Broadcom Update to VCF Platform Promises to Reduce IT Costs
Broadcom released VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) version 9.1, adding AMD GPU and Arista networking support while promising up to 40% lower SSD‑NVMe tiering costs and up to 39% lower AI storage total cost of ownership. The update expands host management to 5,000, speeds cluster upgrades fourfold, and boosts cluster capacity by 2.6×, cutting deployment time by 70% and upgrade time by 75%. New features include object‑storage preview, live application blueprints, integrated container management, zero‑trust Kubernetes segmentation, and enhanced security with CrowdStrike Falcon. Over 2,000 organizations have already deployed VCF 9.0, covering 19 million processors, and the survey shows 56% plan private‑cloud AI inference.
Form Launches a Cheaper Version of Its Smart Swimming Goggles
Form has introduced the Smart Swim 2 LT, a lower‑priced version of its flagship smart swimming goggles, priced at $149. The new model drops the integrated heart‑rate monitor but retains the heads‑up display, AI‑driven HeadCoach training planner, and free SwimStraight...
Waterproof USB-C Connectors Expand Application Arena
Same Sky (formerly CUI Devices) has released the UJ family of waterproof USB‑C receptacles covering IPX5 through IP68 ratings. The connectors support USB 2.0 up to USB 4.0 Gen 3×2, delivering up to 40 Gb/s data rates and 240 W power delivery at 48 V/5 A. Designed with...
AI Demand Surges as Billions in Compute Remain Locked
Enterprises are pouring billions into AI infrastructure, yet a Cast AI survey of 23,000 Kubernetes clusters reveals average GPU utilization of just 5% and CPU use at 8%. Cloud providers such as Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta are reporting double‑digit...
Huawei Braces for $12 Billion in AI Chip Revenue Driven by Homegrown AI Model Demand — Chinese Fabs Can Barely...
Huawei projects AI processor revenue of about $12 billion in 2026, up from $7.5 billion last year, driven by orders from Alibaba, ByteDance and Tencent. The surge follows the launch of DeepSeek’s V4 large‑language model, which was optimized for Huawei’s Ascend 950PR...
The AI Hard Drive Shortage Is Making It More Expensive and Harder to Archive the Internet
The surge in AI‑driven data‑center demand has triggered a sharp shortage of hard drives and SSDs, pushing prices up 150%‑300% across consumer and enterprise segments. A 2 TB Samsung SSD that cost $159 last fall now sells for $575, and 28‑30 TB...
Eight Sleep's New Pregnancy Mode Adjusts Your Bed Temperature So You Don't Have To
Eight Sleep has introduced Pregnancy Mode, an AI‑driven feature that automatically tweaks the Pod smart mattress temperature to match the shifting thermal needs of pregnant and postpartum users. The system leverages each user’s pre‑pregnancy baseline, menstrual data and due date...
Komatsu Launches PC9000-12 Mining Excavator with Electric Drive Option
Komatsu has launched the PC9000-12, the largest hydraulic mining excavator in its lineup, now offered worldwide with a diesel or fully electric drive option. The electric variant features two 1,700 kW motors and an operating weight of up to 896 tonnes. With...
This Samsung Dolby Atmos Soundbar Is Nearly 50% Off Right Now
Samsung’s flagship 2025 HW‑Q990F Dolby Atmos soundbar is now available on Woot for $887.99, a roughly 44% discount from its $1,597.99 list price. The 11.1.4‑channel system retains the HW‑Q990D’s footprint while adding a redesigned dual‑driver subwoofer and subtle aesthetic tweaks....
AI100 Finalist Interview: ChipAgents
ChipAgents, an AI 100 finalist, is building a dedicated AI infrastructure for semiconductor chip design. Its platform deploys coordinated multi‑agent systems that can read specifications, plan tasks, generate RTL code, create verification environments, and autonomously iterate designs. By automating the entire...
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026) Review: Vibrant Display, Lightweight Design, and an Endurance Champ
Lenovo’s 2026 Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition refreshes the ultrabook line with a feather‑weight 2.15 lb magnesium‑alloy chassis, a 14‑inch 2.8K POLED OLED display and a 75 WHr battery that delivers more than 16 hours of mixed‑use runtime. The model is powered by...
JSR to Build First Taiwan Photoresist Plant to Co-Develop Advanced Resists with TSMC — Multi-Million Dollar Plant Could Come Online...
JSR, which holds about 20% of the global photoresist market, announced a joint‑venture to build its first production plant in Taiwan, targeting an operational date as early as 2028. The multi‑million‑dollar facility will co‑develop advanced photoresists directly with TSMC, closing...
