The Malaysian leg of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay reached its climax today when 80 selected torchbearers successfully carried the Olympic Torch through the streets of Kuala Lumpur. The relay, which started from Dataran Merdeka reached its final destination at Suria KLCC, covering a distance of 16.5 kilometers. This was the second time since 1964, for the Olympic torch passed through Malaysia where Malaysians witnessed the most prestigious sporting symbol up-close.

The Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd torchbearers line up consist of four role models who were meticulously chosen by Samsung for their notable contributions to society and their tenacity to overcome challenges in their lives to achieve success in their respective fields. They are Yang Bahagia Datin Paduka Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir, Ras Adiba Radzi, Nicol Ann David and Lee Chong Wei.

 “This is my second time participating in an Olympic Torch Relay, and that feeling and experience is still as overwhelming. Carrying the Olympic Torch again is very special to me and I’m proud that this time it’s in my home country and for all Malaysians,” said Nicol David.

abit has launched their new A-N78HD motherboard which is based on nVIDIA’s GeForce 8200 chipset. This highly integrated multimedia platform motherboard makes high definition multimedia enjoyment more convenient and easier. abit paid special attention to video output flexibility with three connection options already implemented on-board. Users can choose between the standard D-Sub VGA connector or use one of the two digital outputs; DVI or HDMI.

As abit’s first motherboard supporting nVIDIA’s Hybrid SLI technology, this mainstream motherboard offers “GeForce Boost” and “Hybrid Power”. GeForce Boost allows for scalable graphics performance when installing an additional discrete graphics card. Whereas Hybrid Power allows for the shutting off of unused graphics adaptor when it is not needed, effectively resulting in lower power consumption. 

abit has also implemented a 4-phase OC-PWM set around the CPU and one extra one-phase OC-PWM for the memory area. This OC-PWMs also allow for better overclocking capabilities.  Read on for specifications.

Dr. Vinton G. Cerf, Dr. J. Craig Venter, Dr. Craig Lee and Mark Wächter - these represent a mere handful of the many high-profile keynote speakers and panelists scheduled to speak at the upcoming World Information Technology and Services Alliance's (WITSA's) World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2008 and its Related Events from 18 to 22 May 2008.

Also known as the Olympics of ICT, WITSA's WCIT 2008 and its Related Events are expected to bring together more than 40 well-respected and highly-esteemed international personalities from both the government and information and communications technology (ICT) industry to speak on various pressing issues at this biannual global ICT gathering. 

Among the various issues to be addressed at WITSA's WCIT 2008 and its Related Events include socio-economic and business-oriented concerns on the impact and benefits of ICT on outsourcing, education, innovation, environment, technopreneurship, economic viability, cyber-security, the future of the Internet as well as the role of ICT in driving world economic and social development.

These distinguished keynote speakers and panelists represent the luminaries of their industries. Coming from different parts of the world, they bring to the table distinct cultural exchanges and influences whilst sharing their expertise and ideas on issues of mutual concern. 

For further information on WCIT 2008 and its Related Events, please log on to http://www.wcit2008.org.  

The latest Internet Security Threat Report (ISTR), Volume XIII (ISTR XIII), released today by Symantec reveals that Malaysia is the country with the second highest number of malicious activities in Southeast Asia behind Thailand. The report covers the six-month period from July 1 through December 31, 2007.

Kuala Lumpur is top on the list of Asia Pacific/ Japan (APJ) cities with the highest number of bot-infected computers. This is a stark contrast to the previous ISTR (January 1 – June 30, 2007), where it came in seventh on the list.In addition, Malaysia has also been identified as the country in SEA with the highest bot-infected computers. Short for “robots”, bots are covertly installed on a computer to allow hackers to remotely control the machine for a wide variety of malicious purposes such as data leakage and information and identity theft.  

Kannan Velayutham, Consultant for Enterprise Security, Malaysia, Symantec cited the rapid growth of broadband penetration in Malaysia as a possible contributing factor to the rise in malicious activities because new broadband users may not be aware of the additional security precautions required when accessing an always-on high-speed Internet. This is an area to watch-out for as broadband penetration is expected to continue in its upward trend in Malaysia.  

Read on for more info. 

