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All That Matters in May

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

Music, Digital and Gaming entertainment are All That Matters from 22 – 26 May this year. The annual global conference is dedicated to the business of digital and live entertainment will be held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.

All That Matters will be at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore from 22-26 May 2012.

Music Matters is into its seventh installment while Digital Matters is back following its successful inauguration last year.

This year sees the premiere of Gaming Matters which will help companies gamify their products to attract a larger customer base.

Jasper Donat - President, Digital and Music Matters; CEO, Branded Ltd.

The 5-day event will culminate with Music Matters Live – a live music festival held at Clarke Quay, which will be streamed live for the first time to a global audience via YouTube, an Official Broadcast Partner.

More than 50 bands from Singapore and around the world will rock the city during Music Matters Live.

Another highlight of the conference is Troy Carter, famed manager for Lady Gaga. Carter will be one of line-up of speakers at Music Matters.

Music Matters will also play host to thousands of global entertainment digerati and music A-listers, showcasing the global online entertainment and music industry, with a focus on the Asian region.

Digital Matters will address the critical issues of content monetarisation and production in the digital age.

Michael Roche - Executive Director, Singapore GP, at the Media Roundtable for All That Matters.

It will cover a range of topical and informative panels that includes: how to create social media success; opportunities for the entertainment industry to diversify into gaming; financing options for the entertainment industry; developments in mobiles; monetising Over The Top; connected devices; innovations in digital advertising and more.

Digital Matters will also see the introduction of the Adobe Digital Publishing Matters Workshop, which will provide insights on the changes to the publishing industry as it undergoes a digital transformation.

The workshop promises to show participant how leading publishing houses are paving the road towards monetising online content.

As Adobe Creative Suite 6 would have been launched by then, I would expect the the workshop to also provide an opportunity for attendees to view the suite close-up.

Tags:All That Matters, conference, Digital Matters, festival, Gaming Matters, live, Music Matters, Singapore
Posted in Announce, Lifestyle, Shows | No Comments »

SolarWinds Mobile Admin lets IT staff BYOD

Monday, April 16th, 2012

If you can’t beat them, join them! After years of fighting the tide of consumerisation of corporate IT, IT staff can now cross over to the “Dark Side” and – bring THEIR own device to work.

Pricing for SolarWinds Mobile Admin software starts at US$695 per license and includes the first year of maintenance. Download the free 30-day evaluation trial online to try it out.

SolarWinds Mobile Admin Version 7

With the consumerisation of IT, employees and (more significantly) CXOs are banging down the doors of the IT departments to be allowed to bring their choice of personal devices to work and to access the Enterprise IT systems with these gadgets.

IT staff can now "Bring Your Own Device" too!

A strict No-No in the past, mane enterprises and organisations have given in to the pressure and allowed BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) into their IT policies.

Now, the IT personnel too can jump on the bandwagon too.

SolarWinds, a provider of IT management software, has acquired Rove and released version 7 of the latter’s Mobile Admin software.

SolarWinds Mobile Admin software is designed specifically for mobile devices, with native applications for the most common mobile operating systems, and an extensive list of remote fix capabilities.

Now IT staff can also work with any device, from anywhere, anytime of the day (or night).

Mobile Admin works on iOS, Android and BlackBerry mobile devices.

From the queues of a grocery store, or at the cafe with friends, an IT staff can manage a server on the other side of the world – resetting passwords and rebooting servers.

Mobile Admin is used by thousands of customers to monitor and manage their corporate IT infrastructure from their iPhone, iPad, Android smartphones and tablets, BlackBerry smartphones and PlayBook (OS2), and Kindle Fire.

In addition to dozens of third party systems and services, the latest version of Mobile Admin now adds support for Amazon EC2, Microsoft Active Sync, and SolarWinds network and server management products.

Some of the main features of SolarWinds Mobile Admin 7.0 are listed below.

