PS5 Sales Reached Year Highs as Consumers Raced to Beat Sony’s Price Increases
PlayStation 5 hardware sales in the United States peaked in early April 2026, just before Sony’s announced price hikes. Sony lifted the base PS5 price by $100 and the new PS5 Pro by $150, pushing the Pro’s retail tag to $900. Circana data showed weekly unit and dollar sales hitting a year‑high, while spending on video‑game hardware nearly doubled year‑over‑year. Analysts say the higher price floor is reshaping the console market toward wealthier consumers.
Microchip DSC Family Designed for High-Density AI Data Center Power, Intelligent Sensing
Microchip Technology has added the dsPIC33AK256MPS306 to its dsPIC33A digital signal controller family. The new DSC combines a 200 MHz 32‑bit core with a double‑precision FPU, 78 ps PWM, 40 MSPS 12‑bit ADCs, high‑speed comparators and DACs, and hardware security for post‑quantum cryptography....
Honor Launches Yoyo Claw to Position PCs as AI Partners
Honor introduced Yoyo Claw, an on‑device OpenClaw AI agent built into its MagicBook notebook line, after a closed beta that began on March 27. The software ships with five core agents and 23 sub‑agents covering education, work, research, content creation and general...
Silanna UV Adds TO-39 Flat-Window Package to SF1 and SN3 Series of UV-C LEDs
Silanna UV of Brisbane has introduced a TO‑39 flat‑window package for its SF1 (235 nm far‑UVC) and SN3 (255 nm deep‑UVC) LED series. The new low‑profile design lets engineers attach custom secondary optics, improving beam control and reducing system size. Both series...
Sony Expands Gaming Gear Range
Sony announced an expansion of its INZONE gaming line, introducing the ultra‑light INZONE H6 Air headset, new Fnatic‑branded mouse and mousepads, and the Glass Purple edition of INZONE Buds. The H6 Air features an open‑back acoustic design, custom drivers, a...
BE Introduces AMX Transmitter for AM
Broadcast Electronics (BE), now under new ownership, announced the AMX, a next‑generation 5 kW AM transmitter. The five‑rack‑unit chassis boasts ultra‑high efficiency thanks to silicon‑carbide MOSFET amplifiers, a modular design, and a reduced footprint that can be shipped via UPS or...
Lawo and swXtch.io Enter MoU on Multicast IP Networking
Lawo and swXtch.io have signed a memorandum of understanding to embed swXtch.io’s groundSwXtch software‑defined multicast overlay into Lawo’s HOME ecosystem. The integration enables high‑performance multicast IP networking across hybrid cloud and on‑premise environments, delivering greater flexibility, scalability and low‑latency media...
Blog Review: Apr. 15
Semiconductor Engineering’s April 15 blog review aggregates fresh technical commentary from leading EDA, foundry and chip companies. Highlights include Cadence’s eUSB2‑V2 delivering multi‑gigabit USB 2.0, Intel’s ultra‑thin GaN‑on‑silicon chiplet that fuses power and logic, and Siemens’ push for high‑level synthesis in AI‑chip...
AI Growing Impact On Chip Design And EDA Tools
A panel of senior engineers from Synopsys, Intel, AMD, Nvidia, Microsoft and UC Berkeley discussed how AI is reshaping chip design and the tools that support it. They highlighted the surge in data‑center AI workloads that demand ever‑higher performance‑per‑watt, forcing EDA...
The Hidden Menace Behind Big Tech’s AI Arms Race: Meta, Amazon, and Others Are Spending Billions on Hardware That’s Worthless...
The AI arms race has driven hyperscalers to pour $650 billion into data‑center hardware, a level equal to about 2 % of U.S. GDP. Research Affiliates warns that GPUs and specialized chips become economically obsolete in roughly three years, far shorter than...
Dell Pro 24 Plus P2425DE Monitor Review: Compact, Sharp and Well-Connected
Dell’s new Pro 24 Plus P2425DE monitor blends a compact 23.8‑in QHD IPS panel with a sleek matte‑silver chassis, making it ideal for tight workspaces. It offers a 100 Hz refresh rate, 5 ms response time, and bright, color‑accurate output that rivals...
Xiaomi Unveils 4K Dual Hz Monitor with QD Mini LED Technology
Xiaomi introduced a 31.5‑inch 4K monitor that can toggle between 160 Hz at native 4K and 320 Hz in Full HD mode, delivering both high‑detail and high‑speed performance. The display uses a quantum‑dot Mini‑LED backlight with 1,152 dimming zones, achieving 1,600 cd/m² peak brightness...
