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August 20
- Phison takes legal action over falsified 'leaked' document on Windows SSD issues — says it continues to investigate reports of problems
➀ Phison confirmed investigations into Windows 11 security updates causing SSD failures, clarifying its controllers are not the sole cause;
➁ The company refuted a falsified document circulated among customers, asserting it was neither official nor unofficial;
➂ Legal actions are underway to address the fake document, which falsely listed affected SSD controller models and claimed ties to Phison.
- Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X to launch October 16 — co-branded handhelds sport new CPUs, game-friendly Windows tweaks, but pricing is still unknown
➀ Asus and Microsoft’s co-branded ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handhelds will launch globally on October 16, featuring AMD's Ryzen Z2 processors and upgradeable SSDs.
➁ The devices run a customized Windows 11 with Xbox-friendly controls but lack native Xbox game support, focusing solely on PC titles.
➂ Pricing remains unannounced, with European leaks hinting at €599–€899 ranges, while Asus prepares playable demos at Gamescom including Gears of War: Reloaded and Final Fantasy VII: Remake Intergrade.
- Aura Triple Aero 15.6 Pro Max portable monitor review: 43 inches of real estate spread across three displays
➀ The Aura Triple Aero 15.6 Pro Max combines three 15.6-inch 1080p IPS panels into a 43-inch portable workstation with aluminum construction and unified OSD controls.
➁ Despite its innovative design, the monitor faces issues like unstable lowest height adjustment, 30% lower real-world brightness (244 nits vs claimed 350 nits), and heavy 7-pound weight limiting portability.
➂ With 85.4% DCI-P3 color coverage and $599 price tag, it targets productivity users needing extreme screen space but faces competition from cheaper dual-screen alternatives like Limink LK14 ($299).
- White House confirms talks to acquire 10% stake in Intel — 'We should get an equity stake for our money'
➀ The U.S. government plans to convert $7.86 billion CHIPS Act grants into a 10% equity stake in Intel, aiming to secure taxpayer returns;
➀ Commerce Secretary emphasized domestic chip production for national security, citing Taiwan's geopolitical risks;
➂ Intel faces operational challenges, including CEO controversies and delayed Ohio factory construction, while experts warn of 'corporate statism' risks.
- Score an RTX 5070 for just £479 and get a free 1TB SSD in Amazon's Gaming Week sale — blowout includes up to 69% off Logitech, Razer, and more
➀ Amazon UK's Gaming Week sale offers up to 69% off on gaming peripherals like Logitech and Razer, with standout deals on GPUs;
➁ The NVIDIA RTX 5070 (MSI Shadow 2X) is priced at £479, bundled with a free 1TB MSI Spatium M470 Pro SSD, offering exceptional value;
➂ Budget-friendly RTX 5060 8GB at £249 includes the same SSD, while other deals feature discounted SSDs, RAM, and gaming mice.
- Asus' latest OLED gaming monitor can hit 720 Hz at HD resolution — dual refresh modes also allow 540 Hz at QHD
➀ Asus announced three OLED gaming monitors at Gamescom: ROG Swift OLED PG27AQWP-W and ROG Strix OLED XG27AQWMG with Tandem OLED tech (15% brighter, 25% wider color), plus the refreshed XG27AQDMG Gen 2;
➁ Flagship PG27AQWP-W achieves 720Hz at HD or 540Hz at QHD, with 0.03ms response time and semi-transparent back panel;
➂ All models feature Neo Proximity Sensor for burn-in prevention, but pricing remains undisclosed.
- 95% of generative AI implementations in enterprise 'have no measurable impact on P&L', says MIT — flawed integration key reason why AI projects underperform
➀ MIT study reveals 95% of enterprise generative AI pilots fail to measurably impact P&L, primarily due to poor integration with existing workflows.
➁ Successful AI implementations focus on back-office automation rather than sales/marketing, yet over 50% of budgets target the latter.
➂ Workforce impacts loom as companies avoid replacing vacant entry-level roles in customer support and administration, signaling potential AI-driven job displacement.
- Microsoft’s August 2025 security updates are breaking recovery tools on Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs
➀ Microsoft's August 2025 security updates break system recovery tools on Windows 10/11, affecting Reset This PC and RemoteWipe features；
➁ Failed resets roll back silently without data loss, but leave recovery functions unusable；
➂ An additional SSD vanishing bug during large file transfers is under investigation, with fixes pending.