(more…)

Tags:BYOD, enterprise IT, Mobile Admin, SolarWinds
Posted in Announce, Enterprise IT, Prices, Security, Software, Specifications | No Comments »

What’s better than a Canon EOS-1D X? Ans: A Canon EOS-1D C!

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Canon has announced the EOS-1D C, a DSLR capable of recording video at 4K resolution (4,096 x 2,160 pixels) at a frame rate of 24p, or Full HD resolution (1,920×1,080 pixels) at 60p – whilst retaining the still image shooting prowess of the EOS-1D X.

This new flagship DSLR will be available from end October this year (prices TBA).

Canon EOS-1D C, flagship DSLR with 4K video - available in October 2012.

The Canon EOS-1D C is designed for use in motion picture, television and other high-resolution digital production industries.

The EOS-1D C retains the still image shooting capabilities of the EOS-1D X:

18.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor (36 x 24mm)
Dual DIGIC 5+ image processor
ISO 100 – 25,600 (video)
ISO 100 – 51,200 (stills)
Photographs at up to 12fps, and 14fps in Super High Speed Continuous mode.

The DSLR provides its users a physically compact yet digitally powerful machine to meet the high demands of today’s production standards.

The Canon EOS-1D C records 4K resolution video (4,096 x 2,160 pixels) at a frame rate of 24p, with 8-bit Motion JPEG compression, cropped to an APS-H-equivalent angle of view.

It can also record Full HD video (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) at a maximum frame rate of 60p, answering the demanding needs of industry professionals.

In addition, the EOS-1D C allows for efficient workflow during production and post-production, with features within the firmware and the accompanying software suite.

Connections panel on one side of the camera.

The camera records all video, including 4K, directly to the inserted CF card without having to use peripheral equipment such as external storage devices, bringing increased mobility to its user.

When required, captured video (excluding 4K video) can be output to an external recorder via an HDMI terminal, using an uncompressed YCbCr 4:2:2 signal.

For motion-picture productions, the camera incorporates a Super 35mm crop function, enabling video to be recorded in the industry-standard 35mm angle of view.

The Canon Log Gamma enables the recording of high-quality video with rich gradation expression.

This produces the impressive image quality required in motion-pictures by minimizing both shadow detail loss and highlight detail loss while retaining a high level of color-grading freedom.

Top view of the Canon EOS-1D C

The EOS-1D C ships with software applications such as EOS Utility and Picture Style Editor.

Canon EOS-1D C body

EOS Utility allows a whole host of camera operations to be controlled via a PC, while the Picture Style Editor allows users to edit and register customized image settings in the camera.

These two applications enable real-time processes such as editing the picture style and confirming results on a monitor during set up or even on the shooting set, increasing production efficiency.

Playback software that ships with the camera allows 4K/Motion JPEG and Full HD video at 60p shot on the EOS-1D C to be output on an external monitor with no loss in image quality.

It also enables video shot with the Canon Log Gamma to be output on a monitor with video gamma applied.

Tags:Canon, Canon EOS-1D C, DSLR, EOS, flagship, ID, photography, still, video
Posted in Announce, Cameras, Canon, DSLR, Gadgets, Photography, Specifications | No Comments »

RIM to launch more BBM-Connected apps

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

RIM has announced a series of updates to its popular BlackBerry apps that will make it easier for users to to keep their BBM community in the know.

BlackBerry apps for Facebook and Twitter, BlackBerry Travel and BlackBerry App World will be integrated with BBM.

BlackBerry apps for Facebook and Twitter, BlackBerry Travel and BlackBerry App World will be integrated with BBM, thus making it easier for users to share updates with their BBM groups or friends.

Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones version 3.0 is available now.

Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones version 3.0, BlackBerry Travel version 2.5, BlackBerry App World version 3.1.2 and BBM version 6.2 will be available for download over the next ten days on BlackBerry App World.

* Some apps may not be available in some countries.

By adding BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) connectivity to these apps, Research In Motion (RIM) aims to make it even easier for users to stay in touch with their contacts, share experiences and content, and discover new things from their BBM community.

Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones (version 3.0) and Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones (version 3.0) will allow users to automatically share their Facebook status or latest Tweet with their BBM friends right from within the app.

“Since we provided developers the means to build BBM connectivity into their apps, we have seen more than 800 hundred new BBM-connected apps come to market, which has been followed by a huge uptake by users – about one of every five apps being downloaded on BlackBerry App World is a BBM-connected app,” said Alec Saunders, VP of Developer Relations at RIM. It is now easier than ever to update those who matter most about your travel plans.

The new BlackBerry Travel app (version 2.5) is now BBM-connected, allowing users to share their travel plans and flight changes directly with select BBM contacts or with their entire BBM community.

With BBM (version 6.2) and BlackBerry App World (version 3.1.2), users can easily update their BBM profile to let their friends know about new apps they’ve just downloaded on BlackBerry App World.

With this updated version of BlackBerry App World, users can also instantly share info about their favorite app or a list of their installed apps with friends using BlackBerry Tag**.

“Today we’re excited to announce that RIM has also integrated BBM connectivity into a number of our own popular apps.” – Alec SaundersThe enhanced BBM will also offer a polished, enhanced and more personal experience.

It includes a new selection of animated avatars, a simpler way of updating one’s personal message in their profile, and now allows users to quickly send voice notes.

** BlackBerry Tag requires an NFC-enabled BlackBerry smartphone running BlackBerry 7.1 OS or higher.

Tags:App World, Apps, BBM, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Connect, Facebook, Research In Motion, RIM, smartphones, travel, Twitter
Posted in Announce, App, BlackBerry, BlackBerry OS, Facebook, Gadgets, Phones, RIM, Software, Twitter | 1 Comment »

New notebooks: Toshiba M800, L800 and C800 Series

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

Toshiba has unveiled its latest line of Satellite notebook computers. The M800, L800 and C800 series of notebooks come in a wide range of configurations, screen sizes and colours.

They will be available soon (this quarter) throughout South and South East Asia.

Toshiba's new line of Satellite notebooks - M800, L800 and C800 Series.

All the models come standard with at least one USB 3.0 port and Bluetooth 4.0.

Toshiba’s eco Utility, PC Health Monitor, promotes laptop longevity with utilities designed to protect vital components and conserve power.

Toshiba Hi-speed Start Technology offers smarter and quicker bootup and resume that saves precious time.

Toshiba Satellite	M800 Series	L800 Series	C800 Series
Price	S$1,199	S$1,099	S$869
Colours available	Gold Blaze Pink Blush Blue Horizon	Midnight Black Luscious Red Icy White	Black Graphite Red Graphite

And Toshiba’s Resolution+ video upconversion technology breathes new life into standard-def video by seamlessly adjusting color, brightness and contrast to give video a more high-def look and feel.

If you’re wondering about the ultrabook class, Toshiba had just launched the Satellite U840 Series early in February. Here’s the review of the ultrabook.

A brief description and key specifications for each series is tabulated below.

Toshiba Satellite M800 Series

Toshiba Satellite M845 notebook

The M800 series promises solid performance, functionality and style.

Its thin and light body weighs only 1.99kg and has a spacious track pad and raised tile keyboard.

Additional multimedia and connectivity features include ATI Radeon HD 7670 graphics card with 2GB dedicated video memory, stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound HD, HD Webcams, HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, as well as Toshiba Video Player that supports 2D to 3D conversions.

2nd generation Intel Core i3 and i5 Processors
RAM: up to 8GB DDR3
2.5” HDD (5,400 rpm) up to 750 GB
14.0” HD Clear SuperView display with LED backlighting, 1,366 x 768 pixels
Intel HD Graphics 3000, or ATI ATI Radeon HD 7670 graphics card (2GB dedicated VRAM)
Ultra-slim DVD SuperMulti Double Layer Drive (DVD±RW/RAM)
WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet LAN
2x USB 3.0 with USB Sleep-and-Charge, 1x USB 2.0, Multi Card Reader, HDMI
A4 tile keyboard, TouchPad with multi-touch
HD webcam with Toshiba Face Recognition
Stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound HD Technology
Toshiba Hi-Speed Start Technology
Toshiba Video Player supporting 2D to 3D conversions and output via a 3D TV
Toshiba Resolution+ , Toshiba Eco Utility, Toshiba PC Health Monitor
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic(English) or Premium (English/简中/繁中)
Weight starting from 1.99kg

Toshiba Satellite L800 Series

Toshiba Satellite L840 notebook

Value-for-money laptop targeted at families, students and small business owners.

