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
Infinix NOTE 60 Ultra Ushers in New Premium Era
Infinix unveiled its flagship NOTE 60 Ultra at Mobile World Congress 2026, partnering with Italian design house Pininfarina to deliver a supercar‑inspired aluminum unibody. The device packs a 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL camera, dual‑way satellite calling, and a 7000 mAh silicon‑carbon battery that self‑heals. Powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultimate chipset, it supports 100 W wired and 50 W wireless fast charging and a 1.5K HDR display. The launch marks Infinix’s bold entry into the premium smartphone arena.
Radiation‐Based 3D Dual‐Mode Thermal Management Devices: Advances in Active/Passive Switching for Energy‐Saving Applications
Researchers are advancing 3D dual‑mode thermal management devices that can switch between solar heating and radiative cooling via structural deformations such as axial loading, flipping, and bending. Unlike traditional 2D films, these 3D systems enable reversible, active or passive control,...
Topcon Agriculture Brings Precision Spraying and New GNSS Receiver to Agrishow 2026 in Brazil
Topcon Agriculture is debuting a suite of precision‑farming tools at Brazil's Agrishow 2026, running April 27‑May 1. The lineup includes the CM‑20 V spray controller for coffee and citrus, the modular XR‑1P GNSS receiver, and a pre‑commercial sugarcane yield‑monitoring solution....
After Call From Beijing, China's Auto Industry Races to Embed AI in Just About Everything
China’s auto sector is accelerating a new wave of disruption by embedding artificial intelligence into every facet of its electric vehicles. The government’s AI‑Plus five‑year plan pushes domestic chip and software development to reduce reliance on U.S. semiconductors. Leading makers...
STMicronelectronics Sends Industrial Chips Into Overdrive
STMicroelectronics reported a 23% year‑over‑year revenue jump to $3.1 billion in Q1, driven by double‑digit gains in analog, embedded processing and RF segments. While power and discrete fell 1.8%, the company’s balance sheet remains strong with nearly $2 billion in cash and...
SK Hynix to Deploy 2,000 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs at Cheongju Fab for AI Infrastructure
SK hynix is installing a dedicated AI system at its Cheongju fab, deploying 250 servers equipped with 2,000 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs. The infrastructure, costing tens of millions of dollars, will support digital‑twin simulations and proprietary AI agents that automate workflow...
Pentagon Wants Miniature Deep-Ocean Drones
DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office launched the Deep Thoughts program, a 24‑month solicitation for autonomous underwater vehicles that can reach full‑ocean depth. The hardware‑centric effort requires functional prototypes, not studies, with abstracts due May 21, 2026 and an estimated start in November...
Saudi Arabia Launches Qualification Process for 12 GWh of Battery Storage Projects
Saudi Power Procurement Company has opened the qualification stage for a second batch of battery energy storage projects, comprising six 500 MW/2 GWh facilities that together deliver 3 GW of power and 12 GWh of storage. The projects will be built, owned and operated...
Quectel Expands IoT Reach in Brazil with Vermont Partnership
Quectel Wireless Solutions has signed a partnership with Vermont Brasil to serve as its regional representative for the full range of wireless and antenna products in Brazil. The deal leverages Vermont's nationwide footprint and technical know‑how to provide design‑in assistance...
What Hormuz Exposed About Our Semiconductor Supply Chain
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early March has halted Qatar’s Ras Laffan helium plant, sending spot helium prices soaring and exposing a critical dependency in the semiconductor supply chain. South Korea and Taiwan source roughly two‑thirds of their...
Star Robotics Unveils New Security Robot with Improved Autonomy and Navigation
Star Robotics introduced Watchbot 2, an upgraded autonomous security robot designed for continuous surveillance in demanding environments. The new model offers up to 16 hours of operation daily, thanks to a battery that doubles the capacity of its predecessor, and can...
Samsung, SK Hynix Set for Close Race in Q1 Memory Operating Margins
Brokerages now expect Samsung Electronics' memory operating margin to reach the low‑70s percent range in Q1 2024, driven by a sharp rise in commodity DRAM and flash prices. SK hynix reported a record 72% margin last quarter, prompting analysts to...