Samsung Debuts T7 and T9 microSD Cards, Simplifies Storage Branding
Samsung is revamping its removable storage lineup by retiring the EVO Plus, PRO Plus and PRO Ultimate names and launching two new families: the T‑series and the upcoming P‑series. The T7 microSD card, aimed at mainstream users, offers capacities from 128 GB to 1 TB...
EPOMAKER LUMA100 Low Profile Aluminum Keyboard Launches with Tri Mode
EPOMAKER has launched its LUMA100 low‑profile mechanical keyboard in China, extending the product that was previously sold internationally. The 96% compact keyboard features an aluminum chassis, gasket‑mount construction and acoustic dampening, and is priced at about $91. It offers tri‑mode...
Mova Unveils All-in-One Plug-In Solar and Storage Solutions
Chinese appliance maker Mova has entered the residential solar‑plus‑storage market with its LumeGret A2000 and A4000 all‑in‑one units. The A4000 provides a 4 kWh LFP battery, expandable to 20 kWh, and a 2.5 kW inverter, while the A2000 starts at 1.92 kWh and adds...
Thermalright Trofeo Vision 9.16 LCD Adds Magnetic PC Status Display
Thermalright has launched the Trofeo Vision 9.16 LCD, a 9.16‑inch IPS panel with a 1920 × 480 resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate for PC case monitoring. The unit features a magnetic mounting system that attaches directly to metal surfaces, eliminating the need for screws...
Technetix Revenues Surge on North American Network Upgrades
Technetix announced a 54% year‑on‑year revenue surge to $112.4 million in 2025, propelled by massive network upgrades across the Americas. U.S. and Canadian Tier‑1 operators adopted its 1.8 GHz technology, lifting regional revenue 156% to $68.9 million. Gross profit rose 49% to $30.6 million...
YMTC Expands Memory Production with New Fabs and DRAM Plans
Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) is adding two new fabs to double its output from roughly 200,000 to 400,000 wafers per month. The third plant in Wuhan will start later this year and ramp to about 50,000 wafers monthly by 2027....
NVIDIA Warranty Costs Spiked in 2025 as GPU Claims Rose
NVIDIA's warranty expenses surged dramatically in 2025, climbing to $894 million from $81 million a year earlier. The claim rate rose from 0.17% in Q1 to 0.9% by Q4, prompting a jump in warranty reserves to $2.59 billion. AMD also saw higher warranty...
Hexagon Upgrades PULSE, Advancing Real-Time Environmental Monitoring
Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division launched an upgraded version of its PULSE real‑time environmental monitoring system for coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). The new hardware and platform extend sensing beyond the machine to track temperature, humidity, vibration, shock and probe deflection, giving...
Nokia, Blaize Target AI Inference Gap in APAC
Nokia and AI‑chip designer Blaise are expanding their earlier MoU into a joint effort to build a reference architecture that streamlines hybrid AI inference across edge, cloud and data‑center environments in the Asia‑Pacific region. The collaboration will use Nokia’s Innovation...
Why “Fast WiFi” Isn’t Enough – The Real Challenge in Industrial Networks
A recent client upgrade to Wi‑Fi 6 revealed that speed alone does not solve connectivity drops in mobile industrial environments. The core issue is maintaining seamless connections during rapid handovers as autonomous vehicles, robots, and handhelds move across coverage zones. WallysTech’s...
AI-Driven Chip Shortage Slowing Efforts to Get World Online: GSMA
GSMA warns that the AI‑driven memory chip shortage is inflating smartphone prices and curbing production of low‑end devices, slowing efforts to connect the 2.2 billion unconnected people worldwide. Chipmakers are prioritising high‑bandwidth chips for AI data centres, leaving fewer affordable chips...
From ‘Refrigerators in the Desert’ to Resilient, Thermally Passive BESS Assets
Battery energy storage systems today rely on lithium‑ion cells that need active thermal management, adding capital, complexity, and up to 15 MWh of auxiliary electricity per MWh of storage each year. Emerging chemistries such as sodium‑ion, solid‑state lithium, and zinc‑ion can...
FARO CREAFORM Cuts Laser Line Probe Time to Data on Challenging Surfaces
FARO CREAFORM has released a software update for its Laser Line Probe (LLP) portfolio used with the Quantum X and Quantum Max FaroArm series. The new DTEX‑based image‑processing algorithms improve scan consistency and slash time‑to‑data by up to 60 % on dark, reflective...
