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
Beard Papa’s, Emack & Bolio’s, and Other NYC Retailers Are Using These Plug-In Batteries to Slash Power Costs
David Energy, a New York‑based startup, is installing free plug‑in battery units in retailers such as Beard Papa’s and Emack & Bolio’s. The batteries charge during off‑peak hours when electricity is cheap and discharge during peak periods, keeping freezers and lights running while cutting utility bills. The system connects to a standard wall outlet, requiring no electrical work, and is managed by David Energy’s software platform. This approach aims to lower costs for businesses and ease strain on the city’s aging power grid.
Silicon‑Carbon Batteries Go Mainstream, Boosting Future Flagships
Motorola just made silicon-carbon batteries mainstream — here’s what that means for the iPhone 18 and Samsung Galaxy S27 https://www.techradar.com/phones/motorola-phones/motorola-just-made-silicon-carbon-batteries-mainstream-heres-what-that-means-for-the-iphone-18-and-samsung-galaxy-s27
AI Hardware Roadshow Highlights 2025 Milestones, 2026 Vision
At @Synopsys Converge this year, @Sallywf and I were invited to present our AI Hardware Show on the road (aka, the Roadshow) as an amuse bouche ahead of the CEO keynote. We discussed key milestones from 2025, and what we're...
OnePlus Pad 4 Debuts with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, One Downgrade, and Vague Launch Plans
OnePlus unveiled the Pad 4 in India, equipping it with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and offering 8 GB/256 GB or 12 GB/512 GB configurations. The tablet’s battery grows to 13,380 mAh, the display brightens, and the chassis thins to 5.94 mm, while the base RAM drops from 12 GB to...
Even Realities' G2 Smart Glasses Will Keep an Eye on Your AI Agent
Even Realities introduced Terminal Mode for its G2 smart glasses, allowing developers to monitor AI coding agents in real time without staying at a desk. A persistent icon shows the agent’s state, and users can reply via the ring controller...
This Pen-Sized Multitool Hides 73 Tools Inside
The JK‑9X 73‑in‑1 Precision Pen launched on Kickstarter on April 24, 2026, promising a pen‑sized multitool that swaps between 73 functions for precision screwdriving, micro‑drilling and hobby cutting. Backers have pledged HK$122,196 (about $15.6 k USD), achieving 873% of the HK$14,000 goal, with...
The HyperX Clutch Talon Is a Super Configurable Multi-Platform Gaming Controller
HyperX unveiled the Clutch Talon, a highly modular gamepad that rivals Microsoft’s Xbox Elite with Hall‑effect joysticks, magnetic hot‑swap components and dual 2.4 GHz/Bluetooth connectivity for PC, Android and Xbox Series X|S. The controller is paired with the Ngenuity app, now at...
Wearable Sweat Patch Detects Six Vitamins in Real Time, Hits 0.33 nM Sensitivity
Researchers have unveiled a flexible skin patch that measures six essential vitamins in sweat, achieving detection limits as low as 0.33 nanomolar for folic acid. Published in Nature Communications, the study demonstrates real‑time, non‑invasive micronutrient monitoring that could reshape personalized nutrition.
Sanmina’s Revenue Surges 102% as Accelerated Compute Drives Cloud‑AI Sales
Sanmina Corp. posted a 102% year‑over‑year revenue increase to $4.01 billion, driven by a surge in accelerated‑compute shipments for cloud and AI infrastructure. The earnings call highlighted component shortages that could temper growth, but the company sees the trend as a...
LS Electric Lands $220 Million Bloom Energy Deal to Power AI‑driven Data Centers
LS Electric announced a $220 million distribution‑solutions agreement with Bloom Energy to supply switchgear and transformers for a hyperscale data center in New Mexico. The deal expands LS Electric’s North American footprint amid soaring AI‑driven data‑center demand, following a record‑breaking first‑quarter...
Amazon Signals Plan to Sell Trainium AI Chips to Outside Customers, Targeting $50B Market
Amazon announced that its custom Trainium AI chips, backed by $225 billion in revenue commitments, could be offered to non‑AWS customers, potentially expanding the chip line to a $50 billion run rate. The shift marks a strategic pivot from cloud‑only acceleration to...
Neurable Licenses $700 Consumer BCI Headphones, Secures $1.2M Pentagon Deal
Neurable announced a licensing program for its non‑invasive brain‑computer interface headphones, priced at $700, and disclosed a $1.2 million research contract with the U.S. Pentagon. The move aims to embed AI‑driven brain‑sensing tech into consumer devices across health, gaming and productivity...