M31 Achieves Successful Tapeout of eUSB2V2 on TSMC N2P Process
M31 Technology announced the tapeout of its eUSB2V2 interface IP on TSMC’s N2P 2nm‑class process. The IP delivers up to 4.8 Gbps high‑speed USB 2.0 performance while operating at low 1.2 V/0.9 V voltages and consuming roughly 50 mW. Co‑optimization of design, circuit, and...
3D Printed Battery Powers Predictive Maintenance in Steel Production
A consortium of IREC, UOC and steelmaker CELSA launched the 3Dstore project, deploying a 3D‑printed solid‑oxide battery to power a low‑consumption, cellular‑connected sensor on a rolling‑mill shaft. The self‑powered device continuously records vibration and temperature, enabling predictive maintenance that can...
Acemagic Kron Mini K1 Review: Sharp Looks, Little Substance, and Oddly Overpriced
Acemagic’s Kron Mini K1 is a compact mini PC that ships with a 12‑core Intel Core i5‑12600H, 16 GB DDR4 RAM and a 512 GB SSD, retailing at $559 (discounted to $359). Its sleek silver chassis mirrors the higher‑end Matrix Mini M1...
Zong Launches Shop-in-Shop, Trade-In Offers with Samsung
Pakistani mobile operator Zong has sealed a partnership with Samsung to roll out a shop‑in‑shop concept and a dedicated trade‑in scheme. The initiative will showcase Samsung’s 5G‑enabled smartphones within Zong’s Customer Service Centers, beginning with locations in Islamabad and Lahore....
New TCL A400 4K Art TV on the Way to Europe
TCL announced that its A400 Pro NXTVISION 4K QD‑Mini LED Art TV is now shipping to Europe, joining Samsung’s Frame in the premium art‑TV segment. The lineup offers five sizes from 55‑inch to 98‑inch, plus a 43‑inch model for the UK market,...
Autonomous Material Handling Stack Links Thoro and Orbbec
Thoro unveiled CoreFlex, a modular autonomy platform that pairs its software stack with Orbbec’s Gemini 336 3‑D cameras, enabling plug‑and‑play automation across pallet trucks, tuggers and other industrial vehicles. The infrastructure‑free system promises to cut integration cycles by using a...
Bolt Graphics Zeus GPU
Bolt Graphics announced the tape‑out of its Zeus GPU test chip, a compute‑focused accelerator built around an open‑source RISC‑V command processor. The company claims the quad‑silicon Zeus 4C can deliver up to 13× the ray‑tracing performance of Nvidia’s RTX 5090, while the...
Silicon Designs to Showcase MEMS DC Accelerometers at Sensors Converge 2026
Silicon Designs Inc. will showcase its MEMS DC accelerometers at Sensors Converge in Santa Clara on May 6‑7, 2026, from Booth 1029. The devices target low‑frequency, low‑noise performance for test‑and‑measurement, structural testing, and vibration analysis applications. Attendees can receive live...
Converting Dell D400P-01 Server Power Supply to Desktop Power Supply.
A forum user seeks to repurpose a Dell D400P‑01 400 W server power supply for a desktop project, asking how to activate the 20‑pin/4‑blade connector by jumping the PS_ON pin. The post includes photos of the PSU label, connector, and multimeter...
NUST Student Targets Mining’s Grid Pains With Oil-Free Smart Transformer
National University of Science and Technology student Weston Mabota unveiled an oil‑free smart hybrid transformer designed for Zimbabwean mines. The prototype replaces mineral‑oil insulation with forced‑air cooling and a power‑electronic shunt, enabling bidirectional power flow from on‑site solar and electric...
Turtle Beach Introduces Command Series Mice With 30K Sensor and 8kHz Polling
Turtle Beach launched three new Command Series gaming mice—MC7, MC5 and MC3—each built around the Owl‑Eye 30K optical sensor and Titan microswitches. The flagship MC7 adds a 2.25‑inch touchscreen, tri‑mode connectivity and an 8 kHz polling rate, priced at $159.99. The...
Hall Lidar Unveils Acoustic Sensing Drone Detection & Stealth Monitoring Technology
Hall Lidar Inc. has launched the UDL-64, a first‑generation acoustic drone detection system that creates 3‑D situational awareness using passive sound signatures. The rugged 24‑inch microphone array, paired with edge‑AI processing, can spot drones up to 200 m on its own...
