Industry's First 'Smart' SD Memory Card

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., best known for its Panasonic brand products, has developed the industry’s first SD Memory Card with contactless smart card capabilities. Called smartSD Card, the new SD Memory Card combines the convenience of contactless data communication capabilities with large storage capacity and high security. The company will position the smartSD Card as key to realizing the "ubiquitous network society" and will strive to create new business opportunities not only in the device sector but also in the system and solution service sectors. Sample shipments of the smartSD Cards will commence in December 2004. Commercial shipments are expected to follow in the fall of 2005.

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About SD cards:
A Secure Digital (SD) card is a tiny memory card used to make storage portable among various devices, such as car navigation systems, cellular phones, eBooks, PDAs, smartphones, digital cameras, music players, camcorders, and personal computers. An SD card features a high data transfer rate and low battery consumption, both primary considerations for portable devices. It uses flash memory to provide nonvolatile storage, which means that a power source is not required to retain stored data.
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Smart cards are rapidly expanding into many new markets including finance, transportation, distribution, industry and government administrations and have been introduced in a wide variety of applications such as transport ticket payments, access control, electronic money and credit cards. In 2003, some 51 million smart cards were issued in Japan and the number is expected to rise to 340 million by 2010. Meanwhile, since the introduction of the SD Memory Card in July 2000, 220 makers have announced over 2,600 SD Memory Card-compatible products and approximately 41 million SD Memory Cards were sold in 2003, attaining number one global market share in the memory card industry.

As smart cards become more convenient, the need for greater data capacity and high security has increased. The smartSD Card combines the advanced copyright protection, portability, and easy connectivity of the SD Memory Card with the convenience of a contactless smart card, allowing the card to send/receive large amounts of data at high speed and with high security, thereby supporting a variety of new applications. The smart card in the smartSD Card uses non-volatile FeRAM (ferroelectric RAM), which enables high-speed data writing, five times faster than conventional EEPROM-based smart cards. The large-capacity flash memory in the smartSD Card can be used as an extra storage area for the smart card module and the stored data is protected by cipher technology. The secured extended memory also transfers data at the rate of about 600 Kbytes per second.

Offering large secure storage, authentication and contactless data communication capabilities, the new type of SD Memory Card can be used for a wider variety of smart-card applications. Mr. Masaki Akiyama, President, Panasonic System Solutions Company, said, “Our hope is to create new businesses deriving from the special features of the smartSD Card. These include corporate solutions dealing with information leakage prevention, mobile service solutions dealing with content distribution and home service businesses dealing with content distribution for home AV equipment. We will continue to offer new secure services in the broadening SD world to make our daily lives more convenient and safe.”

Panasonic will exhibit and demonstrate new applications using the smartSD Card at CEATEC Japan (October 5 to 9, 2004).

Lenovo N100 Widescreen Notebook PC

Lenovo today announced the company's first Lenovo-branded notebook PC tofeature Intel Core 2 Duo, the Lenovo N100 widescreen notebook PC.Featuring such innovations in PC technology as next-generation WiFiconnectivity, enhanced multimedia features, the latest Intel(r) Core(tm)2 Duoprocessor, Vista Premium-ready capabilities and industry-leading system support,the Lenovo N100 is a notebook PC engineered specifically for small businesscustomers.

The Lenovo N100 includes the latest in wireless and multimedia features forenhanced PC connectivity and an improved viewing experience. Featuring "MultipleIn/Multiple Out" (MIMO), the next-generation WiFi technology based on 802.11nstandards, the N100 enables faster connectivity and greater wireless range thanPCs set with previous standards. The N100 is also equipped with a 15.4-inch (1)VibrantView display that delivers sharp contrast, crisp images, increased colordepth and wider viewing angles. VibrantView also optimizes the multimediaexperience by enabling users to view high-end graphic and video content in lowlylit environments.

"The new Lenovo N100 offers small business customers better, faster connectivityand performance while delivering the reliability, ease of use and value ourcustomers expect," said Marc Godin, vice president of worldwide notebookmarketing, Lenovo. "With the increased performance of Intel's latest processors,better wireless connectivity and Vista upgradeability, the new N100 combinesgreat value and the latest features to give our customers a worry-free computingexperience."

For power-efficient mobile dual-core performance, the N100 includes the latestIntel CoreTM2 Duo (64-bit) and Intel Celeron M processors. This technology helpssmall business customers, by allowing them to leverage the power of 64-bittechnology to manage heavier applications and experience greater multimediaperformance.

The Lenovo N100 offers full Vista-capable support and select models will beVista Premium ready. The N100 15.4-inch wide notebook PC also offers the NVIDIAGeForce Go 7300 with either 64Mbps or 128Mbps in select models to drive high-endgraphics performance.

The Lenovo N100 also includes Lenovo Care productivity tools that help automatemany routine security and maintenance tasks. Lenovo Care tools include

+ A one-button system recovery to help users diagnose, get help, and recoversystems to a previously saved state following catastrophic software failurescaused by today's viruses and malware.

+ Automatic updates that download and install critical updates for Lenovosoftware on a user-configured schedule to help keep the system operating at peakperformance.

+ Easy connectivity for simple wired or wireless set up for home office, officeand leisure connections.(2)

Pricing and Availability

The Lenovo N100 will be available in Singapore from 1 October. Prices for theLenovo N100 start at S$ 1,799.

Launch of New Coloud Headphones

2009 marks the 70th Anniversary of MARVEL Comics and the world greatest heroes and most feared villains look as Marvelous as ever. Just thinking that it's been that long since Martin Goodman and StanLee sat down to make timeless characters like Human Torch and Captain America makes you wonder how many times the world has actually been saved.

