Thanks to recent developments in the AI field, and following in the wake of the world's recovery from COVID-19, the transition of factories to partial or full automation proceeds with unstoppable momentum. And the best place to learn about the latest technologies that aim to make this transition as painless as possible is at Automate 2024. This is North America's largest robotics and automation event, and it will be held in Chicago, Illinois from May 6 to 9.

Automate attracts professionals from around the world, and Apacer is no exception. Apacer team will be on hand to discuss the latest technological developments created by our experienced R&D team. Many of these developments were specifically created to reduce the pain points commonly experienced by fully automated facilities. Take CoreSnapshot, for example. This backup and recovery technology can restore a crashed system to full operation in just a few seconds, reducing downtime and associated maintenance costs. Apacer recently updated CoreSnapshot, creating CoreRescue ASR and CoreRescue USR. The name of CoreRescue ASR refers to Auto Self Recovery. This technology will harness AI to learn the system booting process and analyze how long a boot should take. If this average boot time is significantly longer than usual, the system will trigger the self-recovery process and revert to an earlier, uncorrupted version of the drive's content. CoreRescue USR offers similar functionality, except the self-recovery process is triggered by connecting a small USB stick drive.

TerraMaster, a professional brand that focuses on providing innovative storage products for homes and businesses, has recently released the D8 Hybrid
which is the industry-unique 2+6 RAID hybrid storage, with slots 1 & 2 offer a playground for RAID 0/1/JBOD configurations, slots 3 & 4 and M.2 NVMe SSDs
stand strong as independent guardians, ensuring the data's absolute security. D8 Hybrid can hold 4 SATA HDDs/SSDs and 4 M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs, with a capacity of 24 TB a drive, and 8 TB per M.2 SSD, providing users with up to 128 TB (24 TB x 4 + 8 TB x 4) of storage space, which is an excellent choice for storage expansion of Windows, Mac or Linux computers.

Using the D8 Hybrid as a storage expansion device for Windows, Mac, or Linux computers is a great choice, especially considering its support
for large-capacity HDDs up to 24 TB and 8 TB NVMe M.2 SSDs, with a total capacity potentially reaching 128 TB. The D8 Hybrid supports various file system formats including NTFS, APFS, EXT4, FAT32, and exFAT. Its support for the exFAT file system, which can handle large files, allows hard drives formatted with the exFAT file system on the D8 Hybrid to be read and written across devices running different operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and NAS, providing a convenient cross-platform solution for large file transfers.

The PICO-ITX, a compact embedded single-board computer (SBC) based on a 100 mm x 72 mm form factor, serves as a more space-efficient alternative motherboard, ensuring a broad range of interfaces on a more readily deployable board.

GIGAIPC's PICO-G350A (Yocto OS) / PICO-G350B (Android OS) are the first Pico-ITX boards to feature an ARM SoC, powered by MediaTek MT8365 Arm Quad-Core Cortex -A53, to provide incredible energy efficiency and outstanding low power consumption that demonstrates impressive performance. Featuring a ruggedized design, it operates reliably across a wide temperature range from 0 to 60°C. Designed with flexibility and rich on-board interfaces, including USB 2.0 (hot and USB OTG), Micro SD expansion slots, and M.2 2230 E-Key for AW-CB451NF-D wifi module support, this solution is tailored to accommodate various application scenarios, such as smart retail, self-service terminals, industrial automation, intelligent medical health, and digital media.

Radxa is a Chinese manufacturer of various Arm based devices and something of a minor competitor to the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The company has just launched its latest product which is called the ROCK 5 ITX. As the name implies, it's a Mini-ITX form factor motherboard, which in itself is rather unusual for Arm based hardware to start with. However, Radxa has designed the ROCK 5 ITX to be a NAS motherboard and this is the first time we've come across such a product, as most Arm based boards are either intended for hobby projects, software development or routers. This makes the ROCK 5 ITX quite unique, at least based on its form factor, as it'll be compatible with standard Mini-ITX chassis.

