news and current affairs.
Youth jokes first goats go to Ruto after startup cash
A grant event got hilarious when a kid promised to send his first goats to the president. A youth business funding dispersal in Samburu featured a young beneficiary amusing attendees with his entrepreneurial plans. Sailo Lekanapa explained he would use his twenty-two thousand shilling grant to start a goat trading business in his local market. He then jokingly promised his first supply would be delivered to the State House. The comment drew laughter from the crowd, including President William Ruto and Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit. The event distributed funds across four counties under the government-backed NYOTA Project. Each beneficiary received twenty-five thousand shillings to start or grow a business. Most of that amount was...
Intel Xeon 698X tease hints at monster core counts ahead
Intel's next monster workstation chip just showed its face in a benchmark database. The listed Xeon 698X configuration boasts 86 cores and a massive 336 megabytes of L3 cache. Early single-core performance results appear significantly higher than the current flagship model, which is a critical detail for professional creative and engineering software. Multi-core scores from this early entry are less meaningful, as they can shift dramatically with final firmware and system tuning. The sheer scale of the hardware, however, clearly targets heavily parallel workloads like rendering, simulation, and complex data processing. The large cache is designed to help keep those many cores fed with data. This processor is positioned within Intel's...
Memory packaging shops hike prices as AI demand bites
Memory packaging costs are shooting up, and everyone downstream is about to feel the squeeze. Industry reports from Taiwan indicate suppliers like Powertech, Walton, and ChipMOS have raised prices significantly. This jump is attributed to severely constrained capacity and order books filled to the limit. The current surge in demand, largely from AI infrastructure buildouts, has created a major bottleneck at the packaging and testing stage. Suppliers now operate from a position of considerable strength. With production lines at maximum utilization, their customers have little room to negotiate. The leverage from volume commitments or long-term relationships diminishes when alternative providers are equally busy. This environment allows...
Microsoft warns secure boot trust may break for laggards
A silent Windows update is about to turn into a boot failure for unprepared systems. Microsoft is replacing expiring security certificates that underpin the Secure Boot function on countless devices. Without these new certificates, systems may stop trusting updated software components, leading to potential startup failures and security risks. This transition affects both Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations across physical and virtual machines. The core issue involves aging trust anchors from over a decade ago. These certificates verify the legitimacy of boot software during startup. As they reach their validity end, machines need newer certificates installed to maintain a continuous chain of trust. Failure to update will cause...
Asus drops tiny USB-C Wi-Fi 7 dongle for lazy upgrades
Trying to get Wi-Fi 7 without cracking open your laptop just got easier. ASUS unveiled a tiny USB-C adapter called the USB-BE93 Mini, designed for a simple plug-and-play upgrade. The compact form factor aims to stay connected without blocking adjacent ports or getting bumped. It targets systems where internal upgrades are difficult, like slim laptops or sealed prebuilt desktops. The adapter supports all three wireless bands, including the cleaner 6 GHz spectrum for less crowded connections. It also incorporates the 4096-QAM modulation standard for potentially higher speeds under ideal conditions. Security compliance with WPA3 is included, meeting modern network requirements. The device is listed as compatible with both current Windows...
Asus listing hints Ryzen AI 400 laptops set to land early
A leaked laptop listing suggests AMD's next AI platform might drop sooner than expected. An ASUS retail page for a Lingyao 16 Air model listed a specific on-sale date and detailed specifications. The system is configured with a Ryzen AI 7 445 processor, paired with 32 gigabytes of memory and a terabyte of storage. It also features a high-brightness OLED display and an exceptionally lightweight chassis. The listed processor specifications reveal an interesting configuration. The Ryzen AI 7 445 is shown as a six-core, twelve-thread chip with a dedicated neural processing unit. This represents a shift, focusing on balanced platform capability over maximum core count. The same processor name appears in leaks for another ASUS laptop model...
ASRock preps white RX 9070 XT with tiny side screen
ASRock is dropping a white version of its high-end GPU, and it crams in a small color screen on the side. A dedicated product listing for the white Taichi model has appeared, showcasing its full specifications and images. This variant adds a functional side panel display for system stats or custom images, targeting builders with visible interior setups. The card also features expanded RGB lighting along its top edge. Physically, the white edition is a triple slot cooler, slightly deeper and heavier than the standard model. Builders are advised to check their case clearances and consider using a support bracket. A notable design choice is the fully white printed circuit board, which helps maintain the theme when viewed through case...
PC makers eye leaner RAM builds as memory stays tight
Memory shortages are about to make buying a computer even more annoying. According to industry analysts, limited DRAM supply is pushing manufacturers into a brutal scramble for chips, a situation set to continue. This competition is expected to force another round of price increases. Some companies might even ship systems with less standard memory to hit certain price points. The whole purchasing game has changed. In a tight market, who you are matters as much as how much you pay. Big manufacturers with long-term contracts and steady orders have a clear advantage in securing stock. Suppliers reportedly favor reliable, predictable clients who simplify planning during shortages. Smaller or less established brands face a much tougher...
AMD preps Adrenalin AI bundle to make local AI easier
AMD is throwing its hat into the AI convenience ring with a new software bundle. The company announced an optional AI toolkit for Radeon GPU owners, delivered through its Adrenalin driver software. This bundle aims to simplify local AI setup with a single installer, targeting users interested in development and creative workflows. The package bundles essential tools for building and running AI workloads locally. It includes support for popular image generation applications and local large language models. The software also adds PyTorch support on Windows systems, enabling easier experimentation. AMD promises this streamlined approach reduces the complex configuration usually required. The move clearly targets creators and developers...
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