Techno

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Latest Tech News

Valve's refurbished Steam Deck OLED is now more affordable than a new LCD model
It's now 20% cheaper than brand new OLED models
Stock is likely low in the US, already out of stock in the UK

Valve's Steam Deck OLED models have been competing with the likes of the Asus ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go - and now, the competition grows with refurbished OLED models much cheaper than new options, and almost as cheap as the one remaining LCD model.

According to Tom's Hardware, the Steam Deck OLED is now 20% cheaper than the new 512GB and 1TB models, with the former priced at $439 and the latter at $519. This is via Valve's certified refurbished program, with devices that are fully tested and functional along with the one-year warranty you would get with a new model (more depending on your region).

While the Steam Deck OLED isn't nearly as powerful as the ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go (both use the Z1 Extreme APU), it stands as a competent device across multiple games - it has a 90Hz display with added HDR support and the possibility of 1000 nits of peak brightness, compared to the LCD's 600 nits.

While these refurbished options are available in the UK and the US, all options (including LCD) are currently out of stock in the UK. If you're in the US, the only refurbished models available are the two OLED 512GB and 1TB options - based on how fast this went out of stock in the UK, you might want to act now before it's too late.

A woman playing Hollow Knight on a Steam Deck — (Image credit: Valve)

What does this mean for competition with other handheld gaming PCs?

As I've previously mentioned, the Steam Deck LCD and OLED don't really come close to providing the same level of performance as other more recent handheld gaming PCs - both the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go outperform the device at a higher 1080p resolution, and this is even more of a case with the Ally X.

If you aren't too bothered about attaining high performance on a handheld, and you're more concerned about display quality, then the Steam Deck OLED or the Lenovo Legion Go are the two devices to consider. However, with this price drop of the refurbished OLED models, I would more than likely opt for Valve's popular gaming system over Lenovo's expensive Legion Go at MSRP.

There's no word on whether a successor to the Steam Deck is happening, but if it ever does, I hope the processor used will be able to match or at least come close to what Asus, Lenovo, and MSI's offerings.

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Latest Tech News

Blueshift’s BlueFive RISC-V processor addresses Memory and Energy Walls
BlueFive claims faster calculations, lower energy use via data optimization
Validated design integrates memory controller, CPU for better efficiency

Blueshift Memory has introduced a new RISC-V processor reference design intended to tackle twin computing challenges: the Memory Wall, caused by slower memory access compared to processors, and the Energy Wall, driven by the rising energy costs of data movement.

The UK-based firm claims its BlueFive processor can deliver 5 to 50 times faster calculation speeds, depending on the application and programming language, while reducing energy consumption by 50% to 65% through minimized data movement.

Blueshift’s processor is built on an open-source RISC-V core from the OpenHW Group and integrates its proprietary Yonder smart cache and BlueBlaze intelligent memory controller. The company says this combination eliminates memory-to-CPU latency, accelerates calculations, and reduces energy usage.

Validated design

“The hardware was initially created under our successful Innovation UK Smart grant project, and it has since been refined as a reference design for a standalone processor,” said Peter Marosan, founder and CTO of Blueshift Memory. “We are creating the software environment for this CPU with TensorFlow, Redis and C/C++ libraries, which will also make it accessible for Python.”

Blueshift says that the design has been validated in FPGA using the STREAM benchmark and tested with real-world applications, including computer vision AI and the Redis in-memory database.

The company says its non-Von Neumann architecture performs best when integrated into both memory and CPU.

“Our design is already validated on hardware, unlike other CPU solutions that aim to accelerate calculation, or offer only simulated results. It specifically addresses the Memory Wall - the fundamental problem that memory technology has fallen behind processor advances, and is holding back progress,” said Helen Duncan, CEO of Blueshift.

“We are already working with a commercial partner who will be a channel for our RISC-V solution. We are additionally making this reference design available for other customers to use, to create their own high-efficiency CPU designs.”

“We are collaborating with a manufacturer in SE Asia as well, to create a Blueshift Memory-enabled high bandwidth memory chip, and we will make a further announcement about this very soon,” Marosan added.

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Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Valve Is Selling Refurbished OLED Steam Decks at a Hefty Discount

Though refurbished LCD Steam Decks are out of stock, the OLED ones are still available.

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Latest Tech News

Asustor Flashstor Gen 2 supports up to 12 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs
Powered by AMD Ryzen CPU, expandable DDR5 memory to 64GB
Dual 10GbE ports, USB4, ideal for demanding storage tasks

Asustor, a subsidiary of Asus, has launched its second generation Flashstor NAS series, offering high-performance, SSD-focused storage.

