GoNabit to offer rewards for Visa cardholders

Press release:
Visa customers who purchase from the UAE’s leading group buying website GoNabit.com now get an even sweeter deal, with dedicated Visa Days designed to reward cardholder spend. Bringing even greater rewards to GoNabit shoppers, the partnership affirms both companies’ commitment to rewarding their customers, and growing e-commerce in the UAE. 

The second and fourth Thursday of each month are now designated Visa Days on GoNabit.  Shoppers who purchase a deal in Dubai or Abu Dhabi on these days using their Visa debit or credit card will receive exclusive offers and additional rewards, such as AED 30 in store credit to their GoNabit account or special two-for-one deals. Allowing shoppers to net even greater rewards on top of the guaranteed 50-90% discount that GoNabit deals already offer, this latest initiative is a boon for Visa cardholders in the UAE.

The partnership between the original group buying website in the region and the most preferred payment provider is a compelling proposition for online shoppers. “Visa Days brings another layer of rewards to our nabber community. Visa cardholders can now earn a sizeable amount of store credit in addition to the GoNabit REDpoints and referral credit available to all our shoppers. Our Visa partnership will also increase our nabber database as Visa cardholders will be attracted to not only our great deals but also the additional Visa Days benefits which are exclusively theirs,” said Dan Stuart, CEO and Co-founder of GoNabit.com

Maysara Ghadban Traboulsi, Head of Marketing Communications Middle East for Visa said: “We are always looking to create unique and rewarding experiences for Visa credit and Visa debit cardholders and are pleased with the addition of special Visa Days on GoNabit.com.  Giving Visa cardholders double the benefits when they shop on the site is a great way for us to reward people for using their Visa cards.”

With a shared objective to grow online shopping in the Middle East, GoNabit and Visa say their partnership is underscored by strong synergies between the two businesses. In addition to strengthening e-commerce in the region, both GoNabit and Visa are committed to online security, accelerating trust and acceptance of transacting online and giving back to their customers.

Demographically, GoNabit’s active and engaged user base is also an appealing audience for Visa. According to recent research carried out by GoNabit and YouGov Siraj, 38% of users polled have a monthly salary of $5,333 or more, demonstrating that GoNabit has significant traction among consumers with strong purchasing power.

The same research also highlighted that group buying has cemented its position as a catalyst for e-commerce in the Middle East – with 21% of registered GoNabit users polled stating that they made their first online purchase in the last month. Consumers’ propensity to spend online is increasing, with an overwhelming 93% indicating that they were positive towards e-commerce.

Ghadban Traboulsi added: “The concept of group buying, as experienced on GoNabit.com, has helped spark innovation in e-commerce in the region, and the choice and benefits it offers shoppers has a natural synergy with Visa.  As one of the world’s most preferred forms of online electronic payment, Visa is trusted by consumers worldwide when it comes to paying for goods and services online and has a proven track record of delivering rewarding, value added experiences for cardholders.”

“We look forward to extending the Visa Days offer into all our markets in the future and giving GoNabit shoppers throughout the region yet another reason to save and discover with us. Our partnership with Visa reinforces our role as pioneers of the group buying model in the Middle East – shoppers can expect to see us continue to innovate and lead the way in this space,” said Sohrab Jahanbani, COO and CO-founder, GoNabit.com.

The next Visa Day is Thursday 28 April 2011 – to find out more about Visa Days visit: http://www.gonabit.com/dubai/visaday

Windows 8 History Vault leaked

Following the leak of the newest build of Windows 8 (build 7955), more and more secret features have started to pour in. Yesterday, we had a look at the new on-screen keyboard and cursor effects. And today we have possibly the most awaited feature of the operating system: the History Vault.

If you are a Mac user, you already know what this is about. Much like Apple’s Time Machine, the History Vault allows users to restore edited or deleted items from a specific day in the past. As you can see from the picture above, a timeline is embedded at the bottom with a selection of files available for restore.

Microsoft’s newest operating system is billed for an early 2013 release.

Sony: Personal user information may have been compromised

Sony yesterday issued a statement regarding the ongoing PSN outage, confirming speculation that personal information such as credit card numbers and other details may have been compromised.

“We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19, 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network,” Sony said on the company’s blog.

