News without the noise
Hardware and devices: chips, phones, computers and the companies making them, from launches to supply chains.
267 articles · page 3 of 6
Apple has opened pre-orders for its new HomeView smart display, with first deliveries set for November 13, but buyers of the wall-mounted model will need to pay extra for a mount and power adapter that are not included in the box.
· 7 sourcesAt the Open Compute Project (OCP) 2026 conference, Intel officially named its long-teased Crescent Island AI accelerator the GPU D-Series, promising 1.3 PFLOPS of FP8 performance and 1.5 TB/s of memory bandwidth in an air-cooled, 350-watt PCIe form factor. The chip is designed for large language model inference, long-context reasoning and multi-tenant AI services, with Intel saying a rack of eight such GPUs can handle models exceeding one trillion parameters.
CMF, the budget-focused brand created by Nothing, has unveiled its first portable Bluetooth speakers, the Speaker S and Speaker M. The new devices, which the company is in the process of spinning off into an India-based standalone subsidiary, feature a design that resembles a carton of milk, combining affordability with bright colour options and a distinctive look intended to help them stand out in a competitive market.
OnePlus today launched the OnePlus 16 in China, its first flagship smartphone since the company withdrew from the US and European markets earlier this year. The device marks a return to the company's performance-focused roots, packing a Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor, up to 16GB of RAM and a 9,000mAh silicon-carbon battery.
AMD has introduced Helion, a standardized 21-inch rack reference design for agentic AI servers that can house up to 32,768 Zen 6 cores in a CPU-only deployment, complementing the Helios rack it revealed at last year's OCP Global Summit.
· 2 sourcesGlobalFoundries has announced FDX Fusion, a 7nm-class fabrication process based on fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) technology, marking the company's return to developing advanced nodes nearly eight years after abandoning its FinFET roadmap. The process is designed for applications prioritising low power consumption and high integration, with production scheduled to begin in 2028 at GlobalFoundries' Dresden facility.
US video game console sales have collapsed, with Xbox hardware units down 33% year-to-date and PlayStation 5 units down 25% through August 2026, according to industry tracker Circana. Xbox sales are at an all-time low since the console launched nearly 25 years ago, while PS5 sales have fallen to their lowest point since 2013, when buyers held off ahead of the PS4 launch.
Researchers have demonstrated a way to control where two-dimensional semiconductor crystals begin growing on a wafer, potentially removing a key barrier to manufacturing next-generation transistors at scale. The technique, described in a paper published in Nature on October 7, uses an etching flux to suppress random nucleation and force a single crystal to form at the centre of each patterned region. The team behind the work includes researchers from KAIST in South Korea and the startup TDS Innovation.
Amazon has unveiled a new lineup of Alexa Tablets that mark a significant strategic shift, abandoning its proprietary Fire OS in favour of a stock Android experience with full access to the Google Play Store. The tablets, available in three sizes, are positioned as direct competitors to Apple's iPad lineup at notably lower price points.
Nvidia has reportedly stopped making GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards, including China-market D variants, according to a leaked factory notice cited by hardware leakers. If true, the company's GB202 silicon would be used exclusively in data center and professional GPUs, leaving the RTX 5080 as the top consumer card.
Volkswagen has officially unveiled the ID. Tiguan, the replacement for its ID.4 electric crossover. The new model drops the numeric naming convention for the moniker of VW’s best-selling global model, the Tiguan, and will be built on an updated version of the company’s MEB platform, called MEB+. It will be offered with 58 kWh or 77 kWh battery packs, with range estimates of up to 373 miles (600 km) on the European WLTP cycle.
Global PC shipments fell by 20.1% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2026, a drop of 15.8 million units according to market research firm IDC, as the boom in AI data centres continues to consume memory and storage supply once destined for consumer devices.
TSMC has struck a $2 billion partnership with US-based foundry GlobalFoundries to produce silicon interposers at its Malta, New York fab, a step toward closing the advanced packaging bottleneck that still forces American-made AI chips to travel to Taiwan for final assembly.
Apple has announced a special event scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, at 9:00 a.m. ET in New York, with the tagline 'Welcome home,' signalling a major push into the smart home market. The company is expected to unveil several new home products including a smart home hub with a display (rumoured to be called 'HomePad'), an updated Apple TV 4K, a second-generation HomePod mini, and smart home accessories co-developed with LG.
