15-Year-Old Scientist Creates Machine Learning Software Tool to Detect Cancer-Causing Gene Mutations

Nathan Han of Boston Wins US$75,000 Top Prize at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

• The world’s largest high school science research competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a program of Society for Science & the Public, announced its top winners in Los Angeles.
• Nathan Han of Boston received the Gordon E. Moore Award, a US$75,000 prize named in honor of the Intel co-founder and fellow scientist.
• Four Malaysian students recognized for chemistry and environmental projects. 
• Two Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards winners – Lennart Kleinwort of Germany and Shannon Lee of Singapore – each received prizes of US$50,000 from the Intel Foundation.

LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2014 – Nathan Han, 15, of Boston was awarded first place for developing a machine learning software tool to study mutations of a gene linked to breast cancer at this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a program of Society for Science & the Public.

Using data from publicly available databases, Han examined detailed characteristics of multiple mutations of the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene in order to “teach” his software to differentiate between mutations that cause disease and those that do not. His tool exhibits an 81 percent accuracy rate and could be used to more accurately identify cancer threats from BRCA1 gene mutations. Han received the Gordon E. Moore Award of US$75,000, named in honor of the Intel co-founder and fellow scientist.

From Malaysia, Faye Jong-Sow Fei from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Batu Lintang, Kuching, Sarawak received a First Award of US$3,000 in the Environmental Management Category for her project entitled ‘Bio-Waste Materials as Eco-Friendly Mordant in Fabric Dye Process’. She has also won the Top Winner of the Best of Category with prizes consisting of US$5,000 cash and US$1,000 cash for her school and the affiliated fair she represents. In addition, Faye Jong walked away with an all-expense-paid trip to attend the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in Warsaw, Poland this August.

Nurul Najiha Binti Mohd Roslan and Nur Hanis Suriani Binti Mohd Zaini of Mara Junior Science College Terendak, Melaka were awarded a Third Place Award  of US$1,000 for the Environmental Sciences category and First Place Award of US$500.00 for the Special Award category from Drexel Smart House for their ‘New Discovery of Eco Plyfibre via Pineapple Leaf and Recyclable Plastic for Future Sustainability’. Furthermore, Meor Zulhilmi Syahir Ahmad Shohailee from the Tun Syed Sheh Shahabudin Science Secondary Boarding School Pulau Pinang was given a Certificate of Honorable Mention from American Chemical Society for his chemistry project ‘Carbonized Pineapple Peel (CPP) Waste as Low Cost Adsorbent for Acid and Reactive Dyes Removal.’

Lennart Kleinwort, 15, of Germany received one of two Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards of US$50,000. Kleinwort developed a new mathematical tool for smartphones and tablets that brings capabilities to hand-held devices that previously required more sophisticated and expensive computing tools. His app allows users to hand draw curves, lines and geometric figures on the touch screen and watch the system render them into shapes and equations that can then be manipulated at will.

Shannon Xinjing Lee, 17, of Singapore received the other Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of US$50,000 for developing a novel electrocatalyst that may be used for batteries of the future. Researchers have been looking for ways to make rechargeable zinc-air batteries practical, as they would be safer, lighter in weight, and have six times the energy density of lithium ion batteries, making them ideal for hybrid vehicles. Lee found that her activated carbon catalyst, which she made entirely from carbonized Chinese eggplant, greatly out-performed a more sophisticated commercial catalyst in stability and longevity tests and will be environmentally friendly and inexpensive to produce.

 “The world needs more scientists, makers and entrepreneurs to create jobs, drive economic growth and solve pressing global challenges,” said Prakash Mallya, Country Manager, Intel Malaysia and Singapore. “Intel believes that young people are the key to innovation, and we hope that these winners inspire more students to get involved in science, technology, engineering and math, the foundation for creativity.”

This year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair featured more than 1,700 young scientists selected from 435 affiliate fairs in more than 70 countries, regions and territories. In addition to the top winners, more than 500 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including 17 "Best of Category" winners, who each received a US$5,000 prize. The Intel Foundation also awarded a US$1,000 grant to each winner’s school and to the affiliated fair they represent. Additionally, the Intel Foundation presented a select number of students with experiential awards, including the new 11-day trip to China to attend the country’s largest national science competition, speak with researchers at Intel’s lab in Shanghai, and visit the Panda Research Base in Chengdu.


