Today's Hardware Pulse
Nvidia driver adds DLSS 5 profile options, hinting at next‑gen AI rendering
Nvidia's GeForce Game Ready driver 610.47 introduces three new profile settings—Enable DLSS NR override, Enable DLSS NR SL override, and Override DLSS NR presets—suggesting continued development of its upcoming DLSS 5 neural‑rendering technology. The earlier DLSS 5 reveal sparked debate over AI‑driven image alteration, after which Nvidia fell silent on the feature.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Cyient Semiconductors raises $30M Series A
Supermicro-Tied Execs Used Thailand Government Entity to Ship Nvidia AI GPUs to China — Report Alleges Chinese Web Giant Alibaba...
A Bloomberg investigation links Supermicro executives to a $2.5 billion scheme that diverted restricted Nvidia AI GPUs to China using a Thailand‑based entity. The intermediary, identified as Obon Corp., is alleged to have routed H200‑based servers to Chinese internet giant Alibaba, which denies any involvement. U.S. prosecutors say the conspirators falsified paperwork and swapped serial numbers to conceal the hardware. The case underscores vulnerabilities in export‑control enforcement across Southeast Asia.
TSMC and Sony Form Joint Venture to Build Next‑Gen Image Sensors in Kumamoto
TSMC and Sony Semiconductor Solutions signed a non‑binding MOU to create a joint venture in Kumamoto, Japan, focused on next‑generation image sensors. Sony will hold a majority stake and the partnership will combine Sony’s sensor design expertise with TSMC’s advanced...
Micron’s $50 B Idaho Fab Expansion Triggers Water‑Use Alarm
Micron announced a $50 billion expansion in Boise, Idaho, that will add two new semiconductor fabs and push daily water consumption from 4.7 million to over 10 million gallons. The plan has drawn sharp criticism from local residents and regulators who warn the...
Beijing Auto Show 2026 Unveils Over 30 New Autonomous Vehicle Prototypes
At the record‑breaking Beijing Auto Show 2026, Chinese manufacturers displayed more than 30 autonomous‑driving prototypes among 1,451 vehicles and 181 world premieres. The show highlighted AI‑first designs, high‑power chips and the first robotaxi without a steering wheel, underscoring a fierce...
Linux Enables Auto Counter Reload "ACR" For Intel Xeon Diamond Rapids
The Linux kernel’s perf subsystem received a one‑liner patch that enables Auto Counter Reload (ACR) on the upcoming Intel Xeon Diamond Rapids processors. The change lands in the Linux 7.1‑rc3 release and is slated for back‑porting to current stable kernels. ACR...
StarkWare Unveils Quantum‑Safe Bitcoin Scheme, Costs $75‑$150 per Transaction
StarkWare’s chief product officer Avihu Levy released a Quantum Safe Bitcoin (QSB) proposal that lets users make quantum‑resistant transactions without altering the Bitcoin protocol. The method relies on a hash‑based signature puzzle and costs roughly $75‑$150 in GPU compute per...
Nvidia Invests up to $3.2 B in Corning to Turbo‑charge U.S. Optical Components for AI Data Centers
Nvidia has committed a $500 million upfront prepayment and warrants that could total $3.2 billion, securing Corning as its long‑term supplier of optical connectivity for AI data centers. The partnership will see three new factories in North Carolina and Texas, a ten‑fold...
Sungrow Expert Christos Tsegkis: “The Combination of PV, Storage, and Charging Is Highly Attractive”
Sungrow, a Chinese power‑electronics pioneer, is leveraging its Munich hub to roll out a full suite of EV‑charging solutions across Europe. Its portfolio now spans AC wallboxes from 22 kW to 3.5 MW, DC chargers up to 480 kW, and the ultra‑fast ChargeStack 1000...
What DJI Actually Changed in the New Neo 2 Drone
DJI has launched the Neo 2, a pocket‑sized drone that emphasizes instant deployment and intuitive control. The device eliminates traditional controllers, offering gesture‑based, hands‑free operation and a front‑screen for real‑time flight data. Performance upgrades include a dual‑axis gimbal, refined subject tracking,...
HFR, ETRI Partner to Drive Development of GPU-Based AI-RAN
HFR, Inc. has entered the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) led AI‑RAN Global Leading Project to develop full‑scale GPU‑based AI‑RAN software. The platform will combine AI‑RAN software, a virtual network, and a real‑world testbed, enabling simultaneous processing of radio...