Higher Bill Presented for 10 Spinning Machines Fast-Tracked to Protect “Heartbeat” Of Grid
Transgrid has lodged a $1.19 billion Australian‑dollar (about $0.79 bn USD) request to install ten synchronous condensers supplied by GE Vernova. The cost is more than double the 2020 estimate, reflecting global supply shortages as grids shift from coal to renewables. An NSW...
Bolt Receivers Aren't Compatible with Older Unifying Devices
If you are buying a new Logitech keyboard or mouse, beware that if it is using the newer Bolt receiver, it may not be compatible with your older Logitech keyboard or mouse that is using the Unifying receiver.
Anthropic Secures European Data Centers to Boost Compute
Anthropic is focusing on a key bottleneck By securing data center deals in Europe, the company is ensuring it has the infrastructure needed to scale its models. The priority is clear. In AI, access to compute is becoming as strategic as the...
Weak Security Means Attackers Could Disable All of a City's Public EV Chargers
Researchers at Black Hat Asia demonstrated that rented IoT infrastructure—such as public EV chargers and shared e‑bikes—often sacrifices security for convenience. Hetian Shi of Tsinghua University uncovered shared authentication keys, exposed debug ports, and backend services that fail to verify users. Using his...
Intel Capitalizes on AI-Driven CPU Resurgence, China Lags
How Intel is riding the ‘CPU comeback’ as AI shifts - and where China stands https://t.co/lRphpWagbK
The Apple MacBook Pro with OLED and Touch Remains a Rumor with Surprisingly Concrete Details
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman report and Ming‑Chi Kuo’s Medium post suggest Apple is planning a MacBook Pro redesign featuring an OLED touchscreen and a Dynamic Island‑style UI, targeting early 2027. The leaks indicate a shift from the current Liquid Retina XDR...
AMD Is Preparing FSR with Variable Frame Generation, but the Actual Launch Date Remains Unclear for Now
AMD’s GPUOpen documentation for ADLX 1.5 introduces a new interface, IADLX3DFidelityFXFrameGenUpgrade, that lets developers query and set specific frame‑generation ratios. The API exposes GetAvailableRatios, GetRatio and SetRatio methods, indicating a move toward variable or multi‑frame generation (MFG) for FSR. AMD’s official...
Chinese GPU Vendors Are Rapidly Catching up in the AI Server Market and Significantly Eroding Nvidia’s Dominance
Chinese GPU and AI chip makers now command roughly 41% of China’s AI accelerator server market, while Nvidia’s share slipped to 55% in 2025. The shift reflects a combination of U.S. export restrictions on Nvidia’s H200 chips and Beijing’s push...
Nvidia Will Supply More than One Million GPUs to AWS by 2027 and Is Moving Deeper Into the Core of...
Amazon Web Services announced it will integrate more than one million Nvidia GPUs based on the Blackwell and Rubin architectures into its global cloud regions, with deliveries slated through the end of 2027. The agreement also bundles Nvidia’s Spectrum and...
All‑Terrain Electric Wheelchair Glides Indoors, Climbs Stairs
Next-Gen All-Terrain Electric Wheelchair That Glides Indoors and Climbs Stairs Outdoors via @ZappyZappy7 #MedTech #HealthTech #TechForGood #Tech https://t.co/BOD1qEumsp
ASUS ROG Strix Morph 96 Wireless Keyboard Review: A Modular 96% Keyboard with Hot-Swap, Gasket Mount, and Tri-Mode
In this episode the hosts dive into the ASUS ROG Strix Morph 96, a compact 96% mechanical keyboard that boasts a modular design, hot‑swap switches, a gasket‑mount chassis, and tri‑mode connectivity (wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4 GHz wireless). They walk through the...
Most Home Batteries Were Never Designed for a Home, and That’s a Potential Problem
Australia leads global rooftop solar adoption, with one‑in‑three homes equipped. Rising energy costs and government incentives, such as the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, are spurring demand for residential battery storage. However, many available systems originate from commercial applications, overlooking space,...
