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Vivo launches X500 series globally with MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro and advanced cameras
Vivo has released its X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max smartphones globally, featuring MediaTek's new 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro chipsets in the Pro models. The series emphasizes camera technology co-engineered with Zeiss, including a 50MP main sensor and a 200MP periscope telephoto in the Pro Max.
TSMC Reportedly Considers 20% Price Increase for CoWoS Advanced Packaging
TSMC is reportedly considering a price increase of up to 20% for its CoWoS advanced packaging technology due to high demand from AI chips like Nvidia's Blackwell and Rubin, and extended lead times for chipmaking equipment. This potential price hike reflects growing capacity strain in the AI supply chain, impacting chip manufacturers relying on advanced packaging for high-performance accelerators.
Magic State Cultivation Achieves 40x Error Reduction on Superconducting Quantum Processor
Researchers demonstrated magic state cultivation on a superconducting quantum processor, reducing error by a factor of 40 and achieving a state fidelity of 0.9999(1). This method provides an efficient alternative to resource-intensive distillation protocols for generating non-Clifford gates, which are necessary for fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Commonwealth Fusion Systems receives $85M CHIPS Act award for fusion power semiconductors
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) secured an $85 million award from the U.S. Department of Commerce under the CHIPS Act to develop advanced semiconductors for the fusion power industry. This funding will support R&D and manufacturing of durable power electronics, radio-frequency generators, radiation-hardened electronics, and AI hardware for fusion reactors, aiming to accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy and strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.
Boston Dynamics Employees Protest Sale of Robot Dogs to ICE
Hundreds of Boston Dynamics employees signed a petition against the sale of their robot dogs to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Despite employee concerns, executives are proceeding with the deal, stating the robots will not be weaponized.
Intel Driver and Shipping Manifests Confirm "Raptor Lake Next" CPU Refresh
Intel has inadvertently confirmed its upcoming "Raptor Lake Next" CPU refresh through an internal test driver publication and shipping manifests. These new CPUs are designed to be compatible with existing LGA-1700 motherboards and will support DDR4 memory, offering an upgrade path for current users.
Chinese Team Achieves 3.2 Petabits/Second Optical Fiber Transfer Speed Record
A Chinese research team set a new world record for real-time optical fiber data transfer at 3.2 petabits per second using 24-core fiber. This speed represents a 30% increase over their previous record and could enable 3.2 million households to simultaneously access gigabit broadband.
Leaked Zen 6c EPYC CPU shows 24% single-threaded IPC gain over Zen 5 in benchmarks
Early GeekBench 7 results for AMD's Zen 6c EPYC 9996 server CPU indicate a 24% single-threaded IPC improvement compared to a Zen 5 Ryzen 7 9700X. This comparison, conducted at matched clock speeds, suggests significant architectural advancements in the Zen 6c core design.
Samsung reportedly cuts production of Galaxy A phones by 20% due to rising costs
Samsung plans to reduce production of its entry-level and mid-range Galaxy A smartphones by approximately 20%, totaling around 10 million units. This decision aims to reallocate resources towards more profitable flagship devices, as increased costs for memory and chipsets have made mid-range production less viable.
Intel CEO discussed potential collaboration with AMD, focusing on regaining CPU leadership
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has reportedly discussed potential cooperation with AMD CEO Lisa Su, signaling a shift in Intel's strategy to regain its position in the semiconductor industry. Tan outlined plans to rebuild Intel's CPU business, develop workload-specific chips, and attract customers to its foundry operations, moving away from Intel's traditional insular approach.
Optical Drive Shortage Halts Production of High-End CD Players
PS Audio and Naim have ceased production of their high-end CD players due to a shortage of optical drives and components. This issue stems from some optical drive manufacturers ending production, raising concerns about the long-term repairability of new CD players entering the market.
EPFL Researchers Develop Neural Chip to Decode Brain Region Interactions
EPFL researchers developed LogSync, an implantable neural chip that tracks communication between brain regions to identify cognitive and emotional states in real time. This system aims to improve deep brain stimulation (DBS) for psychiatric disorders by adapting stimulation based on network-level brain activity rather than single-region signals.
Russia deploys 3D-printed cruise missiles with US electronics in Ukraine
Ukraine's military intelligence agency GUR reported Russia's deployment of new 3D-printed "Filin" cruise missiles, which can reach 500 mph and have a 745-mile range. These missiles use commercially available parts, including electronics from Western nations, to reduce costs and potentially enable "missile spam" tactics.
Apple Releases Official DIY Repair Guides for iPhone Duo
Apple has published official repair guides and manuals for the iPhone Duo, detailing step-by-step instructions for component replacement. These guides aim to support users and independent technicians in performing repairs, covering various hardware issues and safety procedures.
