Best Buy Wants to Be the Hub for AI-Powered Hardware Like Glasses, Laptops
Best Buy is repositioning itself as the go‑to retailer for AI‑powered hardware, from glasses to AI‑enhanced PCs, as its fiscal‑year revenue held steady at roughly $42 billion. CEO Corie Barry highlighted flat market share but pointed to rapid growth in emerging categories such as AI glasses, 3D printers, health rings and gaming handhelds. The retailer is expanding dedicated Meta AI product zones in 70 stores and promoting Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs, many of which are exclusive to its shelves. New partnerships with OpenAI and Google aim to embed AI directly into the shopping experience.
New Products
A wave of new RF and microwave components hit the market, ranging from the 6501 Series up/down‑converters that fit into a single 6U VPX slot to Highland Technology’s K420 optical‑electrical converter supporting 4 Gbps over 400 m of fiber. Hyperlabs introduced a...
10 MHz to 110 GHz Ultra-Wideband Distributed Amplifier
Eravant has introduced the SBB‑0111141708‑1F1F‑E1, an ultra‑wideband distributed amplifier that spans 10 MHz to 110 GHz. It delivers 17 dB gain up to 70 GHz, 16 dB to 90 GHz, and 10 dB at the top of the band, while offering both coaxial and Uni‑Guide waveguide interfaces....
Infinix NOTE 60 Pro Debuts with Snapdragon Power,6500mAh Battery and Interactive LED Design
Infinix has launched the NOTE 60 Pro in Nigeria, its first device powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 5G processor, delivering over 1.1 million AnTuTu points. The phone introduces an Active Matrix rear LED display that shows calls, notifications and mini‑games without unlocking. It packs...
AI Chipmaker Cerebras Namedropped by Oracle, Alongside Nvidia and AMD
Oracle’s CEO Clay Magouyrk highlighted Cerebras alongside Nvidia and AMD on the company’s earnings call, signaling the AI chipmaker’s entry into Oracle’s cloud infrastructure. The endorsement follows Cerebras’s recent $1.1 billion funding round and its push toward an IPO after withdrawing...
A Large-Scale Coherent 4D Imaging Sensor
Researchers have unveiled a monolithically integrated FMCW LiDAR focal‑plane array (FPA) with 352 × 176 coherent pixels, delivering 4‑D imaging capability. The sensor achieves a 65 m detection range on 30 % reflective targets using only 46 nJ per point and 0.06° angular resolution. A...
Ultrafast Computing: Light-Driven Logic Tops 10 Terahertz in WS₂
A recent Nature Photonics paper demonstrates that ultrashort light pulses can execute logical operations in a tungsten disulfide (WS₂) platform at frequencies exceeding 10 terahertz. The experiment shows that photons, rather than electrons, can drive logic gates, delivering speeds potentially...
Time to Wire Your House Smarter with This PoE Switch, Which Is Down to One of Its Lowest Prices This...
Netgear’s 5‑port PoE Gigabit Ethernet switch is now on sale for $52, down $28 from its regular price. The device offers four PoE+ ports with a total power budget of 63 W, a managed interface, and a three‑year warranty. It targets...
REVIEW: Shokz OpenFit Pro Headphones
Shokz has launched the OpenFit Pro, its most advanced open‑ear headphone to date, adding active noise reduction, Dolby Atmos spatial sound and a dual‑diaphragm SuperBoost driver. The device features a sturdier aluminum‑mesh build, a 10‑band EQ, and a triple‑microphone array that...
Australia: Negative Light Technology Conceals Data in Plain Sight
Australian researchers from UNSW Sydney, Monash University and Imperial College London have demonstrated a novel communication method that embeds data within natural infrared emissions using negative luminescence. The technique employs thermoradiative diodes to create subtle, darker fluctuations in mid‑infrared radiation,...
Intel Demos Chip To Compute With Encrypted Data
Intel unveiled its Heracles processor at ISSCC, claiming up to a 5,000‑fold speed boost for fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) workloads compared with a top‑of‑the‑line Xeon server. The chip is fabricated on Intel’s 3‑nanometer FinFET process and occupies a die roughly...
Malaysia: Boosting Domestic Semiconductor Design, IP
Malaysia is intensifying its push to develop domestic integrated‑circuit (IC) design capabilities, aiming to shift from a manufacturing‑centric model to one that owns semiconductor intellectual property. The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry has identified local design firms as key...