The SoC on the board is a Rockchip RK3588 which sports four Cortex-A76 cores at up to 2.4 GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8 GHz. This is not exactly cutting edge, but should be plenty fast enough for a SATA drive based NAS. The board offers four SATA 6 Gbps connectors via an ASMedia ASM1164 controller, each with an individual power connector next to it. However, Radxa seems to have chosen to use fan-header type power connectors, which means it'll be hard to get replacement power cables. The board also has a PCIe 3.0 x2 M.2 slot for an NVMe drive. The OS boots from eMMC and Radxa supports its own Roobi OS which is Debian Linux based.

Following up on last week's launch of the ASTRIA 600 ARGB dual-stack CPU cooler, Thermaltake today introduced its single-stack siblings from the lineup, the ASTRIA 200 ARGB, and the ASTRIA 400 ARGB. The three coolers were unveiled by the company earlier this year at the 2024 CES. Both the 200 and 400 are single fin-stack tower-type CPU coolers. The 200 has a slightly smaller fin-stack, and uses four 6 mm-thick heatpipes, through a direct-touch base; while the 400 uses a slightly heavier fin-stack, six 6 mm-thick heatpipes, and a nickel-plated copper indirect touch base. Thermaltake rates the ASTRIA 200 ARGB for thermal loads of 210 W, while the ASTRIA 400 ARGB is rated at 230 W. Both coolers feature ARGB LED lighting in the form of a diffuser top-plate, and LEDs in the fan.

The ASTRIA 200 ARGB measures 124 mm x 93 mm x 160 mm (L x W x H), while the ASTRIA 400 ARGB measures 124 mm x 94 mm x 160 mm. Both coolers include an identical type of 120 mm fan, which takes in 4-pin PWM input, turns at speeds ranging between 500 and 1800 RPM, pushing up to 65 CFM of airflow, at 2.56 mm H₂O static pressure, and 26.8 dBA of maximum noise. The fan is rated for 40,000 hours. Among the CPU socket types supported by both coolers include LGA1700, the upcoming LGA1851, AM5, AM4, and LGA1200/115x.

Avril Wu, TrendForce Senior Research Vice President, reports that the HBM market is poised for robust growth, driven by significant pricing premiums and increased capacity needs for AI chips. HBM's unit sales price is several times higher than that of conventional DRAM and about five times that of DDR5. This pricing, combined with product iterations in AI chip technology that increase single-device HBM capacity, is expected to dramatically raise HBM's share in both the capacity and market value of the DRAM market from 2023 to 2025. Specifically, HBM's share of total DRAM bit capacity is estimated to rise from 2% in 2023 to 5% in 2024 and surpass 10% by 2025. In terms of market value, HBM is projected to account for more than 20% of the total DRAM market value starting in 2024, potentially exceeding 30% by 2025.

2024 sees HBM demand growth rate near 200%, set to double in 2025
Wu also pointed out that negotiations for 2025 HBM pricing have already commenced in 2Q24. However, due to the limited overall capacity of DRAM, suppliers have preliminarily increased prices by 5-10% to manage capacity constraints, affecting HBM2e, HBM3, and HBM3e. This early negotiation phase is attributed to three main factors: Firstly, HBM buyers maintain high confidence in AI demand prospects and are willing to accept continued price increases.

XFX over the weekend rolled out the Radeon RX 7900 XTX Phoenix Nirvana graphics card, the company's new flagship custom-design product based on fastest AMD Radeon GPU you can buy. From the looks of it, the card is China-exclusive, as we haven't seen any updates from the European or North American arms of XFX showcase this card. The Phoenix Nirvana is noticeably larger than the company's current MERC 310, and features a 4-slot design, with a significantly heavier heatsink. The card is 34.6 cm long, 13 cm tall, and is 4 slots thick.

The star attraction with this card is its large aluminium fin-stack heatsink, which features 216 aluminium fins for a total of 62.586 mm² of surface area for heat dissipation; six copper heatpipes, a vapor-chamber base, and 15,000 W/mK Honeywell PTM 7950 phase-changing thermal pad between the vapor-chamber and the GPU. Each of the three 100 mm fans of the XFX RX 7900 XTX Phoenix Nirvana features a fluid-dynamic bearing, turns at speeds of up to 3,200 RPM, pushing 70.08 CFM of airflow, at 4.88 mm H₂O, each. The card is priced at ¥7,899 in China, which converts to roughly $1,090.

