DongshanPI K510 SoM Appears with Dual RISC-V Cores and AI Acceleration
DongshanPI unveiled a new System‑on‑Module built around the Kendryte K510, featuring dual 64‑bit RISC‑V cores clocked to 800 MHz and a dedicated RISC‑V DSP. The module adds a second‑generation KPU AI accelerator capable of 1.22 TOPS (INT8) or 1.22 TFLOPS (BF16), targeting computer‑vision and audio AIoT workloads. It supports LPDDR3/4 memory, multiple camera interfaces, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and hardware security blocks. Pricing and availability remain undisclosed pending further announcements.
VitaLink Keyboard Has a 13 Inch 4K Touchscreen Display, Speakers, and RGB Backlit Keys (Crowdfunding)
The VitaLink keyboard, a Kickstarter‑backed hybrid device, combines a 13‑inch 4K touchscreen, RGB‑backlit keys, and front‑facing stereo speakers. Priced from $279, it ships in September 2026 and connects to Windows, macOS, or Linux PCs via two USB‑C ports. Weighing 1.2 kg,...
Valve Developer Further Improves Old AMD GPUs: HD 7870 XT Finally Working On Linux
Valve engineer Timur Kristóf has released a series of AMDGPU driver patches that finally enable the Radeon HD 7870 XT to work under Linux. The fix addresses the GPU's partially disabled TCC cache, a legacy issue that prevented the harvested Southern Islands chip...
Intel QAT Zstd, QAT Gen6 Improvements Merged For Linux 7.1
The Linux 7.1 kernel merge introduced a major cryptography subsystem overhaul, highlighted by Intel QuickAssist (QAT) enhancements. QAT now offloads Zstandard (Zstd) compression on Gen4 and Gen5 chips, while Gen6 adds native compression and decompression support. Additional Gen6 features include...
BeagleConnect Zepto – A “$1 Computer” Based on TI MSPM0L1117 Cortex-M0+ MCU
The BeagleBoard.org Foundation unveiled the BeagleConnect Zepto, a $1 open‑source development board built around Texas Instruments' MSPM0L117 Cortex‑M0+ MCU. The tiny 33.7 × 25.4 mm board packs 16 KB SRAM, 128 KB flash, mikroBUS and Qwiic connectors, and an optional USB‑C power port for flexible...
Linux 7.1 Switches Kaveri, Kabini, and Mullins to AMDGPU
Linux 7.1 will default to the AMDGPU driver for legacy AMD APUs—Kaveri, Kabini and Mullins—ending years of reliance on the older Radeon driver. The change, merged in early April, brings these GCN 1.1/Sea Islands chips onto a modern driver stack with...
AMD Zen 6 “Medusa Point” Appears on Geekbench – 10 Cores, 32 MB L3 Cache, and the First Credible Hint...
A Geekbench entry for an engineering sample named “AMD Plum‑MDS1” reveals a 10‑core, 20‑thread Zen 6 mobile processor with 32 MB of L3 cache, the first concrete data point for AMD’s rumored Medusa Point platform. The sample runs at a modest 2.40 GHz base...
ASUS Is Doubling the BIOS Size to 64 MB on Its New AM5 Motherboards—And in Doing so, Is Bringing an...
ASUS announced that its new 800‑series AM5 motherboards will ship with a 64 MB BIOS ROM, a size increase intended to support future AMD CPU generations and to host a pre‑installed Wi‑Fi driver. The company’s product pages note that upcoming BIOS...
Linux 7.1 Adds New AMD SMCA Bank Types, Presumably For Upcoming EPYC Venice
Linux 7.1’s kernel update expands the AMD Machine Check Exception (mce_amd) driver with ten new Scalable Machine Check Architecture (SMCA) bank types. The additions cover data‑acceleration front‑end and back‑end units, eDDR5 interconnects, and several secure‑processor components. While the patches do...
Gucci Is Going After Ray-Ban Meta, With Google’s Help
Luxury group Kering confirmed that Gucci is teaming with Google to develop AI‑powered smart glasses, targeting a 2027 release. The eyewear is expected to run on Google’s Android XR platform and integrate Gemini AI, though neither company has officially verified...
Mac Mini and Mac Studio Supply Shortages
Apple’s Mac Mini and Mac Studio are facing acute supply shortages, especially high‑memory configurations. The base M4 Mini with 32 GB RAM and the M4 Pro with 64 GB are listed as unavailable, and other Mini models see shipping delays of one...
Move Over, Ray-Ban Meta: Samsung’s AI Galaxy Smart Glasses Are Finally Coming This Year
Samsung announced that its Galaxy AI Smart Glasses will debut in the second half of 2026, timed with the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8. The wearables run on Android XR, feature a Qualcomm AR chipset, a 12‑megapixel...
