Swissbit introduces the A2000 PCIe SSD series, a new high-performance storage platform for applications that require consistently high throughput, low latency, and robust data integrity. The series combines PCIe Gen 4 performance with industrial design, advanced security features, hardware power-loss protection, and Swissbit's own controller and firmware expertise. Designed for mixed-use and write-intensive workloads, the A2000 series targets high-performance industrial systems, edge AI, networking and communication infrastructure, IoT gateways, enterprise servers, medical imaging, data logging, and other applications where predictable and consistent performance is critical.

Based on the latest BiCS8 3D TLC NAND, packaged in-house by Swissbit, the A2000 and A2200 use an eight-NAND-channel DRAM-based controller architecture and a TLC direct firmware design to deliver sustained performance, low latency, and low write amplification. Hardware power-loss protection helps safeguard data without relying on operating-system support, while lifetime monitoring supports preventive maintenance.

Kensington, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals, today announced the launch of the Pro Fit Ergo TB675 Vertical Wired and Wireless Trackballs. The ergonomically designed thumb-operated trackballs, which were honored with a 2026 Red Dot Award for Product Design, are engineered to deliver precise control, and customizable productivity for today's multi-device professionals.

Designed to address the limitations of traditional flat mice and the lack of modern thumb-operated trackball options, the Pro Fit Ergo TB675 series features an ergonomist-approved 60-degree vertical design that supports more natural wrist and thumb positioning. The contoured shape is well-suited to fit users with average sized hands, helping professionals navigate spreadsheets, creative applications, and multiscreen workflows with reduced strain and improved control.

Blaze Entertainment is delighted to announce NEOGEO Arcade 4, the latest physical arcade cartridge for the Evercade system, continuing the celebration of SNK's legendary NEOGEO legacy. This new collection brings together eight all-time classic arcade titles, spanning fighting games, run-and-gun action, sports, and beat 'em up brawling.

NEOGEO Arcade 4 expands on the classic arcade experiences available on Evercade, showcasing why NEOGEO remains one of the most revered names in arcade gaming history. Each title has been carefully selected to represent the depth, quality, and unmistakable style of SNK's arcade output, and the cartridge includes a full-color manual with game descriptions, controls, and helpful tips.

PIODATA today announced the launch of the SecureX Security Flash Drive, a next-generation USB storage solution engineered for professionals who require uncompromising data protection and backup with immediate, offline accessibility. Designed for high-stakes environments—including medical, military, and technology sectors—SecureX delivers a secure, portable alternative to cloud storage that is always within reach and ready to perform.

In an era where critical files often live in the cloud, access and security aren't always guaranteed. Network outages, restricted environments, hackers, or login failures can derail presentations and workflows at the worst possible moment. SecureX eliminates that risk by ensuring your most important files are physically with you, instantly accessible on virtually any device with a USB connection, including PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets.

Microsoft has confirmed that the company complied with the request of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to give away BitLocker encryption keys for unlocking customer data on three laptops. According to Forbes, early last year FBI handed a warrant to Microsoft for recovery keys that are protecting three laptops from the Guam area, which were running Microsoft's BitLocker encryption on their drives. For those unaware, BitLocker uses 128 and 256-bit AES encryption over entire drive volumes, so the data becomes unusable once it is out of user's hands. Only a generated key can unlock the data with the exact combination, making it impossible for third-parties to unveil what is happening inside the storage volume.

However, now Microsoft spokesperson Charles Chamberlayne has confirmed for The Verge that the every BitLocker key generated for the local device usage is also stored in Microsoft's online storage server. He continued elaborating that "customers can choose to store their encryption keys locally, in a location inaccessible to Microsoft, or in Microsoft's cloud. We recognize that some customers prefer Microsoft's cloud storage so we can help recover their encryption key if needed. While key recovery offers convenience, it also carries a risk of unwanted access." However, having these encryption keys stored online is a massive security vulnerability, as personal privacy can be circumvented in case a government body like FBI requests the key.