Nvidia Hits New All‑Time High as Market Value Briefly Tops $5 Trillion
Nvidia's shares surged to a fresh all‑time high, lifting its market capitalization past the $5 trillion mark for the first time since November. The rally reflects renewed AI‑related buying, buoyed by strong demand for its chips and supportive moves from memory‑chip...
Garmin: Top Smartwatches Receive New Updates with over a Dozen Improvements
Garmin has pushed Beta Version 22.27 to roughly half of its smartwatch beta participants, extending the rollout to models such as the Fenix 8 Pro, Enduro 3, Fenix E, Quatix 8 and Tactix 8. The update addresses 15 bugs, including battery‑estimate errors, map‑activity freezes, notification crashes and...
Wafer Dicing Service | Silicon Wafer Dicing & Die Singulation
Wafer dicing separates processed wafers into individual dies, a step that directly influences yield and downstream packaging reliability. AnySilicon offers a matchmaking platform that connects fabless designers, MEMS developers, and research labs with qualified dicing service providers across a broad...
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood Announces $31.9B AI‑Heavy Capex as Q3 Profit Surges
Microsoft posted a $31.78 billion net profit for Q3 2026, driven by a 29% jump in cloud revenue to $54.5 billion. CFO Amy Hood said the company is accelerating AI and cloud spending, with $31.9 billion in capital expenditures—two‑thirds of which fund GPUs, CPUs...
SpaceX’s S‑1 Flags Technical Hurdles for Orbital AI Data‑Center Ambitions
SpaceX’s confidential S‑1 filing outlines a $1.75 trillion IPO goal and a vision for orbital AI data centers delivering 100 TW of compute, yet it flags steep technical, thermal and regulatory challenges. The filing also ties CEO Elon Musk’s compensation to extreme...
DRAM Oligopoly Masks Price Hikes, Not Volume Growth
The myth of rising memory-chip sales. Oligopoly in action: Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron aren’t shipping more DRAM they’re just raising prices. https://t.co/QwV7EMKEmy https://t.co/zUVgU49n6t
We Meet Ultimate Grogu: The $600 Lifelike Star Wars Toy That Moves Like a Child
Hasbro unveiled the $600 Ultimate Grogu animatronic, a lifelike Star Wars collectible set to hit pre‑order on April 29. The figure packs four motors, 14 sensors and 250 programmed animations that let it toddle, coo, and react to touch, sound and accessories....
Google Tensor SoC Thread
Google’s Tensor G3 custom SoC powers the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, featuring a Cortex‑X3 prime core, Cortex‑A715 and A510 efficiency cores on Samsung’s 4LPP node, and a Mali G715 MP7 GPU. Leaked data suggests three packaging variants—iPoP, fan‑out panel‑level (Fo‑PLP), and fan‑out wafer‑level...
Power Corner: Renesas’s Grid-to-Core Strategy for 800 V Data Center Power Architecture
Renesas is promoting a grid‑to‑core power architecture that moves data‑center power delivery from traditional side‑car racks to a unified 800 V DC bus using solid‑state transformers. The approach combines GaN‑based Vienna rectifiers, an LLC DCX isolated DC‑DC platform, and matrix transformers...
Best VR Headsets of 2026: My Favorite Hardware Right Now
The 2026 VR roundup highlights Meta’s Quest 3S ($350) and Quest 3 ($600) as the best value choices despite Meta’s recent price hikes and service cutbacks. Apple’s Vision Pro remains a premium, $1,800 mixed‑reality device aimed at professionals, while Sony’s PSVR 2 and Samsung’s...
Japan Is Building Cardboard Suicide Drones
Japan’s defence minister Shinjirō Koizumi unveiled the AirKamuy 150, a flat‑pack cardboard drone built to be destroyed in combat. The low‑cost, pre‑fabricated UAV is already being used by the Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force as a target for training. Koizumi said the...
Microsoft AI Surge Exposes Data Center Capacity Gap
Microsoft reported a 40% year‑over‑year Azure revenue surge and a $37 billion AI run rate, while its commercial remaining performance obligations ballooned 99% to $627 billion. The rapid AI‑driven demand is outpacing the company’s ability to provision power, cooling and physical capacity,...
Meta’s AI Capex Reset Turns Supply Chain Into a Board-Level Constraint
Meta announced a higher AI infrastructure capital budget, citing rising component prices and a surge in compute demand. The company’s outlook underscores that large‑scale AI is no longer a pure software effort but a physical supply‑chain program involving chips, cooling,...
