Archive for the ‘Reference’ Category
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015
Norton has streamlined multiple core offerings into one flagship subscription service – Norton Security – offering protection to PCs, Macs, Android smartphones & tablets, iPhones & iPads. Available in Singapore now from S$59 (S$39 after introductory offer).

Norton Security is available as a “Standard” version for 1 device (S$59), and “Premium” versions for 5 devices (S$99) or 10 devices (S$129) – for one-year subscriptions. Introductory offers now at S$39, S$59 and S$99 respectively.
The new service offered by Symantec is an advanced, multi-layered protection solution that promises to help shield consumers from sophisticated and evolving threats across all platforms.
Availability
Norton Security is offered as a flexible service to protect all of your devices.
Norton Security is being offered from MSRP SGD59 onwards. Norton Security is available for purchase online, in retail stores and through value-added resellers.
Norton Security also includes secure PC cloud backup to help ensure photos, address books and important files don’t get lost.
According to Symantec’s latest Internet Security Threat Report, there were nearly one million new threats released into the wild each day and crypto-ransomware threats increased by more than a 4,000 percent in 2014.
It is increasingly important for consumers to take steps to protect themselves in this highly complex and connected world, no matter what device they are using.
“Today our digital lives are central to the way we connect, interact and transact,” said Gavin Lowth, Vice President, Norton Consumer and Small Business, Asia Pacific and Japan.
Norton Security promises a seamless, easy-to-use service that takes advantage of Symantec technologies and intelligence to protect consumers from today’s advanced threats.
A New Norton
Norton Security is a single service that protects PCs and Macs, as well as Android smartphones and tablets, iPhones and iPads.
Norton Security comes with different tiers of service that are catered to customers’ needs.
Below are some of the key features and protections within Norton Security (from the press release).
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Tags:antivirus, cloud, Norton, Norton Security, protection, security, subscription, Symantec
Posted in App, Apps, Brief, Events, Figures, newArrivals, Norton, Press Release, Prices, Promotions, Security, Software, software, Specifications, Study | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 19th, 2015
Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac launches with Windows 10 integration and OS X El Capitan readiness. Three versions available from today. Pricing for new and existing users below.

Parallels Desktop 11 now features Always on Cortana, Quick Look for Windows and Travel Mode to conserve battery life for road warriors.
Exactly one year from the launch of Desktop 10, Parallels has released the new Desktop 11 which promises up to 50 percent performance improvements and makes Microsoft’s Cortana available to Mac users in OS X.
Where to buy
Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is available now to both current and new Parallels Desktop for Mac users worldwide online, and at local retailers including Challenger, EpiCentre, Harvey Norman, iStudio, NuBox and other Apple resellers in Singapore.
Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Pro Edition is available online and at the Apple online store.
Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac Business Edition is available through commercial resellers.
In addition to the consumer and business edition, Desktop 11 has a new Pro Edition that gives developers, designers and power users more tools and resources to be productive on a Mac.
The Pro Edition has all the features of the Business Edition except for the centralised administration and management (including single key) feature for mass deployment and mass management of Parallels Desktop and Windows VMs for employees.
Also new is a new subscription based licensing scheme for the Business Edition and Pro Edition, while the standard consumer edition remains on a perpetual license scheme.
The various editions and their pricing are summarised below.
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Tags:desktop, El Capitan, Mac, OS X, Parallels, Parallels Desktop 11, software, virtualisation, virtualization, Windows, Windows 10
Posted in App, Availability, Events, events, Launch, newArrivals, Operating Systems, Parallels, Press Release, Prices, Software, software, Specifications, Utility | No Comments »
Friday, August 7th, 2015
The prayer hall is the most sacred part of the mosque and is at the core of the building, directly below the cupola and tower on the roof of the mosque.

Beautiful calligraphic inscriptions decorate the prayer hall. Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Only worshippers are allowed into the prayer hall.
Visitors/tourists and women are not allowed inside.

Caps/songkoks for use for worshippers. Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
The following descriptions are from the Wikipedia article on Masjid Abdul Gaffoor.
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Tags:5Ds, architecture, buildings, Canon, Canon EOS, Canon EOS 5Ds, Canon Singapore, CanonSG, EOS, EOS 5DS, festival, Hari Raya, heritage, Islam, Kampung Kapor, Muslim, National Heritage Board, NHB, photography, photos, potd, Puasa, Ramadan, religious, SG50, Singapore
Posted in Cameras, cameras, Canon, EOS, Gadgets, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, travel, Visits, Wiki | No Comments »
Thursday, August 6th, 2015
Here’s Part 3 of the three-part series on tips for shooting fireworks photos – on what kind of lens to use and getting creative with composition. Contributed by Canon Imaging Academy.