Global leader in memory modules and flash storage, ADATA Technology Co., Ltd. will present its latest breakthroughs at CES 2026, under the theme "Advancing Innovation." Marking its upcoming 25th anniversary, ADATA will showcase its latest innovations alongside its enterprise storage brand TRUSTA, industrial solutions leader ADATA Industrial, and gaming brand XPG.

The exhibition centers on three key zones: AI Innovation, Smart Living, and Gaming Lifestyle. The AI Innovation Zone showcases innovative hybrid storage and memory solutions, intelligent management software for edge computing, and Gen 5 SSDs for AI PCs, demonstrating significant achievements in AI integration. The Everyday Innovation Zone features the industry's first 4-RANK DDR5 CUDIMM memory, sustainable DDR5 memory, external SSDs equipped with USB4 and NFC technology, and embedded storage solutions. In the Gaming Lifestyle Zone, XPG will spotlight its innovative thermal solutions, establishing a high-performance gaming ecosystem with a comprehensive new product lineup. Simultaneously, an online exhibition will launch on January 6, inviting global audiences to witness groundbreaking AI innovations and smart application capabilities.

Microsoft has unveiled a new hardware-accelerated BitLocker encryption system for Windows 11, which shifts cryptographic operations from software to dedicated accelerator units integrated into future CPU microarchitectures. Historically, software-based BitLocker in Windows 11 has caused massive performance degradation. For example, in Windows 11 going from no BitLocker to software-based BitLocker has caused average number of cycles per I/O to skyrocket from roughly 400,000 cycles to about 1.9 million cycles. This is a 375% increase in cycles per I/O, and can cause significant storage performance degradations. However, Microsoft is finally bringing hardware-based encryption to solve this.

The new hardware acceleration, announced at Ignite 2025 in November, is now available in Windows 11 version 25H2 and Windows Server 2025 with the September update. Early testing shows that some workloads experience double the storage performance while reducing CPU usage by over 70%. The system offloads AES-XTS-256 encryption processing from the main processor to a fixed-function cryptography engine embedded within the SoC. Encryption keys are hardware-wrapped to enhance security against memory-based attacks. The initial rollout will target Intel vPro platforms with the upcoming Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" processors, but Microsoft plans to extend support to other vendors as well.

Singapore-based Zuler Technology PTE. LTD. announced that its remote desktop software, DeskIn, is redefining industry standards for remote gaming through its groundbreaking "Smart Connect" technology. To date, DeskIn has been installed on over 180 million devices worldwide, serving more than 40 million users and thousands of global enterprise clients. With exceptional visual quality, ultra-low latency, and seamless cross-platform integration, DeskIn has established its leadership in remote desktop and cloud computing.

The boundaries of remote gaming are being redrawn. For every game player—casual, professional, streamer, or gaming developer—persistent issues like lag, blurry visuals, and device limits are finally solved. DeskIn delivers six core features: Low-Latency Performance, Seamless Cross-Platform Connectivity, Highly Customizable Controls, Full Peripheral Support, Intelligent Multi-Screen Utilization, and Lossless File Transmission. Together, they deliver a near-local gaming experience that removes both geographic and hardware barriers.

Responding to the rapidly growing demand for high-density, low-latency storage in AI servers and data centers, SSSTC has introduced its next-generation enterprise solid-state drive (SSD), the ER4 Series SATA SSD. The new series offers capacities of up to 16 TB, making it one of the few SATA SSDs on the market to deliver such high density. It also features impressive random read/write performance of 98K / 30K IOPS, while the 8 TB model achieves 98K / 55K IOPS—combining large capacity with exceptional performance ideal for AI inference, real-time analytics, and high-concurrency workloads.

