Know What's Happening in Hardware
Know What's Happening in Hardware
Samsung cuts B‑Series soundbar price to $97.99
Samsung reduced the price of its B‑Series HW‑B400F soundbar by 30%, now $97.99 down from $139.99. The compact unit adds a built‑in woofer, dialogue enhancement and surround‑sound expansion, and supports Bluetooth, HDMI ARC and remote‑control operation.
The U.S. Commerce Department withdrew a draft rule that would have required export licenses for all artificial‑intelligence chips worldwide. The proposal, part of a broader effort to tighten semiconductor controls, had been under interagency review by the Office of Management and Budget. No further details were released about why the rule was dropped. The withdrawal pauses a potential expansion of the existing export‑control regime.
Everything is in short supply. It’s no longer just GPUs. It’s power. Data centers. Memory. CPUs. If there’s no relief for six more quarters, perhaps it’s time to plan for a world where inference isn’t freely available on-demand. Inference prices,...
AMD released a guide outlining two local‑AI hardware paths—RyzenClaw and RadeonClaw—designed to run large language models entirely on Windows without cloud services. The RyzenClaw configuration uses a Ryzen AI Max+ system with 128 GB memory, delivering about 45 tokens per second and supporting...
Microsoft is investigating a Windows 11 issue on Samsung laptops after the February 2026 security updates, where users lose access to the C:\ drive and cannot launch key applications. The error, “C:\ is not accessible – Access denied,” affects Galaxy Book 4 and...
Asetek Racing, the Danish sim‑racing hardware maker, launched its Initium Racing Bundle I in the United States. Priced at $599, the bundle packs a 5.5 Nm direct‑drive wheelbase, a custom steering wheel, and a glass‑fiber reinforced pedal set. The package also includes...
Enterprises are eyeing retired server hardware as a new source of rare earth elements after Korea Zinc entered talks with major U.S. tech firms to recycle data‑center waste. The initiative follows Western Digital’s pilot with Critical Materials Recycling and comes...
Portable power stations like Jackery and EcoFlow often cost $150‑$400, largely because they include a dedicated battery pack. Ryobi’s 18V ONE+ 150 W power source, priced at $49, attaches directly to existing ONE+ batteries, turning them into a low‑cost AC outlet...
Pew Research surveyed 8,512 U.S. adults in January, finding that three‑quarters are aware of data centers, yet most hold negative views on their environmental impact and effect on home energy costs. Only a small minority see them as beneficial for...
A noticeable resurgence of Apple’s discontinued iPod line is underway, driven largely by Gen Z listeners seeking a break from algorithm‑driven streaming and smartphone overload. Google Trends and eBay data show searches for classic iPods and iPod Nano up 25%...
Nothing launched its Headphone (a) today, priced at $199 and sold through nothing.tech, Amazon US, Best Buy Canada and TikTok Shop starting March 19. The over‑ear model delivers up to 135 hours of playback – roughly five days – with ANC off, and a...
Best Buy is offering open‑box MacBook Neo laptops for $568, roughly $30 below the $599 MSRP, shortly after Apple launched the device on March 11. The Neo, an entry‑level 13‑inch notebook, runs the A18 Pro chip, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD, targeting...
Apple’s iPad average selling price climbed to $583 in Q4 2025, a roughly 10% increase from the previous quarter. The rise helped offset a broader 3% QoQ and 4% YoY decline in global tablet shipments. Apple’s iPad revenue grew 5%...
In this episode, Sean Kim explains how the Strait of Hormuz— a critical shipping lane for energy— could become a bottleneck for the global technology sector, especially advanced semiconductor manufacturing. He highlights that chip fabs, like those in Taiwan, consume...
LG announced that its 2025‑2026 TV lineup will receive support for Samsung‑Google’s Eclipsa Audio, a royalty‑free spatial‑sound format positioned as an alternative to Dolby Atmos. The update will arrive via a free firmware patch for models such as the G5,...
Rob LeFebvre installed Asahi Linux on a MacBook Air M1, opting for a GNOME desktop alongside a dual‑boot macOS partition. The installer automated partitioning and driver setup, delivering a functional Linux environment where Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, trackpad and webcam work out‑of‑the‑box. Core...
