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Latest Tech News

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• Minisforum MGA1 boosts graphics with AMD Radeon 7600M XT
• Supports three displays, 8K at 60Hz via HDMI and DisplayPort
• Features OCuLink, USB 3.2, USB-C ports; requires OCuLink connectivity

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Minisforum, best known for its range of mini PCs like the AtomMan Series and EliteMini, has launched the MGA1, an external GPU docking station. Powered by the AMD Radeon 7600M XT GPU and backed with 8GB of GDDR6 RAM, the MGA1 gives users a straightforward way to boost a connected device's graphics capabilities.

Built with advanced RDNA 3.0 architecture and a 6nm production process, and functioning as both an eGPU and a docking station, the MGA1 is ideal for use with compatible laptops and mini PCs. The substantial upgrade in graphics performance it provides makes it ideal for graphics-intensive tasks like video editing, 3D rendering and even gaming.

The MGA1 supports up to three displays through its HDMI 2.1 and dual DisplayPort 2.0 connections, each capable of 8K at 60Hz for ultra-high-resolution and smooth refresh rates. It also features three USB 3.2 ports with 10Gbps transfer speeds, an OCuLink 4i port, and a USB-C 3.1 port with 65W Power Delivery, making it suitable for charging devices like - you guessed it - Minisforum’s own mini PCs.

OCuLink port required

As Tom’s Hardware notes, “By adding an eGPU like the MGA1 to your system, you’d get the best of both worlds - a mini-PC that won’t take up much space on your desk and easy to carry anywhere, and a gaming PC that will give you the performance you need to play AAA titles.”

The docking station includes high-speed data transfer through its OCuLink 4i port with PCIe 4.0 x4 compatibility, ensuring reliable performance for demanding tasks.

But - and it will be a deal breaker for many - USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity are missing, so you'll need to make sure you have an OCuLink port on your laptop or mini PC before buying the MGA1.

Priced at a rather steep $559, the MGA1 provides a balanced mix of power and connectivity in a compact form, though there are more versatile eGPUs available that may be better suited for use with a broader range of devices, such as GPD's newly upgraded G1.

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Latest Tech News

The Samsung Galaxy Ring took the wearables world by storm, with the product shoving this smartwatch alternative into the spotlight – and helping to generate more interest in competitors in the best smart ring category from the likes of Oura and RingConn. Now it looks like Samsung is gearing up to launch an upgrade to this product line shortly, with a tipster’s comments making it sound like we could see the Galaxy Ring 2 fairly soon.

Korean leaker Lanzuk – who has a track record of spoiling Samsung’s release plans – says Samsung is “planning to launch its Galaxy Ring 2 model a bit earlier than originally scheduled” (translated from Korean). Specifics are light on the ground, but that could mean we’ll get a Galaxy Ring 2 in 2025, and maybe even in the first half of the year at that.

In fairness, the Galaxy Ring was first shown off in January 2024, so an early Galaxy Ring 2 announcement was also already kind of on the cards. However, we didn’t get our hands on the Galaxy Ring until July, so in 2025, we could get the Galaxy Ring 2 in, say, February instead of needing to wait half a year.

Alternatively, Samsung may want to stick with a more condensed reveal and release schedule some time in the middle of the year (say May or June), especially as a refresh after barely six months could upset purchasers of the original Galaxy Ring. Yearly refreshes are expected. However, a biyearly refresh is less likely to happen.

'More feature' on the way too

Will Samsung take cues from Oura? (Image credit: Oura)

Beyond teasing the release date, Lanzuk added that the device will supposedly be thinner, have a longer battery life, and contain “more features.” Again, details are light, but this could include sleep apnea detection, expanded gesture controls, or improved fitness tools.

Perhaps it’ll also include that adaptive sizing feature teased by a recently awarded Samsung patent, though we’ll have to wait and see what’s announced.

On this note, as with all leaks we should take Lanzuk’s blog post and our speculation with a pinch of salt. Until Samsung makes an announcement we don’t know what we’ll get from the Galaxy Ring 2 – nor when it will launch, assuming it does ever launch.

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Latest Tech News

Google unveiled its Axion processors at Google Next '24, revealing custom Arm-based CPUs built on Neoverse V2 architecture and designed to support a wide range of data center workloads, including web servers, media processing, and AI applications.

Google's main cloud rivals, Amazon and Microsoft, already have their own CPUs based on Arm technology, but at launch, Google stated its chips would offer up to 30% better performance than current Arm instances and up to 60% higher energy efficiency compared to similar x86-based options.

