Archive for the ‘Reference’ Category

New Arrival: Fitbit Sense, Fitbit Versa 3, Fitbit Inspire 2 Health Smartwatches

Wednesday, August 26th, 2020

Fitbit debuts Sense, its most advanced health smartwatch, as well as upgraded versions of Versa 3 and Inspire 2. Price and availability below.

From Left: Fitbit Sense, Inspire 2 and Versa 3.

From Left: Fitbit Sense, Inspire 2 and Versa 3.

Fitbit boasts that the Sense features the world’s first electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor for stress management, a new ECG App, advanced heart rate tracking technology, SpO2 and on-wrist skin temperature sensors.

The Versa 3 adds a GPS and a speaker, while the Inspire 2 sports an enhanced design and Active Zone Minutes (AZM)

More details below from the press release.

(more…)

New Arrival: Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 & Surface Earbuds

Tuesday, August 25th, 2020

The new Surface Headphones 2 (S$378) and Surface Earbuds (S$300) from Microsoft are now available for pre-order in Singapore, and will hit the shelves on 8 September, 2020.

The Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 (S$378) is available in Light Grey and Matt Black while the Surface Earbuds (S$300) is available in Glacier.

The Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 (S$378) is available in Light Grey and Matt Black while the Surface Earbuds (S$300) is available in Glacier.

Launched as part of the new Surface line-up, the Surface Headphones 2 and Surface Earbuds will be available via the Microsoft Store and authorised commercial resellers from 8 September 2020.

Surface Commercial customers can also purchase the devices from commercial resellers AsiaPac, JK Technology and UIC.

More details below from the press release.

(more…)

New Arrival: Xiaomi Mi Curved Monitor & Portable Photo Printer

Monday, August 24th, 2020

Xiaomi brings Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34” (S$649) and Mi Portable Photo Printer (S$99) to Singapore.

The Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34” (S$649) and Mi Portable Photo Printer (S$99) from Xiaomi are now available in Singapore.

The Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34” (S$649) and Mi Portable Photo Printer (S$99) from Xiaomi are now available in Singapore.

The new Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34” and Mi Portable Photo Printer are the latest additions to Xiaomi’s ecosystem of gadgets.

Both are available for purchase from today online at the official Xiaomi store on Lazada, and offline at Authorized Mi Stores in Singapore and through other official offline retailers.

More details below from the press release.

(more…)

Tech Focus: NUS Showcases InfinityGlove Smart Gaming Glove Prototype

Friday, August 21st, 2020

The InfinityGlove contains ultra-sensitive microfibre sensors that can translate hand gestures into in-game commands, allowing users to play first-person shooters such as Battlefield V without the need for a traditional controller or a keyboard.

The InfinityGlove was developed by a team of NUS researchers led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck (left). With him are two members of the research team, Dr Yeo Joo Chuan (centre) and Dr Yu Longteng (right). Photo: National University of Singapore.

The InfinityGlove was developed by a team of NUS researchers led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck (left). With him are two members of the research team, Dr Yeo Joo Chuan (centre) and Dr Yu Longteng (right). Photo: National University of Singapore.

Simply flex your index finger to fire your weapon and rotate your wrist clockwise to move forward. Immersive controls have always been a pipedream in the world of gaming but is steadily becoming reality.

Editor’s Comments

This is an interesting and innovative project.

Currently each finger of the glove contains one microfibre sensor that can differentiate two states – straightened or curled – due to the difference in conductivity of the liquid metal within the fibre in the two states.

So the overall status of the glove should be readable as a five-digit binary.

Would be good to add one more to the wrist to include bending of the wrist.

And in the longer term, I can think of two ways of improving the resolution of the sensing.

One would be to implement multiple sensors per strand of microfibre.

Another would be to weave multiple microfibre strands to provide a matrix detection pattern for a snapshot of the state of each sensor.

That could probably come in useful as a grid sensor to monitor the distribution of stresses/deformation on a surface etc.