COLOUD MARVEL COLLECTION

Available in: MARVEL HULK, MARVEL IRON MAN, MARVEL X-MEN RETRO (available in June 2010), MARVEL PUNISHER and MARVEL WOLVERINE

The 25 May1977 theatrical debut of Star Wars - on a scant 32 screens across America - was destined to change the face of cinema forever. An instant classic and a unparalleled box office success, the rousing "space opera" was equal parts fairy tale, western, 1930s serial and special effects extravaganza, with roots in mythologies from cultures around the world. May the Force be with you.

COLOUD STAR WARS COLLECTION

Available in: STAR WARS DARTH VADER (available in June 2010), STAR WARS LIGHTSPEED and STARWARS REBEL ALLIANCE

After almost three decades of awards, musicals and a worldwide revolution of popular culture, Fame is asking the world to dance once again. When first released, ballet was the only option for dancers who where seeking a professional career. Fame ended a conservative era and changed dance, music and fashion overnight by introducing energy and self-expression to anyone who saw the inspiring kids at New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Get ready to tap in once again, but never forget the Fame ideal: “It's not about how big you make it, it is all about how far you take it.”

COLOUD FAME COLLECTION

Available in: FAME WHITE & GOLD and FAME BLACK & RED

Product Specifications

Driver Unit: 40 mm Power Drivers
Frequency Range: 20 Hz~20001 Hz
Impedance: 32 ohms
1KHz Sensitivity: 120 dB
Max Input Powerspan: 100 mW
Plug: 3.5 mm
Coil Cord: 1.2 m
Size: One size fits all
Warranty: 1-year

Recommended Retail Price: S$79
Available at all Coloud resellers such as TANGS, Robinsons and EpicCentre.

Microsoft holds product launch for 4 hardware products

Alan Chou, senior group marketing manager SEA for Entertainment & Devices division, Microsoft, kickstart the launch and introduces the new hardware products for the day. According to Chou, the Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 was on sale at Comex last week and was widely received by public even before its official launch.

Microsoft claims that the Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 is the thinnest keyboard ever, and is designed for both notebook and desktop computers. Powered by a AAA battery,it features the company's Comfort Curve layoutthat provides substantial comfort while using, even through long hours.

The keyboard also comes with a portable Bluetooth Number Pad for users who may require it. The Number Pad comes with a carrying case for added portability too.

Japan computer smashes speed record

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A Japanese supercomputer has broken its own record as the world's fastest machine by performing 10 quadrillion calculations per second, its developers announced.

The "K Computer", which has more than 88,000 central

Supercomputers operate roughly 10,000 times faster than ordinary personal computers.

Among other things, supercomputers are used by scientists investigating the effects of seismic waves and tsunamis to predict what effect they may have on buildings.

Ryoji Noyori, president of Riken, the company that jointly developed the machine alongside Fujitsu, said it was a landmark achievement in computing.

"The K Computer is a key national technology that will help lay the foundation for Japan's further progress," he said on Wednesday.

"I am delighted that it has achieved its major objective, demonstrating our strong technical power."

Japan phones built to survive showers, toilet-drops

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Japanese women are so fond of their phones, they even use them in the shower, say manufacturers. This makes waterproofing a must -- also good against rainstorms and accidents while texting on the toilet.

Panasonic and

"Cellphones have become 'must products'."

Panasonic is looking to re-enter the European market after pulling out in 2005 to concentrate on its domestic sales.

"The reason we decided to come back is that there have been a lot of changes in this industry with the introduction of the smartphone," which has become a "global product," he said.

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Dust-proofing meanwhile can appeal to customers such as construction workers, he added.

Fujitsu, which has a fifth of the Japanese

While better known abroad for their laptops, the Japanese giant is now also trying to sell phones to Western markets.

In Barcelona, it showcased its range of phones already available in Japan, as well as a new "quad-core" phone with extra processing power.

Besides being waterproof, the

This technology includes sensors that raise or lower the volume of a call, or even slow down speech if the caller is speaking too quickly.

LG launches Optimus 2X and Optimus Black Android smartphones

James Park, president of LG Southeast Asia, region representative, said that the LG Optimus devices that are introduced today feature worlds first technological and innovative designs that set new standards for the user experience.

Augustine Lim, director for Mobile Communications, LG Electronics Singapore, was there to share the companys aggressive vision to be the leader in the smartphone market.

"Starting from today, LG will set new standards for smartphones in 2011. The range of Optimus devices will ensure that there will always be a device to meet your requirements. From 2009 to 2010, the world has experienced exponential growth in the smartphone segment - approximately 67%. This phenomenon growth rate will also be seen here in Singapore where we expect in excess of 70% adoption of smartphones by the year 2011. This would probably be the highest in the world.," Lim says.

At the event, VR-Zone has the opportunity to hands-on the Optimus Black and Optimus 2X.

LG Optimus Black

The LG Optimus Black features a 4-inch NOVA display that boasts 700 nits brightness. This means even if you areunder the outdoor sun, you will have no problem looking at the screen and navigate the various phone functions you want.

At the top, we find the power button, micro USB and 3.5mm audio connectors. Above the display is the 2-megapixel camera for video calls. The Optimus Black is also extremely slim, measuring approximately 9.2mm.

On the right are the volume controls and a unique "G" button (or Gesture button). Pressing and holding the G button allows user to do various things with the phone by touching or shaking the phone.

Opening the rear cover reveals the 3.7V 1500 mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable battery, the SIM card slot which is beside the rear 5-megapixel camera, and the microSD card slot.

The LG Optimus Black will be available in April 2011 at a recommended retail price of S$768 (before telco subsidies). It is currently running Android 2.2 Froyo, though LG mentioned that it will receive upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread in the near future.