Archive for November, 2012

SITEX 2012 promotions: Jabra headsets and portable speakers

Monday, November 19th, 2012

Jabra will be at SITEX 2012 at Hall 6 Booths 6E20 and 6B10 in the Singapore EXPO.

Click to view or download SITEX 2012 promotions for Jabra headsets and portable speakers.

Click to view or download SITEX 2012 promotions for Jabra headsets and portable speakers.

Check out SITEX 2012 promotions for Jabra headsets and portable speakers for voice, music, in-car and PC.

Newly launched Jabra TOUR in-car speakerphone latches onto the car visor.

Newly launched Jabra TOUR in-car speakerphone latches onto the car visor.

Experience massive heart-thumping sound from the Jabra SOLEMATE portable music speakers, check out the unparalleled noise-killer performance in the new Jabra EXTREME2, elegantly designed Jabra TOUR in-car speakerphone with iPhone Siri activation feature and highly-affordable, Jabra CLEAR.

Win up to $2,500 worth of prizes daily with Jabra sure-win Wheel of Fortune with every $80 spent.

SITEX 2012 promotions: Intel “Catch & Win”

Monday, November 19th, 2012

Intel will be giving away a total of four Ultrabooks and 40 vouchers, worth up to a total of SGD8,500, during SITEX 2012 with the new Intel Catch & Win promotion.

The Intel Catch & Win campaign will also extend beyond SITEX to 16 December 2012, where participants can continue to find the promotional markers at participating retailers.

The Intel Catch & Win campaign will also extend beyond SITEX to 16 December 2012, where participants can continue to find the promotional markers at participating retailers.

In addition, Intel is also giving away a total of 400 free Intel Anti-Theft Pack with One-Year service subscription to SITEX attendees who purchase an Ultrabook.

this WEEK in TECH – a selection of interesting events

Sunday, November 18th, 2012

Here’s a selection of interesting tech events happening this week (18-24 November 2012). It is not an exhaustive list and represents only a sampling of events that gives a taste of the tech pulse in Singapore.

What are some of the more interesting tech events happening in Singapore this week?

What are some of the more interesting tech events happening in Singapore this week?

The final of the four large annual IT exhibitions in Singapore kicks off at the Singapore EXPO from Thursday to Sunday, while SUNTEC Singapore takes this chance for a major renovation.

It’ll be a busy week looking for promos and deals in the IT fair. Just prior to that is a media luncheon to hear out Red Hat at SuperTree by IndoChin.

Below is the event listing for the week.

21 November (Wednesday)

Lunch with Red Hat

Media session with Red Hat.

Venue: Gardens by the Bay


22-25 November (Thursday-Sunday)

SITEX 2012

11am to 9pm, , Admission Free.

Venue: Singapore EXPO, Halls 4B, 5, 6

ASUS launches Designo MX279H & MX239H frameless displays in Singapore

Saturday, November 17th, 2012

The 27-inch MX279H and 23-inch MX239H displays feature a frameless design with a 178° wide-view angle Advanced-High Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS) panel.

The MX279H (S$519) will be available at SITEX 2012 while the MX239H (RRP TBA) will be available in Q1 2013.

ASUS Designo MX Series AH-IPS frameless displays.

ASUS Designo MX Series AH-IPS frameless displays.

For a home theater experience, the panels come with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower-derived dual 3W stereo speakers and ASUS SonicMaster technology.

The frameless design has a bezel thickness of only 0.8mm and are only 14.5mm (MX239H) and 17.5mm (MX279H) at their thinnest points.

The LED-backlit AH-IPS panel has a 178° wide-view angle that minimizes color shift on both horizontal or vertical planes to ensure quality visuals from almost any viewing position.

The Designo MX Series supports Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolutions and has dual HDMI and D-sub (VGA) input ports to ensure compatibility with a variety of multimedia devices including Blu-ray disc players, game consoles, and digital cameras to enrich users’ entertainment experience.

The Designo MX Series supports Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolutions and has dual HDMI and D-sub (VGA) input ports to ensure compatibility with a variety of multimedia devices including Blu-ray disc players, game consoles, and digital cameras to enrich users’ entertainment experience.

In addition, a 5ms response time also eliminates ghosting and tracers for more fluid visuals.

Thin & sleek

Thin & sleek

With the ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) of 80,000,000:1 and 250 cd/m² of brightness, the MX279H delivers life-like visuals by adjusting backlight luminance to achieve the darkest black and the brightest white shades.

ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology ensures vivid color, with six modes (Standard/ sRGB/ Scenery/ Theater/ Game/ Night) easily activated via a designated sensor touch hotkey.

These Designo MX Series displays feature ASUS SonicMaster technology – which was co-developed by the ASUS Golden Ear team and Bang & Olufsen ICEpower.

The Designo MX’s embedded ICEpower MobileSound 3 chip delivers audio fidelity to ensure quality audio. ASUS SonicMaster technology.

IT Fair: SITEX 2012 (22 – 25 November) at Singapore EXPO Halls 4B – 6

Friday, November 16th, 2012

One week from today, the final of four large annual IT exhibitions in Singapore will take place for four days (22-25 Nov) at the Singapore EXPO. SITEX 2012 will open daily from 11 am to 9 pm (Admission FREE).

SITEX 2012, 22-25 Nov, Singapore EXPO, 11am to 9pm, Halls 4B, 5, 6, Admission Free.

SITEX 2012, 22-25 Nov, Singapore EXPO, 11am to 9pm, Halls 4B, 5, 6, Admission Free.

Established in 1988, SITEX 2012 will see more than 200 exhibitors touting over 500 brands of infocomm and consumer electronic products.

More than 800,000 visitors are expected to throng 269,000 sq ft of exhibition space in Singapore EXPO Halls 4B, 5, and 6.

Floor plan for SITEX 2012.

Floor plan for SITEX 2012 from its website. Click to enlarge.

Looking ahead, the four major IT exhibitions in Singapore are:

Exhibition Dates Venue
SITEX 2012 22-25 Nov Singapore Expo
IT Show 2013 7-10 Mar Marina Bay Sands
PC Show 2013 6-9 Jun Suntec Singapore
COMEX 2013 29 Aug – 1 Sep Suntec Singapore

ASUS launches PadFone 2 smartphone tablet hybrid with StarHub Singapore

Thursday, November 15th, 2012

The LTE-capable ASUS PadFone 2 is an Android 4 smartphone with a 4.7” display, with a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor, along with a 13MP camera. Slot it behind the docking Station and the combo becomes a 10.1” tablet.

Pre-orders begin tomorrow with deliveries on 22 November, either from StarHub or retailers. Prices range from S$848 (32GB phone) to S$1,239 (64GB phone + Station).

Update (11 January, 2013):

The Pearl White model will be available in Singapore from 12 January at the prices listed below.

ASUS will also be rolling out the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for PadFone 2 on the same day. The update will be made over the air, with users prompted to receive the Jelly Bean update.

The PadFone 2 has also just won the CES Innovations Award 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA during CES 2013.

ASUS PadFone 2 - hybrid smartphone/tablet for the best of both form factors.

ASUS PadFone 2 – hybrid smartphone/tablet for the best of both form factors.

In line with its tradition of innovation, the ASUS PadFone 2 offers the portability of a smartphone and the larger screen estate of a tablet when the phone is docked in.

RRP for Open Channels 32GB 64GB
PadFone 2 + PadFone 2 Station S$1,099 S$1,239
PadFone 2 S$848 S$988
PadFone 2 Station S$328

The Station only works with the phone docked in and serves to provide a larger screen and additional battery power.

ASUS PadFone 2 Android smartphone will be available in Singapore on 22 November.

ASUS PadFone 2 Android smartphone will be available in Singapore on 22 November.

The Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich can be upgraded to Jelly Bean.

Pre-order promotion

To pre-order, register your interest at the ASUS Singapore Facebook page or StarHub website.

Registered customers who purchase the device can receive a 2-in-1 Stylus Pen (worth S$28) and PadFone 2 Station Sleeve (worth S$68) for free.

This promotion is only valid from 16 to 20 November, while stocks last.

It runs on a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro Krait (Cortex-A15 class) quad-core processor with Adreno 320 Graphics.

The PadFone 2 comes with either 32GB or 64GB eMMC Flash, 2GB LPDDR2 RAM, and 2years of 50GB ASUS WebStorage.

Available only in black, the phone accepts a Micro SIM and has a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) display at 312 ppi resolution, and 500 nits brightness Super IPS+.

