ConeXware Powerarchiver 2006

Our Best Buy, this feature-packed compression utility provides solid compression and encryption options.

PowerArchiver 2006 provides everything you'd expect of a compression utility, and then some. This versatile app extracts a vast range of file formats, including essentials like .zip. It also extracts, though it won't burn, .iso, .nrg, .img, and .bin CD/DVD images (single large files that are an exact copy of what will appear on a disc).

PowerArchiver 2006 supports the 256-bit AES encryption that WinZip added with version 9 (you'll still need the password, of course). If security is paramount, PowerArchiver 2006 also includes AES-256, Blowfish-128, and Triple DES-128 encryption. Archives protected with the latter two methods are able to hide the names of files they contain; however, those archives also use PowerArchiver's own .pae file format, which can't be read by other programs.

While PowerArchiver 2006 creates a variety of archive types (.zip, bzip2, .tar, etc.), it uses the .7z file format at an "ultra" setting to achieve maximum compression. (The 7z format was originally developed for an open-source program called 7-Zip.) Though WinRAR 3.61 and free software such as ZipGenius 6 Standard Edition had no problem extracting .7z files, popular apps like WinZip 11 and StuffIt Standard 9.5 aren't yet able to.

Like every program we looked at, PowerArchiver 2006 can create multiple-volume .zip and .7z archives (split into multiple files of user-definable size).

PowerArchiver 2006 also offers some excellent extra features, including an easy-to-use automated file backup wizard and the ability to upload backups to an FTP server, all without leaving the program.

The program is a pleasure to work with, enabling you to complete tasks swiftly and easily. Like most compression utilities, PowerArchiver 2006 integrates with Windows Explorer's right-click context menu, and you're able to define what options/commands appear (such as one-click compress-and-e-mail). Also, the program's main toolbar interface supports skins--you can download one from a big selection at ConeXware's site.

At $20 (as of 12/6/06), PowerArchiver 2006 offers more features than the respective $30, $29, and $25 entry-level versions of WinZip, WinRAR, and StuffIt. It's definitely an attractive option if you're looking for an archive tool that includes automated backup/FTP capabilities.

Kaspersky Lab Kaspersky Internet Security 2009

If Kaspersky wants to charge the highest price, its security suite should have the best protection and a smooth, intuitive interface. It doesn't.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 was the most expensive security package we tested for "Paying for Protection," our 2009 roundup of nine security suites ($80 for three users as of 12/23/08). That cost might be justified if the package delivered top-notch performance and a smooth user experience--but it doesn't. Its overall malware-detection rate was below average, and the suite proved aggravating to use in several different scenarios.

In key detection tests, Kaspersky's suite picked out 95.6 percent of the samples in AV-Test.org's zoo of 654,914 pieces of malware. While that wasn't a terrible showing, most other suites we tested did better, with the top tier reaching around 99 percent. Kaspersky's performance made it sixth in this crucial category.

The suite did somewhat better in tests that measure how well security apps identify new malware. Kaspersky pulled in at fourth place, both in heuristic tests that used two-week-old signature files (with a 52 percent success rate), and in a test of the ability to warn about some aspect of a malware infection based solely on its behavior (60 percent). (Among the nine tested suites, the top scores for heuristic tests came in at 55.3 percent, while the best behavioral result was 80 percent.)

Kaspersky says it rewrote its core antivirus engine this year to produce a boost in scan speed, but both the Avira security suite and the Panda security suite beat it in on-access scan speed tests, which determine how quickly a suite can scan a file when your PC opens or accesses it. Only the Symantec Norton package topped Kaspersky for on-demand scans, which you kick off manually or set as a scheduled task.

This Russian-made suite proved better at adware blocking than it did at blocking more harmful malicious software, and its 98.1 percent detection rate earned it a third-place rank in the adware-detection category. But to realize that kind of performance, you may have to dig into the program and change some settings.

During our tests using default settings, Kaspersky was the only suite of the group that didn't block or warn us when we attempted to download a screen saver from Zango that contains well-known adware most people wouldn't want on their PCs. After asking Kaspersky, we discovered that to block it we would have had to enable checking for ‘other' adware, which isn't on by default. But it should be.

Other aspects of the suite could use a tweak, as well. When you enable parental controls, it sets every Windows user account--including yours--to use the ‘child' filter by default. And figuring out how to change that isn't intuitive by any means.

Also unintuitive is the Security Analyzer. For example, under the ‘Strongly recommended actions' heading, it displayed ‘Autorun from hard drives is allowed.' No other information described what that meant, or what changing the setting might do to your PC.

We give Kaspersky credit for attempting to use information from Secunia, a partner security company, to identify unsafe system settings, as well as software and operating system patches whose absence can create major security holes. After all, one of the best ways to keep your PC safe is to close holes and never allow malware to access your machine in the first place. But the Analyzer will leave you scratching your head with its system recommendations.

You'll also feel less than informed when you encounter program options such as ‘limit fragment buffering time', with a help description of ‘used to impose a restriction on the web object caching time'. Sure, most people wouldn't bother digging in to find such an option, let alone consider changing it--but if you do, good luck.

Kaspersky's suite includes an antispam feature that integrates with e-mail clients such as Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, and The Bat. But it doesn't have any options for backups.

Despite an attractive program interface, in the end Kaspersky's package comes across as somewhat unfinished: It needs better default settings and much better descriptions and help, and it could also use improved malware detection. Factor in the steep price, and Kaspersky's suite has little left that distinguishes it from competitors.

Verizon expands protection service for cloud users

Verizon expands protection service for cloud users

Denial of service mitigation and detection for a monthly fee

By Matt Hamblen, Computerworld

Verizon Business has announced a global expansion of its WAN-based service to detect and defend against denial-of-service attacks.

DoS attacks have been around for years but are on the rise with backing from organised groups, including intelligence agencies inside smaller nations that use the attacks as a form of cyber-terrorism against their enemies, Verizon officials and analysts said.

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications, said it has added a detection component to its DoS Defence service for mitigating DoS attacks. DoS Defense has been available for more than four years and is in use in 22 countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

In addition to already offering mitigation services in the US, Verizon today began offering both mitigation and detection of denial-of-service in Canada as well.

The monthly price for the service is $5,500 (£3,700) for both mitigation and detection. No customer on-premises equipment is required, since all the detection and mitigation is managed in the cloud over the Verizon IP network backbone and with several Verizon security centers, including three in the US, said Jonathan Nguyen-Duy, Verizon's director of product management for DoS Defense.

The detection component of DoS Defense works by scanning Internet traffic flow for suspicious activity, while the mitigation component diverts malicious traffic away from a customer's network, Nguyen-Duy said.

The detection function enables a customer to spot an attack early to allow quick mitigation, before the attack can hinder communications, he said. With mitigation, malicious traffic is diverted to Verizon's security centres where the data is scrubbed before being returned to the customer.

Bernt Ostergaard, a Copenhagen-based Current Analysis analyst, said Verizon is expanding its previous defence service in this offering by guaranteeing customers that it will stop a DoS attack within 15 minutes of an alert.

"Verizon is monitoring your websites and knows your traffic, and if they see trouble they shoot a message to the IT manager responsible and tell them they are seeing a rise in packets directed to a site," he said.

The service does not provide an automatic web defence, which might be undesirable for some companies. For example, a sudden surge of traffic to a retail website might be explained because the company has a special sale going on, Ostergaard said.