The following lists the 17 Best of Category winners, from which the top three were chosen:  

Category	First	Last	City	State/Country
Animal Sciences	Daksh	Dua	Delhi	India
	Abhishek	Verma
Behavioral and Social Sciences	Michelle	Marquez	Midlothian	Virginia
Biochemistry	Ken	Aizawa	Jericho	New York
Cellular and Molecular Biology	Joshua	Meier	Hackensack	New Jersey
Chemistry	Tai Hei	Chan	Hong Kong	China
	Er Hai	Fang
Computer Science	Yue	Yao	Shanghai	China
Earth Science	Yu-Hsin	Chen	Taipei City	Chinese Taipei
Energy and Transportation	Shannon	Lee	Singapore	Singapore
Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical	Sarah	Galvin	Tempe	Arizona
Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering	Harry	Paul	Port Washington	New York
Environmental Management	Faye	Jong	Kuching	Malaysia
Environmental Sciences	Perry	Algappan	Houston	Texas
Mathematical Science	Lennart	Kleinwort	Wurzburg	Germany
Medicine and Health Sciences	Nathan	Han	Boston	Massachusetts
Microbiology	Logan	Collins	Boulder	Colorado
Physics and Astronomy	John	Caddell	Pebble Beach	California
Plant Sciences	Yi-Hsuan	Huang	Taipei City	Chinese Taipei

Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education, has owned and administered the competition since its inception in 1950 as the National Science Fair.

“In congratulating Nathan, Lennart, and Shannon, we join with Intel in seeing great hope in their research, and that of all of our Intel ISEF finalists,” said Rick Bates, interim CEO and chief advancement officer of Society for Science & the Public. “Not only are they working to discover solutions for society’s challenges, they importantly serve as an inspiration for younger students and encourage them to become involved in the amazing world of hands-on science and engineering.”

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair honors the world’s most promising student entrepreneurs, innovators and scientists. Finalists are selected annually from hundreds of affiliated fairs. Their projects are then evaluated onsite by more than 1,200 judges from nearly every scientific discipline, each with a Ph.D. or the equivalent of six years of related professional experience in one of the scientific disciplines.

A full listing of finalists is available in the event program. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2014 is funded jointly by Intel and the Intel Foundation with additional awards and support from dozens of other corporate, academic, governmental and science-focused organizations. This year, more than US$5 million was awarded.

To learn more about Society for Science & the Public, visit www.societyforscience.org.

Brazil beckons as Samsung kicks off GALAXY 11 Campaign

Samsung lines up exciting prizes for Malaysian football fans

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 16 May 2014 – Samsung Malaysia Electronics is giving all new owners of the GALAXY S5 the chance to win a series of delightful prizes from 15 May to 15 June 2014, as part of its GALAXY 11 global marketing campaign. The prizes include flight tickets to Brazil, the recently launched 55-inch Samsung Curved UHD TV or limited edition GALAXY 11 footballs.

"We are thrilled to provide fans with new and exciting ways to participate in the GALAXY 11 campaign throughout the football season," said Ng Long Shyang, Vice President, IT & Mobile Business Unit at Samsung Malaysia Electronics. "Through the GALAXY 11 platform, we hope to fuel Malaysians' passion and enthusiasm for football, and our current promotion is our way to reward these fans, and spur them to delve deeper into the spirit of the upcoming football season."

GALAXY 11 is Samsung's multi-platform fantasy-layered global marketing campaign that tells the story of 13 top-class football players from around the world, who attempt to save the planet from alien domination in a 'winner takes Earth' match on a virtual football pitch this summer. The campaign has embarked on the next phase – 'GALAXY 11 Team Training', designed to stimulate fans' imaginations, inspire engagement and utilise the newest Samsung GALAXY devices to unlock entertaining moments and experiences.

World Tour for GALAXY 11
Another way that fans can get immersed in the campaign is to visit the GALAXY 11 World Tour taking place at the Orange Atrium Concourse, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall from 12 to 22 June. There will be an interactive studio that allows football enthusiasts to train and play like the GALAXY 11 team through entertaining programmes and experiences with the latest Samsung devices – GALAXY S5, Gear 2 and Gear Fit.

GALAXY 11-Themed Mobile Games
To provide fans with the chance to test their own virtual football skills, Samsung today released four new GALAXY 11-themed mobile games. 'The Match: Striker Soccer GALAXY 11', available to GALAXY S5 and all Android users, enables fans to play as the GALAXY 11 and take on the alien team for prizes that will be awarded to individual players on a weekly basis. Three other new games, GALAXY 11 'Cannon Shooter', 'Soccer Wars', and 'Shooting Soccer', specially made for GALAXY device users, will help provide an ultimate football experience to fans around the world.