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS), led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck, has developed a smart glove – called ‘InfinityGlove’ – that allows users to mimic a variety of in-game controls using simple hand gestures.

While the concept of controlling a game using your hands is not new, the main problems have always been weight and flexibility.

The current generation of smart glove type controllers available on the market are usually bulky and rigid as they rely on conventional sensors which put the hard in hardware.

The InfinityGlove overcomes existing problems with weight and flexibility by weaving ultra-thin, highly sensitive microfibre sensors into the material of the glove.

These sensors are not only lightweight and accurate, but also fulfil the role of wires thus reducing the need for additional wiring.

Currently the prototype weighs about 40 grams, and is flexible and comfortable.

More details below from the press release.

(more…)

New arrival: Acronis True Image 2021 Cyber Protection Solution

Thursday, August 20th, 2020

Acronis True Image 2021 combines automated backup with antimalware defence to offer a comprehensive personal cyber protection solution. Perpetual & 1-year subscriptions available online, prices below.

Acronis True Image 2021 integrates real-time antimalware and on-demand antivirus with its established personal backup solution.

Acronis True Image 2021 integrates real-time antimalware and on-demand antivirus with its established personal backup solution.

Acronis True Image 2021 is a cyber protection solution targeted at home users, prosumers, and small businesses around the world.

With COVID-19 forcing people to work from home, a recent Acronis survey found nearly half (47%) of remote workers never received clear guidance on working from home.

Incorporating cybersecurity capabilities such as real-time antimalware protection, on-demand antivirus scans, web filtering, and videoconference protection into Acronis True Image helps users enjoy greater cyber protection.

For individuals and small business users, unifying these vital capabilities in one solution makes their protection easier to manage and more affordable.

More details below from the press release.

(more…)

New Arrival: AVITA Launches Colourful LIBER V Notebook

Wednesday, August 19th, 2020

AVITA has launched the LIBER V notebook series, and introduced PURA with new specifications (AMD) with 9 iridescent colours. Prices below.

A few of the 14 colours available for the AVITA LIBER V series of notebooks.

A few of the 14 colours available for the AVITA LIBER V series of notebooks.

The AVITA LIBER V notebook has a 16:9 IPS display with ultra-wide viewing angle of 178 degrees.

Available in 13.3-inch, 14-inch and 15.6-inch models, the LIBER V series offers 14 colours to choose from with weights starting from 1.28kg.

Featuring the new 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10210U/i7-10510U processors, 8GB DDR4 RAM and large storage of up to 1TB SSD, the LIBER V has a full-sized backlit keyboard with 1.5mm key travel and 19mm key pitch.

It also sports a large touchpad and multi-touch support for up to four fingers, as well as a fingerprint reader and compatibility with Windows Hello for both convenient log-in and strengthened privacy protection.

LIBER V’s battery is rated for up to 10 hours whilst connectivity comprises one USB-C, two USB, a micro HDMI and one Micro SD port.

Also included are two full-range speakers, dual-radio microphones, and 4.2 Bluetooth.

Below is the information about the AVITA PURA AMD R6

(more…)

New Arrival: ASUS Latest 2020 ROG Gaming PCs in Singapore

Saturday, August 15th, 2020

Republic of Gamers (ROG) has announced a complete refresh of its gaming computers with new 10th Generation Intel Core processors. Prices and availability below.

The two-screen ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (top left) headlines ASUS’ full family refresh, with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER graphics, 300 Hz displays and best-in-class thermals.

The two-screen ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (top left) headlines ASUS’ full family refresh, with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER graphics, 300 Hz displays and best-in-class thermals.

Striking new chassis designs and thoughtful quality-of-life additions raise the bar for gamers and content creators, while the latest Intel CPUs, NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER graphics, and custom Intelligent Cooling solutions set a new performance standard.

The new ASUS ROG Gaming PC lineup is now available in Singapore at the ASUS Exclusive Store, ASUS Online Store and all authorised retailers.