Helion Secures $175M Federal Funding for Advanced Semiconductors to Boost Fusion Plant Output
Fusion startup Helion received $175 million in federal funding under the CHIPS Act to develop and manufacture advanced semiconductors and power electronics. These new components aim to reduce electricity loss in its fusion power plants, potentially doubling their power output and establishing a new U.S. production line for high-voltage semiconductors.
Galaxy S26 Ultra Setup Bug Renders Some Devices Unusable
A bug is preventing some Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra phones from completing the initial setup process, displaying a "webpage is unavailable" error. This issue, confirmed by Samsung, occurs after a UI 9.0 update due to an unstable system WebView on certain networks, effectively bricking affected devices until a fix is implemented.
TSMC Seeks Chipmaking Equipment Without Chinese Rare-Earth Magnets
TSMC is asking equipment suppliers for factory automation machinery that does not use rare-earth magnets to reduce its reliance on China-dominated materials. This move aims to mitigate potential disruptions to its chip production caused by China's export controls on rare-earth elements and magnets.
GM to Debut New EV Platform with Central Computing and AI in 2028
GM announced its fourth-generation EV platform will feature a new central computing platform and electrical architecture, integrating all vehicle systems and extensive software. This technological overhaul, including an autonomous highway driving feature, is set to debut in 2028 with the Cadillac Escalade IQ, aiming to compete with software-defined vehicles from Tesla, Rivian, and Chinese automakers.
Elon Musk confirms discussions with TSMC for Terafab chipmaking collaboration
Elon Musk confirmed discussions with TSMC regarding a potential collaboration for his Terafab semiconductor production initiative. This collaboration could involve TSMC building and operating a facility exclusively for Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, potentially altering Intel's previously discussed role in Terafab.
FADU Introduces File-Semantic SSD to Move Filesystem into SSD Flash
FADU announced its File-Semantic SSD (FS-SSD) technology, which integrates the filesystem directly into the SSD's flash, bypassing host CPUs for file operations. This development aims to reduce CPU overhead in data-intensive workloads by allowing GPUs, DPUs, and NICs to access files directly.
HPE to Conduct First Supercomputer Benchmarks and AI Testing on the Moon in 2026
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) will send its Spaceborne Computer-4, a fanless compute module, to the Moon in late 2026 to perform the first high-performance computing (HPC) benchmarks and AI tests on the lunar surface. This mission, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, aims to enable data processing at the point of discovery for future lunar exploration and development.
Three Contract Workers Die at TSMC's 2nm Fab Construction Site in Taiwan
Three contract workers died and one is in intensive care after a fall at TSMC's 2nm Fab 22 construction site in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The incident, suspected to be caused by a broken bolt, has halted steel hoisting and prompted an investigation by the Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau, marking another fatality at TSMC construction sites this year.
Quantinuum Achieves Significant Quantum Error Correction Scaling Beyond Breakeven
Quantinuum announced its quantum hardware can scale logical qubits significantly beyond the breakeven point, improving performance by over a factor of 10 with each size increase. This development addresses the challenge of impractical qubit numbers needed for complex quantum algorithms by demonstrating more effective error correction scaling.
AMD Zen 6 APU Engineering Sample with 24GB LPDDR5 Memory Appears in Benchmarks
An AMD engineering sample, potentially from the Gainsborough family, appeared in OpenBenchmarking listings, featuring a six-core, 12-thread processor and 24GB of LPDDR5 memory. This sample suggests a significant hardware upgrade over current handheld gaming devices like the Steam Deck, with faster memory and more CPU cores.
Solo Developer Releases VBIOS Configurator for Nvidia GPUs Without Flashing
A solo developer, Panchovix, released a VBIOS configurator for Nvidia RTX 30- to 50-series cards that modifies settings without requiring a risky flash process. This tool allows users to adjust GPU parameters beyond typical software limits by storing modified VBIOS images in the GPU's register key, reducing the risk of bricking the hardware.
Agility Robotics Launches Digit 5 Humanoid Robot for Warehouse Tasks
Agility Robotics, cofounded by the author, launched Digit 5, a humanoid robot designed for warehouse work. Digit 5 can lift 23-kilogram bins and operates for 90 minutes on a 9-minute charge, aiming to address labor needs in physically demanding or repetitive jobs.
Sceye's Stratospheric Airship Completes Round-Trip Flight to Japan, Tests Cell Tower Concept
Sceye, a US aerospace company, successfully completed a round-trip flight from New Mexico to Japan with its uncrewed stratospheric airship between August and September 2026. This flight demonstrated the airship's capability to function as a high-altitude cell phone tower, operating at 60,000 feet, above air traffic and the jet stream, and closer than low-Earth orbit satellites.
