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
Best Cash Registers for Small Businesses in 2026
Square remains a popular POS, but growing merchants often outgrow its flat‑rate fees, limited inventory tools, and single‑processor model. The article ranks eight alternatives—Helcim, Lightspeed, Toast, Clover, Shopify POS, Stripe, SumUp and PaymentCloud—each matched to specific use cases such as low‑cost processing, complex retail, restaurant operations, ecommerce, developer‑centric online payments, mobile sellers and high‑risk industries. Pricing structures vary from free plans with interchange‑plus fees to subscription‑based models with hardware bundles. The guide also compares transaction fees, hardware costs and offline capabilities to help businesses choose the right platform as they scale.
AMD X970E in Leak: AM5 Refresh Is Said to Continue Relying on PROM21 and Place Greater Focus on CUDIMM
A leak suggests AMD’s upcoming X970E motherboard will retain the PROM21 chipset foundation used in current high‑end AM5 platforms, rather than introducing a brand‑new I/O architecture. The primary differentiator appears to be full support for CUDIMM, a clock‑enhanced DDR5 module...
Oppo Find X9 Ultra Bend Test: Does That Massive Camera Module Create a Weak Point?
Oppo’s Find X9 Ultra arrives as a flagship that pairs a record‑breaking 200 MP camera module with a rugged design, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 screen and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. The phone’s plastic back, IP66‑IP69 ratings and a 750 mAh silicon‑carbon battery aim to...
Chips Have an Earnings Season of Their Own
The surge in artificial‑intelligence workloads has turned semiconductor manufacturers into the market’s hottest earnings drivers. Companies like Nvidia, AMD and Google’s TPU division posted Q1 revenue growth exceeding 30% year‑over‑year, shattering analysts’ expectations. Tight supply‑chain constraints have forced chip makers...
AMD DGF SuperCompression: Less Geometric Data, Less Overhead for Ray Tracing
AMD announced DGF SuperCompression (DGFS), a lossless layer that further compresses its Dense Geometry Format (DGF) for on‑disk storage. DGFS can shrink DGF files by up to 22% while still allowing exact reconstruction or conversion to classic meshlet buffers. The...
NanoStruct Raises €2.6M Seed to Bring Same-Day Pathogen Detection to the Food Industry
German deep‑tech startup NanoStruct secured €2.6 million (≈$2.8 million) in seed funding, led by High‑Tech Gründerfonds, Bayern Kapital and the AUXXO Female Catalyst Fund. The company’s nanostructured sensor chips combine optical measurement, nanotechnology and machine‑learning to identify food‑borne pathogens within hours instead...
Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Omni Tested – When Significantly Cheaper Is Not Really Worse
In this episode, the hosts put the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni headset through a rigorous test, comparing its performance and features to higher‑priced competitors. They explore sound quality, microphone clarity, comfort, and the headset’s unique Omni‑passive noise‑cancellation, noting that...
Up to 256 MB FERRIT Modular F-RAM Storage Device Preserves Critical Data for up to 200 Years
Machdyne introduced FERRIT, a modular USB‑C storage device that stacks up to 256 MB of ferroelectric RAM (F‑RAM) across removable 16 MB cards. The system, driven by a Raspberry Pi RP2040 controller, promises data retention for up to 200 years and virtually unlimited write...
TelkomGroup Launches Pukpuk Submarine Cable, First Direct Link Between Indonesia and PNG
TelkomGroup, through its subsidiary Telin, inaugurated the Pukpuk Submarine Cable System linking Jayapura, Indonesia, with Vanimo, Papua New Guinea. The first cross‑border cable in the Asia‑Pacific region promises route diversity, stronger digital infrastructure and new economic opportunities for both nations.
Huawei's PanoAAU Antenna Promises Lower 5G Coverage Costs in Rural Areas
Huawei's PanoAAU active antenna unit delivers 180-degree wide‑angle coverage, letting operators replace three‑sector sites with two‑sector configurations. The design cuts equipment, power and rental expenses, making rural 5G deployments more financially viable.