ASUS PadFone 2
OS Android 4.0 (ICS)
Screen (phone) 4.7″ Super IPS+
Resolution (phone) 1280 x 720
Screen (Station) 10.1″ IPS
Resolution (Station) 1280 x 800
Battery (phone & Station) 2,140 & 5000 mAh
Processor 1.5 GHz quad-core
Features LTE, NFC, Micro SIM
Camera Rear: 13 MP
Front: 1.2, 1.3MP
Video 1080p HD
Memory RAM: 2 GB
Int: 32 or 64 GB
Ext: Nil
Size /mm (phone) 137.9 x 68.9 x 9
Weight (phone) 135 g
Size /mm (Station) 263 x 180.8 x 10.4
Weight (Station) 514 g
Price see other table

The docking Station has a 10.1-inch IPS display (1280 x 800 pixels) at 149 ppi resolution.

Both displays use scratch-resistant Corning Fit Glass with anti-fingerprint coating.

Imaging-wise, both share the massive 13-megapixel rear camera on the phone, while the phone and the Station has 1.2MP and 1MP front cameras respectively.

The f/2.4 aperture rear camera can shoot up to 100 shots at 6 fps in burst mode, while simultaneously recording 1080p HD video.

The phone and the Station has 2140mAh and 5000mAh batteries respectively.

At just 649g, the combined weight of both PadFone 2 and PadFone 2 Station is lighter than most tablets in the market.

StarHub is the only Telco offering the PadFone 2, as was the case with the original PadFone.

Authorised retailers will also begin selling the devices (without line) at the time as StarHub, on 22 November.

This will allow existing subscribers of other Telcos to purchase the PadFone 2 at the same time as StarHub subscribers.

Both StarHub and ASUS are accepting pre-orders from tomorrow.

The launch event for the ASUS PadFone 2 in Singapore.

 

Clarity CEO Soon Ong’s vision is to help customers visualise their AV needs

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

Service quality, coupled with product knowledge and deep experience enables Clarity staff to understand what their customers need and come up with a customised solution that combines the best of breed from multiple brands to offer the best performance for the buck.

A living room at Tanglin Rd.

A living room at Tanglin Rd. Photo credit: Clarity

I first met the affable CEO of Clarity Group during his recent launch of the Datasat RS20i Digital Audio Processor in Singapore.

Soon Ong, CEO of Clarity Group

Soon Ong, CEO of Clarity Group. Photo credit: Clarity

We met up again today for a 30-minute interview that spilled into an hour-long conversation about the state of the AV industry and his vision for the homegrown company that his great-grandfather founded 83 years ago in 1929.

Himself a music enthusiast that plays the guitar and spends his personal time writing, producing and recording music, Soon emphasises the importance of getting a clear understanding of the customer’s needs before recommending any systems.

He believes in delivering a total AV solution that is customised to the customer’s needs and comprising a mix-and-match of the best of class components from different brands to offer a true-to-life AV experience that is also value-for-money.

Soon reckons that the hardware components account for only half of the performance of an AV solution – other factors such as the room design and materials are also critical.

Private cinema at Gallop Park

Private cinema at Gallop Park. Photo credit: Clarity

That is why Clarity does not sell any “cookie-cutter, off-the-shelf AV systems” that are commonly sold in electrical outlets.

“I rather have people who know their products well, than have sales staff that market a mediocre product well,” intimated Soon Ong, CEO, Clarity Group.

Soon feels his staff can value-add by selecting the best and most suitable components and by advising on the set-up and optimisation of the customer’s sound room or private cinema.

The expertise is also monetised in the form of consultancy services for commercial properties and establishments.

From the cordial chat that I had with Soon, the impression that I came away with was that this was someone who felt passionate about music and technology – whose primary concern was in giving his customers the best performance for the money they are spending.

Clarity Experience Centre

Soon plans to set up an concept demo cum experience centre in the first quarter of 2013 which will help customers visualise what they need and conceptualise what they want from the advanced technologies showcased at the centre.

“与新加坡音响影视公司Clarity Group 总裁 Soon Ong 闲聊。听他畅谈对于视听设备与科技的见解以及对未来的展望。” – 科技点心(微薄)

The experience centre will comprise five sections – the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, the private cinema, and the bedroom.

The different sections represent different market segments, including HDB/condominium living rooms and kitchens; luxury private cinemas; hotels and service apartments; as well as restaurants and boardrooms.