There are three model classes: the highly-mobile Satellite L830 (13.5-inch diagonal widescreen display), the lightweight Satellite L840 (14-inch display), and the versatile Satellite L850 (15.6-inch display) desktop replacement.

The Satellite L800 series also comes with ATI Radeon HD 7670 graphics card with a choice of 1GB or 2GB dedicated video memory, stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound HD, HD Webcams, a HDMI Port and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

Choice of Intel 2nd generation Core i3, i5, or AMD processors
Choice of 13.3”, 14.0” or 15.6” HD Clear SuperView display with LED backlighting, 1,366 x 768 pixels
RAM: up to 8GB DDR3
2.5“ HDD (5,400 rpm) up to 750 GB
Intel HD Graphics 3000, ATI Radeon HD 7670 graphics card (choice of 1GB or 2GB dedicated VRAM), or ATI Radeon HD 7550 graphics card (choice of 1GB) for 13.3” model.
DVD-Super Multi drive (Double Layer) rewritable drive
WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet LAN
2x USB 3.0 with USB Sleep-and-Charge, 1x USB 2.0, Multi Card Reader, HDMI
A4 tile keyboard, TouchPad with multi-touch
HD webcam with Toshiba Face Recognition
Stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound HD Technology and Toshiba Audio Enhancement
Toshiba Hi-Speed Start Technology
Toshiba Video Player supporting 2D to 3D conversions and output via a 3D TV
Toshiba Resolution+, Toshiba Eco Utility, Toshiba PC Health Monitor
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (English) or Premium (English/简中/繁中)
Weight: Starting from 1.89kg (13.3” model), 2.12kg (14.0” model), 2.41 kg (15.6” model)

Toshiba Satellite C800 Series

Toshiba Satellite C840 notebook

Entry-level affordable notebook computer for price conscious consumers, students and first-time buyers looking for basic productivity at home or in the office.

Available with a 14.0-inch and 15.6 inch diagonal widescreen display, the Satellite C800 Series offers configurations featuring either Intel or AMD processors.

The notebooks include 1x USB 3.0 ports, a Card Reader and an HDMI port. The system also includes a Webcam with Face Recognition technology, a DVD drive for watching movies and a full-sized keyboard.

Choice of Intel 2nd generation Core i3, Pentium Dual and Celeron or AMD processors
Choice of 14.0” or 15.6” HD Clear SuperView display with LED backlighting, 1,366 x 768 pixels
RAM: up to 8GB DDR3
2.5” HDD (5,400 rpm) up to 640GB
Intel HD Graphics 3000, or ATI Radeon HD 7610M graphics card (1GB dedicated VRAM)
DVD-Super Multi drive (Double Layer) rewritable drive
WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, 10/100Mbps Ethernet LAN
1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, Multi Card Reader, HDMI
A4 tile keyboard , TouchPad with multi-touch
Webcam with Toshiba Face Recognition
Stereo speakers with Toshiba Audio Enhancement
Toshiba Hi-Speed Start Technology
Toshiba Resolution+, Toshiba Eco Utility, Toshiba PC Health Monitor
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic or Premium
Weight: 2.12kg (14” model), 2.41 kg (15” model)

Tags:C800, L800, laptops, M800, notebooks, Satellite, Toshiba
Posted in Announce, Gadgets, Notebooks, Operating Systems, Software, Toshiba, Windows 7 | No Comments »

Can’t afford a Leica S2? Rent one!

