LG Electronics supplies keyboard-equipped mobile phones to Cingular Wireless

LG Electronics has unveiled an innovative mobile phone model equipped with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, unique designs and functions, in the U.S. mobile phone market. The model is aimed primarily at young people. LG Electronics announced on February 22 that it is introducing the QWERTY messenger phone (model: LG-F9100) through the largest U.S. mobile operator Cingular.

The model is equipped with a slide-out keyboard featuring standard English alphabetic QWERTY keys 1, enabling the user to do instant messaging more conveniently.

The prime feature of the QWERTY messenger phone is the slide-out keyboard, making it easy to type, and allowing the users to do instant messaging such as AOL, ICQ, and Yahoo messengers, SMS, and e-mail on a wide screen.

According to LG Electronics, the company developed this trendy model in a joint bid with Cingular to respond timely to the market trends that call for a wide variety of wireless Internet services. Furthermore, the model is adored with simple “intenna design” and colored in premium black, aiming at young generation and young adults who seek a differentiation from others.

The LG-F9100 model was recognized for such innovative designs, and recently received iF Design Award from International Forum Design (iF), the world’s authoritative industrial design association based in Germany. The keyboard-equipped mobile phone will be showcased at the 2005 CeBit Show, which will run in Hanover, Germany, for a week from March 10.

In addition, the product was unveiled at the world’s largest electronics fair, 2005 International CES held in Las Vegas in early January. The company said that the model spurred much attention from American consumers and others from various nations, and that it will launch promotional events for the mobile phone in tandem with Cingular.

Juno Cho, Executive Vice President for North America Business Division, said, “The QWERTY messenger phone was developed based on our thorough study of the mobile lifestyle of young American people. LG Electronics will continue efforts to unveil other innovative models with a wide variety of unique designs and functions.”

Cingular emerged as the largest mobile operator with a nationwide GSM network in the U.S., as it merged with the third largest mobile operator, AT&T, Wireless last year, securing a total of 46 million subscribers. Cingular launched 2.7-generation EDGE services early this year, and is pushing to develop innovative services focused on offering high-speed data.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics was selected last year as a preferred 3G phone supplier, the only Korean company of this kind, together with Nokia and Motorola, by Cingular in the latter’s bid to launch the 3-generation WCDMA services in the U.S. market at the end of this year.

iPad to go on sale in nine more countries on Friday

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Apple said Monday that the iPad tablet computer will go on sale in nine more countries this week.

Apple said the touchscreen multi-media device will be available in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore on Friday.

The iPad is currently available in Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.

Apple had previously announced plans to sell the iPad in the nine new countries in July but had not revealed the date.

The iPad allows users to watch video, listen to music, play games, surf the Web or read electronic books.

The cheapest Apple has not updated the sales figures since but then the California gadget maker is to announce its fiscal third quarter results on Tuesday.

Motorola to sell Wi-Fi-only Xoom tablet for $599

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Motorola Mobility says it will start selling a Wi-Fi-only version of its Xoom tablet computer for $599 on March 27.

The Xoom is a prominent competitor to Apple Inc.'s iPad. A version with cellular broadband access went on sale through Verizon Wireless last month for $800, or $600 with a two-year contract.

The Wi-Fi-only iPad 2 model with 32 gigabytes of flash memory, the same amount as the Xoom, also costs $599. Manufacturers trying to take on the iPad have otherwise had a hard time matching the iPad's price.

The iPad 2 and Motorola Mobility Inc.'s tablet runs Google Inc.'s Android software, while the iPad runs a version of the iPhone's software.

Eyes flashing, robot conducts wedding in Tokyo

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(AP) -- Almost everyone stood when the bride walked down the aisle in her white gown, but not the wedding conductor, because she was bolted to her chair.

The nuptials at this ceremony were led by "I-Fairy," a 4-foot (1.5-meter) tall seated

The wedding took place at a restaurant in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, where the I-Fairy wore a wreath of flowers and directed a rooftop ceremony. Wires led out from beneath it to a black curtain a few feet (meters) away, where a man crouched and clicked commands into a computer.

Japan has one of the most advanced robotics industries in the world, with the government actively supporting the field for future growth. Industrial models in factories are now standard, but recently Japanese companies are making a push to inject robots into everyday life.

Honda makes a walking child-shaped robot, and other firms have developed them to entertain the elderly or play baseball. Kokoro, whose corporate goal is to "touch the hearts of the people," also makes giant dinosaur robots for exhibitions and lifelike android models that can smile and laugh. The company is a subsidiary of Sanrio Co., which owns the rights to Hello Kitty and other Japanese characters.

"This was a lot of fun. I think that Japanese have a strong sense that robots are our friends. Those in the robot industry mostly understand this, but people mainly want robots near them that serve some purpose," said bride Satoko Inoue, 36, who works at manufacturer Kokoro.

