Nintendo 3D Updates

TOKYO: Nintendo's latest game machine, offering glasses-free 3D images, has gone on sale in Japan ahead of a global rollout, and analysts say it promises to be the world's first 3D mass-market product.
"I'm so excited," said nine-year-old Natsumi Miyasaka, clutching her brand new blue 3DS portable that her father bought for her.

Lines formed outside Tokyo electronics stores, although they weren't as long as some previous gadget launches, as Nintendo offered purchase reservations in advance.

The Nintendo 3DS, which costs 25,000 yen (US$300) in Japan, goes on sale in Europe on March 25 for 250 euros (RM1,250), and arrives in the United States on March 27 for US$250.

Kyoto-based Nintendo Co is banking on the 3D technology as sales momentum gradually fades for earlier hits such as the Wii home console and predecessor DS models.

Nintendo expects to sell four million of the 3DS machines through the end of March - 1.5 million in Japan and the rest overseas. The company is expected to have no problems meeting that target.


"It is the most comprehensive handheld gaming device from Nintendo to date, with high-quality graphics and online features," said Hiroshi Kamide, an analyst with J.P. Morgan in Tokyo. "I believe the 3DS will be the first mass-market 3D device."

Lacklustre
While 3D technology for TVs has created a buzz, and 3D camcorders are also gaining some attention, such products have not sold in big numbers so far, making for a tiny fraction of overall TV and camcorder sales. So selling four million 3DS machines in a month would be significant for a 3D product.

The 3DS looks much like older DS machines, and has two panels. The top panel shows 3D imagery, giving players an illusion of virtual reality, such as a puppy licking the screen from inside the machine. The bottom screen is a touch panel.

The device also comes with three cameras, and allows the user to take 3D photos. It doesn't require the special glasses needed for 3D theatre movies or 3D game consoles like rival Sony Corp's PlayStation3. They also don't require 3D TV sets.

Sony is promising a new handheld codenamed NGP later this year, but has yet to give pricing and the machine does not offer 3D gaming.

On the downside are growing fears about the health effects of too much 3D. Some people have gotten sick by watching 3D movies or playing 3D games.

Nintendo has issued a warning that the 3DS could harm the eyesight of children aged six or younger, recommending they play in 2D. It also says users should stop playing if they become tired or start to feel ill.

Although more game software is expected to be ready by the Europe and US launch dates, only eight games were ready for the Japan launch. But the machine comes with several built-in games and other features.

Hot
Such drawbacks didn't faze Toyohisa Ishihara, a 43-year-old engineer, who stood in line for two hours to get his 3DS.

"The images seem to pop out. There is a sense of a world spreading beyond," he said. "I can't wait to play it."

Compared to Westerners, Japanese are expected to use 3DS for networking, creating avatars, listening to music and other lifestyle enjoyment, rather than just for games - partly because of their long daily train commutes.

"The 3DS is moving in on the territory typically held by Apple products," said Ricardo Torres, editor-in-chief of GameSpot, an online gaming review site. "I expect Nintendo to sell 3DS as fast as they can get them into stores." - AP

Nintendo 3D Updates

TOKYO: Nintendo's latest game machine, offering glasses-free 3D images, has gone on sale in Japan ahead of a global rollout, and analysts say it promises to be the world's first 3D mass-market product.
"I'm so excited," said nine-year-old Natsumi Miyasaka, clutching her brand new blue 3DS portable that her father bought for her.

Lines formed outside Tokyo electronics stores, although they weren't as long as some previous gadget launches, as Nintendo offered purchase reservations in advance.

The Nintendo 3DS, which costs 25,000 yen (US$300) in Japan, goes on sale in Europe on March 25 for 250 euros (RM1,250), and arrives in the United States on March 27 for US$250.

Kyoto-based Nintendo Co is banking on the 3D technology as sales momentum gradually fades for earlier hits such as the Wii home console and predecessor DS models.

Nintendo expects to sell four million of the 3DS machines through the end of March - 1.5 million in Japan and the rest overseas. The company is expected to have no problems meeting that target.


"It is the most comprehensive handheld gaming device from Nintendo to date, with high-quality graphics and online features," said Hiroshi Kamide, an analyst with J.P. Morgan in Tokyo. "I believe the 3DS will be the first mass-market 3D device."

Lacklustre
While 3D technology for TVs has created a buzz, and 3D camcorders are also gaining some attention, such products have not sold in big numbers so far, making for a tiny fraction of overall TV and camcorder sales. So selling four million 3DS machines in a month would be significant for a 3D product.

The 3DS looks much like older DS machines, and has two panels. The top panel shows 3D imagery, giving players an illusion of virtual reality, such as a puppy licking the screen from inside the machine. The bottom screen is a touch panel.

The device also comes with three cameras, and allows the user to take 3D photos. It doesn't require the special glasses needed for 3D theatre movies or 3D game consoles like rival Sony Corp's PlayStation3. They also don't require 3D TV sets.

Sony is promising a new handheld codenamed NGP later this year, but has yet to give pricing and the machine does not offer 3D gaming.

On the downside are growing fears about the health effects of too much 3D. Some people have gotten sick by watching 3D movies or playing 3D games.

Nintendo has issued a warning that the 3DS could harm the eyesight of children aged six or younger, recommending they play in 2D. It also says users should stop playing if they become tired or start to feel ill.

Although more game software is expected to be ready by the Europe and US launch dates, only eight games were ready for the Japan launch. But the machine comes with several built-in games and other features.

Hot
Such drawbacks didn't faze Toyohisa Ishihara, a 43-year-old engineer, who stood in line for two hours to get his 3DS.

"The images seem to pop out. There is a sense of a world spreading beyond," he said. "I can't wait to play it."

Compared to Westerners, Japanese are expected to use 3DS for networking, creating avatars, listening to music and other lifestyle enjoyment, rather than just for games - partly because of their long daily train commutes.

