Today's Hardware Pulse
Nvidia driver hints at next‑gen DLSS 5 work
Nvidia’s GeForce Game Ready driver 610.47 adds three new profile options—Enable DLSS NR override, Enable DLSS NR SL override, and Override DLSS NR presets—suggesting continued development of DLSS 5 neural‑rendering technology. The earlier DLSS 5 reveal had sparked debate over AI‑driven image alteration, and the new driver hints at a quiet but ongoing effort.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Cyient Semiconductors raises $30M Series A
5 Of The Best Folding E-Bikes, According To Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports has identified the five best folding electric bikes, highlighting the Velotric Fold 1 as the top‑rated model. The rankings span a price spectrum from $1,078 for the Lectric XP 4 to $1,899 for the Blix Vika+ Flex, and all five excel in acceleration, hill‑climbing and braking. Despite strong performance, portability scores are generally low, with only the premium Brompton C‑Line Explore achieving a high portability rating. The analysis comes as the U.S. e‑bike market, valued at $2 billion in 2025, is projected to more than double by 2035.
Tim Cook's Final Launch Sparks iPhone 18 Speculation
Who knew this would be Tim Cook’s last major launch as Apple CEO? Can’t wait to see what John Ternus is cooking up next. My money is on the iPhone 18 😮
Sobeys Expands Partnership with Electronic Shelf Label Supplier JRTech Solutions
Sobeys, the flagship banner of Empire Company, is expanding its partnership with Quebec‑based JRTech Solutions to roll out Pricer’s electronic shelf label (ESL) technology in roughly 300 to 350 stores. The multicolor ESLs will run on Pricer’s cloud‑based Pricer Plaza...
This Bright and Powerful Blink Floodlight Camera Is Over Half Off Right Now
The Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is on sale for $44.99, a 55% discount from its $99.99 list price, marking its lowest ever price. The device offers 1080p HD video, a 2,600‑lumen floodlight, a 143° field of view, two‑way audio, motion...
Inside Nvidia’s Silicon Photonics Roadmap
Nvidia unveiled its next‑generation scale‑up system, NVL1152 “Kyber,” which will pack 1,152 GPUs—16 times the capacity of the current NVL72 rack. The machine, slated for the 2028 “Feynman” GPU generation, will combine copper interconnects with silicon photonics and co‑packaged optics...
The 5 Best Radar Detectors Are the Ticket to More Informed Driving
The latest roundup of radar detectors highlights five top models, with Uniden’s R7 earning the Best Overall award for its long range and superior false‑alert filtering. Cobra’s RAD 700i stands out as the most affordable option while still delivering strong laser...
MSI MAG 272UP X24, QD-OLED On A Budget
MSI has introduced the MAG 272UP X24, a QD‑OLED monitor priced at $730, making 4K‑240 Hz displays more accessible. The panel supports 4K resolution at 240 Hz via DisplayPort 1.4 and includes HDMI 2.1, though it lacks KVM and offers only 15 W USB‑C power delivery. Out‑of‑the‑box...
Google Is Building a Four-Partner Chip Supply Chain to Challenge Nvidia in AI Inference
Google is constructing the AI industry’s most diversified custom‑chip supply chain, enlisting Broadcom, MediaTek, Marvell and Intel to design and produce next‑generation TPUs. The current Ironwood inference chip, now shipping in the millions, offers 42.5 FP8 exaflops per super‑pod and powers...
FDA Clears Next-Gen Hybrid System for Intravascular Imaging
Conavi Medical received FDA clearance for its next‑generation hybrid intravascular imaging system that simultaneously performs intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). The device builds on the company’s 2018 Novasight Hybrid System and aims to streamline coronary assessments by...
3D Glass Solutions Commits $234 M to Advanced Chip‑packaging Plant in Odisha
US‑based 3D Glass Solutions (3DGS) announced a ₹1,943 crore ($234 million) investment to build a vertically integrated advanced packaging and embedded glass substrate plant in Odisha’s Info Valley. The project, backed by central and state subsidies, targets a 2030 output of 69,600...
Leaks Hint Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Arriving July 2026 with Incremental Upgrades
Industry leaks indicate Samsung plans to launch the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in July 2026. The upcoming model appears to retain the 47 mm titanium chassis of its predecessor, add 64 GB of storage and a three‑day battery life, and may introduce tighter...