Introducing the Antec C5 ARGB Black & White PC case, featuring a striking 270-degree tempered glass panel, ARGB light strip, tool-free design, dual-chamber chassis, and support for 40 series graphics cards. It's the perfect blend of style, convenience, and performance for your gaming setup. Featuring a 270-degree full-view tempered glass panel with a seamless corner connection achieved through a 45-degree glass bevelling technique, ensuring an uninterrupted panoramic view. Complementing this sleek design is a stylish front panel adorned with an integrated ARGB lighting strip, adding a touch of aesthetic brilliance to your gaming setup.

The C5 ARGB supports next-gen back connect motherboards, allowing you to connect cables at the rear of the motherboard for a clean and smooth look. The C5 is also a dual chamber design chassis, with the right chamber featuring a top-mounted power supply area and 95 mm of cable management space. Included Pre-Installed PWM Fans with Controller. The C5 ARGB also comes with 7x 120 mm ARGB PWM fans pre-installed, 3 at the bottom, 3 on the side mount and 1 at the rear of the chassis providing massive intake and exhaust capability. Not only this, there is also an integrated ARGB & PWM fan controller, mounted at the bottom of the rear chamber, to control your fans and ARGB synchronization from either the case LED switch or motherboard.

On Friday, Sony announced that Helldivers 2, a 3rd person squad-based shooter from Arrowhead, will require a PlayStation Network (PSN) account for gamers to link, in addition to their Steam accounts. However, that caused quite a stir in the gaming community, especially in the form of negative reviews on Steam. Since the May 2 announcement of mandatory PSN account linking, the game received more than 200,000 negative reviews from gamers. Not only is the PSN account another layer of log-in details, but it also doesn't work in 177 countries, effectively preventing gamers from those 177 countries from purchasing and enjoying the game. Arrowhead Studios CEO and Helldivers 2 Creative Director Johan Pilestedt noted that over the weekend, there were talks with Sony about reversing the decision.

Today, we have the information that Sony has reviewed its course and that the update requiring a PSN account, planned for May 6, will not be moving forward. This means that the game is PSN-free, and gamers are able to enjoy it on their Steam accounts. It has also been reported on Reddit that some users received refunds from Steam, even when their purchase was over two months old, and they had played 120+ hours of the game. As per the GDPR, terms that are changed after the agreement is made require action from the seller. This has resulted in Steam stepping up for gamers and issuing a refund for Helldivers 2, as PSN account linking was optional upon release. Gamers have shown their collective power, and Sony has managed to reverse its decision so that no further harm is done.

MSI today released firmware updates for its MPG 271QRX QD-OLED and MPG 321URX QD-OLED gaming monitors. The updates are aimed at giving end-users control over DSC (display stream compression), to improve image quality when the display I/O bandwidth permits. This control is in the form of an OSD-level toggle for DSC DLDSR and DSR modes. For the MPG 271QRX QD-OLED, the update also adds a mode switch between HDMI Console and HDMI PC, with the default being Console. The update also packs optimizations to improve input lag and the monitor's share in whole-system latency. The update also includes aspect-ratio selection in the OSD for the MPG 321URX QD-OLED. A white-line artifact on the MPG 271QRX QD-OLED when using 2560 x 1440 @ 360 Hz has been fixed. Visit the support section of the product pages of your monitor for instructions on how to get and install the firmware updates.The change-log follows.

MSI, the global AI PC leading brand, is launching a two-month-long member event starting in May. MSI will roll out a series of activities exclusively to reward program members, including a lucky draw for game codes by referring friends to become new MSI members, chances to complete surveys and win desired prizes, unlocking various tasks for corresponding rewards, and more.

Successfully referring a friend to register as an MSI member will earn you one lottery ticket for game codes. Each person has a maximum of five chances per month. There will be 100 winners drawn each month, totaling 200 winners. The winner list will be announced on June 17, 2024, and July 15, 2024, respectively. Select your most desired MSI products, complete the survey questionnaire, and submit. Upon receiving a successful submission confirmation email, you are qualified for the draw. Winners will be announced on July 15, 2024."

ASUS is reportedly revising the design of the ROG Ally handheld game console to address microSD card heat deaths. In its original design, the ROG Ally has its microSD card reader located directly under the heat vents from which the active cooling mechanism exhausts heat from the SoC. This could cause microSD cards to overheat and damage; and eventually even destroy the microSD card reader itself. In its revision, the card reader will be repositioned away from the vents, and extensively tested for better reliability with microSD card operation. As for current ROG Ally owners, ASUS has extended the warranty by 2 years, and provided coverage for damaged card readers. This, however, only covers the card reader itself, there's no liability for damaged cards or the data on them.