"The 3DS is moving in on the territory typically held by Apple products," said Ricardo Torres, editor-in-chief of GameSpot, an online gaming review site. "I expect Nintendo to sell 3DS as fast as they can get them into stores." - AP

Nintendo 3D Updates

TOKYO: Nintendo's latest game machine, offering glasses-free 3D images, has gone on sale in Japan ahead of a global rollout, and analysts say it promises to be the world's first 3D mass-market product.
"I'm so excited," said nine-year-old Natsumi Miyasaka, clutching her brand new blue 3DS portable that her father bought for her.

Lines formed outside Tokyo electronics stores, although they weren't as long as some previous gadget launches, as Nintendo offered purchase reservations in advance.

The Nintendo 3DS, which costs 25,000 yen (US$300) in Japan, goes on sale in Europe on March 25 for 250 euros (RM1,250), and arrives in the United States on March 27 for US$250.

Kyoto-based Nintendo Co is banking on the 3D technology as sales momentum gradually fades for earlier hits such as the Wii home console and predecessor DS models.

Nintendo expects to sell four million of the 3DS machines through the end of March - 1.5 million in Japan and the rest overseas. The company is expected to have no problems meeting that target.


"It is the most comprehensive handheld gaming device from Nintendo to date, with high-quality graphics and online features," said Hiroshi Kamide, an analyst with J.P. Morgan in Tokyo. "I believe the 3DS will be the first mass-market 3D device."

Lacklustre
While 3D technology for TVs has created a buzz, and 3D camcorders are also gaining some attention, such products have not sold in big numbers so far, making for a tiny fraction of overall TV and camcorder sales. So selling four million 3DS machines in a month would be significant for a 3D product.

The 3DS looks much like older DS machines, and has two panels. The top panel shows 3D imagery, giving players an illusion of virtual reality, such as a puppy licking the screen from inside the machine. The bottom screen is a touch panel.

The device also comes with three cameras, and allows the user to take 3D photos. It doesn't require the special glasses needed for 3D theatre movies or 3D game consoles like rival Sony Corp's PlayStation3. They also don't require 3D TV sets.

Sony is promising a new handheld codenamed NGP later this year, but has yet to give pricing and the machine does not offer 3D gaming.

On the downside are growing fears about the health effects of too much 3D. Some people have gotten sick by watching 3D movies or playing 3D games.

Nintendo has issued a warning that the 3DS could harm the eyesight of children aged six or younger, recommending they play in 2D. It also says users should stop playing if they become tired or start to feel ill.

Although more game software is expected to be ready by the Europe and US launch dates, only eight games were ready for the Japan launch. But the machine comes with several built-in games and other features.

Hot
Such drawbacks didn't faze Toyohisa Ishihara, a 43-year-old engineer, who stood in line for two hours to get his 3DS.

"The images seem to pop out. There is a sense of a world spreading beyond," he said. "I can't wait to play it."

Compared to Westerners, Japanese are expected to use 3DS for networking, creating avatars, listening to music and other lifestyle enjoyment, rather than just for games - partly because of their long daily train commutes.

"The 3DS is moving in on the territory typically held by Apple products," said Ricardo Torres, editor-in-chief of GameSpot, an online gaming review site. "I expect Nintendo to sell 3DS as fast as they can get them into stores." - AP

Quick review on AMD Fusion APUs

AMD launched its Fusion family of APUs, or Accelerated Processing Units, which is the term used by the company to denote a CPU and GPU solution integrated on a single die.

The APUs, which will be divided into the E-Series and the C-Series, will have multi-core x86-based CPUs integrated with a graphics processor, which according to the company, will be able to handle 1080p high-definition video playback yet consumes less power.

The E-Series APU, which will be available for mainstream notebooks and all-in-one desktop PCs, is said to be very low-power yet offer better gaming performance, thanks to a more powerful, DirectX 11-capable GPU.


According to Bob Grim, director of client product marketing for the Computing Solutions Group at AMD, the E-Series offers up to 30% better performance in 3DMark '06 with the same class processor from the competition.

On the netbook front, AMD has the C-Series, which consumes so little power that AMD claims it will offer up to 12 hours battery life while giving 11x more graphics performance compared with current netbooks.

Over 35 AMD Fusion-based machines are set to launch in Asia in the first half of 2011 from PC makers like Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba, with a number of these already in stores as you read this.

Later in the year, AMD will release the A-Series Fusion APU built on the 32nm (nanometre) process, which will be meant for high-performance desktop PCs and will have a whopping 500-Gigaflops of processing power.

Quick review on AMD Fusion APUs

AMD launched its Fusion family of APUs, or Accelerated Processing Units, which is the term used by the company to denote a CPU and GPU solution integrated on a single die.

The APUs, which will be divided into the E-Series and the C-Series, will have multi-core x86-based CPUs integrated with a graphics processor, which according to the company, will be able to handle 1080p high-definition video playback yet consumes less power.

The E-Series APU, which will be available for mainstream notebooks and all-in-one desktop PCs, is said to be very low-power yet offer better gaming performance, thanks to a more powerful, DirectX 11-capable GPU.


According to Bob Grim, director of client product marketing for the Computing Solutions Group at AMD, the E-Series offers up to 30% better performance in 3DMark '06 with the same class processor from the competition.

On the netbook front, AMD has the C-Series, which consumes so little power that AMD claims it will offer up to 12 hours battery life while giving 11x more graphics performance compared with current netbooks.

Over 35 AMD Fusion-based machines are set to launch in Asia in the first half of 2011 from PC makers like Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba, with a number of these already in stores as you read this.

Later in the year, AMD will release the A-Series Fusion APU built on the 32nm (nanometre) process, which will be meant for high-performance desktop PCs and will have a whopping 500-Gigaflops of processing power.

Quick review on AMD Fusion APUs

AMD launched its Fusion family of APUs, or Accelerated Processing Units, which is the term used by the company to denote a CPU and GPU solution integrated on a single die.

The APUs, which will be divided into the E-Series and the C-Series, will have multi-core x86-based CPUs integrated with a graphics processor, which according to the company, will be able to handle 1080p high-definition video playback yet consumes less power.

