Sony reveals new RX Cyber-shot cameras & HVL-F43M external flash

June 27th, 2013

Sony has announced that its new Cyber-shot RX 100 II, Cyber-shot RX1R cameras will be available in Singapore from August 2013, while the HVL-F43M external flash will be available in July.

Update (1 July, 2013):

Sony has announced the pricing for its new Cyber-shot RX 100 II (S$999) and Cyber-shot RX1R (S$3,999) cameras.

From today, the retail price of the DSC-RX100 has been reduced to S$849 (from S$999).

Sony's new 20,2MP Cyber-shot RX 100 II (left) and 24.3MP Cyber-shot RX1R (right) cameras will be available in Singapore from August 2013 onwards.

Sony’s new 20,2MP Cyber-shot RX 100 II (left) and 24.3MP Cyber-shot RX1R (right) cameras will be available in Singapore from August 2013 onwards.

The Cyber-shot RX1R is a new full-frame compact camera and is the sister version of the Cyber-shot RX1.

Sony Cyber-shot RX1R is a S$3,999 full-frame compact camera with 24.3 megapixels and Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* F2 lens.

Sony Cyber-shot RX1R is a S$3,999 full-frame compact camera with 24.3 megapixels and Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* F2 lens.

It has 24.3 effective megapixels and a Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* F2 lens.

The RX1R removes the optical low-pass filter (OLPF) found in front of the RX1’s sensor, enabling flawless capture of fine details without any distortions.

This makes it ideal for taking landscape and other high-detail scenes.

The camera’s compatibility with TRILUMINOS Colour technology ensures richer, more natural colours when viewing stills and video on the latest generation of BRAVIA televisions with TRILUMINOS Display.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II comes with 20.2 megapixels, Wi-Fi and NFC. S$999.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II comes with 20.2 megapixels, Wi-Fi and NFC. S$999.

The new Cyber-shot RX100 II builds on the popular Cyber-shot RX100, with enhanced picture quality and convenient new features such as Wi-Fi and easy One-touch smartphone connection with NFC.

The RX100 II possesses increased sensor sensitivity with 20.2 effective megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R 1.0-type CMOS sensor, delivering DSLR-style shots regardless of the shooting situation.

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Major Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) updates now available

June 19th, 2013

The next generation of “CC” desktop applications include Adobe Photoshop CC, and delivers new community and publishing capabilities. Current Creative Cloud members get the update free.

The major update is free for existing Creative Cloud subscribers.

The major update is free for existing Creative Cloud subscribers.

Adobe Creative Cloud for Individuals was launched in Singapore last month and for teams in Jaunary.

“… in addition to the traditional areas of innovation these apps are now connected to the powerful publishing and community features integral to the Creative Cloud experience,” said David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Digital Media, Adobe.

This latest Creative Cloud release includes new features in the set of “CC” desktop applications and sophisticated cross-device collaboration and publishing capabilities.

Creative files can be stored and shared, via Creative Cloud, on Mac OS, Windows, iOS and Android.

Behance, a leading online creative community, is now integrated with Creative Cloud, so customers can showcase work, get feedback on projects and gain global exposure.

15 Adobe CC desktop applications

The new CC desktop applications include Adobe Photoshop CC, InDesign CC,  Illustrator CC, Dreamweaver CC, Premiere Pro CC.

Adobe Creative Cloud includes more than 30 tools and services that enable professional-grade content creation and delivery across print, web, mobile apps, video and photography.

Hundreds of new features are included in these latest versions of Adobe’s industry-defining desktop tools, some of which are highlighted here in my earlier update.

Adobe Creative Cloud Powers Frictionless Creative Workflows

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Event: Second Apple WWDC 2013 with Tim Cook – iOS 7 unveiled

June 10th, 2013

This is Tim Cook’s second Apple WWDC at the helm of Apple, with a slew of announcements after a dearth of new products.

Tim Cook's second WWDC at the helm of Apple.

Tim Cook’s second WWDC at the helm of Apple.

The annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this year is being held from June 10 – 14 at San Francisco’s Moscone West.

Tickets went on sale on 26 April earlier this year – with each ticket going for US$1,599.

A compilation of the main releases from the keynote can be found at the Apple WWDC 2013 event page on the tech4tea Facebook page.

