Brian Fagioli

Popular accessory and component manufacturer, StarTech.com, has launched the innovative 4-Slot PCIe Expansion Chassis (4PCIE-PCIE-ENCLOSURE). This product essentially multiplies your machine's connectivity potential by adding four full-profile PCI Express slots. You technically gain three slots, as one existing slot in your machine is taken up by the companion card.

The Expansion Chassis offers a seamless way to incorporate PCIe cards including USB, Ethernet, SFP, Serial, and I/O cards into host systems with limited expansion slots. Specifically designed for servers and low-profile systems, this device can amplify the deployability of hardware while minimizing downtime.

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Micron Technology has unveiled two new portable SSDs under the Crucial Pro Series portfolio -- the Crucial X9 Pro and the Crucial X10 Pro. Engineered with content creators in mind, these SSDs are powered by Micron TLC NAND, which features a groundbreaking single-ASIC storage architecture to deliver an ultra-lightweight form factor with unprecedented capacity.

The Crucial X10 Pro, the fastest external SSD from Micron to date, offers sequential read/write speeds of up to 2,100MB/s and 2,000MB/s respectively, along with up to 4TB of storage space. It enables users to transfer 1TB of data in under nine minutes, substantially improving video editing workflow efficiencies. Compatible with multiple platforms and equipped with a USB-C cable, it can handle anything from multi-camera timelines to direct editing, trimming, and rendering from the drive. Plus, its IP55-rated water and dust resistance adds a layer of durability.

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Today, VisionTek launches the VT4950 KVM USB-C docking station. An improved successor to the VT4900 KVM docking station, the VT4950 allows users to effortlessly toggle between two connected Windows, Mac, or Chromebook host systems, along with three 4K displays and various peripherals, all via a single USB-C connection. The VT4950 offers a customizable display setup, enabling users to either operate all displays on one system or distribute them between two systems.

The new docking station supports KVM switching between two systems and three displays via DisplayLink and DisplayPort over USB-C, delivering up to 100W power to each system. It also offers dual-system connectivity, power delivery, flexible display options, universal compatibility with USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 systems (including M1/M2 Mac computers), and high-speed ports. Additionally, the included KVM Link software facilitates file transfers between connected systems, adding to the device's convenience.

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In a powerful collaboration with Accenture, Intel has rolled out an impressive collection of 34 open-source AI reference kits. These kits are potential game-changers, aimed at simplifying and speeding up the process of deploying AI for data scientists and developers.

Think about it, dear readers -- every kit is a treasure chest of AI tools. Inside, you'll find model code, training data, instructions for setting up the machine learning pipeline, libraries, and oneAPI components. All of these are designed to optimize AI and make it more accessible, regardless of whether you're working in an on-premises, cloud, or edge environment.

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Today, the developers behind Mageia 9 unveil the first release candidate (RC1) of the operating system, marking a significant milestone since the beta 2 release in May. The journey from the beta stage has been nothing short of impressive, as it includes efforts to rectify stubborn issues, roll out vital security fixes, and keep everything updated.

Mageia 9's standout features make it a robust choice for Linux users. Its powerful core built around the Kernel 6.4.3, combined with glib 2.36 and gcc 12.3.0, gives this release candidate a solid foundation. The rpm 4.18.0 packaging system ensures smooth software management.

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Today, we have some exciting news from Solidigm. You see, the company just unveiled its newest PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe solid state drive -- the D5-P5336. It's not just any storage drive; this baby is a quad-level cell (QLC) SSD, designed especially for data centers.

What's really cool about the D5-P5336 is its epic storage capacity. We're talking starting from 7.68TB and skyrocketing to a mind-blowing 61.44TB! Picture this: you can cram six times more data into the same space compared to those old-school hard disk drive (HDD) arrays. That's some serious cost and space efficiency, right?

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Today, Yamaha announces two new devices destined to delight audiophiles. The SR-B40A sound bar with a wireless subwoofer and the SR-B30A sound bar with built-in subwoofers are the newest additions to Yamaha's line of Dolby Atmos sound bars.

"The spike in Dolby Atmos usage, whether it's for movie nights, binge-watching favorite shows, enjoying music, or indulging in gaming sessions, has fundamentally changed the way we perceive home theater systems," states Alex Sadeghian, Director of Consumer Audio at Yamaha Corporation of America. "Our new B40 and B30 sound bars are designed to simplify the process of creating an immersive auditory environment that truly brings Dolby Atmos content to life."