The line is made up of the Flashstor 6 Gen 2 (AS6806X) and Flashstor 12 Pro Gen 2 (FS6812X), which support up to six and twelve M.2 NVMe SSDs, respectively, with compatibility for PCIe 4.0 x4 to deliver ultra-fast data transfer speeds.

Both models are powered by an AMD Quad-Core 6nm Ryzen Embedded V3C14 processor, an upgrade from the previous generation’s Intel Celeron N5105 CPUs (check out our review of the Flashstor 12 Pro FS6712X from 2023 here).

Not cheap

The Flashstor 12 Pro Gen 2 comes with 16GB of DDR5-4800 ECC memory, expandable up to 64GB, while the Flashstor 6 Gen 2 includes 8GB of memory, also expandable. The devices are well-suited for resource-intensive tasks such as 4K video editing and content creation.

The Flashstor 12 Pro Gen 2 offers dual 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports, whereas the Flashstor 6 Gen 2 is equipped with a single 10-Gigabit Ethernet port. Both models support SMB Multichannel, allowing for faster-than-standard 10GbE data transfers. The devices feature two USB 4.0 (Type-C) ports and three USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A) ports, providing high-speed external connections and compatibility with Thunderbolt 3/4 devices.

Equipped with advanced cooling systems, both models use silent fans to maintain optimal performance under heavy workloads while keeping noise levels low.

The NAS supports a range of applications, including VPN servers, media servers, mail servers, and cloud backups. It also accommodates up to 4,096 users across 512 groups, so it’s a good choice for teams needing simultaneous file access.

The Flashstor Gen 2 series features a compact design reminiscent of a PlayStation 4, but it doesn’t sharing its pricing with the beloved console. On Amazon, the Flashstor 6 Gen 2 is listed at $999, while the 12-bay Flashstor 12 Pro Gen 2 is priced at $1,399.

Getting the most from the 12-bay model and outfitting it with a dozen 8TB SSDs will ramp up the cost significantly, potentially exceeding $8,000. This high-end setup is clearly aimed at professionals and enthusiasts who require cutting-edge storage capabilities and are willing to pay for it.

These are the best NAS devices around
We've also rounded up the best cloud storage platforms on offer
And these are the best wireless drives available today

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Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Best 2-in-1 Laptop for 2024

Can't decide between a laptop or a tablet? You don't have to. Check out our top picks for the best two-in-one convertibles.

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Latest Tech News

10th year of the awards sees a record 9,000+ entries
45 shortlisted finalists on display in Gallery@Oxo in London, 11-15 December
Italian photographer Milko Marchetti scoops top award

The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024 has unveiled this year's winners, selected from over 9,000 images of animals captured in a variety of entertaining situations and expressions – the most in the contest's 10-year history. Italian photographer Milko Marchetti scooped the overall winner award with their perfectly-timed image of a red squirrel seemingly stuck in a tree (see below).

Milko wins a safari trip to the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya, while Nikon's Young photographer category winner, Kingston Tam, walks away with a Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera and 24-120mm zoom lens for their closeup image of a frog.

There were 45 shortlisted finalists in all, and TechRadar got to see the images at the awards evening in London. The exhibition runs from 11-15 December in the Gallery@Oxo in London, and entry is free.

If you're not in or visiting the UK, all of 2024's finalists can be seen on the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards website, and you'll find the category award winners below – try not to smile!

Overall winner – Milko Marchetti

Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024 category winner — *Stuck squirrel,* Milko Marchetti. (Image credit: © Milko Marchetti)

Milko's photograph of a red squirrel was taken in 2022 in the Podere Pantaleone park in Bagnacavallo, Ravenna, Italy. Milko uses a hide during the months that the park is closed to the public – his access is granted in exchange for his photos. Sitings of such squirrels are generally rare in Italy, but in the park they are more confident.

Milko says, “Nature photography has been my passion, ever since I was a boy, and I’ve always put all my free time and energy into it. I think that nature offers so much beauty and variety, and with a camera, the photographer has this ability, this superpower to freeze a moment and make it last forever in the form of a photograph. The emotion I experience at the moment when I click the camera button is pure adrenaline, and my hope is always to be able to convey at least one natural emotion through my photography. It seems it really worked this time!”

