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
Samsung Labor Rally Threatens Global RAM Supply as Workers Demand 15% Profit Share
Samsung Electronics faced a massive rally of up to 39,000 workers in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, demanding a 15% share of operating profit and higher base wages. The union has warned of an 18‑day strike starting May 21, a move that could further strain an already tight DRAM market driven by AI data‑center demand.
FCC Expands Router Ban to Portable Hotspots, Leaves Enterprise Gear Exempt
The Federal Communications Commission has broadened its ban on new foreign‑made Wi‑Fi routers to include portable and mobile hotspot devices for residential use. Enterprise‑grade networking gear, including industrial, military and large‑business equipment, remains exempt, a move that could shift how...
Google's Nest Hub Has No Clue What Time It Is, and It's Messing with Our Heads
A Reddit user reported that the Nest Hub Gen 2 correctly sets alarms but verbally announces the wrong half‑day, saying am when it should be pm. Google confirmed the issue and said a fix is in development, though no timeline was provided. The...
Geely Debuts China’s First Purpose‑Built Robotaxi, EVA Cab, at Auto China 2026
Geely Auto Group, together with AFARI Technology and CaoCao Mobility, unveiled the EVA Cab—the first purpose‑built robotaxi in China—at the Beijing Auto Show. The prototype boasts a quantum‑grade AI architecture, a 2,160‑line digital LiDAR and over 3,000 TOPS of computing power,...
LG UltraGear 720Hz Monitor Called Overkill by Top Gaming Editors
The $994 LG UltraGear 27GX790B, capable of 720Hz at 720p, is being labeled excessive by industry veterans. Reviewers argue that unless gamers have top‑tier GPUs and a competitive focus, the visual trade‑off isn’t worth the premium.
MIT‑Tokyo Team Boosts Carbon Nanotube Conductivity to Within 15% of Copper
Researchers at MIT and the University of Tokyo have unveiled a polyethyleneimine (PEI) chemical dopant that lifts metallic carbon‑nanotube bundles’ conductivity by 40%, reaching 5.8×10⁷ S/m—just 15% shy of annealed copper. The breakthrough, published in Science, promises lighter, corrosion‑resistant interconnects for...
AWS Leverages New AI Chips and Services to Power SaaS Growth Amid AI Gold Rush
Amazon Web Services is betting on artificial intelligence as its next growth engine, unveiling new Trainium and Inferentia chips and expanding AI‑optimized cloud services. The move follows a broader AI spending surge across the Magnificent Seven and underscores enterprise reliance...
Google Commits up to $40 B in Anthropic, Pairing Cash with 5 GW of TPU Compute
Alphabet’s Google is ready to invest as much as $40 billion in Anthropic, starting with a $10 billion cash infusion at a roughly $350 billion valuation and a conditional $30 billion tied to performance milestones. The deal also secures 5 gigawatts of Google‑provided TPU compute...
You Can Thank Tim Cook for the Large iPhones
Tim Cook reshaped Apple’s flagship line by steadily enlarging the iPhone, culminating in the 6.9‑inch iPhone 17 Pro Max. The move reversed Steve Jobs’s early resistance to phones bigger than 4 inches and aligned with the rise of video streaming....
ASUS Launches ExpertBook Ultra, P5, and P3 Laptops in India with Intel Core Ultra Processors
ASUS has introduced three new ExpertBook models—Ultra, P5 and P3—in India, targeting enterprise users. The flagship Ultra starts at ₹239,990 (≈ $2,900) and boasts a 14‑inch 3K OLED display, up to an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 CPU, 64 GB LPDDR5X RAM and...
Apple's 20th Edition iPhone: Micro-Curved Display, New Battery Tech, A21 Chip and Expected Upgrades
Apple is reportedly developing a 20th Edition iPhone featuring a quad‑curved, all‑glass display that eliminates the Dynamic Island and selfie‑camera cutout. The device would use Samsung’s COE OLED panel, an under‑screen camera, and a pure‑silicon‑anode battery for higher brightness and longer...