The E-Series APU, which will be available for mainstream notebooks and all-in-one desktop PCs, is said to be very low-power yet offer better gaming performance, thanks to a more powerful, DirectX 11-capable GPU.


According to Bob Grim, director of client product marketing for the Computing Solutions Group at AMD, the E-Series offers up to 30% better performance in 3DMark '06 with the same class processor from the competition.

On the netbook front, AMD has the C-Series, which consumes so little power that AMD claims it will offer up to 12 hours battery life while giving 11x more graphics performance compared with current netbooks.

Over 35 AMD Fusion-based machines are set to launch in Asia in the first half of 2011 from PC makers like Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba, with a number of these already in stores as you read this.

Later in the year, AMD will release the A-Series Fusion APU built on the 32nm (nanometre) process, which will be meant for high-performance desktop PCs and will have a whopping 500-Gigaflops of processing power.

Quick review of New Macbook Pros

Apple recently pulled the wraps off its new range of Macbook Pro laptops that now come with upgraded processors, high-speed Thunderbolt technology and a new FaceTime HD camera.

Though the new Macbook Pros retain the same design on the outside, they now come with the latest dual-core and quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge processors.

The new 13in Macbook Pro will feature an option of Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors that have speeds of up to 2.7GHz and Intel HD Graphics 3000.

Both the 15in and 17in models now come equipped with quad-core Core i7 processors and feature AMD Radeon HD graphics processors.


The new Macbook Pros are also the first to include the new Thunderbolt port, which is a new high performance input/output technology that is said to offer transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps with Thunderbolt-enabled devices.

The speed is fast enough to transfer a full-length HD movie of 10-20GB in size in less than 30 seconds, Apple said.

Another major update to the Macbook Pro is the new FaceTime HD camera that will support full HD video calling over Apple's FaceTime application.

The new Macbook Pros are already listed as available on the local Apple Store.

Quick review of New Macbook Pros

Apple recently pulled the wraps off its new range of Macbook Pro laptops that now come with upgraded processors, high-speed Thunderbolt technology and a new FaceTime HD camera.

Though the new Macbook Pros retain the same design on the outside, they now come with the latest dual-core and quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge processors.

The new 13in Macbook Pro will feature an option of Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors that have speeds of up to 2.7GHz and Intel HD Graphics 3000.

Both the 15in and 17in models now come equipped with quad-core Core i7 processors and feature AMD Radeon HD graphics processors.


The new Macbook Pros are also the first to include the new Thunderbolt port, which is a new high performance input/output technology that is said to offer transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps with Thunderbolt-enabled devices.

The speed is fast enough to transfer a full-length HD movie of 10-20GB in size in less than 30 seconds, Apple said.

Another major update to the Macbook Pro is the new FaceTime HD camera that will support full HD video calling over Apple's FaceTime application.

The new Macbook Pros are already listed as available on the local Apple Store.

Quick review of New Macbook Pros

Apple recently pulled the wraps off its new range of Macbook Pro laptops that now come with upgraded processors, high-speed Thunderbolt technology and a new FaceTime HD camera.

Though the new Macbook Pros retain the same design on the outside, they now come with the latest dual-core and quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge processors.

The new 13in Macbook Pro will feature an option of Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors that have speeds of up to 2.7GHz and Intel HD Graphics 3000.

Both the 15in and 17in models now come equipped with quad-core Core i7 processors and feature AMD Radeon HD graphics processors.


The new Macbook Pros are also the first to include the new Thunderbolt port, which is a new high performance input/output technology that is said to offer transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps with Thunderbolt-enabled devices.

The speed is fast enough to transfer a full-length HD movie of 10-20GB in size in less than 30 seconds, Apple said.

Another major update to the Macbook Pro is the new FaceTime HD camera that will support full HD video calling over Apple's FaceTime application.

The new Macbook Pros are already listed as available on the local Apple Store.

Developer Preview of Mac OS X Lion

Apple today released a developer preview of Mac OS X Lion, which takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac for the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system. Lion features Mission Control, an innovative new view of everything running on your Mac; Launchpad, a new home for all your Mac apps; full-screen apps that use the entire Mac display; and new Multi-Touch gestures. Lion also includes the Mac App Store, the best place to discover, install, and automatically update Mac apps. The Lion preview is available to Mac Developer Program members through the Mac App Store today, and the final version of Lion will ship to customers this summer. Read more: apple.com/macosx

Developer Preview of Mac OS X Lion

Apple today released a developer preview of Mac OS X Lion, which takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac for the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system. Lion features Mission Control, an innovative new view of everything running on your Mac; Launchpad, a new home for all your Mac apps; full-screen apps that use the entire Mac display; and new Multi-Touch gestures. Lion also includes the Mac App Store, the best place to discover, install, and automatically update Mac apps. The Lion preview is available to Mac Developer Program members through the Mac App Store today, and the final version of Lion will ship to customers this summer. Read more: apple.com/macosx

Developer Preview of Mac OS X Lion

Apple today released a developer preview of Mac OS X Lion, which takes some of the best ideas from iPad and brings them back to the Mac for the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system. Lion features Mission Control, an innovative new view of everything running on your Mac; Launchpad, a new home for all your Mac apps; full-screen apps that use the entire Mac display; and new Multi-Touch gestures. Lion also includes the Mac App Store, the best place to discover, install, and automatically update Mac apps. The Lion preview is available to Mac Developer Program members through the Mac App Store today, and the final version of Lion will ship to customers this summer. Read more: apple.com/macosx

Juniper unveils QFabric for datacentres

Juniper Networks took the covers off QFabric, what it calls the world's first true datacentre fabric. It is claimed to deliver quantum leap improvements in datacentre performance, operating cost and business agility, from enterprise to large-scale cloud provider.

Engineered as a simplified, highly scalable datacentre network solution, it enables an approach to building and securing virtualised datacentres that eliminates the tradeoff between quality of experience and economics that plague legacy networks.