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

The Leica S2 comes with a hefty price-tag: S$32,550. Now you can rent one from the Camera Rental Centre, at S$588 per day, together with a choice of two lenses.

The medium format professional camera system - Leica S2.

The available lenses are the Elmarit-S 30mm f/2.8, Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5, Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 and the APO-Macro Summarit-S f/2.5.

“This rental program offers photographers a chance to test-drive the S2 under their preferred time and desired duration,” said Sunil Kaul, Managing Director of Leica Camera Asia Pacific.The retail prices for these lenses range from S$6,560 to S$9,630.

Special arrangements can be made to cater time for photographers who wish to get acquainted with the 37.5-megapixel camera before using it for a shoot.

Upon request, Leica lens adapters for the Mamiya 645, Pentax 67 and Hasselblad V system are available too, at no extra charge.

Camera Rental Centre
email:	info@camerarental.biz
tel:	+65 9650 4158

The medium-format Leica S2 is built with a weather-sealed body that ensures that photographers can shoot even in the most extreme conditions.

High-speed, accurate autofocus aids photographers to nail the perfect shot, frame after frame.

Tags:camera, Leica, lenses, rental, S2
Posted in Announce, Availability, DSLR, Gadgets, Leica, Lens, Photography, Prices, Specifications | No Comments »

Facebook to buy Instagram photo app for US$1 billion

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

US$100 billion Facebook Inc has agreed to fork out US$1 billion in cash and stock to acquire the photo-sharing application for smartphones. The deal is expected to be completed this quarter.

Is Instagram worth one-hundredth of Facebook?

Facebook is probably looking at attracting the users of mobile devices through its acquisition of Instagram – its biggest acquisition yet.

“Instagram, owned by San Francisco-based Burbn Inc, was valued at $500 million after raising about $60 million last week from investors,” Bloomberg was told.The idea is to attract the advertisers interested in reaching the mobile users.

Instagram started out as the top free photo-sharing app on Apple’s App Store with more than 30 million users.

Only last week, the company introduced the app for Android devices as well.

Instagram has only 13 employees so the offer works out to some US$76 million per employee, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“We need to be mindful about keeping and building on Instagram’s strengths and features rather than just trying to integrate everything into Facebook. That’s why we’re committed to building and growing Instagram independently,” – Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook fanpage.Instagram was launched in October 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger with a seed funding of about US$500,000.

It subsequently raised US$7 million in 2011, when it had 1.75 million users, according to Bloomberg.

California-based Facebook is the biggest social-networking service today and intends to raise US$5 billion in its initial public offering (IPO) – which is to date the biggest IPO for an Internet company, valuing it at US$100 billion.

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, said it plans to let Instagram retain its independence, in an effort to reassure Instagram users and potential advertisers.

Tags:acquisition, Android, app, devices, Facebook, Instagram, iOS, mobile, smartphone, tablets
Posted in Android, Announce, App, Facebook, Facebook, Figures, Internet, iOS, Opinion, Photography, Software, Tech news, Tickers | No Comments »

New portable hard drive: WD My Passport 2TB

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Western Digital has announced the first 2TB portable drive in its My Passport line. It is available now at S$319. Review here. (Update: WD has also launched the My Passport Studio 2TB for Mac users for S$369.)

Western Digital My Passport 2TB portable hard drive, S$319.

With a new enclosure design, the 2TB My Passport portable drive has an outer shell that is resistant to scratches and fingerprints.

My Passport portable drives come in many colours.

My Passport portable drives feature fast USB 3.0 connectivity; USB 2.0 compatibility; continuous, automatic backup software; and password protection with hardware encryption.

The included software offers the flexibility to customize the drive to a user’s storage preferences: installing all features, only the components needed, or using the drive without the software.

Below is the fact sheet for the hard drive.