Ostergaard said Verizon already has thousands of DoS Defense customers and is one of the largest carriers offering such a service. AT&T's defense service has more customers, but Verizon is able to reach into more Asian countries than AT&T, he said, and it provides a superior interface for tracking alerts and problems.
"[Verizon has] near-real-time graphics and alerts in a format that's understandable," he said.

Ostergaard said that while the Verizon announcement is an "important step" in the battle against denial-of-service attacks, he said customers might still want to have internal defenses and not rely solely on Verizon to handle it in the cloud. In fact, some customers will want both the WAN service from Verizon and their own internal defences, he said.

"I don't know how efficient it is to do DoS defenses in the WAN," Ostergaard said. "All the carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and Orange, are moving their DoS detection and mitigation into the cloud, and their argument is that they can control this environment and have server farms where they can filter and data-scrub and pass through the good traffic so customers have a minimal delay."

But, Ostergaard added, "it sounds like a good idea, but my problem is that I'm not seeing anybody who has got prime examples of DoS mitigation in the cloud actually working. Overall, I'm not sure I'd trust these guys without defenses of my own."

Review: Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2009

Trend Micro's Internet Security Pro 2009, launched in October, can be used on up to three desktop systems to protect against a variety of malware and security threats.

The original basis of the package was the old PC-cillin anti-virus scanner but, as with all desktop security packages, extra features have been added as the threat landscape has changed.

Support is limited to desktop Windows systems, 32/64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate, Vista Business, Home Premium and Home Basic (all with Service Pack 1), Windows XP (32-bit) Home/Professional Edition (with Service Pack 2) and Windows XP Media Center/Tablet PC 2005 Editions (with Service Pack 2).

The main security features in the package are anti-virus and anti-spyware functions, personal firewall, spam email filter, parental controls, data theft prevention, and phishing/pharming protection.

The Pro version also has an activity dashboard giving a summary of the security threats found, and access to the logs created when Pro 2009 has performed a scan. There's also a password-protected vault for storing confidential documents in case the computer is lost or stolen.

Another extra feature is a system tuner which checks hard disks for recoverable space, finds unused entries in the system registry, checks programs that load up automatically when the system starts, and lists tracking cookies and web site addresses found in the browser.

The other two extra features are the ability to protect selected mobile phones by installing an agent on the handset, and a toolbar which can be installed on your browser that rates web site safety and can be used to check the reputation of any available wireless networks, perform keystroke encryption and rate instant messaging and webmail security risks.

We installed the package on three systems, the first being a Sony Vaio VGN-BZ11MN notebook which had an Intel Core 2 Duo P4800 2.26GHz processor with 2Gb of 800MHz system memory running under Vista Business.

A full system scan on this system took 66 minutes and checked 223497 'targets', although users should flush the internet cache, defrag the hard drive and remove any temporary files before running anti-virus scans. Checking a separate Windows 7 partition gave a time of 15 minutes to check 99,500 targets.

Installation on all three systems took around 10 minutes, after which we updated the package with the latest threat signatures and ran full scans on all systems. On the Sony notebook, Pro 2009 picked up the fact that we hadn't applied patches to the Office Professional 2007 suite we had installed, but nothing else apart from several cookies.

Although support is limited to desktop Windows systems, users can check system drives on shut down server operating systems by sharing the root system drive and pointing the scan at that drive.

We also installed Pro 2009 on a dual-boot test server running Windows XP on one partition and Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition on another partition. We knew the server to be infected with malware, and Pro 2009 picked it up and quarantined it correctly.

We could look through the security logs produced when Pro 2009 performed a scan to see details on the malware, but it seems that a log was produced only when malware was actually found. We would prefer to see timestamps corresponding to when the scan started and finished, as well as how many system memory items and files were checked.

One really irritating feature on some anti-malware packages is that the feature window cannot be expanded to full size, and this is the case with Pro 2009. The user interface, as with most security packages, needs to be investigated fully to make sure there are no default options which could actually decrease the security of your system.

We found one of these in the custom scan settings under the 'What kinds of files do you want to scan?' option. The default option is set to 'Only files likely to pose a risk', but users should really be setting this to 'All kinds of files', unless they're sure that someone out there is not working on hiding malware in 'files not likely to pose a risk'.

The firewall can be customised up to a point, but users cannot block specific ports and protocols, although whether this level of usability should be provided in security packages of this type is a moot point.

The system can be password-protected against unauthorised changes to the settings. It was also easy to log on to the TrendSecure web site and manage which systems we wanted to protect with Pro 2009, so if users replace a computer it's easy to install Pro 2009 on the new one and deactivate the licence on the older system.

Overall Pro 2009 is an impressive package, but with several niggles. One problem with evaluating these packages is that there are very few independent facilities that can fully test anti-malware products. One such facility is AV-Test.org, whose most recent test results indicate that Pro 2009 does not offer better protection than competing systems.

Shrapnel Games - Brainpipe

Shrapnel Games - Brainpipe review

• Games reviews
• > Miscellaneous games reviews
• > Shrapnel Games Brainpipe

psychedelic journey into the brain (22/01/2009)

What's in your brain? It runs mostly on oil and water, rather like a car. But with no petrol. Or metal. Or windows. And you don't sit in it. Although in Brainpipe, you kind of do sit in it. Well, you fly down the neural pathways in some sort of abstract vehicle, at any rate.

Brainpipe is an indie developed arcade game with a psychedelic twist. You steer your craft via a first-person view through twisting and turning tunnels, which are littered with a variety of obstacles. Naturally these need to be dodged, while glowing glyphs have to be collected for extra points. The sole control, apart from steering, is the left mouse button which applies the brakes.

It's not quite as easy as it sounds, because as you progress through the ten levels, the base velocity of your craft slowly increases and the number of obstacles is upped as well. Hit too many and you'll quickly lose health and perish, with only the one life on hand. Also, the brakes can only be applied temporarily, as after a second or two they lose traction and it's necessary to wait a little while for them to recharge.

The trippiness of the game is its central feature and, while it's definitely alluring, naturally it makes navigation trickier. When there are a load of wire frame hexagonal holes to steer through, which all mesh together into the distance and are surrounded by a purple and green swirling pattern on the outside of the tunnel, accompanied by sixteen incoming flashing blobs... it can be quite tough.

Brainpipe's psychedelic nature isn't only confined to shifting neon patterns; it's also integrated into the sound, which is actually our favourite part of the game. There are chattering voices, exclamations from hippies ("Pull the chain on your head, man, and flush your mind"), bleeping from old arcade games, bits of radio broadcasts, opera singers and a noise that's suspiciously akin to the Tardis arriving. Every time you brake, the soundtrack is slowed down as well, like a 45rpm record being turned down to 33. The resultant cacophony of altered state sonics is music to very warped ears.

Brainpipe becomes less difficult when you suss out how to use the brakes and best avoid the various obstacles. The brakes should be applied in gradual blips, and you should only hit them hard in total emergencies. Rather unimaginatively, the same obstacles keep repeating themselves over and over again throughout the ten levels. It would have been nice to see some new ones cropping up in the later stages.

But beating it is only half the point. Brainpipe is about experiencing the surreal world as much as finishing the last level. There's no doubting that the psychedelic vibe is cleverly pulled off, particularly on the sonic front, but it won't keep you entertained for long. As an indie game it's fairly cheap, but even so we're not convinced we'd be happy parting with the asking price for what's on offer.