"It would be nice if the robot was a bit more clever, but she is very good at expressing herself," said new husband Tomohiro Shibata, 42, a professor of robotics at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in central Japan.

The I-Fairy sells for about 6.3 million yen ($68,000) and three are in use in Singapore, the U.S. and Japan, according to company spokeswoman Kayako Kido. It has 18 degrees of motion in its arms, and mainly repeats preprogrammed movements and sounds.

FUJIFILM announces launch of new XF1 digital camera

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Fujifilm Corporation announcing the launch of the FUJIFILM XF1. This latest addition to Fujifilm's X series range of cameras is due to hit the market in November this year. The XF1 extends the X series range to a much wider audience.

Newly developed for the XF1, the wide-angle, f/1.8 FUJINON lens features a manual 4x optical zoom (25mm-100mm) operated simply by twisting the zoom ring. Its stylish body includes a 2/3-inch EXR-CMOS sensor and EXR Processor, which are user for FUJIFILM X10. In terms of appeal, the XF1 functions equally well as an upgrade to a

Stylish design & Style

The aluminum body is both light and durable, while a synthetic leather covering reproduces the feel of genuine leather while ensuring an improved grip. The XF1 comes in a choice of three very appealing colors: Black, Red, and Brown.

Unlike anything offered by power zoom, the twisting mechanical zoom ring offers a traditional zooming style by turning ring. The camera is powered on by the turning ring, like the X10. While the camera is not used, the ring can be pushed off into the body to minimize camera size for aiding portability.

Stunning results in low light with f/1.8 lens

The XF1's fast f/1.8 lens allows poorly-lit subjects to be photographed without raising sensitivity levels, keeping noise to a minimum. The slim-line lens achieves its aperture of f/1.8 with a construction that features 7 lens elements in 6 groups (four aspherical and three extra low dispersion), the first with a highly variable profile and a high refractive index, and the second an aspherical element with an extremely high refractive index. All elements are subjected to FUJINON's unique Wide-band High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating process (developed for FUJINON broadcast-use lenses), reducing ghosting and flare for crisp results in even the most difficult conditions.

Featuring a unique Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) mechanism that shifts one group of four lens elements to reduce blur, while avoiding color shading and lost resolution at the edges of the image, the XF1 will ensure that noise levels are minimized to produce clear low-light photographs.

Other features include Macro photography at ranges as close as 3 cm, and also the opportunity to capture images using the beautiful "Bokeh" depth of field effect (for crisp subjects set against out-of-focus backgrounds) by taking advantage of the XF1's fast lens and six diaphragm blades.

Premium high image quality with a larger 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor

Everyone can take full advantage of the superb image taking potential of the XF1 by using Fujifilm's premium EXR Auto mode, the technology takes charge and selects the optimum settings (from 103 patterns according to the scene's demands), making extremely high photo quality easy to achieve, with almost any subject, whatever your ability!

Adjustable sensor controls are still on offer for the more advanced photographer. The 2/3-inch, 12 million pixel EXR-CMOS sensor features Fujifilm's three switchable sensor modes (SN - high ISO and low noise, DR dynamic-range, and HR resolution) which can be selected according to the subject for bright, sharp images.

Fast AF in even dark scene with EXR processor

With its EXR-CMOS sensor and EXR processor, the XF1 camera offers fast Auto Focus no matter what you're shooting, even in dark scene. The speedy read time of the CMOS sensor, coupled with the high-speed EXR processor, accelerates all operations; quick response, start-up in just 0.55 seconds, focus acquisition in as little as 0.16 seconds, and minimum shot-to-shot time of just 0.8 seconds. Additionally, the EXR processor offers high-speed processing for hassle-free HD movie recording and burst-mode photography.

Manual 4X zoom lens (25mm-100mm)

Newly developed for the XF1, the wide-angle, f/1.8 lens features a manual 4x optical zoom (25mm-100mm) operated simply by twisting the zoom ring. This offers the photographer a traditional zooming style for quickly compose shots for pleasure and stress-free framing.

Manual feeling with new GUI

A rich assortment of multi-function controls is available to those who prefer adjusting camera settings manually. The camera is equipped with a main command dial that simplifies the task of altering the shutter speed and aperture, while up to 6 frequently-used settings can be assigned to the Expanded-function button as desired, allowing the photographer to capture the scene exactly as intended through intuitive operations performed while viewing the LCD monitor.

That monitor is bright, sharp, 3.0-inch/460K dot premium clear LCD monitor with tempered Glass which protect from Scratch.