Backblaze has partnered with StorageReview to make a 130 TB dataset containing 314 trillion digits of Pi publicly available. The original calculation generated about 2.1 PB of intermediate data, which was broken into roughly 200 GB chunks for easier download. The effort tested...
AMC Robotics (NASDAQ: AMCI) announced a strategic collaboration with HIVE Digital Technologies (TSXV: HIVE) to use HIVE’s GPU‑accelerated AI compute infrastructure for its expanding robotics development. The partnership already powers the Kyro™ quadruped robot, demonstrated at the Tokyo Security Show...
I have about a million questions... But this idea of creating a digital APS-C sensor that you can load into old film cameras is *fascinating*
Rumors from Galaxy Club suggest Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 will retain the same battery capacity as the Flip 7, despite a dual‑cell layout. The combined 4,300 mAh rating matches the prior model, even though internal split‑cell numbers differ slightly. At the...
Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider builds 26100.8106 and 26200.8106, adding native support for monitor refresh rates exceeding 1,000 Hz. The update marks the first time the OS handles four‑digit refresh rates, aligning software with emerging ultra‑high‑refresh displays. Philips and AOC have already...
A 2025 McKinsey forecast puts AI‑related IT infrastructure spending at nearly $7 trillion through 2030, with $3 trillion earmarked for data‑center capacity. Enterprises must juggle this surge with traditional workloads, requiring distinct strategies for power‑intensive AI training and latency‑critical AI inference. Training...
Jackery’s Early Spring Sale slashes the price of its 5,040 Wh Explorer 5000 Plus portable power station to $2,659, representing up to 60 % off. At the same time, Lectric is running a one‑day flash sale on e‑bikes starting at $899 with a free...
Himax Technologies saw its shares surge over 16% after Hunterbrook linked the company to Nvidia’s AI data‑center optics and hinted at a role supplying Apple’s upcoming smart‑glasses. The report suggests Himax is manufacturing critical optical components for Nvidia’s AI infrastructure,...
MacStories Weekly issue 504 bundles three distinct tech stories. Apple announced an iPad Air powered by the new M4 chip, promising notable performance gains over the M2 generation. The newsletter also showcases a DIY bookmark manager built in Notion that leverages...
Solid State Logic announced the Net I/O ST 2110 Bridge at the 2026 NAB Show, a 1RU hardware converter that links SMPTE ST 2110 and Dante audio networks. The device supports 256 or 512 channels, offers upgrade paths, built‑in NMOS discovery and connection management, and...
At the Game Developers Conference 2026, Razer showcased a suite of AI‑powered products, headlined by an AI desktop companion designed to streamline gaming workflows. The company also introduced AI‑enhanced peripherals, including a smart mouse and headset, that promise real‑time performance...
Researchers have created a silicon chip that integrates a 61,952‑pixel focal‑plane array capable of both emitting and receiving FMCW LiDAR signals, delivering 4D imaging that captures distance and speed simultaneously. The prototype generated detailed 3D point clouds at ranges from...
AI-driven compute density is straining data‑center cooling as data movement generates most heat. Traditional copper interconnects add resistive losses, forcing energy‑intensive air cooling. Silicon photonics replaces electrical links with optical ones, slashing energy‑per‑bit and thermal output. Recent heterogeneously integrated photonic...
Agnitron Technology’s Agilis 100 MOCVD platform has been selected by the Institute for Materials Chemistry at IFW Dresden to advance precursor chemistry and ultra‑wide‑bandgap semiconductor research. The system’s patented showerhead and low‑vapor‑pressure delivery enable flexible handling of novel metal‑organic precursors. Initial...
RoboSense’s EM4 digital lidar and fully solid‑state E1 have been selected as the primary and blind‑spot sensors for the GXR robotaxi, a vehicle co‑developed by WeRide and Geely’s Farizon unit. Production is slated to begin in Q3 2026 with an initial...