NVIDIA debuted the current RTX 40-series "Ada" in 2022, which means the company is expected to debut its next-generation in some shape or form in 2024, having refreshed it earlier this year. We've known for a while that the new GeForce RTX 50-series "Blackwell" could see a 2024 debut, which is going by past trends, would be the top-two or three SKUs, followed by a ramp up in the following year, but we're now learning through a new Moore's Law is Dead leak that the launch could be limited to just the flagship product, the GeForce RTX 5090, or the SKU that succeeds the RTX 4090.

Even a launch limited to the flagship RTX 5090 would give us a fair idea of the new "Blackwell" architecture, its various new features, and how the other SKUs in the lineup could perform at their relative price-points, because the launch could at least include a technical overview of the architecture. NVIDIA "Blackwell" is expected to introduce another generational performance leap over the current lineup. The reasons NVIDIA is going with a more conservative launch of GeForce "Blackwell" could be to allow the market to digest inventories of the current RTX 40-series; and to accord higher priority to AI GPUs based on the architecture, which fetch the company much higher margins.

Welcome to the first full week of the month of May. It's another rather slow week of new game releases, or rather, there are no major game releases, as a few games that were supposed to be released this week, got pushed back to later in the year. As such, the biggest release this week is all about cats. As for the rest of this week's releases, we have an RPG where you beat up your enemies with plushies, an abyss full of knights, a pill eating yellow blob, a well full of animals and someone holding a gate closed. Next week will be a lot busier though.

Little Kitty, Big City / This week's major release / Thursday 9 May
A peaceful catnap turns into a whimsical adventure! Will you make your way home or will you explore what the big city has to offer first? I mean, getting home is obviously your main priority. Obviously. Well, it's one of your priorities. Maybe more of a guideline... It's definitely on your To-Do list somewhere! But first? Exploration. Steam Link

Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has confirmed that the upcoming 18A process of the Panther Lake CPU generation is on schedule for a mid-2025 release, which aligns with the initial projection. This development marks a significant milestone in the company's ongoing efforts to integrate AI capabilities into its processors. The mid-2025 release date is expected to follow the debut of Intel's Arrow Lake process in late 2024 or early 2025, a release that holds the promise of significant advancements in AI computing. During Intel's Q1 2024 Quarterly Results, Gelsinger expressed confidence in the company's AI capabilities, stating that the Core Ultra platform currently delivers leadership AI performance and that the next-generation platforms, Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake, will launch later this year, tripling AI performance. He also mentioned that the Panther Lake generation, set to release in 2025, will grow AI performance up to an additional 2x.

The Panther Lake generation represents the culmination of three generations of work in a short time and is expected to continue Intel's iterative approach. This transition is marked by a shift from a hybrid architecture, a combination of different types of processors, to a disaggregated die, where different components of the processor are separated, as AI computing becomes increasingly prominent. This strategic move is aimed at optimizing AI performance and flexibility. This marks the third generation of the Intel Core Ultra series, following Ultra 100 (Meteor Lake), Ultra 200 (Arrow Lake), and Lunar Lake (200V). Intel's release strategy mirrors the pattern set by the Hybrid Architecture, with Alder Lake debuting in 2021, followed by Raptor Lake in 2022, and a refreshed Raptor Lake released last year to bridge the gap until LGA 1851 was ready. However, Intel's roadmap has seen adjustments in the past, such as the initial promise of an Arrow Lake release before the end of 2024, which was later retracted. The mid-2025 release of Panther Lake aligns with rumors of Arrow Lake's late 2024 or early 2025 debut, suggesting that the 18A process CPU generation could debut several months after Arrow Lake.

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GeForce NOW brings 24 new games for members this month. Ninja Theory's highly anticipated Senua's Saga: Hellblade II will be coming to the cloud soon - get ready by streaming the first in the series, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, part of the seven new games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Plus, game across more devices than ever as GeForce NOW adds improved support on Steam Deck this GFN Thursday.