Artistic filters

The XF1 features a new "advanced filter" option that allows for different forms of photographic expression. Choose from 11 creative patterns; Pop color, Toy camera, Miniature, High-key, Dynamic tone, and six Partial color options (shoot in B&W plus one selective color: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple), and preview the effect of any of the filters on the LCD monitor.

FUJIFILM XF1 key features list:
Pocketable, premium, camera available in 3 stunning colors (Black, Red,Brown)Manually twisting mechanical zoom ring for turn-on and zoomingF1.8 (wide) - F4.9 (telephoto) 4x Fujinon optical zoom lens (25-100mm equivalent 35mm format) and up to 8x Intelligent Digital Zoom12 megapixel 2/3" EXR-CMOS sensor with EXR-AutoOIS: Optical Image StabilizationFast processing and response times3.0-inch/460K dot premium clear LCD monitor with tempered Glass which protect from ScratchMotion Panorama 360 for seamless panoramic shots in a snapArtistic effects including 6 "Advanced filters" with 11 patterns and 5 "Film simulation modes" for additional creative expression, plus an individual shutter 3D shooting option to create a 3D effect from 2 x 2D shotsFull HD movie recording with the ability to zoom and to take photographs during movie recording. Now also with Automatic Scene Recognition for even better results when videoingSynthetic leather case with the same 3 color variation will be available to complement the XF1

Fiber Optic Speeds Over A Copper Line

A recent article published by MIT revealed that fiber optic speeds couldbe achieved over the copper line. The technique is to combine 3existing techniques - bonding, vectoring, and DSL phantom mode.

With this combination, speeds of 300megabits per second can be achieved at a distance of 400 meters from a communicationshub, and 100 megabits per second at a one kilometer.

Alcatel-Lucent is the first company to publicly announce such technology however, it is not the first to deploy them in trials.

The "deterrence" factor ? Cost.

Check out their article and find out how it is possible and the scenarios that could make it happen.

Desktop Sharing now available for Skype users on Mac OS X

Are you an OS X users who happens to have Skype installed on your Mac? Well, if you answer to that question is a "yes", you might want to start hitting Skypes download pages and getting yourself a copy of the latest client available for download. This is because Skype has announced the availability of version 5.2 of its popular Internet telephony client for Apples operating system, which reportedly comes bundled with a couple of new features.

The first feature which Mac users can expect to take advantage of in Skype 5.2 for Mac is the introduction of desktop sharing for group video calls. According to Skype, this feature willenhance "communication and collaboration on group calls" by giving users the ability to share the contents that are currently displayed on their computer screen, such as "presentations, photos and documents", among video call participants. Skype has also added that this feature puts the sharer in total control on the content that is being shared, while citing an example of how participants will not be able to advance through the slides of a PowerPoint presentation until the presenter does so, simply because they have no control over the other partys computer.

In addition to the screen sharing feature, Skype has also announced that the new client will feature improved multi-tasking support, and in comes in the form of a small notification window which allows Mac users to not only see the participants of their video conferencing, but also exercise control over the conversation by allowing them to hang up or mute the call via its control panel. And according to Skype, this was one of the most requested features that has been made by its user base.

Sounds interesting? Well, this is also where we have the classic "good news bad news" situation going, for Skype has revealed that the screen sharing feature in Skype 5.2 is only available to members who have paid for a Premium subscription. However, if that is not about to deter you, Skype 5.2 for Mac is already available for download, so all you have to do is to simply hit up the download link over at Skypes homepage to get started on some video conferencing goodness.

Source: Skype blog via The Inquirer

Dell Streak tablet Is it coming

Seems like Dell has teased its consumerswith too much information about their new Streak tablet device thata mistake on their web site led many to believe it is going to be outthis week. Unfortunately, the launch date of the device has to be postponed till later dates, according to various web sources.

A Dell spokesperson clarifiedthat the 5-inch tablet will retail this summer though. But its definitely not going to be the month of July.

The Dell Streak will be running the older Android 1.6 operating system,however,the manufacturer promises their customers an update to the new 2.2 version (Froyo)by end 2010. No news as to whether Dell will bring the Streak here.

Source: InformationWeek, PC Magazine

Far Cry 3 trailer and release date surfaces

Following a leaked trailer a number of hours ago along with a slightly differing "official" trailer a short time later, we now know with certainty that Far Cry 3 is well into development and has a slated release date of September 7th.

This is the ‘official’ version of the Far Cry 3 trailer, which is almost exactly the same as the one that leaked earlier on today. I actually felt bad about linking to that one, but we’re all about disclosure here at RPS: whether you’re Ubisoft or John Walker, we’ll get to the heart of the story, no matter what. So, tell us Ubisoft: why did the leaked trailer have a Sept 6 release date when this one says Sept the 7th?