Amazon Is Selling an HP Laptop with 'Immersive' Visuals for Just $370
Amazon is offering the HP 14‑inch student laptop for $370, featuring an Intel N150 quad‑core processor, 16 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, and a one‑year Office 365 subscription. The device boasts an 11‑hour battery, 3.24‑pound weight, and a 14‑inch LED BrightView display...
Reliability Online and On-Site: Unturned Server Hosting and Industrial Fire-Resistive Cable Systems Explained
Reliability is the common thread linking Unturned game server hosting and industrial fire‑resistive cable systems. Dedicated hosting delivers lower latency, stable uptime, and granular control over maps, player limits, and mods, while proper hardware specs prevent bottlenecks as communities grow....
Melody Machine Firmware Transforms LILYGO T-LoRa Pager Into a Portable MP3 Player and Internet Radio
Melody Machine is an open‑source firmware that repurposes the ESP32‑S3‑based LILYGO T‑LoRa Pager into a portable MP3 player and internet radio. The firmware features a LVGL graphical UI, dual‑core audio processing, and a non‑blocking Wi‑Fi manager that streams M3U playlists. Users...
U.S. Marines Buy British NightFighter Mini Counter-Drone Jammers
The U.S. Marine Corps awarded a $9.5 million urgent contract to British firm SteelRock Technologies for its NightFighter Mini counter‑drone jammer. The 2‑kg device can be weapon‑mounted or carried as a side‑arm and jams four radio‑frequency bands within visual line of...
DeepSeek V4 on Huawei Ascend Accelerates China Chip
Macro: DeepSeek V4 runs on Huawei Ascend, boosting China tech autonomy. Key: strong benchmarks, low cost, massive context. Risks: IP disputes, modality limits. Trade: overweight Chinese chipmakers tied to Ascend adoption. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Mobileye Quietly Builds Autonomous Driving Backbone with SuperVision
Mobileye (MBLY) is quietly building the backbone for autonomous driving, not just selling auto parts. With its ‘SuperVision’ system and a white-label strategy for global OEMs, this physical AI play is flying under the radar. 📡🚗 AIinvesting
Love ASMR? These Sleep Earbuds ‘Whisper’ to Help You Fall Asleep
Japanese audio firm Final has introduced the ZE500 sleep earbuds, targeting ASMR enthusiasts. Priced at £69.98 (about $75) and discounted to £39.99 (≈$51) on Amazon, the earbuds deliver whisper‑like voice‑led audio while minimizing background noise. A patented ASMR Port relieves...
Sponsored: Data Center Dilemma: How Hyperscalers Can Meet AI-Driven Timelines without Limiting Renewable Energy Options
Hyperscale data centers are expanding rapidly, with AI‑driven facilities now consuming over 200 MW of power. Operators face mounting pressure to add renewable sources, especially solar, but fast‑build cycles often prioritize gas generation to meet tight timelines. This creates a dilemma:...
DJI Lito X1 vs Mini 3: Which Drone Is Right for You?
DJI introduced the Lito X1, a feature‑rich successor to the Mini 3, but it won’t be sold in the United States due to pending FCC approval. In the meantime DJI is discounting the Mini 3 (with DJI RC) to $379, down from $549,...
Why Samsung’s Leaked 245mAh Battery Reveals a Direct Challenge to Meta
Samsung’s leaked Galaxy Glasses feature a 245 mAh battery that powers a lightweight heads‑up display, signaling the company’s first foray into display‑equipped wearables. The design balances energy efficiency with essential functions such as notifications and navigation, avoiding the power‑hungry demands of...
Is Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) Among the Best AI Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Ken Griffin?
Micron Technology is lobbying Congress to tighten export controls on chipmaking equipment used by Chinese memory rivals, citing national‑security concerns. The effort backs the MATCH Act, which would close regulatory gaps and force foreign toolmakers to comply with U.S. restrictions...
Samsung’s Pre-Emptive Strike: New Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide Design Beats the iPhone Fold to a Creaseless 4:3 Screen
Samsung is set to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, featuring a broader 5.4‑inch cover screen and a 7.6‑inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. The redesign aims to make foldables feel more like traditional smartphones while delivering tablet‑level productivity,...