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Google's innovative feature, Nearby Share, used by nearly 3 billion Android devices worldwide, has long made file sharing a breeze across smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks. Earlier this year, in a move to expand its reach, Google initiated a beta version of Nearby Share for Windows PCs.

The expanded capability of Nearby Share opened the doors to a new kind of hardware connectivity between Android devices and Windows PCs. The Nearby Share for Windows app, which was globally available for download as a beta, has already seen an installation count exceeding 1.7 million, showcasing its growing demand.

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In an move that is sure to excite PC gamers, Samsung today revealed the industry’s first Graphics Double Data Rate 7 (GDDR7) DRAM. The company is planning to incorporate this groundbreaking memory tech into the next-gen systems of their key customers for verification later this year. This innovative step is predicted to spur growth in the graphics market, while further solidifying Samsung's standing as the technological leader in this domain.

This announcement comes on the heels of Samsung's development of the industry’s first 24Gbps GDDR6 DRAM in 2022. Their latest 16-gigabit (Gb) GDDR7 offering promises to outperform this, offering the industry’s highest speed to date. Samsung has achieved this leap through innovations in integrated circuit (IC) design and packaging, ensuring stability even at top speeds.

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Saildrone, a Bay Area startup, is redefining oceanic exploration and data gathering with its innovative use of autonomous uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs). With an impressive track record that includes tracking North Atlantic hurricanes, discovering underwater mountains, and mapping the world’s ocean floor, Saildrone is revolutionizing the way we interact with our oceans.

This game-changing technology utilizes a broad array of sensors in its USVs, with the data they gather processed by NVIDIA Jetson modules for efficient AI at the edge. The company is currently optimizing their prototypes with NVIDIA DeepStream software, a leap forward in intelligent video analytics.

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The highly-anticipated Framework Laptop 16 is now available for pre-order, bringing desktop PC-level customization to a portable device. The sleek notebook is powered by the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs and offers a remarkable degree of upgradability and repairability.

Pricing starts at $1,399 for the DIY Edition, and $1,699 for pre-built systems with Ryzen 7 7840HS. As a bonus for gamers, pre-orders that include a Graphics Module with an eligible Radeon GPU will receive a free download code for the coveted Starfield Premium Edition.

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Today, Plugable releases its all-new UD-4VPD USB4 Dual HDMI Docking Station. Offering high-resolution displays and 11 ports via a 40Gbps USB4 bandwidth, this docking station promises to supercharge your work setup.

The UD-4VPD, currently retailing for $199.95 on Amazon with a limited-time $15 discount coupon, is designed to enhance productivity with its impressive display resolution options. Using the latest chipsets, it supports dual HDMI displays up to 4K at 120Hz or a single 8K display at 60Hz, ensuring fluid and stunning visuals.

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CORSAIR has announced its acquisition of select assets from peripheral-maker Drop. Established in 2011, Drop (formerly known as Massdrop), mostly focuses on enthusiast products, such as customized "DIY" keyboards, aftermarket designer keycaps, and desktop accessories. Recently, Drop expanded its portfolio to include additional designer products for the desk and workspace, known as Battlestation products.

Drop's notable collaborations include officially licensed keycaps inspired by The Lord of The Rings and Marvel Infinity Saga, where the Drop community actively participated in voting for new color schemes and concepts.

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Windows 11, the latest offering from Microsoft, fails to impress when compared to the exciting release of Linux Mint. Codenamed "Victoria," Linux Mint 21.2 is a long-term support release that guarantees extended support until 2027, ensuring its users stability and reliability. This version boasts a range of updated software, refinements, and new features that make it a far superior choice for desktop users.

Based on Ubuntu 22.04 and utilizing kernel 5.15, Linux Mint 21.2 offers three desktop environments to choose from: Cinnamon (5.8), MATE (1.26), and Xfce (4.18). The improvements in Linux Mint 21.2 are plentiful, addressing issues such as touchpad drivers, Wine installation enhancements, sound and microphone problems, and more.

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XPG, the gaming division of ADATA, has launched its new LANCER BLADE DDR5 and LANCER BLADE RGB DDR5 memory modules. These RAM products feature a low-profile heatsink design, making them ideal for small cases with limited space. This eliminates the need for motherboard assembly adjustments.

The XPG LANCER BLADE series are equipped with high-quality Hynix chips that ensure low latency and easy overclocking. Gamers can enjoy a hassle-free speed boost with just one-click overclocking, enhancing their gaming experience. The XPG LANCER BLADE series also supports Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO, making it compatible with the latest Intel and AMD platforms.

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