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
South Korea and Taiwan Set Record Highs as AI Chip Rally Fuels Asian Markets
South Korea's KOSPI and Taiwan's TAIEX surged to fresh all‑time highs on Monday, with the KOSPI up 5.1% to 6,937 and the TAIEX climbing 7% as AI‑related semiconductor earnings lifted market sentiment. The rally was powered by SK Hynix’s 12% jump, Samsung’s record‑high close and TSMC’s 7% rise, while geopolitical easing in the Middle East helped sustain risk appetite.
Panthalassa Raises $140 Million Series B to Deploy Ocean‑Based AI Compute Nodes
Panthalassa announced a $140 million Series B round led by Peter Thiel, aimed at completing a pilot factory near Portland and launching its Ocean‑3 AI inference nodes at sea. The financing brings together a roster of high‑profile investors and targets the...
TDK Ventures' $500M AI Play Targets Inference Chips and Rugged Robots
Nicolas Sauvage is steering TDK Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Japanese electronics giant TDK, with a $500 million portfolio that backs low‑profile AI infrastructure such as inference chips, solid‑state grid transformers and warehouse robots. His four‑year horizon strategy aims to...
The New AirPods Max 2 Are Already on Sale for $40 Off
Apple’s second‑generation AirPods Max, released just over a month ago, have dropped to $509 after a $40 discount at Amazon, Best Buy and Target. The headphones retain the original’s 40 mm drivers but pair them with a new high‑dynamic‑range amp and the...
Iron Insider: No Operators? No Problem. Bluelight Machine's $50K Autonomy Kit Can Boost Productivity Up to 14%
Blue Light Machines introduced a retrofit autonomy kit for existing rollers and haul trucks, priced between $40,000 and $50,000 and installable in roughly two hours with four‑minute training. The AI‑powered system claims up to a 14% boost in site‑wide production...
AMD Poised to Beat Estimates; Watch GPU Ramp
$AMD reports after close. Consensus ~$9.84B / ~$1.30 EPS (+32% rev, +35% EPS). Stock up 74% in April sets a high bar. I think they will beat. I’m watching a few things: MI355 ramp, MI400/Helios timing, Meta 6GW progress, EPYC...
Schneider, AMS Partnership Aims for Faster, More Impactful Microgrid Deployment
Schneider Electric is expanding its partnership with American Microgrid Solutions (AMS) to accelerate end‑to‑end microgrid deployments using the EcoStruxure Microgrid Flex platform. The collaboration targets sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, multifamily housing, utilities and public facilities, offering integrated design, commissioning...
Komprise Patents Dynamic Load Balancing Tech
Komprise has secured US 12566637‑B2 for its Elastic Shares technology, which dynamically subdivides large unstructured data sets across multiple compute engines for faster AI processing. The patented system uses a job‑supervisor to monitor engine status and reassign work instantly, eliminating idle...
HemoSonics’ Quantra Hemostasis System for Obstetric Procedures Wins Silver 2026 Edison Award
HemoSonics' Quantra® Hemostasis System for obstetric procedures earned the Silver Edison Award in the Women’s Health and Reproductive Innovations category for 2026. The device is the first FDA‑cleared viscoelastic testing platform specifically approved for obstetric bleeding, delivering whole‑blood coagulation results...
QuantWare Raises €152 Million in the Largest Private Round for a Dedicated Quantum Processor Company
QuantWare, the Delft‑based quantum processor maker, closed a €152 million ($178 million) Series B round, the biggest private financing for a dedicated quantum chip company. The funding backs its VIO‑40K architecture, designed to deliver 10,000‑qubit superconducting processors—about 100 times today’s leading devices. New backers...
I've Reviewed over 100 Gaming Headsets, and Steelseries' Latest Is the Most Exciting One in Ages
SteelSeries unveiled the Arctis Nova Omni, a wireless gaming headset positioned between its Nova Pro and Elite models. The headset adds true console‑agnostic connectivity, Hi‑Res Audio certification (96 kHz/24‑bit), and an AI‑enhanced omnidirectional mic. It ships with a GameHub dongle that...