GALAXY S5 Roadshows in Malaysia
To introduce the addition of two extra colours to the GALAXY S5 – electric blue and gold – Samsung will be holding a series of roadshows in Malaysia. Consumers will have first-hand experience with the latest GALAXY smartphone, as well as the wearable devices – the Gear 2 and Gear Fit. The roadshow schedules are as follows:

 

Location Region Period   

Mid Valley Central 19 to 25 May   

Setia City Mall Central 21 to 25 May   

1-Utama Central 21 to 25 May   

Mydin Seremban Central 16 to 18 May   

City One Megamall East Malaysia 16 to 18 May   

Plaza Merdeka East Malaysia 16 to 18 May   

Suria Sabah Shopping Mall East Malaysia 30 May to 1 June   

1st Avenue Northern 23 to 25 May   

Alor Setar UTC Mall Northern 29 May to 1 June   

Aeon Tebrau City Southern 20 to 25 May   

Sutera Mall JB Southern 23 to 25 May   

City Square Southern 26 May to 1 June   

Mahkota Parade Southern 29 May to 1 June  

Consumers who purchased a Samsung GALAXY S5 can submit their entries at http://www.samsung.com/my/galaxy11. The grand prize is a pair of tickets to Brazil worth up to RM20,000. There are also five units of the Samsung Curved UHD TV worth RM15,999 each to be given away. The first 10,000 consumers who submit their entries will take home a limited edition GALAXY 11 football.
The Samsung GALAXY S5 retails for RM2,399, while the Gear 2 and Gear Fit are at RM799 and RM599 respectively. They are available at all Samsung Experience Stores and Samsung authorised dealers.

For further information, please visit www.samsung.com/my or visit Samsung Mobile Malaysia Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/samsungmobilemalaysia.

IBM Introduces ‘IBM ExperienceOne’ to Help Organizations Bring Together Marketing, Sales and Services Practices to Deepen Customer Engagement

Integrated portfolio of cloud and on premise offerings help clients coordinate and enrich engagement throughout the customer journey

PETALING JAYA – 16 May 2014:  At its Smarter Commerce Global Summit in Tampa, IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced ‘IBM ExperienceOne,’ a new integrated portfolio of cloud-based and on premise offerings that help clients quickly deliver deeper, more valuable customer engagements by bringing together marketing, sales and service practices.

According to IBM’s recent survey of nearly 4,200 C-suite leaders, more than half are reinventing their organizations to drive greater customer collaboration. The study showed companies that outperform peers are focused on delivering customer value through each interaction, including those with downstream partners and suppliers. This deeper engagement is a universal ambition with 90 percent of CxOs expecting to increase customer collaboration.

Built on best practices working with more than 8,000 organizations worldwide, IBM ExperienceOne delivers a set of pre-defined engagement solutions delivered with IBM consulting services and powered by its leading WebSphere Commerce, Customer Digital Experience and Enterprise Marketing Management software. IBM ExperienceOne is now available at www.ibm.com/ExperienceOne.

“Smarter Commerce is about helping clients continuously reinvent themselves around the customer experience,” said Craig Hayman, General Manager, Industry Cloud Solutions, IBM. “IBM ExperienceOne provides a secure and simplified portfolio – including innovation from more than 1,200 partners – to help clients design and deliver more valuable customer engagements.  With cloud, on premise and hybrid options, IBM ExperienceOne quickly scales to engage every customer in the moment while protecting their privacy.”

IBM ExperienceOne draws on innovation from IBM research as well as more than $3 billion invested in organic development and acquisitions such as Sterling Commerce, Tealeaf, Coremetrics, Unica, DemandTec, Xtify and most recently Silverpop, a provider of cloud-based personalized marketing solutions. It is delivered with market-leading consulting, agency and system integration services from the IBM Interactive Experience practice, as well as the company’s $100 million investment to open 10 IBM Interactive Experience labs and add 1,000 employees to help clients deepen engagement through data-driven design.

As part of today’s news, IBM added new and enhanced software capabilities that support three of the new engagement solution sets:

•     -- Understand Your Customers:  At the heart of this solution set is IBM’s newly integrated Digital, Behavioral, Social Media and Predictive Customer analytics offering to help clients identify real-time trends based on internal and external customer data.  It features new mobile analytics that can replay individual user sessions on both Android and iOS device apps, enabling marketers and commerce professionals to pinpoint the exact moment when a customer decided to browse, buy or abandon a transaction. 
•     -- Maximize Sales, Profit and Loyalty:  This solution set helps clients quickly act on insights and maximize customer value using IBM's enhanced omni-channel merchandising capabilities.  It enables merchandising professionals to automate price optimization, maintain real-time transparency and competitive pricing across all physical and digital channels to deliver the right offer to the right customer at the right time.  
•     -- Deliver Empowering Digital Experiences:  As the gateway to each customer touch point, this solution set is supported by enhancements to IBM’s customer digital experience software.  Marketing, sales and service professionals now can more easily leverage dynamic customer, pricing and performance analytics by embedding real-time offers into their mobile, social and rich media experiences. The real-time offer engine automates personalization across the customer experience at scale, increasing engagement, satisfaction and sales.

