Microsoft debuts Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 with Smart Features for Windows 7

Today Microsoft Corp. debuts the ergonomist-approved Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, which utilizes a Comfort Curve layout that encourages natural wrist posture with a slight six-degree curve. This new desktop set combines the Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard layout with a soft-touch palm rest to make the PC experience more comfortable. Since the Comfort Curve design launched five years ago, more than 10 million units have been sold1, and the design’s ease of use continues to draw praise, with 94 percent of users recommending the keyboards.2 To complement the comfort, the Microsoft Hardware Group also created smart one-touch features for Windows 7 to help consumers make the most of their new Windows 7-based PCs.

“People are spending more time on computers than ever before, so comfort is very important,” said Armagan Demir, Head of Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division Middle East. “A Comfort Curve keyboard, like the Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, provides an easy way to improve your typing ergonomics while maintaining your productivity.”

Full Package: Comfort, Style and BlueTrack Technology
The design elements of the keyboard enhance its look and feel with an updated soft-touch palm rest; low-profile quiet touch keys; and a contoured, compact shape that looks great on any desk. The included Wireless Mouse 5000, with rubber side grips and an ambidextrous shape for comfort in either hand, features Microsoft BlueTrack Technology, which lets consumers go anywhere and work with confidence on more surfaces than when using optical and laser mice.3 Both the mouse and keyboard wirelessly connect to the computer via a reliable 2.4GHz mini-transceiver that works up to 30 feet away.

Smart Features for Windows 7
The Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 is the perfect companion for Windows 7 because it gives people smart ways to make everyday computing tasks easier. A new time-saving feature called Taskbar Favorites gives Microsoft keyboard users an easy way to access their open programs. Instead of the traditional My Favorites Keys with stored locations, Taskbar Favorites will map to the location of open applications on the improved Windows taskbar. The icons in the taskbar can be easily rearranged just by clicking and dragging; Taskbar Favorites will instantly adapt to the new icon locations. Other Windows 7 integration features:
• Device Stage. A Windows 7 feature that gives customers quick and easy access to common tasks, including product information, registration, settings and more for popular device categories such as cell phones, cameras, printers, portable media players and input devices.
• Windows Flip. A thumbnail preview of all open windows with the press of a button. A full-screen preview of the application will automatically display, enabling the user to better identify and select the desired application.

The Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 will be available on October 10, 2009 for an estimated retail price of AED 3194, and is backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty from Microsoft.

Creative Announces Zen MX

Creative Technology Ltd., a worldwide leader in digital entertainment today introduced the Creative ZEN® MX, a credit card-sized digital media player for music, video and photos. The Creative ZEN MX builds on the accolade-winning design of the Creative ZEN to deliver stylish, feature-rich design and ultra portability with incredible value for money.

Read more

Creative Announces Zen MX

Creative Technology Ltd., a worldwide leader in digital entertainment today introduced the Creative ZEN® MX, a credit card-sized digital media player for music, video and photos. The Creative ZEN MX builds on the accolade-winning design of the Creative ZEN to deliver stylish, feature-rich design and ultra portability with incredible value for money.

Despite its wealth of features, the Creative ZEN MX is easy to use. It connects to a PC or laptop directly and is instantly recognized by Windows XP or Vista as an external storage device. The bundled Creative Centrale software allows users to manage video, music and photos easily on both their PC and the player.

Esther Kho, Senior Marketing Specialist, Regional Sales for Creative Labs Asia said, “We’re delighted to launch the Creative ZEN MX in the Middle East region. Carrying the signature sound-enhancing capabilities of its award-winning Creative ZEN predecessor, the ZEN MX delivers the same feature-packed portability, but is now enhanced with incredible value and convenience”.

The Creative ZEN MX comes with a large vibrant 2.5” TFT 16.7 million color screen, a SD/SDHC memory expansion slot to store more media content, built-in FM Radio, voice recorder, alarm clock and ZEN patented navigation that delivers the same wonderful listening and viewing experience as the award-winning Creative ZEN.

Pricing and Availability
The Creative ZEN is available in the Middle East this month sporting 8GB and 16GB models, at suggested retail prices of AED 399 and AED 599 respectively.
A variety of accessories are available for the Creative ZEN MX –
• A leather case with integrated stand
• A clear case with a stand
• An armband with a player enclosure
• A three-pack of colored skins in black, red and blue
• A skin with wire management
• A three-pack of screen protectors
• A power adapter or car charger

For more information about the Creative ZEN MX, please visit www.creative.com/zen-mx.

OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 Platinum LV Triple Channel

Since the launch of Intel’s Core i7 line of CPUs and X58 chipset, memory manufacturers have released a number of kits designed to take advantage of the CPU and chipset’s triple channel memory technology. Today we take a look on OCZ’s 6GB Platinum memory triple channel kit which runs at CL-7 clocks with low voltage.