Optimize Pulse Mode RF Performance with New MEAN WELL Power Solutions
MEAN WELL introduced the NCP-3200-CDI, a 3.2 kW, 48 V AC/DC power supply engineered for pulse‑mode RF and radar systems. The unit features active droop compensation and high‑speed bulk‑capacitor support, delivering up to 110 A peak current with controlled recharge. Designed to eliminate...
Spectrum Analyzer Fundamentals – Theory and Operation of Modern Spectrum Analyzers Primer
Rohde & Schwarz USA released a technical primer on April 15, 2026 that explains the theory and operation of modern spectrum analyzers. The white paper details the architecture of state‑of‑the‑art analyzers, including superheterodyne and FFT‑based designs, and outlines key performance...
Using Multiple 1-Port VNAs for Ultra-Fast Parallel Reflection Measurements
Copper Mountain Technologies proposes a parallel measurement scheme that links multiple 1‑port vector network analyzers (VNAs) to capture reflection data simultaneously. Traditional multi‑port VNAs acquire full S‑parameters sequentially, which is unnecessary for many test scenarios that only need S11. By...
Precision Additive Manufacturing for RF and Millimeter-Wave Applications
Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) has released a white paper showing how micro‑precision additive manufacturing is reshaping RF and millimeter‑wave component production. The process enables monolithic structures that operate up to 270 GHz, delivering lighter weight, higher design complexity and superior performance...
USB Powered, Two-Port VNA: A Powerful and Portable Test Tool
A new USB‑powered, two‑port vector network analyzer (VNA) brings laboratory‑grade performance to a truly portable device. Leveraging the latest integrated circuits and circuit designs, the instrument delivers full S‑parameter measurements across a broad GHz frequency range without requiring an external...
Lexicon of Balun & Transformer Configurations
Mini‑Circuits has released a new white paper titled “Lexicon of Balun & Transformer Configurations,” aimed at RF engineers and system designers. The document, distributed through Microwave Journal, catalogues the most common balun and transformer topologies, explains their functional roles, and...
Mixer Technology For Advanced Communications, Part 1: Mixer Basics
Cadence Design Systems released a white‑paper titled “Mixer Technology For Advanced Communications, Part 1: Mixer Basics,” highlighting the growing importance of mixers as 5G matures and 6G looms. The ebook examines how mixer performance influences RF front‑end behavior, covering frequency translation,...
CPU Microarchitecture Thread
The forum thread dives into several nuanced CPU micro‑architecture topics. It confirms that AVX‑512 is an x86‑only SIMD extension, while ARM relies on NEON, SVE and SVE2 for similar workloads. Participants explain why Apple’s performance‑core (P‑core) designs omit simultaneous multithreading,...
MikroTik CRS418-8P-8G-2S+5axQ2axQ-RM Review The All-in-One PoE Switch Router with WiFi 6
MikroTik’s CRS418‑8P‑8G‑2S+5axQ2axQ‑RM combines a 16‑port Gigabit switch, PoE+ on eight ports, and two native 10 GbE SFP+ uplinks with an integrated Qualcomm ARM CPU and dual‑band Wi‑Fi 6 (4×4 MIMO). The device retains the Marvell Prestera ASIC of the standard CRS418 while adding...
Sky Launches Sky Smart Home
Sky has entered the smart‑home market with Sky Smart Home, a bundled service that combines its Smart Doorbell, Chime and an optional indoor camera under a single app. Pricing starts at £5 (~$6.40) per month, with a £15 (~$19.20) upfront fee for...
Korean AI Chip Startup DEEPX, Hyundai Work on Robots Powered by Generative AI
Korean AI‑chip startup DEEPX is deepening its partnership with Hyundai Motor Group to supply its second‑generation DX‑M2 neural processing units for generative‑AI‑powered robots. The chips, built on Samsung’s cutting‑edge 2‑nanometer process, promise dramatically lower power draw—up to 20 times more efficient...
CRDO Rises on Its $750M DustPhotonics Deal for Silicon Photonics
Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (CRDO) announced a $750 million cash‑plus‑stock acquisition of DustPhotonics, a silicon‑photonic integrated‑circuit specialist. DustPhotonics’ chips span 400 Gbps to 1.6 Tbps with a roadmap to 3.2 Tbps, targeting AI‑driven data‑center workloads. The deal creates a vertically integrated connectivity stack...