A Buggy Fitbit Update Is Blinding Sensors on the Pixel Watch 3 and 4
Google’s recent Fitbit Air launch coincided with a firmware update (3.57.1.2.910093395.release) that unintentionally stripped sensor permissions on Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4. The bug disables SpO₂ and skin‑temperature tracking, leaving users unable to re‑enable the sensors because the system reports...
U.S. Firm Supplied 200-Plus Penguin Drones to Ukraine
Redwire has supplied more than 200 Penguin uncrewed aerial systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2022, marking one of the few public tallies of a Western drone platform in the conflict. The Penguin C was explicitly listed in U.S. security‑assistance...
Oops: Samsung Just Accidentally Confirmed the Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2
Samsung’s internal firmware leak confirms the Galaxy Watch 9 and a possible Ultra variant have moved into hardware testing, signaling they are nearing production. The leak aligns with Samsung’s traditional July release window for wearables, suggesting a mid‑year launch. Rumors point...
Latest Steam Client Update Fixes Steam Controller Trackpad Issues, Compatibility Problems, and More
Valve rolled out a Steam Client update on May 9, 2026 that targets the newly launched Steam Controller. The patch resolves configuration‑save failures, docking compatibility glitches, and a wireless left‑trackpad touch‑registration bug. It also introduces customizable Grip Sensor settings and several...
Review: Akaso 360, the Budget Alternative for the Action Cam Beginner
The Akaso 360 is a budget‑friendly 360° action camera aimed at beginners, retailing between $212.49 and $249.99. It features dual 48‑MP 1/2‑inch sensors that capture 5.7K video at 30 fps and 72‑MP stills, housed in a 180 g body with a touchscreen and...
AI Investment Shifts From Nvidia to Full Stack
The AI trade is starting to broaden beyond NVIDIA. As AI shifts from chatbots to autonomous agents, investors are rotating into companies like Intel, AMD and infrastructure players tied to CPUs, memory and connectivity. The next phase of AI may reward the...
AI Packaging Boom Accelerates with Massive Backlog
Suss Microtec’s Q1 2026 call confirmed the AI packaging boom is still surging. Strong bookings for advanced bonding & lithography, with a massive backlog. Management is bullish on the multi-year runway. 📈🤖 Semiconductors
Fiber Optic Cables Can Eavesdrop On Nearby Conversations
Researchers at the European Geosciences Union demonstrated that distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) on fiber‑optic cables can capture nearby speech and be transcribed in real time using AI. By firing laser pulses and analyzing reflected light, the system detected tones, music...
Pro Breeze Upgrades Its Popular Hybrid Fan with Smart Controls – Here’s Why It’s Better than Before
Pro Breeze has released an upgraded AirFlo 43” Smart Hybrid Pedestal Fan, adding Wi‑Fi connectivity, app‑based speed and timer controls, and an aroma pod. The new model retains the original’s 100° horizontal and 130° vertical oscillation and built‑in air filter, while...
Lab-Grown Diamond Technology Poised to Revolutionize Radiation Dose Measurement
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University, together with Tohoku University and Orbray, have created a heteroepitaxial lab‑grown diamond ionization chamber that dramatically outperforms conventional air‑based dosimeters. The diamond detector is about 1,250 times smaller yet 13,500 times more sensitive per unit...
Valve Steam Machine: Shipping Traces, Controller Sell-Off and Open Pricing Question Intensify Launch Suspicion
Valve has officially unveiled the specifications of its upcoming Steam Machine, a compact PC‑console hybrid powered by a Zen‑4 CPU and RDNA‑3 GPU, slated for a 2026 release. Import records show roughly 50 tons of goods labeled “Game Consoles” arriving in...
Biostar at Computex 2026: New 800-Series Motherboards, Edge AI Systems, and a Small Zen 6 Misunderstanding
Biostar marked its 40th anniversary at Computex 2026 by unveiling a full slate of AMD and Intel 800‑series motherboards, Radeon RX graphics cards, DDR4/DDR5 memory and PCIe M.2/SATA SSDs. More strategically, the company introduced industrial W880 boards, EdgeComp systems built on NVIDIA Jetson Thor...