· 2 sourcesAmazon has announced a new line of Alexa tablets, marking a significant strategic shift by replacing its proprietary Fire OS with Android. The new devices, which include the premium Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, offer full access to the Google Play Store and are powered by the company's new Alexa+ AI assistant.
The first laptops powered by Nvidia's new RTX Spark chip have arrived, and the machines from Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, MSI, HP and Asus carry premium price tags to match their high-end ambitions, starting at $2,599 and reaching as high as $7,000 in fully loaded configurations.
· 4 sourcesGooglebooks, the new Android-based laptops from Google and its hardware partners, feature physical navigation keys etched with the familiar triangle, circle and square icons from Android 5.0 Lollipop, reviving a design element that disappeared when gesture-based navigation became standard on phones.
Elon Musk has dismissed speculation that TSMC would take over operations of his Terafab chipmaking venture, affirming that his companies will build and run the fab themselves. He instead floated the idea of TSMC subleasing part of the facility. Meanwhile, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirmed that Intel remains involved in the project, with plans to use its 14A fabrication process.
Qualcomm has reached a multiyear cross-license deal with Huawei covering 5G, AI, and networking patents, including those behind the LogicFolding chip architecture used in the Kirin 9050 Pro processor, according to reports. The agreement represents a historic reversal in the companies' patent relationship, with Qualcomm reportedly paying Huawei for the first time.
Ring, the Amazon-owned video doorbell maker, has announced its first smart lock, featuring a hand-crank power dial that allows homeowners to generate enough power to unlock their door if the battery dies, addressing a common anxiety about smart home locks.
· 2 sourcesLeaked renders shared on X by a reliable tipster have provided the first look at Apple and LG's co-developed smart home devices, including a smart deadbolt lock and a thermostat featuring a 'Far Sight Display.' The devices are expected to integrate with Apple's rumored smart home hub, which is slated for launch on October 13.
Google and Xreal have opened pre-orders for their long-awaited Xreal Aura augmented reality glasses, priced at $1,279 for the base model, directly undercutting Meta's newly revealed VR Glasses by $20.
Amazon's fall Prime Day sale for 2026 is in its final 24 hours, and Apple accessories are among the deepest discounts on offer. AirPods Pro 3 are listed at $179, down from $249, while AirPods Max 2 are $429, down from $549, alongside all-time lows on iPhone 18 Pro cases, AirTag 2 and other official and third-party accessories.
Apple has officially entered the smart home hardware market with the launch of the Apple Home Collection, a range of accessories co-developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. The lineup includes a smart deadbolt lock, video doorbell, thermostat, temperature sensor, indoor and outdoor cameras, and a floodlight camera. The devices are designed to work with Apple's new HomeView smart home hub and are scheduled for release in December.
· 8 sourcesAmazon has confirmed that Alexa voice commands to play or pause audio from the aux input on select Echo speakers will no longer be supported, affecting a small subset of users who relied on the feature to control external devices connected via the 3.5mm port.
Sony could be preparing to release new versions of its PlayStation Portal streaming handheld, as two unannounced products have been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance with model numbers suggesting they are updates to the device, potentially including an OLED screen.
Tesla has expanded its Powershare Home Backup feature to the Model 3 and Model Y, allowing owners of those electric vehicles to use their car battery to keep their homes running during a power outage. The feature was previously only available on the Cybertruck.
Google's new Googlebook laptops, launched this week, promise seamless integration with Android phones, but early adopters have discovered that key 'Better Together' features do not work with Samsung devices, even those running Android 17. Google has confirmed the limitation and promised an update in the coming weeks.
Apple is preparing to unveil a new push into home products next week, with code references in the latest software betas revealing features such as Apple Intelligence on Apple TV, Dynamic Island controls for nearby smart-home accessories, and enhanced surround sound on HomePod.
AI chip startup Etched is reviewing investment offers that value the company at between $40 billion and $50 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter, just months after it closed a $700 million round at a $21 billion valuation. The talks are early and terms may change; the company declined to comment.
· 2 sourcesApple's latest M6-powered Mac Mini, which launched at $899, has received its first price drop during Amazon's October Prime Day event, now available for $779.99. The 2026 model, featuring a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, is the successor to the M4 version and is roughly 20 percent faster, according to The Verge's review.
Russia has completed a prototype lithography tool capable of processing 200mm wafers at the 130nm process node, a milestone in Moscow's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency, though the machine reportedly trails modern equipment by about 25 years and remains years away from production use.