The new ASUS ROG Gaming PC lineup is now available in Singapore at the ASUS Exclusive Store, ASUS Online Store and all authorised retailers. Click to enlarge.

The ROG 2020 collection is headlined by the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (GX550) and its unique secondary ROG ScreenPad Plus touchscreen, along with the refreshed ROG Zephyrus S15 (GX502) which is more portable and powerful than ever.

For those seeking e-sports glory, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (GL532) is built for top-flight competition with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER GPUs and 300 Hz panels.

(more…)

New Arrival: Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac

Friday, August 14th, 2020

Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac is now ready for macOS Big Sur, blending the OS updates with new Mac integration and Windows-related features. Prices below.

Parallels Desktop 16 subscribers receive complimentary concurrent subscriptions to Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows and Parallels Access as well.

Parallels Desktop 16 subscribers receive complimentary concurrent subscriptions to Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows and Parallels Access as well.

Highlights of Parallels Desktop 16 include the following.

Key Highlights

  • DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3: Up to 20 percent faster DirectX 11 and improved OpenGL 3 graphics in Windows and Linux.
  • Increased battery life: Stay productive on the go with up to 10 percent longer battery life when Windows runs in Travel Mode.
  • Automatically reclaim disk space: Virtual machines (VMs) can be set to automatically return unused disk space when shutting down.
  • New multi-touch gestures for Windows apps: Use smooth zoom and rotate Trackpad multi-touch gestures in Windows apps.
  • Enhanced printing: Print on both sides and use more paper sizes, from A0 to envelope.

Prices and more details below from the press release.

(more…)

New Arrival: Hawkermatic to Roll Out Kopimatic Coffee-Making Machine

Thursday, August 13th, 2020

Local foodtech startup Hawkermatic has gotten early-stage VC funding to roll out Kopimatic to coffee-shops in Singapore in August.

Founder Jason Thai demos an earlier version of Kopimatic at the NTUC Foodfare headquarters.

Founder Jason Thai demos an earlier version of Kopimatic at the NTUC Foodfare headquarters.

The fully automated Kopimatic is designed for coffeeshops, drinks stalls, HK & TW style restaurants, as well as bread and cake shops.

“We are delighted to welcome Farquhar VC on board who brings tremendous domain expertise, value and their users as we grow the business in Singapore and regionally. Kopimatic had been previewed by dozens of coffeeshop chain owners, and in the new Covid-19 and pandemic environment, automation is increasingly sought after, and we have taken their commercial inputs and feedback into our planned rollout system,” said Jason Thai, founder of Hawkermatic.

The user pours coffee powder or tea into the brewer, and with a press of a single button, kopi and teh is brewed and pumped into a mixer, with evaporated, condensed milk and sugar solution stored in separate tanks to be added with the same consistency for every single cup.

The staff can follow POS numbers or keypress any standard coffeeshop drink, mixed and configured by micro-controllers to the same standard specific taste for the shop.

The Kopimatic comes in standard coffeeshop counter-top size, and taps into the existing plumbing.

Leasing the machine costs from S$250 per month, upon automation grant approval.

More details below from the press release.

(more…)

New Arrival: Amazon launches Prime Gaming to Replace Twitch Prime

Tuesday, August 11th, 2020

Prime Gaming offers free content for today’s popular video games plus free games every month.

Now more than 150 million paid Prime members around the world can get more value out of their Prime membership with the best of gaming.

Now more than 150 million paid Prime members around the world can get more value out of their Prime membership with the best of gaming.

Amazon first launched gaming benefits in 2016 as Twitch Prime.

Today, Amazon is launching Prime Gaming, an Amazon Prime benefit offering members tons of free, exclusive content for their favorite games, a collection of free PC games, and a free Twitch channel subscription every month.

This month’s more than 20 Free Games with Prime include SNK arcade classics SNK 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION, METAL SLUG 2, and indie retro brawler Treachery in Beatdown City.

More details below from the press release.

(more…)