Juniper said QFabric enables exponential improvements in datacentre speed, scale and efficiency by removing legacy barriers, thus improving business agility.

QFabric's flat architecture also enables the industry's first integrated security solution that provides visibility, enforcement and scale across the entire physical and virtual datacentre fabric, it said.

Juniper said it invested three years and more than US$100mil  in R&D to address these constraints, creating a new architecture that is designed to be the foundation of datacentres for the next decade.


"Datacentre compute and storage technologies have advanced over the last decade, and the legacy approach to networking has not kept pace,"

"As cloud computing and the mobile Internet accelerate, demand is intensifying for a quantum leap forward in datacentre capabilities.

"With QFabric, Juniper is transforming datacentre economics by introducing the only network fabric that is able to eliminate multiple layers of cost and complexity."

Juniper claims its QFabric architecture is up to 10x faster, uses 77% less power, requires 27% fewer networking devices, occupies 90% less datacentre floor space, and delivers a nine-fold reduction in operating resources than the nearest competitive offering.

Improvements in operating expenses of this magnitude provide significant benefit to customers coping with the growing cost of continuing to scale datacentres to drive revenue and meet escalating demands driven by cloud computing and mobile Internet, it said.

"Enterprises and service providers must look beyond traditional multi-layered, complex and inflexible datacentre networks to deliver more agile IT infrastructure and technical solutions for virtualisation and cloud services," said Mark Fabbi, vice-president of industry analyst Gartner Research.

"We're seeing the emergence of a new concept we call 'fabric computing' and a new round of network innovation that better meets the needs of the next-generation datacentre."

Juniper unveils QFabric for datacentres

Juniper Networks took the covers off QFabric, what it calls the world's first true datacentre fabric. It is claimed to deliver quantum leap improvements in datacentre performance, operating cost and business agility, from enterprise to large-scale cloud provider.

Engineered as a simplified, highly scalable datacentre network solution, it enables an approach to building and securing virtualised datacentres that eliminates the tradeoff between quality of experience and economics that plague legacy networks.

Juniper said QFabric enables exponential improvements in datacentre speed, scale and efficiency by removing legacy barriers, thus improving business agility.

QFabric's flat architecture also enables the industry's first integrated security solution that provides visibility, enforcement and scale across the entire physical and virtual datacentre fabric, it said.

Juniper said it invested three years and more than US$100mil  in R&D to address these constraints, creating a new architecture that is designed to be the foundation of datacentres for the next decade.


"Datacentre compute and storage technologies have advanced over the last decade, and the legacy approach to networking has not kept pace,"

"As cloud computing and the mobile Internet accelerate, demand is intensifying for a quantum leap forward in datacentre capabilities.

"With QFabric, Juniper is transforming datacentre economics by introducing the only network fabric that is able to eliminate multiple layers of cost and complexity."

Juniper claims its QFabric architecture is up to 10x faster, uses 77% less power, requires 27% fewer networking devices, occupies 90% less datacentre floor space, and delivers a nine-fold reduction in operating resources than the nearest competitive offering.

Improvements in operating expenses of this magnitude provide significant benefit to customers coping with the growing cost of continuing to scale datacentres to drive revenue and meet escalating demands driven by cloud computing and mobile Internet, it said.

"Enterprises and service providers must look beyond traditional multi-layered, complex and inflexible datacentre networks to deliver more agile IT infrastructure and technical solutions for virtualisation and cloud services," said Mark Fabbi, vice-president of industry analyst Gartner Research.

"We're seeing the emergence of a new concept we call 'fabric computing' and a new round of network innovation that better meets the needs of the next-generation datacentre."

Juniper unveils QFabric for datacentres

Juniper Networks took the covers off QFabric, what it calls the world's first true datacentre fabric. It is claimed to deliver quantum leap improvements in datacentre performance, operating cost and business agility, from enterprise to large-scale cloud provider.

Engineered as a simplified, highly scalable datacentre network solution, it enables an approach to building and securing virtualised datacentres that eliminates the tradeoff between quality of experience and economics that plague legacy networks.

Juniper said QFabric enables exponential improvements in datacentre speed, scale and efficiency by removing legacy barriers, thus improving business agility.

QFabric's flat architecture also enables the industry's first integrated security solution that provides visibility, enforcement and scale across the entire physical and virtual datacentre fabric, it said.

Juniper said it invested three years and more than US$100mil  in R&D to address these constraints, creating a new architecture that is designed to be the foundation of datacentres for the next decade.


"Datacentre compute and storage technologies have advanced over the last decade, and the legacy approach to networking has not kept pace,"

"As cloud computing and the mobile Internet accelerate, demand is intensifying for a quantum leap forward in datacentre capabilities.

"With QFabric, Juniper is transforming datacentre economics by introducing the only network fabric that is able to eliminate multiple layers of cost and complexity."

Juniper claims its QFabric architecture is up to 10x faster, uses 77% less power, requires 27% fewer networking devices, occupies 90% less datacentre floor space, and delivers a nine-fold reduction in operating resources than the nearest competitive offering.

Improvements in operating expenses of this magnitude provide significant benefit to customers coping with the growing cost of continuing to scale datacentres to drive revenue and meet escalating demands driven by cloud computing and mobile Internet, it said.

"Enterprises and service providers must look beyond traditional multi-layered, complex and inflexible datacentre networks to deliver more agile IT infrastructure and technical solutions for virtualisation and cloud services," said Mark Fabbi, vice-president of industry analyst Gartner Research.

"We're seeing the emergence of a new concept we call 'fabric computing' and a new round of network innovation that better meets the needs of the next-generation datacentre."

New iPad launch in March 2011

NEW YORK: March Madness could take on a whole new meaning if Apple gives the world another iPad next week.

Apple Inc is expected to unveil the second generation of its wildly successful media Tablet, widening its headstart against competitors just starting to sell their first Tablet computers.

The Cupertino, California-based company e-mailed invitations to a media event in San Francisco on Wednesday that show a calendar page with the corner peeling away to reveal an iPad underneath.