Better Rides, Easy Navigation, Clear Data: Our Editors’ 8 Best-Tested GPS Bike Computers
Bike computers have become essential upgrades for cyclists, offering dedicated GPS, performance metrics, and secure mounting compared with smartphones. Bicycling’s editors tested dozens of models and identified top picks, including the Hammerhead Karoo for navigation, Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V3 for...
Cabinet Boosts Semicon Push with Two Gujarat Units, Investment over Rs 3,900 Cr
The Union Cabinet approved two semiconductor projects in Gujarat, committing roughly $470 million (Rs 3,936 crore) and creating about 2,230 skilled jobs. One project in Dholera will produce compound‑semiconductor display modules and GaN foundry services, while the Surat facility will operate an OSAT...
Robin Radar Accelerates Delivery of IRIS Drone Detection Radars to the Gulf Region
Robin Radar Systems has rapidly delivered its IRIS 3D drone‑detection radars to Gulf states, meeting urgent security needs. The compact, mobile units provide 360° coverage and can detect small drones up to 12 km, integrating seamlessly with existing counter‑UAS architectures. The...
End-to-End ASIC Manufacturing Solutions | From Design to Production
Custom ASIC projects now require more than circuit design; they demand a coordinated semiconductor supply chain from architecture through long‑term production. End‑to‑end ASIC manufacturing solutions bundle feasibility studies, design, tape‑out, wafer fab, packaging, testing, qualification, and logistics into a single...
WhatCable Tells You What that USB-C Cable Is Good For
WhatCable is a free macOS utility that reads the electronic marker (e‑mark) inside a USB‑C cable and instantly reports its power delivery, data transfer, and video capabilities. The app displays details such as charging wattage, supported video standards, and whether...
300mm Lens Turns Oppo X9 Ultra Into
I’ve been testing out the @oppo Find X9 ultra and the 300mm lens attachment and got some pretty cute pictures and videos of my hummingbird friends 🥰 #tech #mobilephotography
SiTime Boosts GPU Utilisation in AI Data Centres with Elite 2 Super-TCXO
SiTime unveiled the Elite 2 Super‑TCXO, a precision oscillator designed to tighten time‑synchronisation in AI data‑centre clusters. The device delivers sub‑nanosecond accuracy—up to 10× better than the industry’s 10 ns target—helping raise GPU utilisation from the current 20‑40 % range. SiTime estimates the...
Custom ASIC Solutions | Find ASIC Design & Turnkey Chip Development Partners
Custom ASICs enable hardware firms to cut power, boost performance, shrink size, and protect IP, but the development path involves many technical and commercial decisions. AnySilicon positions itself as a matchmaking service, guiding companies from feasibility studies through turnkey silicon...
DARPA Wants Robots that Compute with Their Bodies' Material
DARPA has issued a request for information on a program called “Rethinking robotics with physical intelligence,” seeking materials that embed sensing, computation and actuation directly into a robot’s structure. The aim is to collapse processing loops so robots can react...
Steam Controller Sells Out in 30 Minutes as Scalpers Snap up Valve’s New Hardware
Valve released its new Steam Controller on May 4 for $99.99, and the product sold out in just 30 minutes, overwhelming the Steam storefront. The surge triggered a spike in error reports on Downdetector as thousands of shoppers tried to purchase...
Broadcom Update to VCF Platform Promises to Reduce IT Costs
Broadcom released VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) version 9.1, adding AMD GPU and Arista networking support while promising up to 40% lower SSD‑NVMe tiering costs and up to 39% lower AI storage total cost of ownership. The update expands host management...
Form Launches a Cheaper Version of Its Smart Swimming Goggles
Form has introduced the Smart Swim 2 LT, a lower‑priced version of its flagship smart swimming goggles, priced at $149. The new model drops the integrated heart‑rate monitor but retains the heads‑up display, AI‑driven HeadCoach training planner, and free SwimStraight...
Waterproof USB-C Connectors Expand Application Arena
Same Sky (formerly CUI Devices) has released the UJ family of waterproof USB‑C receptacles covering IPX5 through IP68 ratings. The connectors support USB 2.0 up to USB 4.0 Gen 3×2, delivering up to 40 Gb/s data rates and 240 W power delivery at 48 V/5 A. Designed with...
