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CyanogenMod 9 Alpha Brings ICS to Much awaited HP Touchpad

The buggy build of ICS on the Touchpad we saw earlier has been let out to public. Among the things that currently don’t work are Market access, hardware accelerated video and the camera. The project is developing fast so fixes should be expected really soon.

The source code for the release has also been outed so if you want to play around with your own version of the build you can do that quite easily. Triple boot of webOS / CM7 / CM9 is possible but the developers are currently recommending against it.

[RootzWiki]

January 18, 2012
Alienware launches X51 gaming mini PC , Dell to bring it to India
Alienware has just announced the X51 small factor gaming PC at a price of US $ 699 (or about Rs. 37000). The vertical or horizontal switchable Gaming mini, comes with a rotating Alienware logo and has decent specs. Core i3 and i5 options, a slot-loading optical drive optional Blu-ray. Up to 8GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. GPU options include a NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 graphics card or optional GTX 555. Power supplies however are outside the box and come in 240W or 330W.

The accent led can be changed from the control panel included with the Alienware Dashboard.

Alienware X51 Product Specifications:
- Intel Core i3 Dual Core (standard) and Intel Core i5 and i7 Quad Core Processor Options
- Intel H61 Express Chipset Architecture
- Mini-ITX Motherboard
- Powerful NVIDIA Graphics Card Options
  - 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 (Standard)
  - 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 555
- Configure with up to 8GB of DDR3 Memory (4GB Standard); 2x 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM Slots
- Fast 7,200RPM 1TB Hard Drive
- Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
- Slot-Loading Dual Layer DVD Burner (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader
- Internal High-Definition 7.1 Performance Audio with Waves MAXX Audio Software
- Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Wireless LAN (standard)
- USB 2.0 (6x); USB 3.0 (2x); Microphone In; Headphone/Speaker Out; HDMI 1.4 Output; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet; Front, Rear and Center Speaker Ports; SPDIF Digital Output (TOSLINK); SPDIF Digital Output (Coax)
- Alienware 240 Watt Power Supply (Standard) or optional 330 Watt Power Supply
- Dual-orientation tower system dimensions: h: 13.5″ (343mm) x w: 3.74″ (95mm) x d: 12.52″ (318mm)
- Starting Weight: 12.1 lbs. (5.49 Kg.)
We have confirmed word from DELL INDIA that the product will be available in India in the coming months, specific dates or pricing is being worked out.

[Dell]
January 18, 2012
Samsung to borrow 1 Billion US dollars to expand capacity in Texas

Samsung Semiconductor makes main processor chips for iPhones, iPad’s and many other tablets and smartphones from other vendors including Samsung Mobiles. To meet with the exceeding demand for these products the supply of the said chips needs to be in order. Bloomberg is reporting that Samsung Semiconductor has “sent requests for proposals to banks to borrow as much as $1 billion to expand production capacity at its factory in Austin, Texas,” with the bonds to be issued by Samsung’s United States unit.

The company which is about US $ 20 Billion cash rich will sell its bonds first time since 1997, due to the low borrowing rate. The company plans to utilize this money to boost production of mobile phone processor and GPU chips as well as invest in innovation in their OLED manufacturing.

[Bloomberg]

January 17, 2012
Delhi High Court to hear Facebook and Google’s petition

The Delhi High Court will hear the petition filed by Google and Facebook challenging the trial court’s order to prosecute them for objectionable content. Google, Facebook and 19 other social networking sites faced legal action for offences of promoting enmity between classes after Kapil Sibal led govt. team granted sanction to prosecute them on Friday.

The government is threatening to block Google and Facebook like in china if the companies fail to comply.

Like China, we will block all such websites, they need to check on offensive and objectionable material and remove such content from their web pages

-Justice Suresh Kait

The trial court had earlier summoned representatives from 21 of the internet based companies including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and Youtube. A legal complaint has been filed under Section 292 (sale of obscene books etc), 293 (sale of obscene objects to young person etc) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. The court ordered the sites to remove all “anti-religious” or “anti-social” contents by February 6, 2012.