Apple Reveals MacBook Neo Battery Cycle Limit
Apple has updated its support documentation to confirm that the new MacBook Neo’s lithium‑ion battery is rated for a maximum of 1,000 charge cycles. The 36.5‑watt‑hour pack delivers up to 16 hours of video streaming or 11 hours of web browsing,...
Warburg-Backed PDG to Raise $5 Billion in Debt for Data Centers
Singapore‑based Princeton Digital Group, backed by Warburg Pincus, announced plans to raise up to $5 billion in debt this year. The proceeds will finance a multi‑country AI data‑center build‑out in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan. PDG already operates AI‑focused facilities in seven...
10 Hacks Every Laptop Gamer Should Know
The article outlines ten practical hacks that let laptop gamers extract desktop‑level performance from portable rigs. It stresses using the proprietary charger, maintaining airflow with a hard surface, and installing games on an SSD to cut load times. Additional tips...
5 IT Equipment Procurement Services That Fix Day-1 Onboarding
A Deloitte pulse check revealed that 56% of organisations view device‑provisioning delays as the leading productivity killer for new hires. Onboarding teams therefore need a reliable day‑one laptop solution. Onrec evaluated more than twenty vendors against four non‑negotiables and five...
Intel Did Something for Old Arc GPU Owners that Nvidia Has Refused to Do for RTX 30 Owners
Intel has extended its XeSS 3 AI upscaling suite, including Multi‑Frame Generation, to first‑generation Alchemist and Battlemage Arc GPUs as well as Core Ultra integrated graphics. The February 13 WHQL driver update brings these features to older hardware, a move Nvidia has avoided...
The Galaxy S26 Ultra Has Two New Features I Actually Want on Every Phone
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces two standout software features—Privacy Display and Horizontal Lock—while offering modest hardware upgrades. Privacy Display lets users obscure side‑angle screen visibility on demand, with per‑app or notification controls. Horizontal Lock provides gimbal‑like video stabilization, allowing seamless...
IPhone 17e vs iPhone 17: Which Entry-Level Apple Phone Is Best for You?
TechRadar’s side‑by‑side review pits Apple’s new iPhone 17e against the flagship iPhone 17, focusing on price, performance, battery life, camera capabilities, and design. The iPhone 17e launches at a lower price point while retaining many of the premium model’s features,...
AirTag’s Best Feature Is Now on Apple Watch, Here’s How to Set It Up
Apple’s AirTag 2 upgrades the Precision Finding feature, extending its range by roughly 1.5 times and bringing the capability to the Apple Watch for the first time. The functionality works on Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 and later models running watchOS 26.2.1 or newer. Users must add...
Shure Audio Solutions Deliver Super Bowl Win
Shure’s audio ecosystem powered every facet of Super Bowl LX, from stadium entertainment to the Apple Music halftime show. The company supplied Axient digital wireless, PSM 1000 in‑ear monitors, TwinPlex lavaliers and the SM39 headset microphone used by Bad Bunny. Over 16 wireless...
Poultry Processing Robotics Advances with ChicGrasp
Researchers at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station unveiled ChicGrasp, a dual‑jaw robotic gripper that learns to grasp, lift, and hang chicken carcasses by imitating human motions. The system employs a diffusion‑policy imitation‑learning algorithm and camera perception, achieving an 81% success...
QuickLink’s StudioEdge Models to Make North American Debut at 2026 NAB Show
QuickLink announced that its full StudioEdge product line will debut in North America at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The lineup includes the StudioEdge‑1,‑2,‑4 and the high‑end StudioEdge‑2110, positioned as a direct replacement for the discontinued Skype TX. The...
Open-Ear Vs. Bone Conduction Headphones: Which Delivers Better Sound?
Open‑ear and bone‑conduction headphones are gaining traction among outdoor athletes seeking situational awareness. Bone‑conduction models, popularized by Shokz, transmit audio via vibrations through the skull, while open‑ear designs use tiny speakers that project sound waves into the ear canal. Both...
NUBURU’s Lyocon Completes Proof-of-Concept for Portable Directed-Energy Laser Platform
NUBURU’s subsidiary Lyocon has completed a proof‑of‑concept for a portable directed‑energy laser dazzler aimed at counter‑drone defense. The system employs multi‑wavelength lasers (green, blue, IR) delivering 1‑10 W of power in a rifle‑mounted, modular architecture for rapid field deployment. Early trials...