Fast forward to now, and Google Cloud has begun offering C4A virtual machines powered by Axion processors. The instances are optimized for various general-purpose workloads, such as web and app servers, containerized microservices, databases, and AI inference.

The core count mystery

With its Titanium technology - a system of custom silicon microcontrollers and tiered scale-out offloads designed to optimize performance for customer workloads - Google reports up to 65% better price-performance and 60% greater energy efficiency than comparable x86-based VMs, along with 30% better price-performance for MySQL and 35% for Redis workloads.

Although certain key details of the Axion processors remain unknown, such as core count, Google confirms the chips have been designed exclusively for its data centers, with no plans for commercial sale. Google services - including Bigtable, Spanner, BigQuery, F1 Query, Blobstore, Pub/Sub, Google Earth Engine, and the YouTube Ads platform - have already begun deploying Axion-based servers.

"Spanner is one of the most critical and complex services at Google, powering products including YouTube, Gmail, and Google Ads," noted Andi Gutmans, VP/GM of Databases at Google. "In our initial tests on Axion processors, we've observed up to 60% better query performance per vCPU over prior-generation servers. As we scale out our footprint, we expect this to translate to a more stable and responsive experience for our users, even under the most demanding conditions."

C4A VMs are currently available in Google Cloud regions across the US, Europe, and Asia, with multiple configuration options. By keeping Axion exclusive to its own platform and not bringing the chip to the open market, Google aims to strengthen its own cloud ecosystem, appealing to enterprises looking for more powerful, energy-efficient options.

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Latest Tech News

Seagate and BAE Systems have tested the first high-capacity data storage solution designed for use in space.

The hardened SSD was evaluated aboard the International Space Station as part of a mission aimed at improving data storage for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, addressing challenges such as heat dissipation, unpressurized environments, and the absence of conventional cooling.

This technology could ultimately expand CDNs and support AI-driven applications in space. By adding storage to satellite infrastructures, AI inferencing and real-time analysis could reach previously inaccessible regions, providing last-mile connectivity where fiber or cell networks are absent.

Drives in space

Seagate’s “Space Drive” was part of a broader payload by BAE Systems which included Linux-based software for real-time data processing.

This software enables containerized applications that can be updated in orbit, adapting to the evolving demands of space-based systems.

Additionally, the payload contained a radio frequency sounder and dual-band short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) camera for enhancing atmospheric measurement capabilities, hurricane modeling, and weather forecasting.

“Our team was able to assemble, integrate, and test this payload in just eight months,” Steve Smith, vice president of engineering, science and analysis for BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems told Aerospace Manufacturing.

The 2TB Seagate SSD with PCIe Gen3 x4 connectivity, which you can see in the “Terrestrial Demo Unit” photo below, and which Seagate plans to sell in 2025, has been specially designed to withstand the harsh conditions of space. Delivered to the ISS via a NASA resupply mission and assembled by the astronauts onboard, the device using the Seagate SSDs achieved impressive speeds of over 2Gbps.

Set for one year, the mission will conclude with the payload’s return to Earth for analysis. Engineers from BAE Systems and Seagate will examine the effects of space exposure on the SSD's performance and durability and use this data to refine future designs, advancing resilient storage solutions for space-based applications.

(Image credit: Seagate)

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Latest Tech News

Over 27 million tons of single-use polystyrene packaging are produced worldwide each year, yet only 12% is recycled - most ends up in landfills after its initial use.

Researchers at RMIT University and Riga Technical University have developed an innovative way to generate electricity using waste polystyrene, addressing both energy needs and the environmental impact of the ubiquitous packaging material.

The invention repurposes discarded polystyrene into a device that generates static electricity from motion, such as wind or airflow. The device is a thin patch, made from multiple layers of polystyrene, each around "one-tenth the thickness of a human hair," according to lead researcher Dr. Peter Sherrell, who went on to explain, “We can produce this static electricity just from air blowing on the surface of our clever patches, then harvest that energy.”

Producing electricity consistently

The patch, which can capture turbulent airflow from air conditioning units, could reduce energy demand by up to 5% and lower the carbon footprint of these systems. Tests show the device can reach up to 230 volts, comparable to household voltage but at a lower power level.

Sherrell noted, “The biggest numbers come from a compression and separation, where you've got faster speeds and bigger motion, while smaller motion generates less energy. This means that in addition to air conditioners, integrating our patches in high traffic areas such as underground walkways could supplement local energy supply without creating additional demand on the grid."

The device’s longevity stems from the same properties that make polystyrene slow to decompose. “The great thing here is the same reason that it takes 500 years for polystyrene to break down in landfill makes these devices really stable – and able to keep making electricity for a long time,” Sherrell said.