The large "2" on the calendar page denotes the event's March 2 date, but is also a hint that Apple is about to announce the follow-up to the original iPad.

The iPad, about the size of a large book, has been likened to an overgrown iPhone or iPod touch, as it is powered by similar software and can run the same applications, or "apps."

But it has a bigger screen that makes reading e-mail messages, surfing the Web and watching movies easier on the eyes.

With a starting price of US$499 (RM1,600), it's less expensive than many computers and, at 1.5lbs, it also weighs less. Unlike small, inexpensive laptops such as netbooks, the iPad turns on instantly, so people don't have to wait through a sluggish boot-up.

And the iPad also lasts about 10 hours unplugged, making it ideal for travellers and other people on the go.

Apple sold more than 15 million iPads in its first nine months on sale, including 7.3 million to holiday shoppers during the October-December quarter - about a million more for the quarter than analysts were expecting.

Since the iPad's launch, other consumer electronics makers have been scrambling to develop Tablets of their own. For example, Samsung Electronics Co began selling the Galaxy Tab last year, and Motorola Mobility Inc's Xoom has just gone on sale. Many of these new Tablets run Google Inc's Android software.

The iPad is the first Tablet computer to win over mainstream consumers. A decade earlier, PC makers were selling Tablets that ran Windows, the same operating systems found on most fully-fledged PCs.

While some businesses bought them, they never sold well among consumers. These Tablets were heavier and had shorter battery lives. They were also more difficult to use as touchscreen devices, as Windows was meant to be used with a mouse and keyboard.

As usual, Apple has not said anything about the highly anticipated next version of the iPad, leaving rumours to swirl unchecked online.

Some bloggers have speculated that the new iPad will have a front-facing camera, which would allow people to hold video chats using services such as Skype.

If that were the case, its design would more closely match the iPhone 4, which went on sale last June with a front-facing camera and Apple's own video-chatting software, called FaceTime.

Others have speculated that the new iPad will be thinner and lighter than the original, and will come with a bigger built-in speaker.

Also on Wednesday, Apple shareholders rejected a proposal that called for the company to disclose a succession plan for its chief executive.

The rejection came a month after Apple CEO Steve Jobs went on an indefinite medical leave for unspecified problems - an absence that could be related to his previous bout with pancreatic cancer or his 2009 liver transplant.

Apple announced the preliminary vote on the non-binding proposal at its annual shareholders meeting, but did not provide a breakdown. - AP

New iPad launch in March 2011

NEW YORK: March Madness could take on a whole new meaning if Apple gives the world another iPad next week.

Apple Inc is expected to unveil the second generation of its wildly successful media Tablet, widening its headstart against competitors just starting to sell their first Tablet computers.

The Cupertino, California-based company e-mailed invitations to a media event in San Francisco on Wednesday that show a calendar page with the corner peeling away to reveal an iPad underneath.

The large "2" on the calendar page denotes the event's March 2 date, but is also a hint that Apple is about to announce the follow-up to the original iPad.

The iPad, about the size of a large book, has been likened to an overgrown iPhone or iPod touch, as it is powered by similar software and can run the same applications, or "apps."

But it has a bigger screen that makes reading e-mail messages, surfing the Web and watching movies easier on the eyes.

With a starting price of US$499 (RM1,600), it's less expensive than many computers and, at 1.5lbs, it also weighs less. Unlike small, inexpensive laptops such as netbooks, the iPad turns on instantly, so people don't have to wait through a sluggish boot-up.

And the iPad also lasts about 10 hours unplugged, making it ideal for travellers and other people on the go.

Apple sold more than 15 million iPads in its first nine months on sale, including 7.3 million to holiday shoppers during the October-December quarter - about a million more for the quarter than analysts were expecting.

Since the iPad's launch, other consumer electronics makers have been scrambling to develop Tablets of their own. For example, Samsung Electronics Co began selling the Galaxy Tab last year, and Motorola Mobility Inc's Xoom has just gone on sale. Many of these new Tablets run Google Inc's Android software.

The iPad is the first Tablet computer to win over mainstream consumers. A decade earlier, PC makers were selling Tablets that ran Windows, the same operating systems found on most fully-fledged PCs.

While some businesses bought them, they never sold well among consumers. These Tablets were heavier and had shorter battery lives. They were also more difficult to use as touchscreen devices, as Windows was meant to be used with a mouse and keyboard.

As usual, Apple has not said anything about the highly anticipated next version of the iPad, leaving rumours to swirl unchecked online.

Some bloggers have speculated that the new iPad will have a front-facing camera, which would allow people to hold video chats using services such as Skype.

If that were the case, its design would more closely match the iPhone 4, which went on sale last June with a front-facing camera and Apple's own video-chatting software, called FaceTime.

Others have speculated that the new iPad will be thinner and lighter than the original, and will come with a bigger built-in speaker.

Also on Wednesday, Apple shareholders rejected a proposal that called for the company to disclose a succession plan for its chief executive.

The rejection came a month after Apple CEO Steve Jobs went on an indefinite medical leave for unspecified problems - an absence that could be related to his previous bout with pancreatic cancer or his 2009 liver transplant.

Apple announced the preliminary vote on the non-binding proposal at its annual shareholders meeting, but did not provide a breakdown. - AP

New iPad launch in March 2011

NEW YORK: March Madness could take on a whole new meaning if Apple gives the world another iPad next week.

Apple Inc is expected to unveil the second generation of its wildly successful media Tablet, widening its headstart against competitors just starting to sell their first Tablet computers.

The Cupertino, California-based company e-mailed invitations to a media event in San Francisco on Wednesday that show a calendar page with the corner peeling away to reveal an iPad underneath.

The large "2" on the calendar page denotes the event's March 2 date, but is also a hint that Apple is about to announce the follow-up to the original iPad.

The iPad, about the size of a large book, has been likened to an overgrown iPhone or iPod touch, as it is powered by similar software and can run the same applications, or "apps."

But it has a bigger screen that makes reading e-mail messages, surfing the Web and watching movies easier on the eyes.