IBM also introduced three new cloud business solutions to give clients more flexibility in how they buy and deploy IBM ExperienceOne. These solutions combine consulting services, IBM ExperienceOne software and cloud infrastructure powered by SoftLayer, an IBM company. They include:

•     -- Customer Data as a Service:  Enables clients to combine disparate customer data from internal and external sources to improve marketing performance and revenue growth.
•     -- Customer Analytics as a Service:  Helps organizations quickly identify new customer trends, anticipate future behavior and suggest next best actions to deepen engagement.
•     -- Digital Commerce as a Service:  Allows business leaders to deliver exceptional digital experiences and accelerate time to market for a range of customer engagement solutions from order capture through fulfillment.

Leading specialty retailer American Eagle Outfitters is one of many organizations using IBM's analytics capabilities to better understand their customers as unique individuals, helping to ensure that every interaction is an exceptional brand experience.

“American Eagle Outfitters is a deeply customer centric company, and we lean heavily on IBM’s customer experience management solution to clearly understand real customers’ experiences, and then work to identify, understand, and remove pain points,” said Joe Megibow, Senior Vice President and General Manager Omnichannel, American Eagle.  “With IBM’s solutions, we can deliver higher quality experiences for our customers, resulting in more relevant engagements and improved brand loyalty.”

Seven out of the top ten commercial banks, financial services companies and U.S. retailers today use IBM’s customer engagement solutions.

Get the latest Smarter Commerce Global Summit 2014 news by following #smartercommerce.

Telenor Group appoints three new Executive Vice Presidents

Fornebu (Oslo), 16 May, 2014. Telenor Group today announces a change to its organizational structure through the appointment of Henrik Clausen (50), Katja Christina Nordgaard (52) and Pål Wien Espen (49) as Executive Vice Presidents and new members of Group Executive Management (GEM) in Telenor Group.

(From left:) Henrik Clausen, Katja Christina Nordgaard and Pål Wien Espen.

“Telenor Group operates in an increasingly fast-paced and complex environment.  We have decided to merge the Strategy and Digital units and establishing a new Corporate Affairs unit in order to increase our ability to meet the demands from our customers and solve business challenges in our markets.  It will provide us with the flexibility and strength needed to take a leading role in the digital future,” said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO of Telenor Group. “I welcome Henrik, Katja and Pål to the top management team and look forward to further strengthening our company.”

Aligning Digital initiatives with Group strategy

A new Group Strategy and Digital unit will be responsible for Telenor Group’s overall strategy, drive Telenor’s digital agenda and support the company’s operations in the digital services space. The new unit will be headed by Henrik Clausen. Clausen starts in his new position on 15 June 2014.

Henrik Clausen comes from the position of CEO of Malaysian mobile operator DiGi. Since taking the helm at DiGi in 2010, the company has continuously delivered solid results and consistently captured market share in Malaysia. The company’s growth has been fueled by increased demand for mobile data, driven by the growing popularity of content services in the mature Malaysian market. DiGi is known as an innovative industry player and frontrunner in providing mobile internet services. The company has been a pioneer in delivering Internet for All, which now is one of Telenor Group’s three strategic pillars across its 13 markets. Under Clausen’s leadership, DiGi has been able to strike a successful balance between focused market execution and an open company culture that encourages participation and passion.

Establishing a new Corporate Affairs Unit

Combining Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Government Relations into one Corporate Affairs unit enables Telenor to maximize the existing capabilities of these essential areas, and to further strengthen our communication and interaction with key stakeholders, including governments and the public. This change reflects how Telenor’s business units are currently organized. The new Corporate Affairs unit will be headed by Katja Christina Nordgaard, who will start in her new role on 4 August 2014.

Nordgaard currently holds the position as Norwegian Ambassador to Thailand and Cambodia. In the years 2010 to 2013, she also served as the Norwegian Ambassador to Myanmar. She joined the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988, and has during her career held various senior positions within the Foreign Service as well as in the private sector. Katja Nordgaard has a Master in Business Administration from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).

Formalizing legal affairs position in Group Executive Management

Pål Wien Espen has already been participating in Group Executive Management meetings as Telenor Group’s General Counsel and Head of Group Legal. By appointing him as Executive Vice President, Telenor Group is emphasizing the importance of Telenor Group’s legal affairs department. The appointment is effective immediately.

Pål Wien Espen joined Telenor in 1995. Before joining Telenor, he was an associate at the Norwegian Law firm BAHR, and an assistant judge in the first instance court in Lillestrøm, Norway.