Holiday greetings: Happy Deepavali to our Hindu friends

Tuesday, November 13th, 2012

Deepavali, or Diwali, is the Hindu festival of lights and is a public holiday in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The festival of lights is celebrated with light as the former subjects of Narakasura welcomed the victorious return of Krishna (on the night of a new moon) back to their city by lighting lamps and lanterns. I took this photo in a house in Barcelona, Spain back in 2009 with an Olympus E450.

The festival of lights is celebrated with light as the former subjects of Narakasura welcomed the victorious return of Krishna (on the night of a new moon) back to their city by lighting lamps and lanterns. I took this photo in a house in Barcelona, Spain back in 2009 with an Olympus E450.

The word “Diwali” is the shortened form of “Deepavali” which literally means “row of lamps”.

The festival commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the tyrant King Narakasura in ancient India and is symbolic of the triumph of good over evil – and light over darkness.

Indians wear new clothes and paint their hands with henna, treat themselves and each other to sweets and snacks, while the streets are alit with bazaars and light to celebrate the festival.

New Windows 8 Ultrabook: Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 in Dec 2012 (S$2,388)

Monday, November 12th, 2012

Fujitsu has introduced the new Windows 8 LIFEBOOK CH702 for the Asia Pacific region. The Ultrabook will be available in early December for S$2,388 (incl GST), in white,  pink and brown.

The Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 comes with stylish design and accessories.

The Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 comes with stylish design and accessories.

The new Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 comes with stylishly designed accessories which include a matching wireless mouse, a set of PC case and pouch, and an elegant, slim adapter.

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 runs Windows 8

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 runs Windows 8

The Ultrabook comes with the 3rd Generation Intel Corei5 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology and the latest Windows 8 operating system to provide an efficient and powerful performance machine.

The 13.3-inch Ultrabook weighs approximately 1.45kg and is 17.5mm thick.

Boasting more than 7 hours of battery lifespan, the laptop is powered to provide full day usage for users on-the-go.

The CH702 is pre-installed with Fujitsu’s new proprietary software, Diary and Scrapbook.

Matching mouse colours with white, brown and pink.

Matching mouse colours with white, brown and pink.

These are convenient, fun and original applications that let users organise tasks, announce important updates, enhance photos, collate interesting information, and share on social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook.

“Customers are looking for design elegance without neglecting PC performance. This demographic is a big market for us,” said Mr. Lim Teck Sin, Vice President, Product Marketing and Engineering, Fujitsu PC Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.

Scrapbook stores and organises pictures and Web pages that users come across when they are browsing the internet.

The application allows users to create theme-based collages for saved content such as web captures.

Content can easily be managed and shared with friends as a digital scrapbook.

With Diary, users can create their very own journal by storing and organising Facebook and Twitter posts and downloaded photos.

PC case and pouch included.

PC case and pouch included. Images not to scale.

Incorporating stylish touches, the CH702 features a pearl-design power button, elegant keycap finish and a delicate, cubic zirconia embellishment.

Elegant, slim adapter

Elegant, slim adapter

The top casing has been constructed with an elegant gradation with gold trim, featuring a cubic zirconia embellished flip latch that allows users to easily open the display panel.

The power button is adorned with a pearl-like accent, and the power status LED and Caps Lock keys are decorated with a LED light with diamond-cut surface.

An exquisite gold ring frames each key on the keyboard, highlighting its elegant style.

In addition, the outtake and intake vents all feature a floral motif design.

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 Ultrabook

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK CH702 Ultrabook

Each CH702 comes with a matching wireless mouse that is shaped like a pretty compact powder case; a PC case and adapter pouch with pearl charm; and a slim, bejeweled AC adaptor.

Other accessories which users can purchase include the light and compact external Optical Disc Drive and USB/LAN adaptor for enhanced connectivity.

this WEEK in TECH – a selection of interesting events

Sunday, November 11th, 2012

Here’s a selection of interesting tech events happening this week (11-17 November 2012). It is not an exhaustive list and represents only a sampling of events that gives a taste of the tech pulse in Singapore.

What are some of the more interesting tech events happening in Singapore this week?

What are some of the more interesting tech events happening in Singapore this week?

This is a really quiet week in the region, partly due to a public holiday (Deepavali) in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

ASUS is launching the PadFone 2 smartphone with tablet dock 2-in-1 device, while Sennheiser is partying in Zouk come end of the week.

Otherwise all’s quiet, before the madness of SITEX 2012 rolls into town next week.

Below is the event listing for the week.

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