Edifier - MP300 Plus

Edifier - MP300 Plus review

• Hardware reviews
• > Sound card and speaker reviews
• > Edifier MP300 Plus

2.1 portable audio system with aluminium sub-woofer (22/01/2009)

If you've ever cursed the sound quality of your laptop speakers, or wished you could listen to your MP3 player without your headphones and get a decent, punchy noise, then read on.

At just under £50 this small but stylish audio system comes complete with a portable tube sub-woofer to give you a detailed bass sound, specifically designed to handle output from notebooks, PCs, MP3 players and other digital hardware.

Made up of three different elements, the Edifier MP300 Plus couldn't be easier to set up. First, there's the subwoofer (powered up through the mains adapter) that measures 28cm in length and wouldn't look out of place on a desk.

On the back of this device there's an adapter to plug in the speakers (referred to by Edifier as satellites) and the all important ‘Line In' feeding sound from your laptop or MP3 player. The two spherical speakers themselves are no bigger than the palm of your hand and can be positioned 14 inches either side of the sub-woofer.

The gadget is packed with thoughtful attention, as not only does it come bundled with two ‘Line In' audio cables (one longer than the other) but it's also beautifully presented in its own, classy, hardback case. Each element of the audio system fits snugly in its own section, meaning that you can carry it around with the confidence that it's not going to get accidentally knocked or scratched.

Unfortunately it's not possible to tilt the satellite speakers upwards, meaning that you only have the flexibility to move them from left to right, but nevertheless, even with the speakers pointed forwards it's possible to get a full-range, well-rounded sound out of them.

Edifier has been promoting the MP300 Plus as being a perfect portable audio system for business users who need good quality sound for their notebook presentations. But with such a crisp, clear sound and a pretty powerful bass for such a small subwoofer, this would also be ideal for watching movies on your laptop, or you could even plug in a portable DVD player.

Simplicity being the main attraction, you won't find any controls to adjust the sound dynamic, so don't expect to be able to tweak the level of bass or the balance. However, two small buttons on top of one of the satellite speakers can be used to raise or lower the volume.

Sound quality is impressive for such a portable device. The bass is punchy without being overbearing and there's no evidence of any distortion when listening at full volume. Midtones are also pleasingly clear, with good, even tonal balance.

Interestingly, Edifier makes a note that the loudspeaker driver used in the subwoofer changes characteristics over the first two weeks. This is because the cone inside loosens a little with regular use, so there's a fair chance that the sound quality will get even better over time.

So Protect Me - Blocker

So Protect Me - Blocker review

• Software reviews
• > Security software reviews
• > So Protect Me Blocker

safeguard your computer and credit card against unauthorised usage (23/01/2009)

If you use a computer in the home that's shared by more than one person, be they children, flat-mates or lodgers, you may well be concerned about how it is being used. So Protect Me Blocker addresses these issues and, among other things, protects financial information such as credit card details by restricting access.

During installation you're required to answer a series of security questions; 13 in total, covering everything from your mother's maiden name to your eye colour. We're not quite sure why this much information is required, merely to verify your authority later on, but you are allowed to skip a maximum of five questions if you're not comfortable entering this many details.

After a username and password have been added to prevent unauthorised use of the software, you can add credit cards to a 'protected' list before the main interface appears. The idea of this is that any cards that are added may be used provided the correct password is entered; any cards that aren't on the list are automatically blocked.

To protect against sites that store your payment information to help speed up purchases, such as Amazon or eBay, the software is also capable of 'challenging' access to websites, which again requires password entry to proceed. This has the added advantage of allowing you to control access to sites in general, which will obviously be useful to prevent minors from accessing unsuitable content. In addition there is similar control over applications which could, for example, be used to restrict access to casino software, instant messaging or inappropriate games.

All of this is controlled using a list that is customisable through the software, allowing you to switch between 'blocked', 'allowed', 'challenge', or time-specific access that restricts use to specific time periods. This could be used to prevent children playing games for too long or using the computer after a certain hour.

Additional websites and applications can be added to the lists provided, and you'll find that some include age ratings which can be used to prevent access based on a usage age configured from within the software.

For quick adjustments there are options here to deactivate all protection so that you can use the computer without being questioned or invoke a 'zero tolerance' policy, which blocks all payment cards and websites/applications marked as 'challenged' or 'blocked'.

Finally, the Blocker Use Log reports any activity with details of the date, time and description of sites and software that have been authorised, or if an attempt to access them has failed.

So Protect Me Blocker is actually a pretty simple package but don't be put off by the rather bland interface. It has been well designed and is far-reaching enough to offer access protection over just about every aspect of your computer. The only real criticism we have is that there are no additional features, such as form-filling or password management, that would have tied in nicely here as a more comprehensive suite.

F-Secure - Internet Security 2009

F-Secure - Internet Security 2009 review

• Software reviews
• > Security software reviews
• > F-Secure Internet Security 2009

online defence for your PC (26/01/2009)

A good, safe sounding name is imperative for your net security suite. If you called it Leakmaster Infest Security 2009, odds are you wouldn't sell many copies. F-Secure, on the other hand, sounds ultra-safe and capable. We don't know what the 'F' stands for, but we could hazard a pretty inaccurate guess.

F-Secure Internet Security 2009 installs without fuss, and sets itself up with the standard tabbed main interface and taskbar icon with quick links to the most common tasks such as running a virus scan. From the front end you can swiftly change the security level of the two main protective pillars, the virus scanner and Internet shield (from low, medium to high or a customised setting for advanced users).

The virus and spyware arm of the suite scans in real-time, keeps an eye on incoming and outgoing email, and can be scheduled to scan at set intervals. All the usual stuff, really. As always when reviewing a security product, our first step was to run a test scan of the hard drive. F-Secure acquitted itself admirably in the speed stakes, checking over our data-packed test drive in a time of one hour and fifteen minutes. For comparison we ran a scan with AVG which took an hour and forty minutes.

The suite's virus definitions benefit from F-Secure's DeepGuard technology. This means that when a new threat is detected by the program on any machine anywhere in the world, it's immediately sent to the central labs, and the company reckons that it can respond with updates to counter the outbreak within sixty seconds. Which is almost unbelievably impressive.

Internet Security 2009's system footprint is reasonably low, too, although during a scan our memory usage utility did detect a fair bit of strain being put on the system at times. However, these were sporadic spikes rather than constant sluggishness.

The Internet shield module includes a firewall, network intrusion prevention, application monitoring and a dial-up monitor that prevents malicious dialer programs from operating. Rounding this off is a spam filter, so it's a pretty standard package of security measures.

Parental control features are offered as an optional extra upon installation. This lets the user set up three different profiles if required - one for normal use, one for teenagers and one very restrictive for younger children - and these limit the bounds of Internet browsing and chat appropriately. Time periods for web browsing can also be specified so your kids are only allowed to go online when you want them to.

F-Secure - Internet Security 2009 features - Verdict

This is a fairly standard protection suite in terms of its content, but it's certainly a well executed package. We particularly liked the scanning speed and the DeepGuard near-instant response to virus outbreaks. The parental controls are a useful extra, too.

Logic3 - i-Station25

Logic3 - i-Station25 review

• Hardware reviews
• > Sound card and speaker reviews
• > Logic3 i-Station25

iPod video-dock with an intriguing twist (26/01/2009)

The Logic3 i-Station25 is yet another stab at the iPod dock market, but don't switch off just yet because this particular speaker has a few tricks up its sleeve to make the most of Apple's newer devices, like the iPhone and iPod Touch.