Overview of the new Group Executive Management

With these appointments, Telenor Group Executive Management will consist of:

•     Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO
•     Richard Olav Aa, EVP and Chief Financial Officer
•     Sigve Brekke, EVP and Head of Asian Operations
•     Kjell Morten Johnsen, EVP and Head of European Operations
•     Hilde Tonne, EVP and Head of Group Industrial Development
•     Henrik Clausen, EVP and Head of Strategy and Digital
•     Jon Erik Haug, EVP and Head of People Development
•     Berit Svendsen, EVP and Head of Telenor Norway
•     Katja Christina Nordgaard, EVP and Head of Corporate Affairs
•     Pål Wien Espen, EVP and Head of Legal Affairs

Acer Unveils New Visual Identity for its BYOC™ (Build Your Own Cloud) Brand

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (May 15, 2014) Acer today unveiled its new visual identity for BYOC™ (Build Your Own Cloud). As previously announced, and under the direction of the new Acer leadership team, Acer is transforming from a hardware company into a “hardware + software + services” company as it embraces new opportunities in the cloud technology era.

This change is being accomplished through championing the foundation and spirit that the company was built on. Acer has always believed that sustainable success comes from balancing the interests of consumers, shareholders, business partners, employees and communities. And its mission has been to break down barriers between people and technology.

Acer has always been prepared to take an unconventional route and today’s introduction of the visual identity of its BYOC brand is another example of a ground breaking approach.

Acer Chairman Stan Shih said, “Acer is continuing its decades-long tradition of challenging convention by completely redefining the meaning of the cloud for consumers and businesses; it is therefore highly appropriate that the new, powerful and distinctive visualization of BYOC conveys this message.”

For consumers, BYOC is a differentiated solution which allows you to create a cloud that lives on your own device wherever you are, yet with ultimate privacy and security. This means that the storage capacity of your cloud can be as big as you want. With BYOC your digital life is synced wirelessly and simultaneously across your entire ecosystem of devices regardless of the network connection, operating system or brand of device. As part of BYOC, Acer is also introducing a suite of software products to help organize personal content, such as music, photos and files.

For businesses, BYOC is also truly breaking down barriers. Now any company, in any industry, can create a cloud-based solution with Acer’s open platform. By using BYOC, companies can build a multi-network, cross-platform, multi-device cloud without a significant investment in time and resources. Any company with an idea can build their own cloud for all connected devices in the new PC world and the Internet of Things (IoT). Simply put, better solutions get in the hands of end users faster.

In creating the new BYOC logo, it is important to convey the key message that this is Acer’s vehicle to leap over current technology and introduce a new era of cloud computing. To this end, Acer has been inspired by the ancient Chinese novel, Journey to the West, in which the character Sun WuKong travels on a cloud and uses it to cross thousands of miles in one leap. The stylized cloud of the BYOC logo represents more than technology, it symbolizes Acer’s heritage and desire to do things differently.

Cloud technology is a revolutionary concept, yet the industry has only begun to realize its capabilities. With BYOC, Acer is accelerating progress by putting the power of the cloud in the hands of all people. Combined with Acer’s powerful and intuitive products, BYOC creates a new ecosystem of “hardware + software + services” to break down barriers between people and technology and to enable everyone to stay a touch more connected anytime, anywhere.

On May 29th, Acer will be opening its BYOC experience center in Taoyuan, Taiwan to showcase new BYOC solutions.

Latest Oracle BI Applications Deliver Greater Insight into Talent and Procurement

Expanded Business Intelligence Capabilities for Improved Procure-to-Pay Processes and Talent Management

Kuala Lumpur, 16 May 2014 – Oracle Corporation, the world’s leading ICT solutions provider, today release Oracle Business Intelligence (BI) Applications 11.1.1.8.1 to help organizations improve Procure-to-Pay processes and talent management.

In use at more than 4,000 companies worldwide, Oracle BI Applications offers high-performing analytics at a lower cost. The new release includes prebuilt connectors between Oracle Procurement and Spend Analytics and Oracle’s JD Edwards. Additionally, a new Oracle Human Resources Analytics module for developing and maintaining a skilled workforce has been introduced.

Paul Rodwick, vice president of product management, Oracle says, “Oracle BI Applications provide a critical platform for unlocking and analyzing enterprise-level and business-level insights, with the latest updates reducing the time and complexity to achieve a competitive advantage through data.”

With the out-of-box integration between Oracle Procurement and Spend Analytics and Oracle’s JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, the latest release will enable purchasing and sourcing organizations to quickly identify savings opportunities and improve operational performance through decision-ready, best practice analytics.

Oracle Talent Profile Analytics, a new module of Oracle Human Resources Analytics, helps HR and business managers assess talent strengths and build potential leaders by delivering greater insight into job profiles, employee skills and competency levels.

He adds, “Oracle Talent Profile Analytics helps managers identify critical skills and assess talent strengths needed to get the right people with the right skills into the right jobs, shaping the organization's competencies and helping develop potential leaders needed to meet the organizations business goals.”