Valve’s 2026 Steam Machine Is Almost Here
Valve announced that its 2026 hardware lineup, including a new Steam Machine, will ship in the first half of 2026. The devices leverage AI‑optimized RAM technology to deliver higher performance at competitive prices. Steam OS 3.8 brings desktop‑mode enhancements and...
Dreame’s Smart Lock Unlocks With an iPhone or Apple Watch
Dreame, known for robot vacuums, entered the U.S. smart‑lock market in April 2026 with two models sold on Amazon. The flagship NAVO Smart Lock A10 retails for $169.99 (promotional $118.99) and offers Matter compatibility, auto‑unlock, IP65‑rated zinc alloy construction, and a...
Xiaomi Launches New Smart Air Conditioner for Gentle Breeze
Xiaomi has introduced the Mijia Air Conditioner Powerful Air Pro Ultimate Edition 1.5 HP in China, priced at CNY 5,099 (about $748). The model features 602 micro‑pores that generate a gentle breeze intended to lessen common air‑conditioner‑related ailments. It delivers a 1,000 m³/h...
Pironman 5 Pro Max Review – A Raspberry Pi 5 Tower PC Case with Integrated Video and Audio Capabilities, Optional...
SunFounder’s Pironman 5 Pro Max transforms the Raspberry Pi 5 into a compact tower PC with a 4.3‑inch capacitive touchscreen, 5 MP camera, stereo speakers, USB microphone and 3.5 mm audio jack. The review details a two‑hour assembly, full hardware detection—including an NVMe SSD and optional Hailo‑8...
I Visited Drone Factories in Ukraine
During a recent visit to Kyiv, the author observed Ukrainian drone factories where designs evolve in days, with engineers and soldiers collaborating on the floor. Rapid prototyping, 3D‑printing and continuous software updates allow cheap UAVs to be built, tested, lost...
Moving Beyond Pro: Apple Leaks Reveal 4 New ‘Ultra’ Tier Devices for 2026
Apple’s leaked "Ultra" lineup introduces four premium products—MacBook Ultra, iPhone Ultra, AirPods Ultra, and Apple Watch Ultra 4—each priced above $300 and slated for a September 2026 reveal. The MacBook Ultra brings a 16‑inch OLED screen, a touchscreen, and the new...
Intel Bartlett Lake on Z790 via BIOS Mod: A Community Discovery Reveals the Line Between Socket Compatibility and Firmware Locks
A community modder successfully ran Intel’s Bartlett Lake‑S Core 9 273PQE, a 12‑core embedded processor, on an Asus Z790 consumer motherboard by applying a custom BIOS. The hack bypasses Intel’s firmware restrictions, proving that the socket and electrical design are compatible, but the...
Intel Officially Launches the Core Series 3: Wildcat Lake Brings 18A and AI Features to More Affordable Laptops
Intel launched the Core Series 3 (codenamed Wildcat Lake) on April 16, 2026, targeting affordable laptops, education, small‑business PCs and edge devices. The line uses the Core Ultra Series 3 architecture on Intel’s 18A process, offering up to 40 TOPS AI performance, Thunderbolt 4, Wi‑Fi 7 and...
Mindfactory’s Sales Plummet: The DIY PC Market Shows Clear Signs of Fatigue in April 2026
German DIY retailer Mindfactory reported a dramatic drop in CPU sales, with weekly volumes falling to roughly 1,000 units in weeks 14‑15 of 2026 – a decline of more than 50 percent. AMD still outsold Intel in unit count, but...
AMD FP-DSS Security Bug For Zen 1 CPUs Made Public, Linux Kernel Patched
A floating‑point divider state sampling (FP‑DSS) vulnerability has been disclosed for AMD Zen 1 and Zen 1+ processors, including early Ryzen and EPYC chips. The flaw is a transient‑execution issue that could let a locally‑privileged attacker extract data through the floating‑point divisor...
You're Not Talking to Somebody Who Woke Up a Loser
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, engaged in a roughly 40‑minute debate with investor Dwarkesh Patel about whether the United States should continue exporting AI‑focused chips to China. Patel raised concerns that Chinese firms could use Nvidia hardware to train powerful...
Onn 4K Pro 2 and Onn 4K Stick Prices Fluctuate by as Much as 50% From Store to Store
Walmart’s new Onn 4K Pro 2 and Onn 4K Stick streaming devices show dramatic price swings across stores. The Pro 2 typically retails for $59.88 but can be found for $49.88, while the Stick usually costs $39.98 and drops to $19.88 in...