It wraps four full-range speakers into a two-channel arrangement with 4W of output per channel, and features a tidy if rather bland design that houses your iPod at the front between the speakers. We were quite impressed by the solid feel and particularly by the spring-loaded clips that hold an iPod or iPhone snugly in position. This is a much better system than providing a range of docking adaptors and something we'd like to see more of in the future, but there's an ulterior motive behind this design.

The headline feature of the i-Station25 comes in the form of a built-in accelerometer. This is the same technology used by the iPhone and Touch to rotate the display to landscape mode if you flip it onto its side, which is a far more comfortable way to view widescreen video. The purpose of this within the dock is to change the stereo speaker positioning, so when flipped it'll output the left/right channels from what were previously the top and bottom speakers, depending on which side you rest it.

This seems to work well and there's an LED atop the device that lets you know the change of angle has been detected. There's also a power LED that dims or flashes when the device enters standby and sleep modes after being idle, which in these environmentally conscious times is a welcome addition.

Volume and power buttons are the only controls on-board but you'll find a lot more on the supplied remote control, which is surprisingly responsive based on past experience with these sorts of devices. Here you'll be able to adjust volume, bass and treble from afar, as well as browse the iPod's menu (provided you're close enough to see the screen) to select media and skip back and forth through tracks.

There's also a 'video output' button here, which remotely enables the iPod's TV-out mode. A composite video-out port at the back of the speaker means you can connect it to a TV with the appropriate cable to view any clips you have stored on the player on a big screen. This again works nicely, though bear in mind that the low resolution of iPod-encoded video means it's not going to look great on a large TV. The only qualm we have here is that you can't output audio through the TV speakers, so must do so through the i-Station25.

This brings us to the all-important sound quality, and we found it to be a bit of a mixed bag. When listening to music at a reasonable volume we were actually quite impressed; the device offers clean mid-range and high tones and distinctive, though not overly punchy, bass. Dial things up high, though, and audio does deteriorate, particularly if bass is a priority, and things become a lot more convoluted and far less enjoyable. The moral of the story here is that it's not a 'party device', or something you'd expect to fill a large room, but since this isn't Logic3's intent we're inclined to be lenient.

Finally, an auxiliary line-in port at the back will allow you to plug in any other portable audio device using the adaptor cable supplied.

Logic3 - i-Station25 features - Verdict

Overall we were fairly pleased by the performance of the i-Station25, which has one up on many other docks by offering complete control of your player through a decent remote, and makes good use of the ability to switch orientation for viewing video. Sound quality could be better, but will be adequate for most, and the solid build and snug fit for your player is reassuring. If you're after a tidy, portable way to get the most from the video capabilities of Apple's new devices, the i-Station25 is certainly worth a look.

BenQ - V2400W

BenQ - V2400W review

• Hardware reviews
• > Monitor and projector reviews
• > BenQ V2400W

stylish, ultra-thin 24-inch widescreen monitor (26/01/2009)

BenQ has been steadily building a reliable reputation for multifunction monitors that suit a variety of sources, but until recently hasn't given much research and development time to pushing back the style boundaries.

However, that changes with the 24-inch widescreen V2400W HD monitor which is currently basking in art-world glory after winning both the iF Design Award and the Red Dot Design Award. You can see why when you lift it out of the box, as it comes with a slinky silver base stand firmly attached to a wafer-thin, jet black bezel surround.

BenQ heralds this as the world's thinnest 24-inch monitor, measuring approximately 6cm at its thickest point. The base (which is, contrary to appearance, made of toughened plastic) has a deliberately asymmetrically positioned mounting arm and there's a matching silver surround outside the bezel that ends with large, prominently displayed controls set into the bottom left of the screen. They are touch-sensitive, beep when activated and are backlit by striking blue LEDs so you can find them in the dark.

Round the back you'll discover VGA, DVI and HDMI ports as well as an earphone jack for the HDMI feed. There are no external speakers and, while the display can be tilted 20 degrees up and 5 degrees down, there's neither a pivot facility nor any possibility of height adjustment. It would also have been a courtesy to have included a DVI cable as well as the basic VGA one, now that most of us are in the digital age.

As you'd expect, the maximum resolution is 1920 x 1200, with the Picture Modes offering Standard, Movie, Dynamics, Photo and sRGB configurations as well as an Auto mode. Dynamics is best for playing computer games, where you can make the most of the top 2ms response time (using BenQ's own Advanced Motion Acceleration) to race through Call of Duty deathmatches without blurring or ghosting.

A separate aspect ratio menu allows you to select from Fill, 1:1 direct pixel mapping and Aspect. We did find the touch-screen controls to be very sensitive, though, so you may find yourself whizzing through the menu options quicker than you expected

The matte screen avoids the obvious glare problems of the glossy alternatives (you have 250cd/rm brightness to play with) but the viewing-angle performance deteriorates long before you get to the 160 degree optimum suggested by BenQ, so it's wise to keep the screen as straight on as possible.

While picture sharpness and colour vividness were particularly good when playing back Blu-ray movies via the HDMI input, there's less clear definition on shades of grey and black on photos.

Paragon Software Group - Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite

Paragon Software Group - Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite

* Software reviews
* > System utility and disk tool reviews
* > Paragon Software Group Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite

hard drive and backup manager (09/01/2009)
Paragon Software Group Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite Screenshot

There are generally two types of disk management program: those that copy and restore disk images for backup and security, and those which can re-partition disks so you can create and resize logical drives on them. Paragon's Hard Disk Manager handles both operations in a single package.

The 2009 Suite includes a small front-end menu which breaks down its functions into backup and restore, maintenance, rescue and recovery, wiping and 'advanced', the latter accessing the Hard Disk Manager itself. There's a lot of Wizard support within the program, so many of the regular functions, such as partition management, backup of disks and files and copying, are easy for anybody to use. If you want to work at a more detailed level, the Hard Disk Manager offers most of the extras you could want.

The main Hard Disk Manager runs under Windows, but this is really just to set up tasks. Once you've established what you want to do, most of the work is done without Windows running, as the software resets and uses a small Linux runtime to support itself. This is slightly old-fashioned, particularly when functions like file defragmentation are often run directly under Windows by rival applications.

New features of Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite include file-level as well as partition and disk backup and the ability to exclude selected files and folders from a backup image. You can build a rescue image on a USB drive, as well as on CD or DVD, and there's support for Blu-ray discs, too.

There's improved support for solving problems with Master Boot Record (MBR) and Boot Configuration Data (BCD) errors and much better support for Vista. The program now handles 64-bit as well as 32-bit Vista and claims to be able to restore a Vista disk image to completely different hardware.

Unlike a previous version of Hard Disk Manager, which claimed we had used 2048GB of an 80GB hard drive, the 2009 Suite has its act together and correctly reports space used and available.

There are still some anomalies, though. When defragmenting a drive - which incidentally has no reassuring progress display showing storage units being shuffled around - the program reports the time left and the time used identically all the way through the process. This doesn't affect the outcome of the defragmentation, but as we've said before, a program which can make fundamental changes to your drives needs to maintain a high level of confidence. Errors like this don't help.
Paragon Software Group - Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite features - Verdict

The idea of one program which performs all your hard drive, partition and file management tasks is an appealing one. Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite does most of this on most systems, though it can't split an existing partition, nor work with partitions on Windows Dynamic disks. There are plenty of things it can do, though, and overall it's good value at the price, though niggling errors remain.