Medtronic Deploys AI‑Powered Stealth Axis Autopilot for Spine Surgery on West Coast
Medtronic introduced its AI‑enabled Stealth Axis Autopilot robotic platform in a spinal fusion at UC San Diego Health, where neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Osorio used the system to place six screws across three vertebrae. The procedure demonstrates how machine‑learning models can...
Google Tensor G6 Leak Shows 40% CPU Boost for Pixel 11, Gaming Still Lagging
A new leak details Google’s Tensor G6 processor for the Pixel 11, promising a 4.11 GHz peak clock and an estimated 40% single‑core performance uplift over the Tensor G5. The upgrade focuses on AI‑centric speed, while the GPU and core balance...
Vivo X300 Ultra Lauded as Smartphone with Best Camera System
Vivo’s newly reviewed X300 Ultra is being called the best‑camera smartphone on the market, thanks to a 200‑megapixel main sensor, a high‑resolution telephoto lens and an ultrawide unit that outsize the iPhone 17 Pro’s main sensor. The Verge’s analysis highlights...
Big Four Cloud Titans Boost 2026 Capex 77% to $725 B Amid AI Chip Price Surge
Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta announced a combined 2026 capital‑expenditure ceiling of $725 billion, a 77% rise from 2025. The surge is largely absorbed by soaring AI‑chip and memory component prices, reshaping budgeting for the tech‑finance ecosystem.
Artificial Muscle Merges Sensing and Movement in One Structure for Humanoid Robots
Researchers at Seoul National University have created an artificial muscle that merges actuation and sensing within a single liquid‑crystal elastomer structure. By embedding two liquid‑metal channels—one for heating‑driven contraction and another for real‑time force and deformation measurement—the device mimics the...
Cryo‑EM CRO Baiaode Secures ¥200 Million Series B to Scale Drug Discovery Platform
Baiaode, a China‑based cryo‑EM structural CRO, closed a ¥200 million ($28 million) Series B financing led by Kangjun Capital and Junlian Capital. The funds will boost its cryo‑EM infrastructure and fast‑track the three‑year “千靶万苗®” target‑and‑lead‑compound program, positioning the firm for deeper global...
Small‑Cap Tech Stocks Outpace Large‑Cap Peers, Delivering 38‑Point Edge
Small‑cap technology stocks have surged ahead of large‑cap software names, with the S&P SmallCap 600 IT sector beating the S&P 500 tech index by 38 percentage points over the past year. MaxLinear rose nearly 800% and Cohu climbed 209%, while...
Honda Is Bringing Mobile Power Pack E: Battery Swap Tech to the US
Honda unveiled its Mobile Power Pack e: (MPP) at the ACT Expo and announced a U.S. rollout for B2B customers as early as June 2026. The swappable‑battery system, already used in Honda’s electric lawn mowers, scooters and Yamaha‑partnered equipment, weighs just over...
GW Data Centers Overhyped; Telco Towers Offer Viable Compute
Everyone's debating 1+ GW data centers like they're the new normal. How many are there now and how many do we actually need for frontier AI training by 2030? Can inference live at regional hubs? And what if we added compute...
Kinetic Screen Adds Motion and Texture to Visuals
This Kinetic Screen Brings Visuals to Life with Motion and Texture by @IntEngineering #TechForGood #Innovation #Tech #Technology https://t.co/VKbZmfJS1k
Alphabet’s AI‑driven Rally Lifts Market Cap to $4.8 Trillion, Edging Toward World’s Biggest Firm
Alphabet’s shares have surged 160% in the past year, pushing its market value to $4.8 trillion and briefly overtaking Nvidia. The rally is driven by AI‑centric growth, a $200 billion Anthropic commitment, and expanding cloud and TPU revenues.
China’s 2025 Chip and Magnet Ban Elevates Trump‑Xi Stakes
Because of China's global export restrictions on rare earth permanent magnets and Nexperia chips in 2025, virtually **everyone** has a stake in the outcome of the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting. by @anniekbyx https://t.co/MX4XRhYr1h
Edifier M90: Versatile Desktop Speakers with Multiple Connections
The Edifier M90 is a jack-of-all-trades desktop and monitor speaker that connects in loads of ways. https://t.co/EHettO980m
This Compact Camera Keeps Winning Awards, But It's Not Cheap
The Ricoh GR IV, launched in September 2025, has quickly amassed top honors, including the 2025 Good Design Award, the DGP Gold Imaging Award, and the 2026 TIPA Best APS‑C Compact Camera Award. Priced at $1,499, the camera packs a 25.7‑megapixel back‑illuminated...