Google India, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi talking against this matter said

Billions of people across the globe, post their articles on the website. Yes, they may be defamatory, obscene but cannot be checked, The US-based Google Inc is the service provider and not me (Google India) and hence, we are not liable for the action of my holding company. Moreover, it is criminal case where a vicarious liability cannot be fastened on a company which has no role, whatsoever, in the alleged offence.

-Mukul Rohatgi

The govt. countered this statement by stating that the Indian Office can ask the US office to then remove such content.

January 16, 2012
BSNL plans to outsource Operation and Maintenance of 40,000 towers

State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) plans to outsource operation and maintenance (O&M) of its 40,000 telecom towers across the country.

BSNL has proposed to set up tower operating centres (TOCs) at each of its circles, a tender inviting comments from interested parties till January 23 has been issued by the company. A TOC would have a centralised web-based monitoring system and the access would be with BSNL.

According to BSNL officials this would cut costs down by 50% and therefore also free up the over worked and used up staff. This step may have come after the company recent financial situation. BSNL posted a loss of Rs 1,823 crore in financial year 2009-10 and about Rs 6,000 crore in 2010-11. Its revenue came down toRs 28,876 crore in 2010-11 fromRs 32,072 crore in 2009-10.

The contract would be valid for three years and would carry an extension for two years if required. The company hopes that private enterprise would improve overall performance from the company. Chairman and managing director R K Upadhyay had said it expected to get Rs 3,000 crore from this segment in the current financial year. The company is also hoping for an overall 15% increase in revenues from circle management and improvement.

January 16, 2012
AutoGyaan: BMW recalls 89,000 Minis

The German automaker BMW, has recalled 89,000 of its sub brand Minis cars in the US market. The US traffic safety agency announced Sunday, citing the threat of a smoldering circuit board that could set the cars on fire.

The electric auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger has an electronic circuit board that can malfunction and overheat,”

-the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The strange thing is that the recall is not only of a particular model but of various cars built through 2006-2011, several models of Mini roadsters including the Cooper S, Cooper S Countryman, and Cooper JCW convertible are included in the list.

BMW said that all water pumps of the recalled cars will be replaced free of charge.

January 16, 2012

MSI launches new two new R7950/R7970-2PMD3GD5 over-voltage capable Graphics cards on AMD HD 7000 GPU

MSI has launched two new GPUs based on the new AMD 7000 HD platform, the R7970-2PMD3GD5 supports over voltage support through MSI’s Afterburner utility. The card comes with 3GB GDDR5 and supports all DirectX 11 titles on extremely high resolutions. Accorrding to MSI both the R7970-2PMD3GD5 and R7950-2PMD3GD5 have an ultra-long lifespan and are made with All Solid Capacitors.

Ports include DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4a connector along with Blu-ray 3D Stereo, “Deep Color” (for true natural color representation) and 7.1 High Bitrate audio to be presented on up-to six displays through AMD’s Eyefinity Technology.

Corp Highlights

World’s 1^st HD 7000 graphics card supporting GPU Overvoltage by MSI Afterburner.
3GB GDDR5 Memory provides better gaming and visual experience.
All Solid Capacitors have 10 years ultra-long lifetime under full load.
Up to 6 Displays is able to build multi-display surroundings easily.
DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4a output support Blu-ray 3D stereo transmission format.

Specs

Model Name	V803 (MBA Board)
GPU	AMD Radeon HD 7970
Codename	Tahiti XT
Stream Processors	2048 units
Core Clock	925 MHz
Memory Clock	5500 MHz
Memory Size	3072MB GDDR5
Memory Bus	384 bits
Output	Mini DisplayPort x2 / HDMI / DVI-I
TDP	275 W
Card Dimension	280x110x38mm
Form Factor	ATX
DirectX	11
OpenGL	4.2
CrossFire	Y
Eyefinity	Y
AVIVO HD	Y
PowerPlay	Y
HDCP	Y

January 16, 2012

Devs Break Nook Tablet bootloader – Android 4.0 gets installed

Developer Brandon Bennet (aka Nemith) has managed to get an early version of the Android 4.0-based CyanogenMod 9 up and running on the device, thanks to the previously broken bootloader.Other devs are able to boot the tablet off -a microSD card and some are even working on Ubuntu builds for it. Xda-Devolopers is very active in the android development portion of the Nook Tablet with such activities .