Source: Rock, Paper SHOTGUN

Apple Holding Press Conference On iPhone 4 This Friday

Appleis holding a press conference this Friday, with regards to the iPhone 4. Ever since the launch of the phone in June, it has gotten criticism over its reception problems due to the phone's antenna design. And despite having a software update that helps to correct the signal strength indicator, it still doesn't fix the problem.

Many speculate that the company may have found a solution to the reception problem, thus the holding of press conference. Consumer Reports,a product review magazine, has said that enclosing the iPhone 4 in a "bumper" case would eliminate reception problems. Probably Apple is offering such free case to consumers?

Orperhaps the company intends to do a recall of the phones which seems very unlikely, as the phone is selling very well in stores.

Well, we can only wait and see when Friday comes (or Saturday morning for us here in Singapore).

Source: Wall Street Journal

AMD 28nm GPUs shipping for revenue

At the IT Supply Chain conference, AMD CEO Rory Read confirmed that AMD has begun shipping 28nm GPUs, fabbed at TSMC, for revenue. This should come as no surprise, as the release for Radeon HD 7900 - on 9th January 2012 - is just over 3 weeks away.

CEO Rory Read stated, "We are ramping 28nm [products] with TSMC in Taiwan and shipping the products here and now. We are very excited about the products".

At this point we have some information about the Radeon HD 7900 series - some concrete, some speculation. We have seen pictures, speculatory specifications, pricing rumours and a purported specifications slide leak. However, as usual, little information has been publicly announced by AMD.

Source: Xbitlabs

ASUS Eee Pad Slider at TICA 2011

ASUS showcased some of their latest products which include the Eee Pad Slider (shown above), the ultra-thin laptop - U46SV,Eee PC X101H,ET2410INTS All-In-One PC,CM6850 desktop and PA246Q monitor.

Above: ASUS U46SV ultra-thin laptop, 14" 1366 x 768 display, Intel i5 2520M Processor, up to 8GB DDR3 ram, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M graphics card, up to 750GB HDD, weighs 2kg and measures 333 x 245 x 27mm.

Above: ASUS Eee PC X101H netbook

Above: ASUS ET2410INTS All-In-One PC, 23.6" 1920 x 1080 touch screen display, Intel i5-2400S Processor, up to 8GB ram, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M graphics card, up to 2TB SATA 6Gbps HDD, weighs 10.8kg and measures 590 x 461 x 230mm.

Above:CM6850 desktop, Intel H67 chipset, Intergrated Graphics Card or ATI HD 6450 or NVIDIA GT 530.

Above:PA246Q monitor, 24" 1920 x 1200 display, 400cd/m2 brightness, 6ms response time, weighs 7.3kg and measures 558.4 x 380.8 x 235mm.

See more specifications at the ASUS website:-
U46SV, ET2410INTS All-In-One PC,CM6850 desktop, PA246Q monitor.

Source: Xfastest

Guild Wars 2 confirmé sur consoles

Voilà une annonce inattendue qui pourrait donner des frissons aux fans les plus ardents.

NC Soft confirme la mise en chantier de versions consoles pour son futur MMO Guild Wars 2. On pourrait craindre que ce développement parallèle, réalisé par une petite équipe, tire la qualité du jeu PC vers le bas mais l'éditeur se veut rassurant. Les équipes de développement planchent dur pour nous livrer une version PC aux petits oignons. Pas de quoi brider la version PC donc même si l'on est en droit de se poser la question malgré tout. Pour de plus amples détails, rendez sur cette page de GuildWarsInsider.com (en anglais) tandis que notre preview vous attend à cette adresse.

Guild Wars 2 sortira quelque part en 2012 sur PC et plus tard sur PS3 et Xbox 360 mais sans que l'on sache vraiment quand.

· Forum Guild Wars 2

ASUS P5N32SLI Premium WiFi-AP w 3 x16 PCIe Slots

ASUS has announced their latest P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP boardbased on the "eradicated" nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition chipset and interestinglythis board has 3 x PCI Express x16 slot (2 for SLI and one for Physicscard). One could be mistaken that there is a NVIDIA Physics card from the PR but it probablymean that a 3rd NVIDIA graphics card (we reported before here)can be plugged into the 3rd x16 slot to do Physics calculations, similar to theATi Crossfire Physics concept of using 3 graphics cardswhich we have seen during Computex. Apparently, only ASUS will mass produceboards based on nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition where others have opted for theupcoming C55 chipset to be launched in November. Luckily, C55 is pin compatiblewith nForce 590 SLI chipset so no major changes are required.

Below is the press release :

ASUS Technology Pte. Ltd. (ASUS), the worldwide leader of motherboards, todayintroduced the P5N32-SLI premium/WiFi-AP, which leveraged Quad-SLI technology,Intel's Core2 Extreme support, and a third PCI Express x16 slot for Nvidia'supcoming Physics card to deliver superior gaming realism. Teamed with SupremeFXand DTS connect, P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP-powered systems provide gamingexperiences that look, feel and sound real.