Saramonic Air SE Delivers Football‑Field Range Wireless Audio
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/9xHsO8Xw7a #microphone https://t.co/LGrj3Xvmlq
Voltavate Launches Victorian R&D Site for Battery Manufacturing Push
Battery‑technology startup Voltavate has opened its Australian headquarters and R&D facility in Port Melbourne, marking a shift from laboratory‑scale work to pilot‑scale manufacturing of its proprietary separator technology. The new site will enable in‑line production of battery separators and independent...
Thin, Light GeekBook X14 Pro Impresses with 32GB RAM
Sick of your boat anchor? I put a shockingly thin and light GEEKOM GeekBook X14 Pro Windows 11 Pro Laptop through its paces, and I'm not going to lie, I was impressed. Did I mention 32GB of RAM and 2TB...
590,000 Buyers Paid $59 Million for Trump's Gold Phone — Not 1 Has Shipped and Refunds Look Unlikely
More than half a million consumers each paid a $100 deposit, amounting to roughly $59 million, for Trump Mobile’s flagship T1 smartphone that was marketed as a Made‑in‑USA alternative to Apple and Samsung. Over a year after the June 2025 announcement, no...
5 Useful HDMI Adapters & Splitters You May Not Know About
HDMI remains the dominant display interface, yet many devices still lack HDMI ports, prompting the use of adapters and splitters. The article outlines five useful categories: standard HDMI adapters for legacy ports, USB‑C hubs with HDMI outputs, DisplayLink USB hubs,...
Mideast War Fuels Move to New AI Tech Model
Enterprises in Asia‑Pacific are moving AI workloads from centralized clouds to AI‑enabled PCs and high‑performance workstations, a shift accelerated by the Middle‑East conflict exposing cloud fragility, energy costs and semiconductor shortages. Dell and IDC say this distributed model—dubbed the AI...
Manufacturing Gap in Voltage Management Leaves Aussies $1.4B Out of Pocket, Says EcoJoule Energy
EcoJoule Energy warns that under‑investment in distribution‑level voltage management is costing Australian consumers roughly $1.4 billion AUD (about $0.9 billion USD) each year – $726 million USD in lost savings and $209 million USD in appliance damage. A nationwide Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) program...
Inflection Points - Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro, Apple MacBook Neo, and Mercedes-AMG E53 Wagon - Plus Honor 600 First Impressions...
In this episode, host Miriam Joir and guest Enobong Etteh discuss the rapid evolution of personal audio, highlighting the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro as a benchmark for high‑quality, affordable earbuds thanks to Harman’s driver expertise and Samsung’s custom chipset. They...
Fact of the Week – 5/11/2026
Berg Insight reports that about 2.5 million lone workers in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand were using connected safety solutions at the end of 2025. The market is expected to reach roughly 3.8 million users by 2030, with Europe alone climbing...
Success Stories: Algorithmic Approach
Researchers at Virginia Tech have created advanced mathematical algorithms that simultaneously reduce data‑center power consumption, boost system performance, and strengthen security. By redesigning workload distribution and resource allocation, the technique lowers operating costs while accommodating the expanding demand from AI...
Australian Federal Police Sign $20.5m Cisco Deal
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has entered its largest contract with Optus Networks, a three‑year agreement worth AU$20.5 million for enterprise Cisco technology. The deal covers licensing and support for existing Cisco solutions and includes two optional one‑year extensions that could...
The Bastl Kalimba Is a Wild Synth that Thinks It’s a Thumb Piano
The Bastl Kalimba, a hybrid synth that plays like a thumb piano, has launched on Kickstarter and already raised more than $700,000. It blends physical‑modeling and FM synthesis with a built‑in microphone, delivering both acoustic flavor and fully digital tones....
Intel Shares Jump 15% After Preliminary Apple Chip‑making Deal
Intel announced a preliminary agreement to fabricate chips for Apple devices, sending its shares up 15% and lifting Apple stock about 1.7%. The deal, backed by U.S. government encouragement, could reshape supply‑chain dynamics for both companies and the broader semiconductor...