Journey into Viking Hell
Experience exceptional storytelling in Ninja Theory's award-winning game Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, available to stream from the cloud this week. Set in a dark fantasy world inspired by Norse mythology and Celtic culture, the game follows the journey of Senua, a Pict warrior. Her quest is to reach Helheim, the realm of the dead, to rescue her deceased lover's soul from the goddess Hela. Solve intricate puzzles with observation, engage in melee combat and get pulled deep into Senua's mind as she grapples with inner demons. Journey through the hauntingly beautiful landscapes of Helheim with ray tracing and high-dynamic range using an Ultimate or Priority membership for the most immersive and stunning visual fidelity.

Silicon Motion Technology Corporation (NasdaqGS: SIMO) ("Silicon Motion", the "Company" or "we") today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. For the first quarter of 2024, net sales (GAAP) decreased sequentially to $189.3 million from $202.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Net income (GAAP) decreased to $16.0 million, or $0.48 per diluted American Depositary Share of the Company ("ADS") (GAAP), from net income (GAAP) of $21.1 million, or $0.63 per diluted ADS (GAAP), in the fourth quarter of 2023.

For the first quarter of 2024, net income (non-GAAP) decreased to $21.6 million, or $0.64 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), from net income (non-GAAP) of $31.3 million, or $0.93 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), in the fourth quarter of 2023. All financial numbers are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

AMD classified the Zenbleed vulnerability, CVE-2023-20593, as a medium-level threat about a year ago. AMD has acknowledged that it could potentially allow an attacker to access sensitive information under certain microarchitectural circumstances. Today, MSI has released new BIOS updates featuring AMD's AM4 AGESA 1.2.0.Ca firmware update. This update addresses the Zenbleed vulnerability affecting AMD's Ryzen 4000 series Zen 2 APUs. MSI is proactively rolling out the new BIOS updates across its range of compatible motherboards. The updates are currently available for almost all X570 motherboards, with support for other chipsets and 400 series motherboards expected to follow soon.

The AGESA 1.2.0.Ca firmware update specifically targets the Zenbleed vulnerability in the Zen 2 microarchitecture. Although the vulnerability primarily affects Ryzen 4000 "Renoir" APUs, it also exists in other Zen 2 processors, including the Ryzen 3000 series and certain EPYC and Threadripper CPUs. AMD has already addressed the Zenbleed vulnerability in previous AGESA microcode updates for Ryzen 3000 processors and other platforms, such as EPYC server CPUs and Ryzen mobile CPUs. However, the Ryzen Embedded V2000 CPUs are still awaiting the EmbeddedPi-FP6 1.0.0.9 AGESA firmware update, which is expected to be released by April. While AMD has not explicitly stated whether the security update will impact performance, previous testing of Zenbleed fixes has shown potential performance drops of up to 15% in certain workloads, although gaming performance remained relatively unaffected. Users with AM4 chips based on architectures other than Zen 2, such as Zen+ or Zen 3, do not need to update their BIOS as they are not affected by this specific vulnerability.

AMD's next generation RDNA 4 graphics architecture is expected to feature a completely new ray tracing engine, Kepler L2, a reliable source with GPU leaks, claims. Currently, AMD uses a component called Ray Accelerator, which performs the most compute-intensive portion of the ray intersection and testing pipeline, while AMD's approach to ray tracing on a hardware level still relies greatly on the shader engines. The company had debuted the ray accelerator with RDNA 2, its first architecture to meet DirectX 12 Ultimate specs, and improved the component with RDNA 3, by optimizing certain aspects of its ray testing, to bring about a 50% improvement in ray intersection performance over RDNA 2.

The way Kepler L2 puts it, RDNA 4 will feature a fundamentally transformed ray tracing hardware solution from the ones on RDNA 2 and RDNA 3. This could probably delegate more of the ray tracing workflow onto fixed-function hardware, unburdening the shader engines further. AMD is expected to debut RDNA 4 with its next line of discrete Radeon RX GPUs in the second half of 2024. Given the chatter about a power-packed event by AMD at Computex, with the company expected to unveil "Zen 5" CPU microarchitecture on both server and client processors; we might expect some talk on RDNA 4, too.