Powerful processing capability for games
The P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP is a gamer's dream up true. It is Quad-SLI readyand supports the Intel Core2 Extreme processor, providing superior processingpower for the most graphics resource-hungry applications. The motherboardincorporated three PCI Express x16 slots (two for SLI-ready dual-GPU graphicscards and one reserved for Nvidia's Physics card) to enable unparalleledgraphics performance and gaming realism.

IThe P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP is a gamer's dream up true. It is Quad-SLI readyand supports the Intel Core2 Extreme processor, providing superior processingpower for the most graphics resource-hungry applications. The motherboardincorporated three PCI Express x16 slots (two for SLI-ready dual-GPU graphicscards and one reserved for Nvidia's Physics card) to enable unparalleledgraphics performance and gaming realism.

Supreme audio and realistic sound
The SupremeFX audio card and DTS connect combined to offer great sound qualityto go with the robust video power. The SupremeFX offers enhanced signal-to-noiseratio, while DTS connect, with 24bit/192kHz full sampling in all 7.1 surroundchannel, delivers exhilarating surround sound for games, MP3, WMA and CD etc.

AI Lifestyle features
The motherboard, of course, included a wide range of exclusive features foundonly on ASUS solutions.

8-Phase Power Design
The 8-Phase Power Design provides highly efficient operation to generate lessheat (at least 15°C) than other conventional power solutions. It reduces inputripple current and output ripple voltage, which keeps CPU and VRM (voltageregulation modules) from suffering the risk of high power stress. It has theadvantages of quick transient response and stability, especially beneficial whenCPU requires more current immediately under heavy loading or overclocking mode.

WiFi-AP Solo – Wireless connection even when the system sleeps
WiFi-AP Solo allows a new level of PC versatility by providing both access point(AP) and wireless client modes. Even when the system sleeps the AP modecontinues to connect devices in the WLAN for games, Internet access and printerfunctions sharing.
Fan-less Designs – Stack Cool and Copper Heat Pipe
The fan-less designs bring effective and noiseless cooling to counter the heatgenerated by components. Watch movies, listen to music and play games, and enjoythe peace and quiet. System damage from fan failure is also a thing of the past.The copper heat pipe directs heat generated by the chipsets to the heatsink nearthe back I/O ports, where it can be carried away by existing airflow, whileStack Cool effectively transfers heat generated by the critical components tothe other side of the specially designed PCB (printed circuit board) for fastheat dissipation.

Performance and silent computing
With AI Nap, users can instantly “relax” their PCs without terminating currenttasks. System will continue to operate at minimum power and noise when users aretemporarily away. It downloads files and run applications at the quietest statewhile users are asleep. Simply click on the mouse to wake up the system inseconds. To balance system performance and silent computing, AI Gear enablesusers to choose from profiles to adjust CPU frequency and vCore voltage,minimizing system noise and power consumption.

Specification summary

- Quad-SLI™ Ready
- Intel® Core™2 Extreme/Core™2 Duo Ready
- Intel® Pentium® Extreme/Pentium® D/Pentium® 4/Celeron® D Ready
- NVIDIA nForce® 590 SLI™ Intel Edition
- Dual-channel DDR2 800(OC)/667/533
- SupremeFX/DTS connect/Array Mic/Noise Filter

ATI Hemlock (Radeon HD 5870 X2) Pictures

ATI Radeon HD 5870 SIX/Eyefinity edition on the right, the beefier HD 5870 X2 on the left. Note that both cards require 6+8 pin PCIe connectors, as opposed to 6+6 pin for the regular HD 5870.




The full length of Hemlock from behind - all 12 inches of it. Since this is the longest consumer card ever - you might want to check for space inside your case if you are planning. The single crossfire connector is visible - allowing quad-CrossfireX. This picture also pretty much crushes rumours of an MCM single package Hemlock chip. However, it is interesting to notice how close the two Cypress dies are to each other. This could suggest a possible relocation of the PLX chip - or perhaps a new interconnect.

Hemlock is scheduled to be launched in one month's time at a rumoured $499. For more information, do read our earlier report on AMD's demonstration.

Reference: eNet

ATi Catalyst 4.8 Beta Tested

P4 3.2E / 865PE / RadeonX800 ProCatalyst 4.7Catalyst 4.8 Beta3DMark2001SE19871208543DMark20031042310524Aquamark 355.2455.94Wolfenstein: ET84.785.5Serious SamSE106.4107.2

Assassin's Creed III in trouble over plagiarism claims

The author of a science-fiction novel has sued Ubisoft over the alleged plagiarism of his ideas for the popular Assassins Creed game series.