Chanani Launches New Venture to Develop EV Charging Hubs Across Southern California
Chanani Group has launched CM EV Services to develop electric‑vehicle charging hubs across Southern California. The venture partners with Motive Energy’s Sustainable Solutions division, which will act as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) provider for the initial sites. The first three...
China Silicon Wafers Push Boosts Eswin Capacity
China has set an informal mandate for domestic silicon wafer suppliers to meet 70% of the 12‑inch wafer demand by 2026, intensifying its push to localise the semiconductor stack amid AI‑driven demand and U.S. export controls. Xi’an‑based Eswin Material Technology...
Bose Brings Back Its ‘Lifestyle’ Branding With New Speakers for the Home
Audio giant Bose has revived its Lifestyle brand with the Ultra Speaker, Ultra Soundbar and Ultra Subwoofer, all wrapped in fabric‑grille designs. Priced at $299 for the speaker, $1,099 for the soundbar and $899 for the subwoofer, the line supports...
The Great Chip Divide: AI Chip War Pivots From Hype to Execution
Intel cleared a U.S. antitrust review for its investment in AI‑chip developer SambaNova, bolstering its generative‑AI roadmap. The chipmaker also hired former Qualcomm executive Alex Katouzian to run its client computing and physical AI group, signaling a push into edge‑AI...
Inland QN450 1TB SSD Review: Maximum Efficiency, Minimum Spend
Inland’s QN450 1 TB SSD delivers solid all‑around performance and class‑leading power efficiency at a budget‑friendly price of $194.99. The drive uses a Silicon Motion SM2268XT2 controller paired with Micron 232‑layer TLC flash, achieving up to 5,000 MB/s sequential reads and 4,000 MB/s...
Bose's New Lifestyle Home Audio Lineup Includes a Speaker, Soundbar and Subwoofer
Bose introduced the Lifestyle Collection, a three‑product home‑audio line featuring the Ultra Speaker, Ultra Soundbar and Ultra Subwoofer, all supporting Google Cast, AirPlay and Alexa+. The speaker offers a three‑driver array with up‑firing technology, while the soundbar provides 5.2‑channel output...
Bluetooth Controller Allows Smartphones to Be Used as Keys
Southco has launched the EA‑BT Bluetooth® Lock Controller, enabling smartphones and tablets to serve as virtual keys for its intelligent electronic locks. The controller operates via Bluetooth Low Energy and is managed through the cloud‑based VIZpin portal, allowing real‑time issuance...
Outstanding RTX 5080 Combo Bundle Saves You $1,385 on a Complete High-Spec PC Build — 64GB of RAM, 9850X3D, 2TB...
Newegg is offering a high‑end gaming PC bundle that includes an RTX 5080 GPU, Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU, 64 GB DDR5‑6400 RAM, a 2 TB Samsung 9100 PRO SSD, a premium Corsair case and an 850 W PSU for $2,849.98. The package represents a $1,385.95 discount off...
Europe Is Building a System without a Physical Foundation
Europe is pouring billions into AI, semiconductors and data centres, yet its hardware backbone—advanced printed‑circuit‑board (PCB) manufacturing—remains largely offshore. Vytautas Ilgūnas, chief commercial officer of TLT PCB, warns that without a domestic PCB supply chain, the region’s technological sovereignty is incomplete....
Nintendo Announces Nintendo Switch 2 with Pokemon Pokopia Bundle
Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch 2 alongside a Pokémon Pokopia bundle, slated for release on 5 June in Australia and New Zealand. The bundle pairs the next‑generation console with the new Pokopia title and is priced at AU$699 (about US$460). Nintendo positions the...
Interface‐Selective Charge Transport Enables Self‐Powered Vertical WSe2/Perovskite Photodetector Arrays
Researchers have demonstrated a vertical Au/WSe2/MAPbBrI2/ZnO/ITO heterojunction that operates as a self‑powered photodetector array at zero bias. By inserting a ZnO electron‑transport layer, the device suppresses dark current, enhances carrier separation, and stabilizes operation. The resulting array shows uniform pixel‑to‑pixel...
Physical AI Moves Into the Home Through Familiar
Former iRobot co‑founder Colin Angle has launched Familiar Machines, unveiling a robot called the Familiar that functions as an empathetic, dog‑like companion for the home. The device listens, watches, and responds to household rhythms, positioning itself as a non‑judgmental supporter...