Category winners

Nikon young photographer category winner – Kingston Tam

Closeup of a frog (Cyclorana novaehollandiae) — *Awkward smiley frog*, Kingston Tam (Image credit: © Kingston Tam)

People's choice category winner – Tapani Linnanmäki

White-tailed eagle ruffling its feathers — *Shake ruffle rattle and roll*, Tapani Linnanmäki (Image credit: © Tapani Linnanmaki)

Insect category winner – Jose Miguel Gallego Molina

Mantis mediterranea (Iris oratoria) on the ground, front legs in the air — *Mantis Flamenca*, Jose Miguel Gallego Molina (Image credit: © Jose Miguel Gallego Molina)

Reptile category winner – Eberhard Ehmke

Frog floating on water with its head in a bubble — *Frog in a balloon*, Eberhard Ehmke (Image credit: © Eberhard Ehmke)

Bird category winner – Damyan Petkov

Whiskered Tern bird hits rock head on when trying to land — *Whiskered Tern crash on landing,* Damyan Petkov (Image credit: © Damyan Petkov)

Fish & other aquatic animal category winner – Przemyslaw Jakubczyk

Nikon junior photographer category winner – Sarthak Ranganadhan

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Latest Tech News

Blumind debuts ultra-efficient analog AI chip, achieving 10 nJ/inference
Targeting wearables, healthcare, automotive, and always-on AI
Scaling for larger models, aiming for 1000 TOPS/W performance

Blumind, an analog AI chip startup, has showcased a chip designed for low-power applications achieving an impressive 10 nJ per inference, setting the stage for the company’s ambition to scale analog computing to new heights.

The company showed off its test silicon for ultra-efficient keyword spotting chip at Electronica 2024, where co-founder Niraj Mathur told EE Times, “What’s been particularly gratifying is that over the last year, there’s been more pull than us pushing."

"People have been coming to us specifically asking for analog AI solutions because they believe something new needs to happen.”

1000 TOPS/W is within reach

Blumind has already seen interest from wearable, automotive, and healthcare sectors. One of the examples the company gave was for a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) capable of analyzing road conditions.

The customer needed this to offer, “extreme power efficiency because it’s sitting in the tire, it’s got to last the lifetime of the tire, you don’t want to open up the tire to change the battery,” Mathur explained. Another potential use involved detecting heart signals through a pacemaker sensor powered by energy harvested from muscle movement, requiring only a few hundred nanoWatts of power.

The startup’s first product, an analog keyword spotting chip, is set for volume production in 2025. It will be available as both a standalone chip and a chiplet that integrates into microcontroller unit packages. “Chiplets are the other avenue of integration for our customers,” Mathur said in his interview with EE Times. This approach allows Blumind’s technology to complement fully programmable MCUs, focusing on always-on AI tasks.

Looking ahead, Blumind aims to scale its analog architecture for applications requiring much larger models, such as vision CNNs and eventually gigabit-sized small language models (SLMs). Mathur said the company’s goal of achieving 1000 TOPS/W is within reach, emphasizing the potential of analog-first, multi-die solutions.

Despite his company’s ambitious roadmap, Mathur stressed the importance of a pragmatic approach. “No-one has really brought analog compute to high volume production and delivered on its promise. We want to be the first to do that, but we want to walk before we try and run,” he said.

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Monday, December 9, 2024

Casper Original Mattress Review 2024: Casper's Entry-Level Mattress Tested by Our Sleep Experts

Casper's Original mattress has been discontinued, but you can still find it online. Find out how the mattress performed in our sleep experts' review and explore some comparable mattresses to consider.

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Latest Tech News

Biomemory's DNA-based solutions address data storage issues
DNA storage is compact, durable, environmentally friendly
$18M funding supports product development and industry partnerships

Biomemory, a French startup established in 2021, has long been working to develop DNA-based data storage technology.

It was the first company to make a DNA storage device available to the general public, marking an early step in commercializing this technology. Biomemory's approach involves encoding digital data within synthesized DNA strands by translating the DNA bases - A, C, G, and T - into binary code. Data can then be retrieved by sequencing the DNA and converting it back into binary.

DNA storage is viewed as a potential solution to the growing global demand for storage, driven by increasing data generation. It is estimated that by 2025, humanity will produce 175 zettabytes of data, a figure that challenges the capacity and sustainability of existing storage methods. DNA’s compact and durable nature offers an alternative that could reduce spatial and environmental footprints while providing long-term stability.

Funding secured

A number of startups have entered the DNA storage space in recent years, including Catalog, Ansa Biotechnologies, and Iridia in the United States, as well as Helixworks, DNA Script, and BioSistemika in Europe. Biomemory is focusing on creating end-to-end solutions for data centers, using bio-sourced DNA fragments that are designed to last for thousands of years without requiring energy for maintenance.

To further its efforts, Biomemory recently secured $18 million in Series A funding.

“This investment marks a pivotal moment for Biomemory and the future of data storage,” said Erfane Arwani, CEO and Co-founder of the startup. “With our DNA storage technology, we’re not just addressing today’s data challenges - we’re building solutions that will sustain the ecosystem for the next century and beyond. By sharing this value with our partners and collaborators, we aim to collectively advance the sector and foster a thriving data storage ecosystem.”

Biomemory intends to use the funds to develop its first-generation data storage appliance, optimize biotech processes, and quicken commercialization. Additional goals include forming partnerships with industry players and cloud providers and recruiting experts in molecular biology and engineering.