Below are the main revelations at the keynote of WWDC 2013

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New Android smartphone: Samsung GALAXY S4 Active (LTE)

June 7th, 2013

Samsung has announced in Korea the LTE-capable GALAXY S4 Active – its answer to the Sony Xperia Z – in terms of dust and water resistance. It is expected to be available in Singapore in Q3 2013.

Update (10 July, 2013):

The Urban Gray version of the Samsung GALAXY S4 ACTIVE With LTE will be available in Singapore from 13 July. RRP: SGD$898 (incl. GST but excluding contract).

The Orange Flare version will be available end-July.

Don’t be surprised if you see the new Samsung GALAXY S4 Active in Singapore as early as July.

Don’t be surprised if you see the new Samsung GALAXY S4 Active in Singapore as early as July.

The GALAXY S4 Active is designed to be the “perfect companion for exploration, activity and adventure”.

“The GALAXY S4 Active is the newest addition to the GALAXY series and is purposefully designed for active users who love the outdoors,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

It is targeted at the active user who wants to stay connected while exploring environments from the most rugged mountain trails to the roughest rivers.

Recognizing the demands of a dynamic lifestyle, the GALAXY S4 Active was engineered to keep active users connected as they explore and experience the world around them.

The GALAXY S4 Active has qualified protection from dust and water (IP67), so you never have to leave the device at home during a long day at the beach or dusty hike.

The fully sealed design keeps dust particles out and protects against water damage for up to 30 minutes of submergence at a depth of one meter.

Equipped with a water-resistant earphone jack, the GALAXY S4 Active frees you to use earphones in more adventurous conditions, in the same way you’ve used them in normal ones.

Whether capturing every moment of a wild rafting trip or taking a great underwater photo in the pool, the device’s unique construction lets users capture amazing moments previously impossible using a normal smartphone.

“Samsung has taken the innovative features of the GALAXY S4 and added breakthrough protective design elements to create a device that thrives in an active environment and is built for a lifestyle of travel and exploration.”

The Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) smartphone has a 5-inch’ Full HD (1920 x 1080) TFT LCD screen (443 PPI) touch screen, with a 2,600mAh battery.

The GALAXY S4 Active is powered by a 1.9 GHZ Quad-Core processor.

It measures 139.7 x 71.3 x 9.1 mm and weighs 153g.

The smartphone has a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash light and 2-megapixel front camera.

Below are the technical specifications for the Samsung GALAXY S4 Active.

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HP launches complete Software-Defined Network fabric for Cloud

June 6th, 2013

HP’s new data center network fabric is built on HP FlexNetwork architecture, enabling business agility for clients by delivering two times greater scalability and 75% less complexity over current network fabrics while reducing network provisioning time from months to minutes.

Pricing and availability within.

HP FlexiFabric 11908, FlexiFabric 12916 and FlexiFabric 12910 SDN switches.

HP FlexiFabric 11908, FlexiFabric 12916 and FlexiFabric 12910 SDN switches.

As companies move to a cloud environment, legacy network architectures are buckling under the pressure for instant access to applications and services that offer a high-quality user experience.

“For the past 20 years, data center networks have lagged in supporting new enterprise demands for cloud, virtualisation and big data,” Morten Illum, vice president and general manager, HP Networking, Asia Pacific and Japan.

Organisations are struggling with the complexity of current data center network fabric designs, which require manual device-by-device configurations and limit the performance of bandwidth-intensive applications.

HP is addressing these challenges with a series of software-defined network (SDN) data center switches that deliver advanced automation capabilities and industry-leading scalability for bandwidth-intensive applications such as Hadoop.

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Brother launches seven new printers and MFCs in Singapore

June 5th, 2013

Four of the these are colour printing machines while the remaining three are monochorme lasers. These new printers and Multi-Function Centres (MFCs) are targeted at small office / home office (SOHO) and small-medium businesses (SMBs).

Available in late June. Prices within.

Singapore is the first country to launch these 7 new Brother printers/MFCs in Southeast Asia.

Singapore is the first country to launch these 7 new Brother printers/MFCs in Southeast Asia.

To cater to cost-conscious SOHO/SMBs, the new monochrome printers/MFCs use affordable toners.