This process involves learning how to modify plastics to optimize their energy-generating potential: “We've studied which plastic generates more energy and how when you structure it differently – make it rough, make it smooth, make it really thin, make it really fat – how that changes all this charging phenomenon.”

This static electricity generation project is part of the team’s ongoing research into triboelectric nanogenerators, as published in Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research. RMIT has filed a provisional patent for its device and is now looking for industry partners to help develop the technology for commercial applications.

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Latest Tech News

From streamlining operations to automating complex processes, AI has revolutionized how organizations approach tasks - however, as the technology becomes more prevalent, organizations are discovering the rush to embrace AI may come with unintended consequences.

A report by Swimlane reveals while AI offers tremendous benefits, its adoption has outpaced many companies' ability to safeguard sensitive data. As businesses deeply integrate AI into their operations, they must also contend with the associated risks, including data breaches, compliance lapses, and security protocol failures.

AI works with Large Language Models (LLMs) which are trained using vast datasets that often include publicly available information. These datasets can consist of text from sources like Wikipedia, GitHub, and various other online platforms, which provide a rich corpus for training the models. This means that if a company’s data is available online, it will likely be used for training LLMs.

Data handling and public LLMs

The study revealed a gap between protocol and practice when sharing data in large public language models (LLMs). Although 70% of organizations claim to have specific protocols to safeguard the sharing of sensitive data with public LLMs, 74% of respondents are aware that individuals within their organizations still input sensitive information into these platforms.

This discrepancy highlights a critical flaw in enforcement and employee compliance with established security measures. Furthermore, there is a constant barrage of AI-related messaging which is wearing down professionals and 76% of respondents agree that the market is currently saturated with AI-related hype.

This overexposure is causing a form of AI fatigue and over half (55%) of those surveyed reported feeling overwhelmed by the persistent focus on AI, signalling that the industry may need to shift its approach to promoting the technology.

Interestingly, despite this fatigue, experience with AI and machine learning (ML) technologies is becoming a crucial factor in hiring decisions. A striking 86% of organizations reported that familiarity with AI plays a significant role in determining the suitability of candidates. This shows how ingrained AI is becoming, not just in cybersecurity tools but in the workforce needed to manage them.

In the cybersecurity sector, AI and LLMs have had a positive impact, as the report claims 89% of organizations credit AI technologies for boosting the efficiency of their cybersecurity teams.

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Latest Tech News

AI chatbot Claude is now available as a desktop app for both Windows and Mac computers. The public beta for the apps is available for free users as well as subscribers to the premium version of the AI chatbot. Claude creator Anthropic describes the desktop versions of Claude as "fast, focused, and designed for deep work," implying that those who want to use Claude at home without opening a browser will find it just as helpful as going online or to the Claude mobile app.

One way the desktop app is more efficient is by having a keyboard shortcut to open Claude. After installing the app, you can press Ctrl + Alt + Space to access the AI. That's a boon if you have a lot of other tasks running and don't want to navigate to the website.

The other major benefit of the desktop app is that it frees you from relying solely on mobile devices or web browsers to access your conversations with Claude. You could start the chat on your smartphone, then open the desktop app when you get home or vice versa, with a visit to the website if you're at a public library or similar spot. This continuity can help speed up all kinds of Claude-based projects.

Anthropic also debuted a small upgrade to the Claude on mobile apps: native dictation. You can record up to 10 minutes of audio that Claude will transcribe and then respond to in text form on the app. It's not a full-on voice interactive feature, but it does mean you can at least submit prompts to the AI chatbot without typing.

AI at home

The desktop version of Claude uses Anthropic's latest AI model, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, but it can't do everything the web version does. In particular, it lacks the new Computer Use feature that lets Claude control your cursor and type on your behalf. That's not too much of a surprise since Computer Use and the desktop apps are still in beta. Presumably, the feature will arrive when both are more mature.

Anthropic's timing in releasing the Claude desktop apps is interesting as it is part of a sudden flurry from rival AI chatbots. Both OpenAI's ChatGPT and Perplexity AI have introduced desktop apps in recent weeks. They each have some variation of the web version of their respective chatbots, with many, though not all of the same features. The appeal of a more convenient and accessible AI chatbot is obvious.

That's why Microsoft embedded its Copilot AI directly into the Windows 11 operating system. All of the AI chatbot developers want to encourage current and potential users to stick with their products regardless of where they are or what they are doing. It's going to be another central frontier for the industry, just like mobile apps a decade ago.

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