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December 11
- Lam Research unveils Dextro, a maintenance robot for fabs➀ Lam Research unveils Dextro, a collaborative robot for fab maintenance; ➁ Dextro improves accuracy and efficiency in equipment maintenance; ➂ The cobot is designed to reduce errors and enhance productivity in semiconductor manufacturing.
- Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W uses AI to make infinite flower paintings on an e-ink display➀ The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W uses AI to create infinite flower paintings on an e-ink display; ➁ Maker Dylan has developed PaperPi AI, a digital e-ink picture frame; ➂ The project runs on Raspberry Pi OS and uses OnnxStream for AI generation.
December 10
- Windows 11 for Arm can run natively on specific Android smartphones — the test device heats up very fast, and battery life substantially decreases➀ Windows 11 on Arm runs on selected Android smartphones but experiences rapid heating and significant battery drain; ➁ Despite performance issues, it can perform certain tasks and run older games; ➂ The experience is facilitated by Windows on Arm development focused on Qualcomm Snapdragon chips, with limitations due to incomplete driver support.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang accused of $8 billion tax dodge by U.S. newspaper — his remaining family would be the beneficiaries of this estate tax avoidance➀ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is accused of tax evasion by the New York Times; ➁ The NYT estimates his family's estate tax bill could be reduced by $8 billion through legal tax avoidance strategies; ➂ These strategies include the use of irrevocable trusts, GRATs, and charitable foundations.
December 8
- TP-Link Deco BE5000 Wi-Fi 7 mesh router review: Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 for less than $300➀ The TP-Link Deco BE5000 offers an attractive price point of $299 but makes critical compromises like omitting the 6 GHz band and not including 5 Gbps LAN/WAN ports. ➁ Its design is compact and blends well with home decor, but setup requires the Deco app. ➂ Performance on the 5 GHz band is average, and MLO capabilities were not significantly impactful.
- NATO plans to deploy sea drones to monitor and protect undersea cables — Admiral expects drone fleet patrols to begin from June 2025➀ NATO plans to deploy sea drones to monitor and protect undersea cables; ➁ The project is expected to begin from June 2025; ➂ The aim is to enhance security and surveillance around Europe's major water bodies.
- Arctic uses a fan to cool another fan — S12038-4K 120mm fan adds an extra fan in its center to cool its central shaft➀ Arctic introduces the S12038-4K and S12038-8K server-grade cooling fans; ➁ The fans feature a unique design with seven additional blades for better cooling; ➂ The fans offer high static pressure and are energy-efficient.
- Valve preps mysterious 'Fremont' SteamOS device powered by AMD Ryzen processor — potential Steam Box may sport a Hawk Point CPU with Zen 4 and RDNA 3 graphics➀ Valve is reportedly testing a new SteamOS-based device called Fremont; ➁ The device may be the successor to the Steam Box, with hints of AMD's Ryzen processors and RDNA 3 graphics; ➂ The device's specifications and potential release date remain unclear.
December 7
- Broadcom unveils gigantic 3.5D XDSiP platform for AI XPUs — 6000mm² of stacked silicon with 12 HBM modules➀ Broadcom unveils its 3.5D XDSiP platform for AI and HPC processors; ➁ The platform utilizes TSMC's CoWoS and advanced packaging technologies; ➂ It allows for SiPs with up to 6000mm² of 3D-stacked silicon and 12 HBM modules, set to arrive in 2026.
- China fires back at Trump’s 10% tariff proposal with a 20% price cut on domestic products — Beijing's policy will negatively affect chipmakers, including Nvidia and Intel➀ China responds to Trump's 10% tariff proposal with a 20% price cut on domestic products; ➁ Beijing's policy may negatively impact chipmakers such as Nvidia and Intel; ➂ Chinese industry associations call for reduced reliance on American chips.
- Chinese companies are reportedly reluctant to adopt homegrown chips — domestic solutions are technologically too far behind➀ Despite U.S. sanctions and China's localization efforts, Chinese companies remain reluctant to adopt domestic chips; ➁ The reluctance stems from technological limitations, availability of reliable foreign alternatives, and lack of government requirements; ➂ AI and HPC sectors are particularly challenging, with limited access to advanced technologies and domestic alternatives struggling to compete.
December 6
- Jobs eviscerated at Chinese Arm chip design firm in wake of restrictions from TSMC — lack of access to 7nm node could cause 150 employees to be laid off➀ Hongjun Microelectronics, a Chinese server CPU designer, may lay off up to half of its workforce due to restrictions from TSMC on access to the 7nm node; ➁ The layoffs are a result of TSMC's decision to cut off Chinese semiconductor companies from its advanced nodes, which includes the 7nm to 2nm process; ➂ The situation highlights the challenges faced by Chinese chip designers in the wake of international trade tensions and export controls.
December 5
- Scientists develop the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery, offering a 5,000-year lifespan — the device uses radioactive decay to generate low power levels➀ Scientists have developed the world's first carbon-14 diamond battery; ➁ The battery has a potential lifespan of 5,000 years; ➂ The technology could power devices for thousands of years without replacement.
- Intel says Arc Xe4 Druid GPUs are already in the works — Software optimization is the only remaining step for Xe3 Celestial as it approaches launch with Panther Lake➀ Intel confirms the development of Arc Xe4 'Druid' GPUs; ➁ Software optimization is the last step for the upcoming Xe3 'Celestial' GPUs; ➂ Intel's hardware teams are working on next-generation Xe4 GPUs.
- The world's first Snapdragon X Elite mini-PC is in the works — Geekom teases new QS series mini-PCs with Snapdragon X Elite CPU➀ Geekom is reportedly preparing the QS series of mini-PCs with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip; ➁ This device will be the first Snapdragon X Elite mini-PC, as Qualcomm unexpectedly canceled the Snapdragon X Elite dev kit; ➂ The mini-PC's specifications, pricing, or additional information are not yet known.