With a starting price of US$499 (RM1,600), it's less expensive than many computers and, at 1.5lbs, it also weighs less. Unlike small, inexpensive laptops such as netbooks, the iPad turns on instantly, so people don't have to wait through a sluggish boot-up.

And the iPad also lasts about 10 hours unplugged, making it ideal for travellers and other people on the go.

Apple sold more than 15 million iPads in its first nine months on sale, including 7.3 million to holiday shoppers during the October-December quarter - about a million more for the quarter than analysts were expecting.

Since the iPad's launch, other consumer electronics makers have been scrambling to develop Tablets of their own. For example, Samsung Electronics Co began selling the Galaxy Tab last year, and Motorola Mobility Inc's Xoom has just gone on sale. Many of these new Tablets run Google Inc's Android software.

The iPad is the first Tablet computer to win over mainstream consumers. A decade earlier, PC makers were selling Tablets that ran Windows, the same operating systems found on most fully-fledged PCs.

While some businesses bought them, they never sold well among consumers. These Tablets were heavier and had shorter battery lives. They were also more difficult to use as touchscreen devices, as Windows was meant to be used with a mouse and keyboard.

As usual, Apple has not said anything about the highly anticipated next version of the iPad, leaving rumours to swirl unchecked online.

Some bloggers have speculated that the new iPad will have a front-facing camera, which would allow people to hold video chats using services such as Skype.

If that were the case, its design would more closely match the iPhone 4, which went on sale last June with a front-facing camera and Apple's own video-chatting software, called FaceTime.

Others have speculated that the new iPad will be thinner and lighter than the original, and will come with a bigger built-in speaker.

Also on Wednesday, Apple shareholders rejected a proposal that called for the company to disclose a succession plan for its chief executive.

The rejection came a month after Apple CEO Steve Jobs went on an indefinite medical leave for unspecified problems - an absence that could be related to his previous bout with pancreatic cancer or his 2009 liver transplant.

Apple announced the preliminary vote on the non-binding proposal at its annual shareholders meeting, but did not provide a breakdown. - AP

Quick review of Sony Cybershot TX100V and Handycam HDR PJ-30E

SONY is all out to flex its HD and 3D muscles this year as is evident from looking through its 2011 product lineup.

TX100V

At a recent Sony product convention held here, the consumer electronics company brought out camcorders capable of recording Full HD 3D videos and a compact camera that can capture 3D images using only one lens and imager.

Its latest Full HD 3D handycam lineup consists of the HDR-PJ10E, HDR PJ-30E and HDR PJ-50E.
Besides being able to record in 3D videos, these camcorders also come with a built-in projector tucked in the 3in LCD touchscreen panel so you can view your videos as soon as you've recorded them. Users can project the images up to 60in in size on any flat surface, Sony said.

All the camcorders are also equipped with Sony's Exmor R CMOS sensor, which is designed to help users take better quality images even in dim settings.


Additionally they also have a built-in zoom microphone so users don't have to stand too close to their subjects to record their speech.

The PJ10E can snap still images up to 3.3-megapixels while the PJ30E and PJ50E can capture stills that are up to 7.1-megapixels.

As for internal memory, the PJ10E has 16GB of Flash memory while the PJ30E has a 32GB Flash memory capacity.

The PJ50E has a 220GB hard disk drive and storage can be expanded using Sony's Memory Stick Pro Duo or an SD memory card.

All of the camcorders are equipped image stabilisation technology.

New Cyber-shot
Sony also introduced a new member to its Cyber-shot T-series family, the DSC-TX100V.

The company claimed that the 16.2-megapixel camera is the first compact digital camera that can take 3D images using one lens and imager.

This is done using either the 3D Sweep Panaroma mode or the 3D Still Image mode.

In the 3D Still Image mode, the camera takes two consecutive shots in different focus positions then calculates the depth.

It then creates a right-eye, left-eye image to produce a 3D effect. The images can then be viewed on a 3D TV.

The 3D Sweep Panaroma mode lets users capture a 3D version of a panaromic picture with one sweep. And if you only want a conventional 2D panaromic picture, you can use the Intelligent Sweep Panorama mode.

The camera also has Full HD video recording capabilities and sports a 3.5in OLED touch screen display.

It also has a dual recording mode where users can take still shots while shooting a video.
Like the camcorders mentioned above, it is equipped with an Exmor R CMOS sensor.

If you are the outdoorsy type, the TX100V is one tough cookie as it is waterproof up to 5m of water and shockproof from a height of up to 1.5m.

Sony has also designed the camera so that beginners are able to capture more artistic images - one of the featured shooting modes is "background defocus" that allows users to capture shallow depth of field images easily.

The TX100V will be available in April.

Quick review of Sony Cybershot TX100V and Handycam HDR PJ-30E

SONY is all out to flex its HD and 3D muscles this year as is evident from looking through its 2011 product lineup.

TX100V

At a recent Sony product convention held here, the consumer electronics company brought out camcorders capable of recording Full HD 3D videos and a compact camera that can capture 3D images using only one lens and imager.

Its latest Full HD 3D handycam lineup consists of the HDR-PJ10E, HDR PJ-30E and HDR PJ-50E.
Besides being able to record in 3D videos, these camcorders also come with a built-in projector tucked in the 3in LCD touchscreen panel so you can view your videos as soon as you've recorded them. Users can project the images up to 60in in size on any flat surface, Sony said.

All the camcorders are also equipped with Sony's Exmor R CMOS sensor, which is designed to help users take better quality images even in dim settings.


Additionally they also have a built-in zoom microphone so users don't have to stand too close to their subjects to record their speech.

The PJ10E can snap still images up to 3.3-megapixels while the PJ30E and PJ50E can capture stills that are up to 7.1-megapixels.

As for internal memory, the PJ10E has 16GB of Flash memory while the PJ30E has a 32GB Flash memory capacity.

The PJ50E has a 220GB hard disk drive and storage can be expanded using Sony's Memory Stick Pro Duo or an SD memory card.