Cisco took an early lead in indoor Wi‑Fi 7 access‑point revenue in 2025, edging out Huawei with nearly $2 billion in sales. The advantage stems from aggressive pricing and faster‑than‑expected enterprise adoption of the new standard. Dell’Oro forecasts double‑digit WLAN growth in...
GMKtec introduced the second‑generation EVO‑T2 Desktop AI Supercomputer, built on Intel’s Core Ultra X9 388H and X7 358H processors using the 18A (1.8 nm) Panther Lake architecture. The compact system delivers up to 180 TOPS of AI compute and can run local large language...
Meta's 2Africa undersea cable project has hit a new geopolitical snag as Alcatel Submarine Networks declared force majeure in the Persian Gulf, halting work on the Pearls extension. The ship Ile de Batz is now docked in Saudi Arabia, leaving...
Microsoft unveiled updates to its Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) system at GDC, aiming to eliminate the long "compiling shaders" pause that plagues PC games. The solution pre‑compiles shaders into a downloadable database (PSDB) using a State Object Database (SODB) that...
Insulet announced a recall of select Omnipod 5 insulin patch pumps after discovering a small tear in the internal tubing that can cause insulin to leak inside the pod. The defect has been linked to 18 serious adverse events, including hospitalizations...
Microsoft unveiled Project Helix at its GDC keynote, positioning it as a high‑end hybrid console that runs both PC games and legacy Xbox titles. The device will use an AMD‑based system‑on‑chip similar to current Xbox hardware but will be priced...
Smart home technology is now being leveraged to safeguard a house’s structural integrity. Devices such as moisture leak sensors, smart hygrometers, termite monitors, automated water shutoff valves, and foundation crack detectors provide real‑time alerts and even autonomous responses. By integrating...
Everyone is talking about the impact of closing the Strait of Hormuz on oil and gas. I haven't seen much discussion of the war's impact on helium. Most people think of helium as being a fun gas you use for...
TNO and High Tech Campus Eindhoven have broken ground on what will be the world’s first 6‑inch indium phosphide photonic chip foundry, a €150 million project funded under the European Chips Act and inaugurated by EU and Dutch ministers. The pilot...
Robotic gripping arms are becoming standard fixtures on modern production lines, delivering repeatable precision for tasks such as milling, drilling, and component placement. Sensors and encoders monitor every movement, eliminating the variability of manual handling. The technology now spans automotive...
The energy at MWC Barcelona is always incredible, but this year felt different. We are witnessing a fundamental shift in how networks are built and what they can do. One announcement that stood out to me was the deepening partnership...
Crazy that the MacBook Neo is probably faster at ordinary tasks than any maxed out Intel-era MacBook
Every rebuild makes it 10x better, that's the unglamorous part of building hardware nobody talks about
At Mobile World Congress 2026, Honor Unveils Concept Phone with Pop-Out #Robotic Arm Camera for #AI-Powered, Gear-Free Filmmaking by @IntEngineering #Innovation #EmergingTech #Technology #Tech https://t.co/uQDBaZTqjI
Sensofusion has today announced the Tactical Drone Factory: a fully self-contained interceptor drone manufacturing facility built inside a standard shipping container. Shipping worldwide in May (export restrictions apply). https://t.co/h8FszYdeAo https://t.co/RgZ7xuuGiT
We’re the first cloud to bring up an NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 system for validation, another big step in building the next generation of AI infrastructure with NVIDIA. https://t.co/apPyKh0HRK
Moonwalkers Aero: Turn Every Step into a Power Move via @WevolverApp #Technology #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/kqVaHnVjxo
$AWS partnering with Cerebras to scale inference. I expect to see more similar partnerships as Cerebras inference economics look very good. 💪🏻
This got me thinking, this could be how Apple starts to offer devices as a service to things like education, perhaps enterprise someday.
Latest: Preparing for sub-1nm; Iran war fallout on chips; Embedded World; ramping Japan; foundry rankings; MIPI PHY IP; clocking tech; imec’s new consortium; neuromorphic computing; AI chips; photonics; sensors https://t.co/F8zKNQ2pc8 #semiconductor #neuromorphic #EmbeddedWorld