The ER4 Series uses a 2.5-inch SATA 6 Gb/s standard interface and supports hot-swapping, enabling direct replacement of traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). This allows businesses to upgrade their storage seamlessly while maintaining existing infrastructure and optimizing cost efficiency. The lineup includes 16 TB (15.36 TB) and 8 TB (7.68 TB) models, both delivering sequential read/write speeds of up to 550 MB/s and 530 MB/s, respectively. Each model also provides 98K random read IOPS, significantly enhancing processing capabilities in high-concurrency environments—particularly beneficial for OLTP workloads, AI inference, cloud platforms, and data analytics requiring low latency.

Microsoft has encountered another unusual issue, this time mostly affecting Intel-based PCs. Users of Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, as well as some Windows 10 users, may unexpectedly find themselves in BitLocker recovery mode. Typically, BitLocker should not request the recovery key unless there have been changes to the system configuration. However, due to a new bug, users are being prompted to enter their recovery keys without any such changes. BitLocker encrypts the entire drive volume using AES encryption by default, ensuring the drive's security even if it is stolen, lost, or improperly decommissioned. "After installing Windows Updates released on or after October 14, 2025 (the Originating KBs listed above), some devices might encounter issues during restart or startup," notes Microsoft document for Microsoft 365 Business and Windows 11 Enterprise licensees.

From a portal not accessible to us (thanks to Windows Latest for images), it seems that Windows 11 25H2 with KB5066835 and Windows 11 version 24H2 with the same KB number are affected. Windows 10 version 22H2 is also impacted, with the originating ID KB5066791. The interesting part is the source of this issue. Since the launch of Windows 8, the Windows OS has included a Connected Standby feature. This power-saving feature allows the PC to stay connected to the network, receiving notifications and streaming music even while in standby mode. It was originally designed to extend battery life on laptops by maintaining a low-power state instead of draining the battery.

Intel is still finalizing its next-generation "Nova Lake" specifications. However, the core microarchitecture has been done, the NPU design is finished and upgraded, and the instruction set is finalized. It could be the case that these consumer CPUs will again lack support for Intel's AVX10, APX, and AMX instruction set—designed to encompass 512-bit acceleration and fast vector/matrix multiplication for tasks like content creation, encoding/decoding, AI, and much more—remaining exclusive to Intel Xeon processors. According to the latest GCC compiler patch, the initial Nova Lake enablement patch does not include AVX10, AMX, or APX. This might suggest that support for these new x86 instructions could be missing from the next-generation CPU. Initially, Intel decided to disable AVX-512 for "Alder Lake" and "Raptor Lake" client-oriented CPU lineups, meaning that only server-grade Xeon CPUs got the accelerated 512-bit data paths.

This GCC patch seems to contradict the findings from August, when Intel introduced AVX10.2 support for "future Intel Core processors" in the oneDNN software library, likely targeting the Nova Lake series. We need to wait for more information from other enablement patches or direct confirmation from Intel regarding whether AVX10, APX, and AMX will be included in the 52-core Nova Lake SKUs. Enabling fast vector and matrix acceleration on 52 cores would be ideal for consumers, content creators, gamers, and workstation users alike. In comparison, AMD introduced full AVX-512 support with its "Zen 5" cores across its product range, providing a performance boost in optimized applications for both desktop and server CPUs. This marked the first time AMD did not emulate 512-bit AVX, which previously required splitting 512-bit data into two 256-bit units to be processed over two cycles.

TerraMaster proudly launches the F4-425 Plus and F2-425 Plus series, two hybrid Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices designed for tech enthusiasts, small businesses, and home users. The F4-425 Plus features a pioneering 3+4 bay design, while the F2-425 Plus offers a 3+2 bay configuration for entry-level expansion. Both are equipped with dual 5GbE high-speed networking, three M.2 SSD slots, AI-driven privacy protection, and hybrid storage capacities of up to 144 TB/84 TB. These two products set a new benchmark in the NAS market with outstanding performance, top-tier security, and versatile applications. Combined with TerraMaster OS 6 (TOS 6) software and the Business Backup Suite (BBS), they provide seamless management and comprehensive data protection.