AI Demand Surges as Billions in Compute Remain Locked
Enterprises are pouring billions into AI infrastructure, yet a Cast AI survey of 23,000 Kubernetes clusters reveals average GPU utilization of just 5% and CPU use at 8%. Cloud providers such as Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta are reporting double‑digit...
Liquid‑cooling Stocks Dip as Nvidia Shuns Gold‑tin
Definitely some read thru concerns for $VRT Jefferies Desk wrote that Liquid cooling stocks under pressure - ie $ETN , In Taiwan the liquid cooling sector under pressure as a local broker wrote a report saying Nvidia $NVDA...
CSAIL Revives 80s Three‑s
In the '80s, future MIT prof. Bill Freeman envisioned a three-sided zipper that could switch items between soft & rigid states. Last year, CSAIL revived his idea w/an automated design tool. It 3D prints "Y-zippers" that snap gear, robots, & art...
A $50 Casio Watch Just Stole G-Shock’s Best Feature
Casio unveiled the W‑738H, a sub‑$50 digital watch that adds a vibration alarm and a decade‑long CR2032 battery to its slim, 13.5 mm case. Priced at ¥7,700 (≈ $50) in Japan, the model will appear in the UK for £45 (≈ $58), Singapore...
AI Inferencing Nodes Will Soon Blanket the Planet
Quote of the day comes from Sean Farney, VP, Data Center Strategy – Americas at JLL, here at @ConnectX_USA #ConnectX26 “We need to carpet the planet with AI inferencing compute nodes....We’re in the infancy of this.” #EdgeComputingReturns
Galaxy S26 Ultra Hits Record Low—Best Android Yet
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra just hit a new record-low price at Amazon, so now's the time to buy if you're shopping for the best Android phone we've ever tested. https://t.co/W5kNf6iAHt
Huawei Braces for $12 Billion in AI Chip Revenue Driven by Homegrown AI Model Demand — Chinese Fabs Can Barely...
Huawei projects AI processor revenue of about $12 billion in 2026, up from $7.5 billion last year, driven by orders from Alibaba, ByteDance and Tencent. The surge follows the launch of DeepSeek’s V4 large‑language model, which was optimized for Huawei’s Ascend 950PR...
Bose Launches Flagship Soundbar, Supports Cross-Brand Multi‑Room Audio
Bose's Lifestyle Collection features a new flagship soundbar and multi-room compatibility — including with other firms' speakers https://t.co/atUHPOWGxh
Next-Gen Low-Power Memory Boosts High-Performance Computing
New CPU Memory Module: Benefits and questions surrounding a next-gen low-power standard for high-performance compute. https://t.co/1O8k7qRB7d #DDR #SOCAMM #thermalmanagement #lowpowermemory https://t.co/pfo54Qm7Pt
The AI Hard Drive Shortage Is Making It More Expensive and Harder to Archive the Internet
The surge in AI‑driven data‑center demand has triggered a sharp shortage of hard drives and SSDs, pushing prices up 150%‑300% across consumer and enterprise segments. A 2 TB Samsung SSD that cost $159 last fall now sells for $575, and 28‑30 TB...
Huang Urges US AI Lead, Blocks China From Top Chips
Nvidia's Jensen Huang says China should not have its most advanced chips CEO backs US lead in AI while pushing for ability to sell older chips in China https://t.co/5ZqkduCG9u via @NikkeiAsia
NVIDIA and PulteGroup Enable Home Mini Data Centers
THIS: #NVIDIA and PulteGroup are helping this startup put mini data centers on homes https://t.co/yzOgPOQdrC @nvidia @PulteHomes @span_io #AI
UltiMaker Enhances S6 and S8 Performance
UltiMaker has retrofitted its year‑old S6 and S8 3D printers with a new “Cheetah” motion planner, raising the top print speed to 500 mm/s and acceleration to 50,000 mm/s². The upgrade is software‑driven, so the hardware looks unchanged, but performance metrics improve...
Apple's Foundry Talks With Intel Are More Advanced Than Expected
Agree with this, we think Apple is much farther along than just "discussions" with Intel on foundry.