Texas Instruments Unveils Two New Microcontroller Units to Support Edge AI Applications
Texas Instruments announced two new microcontroller units, the MSPM0G5187 and AM13Ex, equipped with its TinyEngine neural processing unit for Edge AI workloads. The integrated NPU promises up to 90‑times lower latency and more than 120‑times lower energy per inference compared...
Cadillac F1 Team Selects Core Scientific as Data Center Partner
Cadillac has appointed Core Scientific as the official data‑center partner for its new Formula 1 operation. The multi‑year deal will shape a $200 million, 400,000‑sq‑ft facility in Fishers, Indiana, designed for high‑density simulation, engineering, manufacturing, and race‑day workloads. Core Scientific will provide...
STMicroelectronics Enters High Volume Production of Photonics Chip
STMicroelectronics has begun high‑volume production of its PIC100 photonics chip, a 300 mm silicon platform that merges silicon photonics with next‑generation BiCMOS technology. The chip delivers 800 Gbps and 1.6 Tbps optical interconnects, targeting AI‑heavy data‑center workloads. Simultaneously, the company unveiled the PIC100 TSV...
3D-Printed TV From ‘The Simpsons’ Plays Actual Episodes
A Reddit maker 3D‑printed a miniature replica of the iconic TV from The Simpsons, turning it into a functional media player that streams the first eleven seasons across four looping channels. The device runs on a Raspberry Pi 4 B and uses low‑cost...
This Smart Smoke Detector Works with Ring and Sends Alerts to Your Phone
Kidde and Ring have launched a smart smoke and carbon‑monoxide alarm that pushes real‑time alerts to the Ring app, even when users are away. The device offers both battery‑powered and hardwired models, and a single unit can extend notifications to...
Smart 2-in-1 Digital Microscope Goes Desktop or Handheld as Needed
Bubo is a 2‑in‑1 digital microscope that can function as a handheld device or dock onto a desktop base. It features a 12 MP CMOS sensor, 4.6‑inch HD screen, and offers 100×‑1800× magnification with up to 10 hours of battery life. Users...
Smart 2-in-1 Digital Microscope Goes Desktop or Handheld as Needed
The Bubo 2‑in‑1 digital microscope combines a handheld unit with a desktop base, offering flexibility for both field and lab work. It features a 12 MP CMOS sensor, 1080p/60 fps video, and a 4.6‑inch HD screen, delivering up to 1800× magnification. Powered...
The 6 Best Water-Leak Detectors for Protecting Your Home
The article reviews six top water‑leak detectors, ranging from basic battery‑powered units to advanced hub‑based systems with automatic shut‑off. D‑Link leads with a Wi‑Fi hub supporting up to 16 remote sensors, while Flo offers both a budget‑friendly detector and a...
Organized Crime Turns to AI Hardware in Expanding U.S. Theft Wave
Organized crime groups are increasingly targeting shipments of AI‑focused computer hardware, turning cargo theft into a high‑value enterprise. Verisk CargoNet reports U.S. losses of about $725 million in 2025, a 60 percent jump, even though the number of incidents stayed near 3,600....
Wolfspeed Unveils Foundation for AI Data-Center Advanced Packaging Leveraging 300mm Silicon Carbide
Wolfspeed announced that its 300 mm silicon carbide (SiC) technology platform can serve as a foundational material for advanced AI and high‑performance computing (HPC) heterogeneous packaging by decade’s end. The company recently produced a single‑crystal 300 mm SiC wafer and is collaborating...
Play Favorite Video Games Under Your Feet – and Actually Enjoy It
GAMR has launched a pressure‑sensitive gaming mat on Kickstarter, offering a nine‑zone floor controller that connects via Bluetooth or USB to phones, tablets, TVs and PCs. The Rhythm model mimics classic dance‑arcade pads, while Junior and Active versions target children...
FortiGate Devices Exploited to Breach Networks and Steal Service Account Credentials
Threat actors are exploiting FortiGate next‑generation firewalls to gain initial access and harvest service‑account credentials. Researchers identified abuse of recent CVEs (2025‑59718, 2025‑59719, 2026‑24858) and misconfigurations to extract configuration files containing LDAP and AD service accounts, targeting healthcare, government and...
The 3 Very Best Robot Vacuums for Pets
The Strategist’s latest guide ranks the top robot vacuums for households with pets, highlighting three models: the Roborock Q7+ Max as overall winner, the Roborock Saros 10R for combined vacuum‑mop performance, and the budget‑friendly Matic. The review is based on hands‑on...