All of the camcorders are equipped image stabilisation technology.

New Cyber-shot
Sony also introduced a new member to its Cyber-shot T-series family, the DSC-TX100V.

The company claimed that the 16.2-megapixel camera is the first compact digital camera that can take 3D images using one lens and imager.

This is done using either the 3D Sweep Panaroma mode or the 3D Still Image mode.

In the 3D Still Image mode, the camera takes two consecutive shots in different focus positions then calculates the depth.

It then creates a right-eye, left-eye image to produce a 3D effect. The images can then be viewed on a 3D TV.

The 3D Sweep Panaroma mode lets users capture a 3D version of a panaromic picture with one sweep. And if you only want a conventional 2D panaromic picture, you can use the Intelligent Sweep Panorama mode.

The camera also has Full HD video recording capabilities and sports a 3.5in OLED touch screen display.

It also has a dual recording mode where users can take still shots while shooting a video.
Like the camcorders mentioned above, it is equipped with an Exmor R CMOS sensor.

If you are the outdoorsy type, the TX100V is one tough cookie as it is waterproof up to 5m of water and shockproof from a height of up to 1.5m.

Sony has also designed the camera so that beginners are able to capture more artistic images - one of the featured shooting modes is "background defocus" that allows users to capture shallow depth of field images easily.

The TX100V will be available in April.

Quick review of Sony Cybershot TX100V and Handycam HDR PJ-30E

SONY is all out to flex its HD and 3D muscles this year as is evident from looking through its 2011 product lineup.

TX100V

At a recent Sony product convention held here, the consumer electronics company brought out camcorders capable of recording Full HD 3D videos and a compact camera that can capture 3D images using only one lens and imager.

Its latest Full HD 3D handycam lineup consists of the HDR-PJ10E, HDR PJ-30E and HDR PJ-50E.
Besides being able to record in 3D videos, these camcorders also come with a built-in projector tucked in the 3in LCD touchscreen panel so you can view your videos as soon as you've recorded them. Users can project the images up to 60in in size on any flat surface, Sony said.

All the camcorders are also equipped with Sony's Exmor R CMOS sensor, which is designed to help users take better quality images even in dim settings.


Additionally they also have a built-in zoom microphone so users don't have to stand too close to their subjects to record their speech.

The PJ10E can snap still images up to 3.3-megapixels while the PJ30E and PJ50E can capture stills that are up to 7.1-megapixels.

As for internal memory, the PJ10E has 16GB of Flash memory while the PJ30E has a 32GB Flash memory capacity.

The PJ50E has a 220GB hard disk drive and storage can be expanded using Sony's Memory Stick Pro Duo or an SD memory card.

All of the camcorders are equipped image stabilisation technology.

New Cyber-shot
Sony also introduced a new member to its Cyber-shot T-series family, the DSC-TX100V.

The company claimed that the 16.2-megapixel camera is the first compact digital camera that can take 3D images using one lens and imager.

This is done using either the 3D Sweep Panaroma mode or the 3D Still Image mode.

In the 3D Still Image mode, the camera takes two consecutive shots in different focus positions then calculates the depth.

It then creates a right-eye, left-eye image to produce a 3D effect. The images can then be viewed on a 3D TV.

The 3D Sweep Panaroma mode lets users capture a 3D version of a panaromic picture with one sweep. And if you only want a conventional 2D panaromic picture, you can use the Intelligent Sweep Panorama mode.

The camera also has Full HD video recording capabilities and sports a 3.5in OLED touch screen display.

It also has a dual recording mode where users can take still shots while shooting a video.
Like the camcorders mentioned above, it is equipped with an Exmor R CMOS sensor.

If you are the outdoorsy type, the TX100V is one tough cookie as it is waterproof up to 5m of water and shockproof from a height of up to 1.5m.

Sony has also designed the camera so that beginners are able to capture more artistic images - one of the featured shooting modes is "background defocus" that allows users to capture shallow depth of field images easily.

The TX100V will be available in April.

Quick review of new DSLR Canon EOS 600D and EOS 1100D

Canon has announced two new DSLR cameras, the EOS 600D and EOS 1100D. Canon said both cameras are designed for entry level photo enthusiasts looking to upgrade from a compact model to their first DSLR camera.

The EOS 600D has an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor while the EOS 1100D comes with a 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor. Both cameras have a nine-point autofocus system to swiftly track and focus on moving subjects.

For capturing moving subjects, the EOS 600D can shoot at a continuous burst of up to 3.7 frames per second (fps) while the EOS 1100D snaps at 3fps. The 600D also comes with a built-in wireless flash transmitter that can be used to control multiple flash units.

The DSLR cameras are backed by Canon's Digic 4 image processor, enabling them to process photos faster and reduce noise at higher ISO levels, the company said.

Designed for beginners, the EOS 1100D has a redesigned control layout with all buttons arranged on the right side of the camera, allowing for one-handed usage.

Aiding photographers to get unique angles for their shots, the EOS 600D's 3in vari-angle LCD monitor can be folded out and swivelled, thus allowing pictures to be framed at more flexible angles.

Not to be left out, the EOS 1100D has a 2.7in LCD monitor with a wide viewing angle of 170° so users can still see the screen from both high or low angles.

Canon said both cameras' low light shooting performance are enhanced thanks to their higher ISO range with the EOS 1100D having a maximum ISO6400 sensitivity while the EOS 600D has an expanded ISO range of 12,800.


The two new entry-level DSLRs will come with a new "Feature Guide" that displays simple descriptions to all modes and settings in the camera, helping users understand general photography terminology.
The EOS 600D will have a new Scene Intelligent Auto mode that automatically analyses an image to determine the right exposure, focus and white balance settings.

The EOS 600D can also shoot full HD (1,920 x 1,080-pixel) movies and is able to capture videos at a high ISO speed of 6400.

Meanwhile the EOS 1100D is able to record HD movies at 1,280 x 720-pixel resolution. A new video specific feature found on both EOS cameras is the Video Snapshot function that shoots short video clips that are two, four or eight seconds in length.