Sony confirmed that an “unauthorized person” had gained access to information such as “name, address (city, state, zip), country, e-mail address, birth date, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID,” including “purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers.” More worryingly, Sony said it was uncertain if credit card information had been stolen.

“While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility,” the Sony spokesperson said. “If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained.”

Fortunately, Sony says that they now have a “clear path to have PlayStation Network and Qriocity systems back online and expect to restore some services within a week.” The company will be taking a three-pronged approach to the situation. The first was to bring down the Playstation Network to avoid any further attacks. Sony have also got a “recognized security firm” on board to “conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened.” Finally, the electronics giant said that it is currently taking steps to “enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by rebuilding our system.”

In separate statement, Sony clarified why it took so long for them find out if data had been compromised.

“We wanted to take this opportunity to clarify a point and answer one of the most frequently asked questions today.

“There’s a difference in timing between when we identified there was an intrusion and when we learned of consumers’ data being compromised. We learned there was an intrusion 19th April and subsequently shut the services down. We then brought in outside experts to help us learn how the intrusion occurred and to conduct an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. It was necessary to conduct several days of forensic analysis, and it took our experts until yesterday to understand the scope of the breach. We then shared that information with our consumers and announced it publicly yesterday evening.

“For those who were looking there’s also an FAQ with some more on frequently asked questions.

“Thank you for your continued patience and support.”

ViewSonic’s latest ViewPad 10s feature Tegra 2 dual-core chip

Press release:
Always at the forefront of the industry with its breakthrough technologies, USA-based ViewSonic announces the launch of its latest intelligent tablet PCs in the Middle East – the highly mobile ViewPad 7 and ViewPad 10s designed specifically for working professionals. Apart from the positive reviews from critics, not only does ViewSonic establish the Smart Pad milestone, it is the only 3C brand in the world that boasts the most complete tablet PC portfolio. Riding on this success, ViewSonic unveils the latest Tablet, ViewPad 10s, powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core 1GHz processor. Packed with powerful hardware features, the ViewPad 10s also supports high-resolution 1080p video and HDMI digital multimedia files, Flash 10.1 and internet TV/broadcast streaming etc. Being the first in the market to support such high-resolution audio-visual entertainment, it is your best companion to lead an exciting mobile multimedia lifestyle.

Smart Entertainment Tablet Powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual Core 1GHz Processor

The ViewSonic ViewPad 10s is amongst the first intelligent entertainment tablet PC powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 mobile processor, possessing the industry’s most powerful processing capability to give users faster and smoother web surfing experience, shorter response time, unparalleled gaming exhilaration and longer battery life. Only 14.35mm thick and weighing a light 730 grams, ViewSonic’s ViewPad 10s is ultra-slim and ultra-sleek. Despite its lightweight design, the ViewPad 10s comes embedded with HDMI, USB, Micro SD Card and SIM card ports, microphone, 3D speakers and 3.5mm audio output function. It is designed to give users the most complete and convenient mobile entertainment lifestyle.

Leading Tablet PC to Support High-Resolution 1080p Video Streaming and Flash Animation

The ViewSonic ViewPad 10s is powered by the latest Android 2.2 operating system, so users can access the Internet via Wi-Fi and 3G broadband wireless to enjoy applications such as Google Maps, Voice Search, Gmail, YouTube and other personal programs, social communications and mobile office software. The ViewPad 10s comes with a 1.3 mega-pixel front camera and users can use programs such as “fring” to enjoy unlimited 3G video conferencing services. The ViewPad 10s’ 10” LED backlight, multi-touch screen gives users smooth control and response experience. Users can enjoy high-resolution 1080p video streaming and flash animation anytime anywhere, plus access a wide suite of audio-visual media files, internet TV and broadcast programs.

Expanded Audio-visual Capabilities to Be Your One-Stop Entertainment Center, Providing Diverse, Convenient Mobile Entertainment Anytime Anywhere

Supporting the ViewSonic ViewPad 10s is an elegant stand that is also embedded with audio output, HDMI and USB ports. Users can recharge their tablet PCs directly on the stand, plus it becomes your gateway to a one-stop entertainment center. Turn it into your mobile TV display to enjoy movie and animation clips or play games on the tablet’s high-resolution screen. If you are working, it is the perfect micro PC for you to access the web. The tablet’s wide array of supporting ports makes it your perfect one-stop entertainment center where you can connect any 1080p TV, display screen, projector, audio equipment etc to give you and your loved ones large-screen, surround sound audio-visual entertainment. You can share any content stored in a wide array of storage devices, enhancing your lifestyle convenience and enjoyment!