LaCie - Ethernet Disk Mini

LaCie - Ethernet Disk Mini

With the increasing use of digital media in the home, and with families often having more than one PC, the idea of having all your photos, music and videos centralised is appealing. Running a whole PC to act as a server can be overkill and certainly uses more power than is necessary. With this in mind, LaCie has introduced the Ethernet Disk Mini, to handle multimedia, backup and drive imaging.

The paperback-sized, cast metal case houses a 500GB hard drive and the necessary drive electronics so it can be set up as a standalone network device, not tied to any particular PC. Simply cable it to a spare router port and plug in its power supply (untidily supplied as a separate black box) and the hardware installation is complete.

The software installation isn't quite as straightforward, as you're forced to register the device with the LaCie website and assign both username and password to it. You then have to go through and pick up an IP address from the DHCP server in your router. This worked without incident using our review sample and, with the software installed, you're ready to go.

The first thing you might want to do is mirror the important folders, such as My Documents, from each PC on your network. Software is provided for this and when you look at the drive itself you'll see folders personal to each machine, as well as those marked FamilyVideos, FamilyMusic, FamilyPhotos and FamilyDocuments. This is where you put material you want to share with anybody on the network. If you run the device with Windows Media Player, you can rip to the drive and play back media to any machine on the network.

The device supports Gigabit Ethernet, but even on a Fast Ethernet link running at 100Mbps, you can run several video or audio streams simultaneously. In addition, you can set up real-time backup to copy all new files from relevant folders on each PC, say, every five minutes. There's little reason to ever again lose files you've spent time creating.

The reason the installation software demands you register on LaCie's site is that it gives you direct access to your Ethernet Disk Mini from any PC, anywhere, as long as you can remember your username and password. Because the drive is a functioning network device in its own right, you can get to it and copy or save files across an Internet link.

LaCie - Ethernet Disk Mini features - Verdict

This high-capacity, solidly-made, quick device does all that most people at home would want of a network server, even though it's only billed as a disk drive. It backs up and mirrors data with a built-in scheduler and serves photos, music and video. It also provides remote access to files through a secure Web connection. Great value.

LaCie - Ethernet Disk Mini price

Buy LaCie Ethernet Disk Mini securely online at a bargain price

£140 inc. VAT

LaCie: 020 7017 0040

The World's First Hybrid Storage Netbook- MSI U115 Hybrid

The World's First Hybrid Storage Netbook- MSI U115 Hybrid
Author: Hrvoje Jakovac
Date: 30 Dec 2008 MSI today announces U115 Hybrid. The very first notebook computer in the world that is capable of operating both SSD and HDD hard drives simultaneously, combining all the features of SSD and HDD in the U115 Hybrid for your enjoyment.With MSI Exclusive Hybrid Storage Technology, in the "ECO on" mode, the battery life of U115 Hybrid is super long *. This amazing battery life can escalate the mobility and the productiveness of the U115 Hybrid, which can also make your daily lives much more convenient.

To Freely Operate
- The World's First Hybrid Storage Netbook
The U115 Hybrid is equipped with MSI's Exclusive Hybrid Storage Technology; the very first notebook computer in the world that is capable of operating both SSD and HDD hard drives simultaneously, combining all the features of SSD and HDD in the U115 Hybrid for your enjoyment.

The U115 Hybrid functions primarily with the SSD system, offering a reliable, shock-absorbent, and speedy operating environment. You have the option of choosing the SSD system while operating with Windows, and selecting the HDD hard drive for file storage. The SSD system if much faster than HDD when retrieving files and it takes up less power. It is also much more shock-absorbent while riding on the train or the MRT.

Furthermore, because of the MSI Exclusive Hybrid Storage Technology, the U115 Hybrid will temporarily disconnect the HDD system while operating in "ECO on Mode". Retrieving and storing files will all be done with the SSD system, the battery life of U115 Hybrid is super long.* The HDD system can also be activated with a few simple functions for the large storage space.


- New Intel® Menlow Platform with Atom™ Processor
It's easy to bring the Internet to more places with the Intel® Menlow Platform with Atom™ Processor. Maximize your U115 Hybrid’s potential by staying connected whether you’re watching a movie at home, emailing from a café or chatting on a social networking site while on vacation. Also, you’ll be able to stream video and enjoy all your favorite online entertainment.

On the other hand, the power-efficient design enables extended battery life so you can keep on surfing, blogging, listening to music, watching video and communicating with the world as you move through your day.

- Big-Size Keyboard and Touch Pad
MSI has the same persistence for proper ergonomically design even on the keyboards of our smaller notebook computers. The keyboard of the U115 Hybrid not only has great texture, it also increased the space between the keys to 17.5mm, allowing you to be as comfortable as you can. Plus, the ingeniously designed spacebar and touchpad allow your fingers to move smoothly while avoiding strain.

To Freely Watch
- 10" Wide LCD Display
The U115 Hybrid has selected a 10" wide LCD display as oppose to the typical smaller sizes to provide better comfort while viewing or reading. In addition, the 1024x 600 resolution can relief concerns of the full display of WebPages while browsing, giving you the freedom when exploring the internet.

- The Latest in LED Power-Saving Backlight Technology
The U115 Hybrid is embedded with the LED power-saving backlight technology in providing better fullness and brightness in color, elevating the total quality of imagery. Furthermore, the lower usage of power can offer a longer operating time.

To Freely Go
- Lightness in Design
The frame is approximately 26 centimeters in length and 18 centimeters in width. It is only 19-31.5 mm in thickness making it extremely thin. The total weight added with the battery is about 1 kilogram, making the U115 Hybrid very ideal for taking it on the go.

To Freely Play
- Super Long Lasting Battery Life*
With MSI Exclusive Hybrid Storage Technology, in the "ECO on" mode, the battery life of U115 Hybrid is super long. This amazing battery life can escalate the mobility and the productiveness of the U115 Hybrid, which can also make your daily lives much more convenient.


- The Excitement of Instant Communication
Equipped with high resolution webcam, high-performance 2 channel stereo speakers and microphone, all fitted perfectly within the framework design, expressing the slickness of technology and the elegance of modern fashion. Web-chats can be broadcasted instantly not missing one exciting moment. The photos taken is very sharp in resolution and brilliant in colors, capturing precise imagery both indoor or out, adding more fun to instant messaging.

- Wireless Internet Connection
The U115 Hybrid has the 802.11 b/g/n wireless all region internet connection and Bluetooth transmission interface, so you can enjoy the convenience of accessing the internet at home or out. There will be absolutely no obstacles getting around your daily life.

- Comprehensive Multi-Media Application Interface
U115 Hybrid offers a complete entertainment interface, which includes the 4 in 1 Card Reader (XD/SD/MMC/Memory Stick), so it may meet the standards of the mainstream memory cards, making it easy to upload digital files into the notebook computer. Our focus was on the common products in the market, such as PDA's, digital cameras, digital video cameras, digital MP3 Players, Global GPS Systems and such, also connecting to the U115 Hybrid through USB 2.0 Port. An external DVD burner may be added (optional) to play and burn important files at will.