August 19
- Researcher downloaded the data of all 270,000 Intel employees from an internal business card website — massive data breach dubbed 'Intel Outside' didn't qualify for bug bounty
➀ A security researcher exploited vulnerabilities in Intel's internal websites, accessing sensitive data of 270,000 employees, including names, roles, and contact information.
➁ Four Intel websites, including an internal business card portal and supplier system, had critical flaws like hardcoded credentials and authentication bypasses.
➂ Intel patched the vulnerabilities by February 2025 but rejected the researcher's bug bounty claim, offering only automated responses during disclosure.
- Arm hires Amazon's AI chip developer, ostensibly to help create its own processors — Rami Sinno returns to the company, boasts Trainium and Inferentia on resume
➀ Arm hires Amazon's AI chip developer Rami Sinno to accelerate its in-house processor development, leveraging his expertise in Trainium and Inferentia;
➁ Arm shifts from chip design royalties to hardware manufacturing, with plans for chiplets and AI data center processors;
➂ CEO Rene Haas targets 50% market share in data center CPUs by 2025, capitalizing on booming AI infrastructure demand.
- SoftBank to buy $2 billion in Intel shares at $23 each — firm still owns majority share of Arm
➀ SoftBank announced a $2 billion investment in Intel shares at $23 each, providing critical capital for the chipmaker.
➁ The deal aims to strengthen collaboration in U.S.-based semiconductor innovation, aligning with Intel's efforts to regain leadership in advanced manufacturing.
➂ SoftBank's move combines financial opportunity (undervalued Intel assets) and strategic goals, securing access to cutting-edge chip production for AI and Arm-related ventures.
August 18
- China mandates domestic firms source 50% of chips from Chinese producers — Beijing continues to squeeze companies over reliance on foreign semiconductors
➀ China mandates domestic data centers to source over 50% of chips from local producers to reduce foreign reliance.
➁ U.S. firms like NVIDIA and AMD face export restrictions, limiting Chinese access to advanced AI training GPUs.
➂ Domestic chip adoption may slow AI innovation due to inferior hardware and software compatibility challenges with ecosystems like CUDA.
- Nvidia’s ungainly prototype 6-legged power adapter shown in new video — fabled RTX Titan Ada was allegedly supposed to come with dual 12VHPWR connectors that needed 6x 8-pin PCIe plugs
➀ NVIDIA's unreleased RTX Titan Ada prototype features dual 12VHPWR connectors and a massive 6x8-pin power adapter, revealed by YouTuber der8auer;
➁ Despite lacking load balancing and safety features, the card can technically handle up to 1200W but was limited to 600W in testing;
➂ The adapter's 2022 manufacturing date suggests NVIDIA had seriously considered launching this design before shifting focus to RTX 5090's 12V-2x6 standard.
- Raspberry Pi releases smaller five-inch Touch Display 2 — lower in price, same resolution as larger model
➀ Raspberry Pi launches a 5-inch Touch Display 2 at $40, matching the 720×1280 resolution of its pricier 7-inch counterpart;
➁ The display retains multi-touch functionality and compatibility with most Pi models (excluding Zero/Pico), but GPIO power connection limits HAT accessory usage;
➂ Designed for embedded applications like point-of-sale systems or home automation, emphasizing durability in enclosed installations.
August 17
- Is Wi-Fi bad for the environment? Eye-catching London ad suggests our digital habits are ‘damaging the climate’
➀ A controversial University of East London ad links screen time to climate damage through data center emissions, rather than Wi-Fi itself;
➁ The campaign emphasizes the environmental impact of social media-driven data centers, advocating for sustainable infrastructure research;
➂ Critics warn the ad risks misinterpretation by conspiracy theorists, despite its intent to provoke climate awareness.
- Asus ROG’s lavish RTX 5090 Dhahab Edition surfaces at a UAE retailer which offers worldwide shipping — currently discounted 11%, to $9,205
➀ Asus' 24K gold-clad RTX 5090/5080 Dhahab GPUs surface at UAE retailer Microless with global shipping, priced at $9,205 (11% off) and $2,589 respectively;
➀ The 5090's golden design features Middle Eastern motifs like camels and Arabic calligraphy, with $700 worth of gold coating justifying its premium;
➀ Despite matching standard ROG Astral specs, Dhahab models command 159% price premium over base RTX 5080 models now selling at MSRP.