John L. Beiswenger wrote the novel Link and self-published it through Infinity Publishing in 2003, years before the first Assassins Creed game was launched. Beiswenger claims that much of the games ideas and setting is stolen from his book.The story involves a Bio-synchronizer, which can allow people to explore their ancestors memories in a similar fashion to that employed in Assassins Creed. His book also involves assassins, though these do not appear to play as big a role as in the game.Beiswenger even goes so far as to accuse Ubisoft of copying thematic elements such as biblical references, but this might be stretching his case a little far, as biblical allusions are made in a wide variety of books, games and movies, and no on can claim copyright over them.However, the machine that allows people to experience the life of their ancestors could be a deciding factor in whether Ubisoft is found innocent or guilty of plagiarism, as this is a pivotal element of the game and appears to be equally important in Beiswengers novel.If Beiswenger believes he has such a good case its not clear why he waited so long to launch his lawsuit, considering the first game was released in 2007. It may be that he was not aware of the story elements of Assassins Creed, was researching how strong his case might be, or was simply waiting for the most opportunistic time to bring Ubisoft to court.The author wants damages of no less than $1.05 million, but the figure could rise to as much as $5.25 million. He also wants the third installment of the game, due out on 30 October, to be blocked, which could cause a nightmare situation for Ubisoft and might result in negotiating some kind of licensing deal if the judge finds the game studio guilty of copyright infringement.Source: CVG

As expected, Intel launches Cedar Trail-M Atom's

Were fairly certain that none of our regular readers are surprised to see the arrival of Intels Atom N2600 and N2800 Cedar Trail-M based Atom processors today, as we reported about it launching at the very end of the year over a month ago. That said, no products will be available for at least a couple of weeks, although wed expect that the first Cedar Trail-M netbooks will be shown off at CES.

Weve also covered most of the specifications of the N2600 and N2800 Atom processors in the past, but well do a brief re-cap here. The N2800 is a 1.86GHz part with its graphics core clocked at 640MHz and it supports DDR3 memory at speeds of up to 1066MHz. The N2600 on the other hand is clocked at 1.6GHz with a 400MHz graphics clock and it only supports slower 800MHz DDR3 memory. One other major difference is that the N2600 can be cooled passively thanks to its 5W peak TDP, although Intel is apparently claiming an average power consumption of the processor and the NM10 chipset of under 2W, whereas the N2800 has a TDP of 8W, although average power is meant to be less than 2.7W.

As weve already reported, Intel only managed to concoct DX9 drivers for the platform, at least as far as Windows 7 is concerned, but we can apparently still expect a doubling of the 3D graphics performance over the previous generation of Atom processors. Not that this is going to make a huge difference for most netbook users, but at least there should be a decent increase in performance for casual gamers. More interesting then is hardware decode support for H.264 video and support for Intels WiDi, albeit only at 600p.

According to Anandtech we can expect to see Cedar Trail-M netbooks with a starting price point of as little as US$199-229 and part of the reason for this is that Intel itself has reduced the price of the Atom processors compared to the previous generation. That said, these machines are likely to be very basic and lack features such as WiDi. Intels partners are apparently Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba and weve already seen examples of models from Asus and Samsung, despite the latter promising to pull out of the netbook market in 2012.

Still, wed rather pay a little bit more for an AMD Brazos powered machine, despite not having seen final hardware based on Cedar Trail-M, as AMD is likely to have the upper hand in terms of performance even though Intel has finally gotten Atom to the kind of level where it should have been from the beginning. Intel might have a more power efficient option on offer, but there simply are too many things missing to make Cedar Trail-M a competitive platform.

Source: Intel

ASUS O!Play HDP-R1 HD Media Player

Today, ASUS announced the first member of its new O!Play Series digital media player line: the O!Play HDP-R1 HD Media Player. Aimed at providing stunning 1080p Full High Definition entertainment across a wide variety of media formats, the O!Play HDP-R1 HD Media Player boasts several exclusive features—such as a Music Shuffle feature and ultra-fast eSATA interface—for the best living room digital entertainment experience.

Stunning Full HD 1080p Resolution and Vast File Format Support
The O!Play HDP-R1claims to be the world's only High Definition media player which supports an extremely wide range of file formats, including MPEG1/2/4, H.264, VC-1, and the popular RM/RMVB. Users can share their videos and photos instantly from their PCs and notebooks in enhanced clarity and high definition with friends, family and colleagues - all in the comfort of their living rooms or conference rooms.

Exclusive Music Shuffle Feature for One-touch Music Playback
The O!Play HDP-R1 is the first high definition media player to provide a music shuffle function via a dedicated button on the remote control. With a simple touch of a button, the O!Play HDP-R1 collates all the music files in storage and then starts playing the music in random order. With the music shuffle function, users can enjoy their tunes both instantly and effortlessly without having to manually import any music files into the O!Play HDP-R1.