Google Cloud’s Planned $15 Billion Data Centre in Visakhapatnam to Have 5 GW Capacity
Google Cloud announced a $15 billion AI‑ready data‑centre campus in Visakhapatnam, slated for construction between 2026 and 2030. The facility will deliver up to 5 GW of power, dwarfing India’s total data‑centre capacity of roughly 1.5 GW. It will become part of Google’s...
DirectX 12 Agility SDK 1.619 Introduces Shader Model 6.9: Microsoft Is Bringing Modern GPU Features Out of Preview and Into...
Microsoft released DirectX 12 Agility SDK 1.619 in Q1 2026, officially launching Shader Model 6.9 and a suite of Direct3D 12 extensions. The update adds long‑vector support, mandatory 16‑ and 64‑bit shader operations, and DXR 1.2 features such as Shader Execution Reordering and Opacity Micromaps. Drivers...
NZXT AIO Allegedly Damages RTX 5090 ROG Astral: A Leak, a Very Expensive Graphics Card, and a Dispute Over a...
A user reported that an NZXT Kraken AIO leaked in August 2025, destroying an ASUS ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 and a motherboard. The dispute, public on Reddit in April 2026, revolves around compensation, with the customer citing a $2,855.99 invoice...
Insta360 Just Fixed Android’s Biggest Gimbal Problem
Insta360 rolled out a major spring software update for its Flow 2 and Flow 2 Pro smartphone gimbals, finally delivering full native support for flagship Android devices. The upgrade also introduces creator‑centric tools such as Dual View Mode, Apple Watch control, and a...
Big Screen and Long Battery Matter for Streaming on the Go, These 5 Tablets Get Both Right
The article spotlights five tablets that excel at on‑the‑go streaming by pairing large, high‑resolution displays with extended battery life. It emphasizes that bigger screens and longer runtimes make binge‑watching more comfortable and immersive. The author, Amit Rahi, draws on seven...
China Says US Export Bills Risk Disrupting Chip Supply Chains
China’s Ministry of Commerce warned that pending U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee bills targeting semiconductor exports could destabilize global chip supply chains. The legislation seeks to broaden national‑security justifications for export curbs, prompting Beijing to label the move a misuse...
Advanced Nodes Push Performance, Efficiency, and Scaling Limits
#Technology #Thread #Semiconductor #Manufacturing #Node The Semiconductor Let Us Explore Advanced Node Status: 1/ - Advanced Nodes Represent The Leading Edge Of Semiconductor Innovation At 5nm, 3nm, And Moving Toward 2nm. - They Define The Limits Of Performance, Power Efficiency, And Scaling Economics...
FCC Expands Router Ban to Portable Hotspots, Grants Conditional Exemptions to Netgear and Adtran
The Federal Communications Commission announced that its foreign‑made consumer router ban now includes portable hotspot devices, while smartphones with hotspot capability remain exempt. The agency also issued conditional approvals for Netgear and Adtran routers, leaving most other brands in limbo.
Shield AI’s V‑Bat Joins US Navy $800 Million ISR Competition
Shield AI was chosen to compete in the U.S. Navy’s contractor‑owned, contractor‑operated (COCO) ISR program, giving the company a shot at up to $800 million in task orders for its V‑Bat drone. The selection marks a major step toward autonomous, round‑the‑clock...
Apple to Supercharge Delayed iPhone 18 with Massive RAM Upgrade and Next-Gen 2nm Processor: Report
Apple is likely to postpone the standard iPhone 18 to early 2027, but the delayed model could debut with a substantial hardware refresh. Leaks suggest a 12 GB RAM configuration, matching the iPhone 17 Pro, and a new A20 processor built on TSMC’s 2 nm...
Intel's 18A Beats TSMC N2 in Real‑World Availability
So, who is ahead in fab technology: Intel or TSMC? Have you seen any products you can buy today that were fabbed on TSMC N2? I haven’t. Have you? They say TSMC's N2 has a higher yield, but again where are...
Cisco Unveils Room‑temperature Universal Quantum Switch Prototype
.@Cisco develops universal quantum switch that operates at room temperature https://t.co/z7nSglKoMH Cisco has developed a research prototype of a universal quantum switch that can route quantum information between systems while preserving it.
