New wearable video display: Epson Moverio BT-100

July 6th, 2012

Epson offers a peek into the future by launching its innovative personal display device – the Epson Moverio BT-100 see-through mobile viewer.

Available in Singapore from 23 July 2012 at S$999. Pre-orders from 9-22 July.

The Epson Moverio BT-100 is available from 23 July 2012 at S$999.

The Epson Moverio BT-100 is available from 23 July 2012 at S$999.

The Epson Moverio BT-100 comprises a headset and an Android-powered media player cum controller.

Bring your personal entertainment on the move.

Bring your personal entertainment on the move.

The device allows users to view streaming video, experience 3D content (in side-by-side format) and enjoy downloaded digital content on a large virtual 320-inch perceived screen projected from 20 meters away.

If you harbour ambitions to be part of the X-men, the headset makes you look like Cyclops.

It uses micro-projection technology to project the imagery onto the visor.

The media player cum controller operates on Google Android 2.2.

Built-in 802.11n wireless connectivity allows the user to browse the Web for content.

Alternatively, pre-downloaded content can be accessed via the device’s microSDHC card slot (4GB card included) and built-in 1GB of internal storage, especially when wireless network access is unavailable.

microSDHC card slot and built-in 1GB internal storage.

microSDHC card slot and built-in 1GB internal storage.

The viewer boasts nearly six hours of rechargeable battery life, supports Adobe Flash 11, and features Dolby Mobile surround sound.

If you have your own kick-a** Dr. Dre headphones or Monster headsets, there’s an audio out socket available.

There’s no video out though, since that defeats the raison d’etre of the Moverio.

If you wear glasses, you can wear the Moverio over them.

In fact, you need to, since there’s no diopter adjustment on the Moverio.

While wearing the Moverio, you can still see through them at the surroundings.

Available for pre-order from 9-22 July.

Available for pre-order from 9-22 July – the Moverio, that is.

You can choose to remove the shades to see the external world better but that makes it more difficult to watch the imagery inside the Moverio unless you’re facing a blank wall with a dark surface.

Although the Moverio runs on Android Froyo, it is not Google Play certified.

Epson said that when they approached Google, the latter felt the Moverio could neither be categorised as a smartphone or tablet.

So you’ll have to head to 3rd-party app-sites for Moverio apps.

And, for the moment, there’s no augmented reality.

Hands-on the Moverio BT-100

I tried out the Moverio for about 20 minutes during the launch event at ION Sky in Singapore.

Epson Moverio BT-100 see-through mobile viewer.

Epson Moverio BT-100 see-through mobile viewer.

Apart from image quality, I was curious whether the headset would be excessively heavy and whether prolonged viewing would cause dizziness and discomfort.

I found image quality to be excellent.

It did feel like watching a big screen.

The weight was okay for me although that seems to a major concern for many people, and something Epson is cognizant of.

I didn’t experience any dizziness although I’d tried it for a short 20 minutes. You’ll have to use it for a longer period of time to really tell.

Although the media player cum controller is an additional box to carry, it’s better than having to plug the headset to a living room set top player.

What I found terribly irritating was that the perceived screen moved every time you moved your head.

But since the display is in the headset itself, that seems pretty unavoidable.

I wonder if there’s any way to “stabilise” the display in the future.

Epson quotes studies in the US that advises against children below 12-years perusing such devices – because their eyesight has not fully developed yet.

Epson Moverio BT-100: Available exclusively at selected Best Denki stores in Singapore.

Epson Moverio BT-100 in a box

So this may not be an appropriate gift for a young child – despite its obvious drool factor.

At the moment, it’s targeted more at the early adopter.

I can see the Moverio coming in very handy for watching movies while riding in the MRT.

You can enjoy absolute privacy without the irritation of fellow passengers peering at your smartphone or tablet.

Just make sure you’re not sitting on a privileged seat with a feisty old woman staring down at your oblivious cyclops facade.

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New GPS portable navigation device: TomTom Via 620

July 5th, 2012

TomTom has launched in Singapore its latest GPS portable navigation device (PND). The Via 620 has a monstrous 6-inch touch screen, a dual-mounting system and a high resolution widescreen (WVGA 800 x 480 pixels).

It is available now at S$299, and comes with free lifetime maps of South East Asia.

TomTom Via 620 - available now at S$299, with free lifetime maps of South East Asia.

TomTom Via 620 – available now at S$299, with free lifetime maps of South East Asia.