Fronius Releases Microgrid Interconnect Device EBLU
Fronius introduced the Essential Backup Load Unit (EBLU), a micro‑grid interconnect device that works with its GEN24 Plus hybrid inverter. The unit automatically disconnects the home from the utility grid during outages, allowing solar and battery storage to supply essential loads...
Sweden Starts 200‑Unit Bidirectional EV Charger Pilot to Boost Grid Flexibility
Vattenfall, Energy Bank and Volkswagen have launched a trial of 200 bidirectional electric‑vehicle chargers across Sweden. The chargers can both charge cars and feed electricity back into the grid, offering a potential new income source for owners and added flexibility...
Samsung's Leaked Smart Glasses Could Finally Beat Ray-Bans if They Nail These 4 Things
Samsung is rumored to launch its Galaxy AI smart glasses in July 2026, timed with the Galaxy Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 releases. The glasses would feature a 12 MP Sony IMX681 sensor, a 245 mAh battery, and deep integration of Google’s Gemini AI...
MBRYONICS StarCom Terminal Enables Terabit Per Second Data Transfer
MBRYONICS has won a €18.6 million (≈$20 million) award from the European Space Agency to develop its StarCom optical terminal for a terabit‑per‑second space‑based network. The terminal will be flight‑tested under ESA’s HydRON program, which seeks multi‑orbital interoperability with other laser‑communication providers...
Washington Allocates $500K to Boost IonQ’s Bothell Quantum Expansion
Governor Bob Ferguson announced a $500,000 grant from Washington’s Economic Development Strategic Reserve Fund to expand IonQ’s Bothell quantum computing hub. The state money leverages more than $14 million in private investment and is projected to create up to 2,000 jobs...
The 'Gun God' Controller Turns One Plus' New Smartphone Into a Sleek Handheld Gaming Console
OnePlus unveiled the "Gun God" gaming controller, a slim case for its upcoming Ace 6 Ultra smartphone. The accessory features L1/R1 triggers with a 1,000 Hz polling rate and 1.8 ms response, plus a magnetic detachable cooling fan. It includes USB‑C pass‑through for charging...
Google Introduces $3 ChromeOS Flex Kit for 500M Windows 10 Users
Google, partnering with refurbisher Back Market, launched a $3 ChromeOS Flex USB kit to help the estimated 500 million Windows 10 users whose hardware can’t upgrade to Windows 11. The plug‑and‑play kit includes guides and video tutorials, turning legacy PCs into cloud‑centric machines that...
Linux 7.1 KVM Adds "Very Experimental" Support For pKVM Protected Guests
Linux 7.1 merges a set of KVM enhancements across major architectures. On ARM, a very experimental pKVM protected‑guest mode isolates guest memory by unmapping pages from the host and using hypercalls, requiring a new kernel config and a protected‑mode boot...
Digital Signal Controllers Zero in on AI Data Center Power Supplies
Microchip Technology unveiled the dsPIC33AK256MPS306, a 200 MHz 32‑bit digital signal controller designed for AI‑driven data‑center power supplies and motor‑control applications. The device packs a double‑precision floating‑point unit, 40 MSPS 12‑bit ADCs, sub‑100 ps PWM timing, and high‑speed comparators, enabling deterministic control loops...
Ovzon Launches New Mobile Terminal in Small Form Factor
Swedish satellite operator Ovzon unveiled the T8, an ultra‑compact mobile satellite terminal measuring 7.3 × 5.1 inches and weighing 4.6 lb, the smallest in its class. Despite its size, the device delivers up to 6 Mbps uplink and 96 Mbps downlink and runs on low power....
You Can Get a Google Pixel 10 for $250 Off Right Now
Google has slashed the price of its latest mid‑range smartphone, the Pixel 10. The 128 GB model is now listed at $549 (down from $799) and the 256 GB version at $649, representing $250‑$300 discounts and record‑low prices. The device retains the...
Wi‑Fi Chip Survives 500 kGy Inside Nuclear Reactor
This chip is a Wi-Fi receiver that still works inside a nuclear reactor. It can endure 500 kilograys of radiation. https://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics-in-nuclear-industry
Two Paths to Scalable Quantum Computing: Optical Links Between Fridges and Higher-Temperature Qubits
Researchers led by Prof. Hong Tang reported two advances that could unlock large‑scale quantum computers. First, they built an electro‑optic transducer that converts microwave qubit signals to optical photons, enabling a 1‑km fiber link between separate dilution refrigerators without cryogenic...