ASUS Is Reportedly Scaling Back Its RTX 5070 Ti Focus in Favor of the RTX 5080: Blackwell Supply Is Apparently...
ASUS is reportedly scaling back production of several GeForce RTX 5070 Ti models in Q2 2026, shifting capacity toward the higher‑priced RTX 5080. Both cards share 16 GB GDDR7 memory, but memory shortages and margin considerations are prompting ASUS to prioritize the more profitable 5080....
Review of Rikomagic DS08 Android 13 Digital Signage Player
Rikomagic’s DS08 digital‑signage player ships with a Rockchip RK3588 SoC, 8 GB RAM and 128 GB eMMC, running Android 13. It offers dual HDMI 2.1 outputs, Wi‑Fi 6, Gigabit Ethernet, and signage‑specific features like screen‑orientation control, scheduled power cycles, and a hardware watchdog. In testing,...
Thermal Master P4 Review – Mobile Infrared Camera with Fixed Focus in Use
The Thermal Master P4 is a compact USB‑C thermal imaging dongle aimed at electricians, HVAC technicians, and general service professionals. It features a 256 × 192 px VOx sensor, fixed focus from 15 cm to infinity, a 56°×42° field of view, and 15× digital...
Scale Across, Confirmed
Scale across is the emerging coherent‑optics interconnect that links AI data centers separated by tens to hundreds of kilometers, enabling workloads to spill beyond a single building. Ciena estimates more than 300 new AI‑focused data centers were commissioned in 2025...
Neat Names Javed Khan CEO to Accelerate AI‑Driven Video Collaboration
Neat, the Oslo‑based video‑technology firm, announced on May 8 that Javed Khan will take over as chief executive officer. Khan, who previously led AI‑focused units at Aptiv and Cisco, is tasked with scaling Neat’s edge‑computing and large‑language‑model capabilities as the...
Q‑CTRL Announces 3,000‑Fold Quantum Speedup on Real‑World Task
Australian quantum‑control specialist Q‑CTRL reported a 3,000‑fold speedup versus classical computing on a real‑world workload, offering concrete evidence of quantum advantage in an industry‑relevant scenario. The claim, released today, could reshape expectations for near‑term quantum applications.
Firestarter Malware Evades Cisco Patches, US-UK Alert Warns of Persistent Threat
U.S. CISA and Britain’s NCSC issued a joint alert on Firestarter, a previously undocumented malware that remains active on Cisco Firepower and Secure Firewall devices even after security updates. The strain leverages CVE‑2025‑20333 and CVE‑2025‑20362 to gain footholds and can...
AI's Future Hinges on Integrated Semiconductor Infrastructure
#Technology #Thread #Semiconductor #Manufacturing #AI The Semiconductor AI Infrastructure: 1/ - Artificial Intelligence Has Quietly Shifted From A Software Challenge Into A Semiconductor Infrastructure Challenge. - Today, AI Scalability Depends Less On Algorithms And More On Compute, Memory, Interconnect, Power, Cooling, And Packaging...
Consider Two Alternatives Before Buying Newegg’s Top Gaming PC
Before you buy Newegg's #1 best-selling gaming PC - consider these two other options. https://t.co/j5uxN64hBy
Roku Starts to Roll Out a Major Update to Roku TVs & Roku Players
Roku has begun the phased rollout of its Spring OS 15.2 update to compatible TVs and streaming players, a process that may take several weeks to a month. The upgrade introduces developer‑focused tools such as Perfetto‑based tracing and the chanperf command,...
Ex‑BYD, Huawei Engineers Launch Compact 32 Km/H Bike‑Electric Kit
Turn Any Bike Electric: Ex-BYD and Huawei Engineers Unveil Compact 32 km/h Drive System via @Rainmaker1973 #Innovation #EmergingTech #Technology #Tech https://t.co/ZxKjyTE4ZE
Three AI Buttons Transform My Mac Experience
I got one of these. Each button has a different set of AI agents. I didn't think I would like it as much as I do. Interesting how adding three buttons to my Mac changes how I use it.
Apple Tests Camera‑Equipped AirPods, Targeting September 2026 Launch
Apple is prototyping AirPods with low‑resolution cameras, now in design validation testing. The rollout, originally slated for early 2026, has slipped to September 2026, likely paired with a foldable iPhone and iPhone 18. The move raises privacy questions and signals a...