Digi Launches MCP Server for AI Workflows
Digi International announced the launch of a model‑context protocol (MCP) server that integrates large‑language‑model assistants such as Claude with its Digi Remote Manager (DRM) and Genesis network platforms. The MCP enables natural‑language queries, automated workflows, and real‑time configuration insights across...
I Stopped This Common Charging Habit that Was Quietly Killing My iPhone's Battery
The author stopped most car charging of his iPhone 17 Pro Max and saw the battery health remain at 100 % after roughly 200 recharge cycles. He explains that high temperatures inside vehicles can quickly exceed Apple’s recommended 95 °F (35 °C) limit, accelerating lithium‑ion degradation....
Motorola Razr Fold Vs. Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Key Specs Compared
Motorola’s first book‑style Razr Fold enters the premium foldable arena, challenging Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The Razor Fold starts at $1,900, is slightly thinner, and boasts a 6,000‑nit external and 6,200‑nit internal display, a 6,000 mAh battery, and optional Moto Pen support. Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold...
Bohr Electronics Introduces Ultrasonic Locomotive Fuel Monitor
Bohr Electronics has launched the P/N F3661 Fuel Monitor, an ultrasonic in‑tank sensor that delivers real‑time, supplier‑agnostic fuel‑level data for locomotives. The device mounts externally, requires no modifications to existing systems, and feeds measurements into Bohr’s LEAM/LEAR event recorders. Integrated inertial...
WD Raises the Bar on Sustainable Infrastructure as AI Storage Demand Accelerates
Western Digital released its FY2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting how the surge in AI‑driven data is prompting the company to redesign storage for higher density and lower energy use. The report details progress such as five sites running on 100% carbon‑free...
Best Smart Plugs for 2026: An Upgrade for Any Home
CNET’s 2026 roundup tested 12 smart plugs and highlighted five stand‑outs. The Emporia 15W model leads with sub‑$15 pricing and detailed energy‑use tracking, while the TP‑Link Tapo Mini offers a tiny footprint at the same price point. Leviton’s D215P‑2RW brings...
Moto to ‘Quadruple’ Number of EV Charging Bays
Moto Hospitality, the UK’s largest motorway services operator, plans to quadruple its electric‑vehicle charging bays across its 60 sites in the coming years. The expansion is funded by a £500 million (≈$635 million) investment programme, building on more than £300 million (≈$381 million) already...
TenneT Set to Start Beach Directional Drilling for Offshore Wind Farm Links
Dutch transmission system operator TenneT is set to start horizontal directional drilling at the Maasvlakte beach to create underground pathways for electricity cables linking three offshore wind farms—IJmuiden Ver Beta, IJmuiden Ver Gamma and Nederwiek 2. The steel casings have been installed, allowing...
As Much As Needed, As Little As Possible: Jensen Huang on the Operating Principle Behind Nvidia’s Run
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang repeatedly emphasized an eight‑word operating principle: “as much as needed, as little as possible.” The mantra guides Nvidia to own only the core AI stack—CUDA, NVLink, compilers—and to refuse non‑essential ventures like its own cloud or...
Prices of Nvidia’s B300 Server at 7 Million Yuan in China on US Curbs: Sources
Strong demand for AI compute in China has pushed Nvidia's B300 server price to about ¥7 million (≈$980,000), nearly double the 2025 level. The surge follows tighter U.S. export restrictions and a crackdown on grey‑market smuggling, creating a scarcity premium. Chinese...
Goal Zero Yeti 1500 Power Station Review (2026): More Power, Better Chemistry
Goal Zero unveiled the sixth‑generation Yeti 1500 portable power station, now built with lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LiFePO₄) cells that promise 4,000 charge cycles to 80 % capacity. The unit delivers a 2,000 W continuous inverter, a 1,800 W AC fast‑charge input that fills the battery in...
HPE Expands ProLiant Edge Network Portfolio
HPE has broadened its ProLiant edge portfolio with the EL2000 chassis supporting up to 144 Intel Xeon 6 cores and the DL145 Gen11 server upgraded to AMD EPYC 8005 “Sorano” processors. Both platforms feature optional Environmental Ruggedisation kits that enable operation from...
