1. The Olympus booth can be located on level
4, hall 404, booth 8205.
HP Laserjet Pro CM1415FNW
The HP LaserJet Pro CM 1415FNW is the first LaserJet printer
that allows users to print from the Web and mobile devices.
Users can minimize environmental impact with the Instant-
on Technology and Instant-on Copy. It features wireless and
Ethernet connectivity which lets you print from anywhere in
the office via a shared network.
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
Olympus E-P3
The Olympus E-P3 claims to be the flagship of the PEN series
of new generation Micro Four Thirds system cameras with
the world’s fastest autofocusing (AF) achieved through the
FAST (Frequency Acceleration Sensor) AF system and a
lens incorporating the MSC (movie and still compatible)
mechanism. It also boasts superb image quality and high
ISO12800 sensitivity, thanks to the new 12.3-megapixel High
Speed Live MOS Sensor with full HD movie compatibility and
new TruePic VI image processing engine.
Usual Price:
Option 1: E-P3 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$1,298 (w/ GST)
Body (Available colours: Black, White and Silver)
HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One C410a
The HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One C410a is an all- M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
in-one that allows you to do more. You can boost your home
printer capabilities by easily faxing, scanning and copying with Bundled with 8GB SD Card
this 50-page automatic document feeder (ADF), and print Option 2: E-P3 Twin Lens Kit - S$1,548 (with GST)
photos and web content without a PC. With the revolutionary Body (Available colours: Black, White and Silver)
18

19. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm R f4.0-5.6 lens
Bundled with 8GB SD Card
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
Olympus E-PL1
Availabile in white, champagne gold, and black, the Olympus
E-PL1 is an entry-level micro four-thirds camera that is
equipped with a new Live Guide interface which makes
it easy for photographer enthusiasts and beginners. With
the dedicated Movie mode button, you can quick access to
movie shooting at any time. The E-PL1 also comes with
Olympus E-PL3 six Art Filters, including new Gentle Sepia, for enhanced
photographic creativity.
Launched on 29 June, the Olympus E-PL3 is designed as the
centrepiece of Olympus’s popular PEN series of versatile, high- E-PL1 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$698 (with GST)
Body (Available colours: White, Champagne Gold, and Black)
performance interchangeable-lens digital cameras. It is the
first PEN series camera with a swivel type 3.0-inch display
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14–42mm
that can tits 80-degree up and 45-degree down for improved
functionality and compatibility with size reduction.
Option 1: E-PL3 14-42mm Lens Kit - S$998 (w/ GST)
Body (Available colours: Black, White, Silver and Red)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
Bundled with 8GB SD Card
Option 2: E-PL3 Twin Lens Kit - S$1,248 (w/ GST)
Body (Available colours: Black, White, Silver and Red)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm II R f3.5-5.6
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 40-150mm R
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
Olympus XZ-1
The Olympus XZ-1 uses the brightest i.ZUIKO DIGITAL
f1.8 lens which is the first to be designed for a point and
shoot digital camera. It has a large f1.8-2.5 aperture that
assures maximum brightness from wide-angle to telescopic
and combines with the large 1/1.63-inch high-sensitivity CCD
sensor to achieve amazing picture quality close to that of
digital SLR cameras.
Usual Price: S$698
COMEX Promotion Price: TBA
19

20. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
control and the option to disable the Windows key while
Razer announces Stealth gaming.
versions of BlackWidow
and BlackWidow Ultimate
keyboards
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/razer-announces-stealth-versions-of-
blackwidow-and-blackwidow-ultimate-keyboards/13443.html
September 1st, 2011
Razer has announced the availability of the new Stealth
versions of its BlackWidow and BlackWidow Ultimate series of
mechanical gaming keyboards. According to the company, the The Razer BlackWidow Stealth Edition and BlackWidow
new Stealth Edition keyboards have been designed to offer the Ultimate Stealth Edition gaming mechanical keyboards are
tactility of a typical mechanical keyboard, but with the added now available for purchase from Razerzone.com at the price of
benefit of having a much quieter feedback that is reportedly US$79.99 and US$139.99 respectively.
ideal for the “true silent assassins of gaming”.