[xda-developers]

January 16, 2012
Edit: The Rise and Rise of the next Giant : Samsung

2011 was a year of Samsung, the company has taken the consumer electronics market by storm, grabbing attention one way or another. Samsung also led as India’s number one manufacturer for mobile phones in all categories. From basic feature phones to high end Smart phones, the company has managed to challenge all odds and gain the market respect.

But all this does not come cheap, Samsung employs a huge amount of its annual earning into marketing. In 2011 alone Samsung is estimated to have spent over US $ 2 Billion in advertising their products. Out of which a major 40% is targeted towards mobile devices and 6-7 % towards new phones. Samsung also deploys twice that amount into market research and development, so that its teams know what the next big thing from the company is going to be.

Galaxy S2

In 2011 Samsung took a huge stab at Apple’s dominant spot as the world leader in smartphone sales. By quarter 3 2011 Samsung had replaced Apple as the world most selling smartphone manufacturer ( if you consider number of handsets and not just one model of handset). Samsung Galaxy S2 was the phone that changed everything for Samsung, the new innovations in the field of mobility that challenged design and construction, and innovative softwares threw huge limelight on Samsung’s potential in this market space. Android loyalists were drawn by Samsung’s willingness to answer to their demands and stuffing their handsets with all features requested (and more) by the users.

Who ever imagined a device like the Galaxy Note, a fully capacitive screen that had massive scribbling promise, a handwriting recognizing monster with the capabilities of real time editing and project handling. Live annotations and screen captures were there in previous Samsung handsets, but the precision with with the Note is able to do these tasks is excellent. People want change and innovation and that what Samsung has started to give to its users.

The South Korean company is earning high praise for the design of its new line of OLED television sets, its oversized Galaxy Note smartphone and its

Galaxy Tab 750

new line of laptops, dubbed Series 9. Samsung has held the title of the top TV maker for the past six years, and recently surpassed Apple Inc. to become the world’s top smartphone manufacturer. Samsung posted a US$4.5-billion profit in the most recent quarter, one of the best in the company’s history.

The Company now has set its sights on the personal computer and tablet markets, hoping to replicate the success the company has had in its smartphone and television businesses. Targeting their efforts at Apple, Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc, companies which are current leaders in the domain. This won’t be easy for Samsung either especially because globally they don’t even fall in the top 5 PC manufacturers category.

nx System Camera

One of Samsung’s biggest strengths is its component manufacturing facilities. Samsung itself manufactures 75% of the components used in its TVs, PCs and smartphones, enabling the company to innovate and test new products quickly. Samsung is also emerging big in a category seldom seen with asian companies, Cameras. With a exciting range of digital point and shoot cameras from the company, including innovative flip lcd type cameras. The company also has pioneered the professional SLR segment with their range of NX cameras, that are getting appreciation from professional Photographers.

The future of the brand also seems bright, as people have less and less faith in Apple’s ability to give what the users want. The next revision of the iPad and the iPhone 5 no longer seem as exciting as the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the Galaxy Tab 3 headed our way in 2012.

Its been a long time since our last edit, this one was long over due. The smartphone industry is ever changing, with constant evolutions in a battlefield of major companies and small startups. In a world where companies become large in a matter of months and fall even faster, we can only guess what the future holds in the massive divide.

January 14, 2012
Developers port CM9 to TouchPads, Owners rejoice!

The developers who initially bought Android to the touchpad have a glimpse of what is to come. The CM9 build for HP Touchpad is almost ready and the developer has released a video showing it off. There are still a few bugs in the system, like camera and video playback not working. But the dev assures everything else works smoothly. The video goes on to demonstrate that Angry Birds plays great on the Touchpad on ICS.

Check out the Video Below.

January 14, 2012
iG Offer : Get Motorola Xoom 32 GB 3g + Wifi at 24,999/- + Free Moto Cover and Screen Protector

Here you go, the latest iGyaan Offer for those with tablet fever. The mammoth Motorola Xoom which sells for upwards of 35 thousand rupees can be your for a mere 24,999/-. Whats more you get the original Motorola cover (Worth Rs. 3499) and Screen protector ( Worth Rs. 1200) absolutely free.

Don’t Miss out on this deal for exclusive iGyaan Viewers.

Call 9810845666 or 9818455333.

