Anchor Audio Launches Beacon 3
Anchor Audio unveiled the Beacon 3, the latest portable sound system in its Beacon line, aimed at schools, sports venues, events, and public‑safety applications. The new model offers enhanced sound clarity, a rugged build, Bluetooth streaming and up to four wireless microphones in the Pro configuration. Its collapsible, nested form factor lets the unit pack into its own base for easy transport. Beacon 3 ships in Basic and Pro versions and integrates with Anchor Audio’s Series 3 ecosystem for scalable audio coverage.
The AirPods Are Tim Cook’s Most Underrated Achievement
Apple’s AirPods, launched in 2016, transformed the true‑wireless earbud market and cemented Apple as a leading audio brand. The first‑generation model sold 14‑16 million units in 2017, with sales climbing each year, while later versions added noise‑cancelling, health sensors and spatial...
Huawei Just Beat Apple and Samsung to a New Foldable Format in China
Huawei unveiled the Pura X Max, a book‑style wide‑foldable smartphone now available for preorder in China. The device features a 5.4‑inch outer OLED screen and a 7.7‑inch inner OLED panel, both with adaptive 1‑120 Hz refresh rates, and is powered by...
Sobeys Invests $51M in Digital Price Tag Tech
Canadian grocery chain Sobeys is committing $51 million to install electronic shelf‑label (ESL) technology across roughly 300‑350 stores. The rollout, partnered with JRTech Solutions and Pricer AB, will feature multicolor labels and related infrastructure, with an 18‑month deployment slated to start in...
The Story of NASA’s Troubled Spacesuits…
NASA’s April 2026 OIG audit confirms the International Space Station still depends on the 1970s‑era Extravehicular Mobility Unit, with 203 spacewalks logged through March 2026. After years of in‑house development, NASA moved to the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) model,...
Not Hype, the Compute Shortage Is Real
Chinese A‑share computing‑power leasing stocks surged in mid‑April, with several firms hitting daily limit‑up as AI demand outpaces chip supply. Token consumption on platforms like OpenRouter jumped 7‑8× year‑over‑year, pushing daily usage past 140 trillion, while high‑end GPU rentals rose 40%...
The Mac Is in Good Hands in Apple’s Post-Cook Era
Apple’s Mac line, once hampered by butterfly keyboards, USB‑C transitions, and underwhelming Intel chips, entered a renaissance with the 2020 shift to Apple Silicon. The new chips delivered dramatic gains in performance, efficiency and battery life, repositioning the Mac as...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
Tenaska, TVA Sign Agreement for 225 MW Battery Project in Tennessee
Tenaska's Bobwhite Energy Storage, a 225 MW/900 MWh battery project, has signed a 20‑year agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Construction is slated for 2027 with commercial operation expected by late 2029, bringing a $300 million investment to Hawkins County. The deal raises...
Tesla Submits Plans for First Robotaxi-Only Supercharger Stations
Tesla filed permits for two private V4 Supercharger stations in Chandler and Mesa, Arizona, dedicated exclusively to its Robotaxi fleet. The Chandler site will host 56 stalls, while a second location in Mesa adds additional capacity, and neither will be...
This Samsung Soundbar With Dolby Atmos Is Now $350 Off
Samsung’s HW‑Q800F 5.1.2‑channel soundbar is now priced at $749.99 on Amazon, a drop of more than 30% from its $1,099.99 list price. The unit delivers wireless Dolby Atmos, a dedicated subwoofer, HDMI 4K 60 Hz passthrough, and Samsung’s Q‑Symphony TV‑soundbar integration. It...
What New Roku TVs and Roku Players Are Coming in 2026? Here Is What We Know
Roku is expected to refresh its streaming hardware in 2026, with the most likely candidates being a new Streaming Stick 4K that could add Dolby Vision support and an updated Roku Ultra box. Both products typically see a fall‑season refresh,...
Siemens and OnLogic Partner to Bring Industrial Edge to the Harshest Environments
Siemens and OnLogic have formed a strategic partnership to extend the Siemens Industrial Edge platform onto OnLogic’s fanless, ruggedized edge computers, enabling deployment in extreme environments such as mines and energy sites. The collaboration combines Siemens’ automation software with OnLogic’s...
Modular DAQ System Supports GPS and PTP Synchronization
B&K Precision has launched the DAS1820, a portable high‑speed data acquisition system that uses a dual‑slot modular architecture compatible with its D18 plug‑and‑play ecosystem. It can sample up to 1 MSa/s per channel across eight channels, handle ±1500 VDC/1000 Vrms with CAT III/IV safety...
Chipolo and Secrid Team up for a New Trackable Wallet
Chipolo has partnered with Dutch wallet maker Secrid to launch the Chipolo x Secrid Miniwallet Trackable, a slim RFID‑blocking wallet that houses Chipolo’s Card‑sized Bluetooth tracker. The tracker sits on the wallet’s back with an external Find button, and its speaker is...
Report: Utilization of Kubernetes Infrastructure Remains Abysmal
CAST AI’s 2026 State of Kubernetes Optimization Report reveals that average CPU utilization across tens of thousands of cloud‑based Kubernetes clusters dropped to 8% in 2025, with memory at 20% and GPUs languishing at 5%. Over‑provisioning has worsened, with CPU...
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Review: More Cache, More Cash
AMD unveiled the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, the first dual‑3D V‑Cache CPU, packing 192 MB of L3 cache across both CCDs. Priced at $899 MSRP, it targets enthusiasts seeking niche performance gains, delivering roughly 4% faster multi‑threaded results and double‑digit improvements in specialized workloads. The...
Can ‘Grid-Responsive’ Data Centers Help Unlock More Capacity?
Data centers, now consuming up to 2% of U.S. electricity, are being re‑engineered to become grid‑responsive, allowing them to shift compute loads in response to real‑time grid conditions. Utilities leveraging advanced analytics can pinpoint constraints over a 10‑year horizon, using...
DEEPX and Hyundai Motor Group Robotics LAB Partner to Develop Next-Generation Physical AI Compute Platform for Robotics
DEEPX and Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics LAB announced a strategic partnership to co‑develop a Physical AI computing platform for next‑generation robots. The effort centers on DEEPX’s DX‑M2 ultra‑low‑power chip, designed to run large generative AI models in real time on...
First AI Driverless Trucks Deployed to Tackle Hong Kong Port Labour Shortage
Hutchison Port Holdings Trust has introduced Hong Kong’s first AI‑powered driverless trucks, deploying six electric autonomous vehicles at Kwai Tsing Container Terminal 4. Since their January launch, the fleet has moved over 8,000 containers, helping alleviate a chronic shortage of commercial‑vehicle drivers. The...
Scientists Sculpt Einstein Onto a Crystal Using only Light
Researchers at XPANCEO, together with Nobel laureate Konstantin Novoselov, demonstrated that the van der Waals semiconductor arsenic trisulfide (As₂S₃) can be permanently reshaped using only continuous‑wave light. The crystal exhibits an unprecedented photorefractive index shift of up to Δn≈0.3 under low‑intensity UV exposure,...
New SMA Pigtail Assemblies on 0.085-In. Conformable Cable From Amphenol RF
Amphenol RF has added a 0.085‑in. conformable cable to its SMA‑to‑unterminated pigtail assembly line. The new assemblies let engineers terminate the cable with any connector or terminator, delivering greater design flexibility. Rated to 18 GHz, the units feature a stainless‑steel gold‑plated...