Microsoft has announced a price revision for its Windows Vista operating system. In Asia, Malaysia is the only market to enjoy the adjusted pricing offered thru local IT partners, and is one of the only two countries in the world to adopt this strategy. Depending on the editions of the Windows Vista, price adjustments range from 10 to almost 50 percent.

This is reflected in its OEM licensing offering, a move which presents the easiest and most attractively-priced option for purchasing Windows Vista preinstalled in a PC, as well as its stand-alone retail packs. According to Mr. KT Ng, Director, Client Business Group, Business Marketing Organization, the strategy will also increases the product's relevance to the mainstream IT industry in view of the dropping prices of computer hardware and peripherals. As a result, the overall package is now more affordable to consumers, in addition to increasing user confidence in its genuine products.  

Microsoft firmly believes that the increased affordability of Windows Vista Home Premium will enhance digital empowerment to a wider cross-section of Malaysian consumers and users and allow more to experience the rich features of a digital lifestyle. It will also ensure consumers and users' computer are well protected from security attacks.  

Samsung has unveiled to the market its new consumer segmentation model for mobile handsets, with the objective of spurring further growth and delivering products that meet the needs of customers. In line with the company’s new consumer segmentation model, Samsung Electronics also introduced an all-encompassing line-up of new phones that showcase a mobile for every lifestyle.

Samsung’s new consumer segmentation model comprises six categories – Style, Multimedia, Infotainment, Business, Connected and Essential – and is devised based on extensive research into the attitudes, lifestyles and design preferences of 20,000 end-users across five continents and 25 countries.  

Samsung is also looking to penetrate the touchscreen category with a range of touchscreen phones featuring cutting edge functionalities. This is led by the SGH-F480, which incorporates a 2.8 inch Full Touch LCD, 5 mega-pixel camera, FM radio as well as HSDPA and mobile blogging capabilities. 

Read on for info on the rest of the phone models. All the phones introduced wil be available in May.

Kingston today announced the release of the DataTraveler 400 (DT400), a new USB Flash drive preloaded with MigoSync data synchronization software from Migo Software, Inc., that allows users to work among multiple PCs by directly synchronizing files, email and Internet browser settings onto the drive.

Available in capacities up to 8GB, the DT400 with MigoSync software helps users navigate between systems. In addition to standard file synchronization, MigoSync also comes with Universal Mail Format, which enables a user to access email on a guest PC, even when it does not support the user’s primary email application for formats including Windows Mail, Outlook, Outlook Express or Lotus Notes. The drive’s built-in SecureTraveler2 software allows the creation of a ‘Privacy Zone, whereby a user creates and maintains a password-protected area of the drive to keep data safe.  

“The DT400 is the perfect solution to keep documents and settings completely up-to-date and in sync,” said Dave Lee, Flash Memory Product Manager, APAC Region, Kingston. “Accessing email and keeping sections of the drive secure through password protection make the DT400 a powerful device for anyone to stay safely connected with work or home while on the go,” added Lee.  

MSI has unveiled their P7N series mainboards to support the 45nm Intel processor and 3-way SLI base on new nForce 7-series chipset.The use of selected high-grade components is a common characteristic of the P7N series mainboards. Although the two mainboards have different market segments, they both come with MSI's exclusive Circu-Pipe design. which effectively reduces the high temperatures from the chipset and MOSFET.

The processor power supply of the P7N series mainboards are base on MSI's exclusive GreenPower design. This design allows multi-phase power quality and increases the efficiency of power conversion. This will not only allow power supplies to become more stable, but also reduces the heat produced, especially during major overclocking. 

Currently the P7N Diamond and P7N SLI Platinum is available locally at the RRP of RM972 and RM508respectively. The MSI P7N2 Diamond has yet to be available in Malaysia.  Read on for specifications.

ASUS has unveiled what it claims to be the world’s first on-board triple GPU solution with the concept model ASUS EAH3850 TRINITY/3DHTI/1.5G graphics card. With three RV670PRO GPUs onboard, users can enjoy a 139% improvement in speeds when compared to single-GPU solutions. Additionally, the EAH3850 TRINITY is equipped with a MXM module for upgrade possibilities and two exclusive extra DVI outputs.