Black Toner Drum
Serial TN-1000 DR-1000
SRP SG$52 SG$32
Yield 1,000 10,000

And to prevent paper jams, the new hassle-free printing technology includes a longer side guide to reduce paper skew, a short paper pass of 220mm, and an anti-curl system.

An enhanced two-roller system also picks up and separates the paper more efficiently.

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Inaugural 2-day RSA Conference Asia Pacific 2013 in Singapore

June 5th, 2013

The RSA Conference Asia Pacific 2013 is being held in Singapore from 5-6 June in Marina Bay Sands. It is a joint collaboration between RSA Conferences, the Safety and Security Industry Programme Office (SSIPO) and the Singapore Tourism Board.

RSA Conference Asia Pacific 2013 in Singapore from 5-6 June 2013.

RSA Conference Asia Pacific 2013 in Singapore from 5-6 June 2013.

The RSA Conference Asia Pacific 2013 aims to grow Singapore’s cybersecurity thought-leadership sphere in the region by creating value-added platforms to discuss the challenges and solutions in today’s increasingly complex security environment.

SSIPO is a strategic alliance between the Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to support private companies in undertaking R&D in Singapore and build new solutions to detect threats and protect data.

RSA is the security division of EMC and offers intelligence-driven security solutions.

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Visit to Singapore Post Mail Processing Centre at Eunos

June 4th, 2013

What happens to the snail mail that you pop into the post box? I had a tour of the Mail Processing Centre at the Singapore Post Centre to find out.

The multi-storied Mail Processing Centre in the Singapore Post Centre in Eunos.

The multi-storied Mail Processing Centre in the Singapore Post Centre in Eunos. Click to view enlarged graphic.

All letters and parcels in Singapore are sorted at the single Mail Processing Centre at Eunos.

Singapore Post Centre in Eunos

Singapore Post Centre in Eunos

In the multi-storied building, an army of housewives and part-time workers operate sophisticated machines that automate the sorting of mail into bite-sized portions for the postmen to deliver.

Each postman is responsible for 25 blocks in his beat.

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Dell, Intel & Revolution Analytics launch Big Data Innovation Center in Singapore

June 3rd, 2013

The Big Data Innovation Center is equipped with advanced analytic infrastructure and software – to speed solutions development for Big Data market in Asia.

The changing marketplace is encouraging enterprises to harness the promise of Big Data and associated tools such as predictive analytics.

The changing marketplace is encouraging enterprises to harness the promise of Big Data and associated tools such as predictive analytics. Click to view enlarged view of the details.

The new Big Data Innovation Center is a collaborative effort by Dell, Intel and Revolution Analytics and is located in the Dell Solutions Center in Singapore.

“The global market for big data analytics is growing at a rapid pace, and businesses in Singapore are uniquely suited to capitalize on this trend,” said Laurence Liew, Managing Director of Revolution Analytics Asia-Pacific.

The center brings together expertise across all three organisations to provide extensive training programs, proof-of-concept capabilities and solution development support on big data and predictive analytic innovations for Asia market.

In a world where analytics, big data and cloud are converging, the need to manage, monitor and predict business outcomes and market readiness is also changing.

The prevalence of tablets, smart phones and social media also increase the urgency to mine intelligence from the tons of raw data

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Microsoft Surface Pro Windows 8 tablet debuts in Singapore

June 3rd, 2013

The Surface Pro is now available – with 64GB ($1,198) or 128GB ($1,328) – at Challenger, Harvey Norman and Newstead stores in Singapore, as well as the PC Show 2013. Launch promotions within.

Microsoft Surface Pro tablet joins the Surface RT in Singapore.

Microsoft Surface Pro tablet joins the Surface RT in Singapore.

Surface Pro offers both the capabilities of a PC and the portability of a tablet.

With Surface Pro, users can do whatever can be done on a PC, such as running desktop applications, and enjoy the protection of safety and security software.

Microsoft Surface Pro tablet with in-built kick-stand.

Microsoft Surface Pro tablet with in-built kick-stand.

Like the Surface RT tablet, Surface Pro also comes with the integrated Kickstand and Touch and Type Cover keyboards.

A pen provides note-taking capabilities and precise navigation.

The Surface Pro is business-ready with a suite of enterprise-ready connectivity, security and manageability features:

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