- Exclusive AMD partner reportedly hops on Intel's Arc bandwagon — new Onix brand is seemingly affiliated with Sapphire➀ Onix Technology Limited is reportedly affiliated with Sapphire Technology Limited; ➁ Onix's new brand is seemingly associated with Sapphire; ➂ Sapphire may have chosen Intel Arc over Nvidia GPUs due to tight allocations.
December 3
- Two internet cables connecting Sweden and Finland suffered damage — one caused by construction, the other still under investigation➀ Two internet cables between Sweden and Finland suffered damage, one caused by construction and the other under investigation; ➁ The incident highlights the vulnerability of communications cables and the potential for global internet chaos; ➂ While the damage is not related to tensions between Russia and NATO, it raises concerns about cybersecurity and the importance of undersea cables.
- FSP Hydro G Pro 1000W ATX 3.0 PSU Review➀ The FSP Hydro G Pro 1000W ATX 3.0 PSU delivers strong performance and efficiency with high-quality components; ➁ It lacks cutting-edge innovation but offers reliability and competitive pricing; ➂ The PSU is well-suited for users seeking an affordable ATX 3.0-ready PSU.
- Samsung prepares to unveil 10th generation V-NAND with 400+ layers — ready to power future PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 SSDs➀ Samsung is preparing to unveil its 10th generation V-NAND with over 400 layers; ➁ The new 3D NAND will support PCIe 5.0 and potentially PCIe 6.0 SSDs; ➂ The 1Tb 3D TLC NAND has a storage density of 28 Gb/mm², slightly lower than the current world's densest non-volatile memory.
- TSMC engineer boasts of recent 6% boost to 2nm yields, passing 'billions in savings' to customers➀ TSMC is poised to begin mass production of 2nm-class semiconductors; ➁ The company has achieved a 6% increase in yield for test chips, saving billions for customers; ➂ TSMC's N2 process utilizes GAA nanosheet transistors, promising significant power reduction and performance boost.
December 2
- Get the most affordable RTX 4050 laptop for just $599 — The Acer Nitro V 15 plunges to an all-time low this Cyber Monday➀ The Acer Nitro V 15 is now available for $599 at Amazon, offering a powerful combination of i5-13420H and RTX 4050. ➁ The laptop features 8GB upgradeable memory, a 512GB SSD, and a 144 Hz panel. ➂ We recommend upgrading the RAM for an optimal gaming experience.
- WebScreen is a compact webcam-sized AMOLED second screen for those without the room or inclination to use multiple monitors➀ WebScreen is an open-source mini display project designed for those without the space or desire to use multiple monitors. ➁ It features an AMOLED display and a webcam-style mount. ➂ The device is compact and can be used to display notifications and stats without the need for a full second monitor.
- Seagate IronWolf Pro 14TB at all-time low $224 — less than $16 per terabyte, five-year warranty, three year free data recovery➀ Seagate IronWolf Pro 14TB NAS hard drive is at an all-time low price of $224 on Amazon; ➁ Offers 225 MB/s transfer speeds and a five-year warranty; ➂ Features Conventional Magnetic Recording (CMR) technology for improved stability.
- Score 10 terabytes of speedy storage for an all-time low $170 — Seagate BarraCuda Pro has five-year warranty, two years of free data recovery services, and exceptional performance➀ A 10TB Seagate BarraCuda Pro drive is available for $170, a significant discount; ➁ The drive comes with a five-year warranty and two years of free data recovery services; ➂ The drive offers exceptional performance and is a great deal for bulk storage.
December 1
- Linux AMD patch fixes glacial boot times for some Zen 1 and 2 computers — time saved ranges from seconds to multiple minutes➀ A Linux patch for AMD Zen 1 and Zen 2 systems addresses boot time issues; ➁ The problem stems from a change in Linux 6.11; ➂ The patch fixes the issue by flushing microcode updates from the CPU's memory buffer.
- Open-source OpenWrt One router released at $89 — 'hacker-friendly device' sports two Ethernet ports, three USB ports, with dual-band Wi-Fi 6➀ The OpenWrt One router has been released at a price of $89; ➁ The router is designed for hacking enthusiasts and features dual Ethernet ports, three USB ports, and dual-band Wi-Fi 6; ➂ OpenWrt One is built with open-source OpenWrt firmware pre-installed and is considered unbrickable.
- Intel Arc B580 GPU exposed by reviewer as Intel and AIBs subtly tease Battlemage's Dec 3 launch➀ Intel's Arc B580 GPU is set to debut; ➁ Intel has sent samples to reviewers; ➃ AIBs like Maxsun are teasing the launch.
November 30
- I put together a 4K gaming PC for $1,200 (or 2K for $1,000) using Black Friday hardware deals➀ A $1,200 4K gaming PC and a $1,000 2K gaming PC can be assembled with Black Friday hardware deals; ➁ The build includes an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D CPU, an ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT GPU, and a 2TB WD Black SN850X SSD; ➂ Deals are available on components like the Phanteks XT Pro Ultra case and MSI MAG A750BN power supply.
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X now 37% off for Black Friday — great performer for just $187➀ The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is on sale for 37% off; ➁ Offers great performance for gaming setups; ➂ Offers a cost-effective option for gamers focusing on GPUs.
November 29
- Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger visits Elon Musk’s Memphis data center, touts Xeon deployment — praises xAI team for building it “in such a short amount of time”➀ Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger visits Elon Musk’s Memphis data center and praises the deployment of Xeon processors; ➁ xAI team is commended for building the AI head node in a short amount of time; ➂ Intel’s financial struggles and its attempt to regain market share with Xeon chips are discussed.