Specifications

• Memory Speed: 1600MHz DDR3
• Memory Clocks: 7-7-7-24(CAS-TRCD-TRP-TRAS)
• Heatspreader type: Platinum Z3 XTC heatspreader
• Rated Voltage: 1.65v
• Warranty: Lifetime warranty

Packaging

OCZ packed the modules in a transparent blue box that shows off the modules.

Inside the kit we found an instruction manual and, of course, the three memory modules.

Nokia N97 Smartphone

32GB Memory- Check. Full QWERTY keyboard- Check. WiFi/GPS/Bluetooth- Check. 5MP Carl Zeiss camera with LED Flash- Check. Gorgeous display with 16M colors- Check. Triband HSDPA- Check. Nokia’s flagship product, the N97, almost hits all the right notes. Lets take a closer look and see if its all its set out to be. Read more

Logitech Unveils New Wireless Presenters

Today, Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) introduced the Logitech® Professional Presenter R800 – designed to help you make a big impact during your next presentation. . With laser pointing, wireless convenience and intuitive slideshow controls that can be found by touch, Logitech’s new presenter gives you the confidence to move freely around the room, so that you focus on delivering a more effective and powerful presentation.

“When you give a presentation you want to engage with your audience, not the technology,” said Rory Dooley, senior vice president and general manager of Logitech’s Control Devices business unit. “Packed with features that are designed to make you a better presenter, the Professional Presenter R800 eliminates the need to run back and forth to your computer or interrupt your PowerPoint® presentation to tell your colleague to go to the next slide.”

“Great presentations are truly aided by the right peripherals,” added Yousef Atwan, Logitech Regional Director Middle East & Africa. “Loaded with features, Logitech’s new wireless presenters help make you a better presenter.”

Logitech Professional Presenter R800
The Logitech Professional Presenter R800 puts you in complete control of your presentation. To keep you focused on the crowd and not the clock, the Professional Presenter R800 provides an easy-to-set timer with silent, vibrating alerts. The timer, displayed on a 1-by-1/2-inch LCD, is large enough to see with a quick glance – and vibrates when you have five, two and zero minutes left to present. Once the timer hits zero, it begins counting upward for up to sixty minutes so you can see how far you’ve exceeded your time limit. When you’re moving around the room to engage your audience, at a range of up to 100 feet (30 meters), a reception-level indicator on the LCD keeps you from wandering too far. And, with a brilliant green laser pointer it’s easy to direct your audience’s attention to specific information from across the room – even on flat panel displays and in bright rooms.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Professional Presenter R800 is expected to be available in the UAE in September for a suggested retail price of USD 115 and through Logitech for Business channels.

Samsung Launches Smartphone with the World’s Largest AMOLED Screen

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, a leading mobile phone and telecommunication provider, announced today the availability of the highly-anticipated full-touch Omnia II (i8000). Boasting the world’s largest 3.7-inch AMOLED screen the Omnia II is designed for the smartphone user who demands an enhanced and convenient multimedia experience featuring Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.

“The Omnia globally has sold millions of units, and has even exceeded Samsung’s expectations. Following on from this success, the Omnia II features diverse functions for a wide range of user needs,” said Mr. Sandeep Saihgal, General Manager, Mobile Phone Division, Samsung Gulf Electronics. “Featuring the world’s largest 3.7-inch AMOLED display, the Omnia II offers unbeatable screen clarity and responsiveness. Compared to TFT LCD’s, AMOLED touch display is 1000 times faster. With the Omnia II everything you view becomes brighter, sharper and more defined even when held under direct sunlight and at any angle.”

Complete with larger icons and a simpler structure, Omnia II’s user interface has been deeply customised to provide touch-optimised usability. Also, innovative TouchWiz 2.0 User Interface and 3D effects make enjoying multimedia and multi tasking convenient and fun. Advanced R Touch (Resistive Touch) enables faster, more accurate touch response for a touch experience that’s 100 percent user friendly.

The much enhanced display and user interface make it even more pleasurable to enjoy the rich multimedia functions of the Omnia II, including its DVD-like(480p) video recording/playback, smooth internet browsing as well as interactive 3D games. Users can also access and download content speedily while on the move thanks to the Omnia II’s HSUPA 5.76Mbps, HSDPA 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi capabilities. Generous memory up to 48GB lets users store more of their favourite content for on-the-go access.

Omnia II OS, which is WindowsMobile 6.1, will be updateable to Windows Mobile® 6.5 upon the new OS update release. With Omnia II users can view and edit documents on the go using Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint (view only) and Outlook. Users can also get updated emails around the clock with push email and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.

