Today's Hardware Pulse
Nvidia driver hints at next‑gen DLSS 5 work
Nvidia’s GeForce Game Ready driver 610.47 adds three new profile options—Enable DLSS NR override, Enable DLSS NR SL override, and Override DLSS NR presets—suggesting continued development of DLSS 5 neural‑rendering technology. The earlier DLSS 5 reveal had sparked debate over AI‑driven image alteration, and the new driver hints at a quiet but ongoing effort.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Cyient Semiconductors raises $30M Series A
Bambu Lab Patent Points to New Filament Handling System for Flexible TPU Materials
Bambu Lab filed a WIPO patent (CN‑224130580‑U) describing a dual‑port material hopper designed to separately feed rigid and flexible filaments such as TPU. The system uses distinct discharge ports and pressure settings to prevent blockages that plague current AMS units when handling low‑hardness filaments. If implemented, the hopper could allow TPU spools to be loaded directly into Bambu’s AMS, eliminating the need for external spools and special tubing. The move would simplify flexible‑material printing for both prosumers and hobbyists.
GMEX Robotics Advances Autonomous Hospital Logistics Platform to Enhance Safety, Efficiency and Operational Workflow
GMEX Robotics announced an upgraded autonomous Hospital Logistics Robot designed to improve durability, ergonomics and safety in high‑traffic medical settings. The new chassis resists impacts while the delivery height is optimized to prevent staff from bending to retrieve supplies. Integrated...
Proximie and NVIDIA Team Up to Power AI‑Driven Operating Rooms
Proximie has announced a partnership with NVIDIA to embed the chipmaker’s foundation‑model platform into its Smart OR system. The collaboration, part of NVIDIA’s Project Rheo, aims to boost operating‑room productivity by as much as 24% and add up to 300...
Cabling for Next-Gen Quantum Computing Infrastructures
Quantum computing’s growth hinges on reliable, low‑thermal I/O infrastructure. Delft Circuits’ Cri/oFlex superconducting cables replace traditional wiring inside cryostats, delivering higher channel density and reduced heat transfer. The solution bridges warm control electronics with ultra‑cold quantum processors, supporting the high‑frequency...
U.S. Navy Deploys Nvidia DGX‑GB300 Supercomputers Amid Iran Conflict
The U.S. Navy placed Nvidia DGX‑GB300 AI supercomputers at the Naval Postgraduate School while fighting Iran, marking the first fielding of Nvidia’s latest high‑performance AI hardware in an active war zone. The move underscores a broader trend of militaries fast‑tracking...
Apple Pushes MacBook Ultra Launch to October Amid Global Memory Chip Shortage
Apple has moved the debut of its flagship MacBook Ultra from the spring to October, citing a worldwide shortage of memory chips that has also delayed Mac Studio shipments. The delay underscores how AI‑driven demand for RAM is reshaping product...
Surface Fans Are Now 3D‑printing the Hardware Microsoft Won’t Build
A community designer has released a 3‑D‑printable dock that lets Surface Pro users attach a Lenovo ThinkPad TrackPoint II Bluetooth keyboard, improving lap stability and adding a pen holder. The design, posted on Printables, fits most recent Surface Pro models and costs roughly...
Those ‘New’ EU Battery Regulations Probably Won’t Mean Hot-Swap Batteries for Your Android Phone
The European Union’s new battery regulation, set to take effect on February 17, 2027, aims to improve repairability and recyclability of mobile devices. It defines a battery as removable only if it can be taken out without special tools, thermal energy, or...
Steam Controller Unboxing Video Mysteriously Appears on SteamDB
Valve’s long‑awaited Steam Controller is gaining momentum after two separate leaks surfaced within days. Shipping records revealed a massive delivery of roughly 14 tons of controllers to Valve, and SteamDB now lists a video titled "steam_controller_unboxing_2026" uploaded on April 20 with a...
AI Funding Hits $242 B in Q1 2026, OpenAI Secures $122 B
AI companies raised $242 billion in the first quarter of 2026, and OpenAI alone captured $122 billion, roughly half the total. The surge reinforces NVIDIA’s dominance in AI hardware while highlighting a widening funding gap between the United States and China.
U.S. Hyperscalers Shift Market Build-Out Targets to the Midwest and Texas
U.S. hyperscalers are redirecting data‑center build‑outs toward Texas and the Midwest, with more than half of new capacity expected in these regions by the end of 2025. Amazon announced a $15 billion investment for 2.4 GW of capacity in northern Indiana, while...