Available in the Middle East from April 2011 through major retailers, the ViewSonic ViewPad 10s has a current retail price of AED 1599 for the only Wi-Fi model, and AED 1899 for the Wi-Fi and 3G model.

Roccat Kave 5.1 Headphones

A Desert Eagle isn’t worth its fancy name, if you don’t know where to aim. Imagine your advantage within the heat of the battle when you exactly hear where your opponents are before you can actually see them. Knowing the position of your enemy is half the frag. Realistic 3D surround sound makes you locate your opponents easily by the noise they generate. The desktop control enables you to adjust to situations quickly with sound and microphone mute buttons and volume control for different channels.

You can read our review here.

ASUS GTX 570 vs HD 6970: Two DirectCU Cards Head-to-head

It was some time ago that we first got the idea of making a comparative test of two cards that are in high demand among hardware enthusiasts. The chance arose when two almost identical cards got to our offices, courtesy of ASUS. Situations such as these, where you have the chance to compare graphics cards with entirely different GPUs under the same conditions, are rare to say in the least. Even if performance is comparable, cooling systems are usually not. Furthermore, every manufacturer has its own PCBs, layouts etc. However, this is one such situation, since ASUS provided us with cards from their DirectCU II series. We’ve already explained countless times how this series first got its name, so no need to repeat all the “theory” again. Suffice to say – an even-handed melee between Radeon HD 6970 and GeForce GTX 570. If this phrase is enough to get you going, you’re the proper audience for such a showdown, so sit back and enjoy the following lines…

http://www.insidehw.com/Reviews/Graphics-cards/ASUS-GTX-570-vs-HD-6970-Two-DirectCU-Cards-Head-to-head.html

Seagate Barracuda ST3500418AS 7200.12 SATA 3Gb/s 500GB Slim Hard Drive Review

“I’ve got another hard drive for review today; it’s another Seagate model 7200.12 but it’s a slim style drive, it’s only one inch thick. The drive runs quiet and cool and it’s a decent performer, it would be great for an HTPC, or anywhere a smaller drive is needed. ”

http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17055&Itemid=1

HTC Arrive: Sprint’s First WP7 Smartphone at HotHardware.com

Of the six smart phones on the market that run Microsoft’s latest phone OS, Windows Phone 7, HTC designed and manufactures three of them. It’s latest, and most expensive, is Sprint’s first-and currently only-WP7 option, the HTC Arrive and it arrived just last month.

That said, the HTC Arrive offers a combination of Microsoft’s latest and easily most impressive handset OS to date, along with a slide-out backlit keyboard and HTC’s unmistakable design quality. So there’s at least a bit of differentiation to the product to pique the interest of thumb-texters looking at a WP7-equipped device. Also, the Arrive we tested was running the updated version of Windows Phone 7, known as NoDo, with copy and paste capabilities at the ready. Journey on for our thoughts and impressions.

HTC Arrive: Sprint’s First WP7 Smartphone:
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/HTC-Arrive-Sprints-first-and-only-WP7-phone/

3R System L-900 V.REX F8 Case Review

“The L-900 V.REX F8 (“F8″ means that the case supports eight fans) is the latest addition to 3R System’s V.REX series of mid-tower cases. It is a basic entry-level case, with a very basic look and being the first model from this brand that we’ve reviewed that doesn’t come with a plastic piece on its top panel featuring fans, fan controllers, and USB ports.”

Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/3R-System-L-900-VREX-F8-Case-Review/1255

Gabriel Torres on Computer America Radio Show

“Folks, I will be interviewed at the Computer America radio show tomorrow, 04/27/2011, from 7 to 9 PM Pacific Time (10 PM to midnight, Eastern Time). Check their website to an affiliated radio in your city, or listen live on the Internet. I will be taking calls from listeners and I plan to talk about power supplies and other computer hardware components.”

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/blog/Gabriel-Torres-on-Computer-America-Radio-Show/201

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