(more…)

Tags:2TB, My Passport, portable drive, WD, Western Digital
Posted in Announce, Gadgets, Prices, Specifications, storage drive, Western Digital | 2 Comments »

New smartphone headphones: Sony XBA-1VP and XBA-2VP

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

Sony has introduced today two new Balanced Armature (BA) headphones with remote control for smartphones. The XBA-1VP and XBA-2VP headphones will be available in Asia Pacific from May 2012. Prices will be released later.

Sony XBA-2VP headphones with woofer and magnesium inner housing.

The two new headphones are the latest additions to the popular XBA series that was launched in September last year.

Sony XBA headphones will be available in May 2012. The two new headphones, XBA-1VP and XBA-2VP, feature micro-sized BA units that produce crystal clear sound reproduction and quality across the range of frequencies, giving audiophiles a more enjoyable listening experience while not compromising on comfort and mobility.

Sony XBA-1VP headphones uses Liquid Crystal Polymer.

The XBA-1VP contains one full range driver unit, whereas the XBA-2VP has a woofer added into the mix to deliver high sensitive accurate frequencies with a rich bass, making vocals clearer for the discerning listener.

Both headphones were designed to block off acoustic sound to reduce ambient noise and sound leakage by utilising a doubled layered housing casing.

The XBA-1VP uses Liquid Crystal Polymer and the XBA-2VP possesses a magnesium inner housing to ensure a smooth surround sound with a clear and distinct mid-high range.

The special ABS material used for the outer housing in both headphones prevents any unwanted distortions and vibrations.

Tags:headphones, smartphone, Sony, XBA, XBA-1VP, XBA-2VP
Posted in Announce, Audio, Gadgets, headphones, Phones, Sony | 1 Comment »

Seagate achieves 1 Terabit per square inch in hard drive storage

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

That’s one trillion (1,000,000,000,000) bits in one square inch of the disk.

That’s more than double the number of stars in the Milky Way, which astronomers estimate to number between 200 and 400 billion.

Seagate has squeezed 1,000,000,000,000 bits into every square inch.

Seagate has become the first hard drive maker to achieve the milestone storage density of 1 terabit per square inch.

“The growth of social media, search engines, cloud computing, rich media and other data-hungry applications continues to stoke demand for ever greater storagecapacity,” said Mark Re, senior vice president of Heads and Media Research and Development at Seagate.The technology demonstration promises to double the storage capacity of today’s hard drives upon its introduction later this decade.

Don’t be surprised to see 3.5-inch hard drives with an extraordinary capacity of up to 60 terabytes over the 10 years that follow.

Seagate reached the landmark data density with heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), the next- generation recording technology.

The current hard drive technology, Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR), is used to record the spectrum of digitized data – from music, photos, and video stored on home desktop and laptop PCs to business information housed in sprawling data centers – on the spinning platters inside every hard drive.

PMR technology was introduced in 2006 to replace longitudinal recording, a method in place since the advent of hard drives for computer storage in 1956, and is expected to reach its capacity limit near 1 terabit per square inch in the next few years.

“Hard disk drive innovations like HAMR will be a key enabler of the development of even more data-intense applications in the future, extending the ways businesses and consumers worldwide use, manage and store digital content,” added Mark.Hard drive manufacturers increase areal density and capacity by shrinking a platter’s data bits to pack more within each square inch of disk space.

They also tighten the data tracks, the concentric circles on the disk’s surface that anchor the bits.

The maximum capacity of today’s 3.5-inch hard drives is 3 terabytes (TB), at about 620 gigabits per square inch, while 2.5-inch drives top out at 750 gigabytes (GB), or roughly 500 gigabits per square inch.

The first generation of HAMR drives, at just over 1 terabit per square inch, will likely more than double these capacities – to 6TB for 3.5-inch drives and 2TB for 2.5-inch models.

The technology offers a scale of capacity growth never before possible, with a theoretical areal density limit ranging from 5 to 10 terabits per square inch – 30TB to 60TB for 3.5-inch drives and 10TB to 20TB for 2.5-inch drives.

Tags:hard disk, Seagate, Terabits
Posted in Announce, Figures, Gadgets, Seagate, storage drive, Tech news | No Comments »

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