Google today officially unveiled the Fitbit Edge, a new fitness tracker that brings a 1.34-inch OLED touchscreen, built-in GPS, and a replaceable battery to the midrange wearable market. First teased on X earlier this week with the caption "Get an Edge on your health. 10.12.26," the device sits between the minimalist Fitbit Air and the more powerful Pixel Watch 5, aiming to serve users who want notifications and fitness tracking without a full smartwatch.
· 4 sourcesElon Musk has confirmed that TSMC is in discussions with his Terafab semiconductor initiative about a possible collaboration, after a newsletter report said the world's largest contract chipmaker was exploring building and operating a facility exclusively serving Musk's companies. Musk confirmed the talks early on Saturday in an X post, writing "Just discussions, but something may come of it," while TSMC has not commented.
Nvidia has raised the price of its Shield TV Pro streaming box from $199.99 to $299.99, citing increased component costs driven by the generative AI boom. The price hike, effective October 2, reflects an industry-wide trend in which memory and storage prices have risen sharply as AI demand strains supply chains.
Toshiba has invested approximately ¥60 billion ($380 million) to double its hard disk drive assembly capacity in the Philippines, responding to surging demand from the AI sector for high-capacity nearline storage. The expansion includes new manufacturing lines at its Laguna Technopark facility that have already made their first shipments, positioning the company to ramp up production of next-generation drives.
A leaked SKU table for Intel’s upcoming Nova Lake desktop processors has surfaced, revealing seven initial models including three with a new “BFC” tag that indicates a large last-level cache designed to counter AMD’s gaming-dominant X3D chips.
Nvidia has introduced a lower-cost version of its DGX Spark AI desktop system, halving memory and storage to offer a $4,999 model amid soaring memory prices. The move comes as the company raised the price of the full 128 GB DGX Spark to $6,950, a 75 percent increase over last year, driven by a global memory shortage.
Ayaneo's Konkr Pocket Advance aims to revive the Game Boy Advance experience with modern hardware, running Android and featuring a 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen, a MediaTek processor and additional controls, all while remaining compatible with original GBA cases. The device starts at $109 for a 3GB RAM, 32GB storage model.
A California man has been arrested for smuggling more than $300 million worth of restricted Nvidia AI chips to China, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 1. The defendant, Greg Lui, also known as Yiu Kong Lui, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to violate export control laws, smuggling, and money laundering.
· 2 sourcesApple is reportedly developing a smart home security camera that would send users text descriptions of events rather than video footage, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device, reportedly code-named J450, is said to be part of a broader push into smart home technology by the company.
A previously unknown AMD chip codenamed Gainsborough has surfaced in the company's latest graphics drivers, reigniting speculation that Valve may finally have the hardware it needs to build a Steam Deck 2. The handheld is now four and a half years old, and Valve has consistently said it needs a chip with a "generational leap" in performance and efficiency before building a sequel.
Tom's Hardware has published PC graphics performance benchmarks for Gears of War: E-Day, The Coalition's return to the franchise's origins, marking the first shipping title to use Unreal Engine 5's MegaLights technology. The outlet tested 43 graphics cards to see what hardware can hold a 60 FPS average and analysed image quality across the game's five presets.
Gears of War E-Day breaks the mold for Unreal Engine 5 games by placing an unusually heavy load on processors, with benchmarks showing CPU utilization consistently between 80% and 90% and clear performance scaling across different chips, according to Tom's Hardware testing.
Amazon has announced a refreshed lineup of Kindles including the base model, Paperwhite, and Colorsoft, featuring thinner aluminum variants, a 30 percent improvement in book-opening speed, and a new accessory case with physical page-turn buttons.
· 3 sourcesHP has unveiled the OmniBook 5 14, a laptop directly targeting Apple's MacBook Neo, starting at $699.99 with Intel's Core 5 315 processor and an OLED display standard on all models.
· 2 sourcesLeaked images published by German tech site WinFuture suggest Amazon is preparing a minor redesign and expanded color options for its entry-level Kindle model, following a modest 2024 update that added a brighter backlight, dark mode, and faster page turns.
Fairphone has announced its second-generation Fairbuds 2 wireless earbuds, launching on October 14, with a focus on repairability and improved audio capabilities. The earbuds will feature seven fully replaceable and modular parts, continuing the company's sustainability ethos, and will add support for Sony's high-resolution LDAC codec.