If you love Razer's line of mechanical gaming keyboards but COMEX Show 2011
cannot stand having to deal with the annoying clicky sounds
produced by the keyboards' mechanical switches any longer, Promotions: Norton
you are in luck. This is because Razer has just announced Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
the availability of the new Stealth editions of the BlackWidow norton/13442.html
and BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboards, which the September 1st, 2011
company claims have been designed to deliver the same
performance as the non-Stealth versions, but with the added
benefit of more quiet feedback.
As they are essentially the same keyboards with quieter
switches, the BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition and
the BlackWidow Stealth Edition have access to all of the While consumer products like digital cameras, smartphones
features that are present on their non-stealth counters. In and laptops are hugely popular at PC Fairs, security solutions
the BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition's case, this includes are also well sought after. Norton will debut their new
support for anti-ghosting across the entire keyset to allow for Internet Security 2012, Antivirus 2012 and Norton 360 V5.0
up to six simultaneous key presses, programmable keys with at tomorrow's COMEX Show 2011. Symantech's main booth is
on-the-fly macro recording, keys for media control and audio located on level 6, booth 6251.
jacks.
The BlackWidow Stealth Edition, on the other hand, drops
the anti-ghosting support that is present on the Ultimate
edition, but otherwise sports the same features present on the
BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth Edition, such as programmable Norton Internet Security 2012
keys with on-the-fly macro recording, buttons for multimedia The new Norton Internet Security 2012 offers various security
features such as the Norton Identity Safe that provides a
20

21. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
streamlined interface with improved login and form detection
technology; Norton Management which makes it easy for users Samsung announces
to download, transfer, update, or renew your Norton products availability of new mobile
from anywhere right over the Internet; and Norton Online
Family that helps to keep your kids safe online as it tracks phones with Bada 2.0
where your kids go and what they do online. Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-announces-availability-of-
new-mobile-phones-with-bada-2.0/13441.html
COMEX Promotion Price: S$29 (1 user license); S$49 (3 user
September 1st, 2011
license); S$79 (5 user license)
Norton Antivirus 2012
If you only need the anti-virus protection, the new
Norton Antivirus 2012 has all the features that are adequate
for your use. It comes with Norton Management which is also
found on the Internet Security 2012 for users to download,
transfer, update, or renew your Norton products; Norton So you want a new smartphone to play around with, but do not
Insight, the latest version of Norton’s exclusive reputation- wish to get involved with the fan war that is currently raging
based security technology, checking where files came from between Android, Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone 7
and how long they have been around to automatically identify and iOS users, don't you? If so, don't sweat it; Samsung has just
and stop new online threats before trouble arises. It also announced the availability of a new batch of smartphones that
does Insight checks on every downloaded file for safety and will be preloaded with the latest version of its Bada operating
protects users against dangerous applications by prompting system, Bada 2.0
if they may harm the health and stability of your computer
Getting a new smartphone is always something that is worth
before you install them.
looking forward to, but the possibility of getting into flame
COMEX Promotion Price: S$39 (1 user license); S$69 (3 user wars with users or various mobile operating systems is a
license); S$119 (5 user license) very real problem with some would like to avoid as much as
Norton 360 V5.0 possible. If this sounds like what you are consciously looking
out for in your choice of smartphone platforms, the good
The Norton 360 V5.0 features groundbreaking new reputation news is Samsung has just announced the availability of a new
service technology that provides unmatched real-time threat batch of smartphones that are powered by its latest Bada 2.0
detection to guard against viruses, worms, spyware, bots, operating system.
Trojans, rootkits, identity thieves, and other digital dangers
such that users can browse, purchase, and bank online without According to the machine translation of Samsung's recent
worry. It has an automated set-it-and-forget-it backup with press announcement, it seems that the Korean electronics
web access that lets you quickly and easily retrieve and giant intends to release at least three new smartphones based
restore digital photos, music, financial documents, and other off the Bada operating system for sale on the market some
important files in case of loss or damage. The Norton 360 can time soon. Known as the Samsung Wave 3, Wave M and Wave
also automatically tunes up users’ PC to help keep it running Y, Samsung claims that the new smartphones are designed to
well. be premium products that will cater to users who reportedly
desire smartphones that feature a robust platform.