FCC Extends Software Update Waivers for Foreign Drones and Routers to 2029
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced on May 8 that it will allow software and firmware updates for foreign‑made drones and consumer routers through Jan. 1, 2029, reversing earlier restrictions. The move, issued by the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology,...
SK Hynix Still Cheap After 9x Surge
SK Hynix is up 9x since my April 2025 writeup. Usually, that means the easy money is gone. But here is the strange part: the forward P/E has barely moved. The market still values SK Hynix at ~5-6x forward earnings, as if this...
Master iPad Pencil Gestures: Simple Step‑by‑Step Guide
An Apple iPad pairs beautifully with an Apple Pencil, but the gestures to paste, scribble, and annotate images are surprisingly unintuitive. No worries, I gotcha covered. Here's how to do it all, step-by-step: https://t.co/A7HWnNAQSt #ipad #applepencil https://t.co/Ypw1PJv0hf
SkyWater Shareholders Approve IonQ Merger, Linking US Foundry to Quantum Leader
SkyWater Technology shareholders approved the merger with IonQ, the leading quantum‑computing company, at a special meeting. The transaction, pending regulatory clearance, is slated to close in the second or third quarter of 2026 and will combine the largest U.S. pure‑play...
AI Capex Tested: Cisco Orders Signal Demand, AMAT Boosts Supply
The Week Ahead In Tech for May 11, 2026: The $700B hyperscaler AI capex story gets two real-world tests. $CSCO AI orders ($2.1B last Q, $5B FY) are the demand read. $AMAT WFE guide (>20% CY26) is the supply read. @SAP Sapphire,...
Skymizer Launches Low‑power PCIe AI Accelerator for LLM Inference
Skymizer introduced a low power PCIe AI accelerator using older chips and LPDDR memory for massive language model inference. https://t.co/VCq7LA7PxV
Cognex Unveils In‑Sight 3900 AI Vision System for Robotics, Boosting Speed and Accuracy
Cognex Corp. launched the In‑Sight 3900 Vision System, a fully integrated AI‑powered vision platform built on Qualcomm Dragonwing. The system promises deterministic, real‑time inspections at full line speed, eliminating the traditional trade‑off between inspection depth and throughput for robotic automation.
Infrared Contact Lenses Enable Night Vision Surveillance
Infrared Contact Lenses Turn Night Into Day for Security and Surveillance by @_fluxfeeds #Innovation #EmergingTech #AI #ArtificialIntelligence https://t.co/j8XBRvsYzV
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Unveils 1.7 Mm Optical Sensor that Lets Surgical Robots Feel Touch
Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have built a 1.7 mm optical sensor that measures force, pressure and torque in all directions, enabling surgical robots to detect hidden tumor‑like structures in real time. The breakthrough could close the tactile gap that...
Cisco Unveils Room‑Temperature Quantum Switch That Routes Qubits Across Vendors
Cisco announced a working prototype of its Universal Quantum Switch, a room‑temperature device that can route and convert quantum information across four major photon‑encoding modalities with less than 4% fidelity degradation and sub‑milliwatt power draw. The breakthrough removes the need...
Tesla, SpaceX and Intel Commit $55B to Terafab Fab Targeting Robotics AI Chips
Tesla, SpaceX and Intel have announced a $55 billion first‑phase investment in a joint semiconductor fab, Terafab, designed to produce 2‑nanometer AI chips for autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots and AI data centers. The venture, which could swell to $119 billion across all...
Digi Power X Secures $1.1 B AI Colocation Deal for 40 MW Alabama Data Center
Digi Power X has signed a 10‑year, $1.1 billion anchor agreement with a leading AI compute company to build a 40 MW, Tier‑III data center in Columbiana, Alabama. The deal, which could rise to $2.5 billion with renewals, provides immediate capacity for high‑density...
Samsung Slashes TV Prices for Memorial Day Sale
Samsung is clearing out its TVs ahead of Memorial Day with a massive sale and record-low prices on top-rated 4K, QLED, and OLED TVs. https://t.co/T1oRHOg8lt