Remember this offer is valid only in Delhi, Anywhere else in India Shipping charges will apply. Limited stock only.

Have fun tabbing!

January 13, 2012
Nokia Lumia 800 Unboxing and Quick Hands On
The phone that marks a beginning for a change for the Legendary Mobile phone company. Nokia recently Launched the Lumia 800 in India and it has led Windows Phone to another level, at least in India. Still priced way above expected the phone is available for just under Rs. 30,000.

[tabs style=”default”] [tab title=”Initial Impressions”] The device is superiorly well built and has a stunning gorilla glass display. Under the hood is a 1.4GHz processor and 16GB of Storage. It runs the latest version of mango yet there are some features missing. Also on the OS front are some applications that have been custom made by Nokia for the device, For Example Nokia Drive. Nothing is openable or removable in the injection moulded shell of the phone. The only two openings are on the top of the device for micro USB ports and a micro SIM slot. The Speaker is located at the bottom of the Phone, a rather inconvenient location if you ask us.[/tab] [tab title=”Pros”]
- Well built
- Good Specs ( Windows Phone)
- Unibody Design
- Excellent display
- Custom Apps ( Nokia Drive/Maps)
- Nokia Support in India
[/tab] [tab title=”Cons”]
- Expensive at Rs.30,000
- Few features missing
- Underpowered
- micro SIM
[/tab] [tab title=”Specifications”]

Price: RS. 29,999.
Network: 3G
Display: 3.7-inch bright AMOLED ClearBlack display.
Screen Resolution: 800 x 480 pixels
Camera: 8 mega-pixel with auto-focus ,Carl Zeiss optics ,and dual LED flash.
HD Video Recording/Playback
Music: FM Radio, Music Player, 3.3mm Jack
Internal Memory: 16GB
Battery: standard 1450 mAh
Talk time: up to 13hrs.
Standby time: up to 335hrs.
OS: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
Processor: 1.4GHz Scorpion
Social Networking: Support to Social networking and Google Apps
WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML5, RSS feeds
Email & IM: Yes
Connectivity: Windows Zune PC Sync, USB, Wi-Fi
Games,
Weight: 142gm

[/tab] [/tabs]

Images

Video
January 13, 2012
Airtel banks in in BBM popularity, Launches BBM Plan Rs.129 / month

Airtel has just launched a new Blackberry Plan for BBM addicts like me. The new plan, only available on Postpaid, will allow customers to enjoy unlimited use of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) and free 300 local + national SMS in a month. The price is a monthly fee of Rs. 129 vs the usual Rs. 299. This plan should catch on big with the youth, especially because of the price and the popularity of Blackberry phones.

[tabs style=”default” id=”airtelbbm” title=”Airtel Mobile Services, New Plan”] [tab title=”Plan”]

New Plan

BlackBerry BBM Plan

Rs 129/-

Unlimited BlackBerry Messenger + 300 National SMS

[/tab] [tab title=”Press Release”]

Airtel launches all new “BBM Plan” @ Rs 129 per month for its postpaid mobile customers on BlackBerry

New Delhi, 12 January, 2012: Bharti Airtel, leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa, has announced that starting today, its postpaid mobile customers using BlackBerry smartphones can subscribe to the all new “BBM Plan” on Airtel. Now available @ Rs 129 per month, this plan will allow customers to enjoy unlimited use of *Blackberry Messenger (BBM) and free 300 local + national SMS in a month.

Airtel’s all new “BBM Plan” for postpaid customers

With this, Airtel aims to open up the BlackBerry services experience to a new segment of customers who are keen on leveraging a best-in-class messaging platform for real time social messaging.

To subscribe, existing and new postpaid Airtel mobile customers on BlackBerry can call 121 or walk-in to their nearest Airtel postpaid activation help-desk.

BBM or Blackberry Messenger is an Instant Messaging service which allows BlackBerry users to send and receive short messages and attachments instantly to another BlackBerry users, wherever they are – in the country or outside.

