news and current affairs.
AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 price leak triggers fury among creators and power users
AMD sets the Radeon AI PRO R9700 32 GB graphics card price between $1,240 and $1,277 after its Computex 2025 debut. Industry sources point to $1,259 as the expected retail cost when the company announces official pricing. The card features the NAVI 48 GPU from AMD's RDNA 4 architecture with double the memory capacity of its gaming counterpart. Professional users gain access to 32 GB of GDDR6 memory compared to 16 GB on the standard RX 9070 XT model. This expanded memory supports larger datasets for rendering workflows, scientific computing and artificial intelligence applications. Board manufacturers ASRock, ASUS, GIGABYTE, PowerColor, Sapphire, XFX and Yeston will release custom versions when the card launches in July 2025. The...
Nvidia N1 CPU delay hands Qualcomm another win as PC users rage over stalled chips
Nvidia postponed the release of its N1 and N1X processors from early 2026 to the fourth quarter of that year. Engineers discovered hardware problems during validation testing that software fixes could not address. Thermal management and signal integrity fell below company standards during performance evaluations. The chips required physical transistor layout modifications and packaging redesigns to achieve proper cooling and electrical stability. These hardware revisions add months to the development timeline. The processor project faced earlier setbacks throughout 2025 when validation difficulties first emerged. MediaTek partners with Nvidia on the N1 family development, building on their previous collaboration for the DGX Spark mini...
Ugreen MagFlow battery upgrade leaves Android users fuming over Qi 2.2 limits
The MagFlow external battery from Ugreen advances wireless charging technology by supporting the Qi 2.2 standard, marking the first power bank to achieve this certification. This 10,000 mAh device delivers 25 watts of wireless power, substantially exceeding the 15-watt limit established by earlier Qi 2 protocols. Ugreen engineers equipped the unit with an integrated USB-C charging cable, a secondary USB-C port, and a side-mounted display that tracks remaining battery capacity. Magnetic alignment technology ensures optimal positioning for wireless power transfer; however, devices must support Qi 2.2 to access the full 25-watt output, while legacy Qi 2 hardware operates at 15 watts. The company plans to release its third-quarter 2025...
NVIDIA H20 China ban lifted to block Huawei AI surge as US shifts export strategy
The Trump administration lifted restrictions on NVIDIA's H20 artificial intelligence processors primarily to counter Huawei's expanding influence within Chinese technology markets. AI czar David Sacks disclosed this strategic rationale during a Bloomberg Business interview, explaining that American officials sought to prevent the Chinese telecommunications giant from capturing complete market dominance. The decision reflects broader concerns about Huawei's CloudMatrix rack-scale systems competing directly with NVIDIA products across global markets. Sacks endorsed NVIDIA chief executive Jensen Huang's argument that restricting American chip exports would accelerate Chinese technological supremacy worldwide. The policy reversal...
Samsung loses top chip engineers to SK hynix as toxic culture kills innovation and AI lead
Samsung is facing a significant talent exodus as engineers migrate to competitor SK Hynix, driven by cultural and performance challenges. The Korean technology giant struggles with rigid management practices that discourage innovation and risk-taking within its semiconductor divisions. Former employees cite discrimination against foundry workers and excessive focus on financial metrics over engineering excellence. The memory division has fallen behind its rivals, Micron and SK Hynix, in artificial intelligence chip development. Internal culture problems persist as management demands guarantees of success before approving new projects. Workers report falsified reporting practices and limited promotion opportunities for diverse...
Intel to unveil next-gen Panther Lake CPUs and foundry reboot at major Arizona event
Intel will host its Technology Tour event in Phoenix, marking the company's first major presentation in Arizona. The semiconductor manufacturer demonstrates continued investment in the region's emerging technology infrastructure under Chief Executive Lip-Bu Tan's leadership. Arizona attracts major chip producers like TSMC as companies establish expanded manufacturing operations. The Technology Tour serves as Intel's platform for discussing foundry operations and processor developments. Attendees will learn about upcoming PC and data center chip architectures during the presentation. Panther Lake processors represent the company's primary focus, featuring the new 18A manufacturing process with anticipated release by year's end. Intel...
EA Sports FC 26 brings Zlatan back as cover star and promises real gameplay fixes for the September launch
Electronic Arts announced the September 26, 2025 launch date for EA Sports FC 26 during a gameplay reveal event. The publisher selected Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala as primary cover athletes while Zlatan Ibrahimovic appears on the Ultimate Edition packaging. EA presented footage that addresses longstanding player criticisms about the franchise. The company positions this edition around community-driven improvements and feedback integration. John Shepherd, vice president and general manager of EA Sports FC, emphasized the development team shares player passion for the sport. The trailer format departed from traditional approaches by showing actual gameplay sequences rather than purely cinematic content. Text overlays simulated...
Ubisoft sparks nepotism row as CEO's son Charlie Guillemot named co-chief of Tencent joint venture
Ubisoft appointed Charlie Guillemot and Christophe Derennes as joint chief executives of its new subsidiary with Tencent. The entity will manage major franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Derennes served 35 years at Ubisoft and helped establish the Montreal studio in 1997 before leading North American operations. Charlie Guillemot, son of company founder Yves Guillemot, previously headed Owlient studio after graduating college in 2014. He departed Ubisoft in 2021 amid nepotism criticism and founded Web3 studio Unagi before returning this year. The younger Guillemot addressed concerns about family favoritism by emphasizing his decade of experience and commitment to earning trust through performance. His...
Google sets August 20 for Pixel 10 and Pixel Watch 4 launch as Tensor G5 debuts in New York
Google schedules its Made by Google 2025 presentation for August 20th in New York City. The technology company will reveal the Pixel 10 series smartphones and Pixel Watch 4 during the announcement. Media representatives receive invitations five weeks before the scheduled presentation begins at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. The event represents Google's strategy shift toward earlier hardware releases compared to previous October launches. YouTube will broadcast the complete presentation for global audiences. The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold comprise the anticipated smartphone lineup. Google transitions the event location from Mountain View, California to New York for hands-on demonstrations. The company...
Top