Usual Price: S$64.99 (1 user license); S$158.99 (3 user
license); S$199.99 (5 user license) Not much information about the new smartphones have be
COMEX Promotion Price: S$59 (1 user license); S$99 (3 user released by Samsung, although the company has claimed that
Premier Edition license with 25GB online backup storage); S the new Samsung Wave 3, which is touted as the flagship
$159 (5 user license) model for the new Bada-powered smartphones, will feature a
four-inch Super AMOLED display of an unknown resolution,
Additional special offers: as well as support for wireless connectivity via Bluetooth 3.0
Any 1-user purchase will entitle customer to 1 chance at the and WiFi under the b, g and n bands. In addition, the company
lucky draw has also confirmed that the Wave 3 will sport a processor
Any 3-user or 5-user purchase will entitle customer to have 3 clocked at 1.4GHz and what is reportedly a five-megapixel
tries at the lucky draw camera.
Top prize each day will be the latest Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1
32GB bundled with Norton Mobile Security
Other prizes include Xbox Kinect 4GB, TomTom GPS XXL 550
and Sandisk 4GB Cruzer Edge USB drive
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22. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
On the other hand, the Samsung Wave M will sport a 3.65- No details about pricing and global availability of the new
inch display that is capable of displaying content at HVGA smartphones have been released by Samsung at this point of
resolutions, along with a five-megapixel camera, and a sleek time.
design which is reportedly aimed at making it easy for users
with smaller hands, such as women, to have a comfortable grip
on the phone. COMEX Show 2011
Promotions: Dell
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/comex-show-2011-promotions-
dell/13439.html
September 1st, 2011
Check out the exclusive offers from Dell at tomorrow's
COMEX Show which include the Alienware M14x, Inspiron
13z, Inspiron 14 and Inspiron 15R laptops, and Inspiron
620MT desktop PC. The Dell's booth is located on level 4,
booth 8251, 8230, 8139, 8418. On top of that, the company will
be providing free shuttle bus services from various locations
around Singapore to ferry visitors to COMEX 2011, as well as
various activities including the chance to win attractive prizes.
Last but not least, Samsung has also announced the
availability of the new Samsung Wave Y smartphone, which
will make use of a 3.2-inch TFT LCD display capable of
displaying content at HVGA resolutions, along with a two-
megapixel camera and a slew of features designed to make it
easy for the first-time smartphone user to get the most out of
the Bada operating system.
22

23. September 1st, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Dell Inspiron 13z Notebook Dell Inspiron 14 (N4050) Laptop
Powered by Intel Core i3 2330M processor, the Dell Inspiron The compact and responsive Inspiron 14 (N4050) is all you
13z sports a 13.3-inch HD WLED True-Life display (1366x768) need to get your work done wherever you go. It offers a 14-
for your mutlimedia enjoyment. It comes with 2GB DDR3 inch HD WLED True-Life display (1366x768), and is equipped
SDRAM (1333Mhz), Intel HD graphics 3000 video card, with 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 2410M processor with Turbo Boost
320GB 7200RPM SATA hard disk, and is preloaded with 2.0, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1333Mhz), 1GB AMD Radeon HD
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. 6470M video card, 500GB SATA hard disk and preloaded with
Usual Price: S$899 Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.
Comex Promotion Price: S$799 + free DVD-RW drive worth Usual Price: S$999
S$99 Comex Promotion Price: S$899 + additional Belkin backpack
worth S$39 for Amex customers + free 2nd year warranty
upgrade worth S$99
Dell Inspiron 15R Laptop
The Dell Inspiron 15R comes with stylish designs that claim
Dell Inspiron 620MT Desktop to fit every personality and full features that let you stay
The slim and high-performance Inspiron 620MT lets you connected and entertained anywhere, anytime. Specifications-
do more and share more. It comes with Intel Core i5 2310 wise, it comes with 15.6-inch HD WLED True-Life display
processor, 4GB memory, (1366x768), Intel Core i7 2630QM processor, 6GB DDR3
1GB AMD Radeon 6450 video card, 1TB SATA hard disk and memory, 1GB Nvidia GT 525M video card and 640GB SATA
preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium OS. The Inspiron hard disk.
620MT is also bundled with 20-inch LED monitor with 1-year Usual Price: S$1,349
warranty with in-home service. Comex Promotion Price: S$1,099 + free exchangeable lid and
Usual Price: S$1,099 second year extended warrantyworth over S$168
Comex Promotion Price: S$949 + additional S$50 off for
Amex customers
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