Amazon launches Fire TV sets with mini-LED panels, AMD FreeSync certification
Pricing starts under $820
Electronics
The latest consumer electronics, from smart home devices to cool gadgets that are bound to be industry-changing.
What was the first FIFA World Cup to be fully filmed in 4K?
Was it Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, will it have to wait until World Cup 2026, or was it way before then?
Casio's new calculator watches will take you back to 6th grade math class
A retro wearable for the modern nerd
Liquid metal still voids warranty for Intel's crash-prone Raptor Lake CPUs
Liquid metal corrosion removes vital CPU markings
The big picture: Enthusiasts looking to push their high-end Raptor Lake or Raptor Lake Refresh Intel processors to the limits might want to think twice before using liquid metal thermal paste. According to a recent report, Intel is voiding warranties for CPUs cooled with this favorite material of overclockers, even if the processors are suffering from crashing issues.
New thermal material provides 72% better cooling than conventional paste
It reduces the need for power-hungry cooling pumps and fans
Why it matters: Data centers are hot, both figuratively and literally. As we feed more and more data and processing demands into these server farms, keeping them from overheating is becoming an increasingly expensive and energy-intensive challenge. But researchers at the University of Texas may have a cool solution – a new thermal interface material that can whisk heat away from processors better than the likes of Thermalright and Thermal Grizzly.
LG shows off new stretchable display that can expand its size by 50%
The highest rate of elongation in the industry
Spatial audio is coming to F-16 fighters to provide 3D sound in the cockpit
Danish firm Terma secured the contract to bring the technology to F-16 cockpits
Mark Rober's lightning-fast robot can win at rock-paper-scissors 100% of the time
A $10,000 cash prize awaits if you can beat "Rocky"
New Mac Mini M4 gets reviewed: smaller design, faster CPU
This year's Mac mini is much improved, featuring a complete redesign with a more compact footprint and 16GB RAM in the base model. As expected, it lacks upgradability but it's a good point of entry for Mac users on a modern SoC.
Nintendo confirms Switch 2 is coming soon, backwards compatibility is in
The new console will arrive sometime before April 2025
Raspberry Pi has a new Touch Display ready for inexpensive interactive projects
In a nutshell: Raspberry Pi released its first official display nine years ago. The company is now providing a mild upgrade to the original accessory, with better specs and a high level of compatibility with different Pi generations. Best of all, it remains at the same low price.
Raspberry Pi "Stinger" blaster makes ordinary Nerf guns look tame
It even features a display for the ammo count
New invention harvests static energy from waste polystyrene to produce electricity
Transforming pollution into power
Why it matters: Over 25 million tons of single-use polystyrene packaging is manufactured annually on a global basis. However, only a tiny fraction gets recycled, with the vast majority ending up in landfills after serving its purpose. Now, scientists have developed an ingenious way to recycle polystyrene – by converting its static electricity into usable power.
Hot glue experiment could expand options for 3D printing materials
Alternate feeding mechanisms might enable 3D printing with flexible, brittle, or soft materials
Drones equipped with self-monitoring "nervous system" promise longer, safer flights
Fiber optic "nerves" could help drones diagnose problems
Amazon's new Kindle Colorsoft e-reader slammed over screen discoloration issues
Unsightly yellow bar results in a 2.6-star rating on Amazon
Facepalm: Amazon's first-ever color e-reader, the $280 Kindle Colorsoft recently went on sale, and a lot of people aren't happy with it. Many users are reporting a discolored, yellow strip appearing at the bottom of the device, prompting a wave of negative reviews.
How many feet/meters of tape are found in a 60-minute audio cassette tape?
Tech trivia for old schoolers
Developers keep Spotify Car Thing alive with custom firmware
Spotify is bricking the Car Thing on December 9
EUV chip production will soon reach record levels of energy consumption
Chip manufacturing equipment poses increasingly important environmental issues
Conductive silk threads could turn textiles into charging stations
Durability needs to improve ahead of commercialization
Intel patent hints at future chiplet-based GPU designs
Arc Battlemage is expected to be monolithic, but future generations may embrace disaggregated tech
Belgium is constructing the world's first artificial island to harness offshore wind
It will provide energy to neighboring countries as well
Samsung 990 Evo Plus SSD debuts to positive reviews
The 990 Evo Plus upgrades the 990 Evo with faster speeds while keeping the hybrid PCIe 4.0/5.0 and DRAM-less design. Pricing is too close to the more powerful 990 Pro though.
Panic halts development of Playdate Stereo Dock amid challenges
Pulling the plug on a problematic peripheral
Re-experience '90s internet with this new 56K dial-up modem
Now if only you could find an analog public line in 2024