The Via 620 has the largest screen and resolution amongst the PNDs made by TomTom.

The TomTom Via 620 can either be mounted on the windscreen ...

The TomTom Via 620 can either be mounted on the windscreen …

The result is sharper screen clarity and bigger on-screen buttons.

This provides drivers a clearer view of the route and easier interaction with the device.

The Via 620 is loaded with the maps of seven countries/territories across South East Asia – allowing for easy regional navigation.

From now till 31 October 2012, users are entitled to a Lifetime South East Asia Map Update Service Subscription.

This means that TomTom users get free lifetime updates of the maps for seven South East Asia countries/territories.

... or the TomTom Via 620 can be mounted on the dashboard.

… or it can be mounted on the dashboard.

The promotion also comes with the purchase of any TomTom Via and GO series GPS.

The seven countries/territories are Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Hong Kong and Macau.

With road networks changing on an average 15 per cent a year, the map update service ensures that TomTom drivers enjoy timely free map updates, with four new maps of South East Asia released each year.

Drivers also benefit from free daily map changes, based on reports from TomTom’s Map Share Community of 21 million.

Drivers, particularly those with larger vehicles, will find the Via 620 practical, clear and easy-to-use, translating to better confidence on the road,” said Chris Kearney, Vice President, TomTom Asia Pacific.These help drivers deal with frequent road changes such as new speed limits and blocked roads.

IQ Routes has also been enhanced to accurately give drivers the best route and arrival time, based on real travel times shared by millions of drivers.

The new “split-screen” Advanced Lane Guidance view gives drivers extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions.

Event: Launch of TomTom Via 620 and Map Share

July 5th, 2012

TomTom has launched its latest GPS PND (portable navigation device) today and has enabled all of its 60 million PNDs to receive free daily map changes.

TomTom launched the Via 620 at Ku De Ta atop Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

TomTom launched the Via 620 at Ku De Ta atop Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The Via 620 (S$299) has the largest screen and resolution amongst the PNDs made by TomTom (Read about the details of the Via 620 here).

“The roads in Singapore change all the time, sometimes with roadworks springing up overnight. Driving to a destination may take longer than usual as the familiar routes could be closed overnight. Knowing about these changes before setting off can save drivers a lot of time and help reduce overall congestion,” says Valerie Cross, TomTom Public Relations Manager Asia Pacific.At the same time, free daily map changes via the TomTom Map Share community allows drivers to personalise the TomTom map on their own device and also share and receive map changes with the Map Share community around the world.

Map Share was previously only available on a limited number of TomTom devices.

Map Share technology enables drivers to keep the TomTom map on their device up to date with immediate changes in their area.

Drivers then have the choice to share those road changes with TomTom and the broader Map Share community.

Map Share enables people to quickly and easily report and share the most frequent road changes.

TomTom Via 620

TomTom Via 620

More structural, long-term changes such as the addition of roads or roundabouts are validated and updated within TomTom’s maps and made available on a quarterly basis.

TomTom applies a hybrid approach to map-making that includes the combination of authoritative sources, such as field collection, government data or satellite imagery, with community input to ensure its maps accurately reflect reality.

From today, all TomTom Via and GO customers will be able to receive free daily map changes from the TomTom Map Share Community via a simple, free software update.

Daily map changes include the more dynamic, frequent changes that drivers are likely to encounter such as:

  • Changed speed limits
  • New street names
  • Blocked roads
  • New traffic directions
  • Altered turn restrictions

Drivers have control over which daily map changes they load onto their device.

They can choose to accept changes submitted by some or many other Map Share users, or only those verified by TomTom.

View TomTom’s video on Map Share and free daily updates below.

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Dell offers end-users power to do more

July 4th, 2012

Dell tackles current trends of workforce mobility and consumerisation of IT by offering a complete end-to-end ecosystem of end-point devices, solutions and services – to bestow maximum productivity to end-users in our fast-paced environment.

Chue Chee Wei, Marketing Director, South Asia and Korea Marketing for Dell.

Chue Chee Wei, Marketing Director, South Asia and Korea Marketing for Dell.

I was invited by Dell to listen to how the computer maker envisages the technology landscape and how it plans to cater to different end-users with very different needs.

Slide 1: Changing technology landscape and end-user profile.

Slide 1: Changing technology landscape and end-user profile.

Chue Chee Wei, Marketing Director, South Asia and Korea Marketing for Dell, gave a quick rundown of how the technology landscape and user profile are trending (see Slide 1).