The technology offers the potential to store all of humanity’s data in a single data center rack and Biomemory plans to scale its molecular storage solutions to exabyte capacity by 2030, listing sustainability and durability as its key priorities.

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Sunday, December 8, 2024

Seahawks vs. Cardinals: How to Watch NFL Week 14 Today

It's a faceoff between the top two in the NFC West at State Farm Stadium.

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Amid 23andMe's Turbulence, Can You Delete Your Genetic Data? What We Know

In the wake of a big data breach and a sizable new round of layoffs, 23andMe's troubles have some people looking to delete the genetic data they provided to the company.

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Latest Tech News

Valve could be making a streaming box
Hints found in the Steam Deck code
No indications of a launch date yet

It might be five years since the Nvidia Shield last had a refresh – see our Nvidia Shield (2019) review for details – but the device remains one of the best streaming boxes in the business. We're now hearing it may get a new competitor, courtesy of Valve.

As per a Reddit thread analyzing changes to the Steam Deck code (via XDA Developers), it looks as though the software used on the portable console could soon be adapted to run on a streaming box connected to a television.

You'd then have a lightweight, versatile device that could both play games and stream video and audio to the big screen – much like the Nvidia Shield does. This is mostly speculation at this point, but we could definitely see it happening.

There are references in the code to an AMD 8540U processor, though this may only be referring to a prototype device, so the configuration could change. That would certainly offer more power than the current Steam Deck specs.

HDMI and Android

Steam Deck OLED in limited edition white color — The Valve Steam Deck (Image credit: Valve)

According to the tipster who spotted the code change, extra support for HDMI control is being added – and the changes match some of the code seen on ChromeOS devices, suggesting support for both Android and web apps.

Apart from that, there are no real details about what could be coming. We don't know anything in terms of dimensions or pricing, and there's no indication here about how long it's going to be before the product is announced (if it ever is).

Go all the way back to our Nvidia Shield (2015) review, and you'll see that it's always been an impressively versatile device. It's earned itself a relatively small but loyal group of users, though we haven't seen any signs that we'll ever get a new model.

What we did get a couple of months ago was the first software update for the Nvidia Shield in a year – though it was intended to squash some outstanding bugs on the streaming box, rather than add any new features.

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Saturday, December 7, 2024

Get a Deep Sleep With Tuft & Needle Holiday Discounts of Up to 25% Right Now

This sale saves you up to 25% on a mattress and lets you bundle accessories for some extra savings.

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Latest Tech News

Nvidia’s Project Denver began as x86 but transitioned to Arm
Insider reports legal constraints drove Nvidia's pivot
The Arm-based Project Denver CPU debuted in 2011

During a technical session at the recent SC24 event, Dave Ditzel, founder of Esperanto Technologies, offered some fascinating insights into Nvidia’s early server processor efforts.

According to HPCwire, Ditzel, who was previously CEO of Transmeta, revealed that Nvidia’s first server CPU, Project Denver, initially started as an x86 CPU but transitioned to Arm due to legal constraints.

Ditzel says Nvidia’s shift to Arm was influenced by its licensing of Transmeta’s Tokamak technology, which could translate x86 code into a RISC instruction set.

Failed attempt to acquire Arm

IAs he explained, “Nvidia brought out a product called Denver. It was actually that same design. It originally started as an x86 [CPU], but through certain legal issues, had to turn itself into an Arm CPU.”

This decision, he said, laid the foundation for Nvidia’s alignment with Arm architecture. Tokamak, developed by Transmeta, was intended to be its third-generation x86 chip following the Crusoe and Efficeon processors. However, the project was never officially launched and was instead licensed to companies like Intel and Nvidia.

ntel, despite acquiring the design, did not announce a product based on it either. “You can guess as to all the reasons why or buy me a beer sometime,” Ditzel said.

Nvidia officially introduced Project Denver as an Arm-based CPU in 2011, later integrating it into its Tegra lineup. HPCwire reports that while there was initial enthusiasm around Arm servers, adoption was limited by challenges in the software ecosystem. Nvidia has since developed its Grace CPU and abandoned its attempt to acquire Arm after regulatory opposition.

Ditzel founded chip design firm Esperanto about seven years ago and because of his previous bad experiences with licensing x86, he opted for RISC-V because it was cheap and there were no legal concerns to get bogged down by.

“At least we have a playground where we can test some new things out, and some lawyer is not going to be ringing your bell,” Ditzel said.

More from TechRadar Pro

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Friday, December 6, 2024

Healthy Eyes Made Easy: 6 Vitamins and Supplements Worth Considering

Here are the top 6 vitamins and supplements needed to keep your eyes healthy.

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