A weekly roundup of VR-Zone.com Technology News covering facebook, google, apple, baidu, social media, PC, gadget, hardware, intel, microsoft, AMD, NVIDIA, ARM, iphone, android

1. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
VR-Zone.com | Stuff for the Geeks!
VR-Zone | Stuff for the Geeks is a bi-weekly publication
covering the latest gadgets and stuff for the geeks.
Sony Ericsson announces the
Xperia mini and mini pro
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/sony-ericsson-announces-the-xperia-
mini-and-mini-pro/12077.html
May 5th, 2011
But where things really counts is in the internals and here
Sony Ericsson has pulled out all the stops, at least as far as
the CPU is concerned and we’re looking at a 1GHz Qualcomm
Snapdragon CPU here, although we’re not sure which specific
Rumours about an Xperia X10 mini pro2 have been circulating
model, as Sony Ericsson doesn’t tend to mention this in its
for a while and today Sony Ericsson announced no less than
press releases. We’re also looking at 512MB of RAM this time,
two new mini handsets, the Xperia mini and the Xperia mini
although you only get a paltry 320MB of storage memory. That
pro, of which the latter ended up being rumoured handset in
said, Sony Ericsson throws in a 2GB micro SD card in the box
question. However, the rumours turned out to be not quite
which is better than nothing.
spot on this time around, which is a good thing as it happens
as Sony Ericsson’s new handsets have more on offer than the Other features of note include the rear 5 Megapixel camera
rumours suggested. with 720p video recording, an f2.6 lens and of course auto
focus, an LED flash/video light and a ton of software features
like touch to focus. There’s also a front facing VGA camera
Rumours about an Xperia X10 mini pro2 have been circulating for video calls for those that care about it. Then there’s of
for a while and today Sony Ericsson announced no less than course Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, aGPS, FM radio, USB connectivity,
two new mini handsets, the Xperia mini and the Xperia mini DLNA support and a 3.5mm audio jack. Nothing really out of
pro, of which the latter ended up being rumoured handset in the ordinary there, but everything you’d expected to find on a
question. However, the rumours turned out to be not quite modern smartphone is accounted for.
spot on this time around, which is a good thing as it happens
as Sony Ericsson’s new handsets have more on offer than the
rumours suggested.
Let’s start with the main difference between the two handsets,
the Xperia mini pro has a slide-out QWERTY keyboards, the
Xperia mini doesn’t. With that bit over, we can carry on to
the rest of the details. Both handsets have a 3in display with
a resolution of 480x320 pixels with capacitive multi-touch
and scratch-resistant mineral glass. This might seem a bit on
the small side, but it’s an upgrade over the Xperia X10 mini/
pro, both of which only had a 2.55in screen with 320x240
resolution.
Sony Ericsson has kitted out both handsets with Android 2.3,
although it has a custom UI which will be familiar to users of
1

2. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Sony Ericsson’s previous mini phones with four icons in the
corners of the screen. Both models are fully HSDPA/HSUPA
compatible, although once again no details as to which speeds
are supported were provided. Sony Ericsson claims a talk time
of up to 5h 40min on 2G and 5h 25min on 3G for the Xperia
mini pro and 4h 30min on 2G and 3G for the Xperia mini,
although oddly enough both models have the same 1200mAh
battery which makes this seem odd.
The Xperia mini pro measures 92x53x18mm (HxWxD)
and weighs in at 136g while the Xperia mini measures
88x52x16mm (HxWxD) and weighs in at 94g. Both models will
come with a wired headset, a 2GB micro SD card, a micro USB
cable and a charger. The Xperia mini will be available in black,
white, blue and pink, while the Xperia mini pro will come in "Radio is the oldest broadcast media, over hundred years,
black, white, pink and turquoise. Sony Ericsson is hoping to and it still connects in ways that other media don't. Samsung
have both models out in retail sometime in Q3. has been an incredible friend along this journey and this is
just the beginning. This is version 1.0. RADIOactive provides
proprietary stream the lowest possible quality bitrate with
Samsung and RADIOactive the highest possible quality sound. We also built in a lot of
introduced SONAR radio social features (including Facebook etc)." remarked Andrew
Crother, founder and managing director of RADIOactive Pte
streaming Android App Ltd.
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-and-radioactive-introduced-
sonar-radio-streaming-android-app/12075.html
May 5th, 2011
This evening, Samsung and RADIOactive Pte Ltd announced
the new mobile radio streaming app, SONAR. SONAR will be
preloaded on all new Samsung mobile devices and available on
the Android market.
The SONAR app is preloaded on the latest Samsung mobile
devices and available on both Android and BADA platform.
Aside from playing from the Internet radio, you can also share
the songs on Facebook, Twitter and even via email.Listeners
can also receive regular updates on lifestyle news on music,
fashion and events, and even vote for their favorite songs.
"What is Samsung doing with SONAR? Samsung Mobile has
always been known as a hardware company; we make great
phones. But nowadays, the competition isn't about phones
anymore. It's about the stuff that goes into phones, the
applications, content and services that these phones can help
you in your daily life. SONAR is an Internet radio station
and ash a lot of cool things inside," said Winston Goh, product
marketing at Samsung Asia . On the Samsung Wave Bada phone, the SONAR has the same
user interface as the Android version. SONAR is available for
downlaod from facebook.sonar.sg for all Android and Bada
mobile devices.
2

3. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Here are some more pics of the Samsung ladies:- connection to provide "a standardized way of connecting chips
inside a smartphone or computer"; Rumour has it that RIM
is working on a 10-inch variant of its PlayBook tablet; LG
has reportedly declined an invitation to join an independent
licensing and patent group for Blu Ray technology due to its
intentions of pursuing litigation on the matter; Nintendo has
confirmed that the Wii will indeed be given a price cut which
will take effect later this month on May 15, and EA claims that
the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG should be ready
for an official launch any time between July and December this
year.
Hardware news
The Best Budget & Mainstream Processors
Description: Choosing a CPU platform is usually the first thing
you do when building your own computer. If you've been
following our reviews and always-fresh desktop PC buying
guide you probably already have a good idea of the current
landscape: Intel introduced their Sandy Bridge processors at
the beginning of the year, bringing unparalleled performance
and improved power consumption, while AMD has little to
compete with above the $125 mark -- though that might
change soon.
OCZ Technology Vertex 3 120GB Retail Solid State Drive
Review
Description: We plan to see a huge number of SandForce
2000 Series SSDs this year. SandForce has added even more
partners in 2011, Intel being one of them. Even though Big Blue
will take a shot at fame with a SandForce 2000 Series product,
the Vertex 3 will still be the benchmark in which all others are
compared. OCZ has dominated the consumer SSD market for
the last several years and transitioned from a company making
several products into a company whose primary role is solid
state drives.
AMD Radeon HD 6770/6750 Rebranding @ Rage3D.com
Description: April 28 saw the Retail launch of the AMD
Radeon HD 6770 and 6750, using the Juniper GPU core
from the HD 5770 and 5750. Yep, it is a 'technology update'
using rebranded cards for that ever-so important Blu-ray
3D compatibility. We have some thoughts on the why's and
wherefore's on such a move, and try to find a ray of light in this
dark, foreboding move.
The Daily VR-Zone News Xigmatek Pantheon Mid Tower Chassis Review
Summary - 5 May 2011 Description: The history of the continual burning and damage
to the building play into this review in an odd way, so I will
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--5-
continue on the path that the Pantheon name might still be
may-2011/12076.html
guarded by these Roman gods. The package I received from
May 5th, 2011
Xigmatek looks like it had the wrath of something inflicted on
it during shipping; I can only hope at this point that the chassis
inside is in fair enough condition to show you what the chassis
offers...
Crucial Ballistix Sport PC3-12800 8GB Kit Review
Description: We've got a few kits we'll be looking at over the
coming weeks, but the first one comes from Crucial today and
In today's news roundup: Techspot draws up a list of what it
is part of the much loved Ballistix series. This one's a little
has identified as the "best budget and mainstream processors"
different, though. Within the Ballistix series we've seen other
which casual enthusiasts should look out for when assembing
series start up like the Tracer one. Today we're looking at the
their own DIY PC; USB 3.0 may soon be given a huge boost
new Ballistix Sport series and it will be interesting to see what
in market adoption, thanks to the introduction of a new
exactly is on offer from the kit here today.
standard which will see the interface being used as an internal
3

4. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
USB 3.0 to Debut as Chip Interconnect That is, unless they want to work with LG, which is noticeably
Description: USB, which is the most popular standard for absent from the gang.
connecting peripherals to PCs is now also going inside the box. Plantronics Gamecom X95 Xbox Review - XSReviews
A brand new specification, still under development, will, by the Description: Plantronics are perhaps known for their more
end of the year, allow USB 3.0 to be used a a standardized way professional line of audio equipment, bluetooth headsets and
of connecting chips inside a smartphone or computer. other business orientated gadgets that make the suits feel like
ADATA Launches New BN Series Energy Efficient Power they’re anything but the uncool people that they are. However,
Supply recently Plantronics have decided to do away with this image
Description: ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer and branch out into the gaming sector. We saw their first
of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash outing in our recent review of the x40 headset which did very
application products, today announced the launch of its latest well indeed.
series of power supply for personal computers. The BN Series F-Browser brings Flash to iOS
is targeted towards consumer and professional users who are Description: Right now, if you want to watch Flash videos
looking for economical solutions in energy efficient power. on your iOS device, you look for an alternative website that
Corsair Updates its Builder Series Power Supplies contains iOS-friendly video, you use an alternative browser
Description: Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of such as Skyfire, or you jailbreak your iPhone and install apps
high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware that let it happen. Retina Software has just announced the
market, today announced it has updated the Builder Series launch of their new web browser – called F-Browser (we
with new CX V2 models. assume the F in its name is supposed to mean Flash).
Consumer Electronics and Software news Acer 7-inch Iconia A100, A101 to arrive May 14
Description: Acer’s 7-inch Iconia A100 and A101 Android 3.0
RIM Working on a 10-Inch Version of PlayBook Tablet
(Honeycomb) tablets are set to arrive May 14. The devices,
[RUMOR]
which are already up for pre-order in the UK, come with either
Description: RIM plans to release a 10-inch version of
a 3G + Wi-Fi (A101) or Wi-Fi-only (A100) configurations.
its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet at the end of 2011, Boy
Both devices run the Tegra 250 dual-core Cortex A9 processor
Genius Report claims quoting multiple anonymous sources.
clocked at 1GHz matched with 512MB of RAM and incorporate
No further details are known about the upcoming tablet,
8GB of memory expandable with microSDs.
except for the increased screen size compared to the original
PlayBook’s screen, which measures 7 inches. Gaming news
Creative Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Sigma Gaming Headset Nintendo Will Slash Wii Price to $150 This Month
Review Description: Nintendo will officially drop the price of its Wii
Description: It was really only a matter of time before Creative, game console from $199.99 to $149.99, effective May 15.
the creators of the legendary Sound Blaster line of soundcards, Details of the price drop — including the effective date —
designed and manufactured a THX certified gaming headset leaked online last month and retailers like Amazon, Best Buy
capable of competing with units far surpassing its price tag. and Toys R Us lowered the price on the console to $169.99 two
weeks ago.
Ultimate Ears 100 In-Ear Headphones Review @ Tweak.dk
Description: Ultimate Ears specializes exclusively in Section 8: Prejudice review by PC Game Examiner
producing headphones. They have in their chosen everything Description: TimeGate Studios’ Section 8: Prejudice (released
from cheap headphones for 30 dollars, and almost luxurious May 4th) is an outstanding follow up to the original game and
versions in price ranges up to and even above 800 dollars. well worth a spot on your roster of favorite multiplayer FPS
Today we look at one of their cheap versions and see how (first person shooter) games. Best of all, it's only $15.
much sound you can get out of a set of in-ear headphones Star Wars: The Old Republic should launch this year - EA
for under 60 dollars. In-ear does as its name says that you Description: BioWare's sci-fi MMORPG should launch
have the headphones inside the ear like earplugs. Series called between July and December, says EA Games president; EA
Ultimate Ears 100, where Logitech has been involved in over CFO says there's an "outside" chance for further delay.
and develop. It is also possible to buy Ultimate Ears 100 on
Logitech's website, but much more on this later. Now let's
jump into it and look at these little headphones. Heisei To Show Android
LG dodges Blu Ray patent group because it still wants to
litigate
Powered Media Players at
Description: It seems LG is dodging joining an independent COMPUTEX
licensing company for patents essential to Blu-ray Disc Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/heisei-to-show-android-powered-
products because it wants to keep litigating. Cyberlink media-players-at-computex/12074.html
announced that it had joined forces with Hitachi, Panasonic, May 5th, 2011
Philips, Samsung and LG arch-rival Sony to form One-Blue,
LLC. The idea of the consortium is to help companies in
the industry with a patent licensing service. Under the "one-
stop shop" banner, potential licensees won't have to handle At computex 2011, HEISEI will show entire solution series.
problems or approach respective patent owners individually. All-in-one touch POS terminals with Intel® technology are
4

5. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
designed for universal applications and long-term operation;
Full-functioned IPC series equipped with different assembly GIGABYTE To Unveil
for all kinds of usage; Self service photo KIOSK, FT-8000 is Notebooks, Booktops and
with the thoughtful accessories built in, particularly supported
USB 3.0. The latest media player HMH-701SK with android Slate at COMPUTEX 2011
systems, not only plays High-definition media files, but also Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-to-unveil-notebooks-
supports multitudes of Android apps. booktops-and-slate-at-computex-2011/12073.html
May 5th, 2011
After experienced successful showcase at CES and Cebit 2011, GIGABYTE is thrilled to introduce a fantastic lineup of
HEISEI expected to further displayed at Computex to share innovative notebook computers at COMPUTEX 2011. Exciting
brilliant concepts and innovative technology. Just feel free to products to be showcased include the P2532 3D and Full
join us. HD multimedia notebooks, the S1080 slate pc, the Booktop™
Complete Solutions Offered T1125P, the Booktop™ M2432, as well as several other
outstanding models.
At computex 2011, HEISEI will show entire solution series.
All-in-one touch POS terminals with Intel® technology are
designed for universal applications and long-term operation;
Full-functioned IPC series equipped with different assembly
GIGABYTE is thrilled to introduce a fantastic lineup of
for all kinds of usage; Self service photo KIOSK, FT-8000 is
innovative notebook computers at COMPUTEX 2011. Exciting
with the thoughtful accessories built in, particularly supported
products to be showcased include the P2532 3D and Full
USB 3.0.
HD multimedia notebooks, the S1080 slate pc, the Booktop™
T1125P, the Booktop™ M2432, as well as several other
Furthermore, HEISEI could also offer the most satisfying and outstanding models.
flexible ODM/OEM solutions. Our engineering and technical
knowledge in-house enhance products from design through
P2532
production. What you want is what we make, let HEISEI be
your best partner!
Plentiful Computer Peripheral with USB 3.0 technology
HEISEI have made great progress in USB 3.0 field. We could
offer all kinds of devices for your needs: Card Reader, HDD
Enclosure, Host Add-on Card, Hub and Bridge. The most
desirable products as HUU-304V3, 3 ports USB 3.0 internal
hub to expand your ports and make you experience superspeed
data transfer rate. External card reader HRU-306RT with
charming checkout support five slots can accept up to 30
types of media. Moreover, HPU-343VL/ HPU-344VL 4 Ports
USB 3.0 PCI Express Adapter with high-performance let users
connect to computers well. At computex, we will show more
flexible choices for you!
The P2532 is the first 15.6" multimedia notebook designed
Entertainment Innovation in Media Player by GIGABYTE’s R&D team. Featuring a powerful quad-
A technology breakthrough in media player has been achieved. core 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7 2630QM 2.0-2.9GHz
The latest media player HMH-701SK with android systems, processor with Intel® Turbo Boost, the P2532 delivers blazing
not only plays High-definition media files, but also supports fast performance. The notebook is equipped with numerous
multitudes of Android apps. Likewise, you can make online cutting-edge features to make it an extraordinary choice for
entertainments for you requirements with best sound and multimedia enjoyment. The NVIDIA® GeForce® GT550M
image effects on browser. Just Androidlize your TV and enjoy with 2GB VRAM provides an outstanding graphics experience
it anytime, anywhere! and has Optimus™ technology that optimizes performance for
longer lasting battery life. The P2532V features NVIDIA’s 3D
Vision™, which provides an extraordinary visual experience
that is perfect for consuming 3D media. The P2532N sports
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6. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
a Full HD 1920x1080 LED backlight screen that produces docking station also includes useful features, including USB
brilliant and vivid images. For audio enjoyment, there are four 3.0, HDMI, and a Super-multi DVD (with USB cable). The
terrific dual-channel stereo speakers and a woofer speaker that T1125P is powered by an Intel® Core™ i5/i3 ULV (ultra-low
combined with THX TruStudio Pro™ technology produce a voltage) processor to provide powerful processing power in a
magnificent acoustic experience. The notebook also has other lightweight design. For multimedia, the NVIDIA® Geforce®
high-end features, including a 7200rpm 500GB/750GB HDD, 410M GPU with 1GB VRAM gives users a superb viewing
4/8GB of RAM, an ultra-thin 9.5mm DVD burner, two USB experience and comes with Optimus™ technology that helps
3.0 ports and HDMI. extend battery life. For audio, there are two high-quality
dual-channel stereo speakers and two woofer speakers that
combined with THX TruStudio Pro™ technology create an
S1080 exceptional audio performance. The notebook also comes with
a 3.5G antenna built-in, USB 3.0 and HDMI.
Booktop™ M2432
The Booktop™ M2432 is the successor to the innovative
Booktop™ M1405. Featuring a thin and stylish design, the
Booktop™ M2432 is powered by a powerful second generation
Intel® Core™ i5/i3 processor. The M2432 is a fantastic
choice for users who want to combine the mobility of a light-
weight notebook with the power of a desktop. The M2432
accomplishes the combination of notebook and desktop by its
powerful docking station, which features a built-in NVIDIA®
GT 440 GPU that delivers desktop like graphics performance
that is great for visual entertainment. Another exciting feature
is that the optical disk drive can easily be exchanged for an
optional extended battery, great for those times when extra
battery life is needed.
Q2432 and Q2532
The S1080 is an exciting 10.1” capacitive multi-touch slate The 14” Q2432 and the 15.6" Q2532 are the perfect choices
PC that is designed for business and professional users who to provide exceptional everyday mobile computing. The
need a high-performing multi-tasking slate that offers the notebooks are equipped with a 2nd generation Intel® Core™
full productivity of Windows® 7. The slate is powered by an i7/i5/i3 series processor to provide outstanding performance.
Intel® Atom™ N570 dual core processor and has an incredible The Q2432A and Q2532N models have discrete graphics cards
320GB of built-in storage. Weighing under 0.90kg and coming that deliver an excellent visual experience. Other exciting
equipped with a 3.5G antenna built-in, the slate is great for features include two USB 3.0 ports and HDMI. The notebooks
traveling and the perfect mobile device to satisfy consumers’ are fashionably designed with an attractive rippling pattern to
demanding business needs. The S1080 also includes a mouse- make them a stylish choice for mobile computing.
like navigation button that lets users conveniently move the
cursor around the screen to easily edit documents and access
programs. The slate also includes USB 3.0, Bluetooth 3.0 T1005M
and a 1.3mp webcam. An attractive portfolio carrying case is
included with the slate, which can also be conveniently used as
Following the trend of the highly successful T1000P, the
a stand. There is also an optional docking station, which comes
T1005M is a superb 10.1” convertible tablet computer that
with an ODD, dual speakers, and a keyboard. An optional
features a capacitive multi-touch screen with an excellent
extended battery can also be used and is great for mobility.
resolution of 1366x768. The computer is powered by an Intel®
Atom™ N570 dual core processor. The T1005M comes with a
Booktop™ T1125P 3.5G antenna built-in, USB 3.0, a 6-cell battery for long-lasting
battery life, and many other exciting features to make it the
perfect choice for tablet computing.
GIGABYTE proudly presents the world’s first 3-in-1 computer,
the Booktop™ T1125P. The T1125P is a sleek and high-
performing computer with an 11.6” capacitive multi-touch Booktop™ M1005
display that can instantly change from a laptop to a tablet to
a desktop with GIGABYTE’s innovative docking station. The
6

7. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The ZiiSound Dx series revolutionises the home audio system.
In this revolutionary new system, wireless speakers connect
independently to stereo Bluetooth devices such as the iPhone,
Blackberry, Android phone, iPad or Creative ZiiO tablet,
and can also be configured so more speakers are connected
wirelessly to form a multi-channel home audio system. The
ZiiSound Dx series also features renowned apt-X audio
technology for outstanding sound quality.
Unlike with traditional speaker systems, users will no longer
need to purchase a fixed speaker configuration for a specific
use in the home. Creative’s one-piece pure wireless modular
speakers let users upgrade from a single speaker to a larger
configuration by simply adding more speakers wirelessly.
Flexible Placement
The built-in flexibility to add or subtract speakers means the
same system can have many uses. Users will now be able to
create different speakers systems – ideal for music, movies and
The M1005 features an Intel® Atom™ N570 dual core games – for different rooms throughout the home. Examples
processor and is a premier choice for netbook computing. include a one-piece speaker for bedside music listening, a 2.1
The M1005 comes with GIGABYTE’s unique docking station, speaker system for bedroom or study room for games or music
which allows the netbook to be placed vertically on a desk listening, and a 3.1 speaker system for living room music,
saving space and providing a useful desktop experience with movies and game audio entertainment
three additional usb ports and a VGA port. The docking
station also includes other excellent features, including a Key Features of the ZiiSound Dx Series of Pure Wireless
power button and a dedicated button that lets users check the Modular Speakers:
battery status without undocking the computer. ZiiSound D5x (Flagship modular wireless speaker system)
Creative introduces eight new
products for the month of May
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-introduces-eight-new-
products-for-the-month-of-may/12071.html
May 5th, 2011
Four wireless Bluetooth speakers, an MP3 player sporting a
ZEN-like design, and three sets of Bluetooth headsets. And
just in case you are wondering; no, we have not lost our
marbles and gone off rambling about random audio-related • Works with all smart devices and mobile phones that are
hardware for the consumers. Rather, these are new products stereo Bluetooth compatible*
which Creative will be introducing for the local market. Read • Easily upgradable for more compelling audio - allows
on to find out more. wireless linking to additional ZiiSound D5x wireless
Creative Redefines Home Audio with ZiiSound Dx Series of speaker modules and ZiiSound DSx wireless subwoofers
Pure Wireless Modular Bluetooth Speakers • High quality wireless audio with apt-X codec
Introduces a Paradigm Shift in the Home Audio Listening • Precision volume control when used with the included
Experience BT-D5 Bluetooth transmitter
SINGAPORE – 5 May 2011 – Creative Technology Ltd today • Efficient digital amplifiers and world class tuning deliver
announced the launch of a brand new category of wireless striking accuracy and detail like no other
speakers, the ZiiSound Dx series of pure wireless modular
• Allows link to ZiiSound DSx wireless subwoofer for deep
speakers. The ZiiSound Dx series consists of the ZiiSound D5x
bass capability or more ZiiSound D5x speakers for stereo
wireless one-piece speaker, ZiiSound D3x wireless one-piece
or surround applications
speaker and ZiiSound DSx wireless subwoofer.
• Charges the iPhone or iPod while playing**
Flexible Configuration
7

8. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
• One-piece construction to minimise vibrations for the • Works with ZiiSound D5x or ZiiSound D3x for
purest audio experience extended deep bass capability Incorporates Creative’s
Symmetrically Loaded Acoustic Module (SLAM) for that
• Integrated AUX-In for other audio devices
signature deep, tight and fast bass
*Bluetooth A2DP compliant devices • Robust wireless technology allows limitless flexibility in
**Via BT-D5 Bluetooth Transmitter subwoofer placement
ZiiSound D3x
Pricing and Availability
The ZiiSound D5x and the ZiiSound DSx will be available
at the online store at sg.store.creative.com from end June
2011 onwards, and at The CREATIVE Stores at International
Business Park and Marina Square, and authorised dealers
in Singapore from mid July 2011 onwards at the following
suggested retail prices:
Creative ZiiSound D5x wireless modular speaker: S$399.00
Creative ZiiSound DSx wireless modular subwoofer: S$199.00
The ZiiSound D3x will be available at the online store at
sg.store.creative.com from August 2011 onwards, and at the
CREATIVE Stores at International Business Park and Marina
• Affordable one-piece wireless modular speaker system
Square, and authorised dealers in Singapore from end August
made for smaller rooms
2011 onwards at the following suggested retail price:
• Works with all smart devices and mobile phones that are
Creative ZiiSound D3x wireless modular speaker: S$199.00
stereo Bluetooth compatible*
• Easily upgradable for more compelling audio - allows
wireless linking to additional ZiiSound D3x wireless Gigabyte G1. Assassin wins
speaker modules and ZiiSound DSx wireless subwoofers
COMPUTEX Taipei Design and
• High quality wireless audio with apt-X codec
Innovation Award
• Efficient digital amplifiers and world class tuning deliver Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/gigabyte-g1.-assassin-wins-computex-
striking accuracy and detail like no other taipei-design-and-innovation-award/12072.html
• Allows link to ZiiSound DSx wireless subwoofer for deep May 5th, 2011
bass capability or more ZiiSound D3x speakers for stereo
or surround applications
• One-piece construction to minimise vibrations for the
purest audio experience
GIGABYTE today announced that the G1. Assassin
• Integrated AUX-In for other audio devices motherboard has received the ‘Design and Innovation’ award
from TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade and Development
*Bluetooth A2DP compliant devices Council), the organizers of Computex 2011, in cooperation
ZiiSound DSx with iF International Forum Design. The GIGABYTE
G1.Assassin motherboard is the first ever motherboard
product to be awarded the coveted ‘Design and Innovation’
award, and was selected as the best example of unique
component design, addressing the needs of elite gamers, a
growing niche within the PC gaming market.
• Modular wireless subwoofer that works with the
ZiiSound D5x and ZiiSound D3x
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9. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Taipei, Taiwan, May 4th 2011 – GIGABYTE INC., a leading
manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today
announced that the G1. Assassin motherboard has received
the ‘Design and Innovation’ award from TAITRA (Taiwan
External Trade and Development Council), the organizers of
Computex 2011, in cooperation with iF International Forum
Design. The GIGABYTE G1.Assassin motherboard is the first
ever motherboard product to be awarded the coveted ‘Design
and Innovation’ award, and was selected as the best example
of unique component design, addressing the needs of elite
gamers, a growing niche within the PC gaming market.
According to a report published by Akihabara News, the
“At GIGABYTE we are both excited and proud to accept SENS-240 is more of a hybrid tablet than a full-fledged
this award as recognition from our peers in the industry navigational device in that it is designed to be operated
for the work we have done in developing the unique alongside Samsung's Android-powered smartphones and
G1.Assassin motherboard,” commented Richard Chen, VP of tablets. Apparently, when paired together via Bluetooth, the
Worldwide Sales and Marketing at GIGABYTE. “This accolade SENS-240 is reportedly capable of serving as an external
underlines our commitment to offering elite gamers and display for the paired smartphone or tablet, in addition to it
system builders the absolute best PC gaming experience still fulfilling its primary role as a navigational tool.
possible, delivering unique features you simply cannot find on
In addition, Akihabara News also claims that the SENS-240
any other motherboard product.”
is powered by a powerful 1.43GHz CPU (manufactured by
Samsung, no less) that is capable of displaying 3D Maps as well
Samsung introduces new as handling playback of media files. Furthermore, the device
features a seven-inch display which sports a native resolution
SENS-240 navigational tablet of 800×480, 256MB of RAM, a USB 2.0 Host and an SD Card
in Korea slot. Last but definitely not least, Samsung claims that the
SENS-240 can be remotely controlled by its Android-powered
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/samsung-introduces-new-sens-240-
smartphones and tablets, although we really should point out
navigational-tablet-in-korea/12069.html
that drivers would be better off keeping their hands on the
May 5th, 2011
steering wheel and not on their digital toys when driving on
the roads.
To date, we have got tablets on the market that are capable of
Chrome Canary: now singing
performing all kinds of tasks, such as making calls, performing its way to Mac OS X
general computing tasks, playing games and even serving as Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/chrome-canary-now-singing-its-way-
software equalizers for audio-related purposes. But to release to-mac-os-x/12068.html
a tablet that is specially designed for navigational purposes? May 5th, 2011
That is exactly what Samsung has done with its new SENS-240
navigational tablet that has just been launched in Korea.
Everybody knows the drill: if you want the convenience of
being able to perform general purpose computing tasks while
on the move, you go for a device such as a smartphone or a
tablet. On the other hand, if you only want a device to perform
a very specific task, you get a specialized gadget that does its Remember Chrome Canary for Windows? You know, that
designated task properly. However, leave it to Samsung to do highly experimental and unstable browser which Google was
what no other OEM has done: to release a tablet device that, inviting Windows users to play around with, but only if they
instead of being the general purpose device it is intended to be, were ready to deal with the frequent issues that are bound
is designed to serve only one purpose: navigation. Such is the to occur while using it? Well, it seems that Google is keen
nature of Samsung's new SENS-240 navigational tablet, which on attracting more guinea....I mean, more adventurous, IT-
was reportedly launched in Korea today. savvy users to help test out its unstable browser builds, and
has even roped in OS X users to join the party. Yes, you are
reading it correctly: Chrome Canary is now available for the
Mac platform.
9

10. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
May 5th, 2011
The Macbook Air may be one of the better looking notebooks
available on the market today, but consumers who crave an
Apple-branded, ultrathin notebook that features a screen size
Ever since Chrome Canary for Windows was released, which is neither 11 inches or 13 inches are essentially out of
adventurous Mac users had to look on in jealousy while luck. However, it would seem that such consumers will have a
their Windows-using counterparts were able to download little more choice if they head down to China: in addition to the
and install pre-development builds of the Google Chrome 10-inch 'Macbook Air' that was unveiled last week, the country
browser. And their frustration is understandable; unlike the is also getting another unofficial addition to its 'Macbook Air'
open-source development channel known as Chromium, users family with the release of a 14-inch version of the ultrathin
of Chrome Canary had the luxury of having various extras notebook.
present in the stable Chrome releases baked into their Canary You really got to love China, especially in times like this. Every
builds, such as the built-in Flash plugin. In addition, Canary so often, an established OEM will unveil new notebooks that
also has the distinction of being the only bleeding edge version are aimed at eliciting the "Ooos" and "Ahhs" from design-
of Chrome that is officially recognized by Google, a status not conscious consumers, but the fever dies down the moment
granted to the open-source Chromium development builds. they realize that the beautiful notebooks sitting in front of
Fortunately, it seems that Mac users will no longer have to feel them does not come with the right specifications needed for
left out when it comes to enjoying the latest, most bleeding- the job. Which, for the most part, seems to describe Apple's
edge version of the Chrome browser Google has to offer, for Macbook Air notebooks perfectly, considering that they are
Google has officially open up a Mac tree for its Canary browser only available in screen sizes of 11 inches and 13 inches. And
builds. Indeed, a quick look at the documentation in Chrome's this is where China comes in to offer a solution for users who
Early Access Release Channels indicate that OS X is now a crave the design of a Macbook Air but desire a machine with
supported platform. a larger display; by introducing its own version of a 14-inch
'Macbook Air'.
That being said, the same restriction found in the Windows
versions of Canary apply to the OS X ports: this means that Like most of the Chinese clones we have covered here on
Canary cannot be designated as a default browser, and for VR-Zone, the 14-inch Macbook Air knockoff utilizes an Intel
obvious reasons. After all, this build is designed to be used only Atom N455 processor clocked at 1.66GHz, so suffice to say
by a very specific group of people that are keen on living on the performance is definitely not going to be the notebook's selling
bleeding edge of technology and do not mind having to deal point. However, what you do get is a machine which bears a
with various major or minor issues that may crop up during very close resemblance to the real Macbook Air (save for the
the course of usage. Also, one should remember that Apple colour scheme, of course), sports 1GB of DDR2 memory, a
takes issues with software that could potentially cause Macs HDMI-out port, a built-in card reader, a 250GB mechanical
to crash; surely you will not want to see Chrome banned from hard disk and a 3000mAh battery pack. What, you thought the
future versions of the Mac OS X operating system, no? Chinese manufacturers would be nice enough to throw in an
SSD for you? Sorry, but that is just not going to happen.
14-inch 'Macbook Air' shows
up in China
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/14-inch-macbook-air-shows-up-in-
china/12067.html
10

11. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
The Clash of the Titans
- Gigabyte G1.Assassin
Reviewed
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-clash-of-the-titans--gigabyte-
g1.assassin-reviewed/11945.html
May 5th, 2011
Targetted at gamers, the G1.Assassin Motherboard is an
extremely popular product in the market. Today, the
G1.Assassin Motherboard is put side by side with one of their
competitors and we will find out just which of the two is better.
Get ready for some cold-blooded action from the G1.Assassin
as he shows us how it's done.
Introduction
The G1 Killer, as the name suggests, is Gigabyte's first series
of motherboard aimed solely at professional gamers. The G1
Killer comes in 3 flavours, namely the Assassin, Sniper and
Guerrilla. +1 to Gigabyte for renaming the motherboards into
something much cooler and easier to remember since generic
naming styles such as "GA-H67MA-UD2H-B3" are a pain to
say out.
That being said, it seems that the 14-inch 'Macbook Air'
does come with a little extra toy thrown in by the vendor,
and it comes in the form of a small remote control that
can be used for various media-related tasks, such as volume
adjustment and shutting down the notebook. No information
about pricing has been revealed but hey, this is China we are
talking about; just how expensive can it get?
Fighting through the late game, the G1.Assassin will be one
tough guy to handle. With a large market tending towards
the newer P67 platform, is there still space in the market for
any new X58 motherboards? We all know that the X79 will
be arriving in the 4th Quarter this year. Would you go for
the newer and more efficient sandy bridge architecture or the
current high end nahalem architecture? If you already have an
affection towards the Sandy Bridge platform, the Assassin and
other G1.Killer motherboards may change your mind.
11

12. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
motherboard itself. A total of 8 USB 3.0 ports are just overkill
but you wont find anyone complaining. Bigfoot Killer E2100
Network Processing Unit sure explains to you why gamers
have to get their hands on this state of the art equipment. To
read up more about the features, view pages 4 and 5.
Screens that can be crumpled
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/screens-that-can-be-
crumpled/12066.html
May 5th, 2011
The G1.Assassin is one huge motherboard in terms of size. E-ink technology is featured in Amazon's kindle and many
It has a XL-ATX form factor which may not fit into most other reading devices. Its claim to fame is that content
mid tower cases. So do make sure that your case fits the displayed on such screens are highly readable in a wide array of
motherboard of size 345mm x 262mm before purchasing this lighting conditions, just like ordinary paper. The company has
product. managed to bring their technology one step closer to becoming
Specifications truly paper-like. Read On.
CPU Support Up till now, E-ink's technology is mainly found only in reading
Intel® Core™ i7 Processors
devices. But that is set to change, E-ink has come up with a
CPU Socket LGA1366 product that can be crumpled like real paper. This new screen
QPI/FSB 4.8GT/s, 6.4GT/s has the same display qualities as the original E-ink technology.
Chipset X58+ICH10R
Possible applications for this screen which can be crumpled
Graphics Interface 4*PCI-E 2.0 x16 slot (2x16, includes re-usable envelopes, clothing and even banners. Its
2x8) flexibility allows it to be used in much more applications than
Memory Type 4*PCI-E 2.0 x16 slot (2x16, before.
2x8) 3 Channel DDR3
E-ink displays are said to use 60% less energy than traditional
2200/1600/1333MHz
displays. Apart from saving energy, being almost identical
Memory DIMM 4*PCI-E 2.0 x16 slot (2x16, to paper makes it more likely for consumers to consider e-
2x8) 3 Channel DDR3 ink as a viable alternative to paper products. Reducing our
2200/1600/1333MHz dependency on wood derived products reduces our impact on
6*DDR3 (Max 24 GB) the environment.
Expansion Slots 2*PCI-Ex1+ 1*PCI
ATA connector 2* SATA 6Gb/s+6* SATA
3Gb/s+ 1*Power eSATA Intel announces world's
SATA RAID
(front bezel)
RAID 0,1,5,10, JBOD
first 3D Tri-Gate transistors
USB 3.0 8 (4 front, 4 rear) technology for processors
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/intel-announces-world-s-first-3d-tri-
USB 2.0 8 (4 front, 4 rear)
gate-transistors-technology-for-processors/12064.html
Audio Creative HW audio 20K2
May 5th, 2011
Front audio headphone
amplifier
Nichicon MUSE capacitor
LAN Bigfoot Killer™ 2100
HW OC botton Yes (front bezel) When Intel said that they had a major, groundbreaking
Features & Software 16 power phase, Dual announcement to make on Wednesday, we were betting on
Power, 3 way SLI™, 4 the assumption that the chip giant had magically come up
way CrossFire™ X, Driver with new processor designs that will eventually translate
MOSFET, X-Fi, EAX, Dolby, to better performance for enthusiasts. As it turns out, we
DTS, 3TB+ HDD,On/Off were not entirely wrong after all; Intel's 'groundbreaking
charge, USB 3.0,USB 3x announcement' did in fact center around silicon transistor
power, Smart6, UD3,DES2 technology. Apparently, the chip giant has managed to find
a way to produce 3D transistors for its processors, and Ivy
After looking at its specifications, you'll understand why it's Bridge will be the first set of chips to make use of the new 3D
no ordinary motherboard. For the first time, a high end Tri-Gate transistors.
Audio chipset, the Creative 20K2 is used and built into the
12

13. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Not too long ago, Intel promised to deliver a "most significant
technology announcement of the year" during a press event
that was to be held on Wednesday (yesterday). Needless to
say, this has gotten many speculating about what the "most
significant technology announcement" would be, although
many were betting on Intel releasing details about some
unprecedented breakthrough in its development of Ivy Bridge.
As it turns out, they were not exactly wrong either. Indeed,
Intel's announcement was indeed directly related to Ivy ASUS expected to launch
Bridge, although it was on a much lower level than what most
would have expected it to be. Apparently, Intel has successfully
Tegra 3-powered tablets this
managed to perfect its 3D transistor technology known as Tri- year
Gate for high-volume production, and this technology will be Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-expected-to-launch-tegra-3-
incorporated into Ivy Bridge, as well as future versions of the powered-tablets-this-year/12063.html
Atom processor. May 5th, 2011
NVIDIA's Tegra system-on-a-chips (SoCs) may have only just
started to see the light of the day in consumer devices such
as smartphones and tablets, but it would appear that more
OEMs are now turning to the graphics semiconductor giant for
their chip supply due to Tegra's impressive performance. And
apparently, ASUS is not about to stop at NVIDIA's Tegra 2 SoC
for its tablets; word has it that the Taiwanese OEM will be one
According to Intel's press release, Tri-Gate "represent(s) of the first few companies to make use of NVIDIA's upcoming
a fundamental departure from the two-dimensional planar Tegra 3 SoC for its future offerings.
transistor structure" as most processors were fabricated with It is only recently that mobile communication devices such
2D transistors prior to Intel's perfection of Tri-Gate. By as smartphone and tablets have started adopting the use of
utilizing a 3D transistor design for its processors, Intel claims NVIDIA's Tegra 2 SoC for their processing needs, but even
that the company is now in the position to extend Moore's then, it would appear that some OEMs may have already
Law for the forseeable future, as the laws of physics would gotten a head start over their competitors where future
have made any development on the 22nm die shrink of Sandy versions of the Tegra SoC may be concerned.
Bridge impossible without a complete redesign due to physical
limitations. Apparently, word has it that ASUS is currently well on its
way in developing at least three more tablet PCs this year.
In addition to allowing Intel to proceed with its development According to a report posted by DIGITIMES, the Taiwanese
on the 22nm process, the chip giant is also claiming that OEM has plans for a 10-inch Eee Pad Slider EP102 and seven-
the 3D Tri-Gate transistors will allow its chips to achieve inch Eee Pad MeMo EP71 in the next three months, but it is the
"unprecedented power savings and performance gains". This third and unnamed tablet that has gotten our attention. This
is reportedly due to the transistors' design allowing for is because the report claims that the unnamed tablet will be
operating at "lower voltage(s) with lower leakage". By Intel's making use of NVIDIA's Tegra 3 SoC, which has been touted
own estimations, Tri-Gate transistors provide up to 37% more as the world's first SoC to posses a quad-core CPU.
performance than the conventional transistor designs used in
its 32nm process, but consume less than half the power.
13

14. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
a smartphone catered exclusively for the fairer sex may be
one of odder developments to take place in the smartphone
market And yet, here we are today with news about a supposed
ladies-centric smartphone, made by none other than HTC, and
powered by Google's Android operating system. Wonderful; so
when will the guys be able to get their hands on a real men's
smartphone?
With almost every single smartphone on the market today
sporting various design elements that are clearly intended to
score points with the female crowd, some might be under
the impression that the smartphone market is starting to
experience a shift in target audience. After all, most ladies'
immediate priority when choosing a smartphone often has
something to do with looking refined and sophisticated in
front of their colleagues and peers. At least, that is until
they start fiddling with their smartphones to find out how to
perform the most basic of functions, since the instructional
manual is always unceremoniously tossed out within the first
six hours of the purchase.
Still, it would seem odd that any OEM will attempt to put its
revenues on the line by designing a smartphone that is meant
to be used only the ladies, if only because the smartphone
market is still fairly gender neutral at this point. However,
HTC looks set to tip that status quo soon: rumour has it
that the Taiwanese smartphone OEM is designing a special
smartphone for Verizon that is almost designed entirely
As most people probably know by now, the Tegra 3 SoC, when around a lady's needs and desires. And the name of this
released, will probably be the most powerful SoC to grace the smartphone? The HTC Bliss.
insides of a tablet or smartphone. However, the SoC is slated
only for a 'Fall 2011' release, whereas ASUS is gearing up for
a May-July launch for its tablets. If we take into consideration
that the Tegra 3-powered version will probably be released a
couple of months later in order to give the EP102 and EP71
some shelf time on the market, an August or September launch
for a Tegra 3 tablet puts it right in sync with NVIDIA's official
release date, which suggests that ASUS may have secured
launch partner rights for Tegra 3's release.
No pricing about either tablet has been revealed, although
DIGITIMES claims that the EP102 will be powered by an
Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, while the EP71 will use a Qualcomm
CPU.
Rumour: HTC working on
Android-powered smartphone
for the ladies?
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/rumour-htc-working-on-android-
powered-smartphone-for-the-ladies-/12061.html According to a report published by a website known as This Is
May 5th, 2011 My Next..., ?HTC has been holding focus groups with women
between the ages of 20 and 30 in order to find out more about
what makes a smartphone tick for the ladies. As a result, it
should be of no surprise that the HTC Bliss features various
design elements that are designed solely for their comfort,
among many other things. This Is My Next...? claims that the
Bliss's design could essentially be described as the result "if
With almost every single smartphone out on the market today the Desire S and the Desire Z were to mate"; with the Bliss
being designed in such a way that would appeal more to being about half a centimeter thinner than the Desire Z, but
the ladies than the tough, macho-looking guys, talking about without the dedicated keyboard. In addition, the back of the
14

15. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
Bliss's body will have a rubber pad built into it to allow for easy May 5th, 2011
gripping.
On the software side, This Is My Next... ?is claiming that the
Bliss will come preloaded with various software vital for a
ladies physical and mental well-being. And by that, we mean
that the Bliss will be preloaded with apps that reportedly In today's news roundup: A budget gaming PC built to a cost
compare shopping prices among different malls, along with of US$599 gets built and tested to see if it has the juice needed
the all-important calorie counter. Which is perfectly fine: we to perform as one; ASUS's mATX motherboard, the P8H67-M
all know that the fine ladies are devout supporters of retail Evo, which is said to offer an attractive price-to-performance
therapy and fine figures. Furthermore, HTC is reportedly ratio, gets reviewed; A recently-discovered patent dating back
bundling in a different set of 'calming' wallpapers into the to 2009 has ignited suspicions that Steve Jobs may be lying
Bliss, whatever that means. about Apple's policy with regards to collecting location data
Lastly, word has it that the HTC Bliss will also have its own from iPhone users; Xobni for Outlook, an inbox plugin offering
set of ladies-centric accessories up for grabs. First up the list social intelligence and relationship management inside email
is apparently an intelligent wireless charging dock with built- messages, is opening an app store to users and developers;
in speakers that automatically switches the Bliss into alarm Steam is currently having an 'EA Week' promotion where
mode when docked, with the second accessory being a "square- selected EA titles will be put up for grabs at heavily discounted
shaped" in-car speaker system that supports voice recognition. prices for each day of the week, and Rumour has it that the
However, the last accessory is by far the most interesting Wii's successor will be using yet another proprietary optical
one, and it comes in the form of a cube-shaped strap-on disc format capable of storing up to 25GB of data, utilize SD
accessory that automatically glows when calls or messages are cards as its main media for data storage due to the console
received by the Bliss. In many ways, this little 'companion lacking a built-in HDD, and feature a resolution cap of up to
cube' resembles some of the 'radiowave stickers' that start 1080i.
flashing in a variety of colours when it detects the presence of Hardware news
radio waves transmitted by cell phones.
$599 Gaming PC Built and Tested
Description: When NVIDIA launched the GTX 550 Ti, it was
interesting to see in their slides that they made mention of
how it was the perfect model to build a $599 US gaming PC.
As someone who has more power than I need in video and
just about every other component of my system, I really found
myself wondering, could we build a $599 US PC?
Xigmatek Pantheon Case Review on Technic3D (German)
Description: (Machine translation) The Xigmatek Pantheon is
the next PC-Case in the Technic3D Editorship. The Pantheon
Tower supports ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards and have
place for eight Cooling-Fans and a Watercooling Kit. We will
check this and many more in the following Review.
Patriot 32GB Supersonic USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review @
Madshrimps
Description: The latest high performance Supersonic USB
3.0 Flash Drive from Patriot Memory features Quad Channel
Technology and has exceeded our expectations in terms of
As we have mentioned before, news about the HTC Bliss's write speeds, managing to beat all other previously tested USB
existance is still a rumour at this point of time, and it is very 3.0 similar products.
possible that this information about the Bliss could end up ASUS P8H67-M Evo Review @ ocaholic
as nothing more than an elaborate hoax. But until the official Description: With the P8H67-M EVO ASUS has an mATX
confirmation (or denial) comes, one cannot help but wonder if motherboard in its portfolio which tries to win customers
the HTC Bliss will spawn with it a new wave of smartphones hearts with an attractive price performance ratio. Wether this
specially tailored for the sophisticated uptown lady. As for board is able to convince or not that's what we will show on
us...well...we will hang on to the hope that macho-looking the following pages.
smartphones for the guys will start appearing on the market
soon. Xigmatek Elysium Super Tower Review @ Tweaknews
Description: So, you're unsatisfied with your current full-
tower case? Not enough room? Too plain? Well, Xigmatek
The Daily VR-Zone News may have the answer. Their new Elysium is one of the largest
chassis' on the market and will even support the huge SR-2
Summary - 4 May 2011 (HPTX) platform. With room for two power supplies and
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/the-daily-vr-zone-news-summary--4- a whopping ten expansion bays, the hardware choices are
may-2011/12055.html virtually limitless and the front drive bays will support eight
15

16. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
hard drives and up to five ODDs at the same time without Logitech Ultimate Ears 100 Noise Isolating Earphones Review
modification. Description: Logitech are super veterans of the PC industry
and have basically covered every type of audio product and
Antec One Hundred Computer Case @ Benchmark Reviews
PC peripheral known to man. And it's initially here that we
Description: The Antec One Hundred computer case is touted
must plead ignorance to the success Logitech have been having
as "the gaming case that delivers high-end features at a price
all over the world with their Ultimate Ears product range.
that won't break the bank." Many gamers (and non-gamers)
Because put simply, we had never heard of Ultimate Ears until
will purchase cases with sexy exteriors, only to find that the
the '100' series were delivered to us.
functionality and performance of the case are significantly
hindered. For experienced users, a gaming case brings certain 16GB Zune HD drops to $169, edging closer to EOL?
expectations, such as the need for good cooling, ease of use for Description: With Windows Phone 7 offering full Zune
install and re-installation of components, proper placement functionality and then some, the new mobile OS has clearly
of USB ports and audio jacks, as well as several other factors. created a surplus of lower-capacity Zune HD devices, causing
Benchmark Reviews will take the Antec One Hundred for a Microsoft to respond with a rather significant price drop.
spin and you can decide if it meets your criteria for a good Typically, a discount would indicate an imminent refresh, but
economy gaming case. we doubt that's the case here. The 16GB Zune HD has shaved
off $30, to $169.99, and you can now grab the 32GB version
AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Processor Review @Hi
for $199.99 -- the same price you would have paid for the 16
Tech Legion
gig before the drop, and nearly $100 less than the $299 you'll
Description: With the new Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition
spend on a 32GB iPod touch. The 64GB model is holding fast
CPU, AMD has upped the speed for their existing AM2+/AM3
at $349.99, but with a $70 plunge on the mid-capacity model,
platform. The Phenom II X4 980BE clocks in with a stock
you might have just enough cash left over for that tattoo you've
speed of 3.7Ghz, making it the fastest out of the box clock
always dreamed of.
speed AMD currently offers. With an unlocked multiplier, the
Phenom II X4 980BE also invites you to explore overclocking iPhone 5 will miss June and July, says AT&T representative
and see just how much more speed you can get. The Phenom Description: The next iPhone will indeed miss the standard
II 980BE also sports a full 2MB L2 cache and 6MB L3 cache. June-July release schedule, an AT&T customer representative
In the AM3 platform, the onboard memory controller is able claims. The statement was made after one customer noticed
to take full advantage of DDR3 memory up to PC3 10600. that his eligibility for a subsidized upgrade had been delayed
by over five months, and contacted AT&T for an explanation.
HIS Radeon 6870 IceQX Review - XSReviews
"Apple has informed us that they do not plan to release the
Description: Just to keep things fresh and prevent you all from
iPhone in the June to July timeframe, though there will be
getting bored with all the headset reviews we’ve been putting
a newer version in the future," part of the representative's
out recently, here’s something a bit more internal,a GPU from
response reads.
HIS. This is the IceQX variant of their HD 6870 Graphics card
from AMD. Gaming news
Consumer Electronics and Software news Pilotwings Resort Nintendo 3DS Review
Description: Pilotwings as a series is an interesting one. First
Apple patent application indicates Jobs may have lied
launched on the Super Nintendo system, the game is either
Description: The ongoing kerfuffle over Apple devices
derided or loved by each gamer with a Nintendo console. The
allegedly tracking their users' locations has taken yet another
fact is that the older games were hard, incredibly hard in fact;
turn. It all started on April 20th, when tech bloggers Alasdair
so difficult that you could get stuck for hours on end with
Allan and Pete Warden reported their discovery that iPhones
nothing to do just trying to beat one challenge. However, for
and 3G iPads running iOS4 were supposedly maintaining
many gamers that is what made the game so appealing and
a stealth file of locations that the devices had traveled to
when we heard that it was coming to 3DS with 3D graphics
– with their users. Apple responded on April 27th, stating
we were excited. However, we also had a worry that given
that the devices were simply anonymously contributing to a
the casual market that Nintendo now targets, it would be
database of local Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers, that helped to
toned down and unfortunately this is only the beginning of its
triangulate the phones' location faster than GPS alone. Now,
problems.
however, a just-discovered patent application filed by Apple in
2009 has some people doubting that claim. It is a EA Week On Steam
Description: It is a EA week on Steam as a variety of selected
Xobni Opens App Store for Outlook
games from the publisher will be going on crazy sale. Today is
Description: Xobni for Outlook, an inbox plugin offering
a Need for Speed sale, you can get Need for Speed: Undercover
social intelligence and relationship management inside email
for just $2.50! If you want to lay out a bit more (but still
messages, is opening an app store to users and developers
not very much), Need for: Speed Shift and Hot Pursuit are
Tuesday. The Xobni Gadget Store allows users to pick
available for $6.80 and $14.99, respectively. (prices are all in
and choose from nearly 20 free and paid applications
USD)
to add to their Outlook experience. At launch, the store
includes gadgets from notable productivity, CRM, social media Wii Successor Lacks a Hard Drive, Includes 8GB Internal
and collaborative-focused companies including Dropbox, Storage - Report
Evernote, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Salesforce CRM, Description: Nintendo will officially detail its successor to the
Chatter and Yammer. Wii in just over a month's time at E3. In the meantime we have
16

17. May 5th, 2011 Published by: VR-Zone
to continue parsing through rumors about every aspect of the and MSI has even managed to squeeze in a reset and a power
system. The latest such report from Kotaku suggests Nintendo button.
will again eschew hard drives with its new console and instead Around the back we have a PS/2 port, four USB 2.0 ports,
offer 8GB of internal, flash-based storage. a FireWire port, two USB 3.0 ports, 7.1-channel audio
with optical S/PDIF out, a Gigabit Ethernet port and most
MSI's Z68MA-ED55 poked and importantly to some, as this is a Z68 board, a D-sub, DVI and
HDMI port. For such a tiny board we're quite impressed by
prodded on Chinese site the fact that MSI has somehow managed to squeeze in what
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/msi-s-z68ma-ed55-poked-and- appears to be a 10-phase PWM design and this board is also
prodded-on-chinese-site/12060.html using tantalum capacitors all around the CPU socket.
May 5th, 2011
We almost missed this one, but it turns out that MSI's
upcoming mATX Z68MA-ED55 has made a well-documented
appearance on a Chinese website with no less than four pages
worth of pictures of it. This is also one of the first mATX Z68
boards we've seen, in fact; it's the only other board apart from
ASRock's Z68 Pro3-M.
We have a feeling that the Z68MA-ED55 is going to be an
We almost missed this one, but it turns out that MSI's expensive mATX board, but it's packed to the brim with
upcoming mATX Z68MA-ED55 has made a well-documented features, although we would've liked to have seen a pin header
appearance on a Chinese website with no less than four pages for a pair for front USB 3.0 ports as well, but beggars can't be
worth of pictures of it. This is also one of the first mATX Z68 choosers as they say. The board has already been listed on a
boards we've seen, in fact; it's the only other board apart from European price comparison engine, but sadly no-one seems to
ASRock's Z68 Pro3-M. be supplying any kind of pricing as of yet.
MSI's Z68MA-ED55 appears to be a higher-end mATX board
compared to ASRock's Z68 Pro3-M, least not based on the fact
the MSI's board has a pair of x16 slots. That said; you'd need First picture of Asus' M5A99X
a case with at least five expansion slots if you'd want to take
advantage of both slots while using dual-slot graphics cards.
EVO motherboard
Source: http://vr-zone.com/articles/first-picture-of-asus-m5a99x-evo-
The board also has two PCI Express x1 slots, but as this is a
motherboard/12059.html
mATX this is where the expansion slots end.
May 5th, 2011
As far as leaks goes, AMD has managed to keep things
secret about its upcoming AM3+ platform pretty quiet, but
we're finally starting to see a few leaks here and there
from its partners ahead of Computex. The first picture of
Asus' upcoming M5A99X EVO board has just made an
appearance and it looks like we're in for a treat if this is what
a mid-range AM3+ board looks like.
As far as leaks goes, AMD has managed to keep things
The Z68MA-ED55 has been designed with overclockers in
secret about its upcoming AM3+ platform pretty quiet, but
mind and MSI has added features like it's OC Genie and
we're finally starting to see a few leaks here and there from
readout points for various board Voltages, a feature usually
its partners ahead of Computex. The first picture of Asus'
only seen on higher-end ATX boards from MSI. As things are
upcoming M5A99X EVO board has just made an appearance
a little bit cramped on a mATX board we have to make do
and it looks like we're in for a treat if this is what a mid-range
with the standard four SATA 3Gbps and two SATA 6Gbps ports
AM3+ board looks like.
that the chipset provides. Other on-board features include four
USB 2.0 headers for a total of eight ports, a FireWire header In all fairness, the picture is from and odd angle and we can't
really see what I/O ports the board has which is a bit of a
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