Slide 2: Transformation of computing

Slide 2: Transformation of computing.

As a result of the changing landscape, work computing is undergoing transformation from the traditional highly-controlled and rigid framework – to one in which employees are given much more flexibility in terms of the devices they can use, the level of access, and the ability to access corporate IT anytime, anywhere (see Slide 2).

The organisational challenges to change and adapt current entrenched enterprise IT frameworks and practices are giving many a CIOs sleepless nights, worrying about potential security compromises on the road to recent phenomenons such as BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices).

Organisational challenges facing the CIO.

Slide 3: Organisational challenges facing the CIO.

Chue sees two main tracks in tackling these organisational challenges – managing technology and managing people (see Slide 3).

Chue’s vision for Dell end-user computing

“End-user computing is about delivering open, capable and affordable solutions for an evolving workforce,” says Chue Chee Wei, Marketing Director, South Asia and Korea Marketing for Dell.

To help enterprises and end-uses surmount these challenges, Dell is also placing much emphasis in enabling this transformation.

The company has taken on a customer-inspired design approach across a complete portfolio of systems, services and solutions.

It strives to ensure a seamless experience across multiple devices, operating systems and applications.

And it aims to provide tailored solutions optimised for management, security and productivity.

Simplify technology & people management, improve productivity.

Slide 4: Simplify technology & people management, improve productivity.

As a result, technology and people management are simplified while productivity is improved (see Slide 4).

Chue emphasised that Dell does a lot more than making computers.

Dell’s solution continuum.

Slide 5: Dell’s solution continuum.

It delivers a solution continuum that spans desktop virtualisation, mobility & collaboration, management, security and cloud, service and support (see Slide 5).

Some of these are provided by companies that were – leaders in their areas of expertise – that Dell has acquired over the years.

Dell’s updated line-up.

Slide 6: Dell’s updated line-up.

Dell’s updated computing line-up

Dell also set up and briefed on its updated line-up of computers (see Slide 6). These comprises a whole range of notebooks and desktops that cater to the computing needs of different end-users.

Of note is that Dell is positioning its high-end XPS ultrabooks – which has traditionally been targeted towards consumers – to attract corporate users looking to use their personal high-spec’ed notebooks for work as well.

This is indeed a shrewd cross-over move by Dell to exploit the BYOD phenomenon.

(Slides provided by Dell. Click to enlarge.)

New Android smartphones: Samsung Ace 2 and beam

July 3rd, 2012

Samsung has launched two new Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) smartphones. Both the GALAXY Ace 2 (S$438) and GALAXY beam (S$648) will be available in July. Prices include GST but excludes line contract.

GALAXY Ace 2 (left, S$438) and the GALAXY beam (right, S$648).

GALAXY Ace 2 (left, S$438) and the GALAXY beam (right, S$648).

You’ve seen the Nikon compact camera that comes with a built in projector. Now there is a smartphone that comes with a built-in projector – the GALAXY beam.

GALAXY beam

The built-in projector of the GALAXY beam lets users spontaneously share photos, videos or other digital media with family or friends by beaming content stored on the device directly onto walls, ceilings or improvised flat surfaces.

The GALAXY beam comes with a built in 15 lumens projector.

The GALAXY beam comes with a built in 15 lumens projector.

No need to huddle around a tiny smartphone or tablet screens. Project full-screen video clips at up to 50 inches wide with the GALAXY beam’s bright 15 lumens projector.

Both smartphones run on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and will ship in July.

Both smartphones run on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and will ship in July.

Other than that, the GALAXY beam has a 4-inch (480×800 WVGA) TFT display, 5-megapixel AF rear camera with flash, and a 1.3-megapixel front camera.

A large 2,000mAH battery feeds the projector. Despite having a built-in projector, the GALAXY Beam is only 12.5mm thick, and comes with a USB 2.0 port and 8GB of internal memory, as well as a microSD slot for up to 32GB of external memory.

The GALAXY beam will be available from 7 July at S$648.

GALAXY Ace 2

The GALAXY Ace 2 is the affordable successor to the GALAXY Ace from last year.

With a 3.8-inch (480×800 WVGA) PLS TFT display, it has a 5-megapixel AF rear camera with flash, and a VGA front camera.

The GALAXY Ace 2 has a 1,500mAH battery and comes with a USB 2.0 port and 4GB of internal memory, as well as a microSD slot for up to 32GB of external memory.