FLUX GmbH Releases Whitepaper on Precision Position Feedback for Aiming and Tracking Systems in Defense Applications
FLUX GmbH has published a technical whitepaper on precision position feedback for aiming and tracking systems used in defense platforms. The document outlines typical system architectures, key performance factors influencing encoder selection, and integration considerations for ground, naval, and airborne...
Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek Expect Hit in Handset Revenues as Component Shortages Bite OEMs
Chipmakers Qualcomm, Samsung and MediaTek warned that memory‑module shortages, driven by AI data‑center demand, will depress smartphone revenues in 2026. Qualcomm expects Q2 handset revenue to fall from $6 billion to about $4.9 billion, with a bottom in Q3 before a modest...
DJI’s Osmo Pocket 4 Is a Better Camera in Every Respect
DJI’s Osmo Pocket 4 arrives as a comprehensive upgrade over the Pocket 3, featuring a revamped 1‑inch sensor that delivers 37 megapixel stills, 14 stops of dynamic range and 4K video at up to 240 fps. Internal storage jumps to 107 GB and battery life...
In Vitro Reconstruction of Axonal Heat Sensing with a Photothermal Nerve‐on‐a‐Chip
Researchers unveiled a photothermal nerve‑on‑a‑chip that couples graphene‑based microheaters with microelectrode arrays to deliver millisecond‑scale, localized heat to sensory axons while recording extracellular action potentials. The system captured rapid, reproducible heat‑evoked firing in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons and revealed...
FDA Advises Users of Trividia Glucometer to Switch to Alternatives
The FDA has issued a safety communication urging all users of Trividia Health’s True Metrix glucometer to switch to alternative blood‑glucose testing methods. The recommendation follows an error‑code flaw that displays the same E‑5 code for dangerously high glucose levels...
GIGABYTE Wins Red Dot Awards for AI Hardware Lineup
GIGABYTE’s AI product lineup has earned the prestigious Red Dot Design Award across graphics cards, motherboards and laptops, highlighting its cohesive approach to on‑device AI. The award‑winning RTX 5090 INFINITY features dual‑flow WINDFORCE Hyperburst cooling, while the RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX delivers...
Auryx Raises $2M to Transform Earbuds Into Health Monitors
auryx raised $2 million in a pre‑seed round led by Celero Ventures to commercialize a platform that turns everyday earbuds into continuous health monitors using acoustic signals. The Cambridge‑based team will use existing in‑ear microphones to capture heart, lung and blood‑flow...
Anker Solix Launches 7 kWh Modular Battery with 5 kWh Bidirectional Inverter
Anker Solix unveiled the XE, an all‑in‑one residential energy storage system that pairs a 7 kWh battery with a 5 kW bidirectional inverter. The unit features AI‑driven management, a 10,000‑cycle lifespan and 100 % depth‑of‑discharge, and can be commissioned in roughly five minutes....
Samsung Electronics Q1 Profit Jumps Fivefold on AI‑driven Memory Chip Demand
Samsung Electronics reported a 750% jump in first‑quarter operating profit to $44 bn, driven by an 86% surge in semiconductor sales as AI‑related memory chips fuel demand. The earnings beat underscores the rapid scaling of AI‑centric manufacturing and its impact on...
Inkjet‐Printed Physical Unclonable Functions For Secure Authentication
Researchers have introduced a low‑cost, inkjet‑printed physical unclonable function (PUF) that can be mass‑produced on paper and similar substrates. The technique exploits the inherent randomness of ink droplet placement to generate unique optical patterns, which are captured by a simple...
Qualcomm Beats Q2 Forecast, Announces Major AI Chip Deal with Leading Hyperscaler
Qualcomm reported Q2 2026 revenue of $10.6 billion and non‑GAAP EPS of $2.65, topping its own guidance. The company also disclosed its first custom AI‑chip shipment to a leading hyperscaler, slated for December, marking a strategic entry into data‑center silicon. The...
China and Serbia Launch Intergovernmental Tech Committee to Expand Surveillance Camera Network
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced an intergovernmental technology committee to extend Huawei‑backed surveillance cameras across Serbia’s three largest cities. The move follows a $7.4 billion trade surge and nearly $20 billion in Chinese investments, raising concerns about...
Zed 1.0 Debuts GPU‑Powered Desktop Editor, Ditching Electron for DevOps Efficiency
Zed announced the 1.0 release of its desktop editor, swapping the Electron foundation for a Rust‑based GPU‑shader UI called GPUI. The move aims to cut resource overhead, boost performance, and integrate AI agents, a shift that could reshape DevOps tooling.