SUSE and Vultr’s Open Cloud Infrastructure Push Goes Global
SUSE and Vultr announced a global partnership to deliver an open‑cloud infrastructure tailored for AI and agentic applications. The joint solution combines SUSE’s Kubernetes and AI‑ops platform with Vultr’s compute, GPU, and bare‑metal services across 32 regions, promising 50‑90% lower...
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Introduces 1000–1500 V MLCCs for EV Inverter and OBC Designs
Samsung Electro‑Mechanics has entered mass production of ultra‑high‑voltage multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) rated between 1000 V and 1500 V. The new 1210‑size parts deliver 1.2 nF to 33 nF with C0G or X8G dielectrics, offering near‑zero temperature drift from –55 °C to 150 °C. Designed for...
Razer Has Just Announced the World's Thinnest Glass Mouse Pad and It Looks Gorgeous
Razer unveiled the Atlas Pro, billed as the world’s thinnest glass gaming mouse pad at just 1.9 mm thick. The ultra‑slim design trims the wrist‑fatiguing bulk of typical glass pads, which average 3.9‑4 mm. Razer says the tempered glass is rigorously tested...
O2 Plugs in Surrey to 5G+
O2 has activated its 5G Standalone (5G+) network across Surrey, reaching up to 1.2 million people in 275 locations. The deployment is a key element of the operator’s £700 million (≈$890 million) Mobile Transformation Plan, which also includes new masts, small cells and...
Generative AI Cuts Building Energy Use 10‑20%
Beyond The Hype: The True ROI Of Generative AI In Building Operations “The AI does not just monitor, it anticipates. If a sudden heatwave is forecasted for 2:00 PM, the AI might pre-cool the building at 10:00 AM when energy...
Amazon Sued over Killing Chromecast-Era Fire TV Sticks, New Update Policy Confirmed
Amazon faces a class‑action lawsuit alleging it "bricked" first‑ and second‑generation Fire TV sticks by ending software updates in 2022 and 2023. Plaintiffs claim the lack of updates rendered remotes unusable and devices inoperable, forcing purchases of newer hardware. Amazon...
RF-Design Launches FiberLink CompactLine FCLR1811S4 for Ground Segment Optimization
RF-Design GmbH unveiled the FiberLink CompactLine FCLR1811S4, a 1RU 19‑inch modular platform that merges RF‑over‑Fiber transmission and system monitoring. Designed for teleports, satellite earth stations and broadcast facilities, it handles frequencies up to 2.5 GHz and links up to 20 km. The...
Showstopper Build: Greyscale — Building a Custom-Looped ITX PC that Pushes the Form Factor to Its Limits
Tom’s Hardware Premium’s latest “showstopper” build pushes the limits of Mini‑ITX by fitting top‑tier components into the 19‑liter NCase M3. The system packs an Nvidia RTX 5090 Suprim GPU, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU, 48 GB DDR5‑7200 RAM, a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and a 1000 W...
Svitzer Balder Completes Sea Trials of Electric Escort Tug with 6 MWh LFP Battery System
Svitzer Balder, a harbor tug built in Turkey, has completed sea trials using AYK Energy’s 6 MWh LFP battery system, which the company touts as the world’s most powerful electric escort tug and the first battery‑methanol hybrid. The AriesA battery pack offers...
MiniMed Posts Double-Digit Sales Growth, Widening Net Loss
MiniMed, Medtronic’s diabetes‑tech spinoff, posted FY26 Q3 revenue of $790 million, up 15 % year‑over‑year, but its net loss widened dramatically to $119 million from $10 million a year earlier. Growth was driven by sales of its automated insulin‑delivery system, FDA clearance for the...
ROHM Develops 5th Generation SiC MOSFETs
ROHM Semiconductor announced its fifth‑generation EcoSiC silicon‑carbide MOSFETs, delivering roughly 30% lower on‑resistance at 175 °C compared with the prior generation. The devices target high‑efficiency power conversion in electric‑vehicle traction inverters, onboard chargers, AI‑server power supplies, and data‑center equipment. ROHM will...
"An Excellent Controller and a Great Value": I Wish More Hall-Effect Xbox Controllers Had This Price Tag — Another GameSir...
GameSir’s Kaleid wired Xbox controller, equipped with Hall‑Effect sticks, triggers and RGB lighting, now sells for $39.99 after a 20% Amazon discount, down from its $49.99 MSRP. The controller offers microswitch inputs, two remappable rear buttons, a hair‑trigger mode and...