Powerful Performance and Scalability
The F4-425 Plus and F2-425 Plus are powered by Intel N150 quad-core processor (up to 3.6 GHz), 16 GB/8 GB DDR5 memory, and dual 5GbE network interfaces, achieving transfer speeds of up to 1010 MB/s to handle high-demand data processing with ease.

HIKSEMI, a global provider of professional data storage solutions, showcased its vision for the intelligent storage era at GITEX 2025 under the theme "Smart Data. Smarter Life." The company introduced next-generation storage products designed to help users harness data in the AI-driven world.

A highlight was the debut of HIKSEMI's mascot, Semi the Elephant, at the booth. Dressed in HIKSEMI's colors, the cheerful elephant greeted visitors, posed for photos and engaged in playful interactions. It drew crowds and spread joy. Semi's presence reflected HIKSEMI's mission to make smart technology accessible and human-centered.

DataLocker, a global leader in encrypted storage solutions, introduces DL GO, a secure and easy-to-use encrypted USB flash drive, alongside MySafeConsole, a lightweight cloud console that gives individuals and small teams centralized control—without enterprise cost.

DL GO safeguards data with AES-256 XTS (FIPS 197) hardware encryption and fast, familiar biometrics on both major platforms—Windows Hello (Windows) and Touch ID (macOS)—with no drivers required. It works online or offline, and can be enrolled into MySafeConsole (individual/SMB) or tied to SafeConsole (enterprise) when centralized management is needed.

Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in high-performance storage, memory, connectivity, software, and accessories that empower creative and business professionals to maximize performance, enhance reliability, and streamline workflows, today announced the launch of the OWC Guardian, a powerful new portable SSD designed for anyone who needs to easily safeguard sensitive data on the go without sacrificing speed or simplicity.

OWC Guardian is designed to offer both data security and ease of use. It is compatible with USB-C Macs, iPad Pros, and PCs. Users connect the device, enter a password using the built-in color touchscreen, and can then transfer files via drag and drop. There is no software installation required, and performance remains smooth without compatibility issues. OWC Guardian uses 256-bit AES OPAL hardware encryption to automatically encrypt data during writing and decrypt it upon authorized access. The touchscreen allows PIN or passphrase entry, and additional features include multi-user access, read-only mode, secure erase, and randomized keypad layouts. OWC Guardian is suitable for users handling sensitive or personal data and supports compliance needs without adding workflow complexity. With up to 1000 MB/s in real-world transfer speeds and capacities up to 4.0 TB, OWC Guardian can support large file backups, media transfers, and 4K video editing.

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a global leader in storage and multimedia solutions, proudly announces the launch of its new SSD475P 2.5" solid-state drive, purpose-built for industrial applications and high-performance environments. Featuring Power Loss Protection (PLP) technology, the SSD475P uses built-in capacitors to continue supplying power during unexpected power outages, ensuring data is properly written and significantly reducing the risk of data loss.

The SSD475P is equipped with a SATA III 6 Gb/s interface and 112-layer 3D NAND flash, offering storage capacities of up to 8 TB, combining high-speed access with exceptional capacity. With sustained read/write speeds of up to 560/530 MB/s and a built-in DRAM cache, the drive enhances random access performance and overall endurance. Thanks to its Direct Write firmware, the SSD475P provides outstanding write stability for prolonged, intensive data workloads. It ensures consistent write speeds without throttling, making it ideal for industrial use cases involving frequent access and high write volumes, such as industrial PCs, embedded systems, and data logging devices.

Realtek appears to have decided that it still wants a slice of the SSD controller market and showed off two new products at Computex. The first, is a DRAM-less PCIe 5.0 NVMe controller that the company says will offer random read/write speeds of up to 10,000 MB/s, which it also delivers according to a CrystalDiskMark 8.0.4 screenshot that the company shared at the show. The RTS5781 as the controller is known as, is a typical 4-channel controller that supports ONFi 5.1 and Toggle 5.1 3D TLC/QLC NAND with I/O speeds of up to 3600 MT/s. It also supports advanced power saving features and common encryption protocols such as TCG OPAL 2.0 and AES 256. Random performance is on par with your typical DRAM-less SSD controller. The RTS5781 was originally revealed last year on a roadmap, but only announced now.