Earbuds with Tiny Cameras Enable Users to Chat with AI About Their Surroundings
A startup has unveiled earbuds that hide a sub‑millimeter camera, streaming live video to an on‑device AI assistant. Users can ask the AI to describe objects, read signs, or provide contextual information about their environment, all via voice. The device...
Cisco Reinstates Compute Deal Registration; Partners Cheer Reversal
Cisco announced it will reinstate compute deal registration for its Unified Computing portfolio effective April 15, reversing a February policy change that eliminated the program. The move follows intense backlash from channel partners who reported margin erosion and loss of...
I Love Sony's New Bluetooth Turntable, so Why Do I Feel so Conflicted Using It
Sony’s new PS‑LX5BT Bluetooth turntable blends a traditional belt‑drive design with modern features such as aptX Adaptive high‑resolution wireless audio, USB digitization, and an all‑metal chassis. The reviewer praises its impressive sound quality and easy setup but notes the lack...
Printed MoS2 Memristive Nanosheet Networks for Spiking Neurons with Multi-Order Complexity
Researchers at Northwestern University have aerosol‑jet printed graphene/MoS₂/graphene memristive networks that exhibit snap‑back negative differential resistance and volatile threshold switching. The printed devices operate on flexible substrates, delivering oscillatory neuron circuits with tunable spiking frequencies up to 20 kHz and surviving...
A Garmin Trademark Filing Hints at a New Whoop-Like Wearable
Garmin has filed a U.S. trademark for a new screen‑free wearable named Cirqa, positioning it as a recovery‑focused health band that streams data to a companion app. The filing describes the device as a non‑medical sensor that monitors bio‑signals, stress...
FCC Just Handed Netgear a De Facto Router Monopoly in the US
The FCC granted Netgear conditional approval that lifts the ban on foreign‑made consumer routers, effectively giving it a de facto monopoly on new router sales and servicing in the United States until October 1 2027. The approval covers Netgear’s Nighthawk and Orbi mesh...
Wisycom Expands MPR60 With New Multichannel IFB Mode
Wisycom announced a firmware upgrade for its MPR60 Wideband IEM/IFB receiver that adds a multichannel IFB mode, allowing up to three audio channels on a single 200 kHz carrier. The enhancement enables 60 IFB channels within an 8 MHz TV band or...
Exclusive: Intel Tells Staff It Will Disclose Scope Of Work With Elon Musk In ‘Coming Weeks’
Intel CEO Lip‑Bu Tan told employees that the company will soon reveal the scope of its partnership with Elon Musk’s ambitious "Terafab" chip‑fab project. The memo describes the alliance with SpaceX, xAI and Tesla as a strategic move to supply...
KEENON Robotics Showcased Autonomous Cleaning Innovation at Interclean Amsterdam 2026
KEENON Robotics unveiled its autonomous cleaning fleet at Interclean Amsterdam 2026, targeting facility‑management firms grappling with labor shortages and rising operational complexity. The showcase highlighted AI‑driven Patrol Inspection, which lets robots detect debris, switch cleaning modes and reroute in real...
Onward Robotics Showcases Innovative Fulfillment Orchestration Platform With Live Demonstrations at MODEX 2026
Onward Robotics unveiled its Pyxis Suite fulfillment orchestration platform and next‑generation Lumabot autonomous mobile robots at MODEX 2026. The live demo highlighted Meet Me, a person‑to‑goods system that synchronizes workers, robots, and workflows in real time via Pyxis Conductor and wearable Pyxis...
SES and Boeing Move Toward Factory-Installed Multi-Orbit Inflight Connectivity
SES and Boeing have agreed to integrate SES’s multi‑orbit inflight connectivity hardware into aircraft production, starting with Boeing 737s and later 787s, moving away from retrofit installations. The hardware will become fully line‑fit by 2028 after an initial phase that...
Ionna Is Teaming Up With Circle K To Boost Its EV Charging Network
Ionna, a consortium of eight automakers, announced a partnership with convenience‑store chain Circle K to install high‑powered EV chargers at more than 350 locations across the United States. The deal also transfers Circle K’s existing network of 378 charging ports at 93...
Meta Partners With Broadcom to Co-Develop Custom AI Silicon
Meta announced an expanded partnership with Broadcom to co‑develop several generations of its Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA) chips. The collaboration will span chip design, advanced packaging and high‑bandwidth Ethernet networking, targeting an initial rollout of more than 1 GW...