Mungkin Nanti

saatnya ku berkata
mungkin yang terakhir kalinya
sudahlah lepaskan semua
ku yakin inilah waktunya
mungkin saja kau bukan yang dulu lagi
mungkin saja rasa itu telah pergi
dan mungkin bila nanti
kita kan bertemu lagi
satu pintaku jangan kau coba tanyakan kembali
rasa yang ku tinggal mati
seperti hari kemarin
saat semua di sini
dan bila hatimu termenung
menghindari mimpi-mimpimu
membuka hatimu yang dulu
cerita saat masa lalu
tak usah kau tanyakan lagi
cinta untukmu sendiri
semua sesal yang kau cari
semua rasa yang kau beri

Pinnacle PCTV™ nanoStick

Pinnacle PCTV nanoStick is a gem of a USB DVB-T tuner. It picks up digital TV even if the signal is weak, thanks to its ultra-sensitive reception technology. The incredibly nano-size design makes it the perfect match for today’s thin laptops and compact desktops. The included easy to use Pinnacle TVCenter Pro software lets you watch, TimeShift and record TV. You can enjoy TV in full-screen mode or in a scaleable window while using other applications. PCTV nanoStick is even ready for new terrestrial HDTV service*. PCTV nanoStick comes with a mini remote and antenna, and is Certified for Windows Vista.

Ultra-sensitive digital terrestrial TV reception

Watch digital TV in full-screen or scaleable-window mode.

Pause and rewind live TV with TimeShifting.

Record what you're watching or schedule recordings for later.

Record to your hard drive in MPEG-1/-2 or DivX or direct to DVD.

Trim and edit recordings with included video editing software.

Be ready for terrestrial HDTV*, when it's available in your area.

Compact design with built-in protective flip-cap doesn't block other USB ports.

USB powered. Low power consumption saves notebook battery power.

Integrated Electronic Program Guide and ultra-fast Teletext (where available).

Mini remote and antenna included.

Compatible with Windows Media Center (remote available separately).

Free trial software included! Pinnacle DistanTV: Stream live TV from your PC to any other PC on your home network

Technical Specifications

System Requirements:

• Microsoft^® Windows^® Vista (32 bit) or Windows XP with latest Service Pack
• Intel^® Pentium^® 4 2 GHz, Pentium^® M 1.3 GHz or equivalent AMD^® Athlon^® XP¹
• Windows XP: 256 MB RAM (512 MB recommended); Windows Vista: 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended)
• UDMA/IDE hard disk with min. 5 GB free capacity
• Graphics /sound controllers with support for DirectX^® 9 or higher
• Free USB 2.0 port
• DVD drive or burner
• Internet connection for software updates and activations

¹HDTV support requires a dual core processor with minimum 2GHz (for Australia: Intel Pentium 4 2.2 GHz, Pentium M 1.5 GHz or equivalent AMD Athlon 64)

Tuner

• Digital terrestrial TV standard: DVB-T (MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC / H.264)
• Antenna input: MCX, 75 Ohm (MCX to IEC adapter included)

TV Recording Formats

• MPEG-1/2, DivX, MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 (for HDTV recordings only)

Package content:

• USB 2.0 TV tuner stick for DVB-T
• Mini remote control including batteries
• Mini antenna
• Antenna adapter (MCX to IEC)
• USB extender cable
• DVD with Pinnacle TVCenter Pro and video editing softwares, drivers and documentation
• Quick start guide

Pinnacle Systems Unveils New Ultra-Compact USB Digital TV Tuner that Works with both PC and Mac

The PCTV nanoStick Ultimate delivers high performance for Digital TV reception and streams signal up to three PCs on a Home Network

London, 17/09/2008 -

Pinnacle Systems Inc., a part of Avid Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: AVID), announces the Ultimate version of its award-winning PCTV nanoStick. The miniature-sized Pinnacle PCTV nanoStick Ultimate delivers high-quality digital TV for PCs and Macs, allowing users to pause, rewind and record their favourite shows. Moreover, when used with a PC this tuner streams TV signal up to three PCs on a home network.

The Pinnacle PCTV nanoStick Ultimate is an ultra-compact, USB-powered TV tuner that’s the perfect match for super-slim Windows® and Mac® laptops. Despite its miniature size (5.5 x 2.3 x 1.3cm), the PCTV nanoStick Ultimate delivers high performance: the ultra-sensitive reception technology picks up digital terrestrial TV and radio even in most cases if the signal isn’t strong and it’s also ready for terrestrial HDTV, where available.

PCTV nanoStick Ultimate is an ideal solution for “mixed” Mac/PC households that want one TV tuner solution, while its ultra-compact size and lightweight design make it a truly portable device that’s easy to carry around from home to office or to use while travelling or on holiday.

The mini TV tuner comes packed with the latest user-friendly software, Pinnacle TVCenter Pro for PC and new Elgato EyeTV Lite for Mac. Each of the software enables the Pinnacle nanoStick Ultimate to deliver all the functionality of a fully-fledged Personal Video Recorder (PVR) to a PC or Mac, respectively. The PVR function lets users timeshift and record TV shows in standard and high definition onto the hard drive - while Pinnacle VideoSpin software enables these recordings to be trimmed and edited. Users can watch TV in full-screen or scaleable-window mode and can channel-surf using the mini remote control included.

PCTV nanoStick Ultimate also includes Pinnacle DistanTV which makes it possible for a TV signal to be streamed to as many as three PCs on a home network (LAN). This means users can watch TV programmes on every PC in the house, easily and at a modest cost.

The complete sophisticated software package encompassed in Pinnacle PCTV nanoStick Ultimate comprises:

• Pinnacle TVCenter Pro, which turns a PC or notebook into a full digital recorder, with one-click recording (live or scheduled, MPEG-1/-2, DivX or HDTV1) – that is direct to DVD. It also allows the user to watch TV in full or scaled-down screen, and to use timeshifting to pause and rewind their favourite live TV shows.

• Pinnacle DistanTV turns the PC into a hub, which streams TV signal to as many as three PCs on a home network (LAN). It’s easy to set up in just a few clicks.

• Pinnacle VideoSpin is an entry-level video editing tool that makes it possible for PCTV nanoStick Ultimate users to trim and edit their recordings. Photos and music can be mixed in, titles and transitions can be added, and the edited video can be attached to an e-mail or uploaded directly to popular Web sites like YouTube™ or Yahoo! Video™.

• New Elgato EyeTV Lite Software for Mac, which enables users to watch, pause and rewind live TV and record hours of shows directly onto the Mac.

Pricing and Availability

The Pinnacle PCTV nanoStick Ultimate is Windows Vista certified and works with Windows Media Center. It is ready for digital terrestrial HDTV (in MPEG-4 AVC / H.264), where available. It will be available on the 8th October, and will be available through PC World, Amazon and other major retailers and the Pinnacle Systems estore with a suggested retail price of £49.99

Ku Katakan Dengan Indah

Ku Katakan Dengan Indah

By

Peterpan

Ku katakan dengan indah

Dengan terbuka Hatiku hampa

Sepertinya luka

Menghampirinya

Kau beri rasa

Yang berbeda

Mungkin ku salah

Mengartikannya

Yang ku rasa cinta

Bridge

Tetapi hatiku

Selalu meninggikanmu

Terlalu meninggikanmu

Selalu meninggikanmu

Chorus

Kau hancurkan hatiku

Hancurkan lagi

Kau hancurkan hatiku

Tuk melihatmu

Kau terangi jiwaku

Kau redupkan lagi

Kau hancurkan hatiku

Tuk melihatmu

Repeat bridge

Kau buatku terjatuh

Dan tejatuh lagi

Membuatku merasakan yang tlah terjadi

Semua yang terbaik dan yang terlewati

Semua yang terhenti tanpa ku akhiri

Repeat chorus

Kondo KHR-2 HV Robot

Editor's Opinion Improved version of the famous bi-pedal combat robot.