Meteksan Unveils MILSAS Synthetic Aperture Sonar at SAHA EXPO 2026
Meteksan Defence unveiled its National Synthetic Aperture Sonar (MİLSAS) at the SAHA EXPO in Istanbul, showcasing a high‑resolution underwater imaging system. The NATO‑compliant sonar creates a synthetic wide aperture by merging multiple narrow‑aperture measurements, surpassing conventional sonar resolution limits. MİLSAS...
Former Macquarie Bankers Plan One of Australia’s Biggest Six-Hour Batteries with 4,800 MWh of Storage
Former Macquarie bankers, now operating as BLT Energy, have filed a planning application for the Red Gully battery, an 800 MW, six‑hour (4,800 MWh) storage system near Gingin, Western Australia. The project will begin with a $1 billion first stage delivering 400 MW and...
ARRI Lights the Way with New Omnibar IP65 LED Bars
ARRI unveiled the Omnibar 2 and Omnibar 4, battery‑powered LED bars designed for film, live events, and content creators. The fixtures deliver full‑spectrum light with CRI 98 and TLCI 98, and can be daisy‑chained up to 12 feet per chain or 24 feet across multiple hubs....
Tovion Unveils Passenger Trailer with Integrated Electric Drive
German startup Tovion showcased its eTrailer, a passenger‑car trailer equipped with a dedicated electric drive, at the E‑Cannonball and Formula E events. The system uses Schaeffler hub‑motors delivering up to 120 kW and a modular battery pack ranging from 25 kWh to 100 kWh,...
M&J Recycling Debuts P3000e, New Brand Identity at IFAT
M&J Recycling unveiled the P3000e preshredder at IFAT Munich 2026, featuring eDrive technology, UltraBoost and ReCapture, and promising up to 80% energy savings while keeping throughput stable. The machine is built for mixed material streams, offers a compact, service‑friendly design...
Build Fast, Pay Your Way: Washington’s AI Infrastructure Doctrine
In early 2026 Washington re‑defined data‑center projects as strategic AI infrastructure, pairing fast‑track permitting and federal land access with strict cost‑allocation rules. The Ratepayer Protection Pledge obligates Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI to finance new generation and...
Flyback Converter for E-Bike Chargers
Power Integrations has upgraded its TOPSwitch flyback converter with a gallium‑nitride (GaN) transistor, boosting the maximum output from 250 W to 450 W for e‑bike chargers. The new control algorithm flattens efficiency across the load range, losing only about 10% at very...
GIGABYTE Launches Z890 Plus Series Motherboards
GIGABYTE unveiled its Z890 PLUS series motherboards, built to exploit Intel's Core Ultra 200S Plus CPUs. The flagship Z890 AORUS ELITE PLUS promises up to 28% higher gaming and 35% better productivity performance versus 14th‑Gen Intel platforms. A new Ultra Turbo...
‘Panthalassa Has Opened the Ocean Frontier’: Thiel-Backed Startup Secures $140 Million to Deploy Floating AI Data Centers
Peter Thiel led a $140 million Series B round for Oregon‑based Panthalassa, a startup developing autonomous wave‑powered floating data centers for AI inference. The funding will finish a pilot manufacturing plant near Portland and accelerate deployment of the Ocean‑3 node series in...
ESD Alliance Outlook Spotlights Agentic AI in Chip Design
The Electronic System Design Alliance’s 2026 Executive Outlook, slated for June 10 in San Jose, will put agentic AI at the center of the semiconductor conversation. Hosted at Cadence Design Systems headquarters, the event gathers leading EDA firms and AI‑focused startups...
Colour Lidar Launch From Ouster
Ouster has introduced its Rev8 portfolio of OS digital LiDAR sensors, featuring the world’s first patented native colour LiDAR powered by the next‑generation L4 silicon architecture. The L4 chip delivers up to double the range and resolution of previous models,...
Surging Interest in Steam Deck Leads to 'Steam Controller' Buying Frenzy
Valve’s 2026 Steam Controller sold out within hours of its 2 AM KST launch, with no pre‑orders and a site crash due to traffic spikes. The $99 device, priced at roughly $130 in Korea and $120 in Japan, is now reselling...
ST Unveils 100W VIPerGaN Converters for Energy-Efficient Appliances
STMicroelectronics announced two new 100 W VIPerGaN high‑voltage converters—VIPerGaN100W and VIPerGaN100WB—targeting energy‑efficient appliances and consumer electronics. The devices handle 3.5 A and 4.2 A drain currents respectively, support a universal 85‑265 V AC input, and can deliver up to 125 W peak power. Built on...