This $39.97 e-learning bundle teaches you how to program in Python, and how to use its web frameworks, libraries, and other tools—less than $4 per course. Interested in becoming a self-taught programmer? You might still benefit from some instruction, and these self-paced e-courses assist you with code examples, security considerations, and real-world projects to help you build websites, apps, and games in Python. It contains 14 courses and 113 hours of content that you can access for life for $39.97 (reg. $196).

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Kanguru announces their exceptional new line of hardware-based, internal self-encrypting drives designed to help organizations secure and protect their data. Under the Kanguru Defender Brand name customers know and trust, Kanguru is entering the internal hardware market with these new Defender internal hardware encrypted solid state drives. The self-encrypting SEDs are packed with security features to help organizations secure data on laptops and tablets, creating a secure data environment. The Defender SED's are also compliant with the Trusted Computing Group's Opal standard for secure drive architecture. In addition, Kanguru has partnered with Cigent, known for their innovative data security, device sanitation and ransomware prevention, to integrate additional cutting-edge endpoint protection into the suite of Kanguru Defender SED's.

Kanguru's military grade AES 256-bit hardware encryption is enforced on the entire drive using stand-alone, independent hardware-based encryption security, not just specific files or folders. These internal encrypted drives automatically lock themselves when powered off, making all data stored within, (including the Operating System) completely inaccessible.

According to the report from BenchLife, NVIDIA has started the marketing campaign push for "Premium AI PC," squarely aimed at the industry's latest trend pushed by Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm for an "AI PC" system, which features a dedicated NPU for processing smaller models locally. NVIDIA's approach comes from a different point of view: every PC with an RTX GPU is a "Premium AI PC," which holds a lot of truth. Generally, GPUs (regardless of the manufacturer) hold more computing potential than the CPU and NPU combined. With NVIDIA's push to include Tensor cores in its GPUs, the company is preparing for next-generation software from vendors and OS providers that will harness the power of these powerful silicon pieces and embed more functionality in the PC.

At the Computex event in Taiwan, there should be more details about Premium AI PCs and general AI PCs. In its marketing materials, NVIDIA compares AI PCs to its Premium AI PCs, which have enhanced capabilities across various applications like image/video editing and upscaling, productivity, gaming, and developer applications. Another relevant selling point is the user base for these Premium AI PCs, which NVIDIA touts to be 100 million users. Those PCs support over 500 AI applications out of the box, highlighting the importance of proper software support. NVIDIA's systems are usually more powerful, with GeForce RTX GPUs reaching anywhere from 100-1300+ TOPS, compared to 40 TOPS of AI PCs. How other AI PC makers plan to fight in the AI PC era remains to be seen, but there is a high chance that this will be the spotlight of the upcoming Computex show.

Looking for a new pair of earbuds? You don't have to pay premium prices if you shop open-box models. Simply put, they have imperfect packaging, so they're heavily discounted. These Sony LinkBuds S wireless noise-canceling earbuds are $99.99 (reg. $199.99) for an open-box pair. That's 50% in savings and they come in black and white.

Get AI-based noise reduction that's programmed with more than 500 million samples to actively suppress outside noise and enhance your listening experience. The earbuds also adjust ambient sound settings if you're hoping to be aware of your surroundings. The Sony LinkBuds S pair with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, so you can connect to your smartphone and laptop and easily work and take calls without having to switch between the two. They also have an auto-play feature that starts your music after putting the earbuds in or ending a call.

Grab your open-box pair of Sony LinkBuds S wireless noise-canceling earbuds for $99.99 (reg. $199.99) while supplies last.

Today, Bose is turning up the volume on its acclaimed SoundLink Bluetooth speaker line with the introduction of the SoundLink Max Portable Speaker. This all-new portable speaker has lasting power, rugged durability, and delivers incredible sound for its size. Now you can set the vibe with your favorite playlist no matter where you go. The SoundLink Max will be available on May 16th for $399 and can be pre-ordered starting today on Bose.com.

Big Speaker Sound That Wows
The SoundLink Max leverages decades of Bose research in acoustics to deliver incredible performance for your music that will help get the party started and keep it going. The system leverages a Bose Articulated Array with three transducers across the front of the speaker to deliver a spacious stereo experience that goes beyond the speaker itself. Two custom-designed passive radiators are responsible for providing a level of bass performance that also defies the speaker size. Using technology found in Bose soundbars and proprietary digital signal processing that dramatically minimizes distortion, the speaker reproduces full, natural sound regardless of what you're listening to. The result is a system that allows you to hear every instrument, clear vocals, and the beat of your music, no matter where you're listening or where the speaker is placed.