PortalVR Enables SteamVR Gaming Without a Headset
PortalVR Lets You Play SteamVR Games Without Wearing a Headset by @GabRoXR #AR #VirtualReality #AR #AugmentedReality #Gaming https://t.co/590jrtIYYr
Why the $400 vSeeBox V6 Plus Isn't Just a Roku
This Android set-top box costs $400! Why? Because it ain't just a bigger Roku, as I explain in my review of the vSeeBox V6 Plus Android TV device. It's a grey market device, quite interesting, and probably illegal. Sort of......
Nintendo's President Intends for the Switch 2's Lifespan to Match that of the Original Switch
Nintendo’s original Switch, launched in March 2017, has sold 156 million units and enjoyed an eight‑year hardware lifespan—far longer than its Wii predecessor. President Shuntaro Furukawa told investors the upcoming Switch 2 will be engineered to match that longevity. Nintendo is already...
Brother Laser Printer: A Top Fit‑for‑Purpose Choice
The Brother Laser Printer is one of the best “fit for purpose” products ever made
TCL QM8L Offers Gemini Hands‑Free Control, Bright Display, Color Compromises
The TCL QM8L Series is an impressive TV in person with Google Gemini-powered hands-free control and a bright screen. Cinephiles might take issue with its less-than-accurate colors. https://t.co/EcyZB6W8ke
Huawei Debuts World's Thinnest Tablet and $4,400 Diamond Smartwatch in Bangkok
Huawei Technologies introduced the world’s thinnest tablet and a $4,400 diamond‑encrusted smartwatch at a Bangkok event, underscoring the Chinese firm’s focus on premium design and Southeast Asian growth. The launch marks a high‑profile push into luxury consumer electronics.
Agility Unveils Safety‑Certified Digit Humanoid for Uncaged Factory Use by End‑2026
Agility Robotics CEO Peggy Johnson announced that a new safety‑certified version of the Digit humanoid will be able to operate without protective cages by the end of 2026. The move follows recent OSHA approval, a $100,000‑tote production record and a...
MOKiN 8‑in‑1 USB‑C Hub Simplifies All Connections
Running out of ports or want to simplify plugging your notebook into your accessories, from keyboard to monitor? Then you'll really appreciate the MOKiN 8-In-1 USB-C Hub. It even has some secret functions that are pretty slick, as I demonstrate:...
Data Centers & Digital Twins: What Are They REALLY Doing? | Daily Pulse
In this episode, host Maria Z explores the rapid expansion of data centers and the emerging technology of digital twins, linking them to broader agendas like AI surveillance, smart cities, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis mission. She explains...
Foundryecosystem Report: Terafab; Capacity, EUV, GaN
Semiecosystem’s latest Foundryecosystem Report highlights a series of pivotal developments across the semiconductor sector. Elon Musk’s Texas “Terafab” is projected to require $55 billion for its first phase and up to $119 billion overall, while 3nm capacity remains scarce and TSMC dominates...
Intel Shares Jump on Reported Chip Production Deal with Apple
Intel Corp. saw its stock jump 13.9% after the Wall Street Journal reported a preliminary agreement with Apple to produce chips for future devices. The partnership is expected to leverage Intel’s new 18A manufacturing node, possibly the enhanced 18A‑P version...
Intel Foundry MFN Deal Points to Nvidia, Not AMD
If you sign with Intel Foundry first, you’ll likely get a MFN deal. Tim Apple is a supply genius. Question is, who will the MFN high performance wafer customer be? Likely Nvidia. (Yes I know the deal they cut but...
How Often Do You Upgrade Your PC?
A recent PC Gamer reader survey shows 47% of gamers wait at least five years before upgrading their PCs, a marked slowdown from the rapid upgrade cycles of the late 1990s‑2000s. Longer‑lasting CPUs and GPUs, rising component prices, and AI‑driven...
Intel's Split Misses $10B USG Investment, I Apologize
I told you all how dumb Intel Foundry and Intel Design splitting. I missed the USG investing $10B. I hope you can forgive me.
Untangled
The data‑center interconnect (CPO) value chain is currently split into three headline layers: switch silicon from Nvidia and Broadcom, XPU‑side photonics from Marvell and MediaTek, and laser components from Lumentum, Coherent, Furukawa and Applied Optoelectronics. The article points out that...