ARPA-H Launches Program to Develop Biosensors that Can Track Multiple Signals
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA‑H) has unveiled the Delphi program to create modular biosensors that can monitor multiple biomarkers such as inflammation markers, hormones, and drug levels. The initiative relies on electronic "chiplet" technology, allowing developers to...
NVIDIA Sets March 31 Launch for DLSS 4.5 Dynamic MFG
NVIDIA announced that DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation will be released on March 31, 2026, targeting GeForce RTX 50 series owners. The new mode replaces the static frame‑generation multiplier with a real‑time adaptive system that reacts to scene complexity. Alongside the dynamic...
Spain’s VLC Photonics and Hitachi High-Tech America Announce Strategic Collaboration in North America
VLC Photonics, a Spanish fabless photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design house, has entered a strategic collaboration with Hitachi High‑Tech America to expand its North American footprint. The partnership leverages VLC’s multi‑platform PIC expertise and Hitachi’s equipment sales and global commercial...
Memory Price Hikes ‘the New Normal’ as AI Boom Fuels Storage Demand, Seagate Says
Seagate’s chief commercial officer warns that memory price hikes will become the new normal as the AI‑driven super‑cycle pushes DRAM costs up 90% quarter‑over‑quarter in Q1 2026. The surge, fueled by AI data‑centre demand, is forcing the storage industry to accelerate...
Modernizing From the Inside Out: Nokia’s Brownfield Network Transformation
Nokia undertook a brownfield transformation of its global data‑center network, replacing legacy gear with a unified, automated fabric while keeping services live. The migration was staged, using parallel deployment, digital‑twin validation and intent‑based configuration to avoid downtime. At the first...
Get in the Solo-Mining Bitcoin Game for Less Than $50
BlockChance has launched a pocket‑sized Bitcoin Ticket Miner priced at $49.97, a steep discount from its $149.99 list price. The device runs license‑free NMMiner firmware, delivers 1,000 KH/s hash power—about 18 times more efficient than typical ticket miners—and operates independently via...
Firewalla Orange Review: This Router Gave My Home Network a Meaningful Security Upgrade
The ZDNET review spotlights Firewalla’s new Orange device, a palm‑sized smart router and firewall that bundles Wi‑Fi 7, dual 2.5 G Ethernet ports, a quad‑core ARM CPU, 2 GB RAM and a built‑in VPN server. Priced at $379.20, it offers app‑driven setup, content‑filtering,...
Mesa Driver Developers Discuss Expanding Profiles and Driver Tuning for Specific Apps and Games
Mesa driver developers, led by Valve engineer Natalie Vock, are planning to overhaul app‑specific profiling and driver tuning for the open‑source Mesa stack. The current RADV (AMD Vulkan) system relies on hard‑coded macros and applies options indiscriminately, which creates issues...
Newcastle Systems Set to Unveil Latest Hybrid Solution at MODEX 2026
Newcastle Systems will unveil its newest hybrid‑automation mobile workstation at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, April 13‑16. The device combines on‑board scanning, printing and data access with ergonomic design to cut motion waste and fatigue. Positioned as a cost‑effective alternative to...
GigaDevice Unveils Edge AI, Robotics Tech at Embedded World 2026
At Embedded World 2026, GigaDevice displayed a suite of system‑level solutions spanning humanoid robotics, industrial automation, automotive electronics, and edge AI. The company highlighted its high‑performance GD32 MCU families, including the Cortex‑M7‑based GD32H75E, GD32A7 automotive series, and the GD32VW553 wireless...
Qualcomm and Wayve Collaborate on Pre-Integrated ADAS/AD System for Auto Makers
Qualcomm Technologies and Wayve announced a joint effort to deliver a pre‑integrated ADAS and autonomous driving (AD) system built on Qualcomm's Snapdragon Ride SoC and Wayve's AI Driver software. The solution bundles high‑performance compute, active safety stack and end‑to‑end AI...
FAULHABER BXI: Made for the Next Generation of Robotics
FAULHABER introduced the BXI, its most powerful integrated drive system yet, delivering up to 20 Nm torque within a 34 mm package. The unit combines an internal‑rotor motor, stepped planetary gearhead, and a 15‑bit absolute encoder, operating up to 50 V. Its flat...