About Bharti Airtel Limited

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa. In India the company offers 3G voice & data services, fixed line, high speed broadband, IPTV, DTH, turnkey telecom solutions for enterprises and national & international long distance services to carriers globally. In rest of the geographies it offers mobile voice & high speed wireless internet. Bharti Airtel has been ranked among the six best performing technology companies in the world by BusinessWeek. Bharti Airtel had over 241 million customers across its operations at the end of November 2011. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

[/tab] [/tabs]

January 12, 2012

Samsung Galaxy Note Gt N7000 Review – iG Video and Pics

The Time for a change, in the way we look at smartphones, has come to India, funnily enough technology has started to come to our shores than faster the time it takes to penetrate the Western Hemisphere.

The Samsung Galaxy Note is a device that is being targeted as a Hybrid device and trust us, its doing wonders for Samsung aswell. So why does the Samsung Galaxy Note spin a different note? We’ll tell you why!

Build Quality

The Galaxy Note is simply well built, with an awesome bezel that looks like metal – feels like metal – is strong like metal, but is actually a plastic composite. The back cover is a larger version of the flimsy plastic we saw on the S2 Review, somehow it seems a bit more durable on the Note. The front of the Note features a gorilla glass-type reinforced display, which is a very tough, scratch and impact resistant glass. But, its not invincible and the glass is raised above the bezel, which makes it a point of worry for us considering the large size of the Note (5.3 Inch Display).

Hardware

In terms of specs, the Note is really top notch. check out the full list below.

Manufacturer	Samsung
Phone Style	Touchscreen + Hybrid Pen Input
OS	Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread + Touchwiz
Thickness	9.7 mm
Length	146.9mm
Width	83mm
Weight	178g
Built-in Memory	16/32GB, 1 GB RAM
Additional Memory	Up to 32GB, 2 GB included
High-speed Data	GPRS, HSDPA,Wi-Fi,
Connectivity	Bluetooth, USB
Screen Size	5.3-inch screen Super-Amoled Display
Processor	Dual-core 1.4GHz ARM Cortex-A9 proccessor
Screen Colours	16M colors
Camera	8 megapixels + LED flash + HD Video 1080p

Radio	Yes
Speaker	Yes
Internet	Yes
Browser	HTML
Games	Yes
Battery	Li-Ion 2500 mAh

Display, Camera and Multimedia

One of the most beautiful displays to cross our paths the Note has a gorgeous 5.3 inch Super AMOLED display which has a resolution of 1280x 800 px. The display replicates black on the screen and the depth of color actually shows on the screen. Pioneers in the AMOLED display industry, Samsung has really proved their point. Watch movies or play games, the end resultant is stunning Visuals. The MultiTouch capacitive display has 10 point input system, which makes for a brilliant touch experience. Fruit Ninja anyone?

The camera has an 8MP sensor that does wide angle imaging and a stunning video at full hd 1080p. The endless list of settings in the Note allow for users to really tweak their cameras before they go about snapping the world or themselves using the 2MP front camera.

Sound quality from the device is good, the speaker is loud enough and media is simply amazing considering the large AMOLED monster of a display. The movies playback really smooth and its actually an experience to watch on this device. Brilliance in all multimedia aspects, including the most unused feature of an FM radio.

Tablet-Phone and S PEN.

The device is not quite a tablet and is definitely much more than a simple phone, hence a hybrid title. The device has the most impressive form factor to deal with both aspects. Although it runs Android 2.3 GB, it going to be one of the first devices to get ICS by Samsung. The TouchWIz user interface cleans up the Note to a much deeper level than ever possible on Android. The custom editing and look of the device when you power it on is very clean and therefore is preferred by users.

From Editing documents , to making presentations, the Note has the screen real estate and the juice to do what the work demands. Combined with the realistic and lifelike S Pen the Note actually hands you a Magic Wand to play around with. We detailed the S Pen in a video you will find in the links below, but to sum it up, you can crop, edit, scribble, write and draw, convert writing to text and even sign documents with the SPen, great job Samsung!

Phone Calling and Messaging

The Samsung Galaxy Note is a brilliant phone, considering it comes with a loud earpiece and a very good quality mic. The network reception on the Note is also very solid. With no dropped calls and excellent network connections including HSPA and 3G , we were impressed with the network handling of the chipset within the Note.

The screen is large enough to accommodate the largest of fingers, and with a 10 point input, its practically impossible to miss the keys while typing. The standard keyboard includes swype for the drag and type – types. The Samsung keyboard can also be replaced with a host of others available in the Android Marketplace for free as well as a minor premium.