Exclusive eSATA Support—6 Times Faster than USB 2.0
While high definition content delivers stunning images, it also requires huge bandwidth to render the image quality to perfection. With the exclusive eSATA interface on the O!Player HDP-R1, users can experience up to 6 times faster transfer speeds* as compared to USB 2.0, virtually eliminating any delays in delivering high definition entertainment to the user.

Easy Access to Networked Content with LAN Support
The O!Player HDP-R1 is equipped with LAN support which allows users to stream their files effortlessly from their PCs—doing away with manual transfers of multimedia data from one device to another. Users can simply download and keep the multimedia files in their notebooks or PCs and still be able to enjoy them through the O!Player HDP-R1, be it in the living room or study.

Source: ASUS

Asetek New VapoChill LightSpeed

ABIT® Computer Corporation, ATI® Technologies, Kingston® Technology andasetek® Incorporated have teamed up at this year’s CeBIT to present the ultimatecommercially available gaming PC 2004. The system based on VapoChill® CPUcooling, WaterChill™ graphics and motherboard chipset cooling, ABIT IC7-MAX3motherboard, ATI® RADEON 9800XT graphics card, Kingston HyperX® PC4300 DDR RAMand Intel P4 3.4 GHz EE CPU is displayed at the ABIT booth [C42] - Hall 23

The new VapoChill LightSpeed represents not only the most powerful CPUcooling system commercially available - its superiority extends to controlfeatures, upgrade flexibility, CPU-mounting mechanism, CPU support, emergencyshutdown features and especially Lowest Temperatures & Lowest Prices. By coolingIntel and AMD CPUs to subzero temperatures it is possible to reach sky highfrequencies up to 60% above standard CPU performance.

1. Lower Price
2. Supports AMD K8 and Intel P4 in one kit
3. VapoChill Control Panel (USB)
4. 100% motherboard compatibility
5. Maximum CPU/Motherboard upgrade flexibility
6. No mounting tools necessary
7. CPU kit can be rotated 360o
8. Mounting holes Mach II compatible
9. Emergency shutdown features

Apple CEO Steve Jobs Takes Medical Leave Again

Steve Jobs, a pancreatic cancer survivor, announced thathe would take an extended medical leave yet again. Unlike in 2009, he did not mention when he expects to return.
During Jobs’ absence, Chief Operating Officer, Tim Cook willtake responsibility for the company’s day-to-day operations. Cook, whois predicted to be the logical successor to Jobs, ran the company for two months in2004 and again in 2009 when Jobs took time off to fight cancer.

No further details were provided, though here’s his email to employees expressing his love for the company and his wish to return as soon as he can:
Team,
At my request, the board ofdirectors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on myhealth. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions forthe company.
I have asked Tim Cook to beresponsible for all of Apple's day to day operations. I have great confidencethat Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific jobexecuting the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.
I love Apple so much and hopeto be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeplyappreciate respect for our privacy.
Privacy, indeed.
Source:Yahoo! News

Apple announces hard disk replacement program for iMacs

Apple users, especially iMac owners who have bought their machines recently this year might want to take note of Apples latest announcement. Apparently, the Cupertino giant has discovered thatsome of the1TB Seagate hard disks that are currently being used in its 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs are currently affected by an issue which could cause it to "fail under certain conditions".

Apple has not disclosed any details about the alleged issue which could cause the aforementioned hard disk to fail prematurely, although it did mention that the issue is currently isolated to only "a very small number" of hard disks, and only on iMacs which were sold between May and July this year. To resolve this issue, the company has announced the commencement of a "Hard Drive Replacement Program" for the aforementioned iMacs, and that it has already sent out emails to consumers who are currently in the possession of an affected machine to inform them about the program. In addition, users can also visit Apples support page here to check if their machines are eligible for the free hard disk replacement program,although they will need to supply their iMacs serial number if they wish to perform the manual verification.

Lastly, Apple has announced on its support page that the hard disk replacement program will run until July 23 next year, so there is more than enough time to back up your work before making an appointment with Apple to have the faulty hard disk replaced.

Source: Macworld

Arctic Cooling announces the Accelero Mono PLUS, a new VGA cooler

Arctic cooling designed the Accelero Mono Plus with a unique mounting plate design, meaning that the cooler is designed for maximum compatibility over a wide range of graphic cards. The 120mm PWM controlled fan combined with the 5 heatpipes give an ample cooling capacity of up to 200W. The design of the cooler also improves the cooling of the RAM and VR modules, while the company claims that this cooler is virtually silent.