Use a wide angle lens to capture the entire fireworks scene. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy Associate Trainer Joseph Goh, Joseph Goh Photography.
Below is the final of the three-part series on tips for shooting dazzling photos of fireworks.
Editor’s note
Since the fireworks for the National Day celebrations are on such a big scale, it essentially covers a large amount of sky over the Marina Bay.
In order to capture all the different types of fireworks firing at the same time, and to avoid cropping part of a firework burst, use a wide angle camera that have a large field of view.
If you are using a zoom lens, zoom out to the widest angle.
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Tags:cameras, Canon, Canon Imaging Academy, Fireworks, howto, jubilee, National Day Parade, NDP, photography, SG50, tips
Posted in Canon, Howtos, Photography, Photos, POTD, Reference, Tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 5th, 2015
Here’s Part 2 of the three-part series on tips for shooting fireworks photos – on what settings to use in your camera. Contributed by Canon Imaging Academy.

Ever wondered what camera settings to use for shooting fireworks? Check out the recommendations from the Canon Imaging Academy. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy.
Here are some settings that are optimal for shooting fireworks.
Editor’s note
Many cameras, including compact ones have a dedicated Scene mode for shooting fireworks where many of the camera settings highlighted below are automatically set to appropriate levels generally suitable for fireworks.
However, because the settings are pre-canned and generally shooting most fireworks, you can’t change the settings to custom-fit the exact lighting situations or to realise your specific artistic expression.
If you want the best shots, try out the settings suggested below by the Canon Imaging Academy.
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Tags:cameras, Canon, Canon Imaging Academy, Fireworks, howto, jubilee, National Day Parade, NDP, photography, SG50, tips
Posted in Cameras, Canon, Compact camera, DSLR, Gadgets, Howtos, MIL, Opinion, Photography, Photos, POTD, Reference, Tips | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 4th, 2015
The National Day Parade usually sees a spectacular display of fireworks at the end of the display. Canon Imaging Academy shares three tips to capturing great photos of fireworks.

Shooting great snapshots of fireworks is not difficult, as long as you spend a little time preparing ahead. Today’s tip is on what to prepare and how to go about it. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy.
This year being Singapore’s 50th anniversary for independence, the fireworks will be unprecedented, with daily fireworks displays throughout the Jubilee Weekend.
If you’re planning to shoot the fireworks next Sunday on 9 August, check out three quick tips that the Canon Imaging Academy has shared.
The details for these tips will be posted as a three-part series over three days, with the first tip covered today.
So read on…
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Tags:cameras, Canon, Canon Imaging Academy, EOS, Fireworks, howto, IXUS, jubilee, National Day Parade, NDP, photography, SG50, tips
Posted in Cameras, cameras, Canon, Compact camera, DSLR, EOS, Gadgets, gadgets, Howtos, IXUS, MIL, Opinion, Photography, Photos, Reference, Tips | No Comments »
Saturday, August 1st, 2015
Photo of the Day: The rooftop tower is directly above the cupola above the prayer hall of the mosque.
* Information from Wikipedia article on Masjid Abdul Gaffoor.

The tower has eight sides and has three levels demarcated with Doric pilasters. Photo taken using a Canon EOS M3 and 18-55mm kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
On the lowest of three levels of the tower are eight cinquefoil windows with coloured glass panes which let light through to the interior.
The middle level has pilasters and capitals below a balustrade with bottleneck balusters.
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Tags:5Ds, architecture, buildings, Canon, Canon EOS, Canon EOS 5Ds, Canon EOS m3, CanonSG, EOS, EOS 5DS, EOS M3, festival, Hari Raya, heritage, Islam, Kampung Kapor, M3, Muslim, National Heritage Board, NHB, photography, photos, potd, Puasa, Ramadan, religious, SG50, Singapore
Posted in Cameras, cameras, Canon, DSLR, EOS, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Singapore, Travel, travel, Visits, Wiki | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Linksys has launched the world’s first MU-MIMO enabled wireless router. Available from 4 August at Challenger and subsequently at other retail stores and online for S$399.