“The Omnia II is more capable than ever. Filled with enhancements including a faster, smoother, internet browser and Wi-Fi connectivity, 5MP digital camera and DVD-quality recording capability, an advanced GPS navigation system and more, you’ll never want Omnia II far away from your reach,” added Saihgal.

Samsung Omnia II is currently available in all major electronic outlets across the region and is retailed for AED 2699*.

GIGABYTE Launches Complete Range of 785G Series Motherboards

GIGABYTE Technology CO., LTD., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, is pleased to announce the launch of their full range of 785G series motherboards, featuring industry leading 2oz copper PCB design and delivering DirectX® 10.1 and UVD 2.0 support for a richer, more immersive IGP media experience.

Based on the newly released AMD 785G chipset with enhanced onboard ATI Radeon™ HD 4200 graphics core, the GIGABYTE 785G series motherboards provide an outstanding HD experience for even the most discerning HTPC enthusiasts. Supporting UVD 2.0, the GIGABYTE 785G series is able to provide hardware acceleration and video process capabilities for ultra smooth Blue-ray playback while keeping CPU utilization and power consumption low. In addition, the GIGABYTE 785G series delivers DirectX® 10.1 support, ensuring your system is able to take advantage of the easier, faster and more enhanced performance of the new Windows® 7 operating system.

Offering the Latest Platform Support
The GIGABYTE 785G series offers outstanding future CPU headroom with support for AMD Phenom™/ Athlon™/ Sepmron™ AM2+ and AM2 processors as well as the latest generation of 45nm AMD Phenom™II/ Athlon™II AM3 processors with ultra low latency, high bandwidth (5200MT/s) HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology. Featuring a Split Power Plane, 4+1 phase VRM design, the GIGABYTE 785G series is guaranteed to provide ultra smooth power delivery for even the most power hungry 140W processors and above.

With a range of models supporting either DDR2 memory up to 1200+ (up to 1333+ on the GA-MA785G-UD3H) or DDR3 memory up to 1800+, the GIGABYTE 785G series gives users the flexibility to build their system based on their individual memory needs. Additionally, the GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H and GA-MA785GPM-UD2H come equipped with 128MB of 1333MHz DDR3 SidePort memory, allowing dedicated memory access for the integrated graphics for an added boost of up to 10% in graphics performance, with the GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H able to reach an exceptional 3DMark06 score of 3000+.*

Offering the Latest Connectivity Options
Providing an exceptional high-definition multimedia experience, the GIGABYTE 785G series is equipped with a wide range of connectivity options including DVI as well as support for HDMI 1.3. With each model supporting an additional PCI-E 2.0 X16 graphics interface to support the ground breaking ATI Hybrid Graphics technology, users are able to combine the power of their integrated ATI Radeon™ HD 4200 graphics core by adding an additional discrete graphics card, for enhanced gaming performance, productivity and power efficiency. The GA-MA785GT-UD3H and GA-MA785G-UD3H also offer an additional PCI-E 2.0 x4 expansion slot for use with an add-on card.

The GIGABYTE 785G series motherboards also come equipped with the built-in High-Definition 7.1 + 2 channel Realtek ALC889A sound chip, whose 106dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) significantly reduces noise during signal transmission and supports Blu-ray playback for an exhilarating home theater entertainment experience.

Unique GIGABYTE Technologies
Durable™ 3 Classic
As the first company to introduce 2 ounces of copper for both the Power and Ground layers for a consumer desktop motherboard, GIGABYTE once again leads the motherboard industry for the highest quality and most innovative motherboard design by equipping all of their 785G series motherboards with the Ultra Durable™ 3 Classic technology, providing users with dramatically lower system temperatures, improved energy efficiency and enhanced stability for overclocking.

In addition to the 2oz copper PCB design, the GIGABYTE 785G series motherboards are equipped with the GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ signature features including Japanese Solid Capacitors boasting an operational life time of more than 50,000 hours for CPU VRM, and GIGABYTE patented DualBIOS™ technology (providing dual hardware BIOS protection). The GIGABYTE 785G series motherboards are able to provide the stability, reliability and longevity essential to meet the power needs of high-end processors and other components running today’s most demanding applications and games.

DualBIOS™ – Patented Dual Hardware BIOS Protection
DualBIOS™ is a GIGABYTE patented technology that automatically recovers BIOS data when main BIOS has crashed or failed. Featuring 2 physical BIOS ROMs integrated onboard, GIGABYTE DualBIOS™ allows quick and seamless recovery from BIOS damage or failure due to viruses or improper BIOS updating.

Easy Energy Saver™
Featuring an advanced proprietary software design, GIGABYTE Easy Energy Saver is able to dynamically adjust CPU power depending on workload, delivering just the right amount of power needed for the task. Coupled with AMD’s highly efficient AM2+ and latest 45nm AM3 CPUs, Easy Energy Saver is able to provide exceptional levels of power savings and enhanced power efficiency without sacrificing computing performance.