Oracle BI Applications will enable organizations to easily extend their BI footprint or build custom BI applications to meet specific analytics needs for line-of-business managers and executives.

Sony introduces Xperia Z2, its new premium flagship waterproof smartphone with best ever display and 4K recording

• The world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone1 with Sony’s proven camera technologies: Award-winning “G Lens”, 20.7 MP “Exmor RS for mobile” CMOS image sensor and “BIONZ for mobile” image processing engine
• Capture video in 4K resolution with SteadyShot, complemented by new Xperia™ camera apps such as Timeshift video and new AR effect 
• Brightest and most vivid viewing experience ever on 5.2” Full HD TRILUMINOS Display for mobile with Live Colour LED powered by X-Reality for mobile
• The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.3 GHz quad-core Krait CPUs and 4G LTE for fast performance, 3GB RAM and high capacity 3200 mAh battery in an 8.2mm slim smartphone
• From 12th May to 13th June, Xperia™ Z2 users will be able to download unreleased tracks from Michael Jackson’s posthumous compilation album XSCAPE for free.

15th May 2014, Kuala Lumpur – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces Xperia™ Z2, Sony’s best ever premium waterproof smartphone combining its best display, sound, camera and camcorder experience as well as an exclusive entertainment offer and a growing ecosystem of companion products to the Malaysian market. The Xperia™ Z2 is the newest addition to Sony’s premium Z series.

“With Xperia™ Z2 we have taken our premium Z series to the next level, delivering unique experiences that only Sony can offer,” said Cheong Wah Tong, Malaysia Head of Market, Sony Mobile Communications. “We have redefined the smartphone once again through our camera. Xperia™ Z2 offers an innovative experience that captures memories in stunning detail through 4K video shooting, or offers new ways to use the camera with our unique Xperia™ camera apps. Furthermore, the Best of Sony has been delivered in the sound quality and customers are now able to listen to their music even in noisy environments without interruptions thanks to our acclaimed digital noise cancelling technology.”

The world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone1
Capture and relive every detail with Xperia™ Z2’s camera and camcorder. Xperia™ Z2 features Sony’s proven camera technologies to deliver the unbeatable combination of the world’s best mobile camera and our most advanced camcorder ever in and 8.2 mm slim smartphone. The 20.7 megapixel camera is matched with 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor, Sony’s award-winning G Lens and intelligent BIONZ for mobile image processing engine resulting in superb photo and video quality.

These features work together to bring you sharp, vivid and beautiful photos and videos no matter what the circumstances. With new enhanced video mode, you can now capture memories in stunning detail in 4K resolution (3840x2160 pixels/30p) at four times the detail of Full HD, delivering the world’s best camera and camcorder in a waterproof smartphone1. Plus, SteadyShot image stabilisation technology ensures your footage will stay smooth even if you are walking. The new Movie Creator allows you to trim and crop your videos so that you can easily pick out what you want to share. Insert dramatic slowdown effects at one or more places on the timeline of the video, then preview the results before you save and share your video.

The smartest smartphone around with a growing ecosystem of Xperia™ camera apps
Enhance your mobile experience with a growing range of innovative Xperia™ camera apps. In addition to Info-eye, Social live and Timeshift burst, Xperia™ Z2 also comes pre-loaded with new Xperia™ camera apps for both photo and video. Other than the the fun and useful pre-loaded Xperia™ camera applications, there’s a whole range of extra apps for you to enjoy. Simply go into your camera viewfinder, tap the camera mode icon and then click on ‘+Apps’ to see all the latest apps available on Sony Select to enhance your smartphone experience.

Our best design with our highest level of waterproofing
The Xperia™ Z2 Android smartphone is designed with the user in mind, drawing on Sony’s expertise in premium craftsmanship. Evolving Sony’s stunning OmniBalance design, Xperia™ Z2 has a slimmer and more comfortable feel by having the glass panels encased in a single, solid aluminium frame with smoother edges. This dust-resistant and waterproof (IP55 & IP58) powerhouse blends beauty with function. The dedicated camera button means that you’re ready to capture the action wherever you are – both in and out of the water. Plus, the stunning 5.2” display, balanced with symmetry in design, provides a natural feel when held in your hand.

Bringing the viewing experience to life in bright and vivid detail
To enjoy the latest content in stunning quality and vivid colour, Xperia™ Z2’s screen is built using the latest BRAVIA TV technologies optimised for mobile. The 5.2” Full HD TRILUMINOS display for mobile with Live Colour LED provides the widest palate of rich natural colours for the sharpest images and a viewing experience that is as close to reality as possible.