Orico K20 Mini 2TB, Portable SSDs Aren’t Quite As Bad As Internals
Orico’s K20 Mini 2TB magnetic portable SSD is priced at $240 on Amazon, making it cheaper than most comparable 2TB internal SSDs. The drive delivers up to 2000 MB/s read speeds over a USB‑C 20 Gbps connection and also supports Thunderbolt and...
Samsara Partners with International Motors
Samsara announced a partnership with International Motors to embed its IoT devices during the pre‑delivery installation (PDI) phase, allowing fleets to receive fully equipped trucks and buses straight from the factory. The integration lets International Motors order Samsara hardware and...
Motorola Strives for 'Iconic' Again in the Razr 2026 Series, Teases Foldables Before Launch
Motorola announced that its Razr 2026 series will debut on April 29, showcasing three new colorways—walnut, forest‑green, and violet—with distinct fabric‑like textures. The lineup includes the standard Razr at $799, the Razr Plus at $1,099, and the Razr Ultra at $1,499, representing a $100‑$200...
Equal1’s Silicon Processors Power Kvantify’s Quantum Simulation Workloads
Equal1 and Kvantify have formed a partnership to bring silicon‑based quantum processors to life‑science workloads. Equal1’s Bell‑1 server, built on standard silicon, is being shipped as the company’s first‑generation quantum machine, and Kvantify has been named its preferred partner for...
Fire TVs to Gain Adaptive Display Option to Increase Text and Menu Size
Amazon announced that its Fire TV lineup will receive a new Adaptive Display accessibility feature in the coming months. The option enlarges text, menus, and on‑screen content, using intelligent scaling that boosts smaller fonts more than larger ones to preserve...
Accelsius Announces General Availability of NeuCool IR150 and Launches NeuCool HyperStart Program
Accelsius announced the general availability of the NeuCool IR150, the first fully integrated 42U rack that combines a two‑phase coolant distribution unit with up to 150 kW of cooling capacity. The plug‑and‑play system is designed for hyperscale, neocloud and enterprise data...
InPHRED Expands Into Data-Center Optical Interconnect Market with InP VCSEL and Micro-RC-LED Solutions
InPHRED Inc., a Boston‑based photonics startup, announced its entry into the data‑center optical interconnect market, leveraging its nanoporous platform to deliver InP VCSEL and micro‑RC‑LED solutions. The company aims to address ultra‑short‑reach chip‑to‑chip I/O and longer intra‑rack links, with Q1 2027...
If Apple Built a $299 "Neo" Desktop PC, Windows Would Have a Real Problem
Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo showed the company can turn surplus A‑series chips into a low‑cost laptop, surprising Windows OEMs that have long dominated the sub‑$700 segment. By disabling a GPU core on the A18 Pro, Apple created a device with...
Authorized Distributor Mouser Electronics Offers Engineers the Latest Technologies From Texas Instruments
Mouser Electronics, an authorized global distributor of Texas Instruments (TI) solutions, now offers over 70,000 TI parts—about 48,000 of which are in stock and ready to ship. The catalog includes the latest TI power‑management ICs, ultra‑low‑offset op‑amps, SPI I/O expanders,...
Agentic AI Adds $1.2B to CPU Substrate Market, Shortage Deepens
The one area I did not go deep in my CPU report. Morgan Stanley on the ABF substrate demand tied to the CPU TAM expansion. - Agentic AI to broaden the Server CPU ABF Substrate TAM by US$1.2B: - ABF Substrate under-supply...
AI and HBM to Power Half of TSMC Revenue
AI compute and networking plus HBM controllers will soon drive a third of TSMC’s revenues. And it won’t be long before it is half. $TSM https://t.co/8qSbTnKWqk
Novel Solid-State Transformer Supports 800-V DC Power in AI Data Centers
Navitas Semiconductor and EPFL unveiled a 250‑kW solid‑state transformer (SST) that converts 3.3 kV AC to 800 V DC, targeting AI‑driven data centers. The device uses a single‑stage modular bridge‑rectifier topology and Navitas’s ultra‑high‑voltage SiC MOSFETs, eliminating bulky low‑frequency transformers. Demonstrated at...