Next up is the RM1220, which is comparable to Silicon Motion's SM2322 in that it's a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps controller that doesn't require any bridge chip for better or worse. Realtek claims the same 2,100/2,000 MB/s read and write performance as Silicon Motion and thus better performance than Phison's PS2251-18/U18 controller. However, Realtek has a couple of tricks up its sleeve to make the RM1220 stand out from the crowd, the first being an integrated addressable RGB controller for "gaming" SSDs and the other being integrated fingerprint reader support, where just the physical reader is needed, for companies that want to add some security features to their external SSDs.

iStorage, the global leader in hardware encrypted data storage and cloud encryption solutions, has once again raised the bar in data security with the launch of the world's first 26 TB PIN authenticated, hardware encrypted desktop drive. The groundbreaking diskAshur DT3 and diskAshur DT2, already trusted by governments, defense organizations, financial institutions, healthcare providers and media agencies around the world, are now available in an industry-leading 26 TB capacity. These high-capacity drives continue to set the benchmark for robust, portable and user-friendly data protection.

Raising the Bar in Government-Grade Security
The diskAshur DT3 is among the first encrypted HDDs pending certification under the new FIPS 140-3 Level 3 standard, the latest U.S. government benchmark for cryptographic security. It features TAA compliance, FIPS PUB 197-validated AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption, and a Common Criteria EAL5+ certified secure microprocessor, ensuring maximum defense against unauthorized access.

From April 6-9th, UGREEN, a global leader in consumer electronics and charging technology, is showcasing its innovative NASync series at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. The UGREEN NASync iDX6011 and iDX6011 Pro have been the highlights of the display at Booth SL9210 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. These latest UGREEN NASync iDX models revolutionize data management and security for content creators through advanced AI technology, setting a new standard as the world-first AI-powered NAS.

UGREEN NASync is a series of network-attached storage devices tailored for personal, home, or business use. In March 2024, UGREEN launched a 44-day crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for the NASync DXP series, successfully raising over $6.6 million achieved No.1 in the NAS category. This remarkable support highlights the strong demand for advanced storage solutions.

Google security researchers have published comprehensive details on "EntrySign," a significant vulnerability affecting all AMD Zen processors through Zen 4. The flaw allows attackers with local administrator privileges to install custom microcode updates on affected CPUs, bypassing AMD's cryptographic verification system. The vulnerability stems from AMD's use of AES-CMAC as a hash function in its signature verification process—a critical cryptographic error. CMAC is designed as a message authentication code, not a secure hash function. The researchers discovered that AMD had been using a published example key from NIST documentation since Zen 1, allowing them to forge signatures and deploy arbitrary microcode modifications. These modifications can alter CPU behavior at the most fundamental level, enabling sophisticated attacks that persist until the next system reboot.

Google's security team has released "zentool," an open-source jailbreak toolkit allowing researchers to create, sign, and deploy custom microcode patches on vulnerable processors. The toolkit includes capabilities for microcode disassembly, patch authoring with limited assembly support, and cryptographic signing functions. As a proof-of-concept, the researchers demonstrated modifying the RDRAND instruction to consistently return predetermined values, effectively compromising the CPU's random number generation. AMD has issued microcode updates that replace the compromised validation routine with a custom secure hash function. The company's patches also leverage the AMD Secure Processor to update the validation routine before x86 cores can process potentially tampered microcode. While the attack requires local administrator access and doesn't persist through power cycles, it poses significant risks to confidential computing environments using technologies like SEV-SNP and DRTM. The researchers noted their findings could enable further CPU security research beyond exploit development, potentially allowing the implementation of new security features similar to those developed for Intel processors through similar techniques.