The GALAXY Ace 2 will be available in July at S$438.

Samsung rolls out locally developed edutainment apps

July 3rd, 2012

Samsung has rolled out more than 40 new interactive edutainment apps in partnership with Singapore developers. These apps will be available on Samsung smart mobile devices.

Overview of content strategy and edutainment apps by Winston Goh, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Mobile Communications, Samsung Asia

Overview of content strategy and edutainment apps by Winston Goh, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Mobile Communications, Samsung Asia

The 40 new apps are entertaining, intuitive, social and visual in nature and allows users to engage in self-learning experiences, whether at home or on-the-go.

The suite of edutainment apps includes:

  • Mandarin Speaking Skills for Kids: comprises speech interactive exercises to build Mandarin speaking skills for kids from Primary 1 to 6.
  • Zalairos Adventures: comprises 25 e-books for kids aged between 5-10 years old to improve vocabulary, reading and comprehension skills.
  • Skoolbo Core Skills: comprises more than 50,000 questions designed for kids aged between 4-10 years old to improve mathematics and language skills.
  • PREPTEST: standardized self-assessment modules and admission guidelines for GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test), SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and more.

Samsung is working with the developer community to promote the creation of interesting educational content.

The company commits the tools, resources, technical content and support that app developers require, to create rich applications optimised for its GALAXY range of tablets and smartphones, as well as the GALAXY Note.

The local app developers that Samsung is working with for this range of edutainment apps are B-Secure Technologies, Prep Zone, iQ-hub and Skoolbo.

Some of these apps, such as those developed by B-Secure Technologies and Prep Zone will be made exclusively available on Samsung mobile devices.

The launch was held at Samsung’s store at Vivocity.

I tried out some of the apps during the launch and it’s quite impressive what our local developers are capable of.

Also launched at the event were Samsung’s two new GALAXY smartphones.

These are the GALAXY beam (S$648) and the GALAXY Ace 2 (S$438).

Both are based on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and will be available this month.

The list of Edutainment Applications and their availability date are listed below.

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Microsoft showcases a New World of Work

July 2nd, 2012

I call it N Wow! Microsoft Singapore demonstrated how it has transited from a traditional fixed-room-and-desk office layout, to a Starbucks-style working environment where employees can work at ANY available desk in its six floors of office space at One Marina Boulevard in Singapore.

No more assigned desks. Click to enlarge to see more of the new way of work.

No more assigned desks. Click to enlarge to see more of the new way of work.

What happens to the personal paraphernalia that adorn the typical office cubicle or room?

Well each employee, including Managing Director Jessica Tan, gets a locker to store their personal effects.

Plenty of collaboration spaces.

Plenty of collaboration spaces.

Each desk comes with power-sockets, a wireless mouse and keyboard, and a Samsung monitor that comes with a privacy screen.

Nothing else – not even a phone.

A single cable from the monitor plugs into the employee’s laptop.

In addition to connecting the display to the monitor, the same cable also provides Internet connection to the laptop, as well as control over the wireless mouse and keyboard.

Every floor has a "landing area" at the entrance - a convenient rendezvous point.

Every floor has a “landing area” at the entrance – a convenient rendezvous point.

Why isn’t there a phone?

Employees rely on Microsoft’s Lync telephony and collaboration solution which allows them to communicate using the Internet.

It is now as easy to work from home as it is to work in the office.

Yet more employees prefer to come physically to the office than to work from home – because of the more open and spontaneous collaborative environment the revamp has facilitated.

For a start, there’re no walls and cubicles between employees.

Workers can choose a private booth to dock-in if they really need to work on or discuss about something really confidential.

But by-and-large, most work in the open, at one of the docking desks.

Overview of rooms and workstations. Reminiscent of Metro UI?

Overview of rooms and workstations. Reminiscent of Metro UI?

Microsoft Singapore invited the regional media to walk around their operational offices to see this concept live.

I suppose this is Microsoft’s way of demonstrating how their technology can help enterprises and businesses adapt to the latest trends of work, where people tend to collaborate more in the course of work.

Instead of a concept demo, Microsoft is showing how they walk the talk – in fact, they’ve been working this concept in Amsterdam for the past five years..

And it was an impressive walkabout – to see what many organisations have only talked or dreamed about.

Samsung SUR40Pixelsense. Seen at Microsoft Technology Centre at One Marina Boulevard in Singapore.