Air SE Wireless Mic Holds Strong Beyond Football Field
Saramonic Air SE wireless microphone review, including tests and audio demo. This compact wireless lav mic system keeps a strong connection at distances beyond the length of a football field, giving vloggers tons of flexibility. My review: https://t.co/9xHsO8Y3WI #microphone https://t.co/noBbpvaPGC
EU Mandates Replaceable Batteries on All New Smartphones by 2027
JUST IN: 2027 EU mandate requires all new smartphones sold in the EU to have batteries that users can replace themselves using basic tools at home
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Might Be Delayed
Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook Pro is now projected to ship in 2027 rather than 2026, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and leaker Ming‑Chi Kuo. The postponement stems largely from a global RAM shortage driven by AI‑related demand, which is constraining...
Meta Pours $200B Into AI, Trains Fiber Technicians
Meta has committed ~$200B on AI Capex. There’s such a shortage of fiber technicians, it launched a free training program with CBRE. Beginning to think Meta is behind that “Data Centre” game on Steam where you buy racks, set up servers...
New Google TPUs Arrive, Compute Shortage Trumps GPU Debate
$GOOGL will launch its next generation TPUs this week. The narrative in the press will be Google vs. $NVDA. I strongly suggest not spinning wheels on the TPU versus GPU debate. Right now all capacity is good capacity because we don't...
WEBINAR: Intrinsic Techniques in RF Power Amplifier Design
Keysight’s second RF Power Amplifier Design master‑class webinar dives into intrinsic modeling techniques for GaN transistors, complementing traditional load‑pull methods. The session showcases a Class J PA built around an intrinsic‑node model, demonstrating how waveform engineering and Fourier‑based impedance mapping boost...
AI Fuels CPU Renaissance, Lifting AMD, Arm, Intel
AI-Driven 'CPU Renaissance' To Boost AMD, Arm And Intel, Analyst Says https://t.co/QTANhz2sSt $AMD $ARM $INTC $RMBS
MatX Shows How Chips and Models Co‑Evolve
MatX is quietly putting out some of the best content on how chips and models should evolve together
Your NVMe SSD Might Be Running at Half Speed because of This BIOS Setting
A simple BIOS configuration can halve the performance of a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD. The author measured 3,651 MB/s read and 2,839 MB/s write on a Samsung 980 Pro rated for 7,300 MB/s read, then discovered the motherboard was set to PCIe Gen 3. Switching the M.2...
Handle with Care: Soft Robot Gripper Picks Ripe Fruit without Bruising
Cornell researchers led by Rob Shepherd have built a soft‑robot gripper that uses stretchable fiber‑optic strain gauges to gauge fruit stiffness and determine ripeness. The device gently twists strawberries off the plant with a planetary‑gear wrist, avoiding the bruising that...
Positron AI Enters Nvidia Turf With Oracle Deal
Positron, a fledgling AI‑chip designer, announced its first commercial deployment by supplying inference chips to Oracle’s cloud platform. The deal involves tens of millions of dollars in air‑cooled rack systems optimized for mixture‑of‑experts (MOE) workloads. Positron’s upcoming Asimov chip, built...
Inside SatEnlight’s Spiral Staircase of Lasers: Interview with Startup Space Winner Matteo Vismara
SatEnlight, an Italian optical‑communications startup, unveiled a laser terminal that stacks multiple beams in a multi‑layered spiral‑staircase configuration. Co‑founder Matteo Vismara, a former CERN researcher, left a secure academic path to commercialize the technology. The company captured the top prize...
Asrock's New HUDIMM Standard Wants to Make DDR5 Affordable Again, by Cutting It in Half
ASRock unveiled HUDIMM, a new DDR5 memory standard that cuts the traditional two‑sub‑channel architecture in half, halving bandwidth and density to lower costs. Co‑developed with Intel and TeamGroup, Intel will support HUDIMM on its 600, 700 and 800‑series chipsets. The...
Chile's Entel Digital Launches Micro Edge Data Center Offering Alongside Zella DC
Chilean telecom operator Entel Digital has unveiled EdgeDC, a modular edge data‑center offering developed in partnership with micro‑data‑center specialist Zella DC. The all‑in‑one solution packs power, cooling, security and monitoring into a single rack‑sized unit, enabling data‑center capabilities at remote sites,...