Quantum and AI Complement Each Other, IBM Expands Cloud Access
Quantum and AI do not compete - but complement each other says @ArvindKrishna - @IBM has now deployed 80+ cloud accessible quantum machine with 300+ partners. #IBMThink https://t.co/wxXszY6kHI
Surfshark Launches Native VPN App for Amazon Fire TV’s Vega OS, Restoring Streaming Privacy
Surfshark has released a native application for Amazon’s Vega OS, the Linux‑based platform that powers the newest Fire TV devices. The move restores VPN functionality that vanished when Amazon shifted away from Android‑based Fire OS in late 2025, giving users...
Metalenz Unveils Invisible Face ID Sensor for 2027 Smartphones
Boston‑based optics startup Metalenz announced that its Polar ID facial authentication system, built on metasurface lenses, is ready for mass production and will be deployed in smartphones and laptops in 2027. The under‑display sensor promises mask‑proof security and could remove...
NXP Semiconductors Shares Surge 49% on Q1 Beat and Aggressive Guidance
NXP Semiconductors' shares leapt 49.1% in April 2026 after the Dutch‑American chipmaker posted Q1 sales of $3.18 billion, a 12% year‑over‑year gain, and adjusted earnings of $3.05 per share, topping analyst forecasts. Management also raised the midpoint of its Q2 revenue...
Nvidia Unveils Open‑Source Ising Model, Sending Quantum Start‑Ups’ Shares Soaring
Nvidia announced the open‑source Ising AI model, a control‑plane framework for quantum processors. Within minutes, IonQ jumped 21%, Rigetti rose 13.3% and D‑Wave surged 22.6%, signaling investor optimism that Nvidia’s AI expertise will accelerate quantum error mitigation and commercial adoption.
Eight Sleep's New Pregnancy Mode Adjusts Your Bed Temperature So You Don't Have To
Eight Sleep has introduced Pregnancy Mode, an AI‑driven feature that automatically tweaks the Pod smart mattress temperature to match the shifting thermal needs of pregnant and postpartum users. The system leverages each user’s pre‑pregnancy baseline, menstrual data and due date...
Siemens U2U 3D IC Design and Verification Panel
Siemens convened a panel of industry experts to discuss the shift from 2D chips to 3D ICs and chiplet architectures. The discussion highlighted how stacking multiple dies improves performance, power efficiency, and bandwidth for AI, HPC, and data‑center workloads. Panelists...
Komatsu Launches PC9000-12 Mining Excavator with Electric Drive Option
Komatsu has launched the PC9000-12, the largest hydraulic mining excavator in its lineup, now offered worldwide with a diesel or fully electric drive option. The electric variant features two 1,700 kW motors and an operating weight of up to 896 tonnes. With...
This Samsung Dolby Atmos Soundbar Is Nearly 50% Off Right Now
Samsung’s flagship 2025 HW‑Q990F Dolby Atmos soundbar is now available on Woot for $887.99, a roughly 44% discount from its $1,597.99 list price. The 11.1.4‑channel system retains the HW‑Q990D’s footprint while adding a redesigned dual‑driver subwoofer and subtle aesthetic tweaks....
Intel Drivers With Mesa 26.2 Ready With Xe In Linux 7.1 To Better Handle vRAM Pressure
Intel’s Xe kernel driver now supports purgeable buffer objects in Linux 7.1, aiming to ease video‑RAM pressure on GPUs with dedicated memory. A new user‑space API lets applications hint which buffers can be discarded when memory is scarce. Mesa 26.2’s Iris Gallium3D...
AI100 Finalist Interview: ChipAgents
ChipAgents, an AI 100 finalist, is building a dedicated AI infrastructure for semiconductor chip design. Its platform deploys coordinated multi‑agent systems that can read specifications, plan tasks, generate RTL code, create verification environments, and autonomously iterate designs. By automating the entire...
D-Wave Announces Qubits Europe 2026 Quantum Computing User Conference
D‑Wave announced Qubits Europe 2026, a full‑day quantum computing user conference in London on June 18, 2026. The event will unveil the company’s dual‑platform roadmap covering annealing, gate‑model systems, hybrid software, quantum AI and blockchain. It arrives as Europe ramps...