It also features a specially designed water cooling solution – ensuring efficient heat dissipation for stable performance. On top of all this, the ASUS EAH3850 TRINITY is equipped with a world-exclusive large onboard memory size of 1.5GB – designed to provide feature-rich DirectX 10 gaming and the best multimedia playback at ultra-high resolutions and maximum quality settings. 

Now if you're slavering over this piece of water cooled, graphic goodness, just hold on a second. As we've written above, its still a concept model so until ASUS actually anounces an actual for sale model, we just have to hold on to our horses. Until then just read on for more info on this card and its specifications.

We've been informed by an anonymous tipster that the main UiTM ( short for Universiti Teknologi MARA) website has been defaced over the weekend. Yes, you might say its not that big an issue as thousands of websites get defaced everyday.

But if you're a "World Class University", defacements like this should not happen, and should they happen, someone should at least look into it before some future graduate accidentally stumbles on the page and gets brain washed (pun intended).

abit has announced their latest AMD platform motherboard, the A-S78H, supporting ATI Hybrid CrossFireX Technology. The A-S78H is based on the AMD 780G chipset with ATI Radeon HD3200 Graphics and the SB700. It supports AMD AM2+/AM2 processors running HT3.0 up to 5200MT/s. It has four 240-pin DIMM sockets offer a maximum of 8GB memory capacity for Dual Channel DDR2 1066 modules. 1 x PCI-E X16, 1 x PCI-E X1, and 2 x PCI slots hold enough potential for further expansion and system upgrades with different add-on cards.

The ATI Hybrid CrossFireX Technology offers multi-GPU performance capabilities by enabling the integrated graphics processor and a discrete graphics processor to operate simultaneously with combined output to a single display for blisteringly-fast frame rates. Enabled hybrid graphics cards models so far include ATI HD2400XT, HD2400Pro, HD3470 and HD3450 based VGA cards, providing the ultimate visual experience. 

Stay tuned for pricing and availability. Read on for specifications. 

MSI has unveiled its MSI N9800GTX Series graphics card. The MSI N9800 GTX series graphics card increases the performance bar by enabling full-throttle life-like game play at intense resolutions while providing optimal power management with HybridPower technology.

The most powerful MSI N9800GTX Series with 128 fast cores each running at a new record high of 1688MHz, the GeForce 9800 GTX GPU also delivers full-throttle gaming experience at HD resolutions. NVIDIA HybridPower technology delivers graphics performance when you need it and low-power operation when you don't. With the built-in HybridPower technology, MSI N9800GTX Series lets you switch from your GeForce 9800 GTX graphics card to your motherboard GeForce GPU when running less graphically-intensive applications for a silent, low power PC experience.

The three MSI N9800GTX Series graphics cards which run in 3-way NVIDIA SLI mode on the new NVIDIA nForce 780i and 790i motherboards enable up to 2.8x performance increase over a single GPU for the ultimate gaming upgrade. The PureVideo HD engine delivers unmatched video and movie quality with spectacular picture clarity featuring scene-optimized color and contrast enhancement. 

The card is now available and priced at RM1,127.

If there are two thing you can be sure of during every PC Fair, its that you're bound to find some good deals and you'll have the chance to ogle at some of the booth babes. This piece of news however, is about the former. Intel together with a network of participating partners are offering a complete range of affordable Intel Core 2 Duo based PCs at RM1,099 and Intel Core 2 Quad systems at RM1,599.

 

Intel’s commitment to offer Intel Core 2 Quad systems at such an affordable price is part of the company’s ongoing initiative to provide mainstream consumers with a better choice of processors that enhance overall PC performance and multitasking capabilities. Meanwhile, entry level users who are looking for a basic day-to-day computing system will find the Intel Core 2 Duo based PCs ideal and extremely affordable as a tool for them to enjoy their first step into the exciting world of multi-media. 

Apart from the great offers for Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Core 2 Quad systems, visitors to PC Fair can also look forward to other exciting promotions and giveaways from Intel. This includes an interactive SMS quiz where participants who respond to questions correctly will be able to redeem a free gift from the Intel redemption counter. To participate, visitors should look out for the Intel Bunnyman that carries an SMS-specified short code displayed on the LCD.  

 

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