Internet and Battery Life

We found the performance of the Galaxy Note great in all aspects especially the internet and data transfer access. The Note handles all apps in a wonderful fashion so allows the full use of the World wide web and its applications. The device is a great bit of joy to read your books on , or even get the latest news, get updates on your stock purchases all with the flick of your wrist.

Battery life was bit of a shocker initially, especially when we got really low run times with a massive 2500 mAh battery pack. The culprit was data usage, and the OS is not optimized in the best possible fashion to handle media. A few tweaks of the background data usage setting and we got the following usage life :

	2G Usage	3G Usage	Wifi Usage
Calling	7 Hours	4.8 hours	– NA-
Standby Time	3 Days	2 Days	7 Days
Internet	7 Hours	4 Hours	11 Hours
Gameplay Multiplayer	4 Hours	3.75 Hours	5 Hours

Conclusion

The Galaxy Note is an amazing device, the best possible device, but only if you plan to use it intensively the way its meant to handle the usage. The S-Pen adds functionality we only dreamt of on devices during the time of i-mate and O2 XDA phones. Its definitely a great device for a business user, also for a person looking to make a consolidated investment b/w phone and Tablet. The screen is beautiful the performance great and the experience difficult to replicate with any other device available today. The device is slim enough to fit a pocket, yet large enough to feel awkward when you hold it to your face.

We Rate the Note 4.75 /5.0

Price : Rs. 32500/-

Videos

Images

January 11, 2012

SteelSeries launches 2 Headsets, 3 Mice and a Controller

SteelSeries has launched a host of goodies today, including the Ion wireless gaming controller that connects to your PC, tablet or phone through Bluetooth. Once charged the controller provides for upto 20 hours of gaming. The company’s also debuting two headsets, the Flux and Siberia v2 Frost. The Flux is more for the mobile gamer, the collapsable headset, features a unique dual jack system, for daisy chaining of headphones, so tat ore than one person can listen in on the action.

SteelSeries’ Siberia v2 Frost headset is an updated version of the Siberia v2 active noise canceling headphones, it also adds some extra blue LEDs that can be set to pulse or dim as per requirement.

The final products released include three gaming mice the Kana, Kinzu v2, and Kinzu v2 Pro. All three mice come with a 3600fps optical sensor. And high speed movements going up from 65 inches per second to 130 inches per second. Price ranges from US $ 39.99 for the Kana and Us $ 49.99 for the Kinzu V2 Pro.

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

STEELSERIES INTRODUCES MULTI-DEVICE, TRAVEL-FRIENDLY HEADSET – THE STEELSERIES FLUX
New On-Ear Headset Features a Compact, Customizable and Multi-Use Design for PC, Mac® and Mobile Devices

LAS VEGAS, CES – Jan. 10, 2012 –SteelSeries the leading manufacturer of premium-quality, competitive gaming peripherals, today introduced the SteelSeries Flux headset. Compatible with PC, Mac® and Mobile devices, the Flux features new, on-ear mesh cloth cushions that pump out impressive sound levels via its 40mm driver units. The headset includes cable connections for an in-line, uni-directional microphone with mute controls that connect to PC as well as a connector with a single 3.5mm jack for Mac® and mobile devices. The multi-use headset was designed to be travel-friendly, the headset earcups to fold inward when wearing it around the neck, and collapse at the earcup hangers for quick and compact storage.

The SteelSeries Flux factors in convenience for the user by including 2 input jacks – one on each side, which allows for two user options: to choose which side the microphone cable can be plugged into, and the ability to “daisy chain” or plug in another headset to the Flux which allows for multiple users to listen to the same device. Customization of the SteelSeries Flux headset will provide users with the ability to order various outer plates with different colors and designs as well as various colored cushions all of which will be available in Q2.

“We work with professional gamers that travel often to tournaments and events, but we also cater to users that want headset compatibility for more than just gaming, which is where the design of the Flux began,” said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. “This headset is meant to be more about the user, versus just another audio option – we brought together color and plate design options with the versatility of being able to plug in and use the audio and microphone with any device. If you play games on your PC, you most likely also listen to music and make calls, and you want a headset that will allow you adapt.”