Russia Develops New Jammer to Counter FPV Drone Attacks
Russia’s Rostec subsidiary Rosel unveiled SERP‑FPV, a vehicle‑mounted jammer that delivers 360‑degree, wideband suppression of first‑person‑view (FPV) drones. The system works across civilian and custom FPV frequencies, allowing immediate activation while the vehicle is in motion. Designed for armored convoys,...
Croma Bets on Health-Tech Push, Brings in Smart Rings, Partners Oura
India’s leading electronics retailer Croma, part of the Tata Group, announced a strategic push into health‑tech, adding smart rings to its portfolio and formalising a partnership with Finnish wellness brand Oura. The retailer aims to offer advanced wearables that provide...
The Next Phase of Europe’s Semiconductor Strategy
The EU is moving its semiconductor policy from a high‑profile fab push to a realistic, market‑driven approach. New analysis highlights the shift toward de‑risking without decoupling, focusing on application‑critical chips such as automotive, power and secure devices. At the same...
Hon Hai Sales Grow 30% With Expansion of AI Server Business
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., a principal Nvidia partner, posted April revenue of NT$832.1 billion (≈$26.3 billion), a 29.7% year‑over‑year increase, driven largely by its expanding AI server business. Analysts forecast a 30.4% revenue rise for the June quarter, and the company...
China's TCL in Talks with Local Companies to Sell 51% in Indian Plant
Chinese TV giant TCL Electronics is negotiating to sell a 51% stake in its Indian display‑manufacturing plant. The sale is priced at $600‑800 million (approximately ₹5,708‑₹7,611 crore). Potential Indian partners include Dixon Technologies, Epack Durable, Syrma SGS Technology, Amber Enterprises and Uno...
Sensys Gatso Deploys Gantry-Mounted Speed Cameras Across Sweden
Sensys Gatso Group has finished installing its gantry‑mounted Automated Traffic Control cameras on three high‑traffic Swedish roads, marking the first phase of a 12‑year nationwide safety programme. The gantry design provides a wider field of view and sharper images, enabling...
Memtest86 Download (Free Edition)
PassMark Software released MemTest86 version 11.7, focusing on broader Intel platform support and refined memory diagnostics. The update adds preliminary LPCAMM2 faulty‑die decoding for Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake chipsets, and extends ECC, timing, and decoding capabilities to Bartlett, Raptor and...
Electromagnetic Mouse Switches Gain Momentum as Keychron and Lunacy Join In
The mouse market is pivoting toward electromagnetic and sensor‑based switches as manufacturers move away from traditional mechanical microswitches. Keychron introduced the MagOpt switch, a hybrid that blends optical sensing with electromagnetic actuation, eliminating contact wear and offering adjustable actuation thresholds....
Macbook Air - 13" Or 15"?
An experienced Mac user is weighing a 13‑inch versus a 15‑inch MacBook Air, noting the 13‑inch feels comfortable and offers higher resolution. The price difference between the two Air models is about $200. A community answer recommends skipping the Air...
Research Bits: May 5
MIT and the MIT‑IBM Watson AI Lab unveiled a lightweight model that predicts the power draw of AI workloads on GPUs and accelerators with roughly 8% error, cutting estimation time from days to seconds. The tool incorporates software‑level optimizations and...
Sponsored: From Backup to Built-In: Designing Power Systems for Continuous AI Performance
AI workloads are turning power from a backup function into a core operating system in data centers. Traditional designs that prioritize standby generation struggle under continuous high‑density loads, leading to efficiency losses and reliability concerns. Operators are adopting adaptive, hybrid...
Team Group Expands DDR5 Lineup with New 8000 MT/S ELITE Kits
Team Group announced the expansion of its DDR5 desktop memory portfolio with ELITE PLUS and ELITE DDR5 kits rated at 8000 MT/s. The modules run at 1.1 V with CL56‑56‑56‑128 timings and meet JEDEC specifications, reducing reliance on extreme overclocking. They feature Same‑Bank...
Microchip Expands dsPIC33A Controllers for AI Data Center Power
Microchip has expanded its dsPIC33A family with the dsPIC33AK256MPS306 digital signal controller, targeting high‑density AI‑driven data‑center power, motor control and intelligent sensing. The part features a 200 MHz 32‑bit core, double‑precision FPU, 78 ps PWM, 40 MSPS 12‑bit ADCs and hardware‑accelerated post‑quantum cryptography....