Kymeta Chief Scientist Discusses Metamaterial Antenna Evolution and Orbital Sustainability
On April 21, 2026, Kymeta Chief Scientist Ryan Stevenson announced the company’s first antenna that simultaneously operates on Ku‑ and Ka‑band using metamaterial technology. The flat‑panel device employs holographic beam‑forming, eliminating moving parts and enabling rapid switching between LEO and...
ST Expands Analog Portfolio with High-Accuracy Op Amps
STMicroelectronics has launched the TSB192 dual operational amplifier, a high‑accuracy part that works across a 4 V to 36 V supply range. It delivers a typical 20 µV input offset and 100 nV/°C drift, while consuming only 1.9 mA per channel. The device offers an...
More than a Store: Electronic Shelf Labels Pose Pricing Conundrum
Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are rapidly expanding across U.S. grocery chains, but state and federal lawmakers are scrutinizing them as potential tools for covert price changes. Retailers are experimenting with display styles: Whole Foods uses small, multi‑line tags that show...
Nebius Secures $2B Nvidia Deal, Targets $
Top 5 AI beneficiaries across the stack 👇 $NBIS – Nebius Group Pure-play AI cloud built around GPU capacity. Business model is simple: rent compute at scale. Secured $2B strategic investment from Nvidia, locking access to next-gen accelerators. Over 2 gigawatts...
AOC Just Dropped a New 32-Inch, 4K OLED Gaming Monitor for an Amazing Price
AOC has launched the Agon Pro AG326UZD2, a 32‑inch 4K OLED gaming monitor featuring 4th‑gen QD‑OLED technology and a $1,080 price tag. The panel upgrades to a 165 Hz refresh rate, 1,000 nits peak brightness and DisplayHDR 500 certification, improving both speed and...
Wärtsilä Launches New NTPRO 7 Bridge and Shiphandling Simulator
Wärtsilä unveiled NTPRO 7, its latest bridge and ship‑handling simulator, aimed at modernizing maritime training amid rapid digitalization. The platform leverages Unreal Engine 5 for high‑fidelity sea visualisation and incorporates AI‑driven voice commands, S‑100‑ready digital navigation, and Wärtsilä’s Navi‑Sailor ECDIS. DNV awarded...
Best CPU Cooler 2026
The guide crowns the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB as the best overall CPU cooler for 2026, highlighting its balance of cooling capacity, noise level, and price. It also names the Noctua NH‑D15 as the top air cooler, the...
The Makers of Playdate, the Console-with-a-Crank, Will No Longer Accept Games Created with Generative AI
Panic Inc., the maker of the Playdate handheld console, announced that any new games using generative AI for art, audio, music, text, or dialogue will be rejected from its Catalog store. The ban excludes custom‑written functions such as enemy AI,...
Meta's Heterogeneous Fleet
Meta’s data‑center strategy now embraces a highly heterogeneous chip fleet, deploying five to six distinct hardware SKUs each year. While this diversity historically caused underutilized servers and software friction, the company has refined its processes to turn the complexity into...
Google's 'Fitbit Air' Will Reportedly Compete with Whoop for 24/7 Health Tracking
Google is preparing to launch a new fitness tracker dubbed Fitbit Air, a screen‑less, thin band designed to compete directly with Whoop’s 24/7 health monitoring devices. The device is expected to retail for about $100 and arrive on May 16,...
LG Innotek Secures Automotive Wi-Fi 7 Supply Agreement
LG Innotek has landed a $68 million supply deal to provide its automotive Wi‑Fi 7 communication module to an unnamed European parts maker, with mass production slated for 2027. The compact module, roughly one‑sixth the size of a credit card, supports a...
Three Stocks Poised for AI‑Driven Wealth Surge
Thoughts? We discuss three stocks positioned to capture the next major wealth-building opportunity: Rocket Labs as a critical private space infrastructure play that will gain attention when SpaceX goes public, Micron as one of only three global producers of high...
Schneider, Aveva and Nvidia Develop Blueprints for AI Factories
Schneider Electric, Aveva and Nvidia announced a joint reference design called Vera Rubin that validates power, cooling and digital‑twin integration for Nvidia’s rack‑scale AI data‑center systems. The design leverages 480 VAC distribution, 45 °C loop temperatures and Nvidia’s MaxQ operating point to...