The SteelSeries Flux will be available in Q2, which is also when pricing will be released. More details about colors and design options will be released closer to product availability. For more information about the new SteelSeries Flux headset features, please visit http://steelseri.es/flux. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for new product updates as well as a snapshot of all SteelSeries CES product announcements at http://steelseri.es/ces2012.

__________________

STEELSERIES INTRODUCES THE ION – WIRELESS GAMING CONTROLLER
Compact Controller Can Be Used For Games on Your PC and Mobile Devices

LAS VEGAS, CES – Jan. 10, 2012 –SteelSeries the leading manufacturer of premium-quality, competitive gaming peripherals today, introduced the SteelSeries Ion Wireless Controller. Through a licensing partnership with Zeemote Technology Inc., the SteelSeries Ion is designed to work fully with your PC, additionally the controller brings classic control schemes to touch screen devices like tablets and phones. The compact controller connects wirelessly through Bluetooth and can be easily customized and configured through its own application on the device.

“For PC users, the SteelSeries Ion is a convenient alternative, especially if they want something other than their mouse or keyboard as their tool. And for consumers with tablets and Smartphone’s, it really is an ideal accessory” said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. “Whether you’re sling shooting birds or playing a word game with friends, there are games that are ideal for touch screen. Those types of games however, are not the only games available; there are a number of first-person shooter and RTS games that aren’t downloaded or played as frequently as they could be, because the touch screen doesn’t provide an optimal experience. The SteelSeries Ion provides the advantage for those types of games.”

Measuring only about the size of a standard deck of cards (approximately 108mm in length, 55.5mm in width and 18mm thick); the lightweight controller can be easily stored and carried. It connects through Bluetooth to your PC and/or your mobile device and includes a white LED light on the controller indicating a connection. The SteelSeries Ion includes a rechargeable, lithium battery that will provide up to 20 hours of wireless use and can be plugged into your device for charge and play use.

The SteelSeries Ion boasts a classic controller design that includes 2 mini-joysticks, a left side Dpad button, 2 trigger buttons one at each shoulder, and a four button layout on the right, similar to familiar Nintendo®, Xbox 360® and PlayStation® controllers. The buttons can be customized through an easy-to-use interface for both PC and mobile devices.
The SteelSeries Ion Wireless Controller will be available in Q3; pricing will be announced closer to its availability. For more information about the new SteelSeries Ion, please visit http://steelseri.es/ion. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for new product updates as well as a snapshot of all SteelSeries CES product announcements at http://steelseri.es/ces2012.

____________________

STEELSERIES INTRODUCES NEW GAMING MOUSE OPTIONS – KANA, KINZU V2 PRO EDITION AND KINZU V2
Consumers Can Choose Between Three New Optical, Ambidextrous Mice Based on Features That Are Important for Their Game – Size, Color, Illumination, Buttons, and Switches

LAS VEGAS, CES – Jan. 10, 2012 – SteelSeries, the leading manufacturer of premium-quality, competitive gaming peripherals, today at the start of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, introduced a new line-up of gaming peripherals. Kicking off the mouse category for SteelSeries in 2012 is the SteelSeries Kana, also known as the Designed by Gamers mouse; and two editions of the new version of the SteelSeries Kinzu, the SteelSeries Kinzu v2 and SteelSeries Kinzu v2 Pro Edition. The SteelSeries Kana mouse was introduced to SteelSeries fans in the Designed by Gamers Campaign as Mouse 1.1, which gave more than 300,000 gamers the design choice and where 60,000 “Likes” determined the winning Black 1.1 design.

“With the Designed by Gamers campaign, it was the first time we asked our fans and followers to choose a design for us, and we were incredibly proud to see the response from the community – it makes sense that consumers, specifically our consumers want to have a say in what we?re creating, said Kim Rom, SteelSeries CMO. “This new line-up of mice were each designed to fulfill the needs of different types of players, especially those who may not need all of the customization that can be found in the SteelSeries Sensei.”

The SteelSeries Kana, Kinzu v2 and Kinzu v2 Pro Edition are all powered by the SteelSeries Engine. It allows users to customize the mice with the ability for unlimited profiles, program buttons, set the polling rate, create macros, customize CPI settings, optimize your layout by recording movements and viewing a heat map of button usage and more.