The EOS 600D is able playback both photos and video with accompanying background music. It will come with five preselected tracks and users can import their own music via SD card.

Advanced creative filters are another new feature on the EOS 600D - it gives users the ability to apply effects like soft focus, toy camera, miniature and fish-eye to photos.

Aside from the usual black colour scheme, the EOS 1100D is also available in red, brown and metallic gray.

Both cameras are available now with the Canon EOS 600D priced at RM2,999 with an EF-S 18-55mm IS kit lens while the Canon EOS 1100D is priced at RM1,999 with a EF-S 18-55mm IS kit lens.

Quick review of new DSLR Canon EOS 600D and EOS 1100D

Canon has announced two new DSLR cameras, the EOS 600D and EOS 1100D. Canon said both cameras are designed for entry level photo enthusiasts looking to upgrade from a compact model to their first DSLR camera.

The EOS 600D has an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor while the EOS 1100D comes with a 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor. Both cameras have a nine-point autofocus system to swiftly track and focus on moving subjects.

For capturing moving subjects, the EOS 600D can shoot at a continuous burst of up to 3.7 frames per second (fps) while the EOS 1100D snaps at 3fps. The 600D also comes with a built-in wireless flash transmitter that can be used to control multiple flash units.

The DSLR cameras are backed by Canon's Digic 4 image processor, enabling them to process photos faster and reduce noise at higher ISO levels, the company said.

Designed for beginners, the EOS 1100D has a redesigned control layout with all buttons arranged on the right side of the camera, allowing for one-handed usage.

Aiding photographers to get unique angles for their shots, the EOS 600D's 3in vari-angle LCD monitor can be folded out and swivelled, thus allowing pictures to be framed at more flexible angles.

Not to be left out, the EOS 1100D has a 2.7in LCD monitor with a wide viewing angle of 170° so users can still see the screen from both high or low angles.

Canon said both cameras' low light shooting performance are enhanced thanks to their higher ISO range with the EOS 1100D having a maximum ISO6400 sensitivity while the EOS 600D has an expanded ISO range of 12,800.


The two new entry-level DSLRs will come with a new "Feature Guide" that displays simple descriptions to all modes and settings in the camera, helping users understand general photography terminology.
The EOS 600D will have a new Scene Intelligent Auto mode that automatically analyses an image to determine the right exposure, focus and white balance settings.

The EOS 600D can also shoot full HD (1,920 x 1,080-pixel) movies and is able to capture videos at a high ISO speed of 6400.

Meanwhile the EOS 1100D is able to record HD movies at 1,280 x 720-pixel resolution. A new video specific feature found on both EOS cameras is the Video Snapshot function that shoots short video clips that are two, four or eight seconds in length.

The EOS 600D is able playback both photos and video with accompanying background music. It will come with five preselected tracks and users can import their own music via SD card.

Advanced creative filters are another new feature on the EOS 600D - it gives users the ability to apply effects like soft focus, toy camera, miniature and fish-eye to photos.

Aside from the usual black colour scheme, the EOS 1100D is also available in red, brown and metallic gray.

Both cameras are available now with the Canon EOS 600D priced at RM2,999 with an EF-S 18-55mm IS kit lens while the Canon EOS 1100D is priced at RM1,999 with a EF-S 18-55mm IS kit lens.

Quick review of new DSLR Canon EOS 600D and EOS 1100D

Canon has announced two new DSLR cameras, the EOS 600D and EOS 1100D. Canon said both cameras are designed for entry level photo enthusiasts looking to upgrade from a compact model to their first DSLR camera.

The EOS 600D has an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor while the EOS 1100D comes with a 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor. Both cameras have a nine-point autofocus system to swiftly track and focus on moving subjects.

For capturing moving subjects, the EOS 600D can shoot at a continuous burst of up to 3.7 frames per second (fps) while the EOS 1100D snaps at 3fps. The 600D also comes with a built-in wireless flash transmitter that can be used to control multiple flash units.

The DSLR cameras are backed by Canon's Digic 4 image processor, enabling them to process photos faster and reduce noise at higher ISO levels, the company said.

Designed for beginners, the EOS 1100D has a redesigned control layout with all buttons arranged on the right side of the camera, allowing for one-handed usage.

Aiding photographers to get unique angles for their shots, the EOS 600D's 3in vari-angle LCD monitor can be folded out and swivelled, thus allowing pictures to be framed at more flexible angles.

Not to be left out, the EOS 1100D has a 2.7in LCD monitor with a wide viewing angle of 170° so users can still see the screen from both high or low angles.

Canon said both cameras' low light shooting performance are enhanced thanks to their higher ISO range with the EOS 1100D having a maximum ISO6400 sensitivity while the EOS 600D has an expanded ISO range of 12,800.


The two new entry-level DSLRs will come with a new "Feature Guide" that displays simple descriptions to all modes and settings in the camera, helping users understand general photography terminology.
The EOS 600D will have a new Scene Intelligent Auto mode that automatically analyses an image to determine the right exposure, focus and white balance settings.

The EOS 600D can also shoot full HD (1,920 x 1,080-pixel) movies and is able to capture videos at a high ISO speed of 6400.

Meanwhile the EOS 1100D is able to record HD movies at 1,280 x 720-pixel resolution. A new video specific feature found on both EOS cameras is the Video Snapshot function that shoots short video clips that are two, four or eight seconds in length.

The EOS 600D is able playback both photos and video with accompanying background music. It will come with five preselected tracks and users can import their own music via SD card.

Advanced creative filters are another new feature on the EOS 600D - it gives users the ability to apply effects like soft focus, toy camera, miniature and fish-eye to photos.

Aside from the usual black colour scheme, the EOS 1100D is also available in red, brown and metallic gray.

Both cameras are available now with the Canon EOS 600D priced at RM2,999 with an EF-S 18-55mm IS kit lens while the Canon EOS 1100D is priced at RM1,999 with a EF-S 18-55mm IS kit lens.