- DIYer creates ‘RTX 5090 countermeasures’ with cabling spaghetti to mitigate 16-pin meltdowns — system automatically shuts down when the overcurrent protection is triggered
➀ A PC enthusiast built a DIY "RTX 5090 Countermeasures" system using industrial-grade current sensors and PLCs to prevent GPU power connector meltdowns by triggering automatic PSU shutdown;
➁ The improvised solution, involving Corsair PSUs and Mitsubishi components, highlights persistent safety concerns around NVIDIA's 16-pin connectors since RTX 4090 despite commercial alternatives like Thermal Grizzly's WireView;
➂ Community reactions remain divided between admiration for the engineering effort and frustration over NVIDIA's perceived inaction on the recurring design flaw.
- Intel's unannounced Core Ultra 7 254V Lunar Lake chip leaks out in new benchmarks — scores worse than entry-level Core Ultra 5 228V in early multi-core tests, but on par in single-core
➀ Intel's unannounced Core Ultra 7 254V Lunar Lake leaked with multi-core scores 12.8% lower than the 256V and below entry-level Ultra 5 228V in PassMark benchmarks;
➁ Positioned as a budget variant for cheaper laptops, it shares 8-core config and cache with high-end SKUs but may feature reduced memory;
➂ Lunar Lake chips focus on efficiency and integrated RAM, with rumors suggesting possible 2x4V memory configs for the 254V.
August 16
- Nvidia says H20 export controls didn’t stop China’s AI progress — claims 'they only stifled U.S. economic and technology leadership'
➀ Nvidia claims U.S. H20 chip export controls backfired, failing to curb China's AI advancements while weakening American tech dominance;
➀ Aaron Ginn argues China achieved AI breakthroughs despite restrictions and highlights CUDA's irreplaceability in global AI infrastructure;
➂ Experts debate maintaining chip bans to sustain U.S. AI leadership versus Nvidia's stance advocating open standards to outpace competitors.
- Seagate spins up a raid on a counterfeit hard drive workshop — authorities read criminals' writes while they spill the beans
➀ Seagate and Malaysian authorities raided a counterfeit hard drive workshop near Kuala Lumpur, seizing 700 drives with reset SMART values;
➁ Used drives originated from China's Chia crypto mining boom and were repackaged as new, with Kioxia and Western Digital models also involved;
➂ Seagate has tightened its supply chain controls and warns consumers to avoid non-authorized sellers globally.
August 13
- Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has become a lightning rod of controversy amid US and China geopolitical tensions — here's why
➀ Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan faces scrutiny over investments in 600+ Chinese companies, including those with alleged military ties;
➁ Tan's leadership at Cadence Design Systems led to a $140M fine for selling chip software to Chinese military-linked firms;
➂ Despite temporary White House tensions, concerns persist about Tan's divestment from Chinese ventures amid U.S. CHIPS Act funding debates.
- Huawei releases new tool to get Chinese firms around crushing HBM export blacklist — new UCM software claims up to 22x throughput gain and 90% latency reduction for traditional cache hierarchies in AI workloads
➀ Huawei's UCM software optimizes AI data distribution across multiple memory types to bypass HBM dependency, achieving 22x throughput gain and 90% latency reduction;
➁ Tested in China UnionPay's real-world applications, the tool addresses China's HBM supply constraints under U.S. export controls;
➂ Aligns with China's push for tech independence, including reported restrictions on Nvidia's H20 GPUs and reduced reliance on Western hardware.
- Crew of Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker charged with intentionally sabotaging undersea cables — Finnish authorities claim ship dragged its anchor 56 miles along the sea floor, causing $70 million in damage to five cables
➀ Finnish authorities charged three crew members of the Russian-linked 'Eagle S' tanker with sabotage for allegedly dragging its anchor 56 miles, damaging five undersea cables worth $70 million;
➁ The vessel, part of a 'shadow fleet' evading sanctions, was seized in December 2024 and linked to suspected Russian 'hybrid warfare' in the Baltic Sea;
➂ Legal challenges over Finland’s jurisdiction in international waters may complicate prosecution, despite claims of 'crime effects' in Finnish territory.