SilverStone today introduced the XE360-TR5, an all-in-one liquid CPU cooler for AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000-series processors in the Socket TR5 and SP6 packages. The cooler's design consists of a 1U-friendly waterblock, and a 360 mm radiator that integrates the pump and coolant reservoir, which is connected to the block over Nylon-sleeved tubing. The block features a nickel-plated copper main material, with metal alloy top. The cold-plate makes contact with the entire IHS of an sTR5/SP6 processor, providing cooling to all twelve CCDs and the large central sIOD. The pump integrated with the radiator is made as thin as possible using a 6-pole motor.

The 360 mm x 120 mm radiator is 28 mm-thick, and is made of aluminium, and connects to the water block over a 42 cm-long tubing. Each of the three included 120 mm fans turns at speeds ranging between 600 RPM to 2,800 RPM, pushing up to 87.72 CFM of airflow, at a radiator-friendly 3.09 mm H₂O static pressure, and 46 dBA maximum noise output. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Bethesda had already promised a big update for Starfield, and yesterday, it announced all the goodies to come, including the May 15th launch date. The May Update, as it is called, will bring detailed surface maps, new gameplay difficulty options, new display settings, new features for ship customizations, and more, as well as an extensive list of bug fixes.

According to Bethesda, the Starfield May Update comes with improved surface maps, new gameplay options which allow fine-tuning for those looking for an extra challenge or want to make certain aspects of the game a bit easier, and a new Ship Decoration mode for the interior of ships that now allows players to decorate the ship in the same way as outposts. The update also adds tabs to container menus for easier inventory management, adds an ability to change traits and appearance after entering the Unity, a new Dialogue camera toggle in settings, and new display settings for the Xbox Series X.

With the new Alphacool Eisblock Aurora 180° terminal, you can give your Eisblock Aurora GPU cooler a new look and gain additional options for connecting your Eisblock Aurora GPU cooler to your water cooling circuit. The Alphacool Aurora 180° terminal allows flexible connection options for all Eisblock GPU coolers. Perfect for extensive modding projects or for systems with limited space. The elegant design is perfected by a magnetic cover.

Flexible connections
The Alphacool Eisblock Aurora 180° terminal replaces the standard terminal of the Eisblock GPU cooler. It positions the connections above the backplate, significantly reducing the depth of the cooling block. With three possible connection options for each input and output - top, side and rear - the terminal offers maximum flexibility.

SK hynix participated in the first-ever Compute Express Link Consortium Developers Conference (CXL DevCon) held in Santa Clara, California from April 30-May 1. Organized by a group of more than 240 global semiconductor companies known as the CXL Consortium, CXL DevCon 2024 welcomed a majority of the consortium's members to showcase their latest technologies and research results.

CXL is a technology that unifies the interfaces of different devices in a system such as semiconductor memory, storage, and logic chips. As it can increase system bandwidth and processing capacity, CXL is receiving attention as a key technology for the AI era in which high performance and capacity are essential. Under the slogan "Memory, The Power of AI," SK hynix showcased a range of CXL products at the conference that are set to strengthen the company's leadership in AI memory technology.

Hardware leaker Raichu, known for accurately predicting Intel's moves, has unveiled intriguing details about the company's forthcoming desktop CPU lineup. According to the leaks, Intel is supposed to introduce a big shift in its desktop CPU naming convention with the arrival of the Core Ultra 200 series, codenamed Arrow Lake-S. This next-generation lineup promises to deliver one of the most significant performance leaps for desktop processors in recent years, marking a substantial departure from Intel's current naming strategy—a change that hasn't been witnessed in over a decade. The Core Ultra 200 series is expected to encompass a diverse range of tiers and variants, catering to various user needs. This includes the overclockable K models for enthusiasts, F variants without integrated graphics, and potentially low-power T models for energy-efficient SKUs. According to Raichu's leaks, the unlocked K-Series models are rumored to include the high-end Core Ultra 9 285K, the mid-range Core Ultra 7 265K, and the budget-friendly Core Ultra 5 245K. While the absence of a 290K part has raised eyebrows, these names resemble Intel's mobile CPU naming conventions.