μRepRap Project Develops Micro-Scale 3D Printing and Fabrication Systems
The μRepRap Project is developing open-source micro-scale 3D fabrication systems, achieving repeatable 1μm positioning and printing features as small as 4μm. This initiative aims to democratize micro-manufacturing, similar to how RepRap popularized macro-scale 3D printing.
DJI Introduces Dock 4 for Automated Drone Battery Swapping, Reducing Turnaround to 45 Seconds
DJI released the Dock 4, its first battery-swapping drone dock, which automates battery changes in 25 seconds, enabling a drone turnaround of under 45 seconds from landing to takeoff. This system aims to improve operational efficiency for applications like emergency response by significantly reducing drone downtime compared to traditional recharging methods.
PNY allegedly denies warranty for melted RTX 5090 using native PSU cable
A Redditor claims PNY denied a warranty claim for a melted GeForce RTX 5090, stating the user did not use an "approved" power cable. The user had connected the card with a native 12V-2x6 cable from an ASRock 1600-watt power supply, which the warranty terms do not explicitly prohibit.
Samsung Galaxy S27 Reportedly May Skip Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 Due to Overheating
A report indicates Samsung's Galaxy S27 series might not use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset due to overheating concerns, potentially leading Samsung to consider its Exynos 2700 as an alternative. Qualcomm has stated that reports of thermal issues with its next-generation flagship platform are inaccurate.
X-Bow Systems to Supply 3D-Printed Rocket Motors for US Army's Low-Cost Cruise Missiles
X-Bow Systems will develop and build 3D-printed rocket boosters for the U.S. Army's Low-Cost Containerized Munition (LCCM) project, under a deal with Leidos. This initiative aims to rebuild the U.S. defense industrial base by utilizing additive manufacturing for faster iteration and production of complex rocket motor designs.
Tesla driver using FSD crashed into highway patrol cars, injuring two officers
A Tesla driver admitted to being asleep while using Full Self-Driving (FSD) when his vehicle crashed into two California Highway Patrol cars, injuring two officers. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about driver engagement and the limitations of advanced driver-assistance systems, prompting renewed warnings from authorities.
Chinese Startup Langdao Silex Demos 15W EUV Light Source Prototype with 90% Domestic Components
Chinese startup Langdao Silex demonstrated a prototype extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source with over 15W output power and 90% domestic components. This development is significant as China aims to develop its own EUV lithography capabilities due to restrictions on procuring tools from ASML.
Taiwan to build $4B industrial park in Texas to support US chipmaking supply chain
Taiwan is raising $4 billion to establish an industrial park in Texas, managed by the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association. This initiative aims to support smaller Taiwanese manufacturers that are crucial suppliers to major chipmakers like TSMC and Foxconn, strengthening the US semiconductor supply chain.
Liquid Metal TIM Solidifies on Copper Over Time, Not Drying Out
A two-year test using an electron microscope revealed that liquid metal thermal interface material (TIM) does not dry out but instead forms a solid compound with copper. This reaction, which creates CuGa2, reduces the TIM's thermal conductivity significantly, impacting long-term cooling performance in PC hardware.
Porsche unveils Mission S concept, a new mid-engined supercar positioned above the 911
Porsche previewed the Mission S concept in New York, a new mid-engined supercar intended as a regular production model above the 911. This release is part of Porsche's "Sportwagenschmiede '35" strategy to recover financially and achieve double-digit profit margins by 2035.
E Ink Introduces Kaleido 4 Color E-Paper with Improved Color and Refresh Rates
E Ink announced Kaleido 4, the latest version of its color e-paper technology, which doubles the color gamut volume to over 40,000 colors and improves refresh rates to 18 fps for video content. This advancement addresses common limitations of e-paper displays, offering more accurate color images and better performance for future e-readers and writing tablets.
Rocket Lab's Neutron launch delayed to 2027 due to carbon composite manufacturing issues
Rocket Lab's Neutron launch vehicle first flight is delayed until 2027 due to manufacturing defects found in the carbon composite structures of the rocket's first stage. Engineers discovered voids in the dome sections of the propellant tanks, necessitating a delay to address the production process for large composite structures.
TSMC Reports Record Q3 Profit, Exceeding Estimates on AI Chip Demand
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) reported a record third-quarter profit of NT$763.1 billion, surpassing analyst estimates, driven by strong global demand for AI chips. The company also forecast a significant sequential and year-over-year revenue increase for the fourth quarter, indicating continued growth in advanced chip technologies.