Lilbits: Next-Gen Surface Pro & Laptop, Google’s Next Pixel Laptop, and Goodbye Kindle for PC (Kind Of)
Microsoft is gearing up to release new Surface Pro tablets and Surface Laptop models powered by the latest Intel and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, with select laptops featuring OLED displays. Pricing is expected to stay premium as RAM and storage costs...
Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensor Gains Sensitivity Under Increasing Load
Researchers at Zhejiang University unveiled a flexible capacitive pressure sensor whose sensitivity increases with pressure, a reversal of the typical decline seen in conventional designs. The 3‑D cage‑like architecture, created via buckling‑guided assembly and laser cutting, delivers a peak sensitivity...
ENERMAX Platimax II 1200DF PSU, More Compact Than It’s Rather Long Name
Enermax has launched the Platimax II 1200DF, a 1200‑watt ATX 3.1 power supply that carries an 80 PLUS Platinum rating. The unit measures 150 mm × 150 mm × 86 mm and uses a 135 mm fan, Japanese‑sourced Rubycon and Unicon capacitors, and a single 12V‑2×6 connector. It ships with a 13‑year...
Omdia Releases First Estimate for Q1 PC Unit Shipments
Omdia’s first Q1 2026 estimate shows global PC shipments reaching 64.8 million units, a 3.2% year‑over‑year rise. Notebooks accounted for 50.8 million units, up 2.6%, while desktops grew 5.4% to 14.0 million. Apple outperformed the market, expanding its share at roughly double the industry...
NuPhy Node 100, A White Collar High Profile Wireless Keyboard
NuPhy has launched the Node 100, a full‑size high‑profile wireless keyboard aimed at professionals who want mechanical quality without the typical gaming aesthetic. The board features muted mechanical switches, a programmable touch strip, and extra keys for office productivity. It supports...
Why People Are Paying $700 for a Phone That Does Less
A new wave of minimalist phones is reshaping the mobile market, offering e‑ink screens, physical keyboards, and stripped‑down software to curb doomscrolling. Prices span from $299 for the Punkt MP02 to $699 for the premium Light Phone III, with options like...
Handheld Game Console Maker AYN Responds to RAMageddon with Price Hike, Storage Downgrade
Handheld maker AYN announced a two‑pronged response to soaring RAM and storage costs. The premium AYN Thor configuration, previously $449, now costs $549, while a new 16 GB/512 GB Thor model is priced at $469. Simultaneously, all Odin 3 units and every Thor...
MGHPCC Powers Breakthroughs in Biomedical Research with High-Performance Computing
The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) is powering data‑intensive biomedical research across the state. Harvard’s Huttenhower Group leverages its massive compute capacity to parse terabytes of gut microbiome sequences, while Yale’s O’Hern Group runs high‑resolution simulations of breast‑cancer...
Weekly Brief – 17th April 2026
Broadband operators reported several key developments this week. In Orkney, the repair ship Pierre de Fermat replaced 8 km of damaged subsea cable and plans to restore service by 18 April, while also rerouting the line to lower future risk. AST SpaceMobile...
CONTEXT Report Shows Decline in Professional 3D Printers as Entry-Level Segment Surges
The CONTEXT forecast shows a sharp contraction in the professional 3D‑printer market, with sales down more than 30% over the past year, while entry‑level units surged over 50%. Total system revenue continued to climb, crossing the $1 billion mark in Q4‑25,...
QTREX Ltd. Targets $72B Quantum Market With 3D Architecture
Inspira Technologies is seeking shareholder approval to rename itself QTREX Ltd., marking a strategic shift toward solving quantum‑computing connectivity bottlenecks inside dilution cryostats. The company will leverage its additive manufactured electronics (AME) platform, backed by more than $200 million of prior...
An Ultrathin Solid Electrolyte Keeps Lithium Metal Batteries From Catching Fire
Researchers have created a 20‑µm composite solid electrolyte that embeds trimethyl phosphate inside a copper‑based MOF cage, releasing the flame‑retardant only above 120 °C. The ultrathin electrolyte delivers ionic conductance 880‑times higher than conventional PEO membranes while raising the lithium‑ion transference...
Top 10 Most Innovative Medical Device Companies in 2026, Per Fast Company
Fast Company’s 2026 list spotlights ten medical‑device innovators reshaping a market that reached $584 billion in 2025. The companies span connected wearables, AI‑driven diagnostics, focused‑ultrasound therapy and minimally invasive tools, reflecting a broader industry shift toward at‑home and less invasive care....
New Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold 2 Leak Reveals Wider Design
Samsung has leaked a new Galaxy Z TriFold 2 concept featuring a wider, squarer design, signaling a redesign after the original model was treated as a limited‑edition test. The company is simultaneously preparing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide for...
Valve Developer Lands RADV/ACO Changes For AMD's GFX11.7 / RDNA 4m
Valve’s Linux graphics team, led by engineer Rhys Perry, merged ACO compiler and RADV Vulkan driver updates to support AMD’s upcoming GFX11.7 GPU, branded as RDNA 4m. The changes extend Mesa’s RadeonSI Gallium3D and RADV drivers to include new shader capabilities...
3D Construction Printing Sees Growth, But Also Project Setbacks
The 3D construction printing (3DCP) sector is gaining traction as equipment maker Alquist launched its A1 series, selling 14 units—including 12 rail‑mounted A1X models—while Texas‑based ICON announced ICON Prime to serve defense, intelligence and lunar construction. In Colorado, Azure Printed...
The M4 iPad Air Upgrade: Is a Faster Chip Enough for 2026?
Apple’s 2026 iPad Air arrives with the new M4 processor and 12 GB of RAM, but retains the same aluminum chassis, camera suite, and Liquid Retina display from its predecessor. The device adds Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and optional 5G, yet omits ProMotion...
Glibc Lands A Big Optimization For LoongArch CPUs
The GNU C Library (glibc) has merged a LoongArch‑specific patch that enables transparent hugepages (THP) aligned load segments by default for LoongArch64. Aligning ELF load segments to THP boundaries reduces TLB pressure and improves instruction fetch efficiency. Early benchmarks on...
How to Recreate Valve’s Delayed Steam Machine at Home Today
Valve’s Steam Machine remains indefinitely delayed, prompting gamers to build DIY equivalents. Guides outline three hardware tiers—mini PCs for 1080p, small‑form‑factor PCs with mobile GPUs for 1440p, and boutique builds with desktop GPUs for 4K. Installing Linux‑based operating systems such...
NAB Show 2026: Lexar to Showcase High-Capacity Storage Solutions Built for Professionals and Creators
Lexar announced two high‑capacity storage products at the NAB Show 2026: the 8 TB ARMOR 700 portable SSD priced at $999.99 and the 2 TB SILVER PLUS microSDXC card slated for 2027 release. The SSD delivers up to 2000 MB/s transfer speeds, IP66 dust‑and‑water resistance,...
NAB Show 2026: Facilis Technology Announces Partnership with Ortana Media Group for Secure Web Administration of HUB Servers
Facilis Technology announced a partnership with Ortana Media Group to embed Ortana’s Cubix Connect Widget into its HUB shared‑storage servers. The integration gives administrators remote, web‑based control over user accounts, workstation authorization, and server health across LAN and WAN environments....
NAB Show 2026: Sonnet Technologies to Showcase Thunderbolt 5 Solutions
At NAB Show 2026 Sonnet Technologies unveiled a full suite of Thunderbolt 5 hardware, including the Echo 20 SecureDock and Echo 21 SuperDock docking stations, desktop and rack‑mount Echo II DV T5 PCIe expansion enclosures, and the Breakaway Box 850 T5 eGPU. The company also demonstrated rack‑mount solutions that...
NAB Show 2026: OWC to Showcase Storage, Workflow Acceleration, and Reliability Solutions for Creatives and Post-Production Professionals
Other World Computing (OWC) will showcase its full suite of Thunderbolt 5‑enabled storage, connectivity and workflow tools at NAB 2026 in Las Vegas. Highlights include the 8 TB Envoy Pro Ultra portable SSD, the stackable Studio Stack for Mac Studio, and the Jellyfish Nomad shared storage...
Silicon Storage Technology Assigned Four Patents
Silicon Storage Technology (SST) has been assigned four U.S. patents covering advanced non‑volatile memory (NVM) innovations. The patents include an adaptive bias decoder, a coarse‑and‑fine programming method, a planar split‑gate/FinFET integration process, and an output block with on‑chip ADC conversion....
Madison Air Pulls Off Biggest U.S. Industrial IPO Since 1999 As Data Center Cooling Theme Heats Up
Madison Air Solutions completed the biggest U.S. industrial IPO in nearly three decades, raising $2.23 billion and debuting at $31.75 per share. The offering valued the Chicago‑based firm at roughly $15.5 billion, sending its stock up 18% on the first day. Madison...
Amazon Returns Incident Reveals New 3D Print Application
Amazon’s returns warehouse sold a 3D‑printed replica of an AMD Ryzen CPU after a fraudster removed the genuine chip and returned the fake. The buyer received a plastic shell that cannot process data, exposing a loophole in Amazon’s “as‑is” liquidation...