The SteelSeries Kana features:

Ambidextrous shape with an optimized 6-button layout

Tournament grade optical sensor 3600 Frames Per Second and supports stable movement speeds at 130 Inches Per Second.

Illuminated scroll wheel with LED intensity options that can be assigned to indicate the
currently active CPI profile.

DCPI is 1600-3200

Two XL-sized side buttons (one on each side) for easy rapid-fire

UPE Teflon mouse feet and a double-braided nylon cord with 2.0 USB connector

Two color and illumination options, White 1.1 and Black 1.1

Available now on the SteelSeries Web Shop and select retailers, the SteelSeries Kana is $49.99 / €49.99 MSRP – http://steelseri.es/kana.

Rom adds that, “The Kinzu v2 and Kinzu v2 Pro Edition are for players who don?t want anything more than minimal buttons and functionality, but that recognize minimal still means quality and precision.”

SteelSeries Kinzu v2 Pro Edition features:
Tournament-grade Omron button switches which are recognized by the industry and the community as reliable, high-end hardware components that deliver “best-in-class? performance and feedback.

Ambidextrous shape with 4-button layout including the CPI toggle

Tournament grade optical sensor operating at 3600 Frames Per Second and supports stable movement speeds at 65 Inches Per Second. UPE Teflon glides and a double-braided nylon cord with 2.0 USB connector Three color options: Glossy Black, Metallic Silver and Red

Available now on the SteelSeries Web Shop and select retailers, the SteelSeries Kinzu v2 Pro Edition is $44.99 / €44.99 MSRP – http://steelseri.es/kinzuv2pro.

SteelSeries Kinzu v2 features:
Identical features as the Kinzu v2 Pro Edition, with the exception of the Tournament- grade Omron button switches.

Four color options including: Rubberized Black, White, Orange, and Yellow

Available now on the SteelSeries Web Shop and select retailers, the SteelSeries Kinzu v2 is $39.99 / €39.99 MSRP – http://steelseri.es.kinzuv2.

For more information about the new SteelSeries mice, as well as all the SteelSeries products launching during CES please visit, http://steelseri.es/ces2012.

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STEELSERIES INTRODUCES THE ILLUMINATED, SIBERIA V2 FROST BLUE HEADSET
Award-Winning Siberia v2 Design with Customizable, Super-Bright Blue LED Lighting with Advanced Customizable Settings

LAS VEGAS, CES – Jan. 10, 2012 – Kicking off CES, SteelSeries the leading manufacturer of premium-quality, competitive gaming peripherals, today introduced the Siberia v2 Frost Blue Headset. The super-bright, blue LED lights glow through the outer mesh grill on each earcup, the Siberia v2 Frost Blue’s lights and soundscape can be customized through SteelSeries Engine software. It has an incredibly lightweight, over-the-head suspension design with an active noise- cancelling microphone and circumaural earcups that feature 50mm driver units, covered by grey leather cushions for a noise-dampening sound.

“The Siberia v2 Frost Blue combine’s incredible sound with a style that is not only recognized, but is an original design that’s been optimized and improved,” said Jacob Wolff-Petersen, SteelSeries Founder. “This headset packs a loud and crisp soundscape with the expected luxury for the user to be able to adjust everything – from illumination options, equalizer settings to creating and assigning profiles for multiple game titles and players, all through the SteelSeries Engine software.”

The headset illumination offers 6 different modes and can be assigned to behavior and game specific profiles through the SteelSeries Engine, including: Active Mode (responsive pulsing to sound effects, music, and/or voice), Slow Pulse, Fast Pulse, High Bright, Low Bright and Off. The Siberia v2 Frost Blue will also features an active noise cancelling, “smart” microphone system that retracts when not in use. The microphones processor reduces the “noise” and focuses on the sound that is closer to the mic, your voice. Its in-line volume and mute controls are found on a durable, double-braided nylon cord with a USB connector.

The SteelSeries Siberia v2 Frost Blue will be available in Q2; pricing will be announced closer to availability. For more information about the new SteelSeries Siberia v2 Frost, please visit http://steelseri.es/frostblue. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for new product updates as well as a snapshot of all SteelSeries CES product announcements at http://steelseri.es/ces2012.

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January 11, 2012