The new Linksys Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router (EA8500). RRP in Singapore: S$399.
The new Linksys Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router (EA8500) leverages the 802.11ac Wave 2 MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple Output) technology, which helps ensure uninterrupted Wi-Fi connectivity to all the devices in the home and function as if multiple devices have their own dedicated router.
“MU-MIMO technology revolutionises the wireless experience in the home. The average home has more than 8 devices connecting to the Internet, and they’re not used for just sending emails and tweets. We’re streaming movies and TV shows in high definition, we’re video chatting with our friends and family, and we’re playing video games against competitors around the globe, all on different devices and often at the same time,” said Mike Chen, vice president of product management, Linksys.
With MU-MIMO, the entire household can stream movies, play video games, listen to music, shop, check email and more – all at the same time.
The Linksys EA8500 router incorporates Qualcomm® MU | EFX MU-MIMO technology+, which helps to provide up to 3x faster speeds* compared to current W-Fi.
The combined 2.53 Gbps Wi-Fi speeds (up to 1733 Mbps for 5 GHz and 800 Mbps for 2.4 GHz‡) help minimise buffering and enable faster downloads.
A supercharged 1.4 GHz dual-core CPU and four Gigabit ports offer blazing-fast speeds perfect for heavy-bandwidth wired gaming.
Users can attach devices to the USB 3.0 port and a combo USB 2.0/eSATA port for uninterrupted personal cloud content streaming or to share data across their network.
The four removable external antennas are adjustable for maximum coverage, while beamforming technology concentrates the Wi-Fi signal to each device for stronger, better performance and increased mobile speed and range.

MU-MIMO, or Multi-User, Multi-Input, Multi-Output. Having a MU-MIMO router is like having an individual router dedicated to multiple devices in your home.
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Tags:AC2600, broadband, EA8500, globalwebindex, IDC, Linksys, MU-MIMO, networking, routers, Singapore, SingTel, Wi-Fi
Posted in Announce, Availability, Figures, Gadgets, gadgets, Launch, Linksys, Network, newArrivals, Press Release, Prices, Router, Specifications, Study | No Comments »
Sunday, July 26th, 2015
The Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Little India off Jalan Besar in Singapore. * The information in this article was derived from Wikipedia’s article on the mosque.

The rear facade of the Masjid Abdul Gafoor is actually two stairs that ascend to the cupola at its rooftop. Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
The area in which Masjid Abdul Gafoor was built is also known as Kampung Kapor, which was a centre of business activity for Indian merchants.
The mosque also served Muslims who worked at the old race course at Farrer Park.
The predecessor to the Masjid Abdul Gafoor at the location was an earlier mosque named Masjid Al-Abrar which was built in 1846 for the South Indian Muslim merchants and Baweanese syces and horse trainers living in the area.

The name of the mosque at the entrance. According to Wikipedia, “In 1881, a deed of assignment dated 14 November 1881 created the Dunlop Street Mosque Endowment or wakaf. The two trustees were Ismail Mansor and Shaik Abdul Gaffoor bin Shaik Hydert. Abdul Gaffoor was the chief clerk at a legal firm. The wakaf was created for the building of a mosque for the Muslim community in Singapore. The deed of assignment also placed in trust several other properties including a Muslim burial ground and a house in Race Course Road. The burial ground was closed in 1921.” Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
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Tags:5Ds, Canon, Canon EOS, Canon EOS 5Ds, CanonSG, EOS, EOS 5DS, festival, Hari Raya, heritage, Islam, Kampung Kapor, Muslims, photography, photos, potd, Puasa, Ramadan, SG50, Singapore
Posted in Cameras, cameras, Canon, DSLR, EOS, Events, events, gadgets, Lens, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Reference, Singapore, Travel, Visits, Wiki | No Comments »
Thursday, July 23rd, 2015
The new Galaxy Tab S2 comes in 9.7-inch and 8-inch form factors as well as 4G+ and Wi-Fi configurations, with 32GB memory and microSD support up to 128GB.
Prices range from S$598 to S$798 (see below). Black available from 7 August while Gold will be in later August.

At just 5.6mm thin and weighing only 389g (9.7”) and 265g (8.0”), Samsung claims that the Galaxy Tab S2 is the thinnest and lightest tablet of its size in the market, and is packed with powerful performance features to offer enhanced usability, whether for productivity and multitasking, or simply enjoying immersive content anytime, anywhere.
Samsung is targeting users looking for a premium tablet for multimedia entertainment and personal use.
The 4G+ LTE Category 6 capability (for the 4G+ versions) promise users faster Internet access for browsing and downloading content.
Prices and detailed descriptions from the press release below.
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Tags:4G, availability, Galaxy, Galaxy Tab, launch, prices, S2, Samsung, Singapore, tablets, Wi-Fi
Posted in Accessories, Android, App, Apps, Entertainment, Gadgets, gadgets, Galaxy, Launch, Press Release, Prices, Samsung, Specifications, Tablets, tablets | No Comments »