- Intel's fabled Itanium refuses to die, but the end is probably near — deprecation of IA-64 support is back on the chopping block in GCC version 16
➀ GCC 16 may remove IA-64 support due to unmaintained code and rare hardware since Intel discontinued Itanium in 2021;
➀ Linux kernel dropped Itanium support in 6.7, leaving IA-64 compiler code in limbo without active maintainers;
➀ Itanium's IA-64 architecture, despite early hype, failed to compete with AMD's x86-64 due to complexity and compatibility issues.
August 12
- The beige GPU of your dreams is here, and it's pricey — Asus unveils Noctua Edition RTX 5080 fitted with 3x NF-A12x25 G2 fans and custom vapor chamber to achieve 'state-of-the-art quiet cooling efficiency'
➀ ASUS and Noctua collaborated on the RTX 5080 Noctua Edition, featuring triple NF-A12x25 G2 fans and an 11-heatpipe vapor chamber for ultra-quiet cooling.
➀ The GPU achieves 21.4 dB(A) noise levels at 360W load, outperforming standard models by 14.5 dB(A), with GPU/VRAM temperatures at 57°C/52°C.
➀ The card's massive 385mm design and £1,500 price (~50% above MSRP) prioritize acoustics over raw performance, marked by semi-passive cooling and dual BIOS modes.
- Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti bought from Amazon had the box contents swapped for bag of suspicious white powder — PC hardware enthusiast bamboozled by Amazon just days after ordering a 5090 with no GPU core, finds salt instead
➀ A Taiwanese tech enthusiast unboxed an Amazon-purchased Gigabyte RTX 5070 Ti live on YouTube only to find a bag of salt replacing the GPU；
➁ This marks the user's second Amazon mishap, following a prior order of an ASUS RTX 5090 missing its GPU core；
➂ High GPU prices in Taiwan drive consumers to overseas Amazon purchases, despite risks of fraudulent sellers.
- Nvidia responds to claim China is urging local companies to avoid Nvidia H20 — report claims authorities have sent notices discouraging use, especially for government-related purposes
➀ China reportedly urges domestic companies to avoid using NVIDIA's H20 chips for government-related purposes, citing security and environmental concerns;
➀ NVIDIA denies claims of H20's military applications, stating China has sufficient domestic alternatives for government operations;
➂ Tensions escalate as U.S. and China vie for semiconductor dominance, with potential impacts on NVIDIA's market strategy and AI chip exports.
August 11
- Nvidia unveils 2U RTX Pro 6000 servers at SIGGRAPH — double shot of Blackwell power comes to smaller rackmount form factors
➀ NVIDIA announced 2U rackmount servers with RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell GPUs at SIGGRAPH 2025, targeting enterprise AI deployments;
➀ Partner companies including Dell and HPE will offer compact servers with dual GPUs, reducing space and cooling needs compared to 4U systems;
➂ The RTX Pro 6000's air-cooled design offers a cost-effective alternative to liquid-cooled B200/B300 GPUs, ideal for edge computing.
- Nvidia introduces compact Blackwell professional graphics cards — RTX Pro 4000 SFF and Pro 2000 GPUs arrive at SIGGRAPH 2025
➀ NVIDIA launches two new Blackwell-based professional GPUs: RTX Pro 4000 SFF and Pro 2000, targeting AI and workstation use cases.
➁ The RTX Pro 4000 SFF offers doubled AI performance and 24GB ECC GDDR7 memory at 70W TDP, while the Pro 2000 delivers 1.5x faster 3D rendering and 16GB GDDR7.
➂ Both GPUs will be available through system integrators like Dell, HP, and Lenovo later this year, with pricing yet to be disclosed.
- Google's AI could be tricked into enabling spam, revealing a user's location, and leaking private correspondence with a calendar invite — 'promptware' targets LLM interface to trigger malicious activity
➀ SafeBreach researchers revealed that malicious Google Calendar invites could exploit Gemini AI to spread spam, delete user data, and leak sensitive information via a method called 'promptware';
➁ The attack leverages Gemini's deep integration with Google services and user habits, enabling remote control of smart devices and email exfiltration;
➂ Google addressed the vulnerability in June 2025 after disclosure, but experts warn 73% of LLM-related threats pose high-critical risks requiring urgent mitigation.