Google Rolls Out Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform and 8th‑Gen TPUs, Backed by Up to $185 B AI Spend
Google announced the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform at Cloud Next, pairing it with eighth‑generation TPU chips and a $175‑$185 billion AI capex plan for 2026. The suite targets autonomous workflow automation and security, promising faster threat detection and tighter governance for...
Open AI Evolution: CPUs Remain Crucial, Says Google Cloud CEO
.@GoogleCloud CEO Kurian on AI model evolution, CPUs importance and being open https://t.co/L1ZFD5FX4Q Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian riffed on being open, enterprise AI adoption, measuring success and why CPUs matter. He also teased the next evolution of…
Getting a 360 Drone for 3D Gaussian Splats
Okay fine I’m buying a 360 drone - these things look like amazing sensor collection contraptions for making immaculate 3d gaussian splats https://t.co/rUffydIk9p
Noritz Expands Digital Panel on EZ Pro Tankless Heaters, Boosting Smart‑Home Integration
Noritz America has upgraded its EZ Series Pro tankless water heaters with a larger, multi‑function digital panel and built‑in Bluetooth, allowing installers to set temperatures, run diagnostics and program units via the EZ Start Plus app. The move targets faster...
Future Glasses Will Let Us See Through Robots
Someday we will have lightweight glasses with displays and cameras. Someday we will see what the robots are seeing. It looks like this.
Tech Hardware May Revert to Low‑margin Commodity Perception
5 years ago, investors considered tech hardware to be a commoditized, low-margin business. I think that market perception will eventually return.
Tesla Commits over $25 B to Robotics, Chips and AI for 2026, Tripling 2025 Spend
Tesla said it will allocate more than $25 billion to robotics, semiconductor fabs and artificial‑intelligence development in 2026, three times its 2025 capital outlay. The spend underpins its Cybercab robotaxi, Optimus humanoid and in‑house AI5 chip, positioning the automaker as an...
Data Centers Take Center Stage at Climate Week
At San Francisco Climate Week, Everyone Was Betting on Data Centers #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/YFmif40CW4 https://t.co/Y419Lw7aVt
74% of Australia’s 33.2GW Storage Pipeline Uses Grid
Grid-forming inverters feature in 74% of Australia’s 33.2GW NEM battery storage pipeline #energysky -- via Energy Storage News: https://t.co/VdokHBygeV
Infineon Joins Three EU Quantum Pilot Lines to Accelerate Chip Industrialization
Infineon Technologies is contributing industrialization expertise to three European quantum pilot line projects, covering ion‑trap, superconducting and CMOS‑based qubits. The move supports the EU’s goal of scaling quantum chips for a market projected at $97 billion by 2035.
Galaxy A57 Challenges Pixel 10a for Budget Crown
Samsung has made the Galaxy A57 thinner, lighter and more powerful than its predecessor — but I wanted to see if it could hold its own against the Google Pixel 10a and the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro and take the...
ABB Unveils PoWa Cobots, High‑Speed, High‑Payload Collaborative Robots
ABB Robotics launched its PoWa cobot family—three models delivering up to 20 kg payloads and 220°/s wrist speed—just before Hannover Messe 2026. The line blends industrial‑grade performance with collaborative safety, but security gaps in the new controller have sparked concern among integrators.
Apple IIc Launched in 1984 for Under $1300
#ThisDayInTechHistory. April 24, 1984. The Apple IIc is introduced with this new commercial and a neat new price ofunder $1,300. https://t.co/KnGoUtXbBR
Meta’s Compute Grab Continues with Agreement to Deploy Tens of Millions of AWS Graviton Cores
Meta announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services to add tens of millions of Graviton5 CPU cores—each chip packing 192 cores—to its AI compute portfolio, bolstering the Llama builder platform. The agreement expands Meta’s already diverse hardware ecosystem that includes...
How To Make Your Laptop Last Longer Than You Thought Possible
SlashGear outlines ten practical habits to extend laptop lifespan, from weekly reboots to mindful battery charging ranges. Following these steps can double device longevity and avoid costly replacements. The guide emphasizes thermal management, software updates, antivirus protection, SSD free space,...