Inflatable Backpack Scooter Revolutionizes Urban Commuting
Backpack-to-Ride: Inflatable Electric Scooter Redefines Urban Mobility by @tweetciiiim #AI #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/cm8U0zxUFY
U.S. Commerce Secretary Launches Multi‑Agency Push to Dismantle China’s Rare‑Earth Chokehold
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced a coordinated government initiative to curb China’s dominance over rare‑earth minerals, mobilizing the CHIPS office, the Department of Defense, Energy, Interior and the White House task force. The plan emphasizes domestic investment, allied partnerships and...
Toyota's CUE7 Humanoid Robot Scores AI-Powered Free Throw at Tokyo Arena
Toyota demonstrated its CUE7 humanoid robot at Toyota Arena Tokyo, where the 7‑foot‑2, 163‑lb machine made an autonomous free‑throw shot before a crowd of 8,400. The robot relies on reinforcement‑learning AI, a shift from the scripted control that powered earlier...
Samsung, SK Hynix and TSMC Ramp Up AI‑Chip Investments as 2026 Competition Heats
Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) are intensifying their battle for AI‑chip dominance in 2026, each committing massive capital to advanced logic and high‑bandwidth memory. Samsung announced a $73 billion capex plan, SK Hynix leads the HBM market with...
Astronaut Christina Koch Captures Earthshine on iPhone From Orion 54,500 Km Away
NASA astronaut Christina Koch recorded a striking Earthshine video on an iPhone aboard the Orion capsule during Artemis II’s second flight day, when the spacecraft was about 54,500 km from Earth. The footage, shared by NASA, underscores how consumer smartphones are becoming...
Roundhill Memory ETF Hits $1 B AUM in Just 10 Trading Days
Roundhill Investments' newly launched DRAM ETF amassed over $1 billion in assets under management in just ten trading days after its April 2 debut. The rapid inflow reflects intense investor appetite for memory‑chip exposure amid a supply crunch tied to AI growth.
Grid-Forming Inverters Feature in 74% of Australia’s 33.2GW NEM Battery Storage Pipeline
Around 74% of battery projects in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) now feature grid‑forming inverters, a technology that can independently control voltage and frequency. The NEM battery storage pipeline surged to 33.2 GW in Q1 2026, a 62% increase from the previous...
SpaceX Wins $57 Million U.S. Military Contract to Demo Satellite Crosslink Tech
SpaceX secured a $57 million contract from the Space Systems Command to demonstrate Link-182 satellite‑to‑satellite communications, a key step toward the Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile‑defense architecture. The award, due for completion by April 2027, marks a deepening partnership between the commercial launch...
Arm Unveils AGI CPU, a 3nm Processor Targeting Agentic AI Workloads
Arm announced its first in‑house AGI CPU, a 3‑nanometer chip built on the Armv9.2‑A architecture with up to 136 Neoverse V3 cores. The processor is designed to orchestrate AI agents in data centers, delivering more than double the performance per...
Check Battery Health and Optimize Samsung Phone Settings
Does your @Samsung Galaxy S phone seem to have lost most of its battery capacity? It might be the apps you have or your configuration. Here's how to test your battery health and the easiest changes to maximize battery life......
Form Energy CEO on the Potential for a 100-Hour Battery
Form Energy CEO Mateo Jaramillo highlighted the strategic value of a 100‑hour iron‑air battery, a duration that can replace or compete with thermal generators on the grid. The company is rolling out its first overseas project in Ireland and recently...
Woz Reflects on Millionth Gold Apple II Milestone
#ThrowbackThursday. April 16, 1977. The Apple ][ was first introduced. A young Steve Wozniak recounting the one millionth Apple ][ computer which was gold. https://t.co/2UDZdSE186
HDMI FRL Support Achieved With Open-Source Nouveau For NVIDIA GPUs
The open‑source Nouveau driver for NVIDIA GPUs now supports HDMI 2.1 Fixed Rate Link (FRL), enabling higher refresh rates and resolutions on Linux systems. The implementation leverages the GPU System Processor (GSP) firmware, which handles most of the FRL workload, allowing...
T‑Mobile Teams with DoorDash for Same‑Day 5G Home Internet Delivery
T‑Mobile has begun offering same‑day delivery of its 5G Home Internet gateway through DoorDash, letting customers receive equipment within hours at no extra charge. The service, priced at $35 per month, targets users who prefer a quick, self‑install solution over...