IPhone Ultra Vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8: Should You Buy Samsung in July or Wait for Apple?
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the rumored Apple iPhone Fold are set to define the premium foldable market. Samsung plans a late‑July 2024 launch at about $1,999, offering a refined design, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, 5,000 mAh battery and a mature...
Live Event Technology Expands Fan Engagement
Germany‑based ASB GlassFloor’s LED sports flooring system, which can display graphics during games, was showcased at the Big 12 tournament and highlighted at the NAB Show as part of a broader push toward immersive, interactive venues. System integrators such as Advanced...
Audio Systems Get Boost From Cloud and AI
At NAB 2026, leading audio‑technology vendors showcased cloud‑centric and AI‑enhanced mixing solutions that decouple the console from physical racks. Telos Alliance introduced its flexAI automixer, while Wheatstone, SSL and Lawo demonstrated virtual consoles and containerized workflow platforms that run on...
Beats Brings Back Its Sold-Out JENNIE Headphones in a Stealthy New Colour
Beats is reviving its popular Beats Solo 4 – JENNIE Special Edition, swapping last year’s sold‑out Ruby Red finish for an understated Onyx Black version. The limited‑edition headphones launch on April 24 with exclusive black bows, UltraPlush cushions featuring JENNIE‑inspired symbols, and a matching...
Quantum Leap Threatens Bitcoin, Urges 2029 Crypto Upgrade
Quantum compute isn't a threat, it's an opportunity. Most people think that quantum compute is here to destroy everyone's lives. That's not the case. It's going to change a lot of lives, just like Internet, #Crypto and AI...
Petroleum Demand Ends when Vance Unveils Teleportation
The real petroleum demand destruction is gonna hit when JD Vance shares his teleportation device with the world https://t.co/8hDb2CaOzp
A Conversation with GF’s Pioneer Silicon Photonics Leader and Optica Fellow Dr. Yusheng Bian
Dr. Yusheng Bian, GlobalFoundries’ silicon‑photonic pioneer, was recently named an Optica Fellow for his decade‑long work turning silicon photonics from research into high‑volume CMOS production. He explains how AI‑driven data‑center demand is displacing copper interconnects with pluggable and co‑packaged optical...
Exploring IoT Evolution with Matt Hatton Live
Matt Hatton, Transforma Insights, shares about the evolution of the #IoT. Tune in live at 12 pm CT at: https://t.co/ykUbRecWPm. #TPSS #sustainability #5G #cloud #edge #digitaltransformation #PeggySmedley #podcast https://t.co/fCW4UQLIzm
AI Workloads Justify Rising Cost per Transistor
We all knew the cost per transistor was likely to go up in the angstrom era. If it weren't for AI workloads, the leading edge would have been much harder to justify the cost increase. Full report: Foundry Economics...
Huawei Secures 19 Critical‑Sector Certifications, Outpacing Spanish Firms
CNI certifies 19 Huawei products for use in critical sectors such as defense With more than 70 devices in April, it far exceeds the certifications obtained by Spanish companies Clean network? https://t.co/tWRMNbiOR6
Red Cat Lands US Air Force Black Widow Drone Contract
Red Cat Holdins $RCAT large drone win for $RCAT accdg to The US Air Force is purchasing Black Widow drones manufactured by Teal Drones (a Red Cat subsidiary) for feeding live targeting data directly to airborne F-35 fighters. https://t.co/HJrKPkG4tr
OHB and Siemens Team up to AI‑drive Satellite Manufacturing
Space hardware prime @OHB_SE enters 'strategic development partnership' w/ @Siemens to bring AI to volume satellite production. OHB is a major @esa contractor, a likely platform provider to @SES_Satellites for @defis_eu Iris2 constellation & prime for @bundeswehrInfo SatcomBw-4. https://t.co/27vLOt5fhT
Meta's Heterogeneous Chip Fleet Boosts Competitive Edge
"while I was encouraged to see Meta’s diversified chip strategy, I was also a tad bit concerned whether the trade-off has too high a cost. However, I have now updated my opinion that Meta is increasingly quite enviably positioned due...
Logistics Giant Linfox Powers 16 EV Chargers, 2.3 MW
Electric vehicle uptake has spread much, much further than you'd think. This is a goEV site, for logistics heavyweight Linfox, 2.3MW total, 16 chargers. I think I'll start highlighting these cases every day, would that interest you? 📌 Laverton North (Melbourne), Australia. https://t.co/W3kj5PEXDx