* Easy Energy Saver only supports AMD AM2+ and new generation AM3 CPUs.

EasyTune6
GIGABYTE has completely redesigned EasyTune6 from the ground up to make it easier than ever to manage and monitor your hardware resources as well as tweak your system settings in order to achieve maximum system performance. Whether you are an overclocking enthusiast, or a computer novice, EasyTune6 provides the tools you need to quickly and effortlessly fine tune your system.

Dolby Home Theater®
In addition, GIGABYTE has also included the powerful Dolby Home Theater® suite of audio technologies, which deliver a vivid surround sound listening experience for music, movies, and games, using two to eight speakers or any set of headphones. Designed to automatically deliver the best possible listening experience, Dolby Home Theater® includes Dolby Pro Logic IIx for maximum surround sound expansion, Dolby Headphone and Sound Space Expander for a virtualized audio experience, and Natural Bass enhancement for the richest quality sound.

GIGABYTE 785G Series Motherboards
DDR3 Motherboards
DDR2 Motherboards
GA-MA785GT-UD3H
GA-MA785G-UD3H
GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H
GA-MA785GPM-UD2H
GA-MA785GMT-UD2H
GA-MA785GM-UD2H
GA-MA785GMT-US2H
GA-MA785GM-US2H

Note:
*3DMark06 score is achieved by overclocking, for more information please visit GIGAYBTE website.

Nokia N97 Smartphone

32GB Memory- Check. Full QWERTY keyboard- Check. WiFi/GPS/Bluetooth- Check. 5MP Carl Zeiss camera with LED Flash- Check. Gorgeous display with 16M colors- Check. Triband HSDPA- Check. Nokia’s flagship product, the N97, almost hits all the right notes. Lets take a closer look and see if its all its set out to be.

Nokia packages the N97 nicely in small minimalist black box with everything other than the kitchen sink inside it. You get a wall and a car charger along with an adapter to use the older traditional Nokia charger instead of the new USB charger, a funky looking stylus, ear buds with a remote control, a USB cable to connect the phone to your computer, a quickstart manual and software dvds and a cleaning cloth.

The Size of the N97 is excellent as far as height and width is concerned although it is a bit on the chubby side which might make it bulge a little out of your pocket but is comfortable to hold. Available in Black and White, we received the black unit and I must say that its a good looking phone. The full touch screen on the top is accompanied by the red and green keys which are also touch sensitive as well as the menu key. Above the touchscreen you have the front facing camera.

The right side has the volume keys along with the camera key while the left side features stereo speakers, the micro USB connector and the lock slider. The top of the phone allows you to plug in a 3.5mm jack and also features the power button. The back side has the usual Nokia slide down camera cover.

Holding the unit horizontally and sliding it reveals the keyboard. I like how the display tilts instead of staying flat- something I first saw on the HTC Touch PRO. It makes using the phone and reading whatever is on the screen a lot easier. On the down side, you are restricted to one angle- it would’ve been nice to have different levels of tilt.

The keyboard that is revealed under the screen is ok. The keys are a bit too flat for my liking but I can understand that this might be related more to the design of the handset. Also,  I’m not too sure about the location of the space bar on the right side instead of the middle.

Obviously, the Touch Screen is one of the most important aspects of the N97 and works very much like the Nokia 5800 which could be a good and a bad thing at the same time. Instead of talking about the touch screen, here is a small video that would explain things a lot better.

As you can see, the touch screen is responsive. In fact the phone, overall, is pretty fast although you will see it stutter once in a while which I feel is more of a software issue. Hardware-wise, you’d be hard pressed to find anything better than the N97. It has all the technology of a modern day handset and then some such as the FM receiver and transmitter. Battery life is also excellent on the N97- I could easily get more than a day out of it- almost two, which is more than most of the latest generation of Smartphones.

While the N97 scores high on hardware, what desperately needs addressing is the software. Frankly speaking, Symbian feels too dated compared to other handset O/S’es such as OS X on the iPhone or Android by Google. Even the Blackberry O/S feels more refreshed than Symbian. Yes it works and I do appreciate the few tweaks Nokia has done such as the home screen with widgets that gives you a nice overview, but at the end of the day, you feel like you’re using a phone from the last decade. I want my handset to not only work well but look good doing it.

Nokia needs to come up with a totally new version of Symbian that should look and act like its in the company of an iPhone, Andriod and Palm Pre. Its the old school vs. new school debate and seeing how much Nokia’s market share dipped over the last few quarters, I think a change is necessary.

Priced at AED 2,800, the N97 available at most of the leading stores in the UAE.

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