Achilles Formula Drift Series in Singapore

July 1st, 2012

An action-packed weekend at the Changi Exhibition Centre as more than 9,000 drift-racing fans attended the two-day competition sponsored by Canon. The event was telecast on ESPN.

Achilles Formula Drift Singapore 30 June & 1 July 2012

Achilles Formula Drift Singapore 30 June & 1 July 2012

32-year-old Daigo Saito from the Achilles Drift Team defended his title from last year, beating Indonesia’s 20-year-old Rio Saputro Budihardjo in an exciting final.

Daigo Saito finishes the final run of the competition in style. Recorded with an HTC One S smartphone.

Malaysia’s Hanizam Hamzah took the third place on the podium after beating fourth-placed Robbie Nishida from the US.

The japanese drove a Lexus IS-C which has already won him the Malaysian leg of the Formula Drift Asia series.

Daigo Saito on his way to the final. Recorded with a Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone.

The next leg of the Achilles Formula Drift Series will take place in September in Bangkok, while the final leg will be in Jakarta in November.

Saturday also saw the first Canon Nations Cup which was won by Nishida and Ken Gushi of Team USA.

Putting the mobile Internet to the test

June 26th, 2012

During CommunicAsia2012, I had the chance to speak with Nigel V. Wright and Gene Zhang of Spirent Communications about the face of things to come as countries in Asia begin rolling out 4G LTE networks.

Spirent is a multinational telecommunications and network testing company headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Spirent is a multinational telecommunications and network testing company headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Wright is the Vice President for Wireless Product Marketing & Corporate Marketing at Spirent, while Zhang is the VP & General Manager for Asia Pacific at the company.

Spirent is a global provider of performance analysis and service assurance solutions that enable the development and deployment of next-generation networking technologies.With LTE rollouts in Asia-Pacific now progressing at an aggressive pace, and the region set to surpass 120 million LTE connections by 2015, operators are competing to become the first to offer 4G services in this high-growth subscriber market.

SingTel, for instance, had just officially launched its 4G LTE services in Singapore this month.

Wright delivered a presentation during CommunicAsia2012 about the future of LTE in Asia, providing insights on:

  • The major concerns that operators face in implementing LTE.
  • The potential pitfalls in IMS/VoLTE deployment.
  • The challenges and solutions in deploying VoLTE.
  • How mobile devices can be designed to ensure that costly, inconvenient fixes are not required after device deployment.

Adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow to climb K2

June 25th, 2012

Singaporean adventurer and motivational speaker Khoo Swee Chiow will attempt to scale the summit of K2, the world’s second highest mountain, with the support of title sponsor Seagate Technology.

Khoo Swee Chiow will climb K2, one of the most notorious mountains in the world. Photo by Kevin Mayea.

Khoo Swee Chiow will climb K2, one of the most notorious mountains in the world. Photo by Kevin Mayea.

The Seagate K2 2012 expedition, from 20 June to 20 August, will see Khoo Swee Chiow join an international team of 13 climbers from China, South Korea, USA, Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia, Spain, Nepal and Singapore.

“Swee Chiow has shown incredible tenacity and determination in realizing his dreams. His expeditions have made it possible for him to instill confidence, leadership and excellence in thousands of people through motivational talks,” said BanSeng Teh, senior vice president and managing director for Asia Pacific & Japan, Seagate Technology.Khoo Swee Chiow and his team will be climbing the mountain along the Abruzzi Ridge, otherwise known as the Southeast Ridge, from the Pakistani border.

On this climb, Khoo Swee Chiow is taking Seagate Backup Plus hard drives to store and backup his photos, videos and journal files for him to share his story when he returns.

Seagate’s newly designed external storage – Backup Plus hard drives – deliver easy setup, one-click backup and the ability to save and share content on Facebook and Flickr.

In addition to Seagate Technology, they will be supported by other sponsors including Microsoft, Canon, Millet, Adventure21, Iridium, Energizer, Oakley, Touch&Print, Banana Boat, Powertraveller, GoPro and Meteorological Service Singapore.

“K2 will be the hardest climb of my life, much harder than Everest. After more than 20 years of climbing, I feel the time has come for me to give it a go,” said Khoo Swee Chiow, who first climbed Everest in 1998.Standing at an elevation of 8,611 metres above sea level, K2 is known for its high level of difficulty and notoriously high casualty rate.

It has a daunting death rate of 26 percent per ascent, six times higher than that of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest.

To date, only 302 climbers have successfully reached K2’s peak, a number that pales in comparison to Everest’s 3,500.