Description KHR-2 is a bipedal humanoid robot kit that allows you to build a fighting robot. It can perform a wide range of motion, such as walking, kung-fu fighting, sucker kicks and acrobatics. The Robot comes unassembled in a box full of little parts and servos. Additionally you can purchase add-ons like twin gyro stabilizer , radio control units , chest and Shoulder extenders etc.. To assemble this kit you will need a screwdriver, nippers or cutter and tweezers. The servos are highly controlable and especially made to move robot limbs. The control unit of the Kondo KHR-2 communicates with a PC via USB. The Software bundled with the robot works on Windows XP and 2000. The robot responds immediately to commands. If you would swung the control joystick back and forth, the robot's arms would track in real-time. This version of the Kondo KHR kit has several improvement over the old one: performance and usability improvements including expanded programability, real-time master/slave control, high performance servos, and scalable analog inputs, new version of the HeartToHeart software (HeartToHeart 3), that features drag and drop programing using flow chart type blocks and allows for conditional branching; simpler resin plastic joints that should make assembly much easier; main power switch; Interface is USB RCB-3J control board can control 24 servo motors and features analog and digital sensor input channels, multi-tasking, master/slave control. It communicates with PC via UPC. To support real-time control, the RCB-3J incorporates two serial communication approaches - a high speed serial port capable of 115,200 bps communication, and a lower speed serial port for use with R/C type controls. The low speed interface is compatible with the existing KHR-1 controls. In addition to 24 output ports to control servos and other similar devices, the controller features digital inputs as well as three analog input ports. Analog signal inputs can be scaled and mixed to trigger conditional program branching within the controller. This opens up a wealth of interface and autonomous behavior possibilities. The RCB-3 is what Kondo refers to as a HV, or high voltage (9-12 volt) device. The KHR-2 kit contains multiple digital Servos that can communicate via ICS Interface to adjust pulse stretch (stiffness of servo), seed (maximum speed of servo), punch (initial acceleration response), dead band (neutral zone dead band), damping (to control overshoot and settling time), protection timer (time to disable servo after current or position error), range Limits (to reduce maximum travel of servo), servo reversing. Programming is done using the HeartToHeart version 3.0 motion editor. It supports all functions of RCB-3J and runs on Windows 2000/XP. Based on an easy to understand and use graphical interface, it's easy to create positions, tests, and branching conditions. Branching conditions include counters as well as external sensor inputs. It's also possible to scale and mix the inputs. Program flow is determined by clicking on a line icon, then using it to connect the positions and branching conditions you've already created in the programming window. It is also simple to copy, edit, and reuse program/sequence segments. Just copy and paste them in the programming window, or pull them in from files.

Pros New version of the HeartToHeart software (HeartToHeart 3). The robot responds immediately to commands i.e. real-time operation. High performance servos, and scalable analog inputs. Simpler resin plastic joints. Cons Cannot turn or change direction while walking. Radio control unit is not included, you have to purchase it

Asus Intros Smallest Desktop PCs with HD Capability

ASUS unveils HD versions of its popular Eee Box—a tiny 1L-sized desktop PC—that it launched in June 2008. With the new Eee Box B204 and B206, users will be able to enjoy viewing hardware-accelerated HD content on LCD TVs, monitors and projectors via an HDMI output—making them ideal for families seeking a simple, space-saving home entertainment solution.The Eee Box B204 and B206 are also pre-installed with Eee Cinema, a full-featured media player that enables users to play high definition content easily. Eee Cinema offers superior format compatibility and extensive media library management options. To help users navigate Eee Cinema’s comprehensive features speedily, both the Eee Box B204 and B206 come with a convenient remote control.Built-in Video Decoder for High Definition EntertainmentThe Eee Box B204 and B206 deliver crisp and fluid high definition pictures straight out of the box. They are equipped with a discrete graphics card that features a high definition hardware video decoder, vastly improving the quality of video and freeing the Eee Box’s processor to tackle other tasks. Ensuring quick and hassle-free connectivity to LCD TVs, monitors, projectors and home theater receivers is an easily-accessible HDMI output on the Eee Box B204 and B206’s rear I/O panel.Exclusive Remote Control for Easy and Convenient Media PlaybackThe Eee Box B204 and B206 come with an exclusive remote control that enables users to easily browse, manage and play their media from a distance. The remote control works seamlessly with Eee Cinema, a user-friendly, all-in-one media player that supports all popular music, video and photo formats—transforming the Eee Box B204 and B206 into complete digital home entertainment centers.The Smallest PCs in the WorldA mere 1L in size, the Eee Box B204 and B206 are delightfully sleek. They are as slim as paperback novels, allowing users to reclaim the desk space previously lost to bulkier, more intrusive desktop systems. If necessary, the Eee Box B204 and B206 can even be placed in such a way that does not require an inch of desktop space—they can be mounted to any VESA75/VESA100 LCD display. Given how small and light they are, the Eee Box B204 and B206 can be ported around the house effortlessly, allowing users to enjoy high definition entertainment in whichever room they desire.Annual Savings of US$156 from Reduced Power ConsumptionThe Eee Box B204 and B206 are designed and manufactured according to stringent Green ASUS guidelines. They are made with earth-friendly materials and fully comply with RoHS and WEEE. The Eee Box B204 and B206 also consume only around 20 watts of power, reducing the user’s carbon footprint by up to 90% as compared to full-sized desktop PCs. Eee Box B204 and B206 users will benefit on the monetary front as well; those who leave their computers on 24 hours a day stand to save approximately US$156 a year.Packed with Uncompromising FeaturesBelying their small size, the Eee Box B204 and B206 are packed with a wealth of outstanding features. They support the latest Wi-Fi 802.11n wireless standard, providing up to eight times faster speeds than the previous 802.11b/g wireless standard. In addition, the Eee Box B204 features Bluetooth for quick and hassle-free connectivity to other Bluetooth devices. Both models also come with 10GB of online Eee Storage, allowing users to access their documents and media no matter where they are. Furthermore, they feature an exclusive Easy Mode within Windows that provides users with convenient access to commonly-used applications via an incredibly intuitive interface. Adding to their ease of use is Eee Bar, a fully-configurable application bar on the Windows desktop that allows users to launch programs with a click.Another innovation present in the Eee Box B204 and B206 is ASUS Tranquiller Technology that integrates an optimized system air flow design, intelligent fan speed control and a unique heat dissipation material in order to allow them to operate coolly at an extremely quiet 26 dB for comfortable home computing. Moreover, the Eee Box B204 has a built-in battery that performs an Uninterruptible Power Supply (U.P.S.) function, enabling it to stay running for a period of time when main power is lost.