To enjoy the Core Ultra 200 series, users will need to upgrade to new motherboards featuring the 800-series chipsets and the LGA-1851 socket. Unlike the Core Ultra 200V Lunar Lake models for mobile devices, details about the desktop version have remained scarce, shrouding the impending launch in an air of mystery. While Raichu's leaks carry significant weight, it's essential to approach such information cautiously. There's a possibility that SKUs like the 290K may still be introduced, as a new KS version, aligning with Intel's traditional naming conventions. The Core Ultra 200 series promises to cater to a wide range of desktop users, from the performance-hungry enthusiasts eyeing the Core Ultra 9 285K to budget-conscious consumers seeking the value proposition of the Core Ultra 5 245K. The Core Ultra 7 265K is expected to strike a balance between performance and affordability, targeting the mid-range segment. As more leaks and official information surface, we will continue to provide updates on this release from Intel.

BenQ, a global leader in display technology, unveiled today its newest photo and video monitor, the SW242Q. Joining BenQ's SW series, the 24.1-inch 2K monitor is designed with professional photographers and videographers in mind and features BenQ's exclusive AQCOLOR technology, third generation uniformity technology and Paper Color Sync for accurate color reproduction.

With wide gamut space at 99% Adobe RGB, 98% DCI-P3 and Display P3 along with an aspect ratio of 16:10 at a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600, the SW242Q ensures color precision in every pixel. To achieve screen-wide color accuracy, BenQ's uniformity technology adjusts color and brightness in hundreds of sub-regions to maintain fine-tuning of the screen. The SW242Q's fine-coated panel also reduces reflections of the ambient light for less distractions, while BenQ's proprietary Paper Color Sync software helps photographers accurately and efficiently edit photos to showcase the screen-to-print transition in a preview.

United Microelectronics Corporation ("UMC"), a leading global semiconductor foundry, today announced the industry's first 3D IC solution for RFSOI technology. Available on UMC's 55 nm RFSOI platform, the stacked silicon technology reduces die size by more than 45% without any degradation of radio frequency (RF) performance, enabling customers to efficiently integrate more RF components to address the greater bandwidth requirements of 5G.

As mobile device manufacturers pack more frequency bands in newer generations of smartphones, the company's 3D IC solution for RFSOI addresses the challenge of integrating more RF front-end modules (RF-FEM) - critical components in devices to transmit and receive data - in a device by vertically stacking dies to reduce surface area. RFSOI is the foundry process used for RF chips such as low noise amplifiers, switches, and antenna tuners. Utilizing wafer-to-wafer bonding technology, UMC's 3D IC solution for RFSOI resolves the common issue of RF interference between stacked dies. The company has received multiple patents for this process, which is now ready for production.

Today, Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the legendary G502 gaming mouse. In its first decade, the G502 became beloved by the gaming community for delivering unrivaled performance, innovative technologies, and unparalleled design breakthroughs for maximum comfort and incredible responsiveness, becoming the world's best-selling gaming mouse, with more than 21 million mice sold since its launch.

"The G502 has been my go-to mouse for years, and it's the perfect balance for me when it comes to getting some extra buttons while not overwhelming me. This mouse is extremely comfortable to use for extended periods of time. The G502 has a sleek and cool-looking design. It has always been an incredible go-to for gamers who want a couple of extra, easy-to-reach buttons and a smooth experience that allows them to game without interruption!" said Meg Kaylee, a popular gaming streamer and producer who has been using a G502 since 2019.

SK hynix held a press conference unveiling its vision and strategy for the AI era today at its headquarters in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, to share the details of its investment plans for the M15X fab in Cheongju and the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster in Korea and the advanced packaging facilities in Indiana, U.S.

The event, hosted by theChief Executive Officer Kwak Noh-Jung, three years before the May 2027 completion of the first fab in the Yongin Cluster, was attended by key executives including the Head of AI Infra Justin (Ju-Seon) Kim, Head of DRAM Development Kim Jonghwan, Head of the N-S Committee Ahn Hyun, Head of Manufacturing Technology Kim Yeongsik, Head of Package & Test Choi Woojin, Head of Corporate Strategy & Planning Ryu Byung Hoon, and the Chief Financial Officer Kim Woo Hyun.