Transcend Information Inc. (Transcend ), a leading global manufacturer of memory storage solutions, announces the launch of its new CFX735 and CFX735I CFast cards. These cards feature built-in write protection technology, designed specifically for professional applications that require secure data storage and stable, high-performance write capabilities.

Leveraging 112-layer 3D NAND flash technology and a SATA III 6 Gb/s interface, this series offers exceptional read/write speeds and large storage capacities. Whether you're dealing with data-intensive applications or operating in demanding environments, these cards deliver reliable performance. The CFX735 operates in a temperature range of -5°C to 70°C, while the CFX735I is built for extreme environments, functioning reliably from -40°C to 85°C, perfect for outdoor and temperature fluctuating scenarios.

Greenliant is now sampling high-endurance EnduroSLC NVMe M.2 2242 and 2280 ArmourDrive EX Series solid state drives (SSDs), providing 75,000 and 150,000 program-erase (P/E) cycles. Operating between -40 and +95 degrees Celsius, NVMe M.2 ArmourDrive EX Series SSDs offer high reliability and long-term support required by leading customers in aerospace and defense, industrial, transportation and networking.

Greenliant is also sampling upgraded NVMe M.2 2242 / 2280 ArmourDrive PX Series SSDs with high-quality industrial 3-bit-per-cell (TLC) 3D NAND that support 5,000 P/E cycles. Optimized for high performance and low power consumption, both EX and PX series products provide the convenience of removability. Offered from popular 2280 (GLS88AS) to small 2242 (GLS88CS) form factors and available in a wide range of capacities, these single-sided, thin-profile SSDs are ideal for space-constrained designs.

Silicon Motion Technology Corporation ("Silicon Motion"), a global leader in designing and marketing NAND flash controllers for solid-state storage devices, today launched the SM2322, the industry's fastest single-chip high-performance, low-power, and cost-effective solution for external portable SSDs, supporting up to 8 TB of storage and achieves unparalleled data transfer rates of 20 Gbps for storing and accessing large amounts of content seamlessly from AI smartphones, high-performance multimedia devices, and game consoles.

With the increase of AI-capable devices, high density and high-performance storage solutions are becoming more critical to consumers. Portable SSDs powered by the new SM2322 controller are the only solution that offers low-cost, high-density and high-performance, making it the ideal solution for these applications. Equipped with a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface with 20 Gb/s bandwidth and fully integrated hardware and software solution delivering peak sequential read and write transfer speeds of 2,100 MB/s and 2,000 MB/s, respectively, with up to 8 TB capacity, SM2322 powered high-performance portable SSDs enable an ultra-compact and lightweight form factor. The SM2322 supports the ProRes format and MFi specification for iPhone users while also being compatible with Windows, Android OS, and macOS, making it an ideal high-density, high-performance portable storage solution for AI smartphones, HD content creators, and gaming enthusiasts who require high-density, high-performance portable storage.

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.

Apricorn, the leading manufacturer of software-free, 256-bit AES XTS hardware-encrypted USB data storage devices, today announced the release of a 24 TB version of its Aegis Padlock DT and Padlock DT FIPS Desktop Drives. Continuing its position as an industry leader, Apricorn is the first to bring a 24 TB encrypted drive to market, delivering high performance and mass capacity to industries such as healthcare, financial services, education, and government, while ensuring the security of users' data. This is the third time Apricorn has brought to market the industry's largest capacity hardware encrypted USB drive, having previously done so in 20 TB and 22 TB sizes.

"Microsoft this month disclosed that the nation state attack it identified in January was still not fully contained. Since Microsoft is so deeply entrenched in just about every facet of our workflow, encrypting and storing data offline adds a layer of protection and resilience in the face of potential future attacks that could stem from breaches of this nature," said Kurt Markley, U.S. Managing Director at Apricorn. "The Aegis Padlock DT line is an ideal way for large organizations to protect vast amounts of data at rest in a highly secure and economic way."