VIZ MEDIA PREVIEWS SPECIAL VIDEO-GAME ISSUES OF SHONEN JUMP AND SHOJO BEAT MAGAZINES; SHOJO BEAT PRESENTS OFFICIAL GUIDE TO HIT MANGA VAMPIRE KNIGHT

VIZ MEDIA PREVIEWS SPECIAL VIDEO-GAME ISSUES OF SHONEN JUMP AND SHOJO BEAT MAGAZINES; SHOJO BEAT PRESENTS OFFICIAL GUIDE TO HIT MANGA VAMPIRE KNIGHT
Exciting December Issues Highlight Hot New Video Game Titles And Trends Of 2008 And Will Offer Holiday Sweepstakes To
Win Free Wii Game Platforms; December SB Contains Extensive Coverage Of Super-Popular Shojo Series ‘Vampire Knight’

San Francisco, CA, October 28, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced special December issues of its magazines, SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, highlighting a variety of the latest video game titles and trends. Each magazine will also feature a holiday sweepstakes for a Nintendo Wii video game system. In addition, SHOJO BEAT includes a special supplement, the official guide to the hit shojo (girls) manga series VAMPIRE KNIGHT (rated T+ for older teens). The December issues of SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT go on sale nationwide on November 4th and 18th respectively.

There is a strong inter-relationship between manga, anime and video gaming, as one genre often influences the others; millions of manga and anime fans across North America are also avid gamers. The Wii sweepstakes invites readers to submit an entry by mail or email explaining which Wii game they are most excited to play and why. Entries will be put into a random drawing, and one winner will be selected from each set of magazine submissions. Details on the sweepstakes are outlined in each of the December 2008 issues and readers can enter by mail or via the magazine websites www.shonenjump.com and www.shojobeat.com.

The December issue of SHONEN JUMP will include a special extended “Games We Love” section that announces the magazine’s first-ever game awards for 2008. The section will also look back at some of the biggest video game news and events that shaped the year, giving an overview of the state of PC gaming, the rise of the iPhone as a new gaming platform, the popularity of downloadable games, and the competition among the newest game consoles, including the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. The extended section will also have reviews of current video games. The issue is also filled with of the latest information on the hit SHONEN JUMP Naruto games from Namco Bandai, Tomy and Ubisoft.

SHOJO BEAT will similarly cover an array of the best and most anticipated new game titles for the 2008 holiday season hand picked for girl gamers in every genre from music to action adventure and RPG’s, including Wii Music and Mirror’s Edge. SHOJO BEAT also names its "Top 7 Video Game Heroines," recognizing the growing strength and appeal of female game characters.

As a very special bonus, the issue will further highlight video games in the burgeoning vampire entertainment genre with coverage of hot new vampire-themed titles such as Castlevania from Konami and the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice game from 505 games. Those vampire-game stories tie in with the magazine’s inclusion of the Official Guide to VAMPIRE KNIGHT, the best-selling shojo manga series, and SHOJO BEAT’s most popular serialized title. This special 11-page section will include a detailed timeline of key storylines, a two-page chart of VAMPIRE KNIGHT’S complex cast of characters, expert answers to reader questions, a look at the new VAMPIRE KNIGHT anime in Japan, and much more.

“We’re thrilled that we could fill the December issue with special coverage of VAMPIRE KNIGHT and video games, two subjects that our readers are truly passionate about,” says Narasu Rebbapragada, Senior Editor, SHOJO BEAT. “We designed ‘The Official Guide to VAMPIRE KNIGHT’ to appeal to both die-hard fans and new readers of this truly addictive shojo manga series. And for our video game coverage, we wanted to recognize the wide-ranging interests of our readers, who are truly enjoying the connection between manga, anime, and video games. And what better way to reward them by giving away a Nintendo Wii?”

Together SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT reach approximately 2 million readers each month and nearly all readers play/own video games. Given the fact that SHOJO BEAT readership is 96% female, this number is even more impressive as it is the only publication where one can find such a high composition of female video game players. SHONEN JUMP readership numbers for video gaming also rival those of the most popular game magazines.

More information on SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT magazines is available at: www.shonenjump.com and www.shojobeat.com.

Life... GOES ON!!

Life consists of many things, you can dwell it in any way as long as you know who you are.

If I recall, my mom told me that I was four months then on her womb, at that time they are quarreling she didn’t told me why? My father is pushing my mother from the top of the bed and then she fell then something came out, a blood and they thought that was a miscarriage. So when they go to the hospital and checked it, the doctor find out that my mother appendix was pinched of my body, so the doctor decided to do some operation, that’s involves transferring me outside to the upper part of her stomach. I called it Life... Cause its miracle.

Somewhere on the Month of September 1988, a child was born named AL-NAZAR CAMLIAN JAMILON, at this point my teenage life is done, readying at adulthood stage for finishing college, at the midst of my adulthood, I might find some job to earn money and find myself along the way. I’m living with my parent; I am the youngest among the four siblings. I am the worst son ever, they call it as the black sheep though im the worst son my parent still I try to work things out right, although I’m not a perfect one, for some there’s people are there commit mistakes too.

The history of my name came from my grandfather’s sister, but the forsaken mistake of my Aunt is when the doctor asked her for my name she gave the wrong one that’s Al-Nazar Camlian Jamilon instead of AL-NASHAR CAMLIAN JAMILON, though it sounds the same but its spell differently. It is because my two eldest siblings have an end name of “SHAR”, I’m not particular what the significance of that name, but my mother loves to hear the word “SHAR”. Since, that was the name I’m carrying on since I’m in kindergarten till now, therefore I can’t do anything to that although there’s other way but I think it would be a waste not lost time but also money.

I took my kindergarten 1 at Rosario Reyes Center School at San Andres Manila a prep school with a medical center, my second was at Aurora A. Quezon Elementary School until I graduate my Primary study. During my first term in Secondary level at Philippine Christian University at Manila, I only stayed for a year for the reason of the business of my family was bankrupt its like a water flow in to the river of nowhere. I continue my Second Year High School at Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School here in Zamboanga City, till I graduated. And now, I’m taking my Tertiary level at Western Mindanao State University. I took the course of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science major in Software Technology. As a part of this course, computer science students call themselves as a programmer. Having this blog now at my junior level in tertiary.

For some people knew me, they express their feelings, on how they thought of me. In short they are describing me as a person. I’m a person who is moody, I’m not certain to what I felt, especially when that feeling is unexplainable. When I’m not in mood, it depicts myself, the real me. I am LAZY. For some, being LAZY is a bad habit, but I guess people who are LAZY can be wiser than they think.

There are times that the people you mingle with don’t click with you, because you don’t apply the same habit. That’s why we are called as individuals; we have different perceptions in life that makes each of us unique. Mostly, the things that I do is hanging with my friends, seldom dwelling my friends especially my father. Most of my likes are common to those existing people, because when I say with the “people” only it’s like I’m doing also the things that impossible. Most I don’t want to exist in this world those people are “RUDE”, so “ELASTIC” and undefined, and the words I hate most to hear are “YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING (WALA KANG ALAM).”

Nobody is satisfied without doing even one of their hobbies. My favorite hobby is to play toys not a malice toy but a toy played by a child like robots, miniature car and dismantling toys. Cooking is one of my hobbies and my favorite part is FRYING and also making desserts. Playing computer games, surfing in the internet, reading some books and writing non-sense thing at the back of my notebooks or binder is my leisure. In terms of sports I can play some but with the exemption of basketball, baseball and athletics. I’m not a sporty person, but I’m willing to give it a try and learn.

I’m onto dancing, but some people are telling that I don’t know how to dance, but it’s alright because it doesn’t matter as long as I know where should my body moved. Watching movies and so with the series of story is my leisure time too. When the time that I’m watching a particular movie or a series of story, I don’t want to be disturb while I’m watching because when someone do that, for sure he’ll never forget that taste of my fist directly to his face.

Don't forget "a man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life." and life is too short... enjoy it

This is the short biography of my life hope you understand my grammar