Enjoy ultra-fast performance with a battery you can rely on
Xperia™ Z2 is armed with the power to multi-task and enjoy everything from super-fast web surfing to video streaming without the wait. With the fully integrated Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.3 GHz quad-core Krait CPUs and 4G LTE, Xperia™ Z2 offers ultra-fast performance for the apps and entertainment you want to enjoy, without the interruptions. The Snapdragon 801 also features the Adreno 330 GPU for rich graphics and gaming and a dual ISP for a seamless camera, camcorder and display experience.

Xperia™ Z2 also includes a large 3200 mAh battery which provides outstanding, class-leading battery performance. Plus, with Sony’s Battery STAMINA Mode, you can stay connected even longer, as it automatically turns off the functions you don’t need to save power when your display is inactive. As soon as you press the power button to wake up your screen, everything is up and running again.

Unrivalled ecosystem of companion products and smart accessories, including SmartWear
Sony offers the most comprehensive range of innovative companion products and accessories to give you new ways to use and enjoy your smartphone, with one of them being the SmartBand SWR10. The SmartBand works with Xperia™ Z2 to log your life in partnership with the Lifelog application, creating an automatic 24/7 diary of your activities, entertainment and memories. Plus, with SmartBand you’ll never need to worry about losing your phone or missing a call with a series of customisable smart notifications delivered straight to your wrist.

Exclusive offers available for a limited time
For a limited time only, every purchase of the Xperia™ Z2 will come with a Magnetic Charging Dock DK36 and Xperia Transfer Cable EC310 worth RM189. Extending its viewing and listening experiences, the Xperia Z2 also comes with additional content offering worth RM700 including six months free subscription to Akazoo, a social media music app that comes preloaded on the Xperia™ Z2, providing users with access to a music library of more than 15 million tracks. Xperia™ Z2 users will be able to download up to six movies for free via the preloaded Privilege Movies app. Even more, Xperia Z2 users will also receive a six month premium access to ShareInvestors app and Q0010 shopping vouchers. That’s not all because from 12th May to 13th June, Xperia™ Z2 users will be able to download previously unreleased tracks and recently launched posthumous compilation album, XSCAPE by Michael Jackson worth RM150.

Availability and RRP
The Xperia™ Z2 that comes with LTE is available in the choice of black, white or purple at a recommended retail price of RM2,399.

Sony also introduces its most innovative tablet yet with Xperia Z2 Tablet
The Xperia Z2 tablet is also now available in Malaysia in both Wi-Fi and LTE variants at a recommended retail price of RM1,999 and RM2,299 respectively.

Dell Redefines the Economics of Enterprise Storage, Unveiling New Mid-Tier Storage Arrays for Asia-Pacific Region

• Dell enters the mid-range fibre channel storage market with full-featured, enterprise storage arrays first launched throughout the Asia-Pacific region
• All-flash and hybrid array options offer enterprise-class performance for mid-tier deployments with all-flash solution costing up to 76 percent less than competing arrays1
• Dell extends innovative offer of all-flash performance for the price of hard disks to a new class of storage arrays2
• New arrays, designed to support various workload demands, can host up to 10,000 Microsoft Exchange user mailboxes in a single 2U SAN3

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 15, 2014 — Dell today announced in Malaysia it is seizing a new market opportunity with the unveiling of a brand new series of full-featured, enterprise storage arrays designed for mid-sized fibre channel deployments. Available first in the Asia-Pacific region and planned globally later in 2014, the new Dell Storage SC4000 Series arrays demonstrate Dell’s continued innovation to bring full-featured, enterprise-class storage to cost-efficient, high-performing, smaller-scale solutions.

The new storage array series, with an all-flash solution that can cost up to 76 percent less than competing pure flash arrays1, is the latest addition to Dell’s customer-driven enterprise data center portfolio of purpose-built solutions designed to make IT more efficient and practical.

(From L to R) - Sumir Bhatia, Enterprise Solutions Director, Dell South Asia; KT Ong, GM, Consumer & Commercial Business, Dell Malaysia; William Tan, Country Leader, Enterprise, Dell Malaysia.

“The Dell Storage SC4000 Series represents the latest example of Dell redefining the economics of enterprise storage and a huge opportunity for our customers, channel partners and Dell,” said KT Ong, general manager, Consumer and Commercial Business, Dell Malaysia. “Dell now can offer enterprise-class, fibre-channel arrays in a high-performing, affordable solution designed for mid-sized deployments. These arrays offer the advanced capabilities of larger-scale enterprise storage to help medium-sized organizations become more competitive, while enabling Dell to address an entirely new storage market segment with our world class solutions and support.”

In 2014 and 2015, mid-tier, fibre channel-networked storage arrays and networked attached storage are expected to represent an estimated $5.5 billion market worldwide4, an opportunity previously untapped by full-featured Dell Storage technology. Additionally, the vast majority of the Asia-Pacific region’s mid-tier storage array sales this year are estimated to be fibre channel-networked (79 percent), compared to 39 percent in North America.4 With the new Dell Storage arrays launching first in Asia-Pacific countries, Dell can help support the storage needs of the region while also opening new doors for business growth.