Source : AC

ASUS unveils X-series laptop in Singapore

The ASUS X-series notebooksare designed to provide no-frills mobile computing experience. It features the innovative Palm Proof Technology which can intelligently differentiate betweencontact surfaces of the palm and fingertips to prevent unintentional onscreen cursor movements. The ASUS X42Jrhas an ergonomic, streamlined design that housesvarious user-friendly features including a chiclet keyboard, a touchpad with Palm Proof Technology, and Power4Gear power management system.

Incorporating Intel's latest processor, theASUS laptopclaims to deliver thesuperb performance, be it for multimedia or productivity. With discrete ATI Mobility Radeon HD5470 graphics with 1GB DDR3 VRAM, it offer usersan immersive multimedia experience throughits 14-inch 16:9 high definition LED-backlit panels and Altec Lansing speakers with SRS Premium Sound.

The ASUS X42Jralso comes with ASUS Power4Gear - a power management system that helps prolong battery life by adjusting the power settings to suit the computing task at hand.

Priced from S$1,798 (depending on configurations), the ASUS X42Jr is available since October, and will be selling at the SITEX Show next week at the Singapore Expo - 24 to 28 November.

ASUS PhysX Card Ready

ASUS PhysX Card

AGEIA PhysX Reference Card

Heres a pic on how the PhysX card using AGEIA PhysX processor from ASUS will look like. In comparison with the reference card, there are some differences in the PCB and components layout. Now the PhysX card looks more like a graphics card with 128MB onboard GDDR3 memories, a heatsink fan to cool the PPU and also a 12V Molex connector for additional power source. The PPU is made on 0.13 micron technology and contains 125M transistors. Upcoming game titles like Unreal Tournament 2007 featuring Unreal Engine 3.0, Bet on Soldier: Blood Sport, Dogtag, Sacred™ sequel will be able to support AGEIA physics technology. BFG will be making the PhysX cards too and is slated for this Christmas release.

2012-12-21-368

AC Ryan announces firmware updates for Playon! HD2 and Playon! Mini 2 in Singapore

AC Ryan has recentlyannounced new firmware upgrades for the Playon! HD2 and Playon! Mini 2 media players. Some of the new improvements include scan storage function that can update without rebooting; displaying of titles in the ID3 tag of audio files during playback, fixed problem of continuous loading when entering Shoutcast Radio. On top of that, Muzee Internet Radio and TV services have been added in Internet Media.

AC Ryan Playon! HD2- http://www.acryan.com/web/support/ACR-PV73700/

AC Ryan Playon! Mini 2 - http://www.acryan.com/web/support/ACR-PV73800/

There are two flashing procedures, Safe Mode and NormalMode.

For Safe Mode:-

1. Copy install.img to the root directory of a USB flash drive and connect it to any USB host port of the unit.
2. Switch off the main power to the unit.
3. Press and hold on to the power button on the front panel of the unit.
4. Switch on the main power.
5. Release the power button when the firmware update starts flashing on your display in a moment and will automatically reboot when update is completed.
**Do not power off the unit during the flashing process!**

For Normal Mode:-

1. Copy install.img to the root directory of a USB flash drive and connect it to any USB host port of the unit.
2. Enter the Setup menu, System, USB Upgrade and Enter to confirm.
3. The firmware update will start flashing on your display in a moment and will automatically reboot when update is completed

2012-12-21-354

ABIT Introduces Silent OTES

ABIT Engineering has done it again; but unlike the high performance coolerslike OTES™, OTES AeroFlow™ and Dual OTES™ before it, this one won't be making asound.

Today ABIT is proud to announce its latest innovation, the Silent OTES™ (SilentOutside Thermal Exhaust System), a device specifically designed to silently coolthe motherboard's North Bridge chipset.

Silent OTES uses ABIT-designed heatpipe technology to transfer unwanted heatfrom the North Bridge to the fins of the Collection Module. From there, heat isexhausted outside of the case by air flowing from the CPU fan. The result, atotally silent platform offering excellent cooling efficiency while utilizingthe existing CPU fan, ultimately providing enhanced performance, stability and aquieter experience for the end user.

The cooling system is derived from the finest materials to ensure excellentcooling performance. The North Bridge comes in contact with a high-gradealuminum heatsink with an all-copper base, which is fastened securely withscrews to ensure maximum contact for heat transfer. Pure red copper fins on theCollection Module are angled for optimum air flow, and utilizing existingairflow from the CPU fan, deliver excellent cooling with minimal noise thanks totheir large surface area.

"Silent OTES will be a great boon for performance users who need optimal coolinga quiet environment," notes ABIT Product Marketing Manager Michael Chen. "Eightmonths in development, Silent OTES follows in ABIT's tradition of bringinginnovative solutions to users world wide."

The first motherboards to feature ABIT's patent pending Q-OTES technology willbe announced in May.