New Dell Storage Arrays Bring Large-Scale, Enterprise-Class Features to Smaller Deployments
The new Dell Storage SC4000 Series arrays will debut with the Dell Storage SC4020, a 2U, 24-drive storage area network (SAN) based on Dell Compellent Storage Center software. The arrays are designed to offer the same advanced capabilities as larger SANs in a solution sized and priced for mid-sized deployments. Launching with fibre channel connectivity, the new arrays complement the Dell EqualLogic iSCSI-based solutions and enable Dell to offer full-featured arrays that address both networking demands for mid-sized storage needs.

The new Dell Storage SC4020, which can scale to 408 terabytes of raw capacity, supports a wide range of workloads for organizations across all industries and sizes seeking a high-performing, mid-sized SAN entry point or a remote or branch office storage solution. For example, the Dell Storage SC4020 can host up to 10,000 Microsoft Exchange 2013 user mailboxes in a single 2U SAN with 24 hard disk drives, and, with only 12 drives, the same 2U SAN can achieve up to 129,000 Oracle database workload IOPS (input-output operations per second) with less than one millisecond latency.3

The new arrays offer interoperability with proven Dell Compellent storage solutions and the same ability to intelligently tier data across traditional rotating drives, write-optimized flash (SLC), and read-optimized flash (MLC) drives. Users can achieve all-flash performance for the price of 15K disk technology2 by tiering between flash drive types, thereby reducing total storage costs and gaining from all-flash performance to support applications, such as OLTP database workloads, where previously all-flash storage could have been cost prohibitive.

The Dell Storage SC4020 provides an excellent replication partner for Dell Compellent SC8000 arrays, allowing customers to seamlessly connect and manage arrays together with a single, centralized management interface that can help simplify operations and reduce total cost of ownership. The Dell Storage SC4000 Series also offers customers:

• Unprecedented value with a highly efficient SAN and compact size, making it ideal for mid-sized needs or remote/branch office deployments 
• Enterprise-class performance with dual controller capability and SAN optimized for all-flash or hybrid SSD/HDD configurations
• Flexible networking with fibre channel connectivity and iSCSI support available for replication
• Best-in-class intelligence with advanced levels of automation and control to auto-tune the customer’s storage environment
• Advanced software capabilities such as automated tiering, replication, thin provisioning, snapshots and centralized management for multiple local and remote SANs
• Perpetual software licensing that enables customers to pay only once for software features, even across hardware upgrades 
• Unified storage with the ability to manage both block and file storage, with the Dell Fluid File System, from a single management console
• World class Dell Copilot support services that provide a combination of centralized support and 24x7 active system monitoring to help improve system performance and stability

Availability:
The Dell Storage SC4000 Series will debut with the Dell Storage SC4020 throughout the Asia-Pacific region in May 2014. Worldwide availability is planned for later this year.

Attack of the Clones: Fake AV Invading Mobile App Stores

Petaling Jaya, 15 May 2014. Fake antivirus programs are increasingly appearing in mobile app stores. Kaspersky Lab recently found two such programs imitating the company’s products in two different official app stores for mobile devices.

The first fake app was discovered in Windows Phone Store. This in itself was unusual because scammers tend to target users of Android – via Google Play – due to the platform’s popularity. The app in question went by the name of Kaspersky Mobile. The fact there is no such program in Kaspersky Lab’s product line suggests the fraudsters didn’t expect anyone to notice the discrepancy. Another interesting feature of this particular app was the fact users had to pay for it. This meant its creators immediately started making money without having to devise additional scams such as demanding payments to remove “malware” that had supposedly been detected on users’ computers.

The second fake app imitating the Kaspersky Lab brand was for sale on Google Play and was called Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2014. Again, there is no Kaspersky Lab product for mobile devices by that name. The screenshot used on the page of the fake app was simply copied from the official Kaspersky Internet Security for Android page. Unlike the app for sale in Windows Phone Store, the creators of this fake app didn’t even bother to add a simulation of a scanner – the functionality was limited to random series of statements appearing on top of an “official” logo.

“The story of paid fake AV for mobiles started with the appearance of Virus Shield in the Google Play store. Now we are seeing how one successful scam spawns numerous clones. Scammers who want to make a quick buck from inattentive users are selling dozens of fake apps, copying the design, but not the functionality of the original,” commented Roman Unuchek, Senior Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab. “It is quite possible that more and more of these fake apps will start appearing. One thing is for sure, the security mechanisms put in place by the official stores cannot cope with these kinds of scams.”

More about fake mobile antivirus programs and other fake apps can be found at Kaspersky Lab’s official analytical site.