TECH

SBC35-474: Industrial single-board computer with Windows support, HDMI, DisplayPort, and M.2

A new single-board computer is designed for demanding environments and supports both Windows and DDR5 memory. The SBC35-474 also offers high-speed network connectivity and accommodates multiple M.2 expansion cards.

The manufacturer Winsystems has added a new single-board computer to its lineup: the SBC35-474. It is described as a “rugged SBC,” a term that may need some clarification. The board is not as well protected as, for example, a waterproof and drop-resistant rugged smartphone; instead, “rugged” refers to its suitability for industrial applications. The system can operate at temperatures ranging from –40 °C to 85 °C, making it suitable for use in uncooled outdoor enclosures in both summer and winter. The 146 x 102 mm board is not really comparable to a Raspberry Pi—not only in terms of size but also in its target audience—and the same applies to the processors. Depending on the configuration, it is equipped with an Intel Atom x7211RE, x7433RE, or x7835RE. The top model offers eight processing cores and has a TDP of 12 watts, so the use of a heat sink is generally recommended.

Supported operating systems include Ubuntu and Windows 11 IoT. The system features 8 or 16 GB of DDR5 memory, along with 128 GB of eMMC storage. Additional storage is supported. A total of three M.2 slots are available, with the M.2 2280 slot supporting SSDs via SATA or NVMe. The M.2 2230 slot is intended for a wireless module, while the third M.2 slot can be used to add cellular connectivity via a SIM card. Network connectivity is provided via two Ethernet ports, each supporting data rates of up to 2.5 Gbit/s. The board can drive up to three displays simultaneously via HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort, and eDP, with the eDP connection exposed through a 40-pin connector.

There are 10 GPIO pins for connecting external sensors and actuators, as well as two serial ports. This allows the SBC35-474 to be connected, for example, to industrial machinery, with status data transmitted via Ethernet to a control system. USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 are also supported, making it feasible to use the board on-site with a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. As is common for B2B products, pricing information has not been publicly disclosed. 

Processor options include Intel Atom x7211RE, x7433RE, and x7835RE with scaling from dual-core to eight-core performance hosting processor frequencies up to 3.6 GHz and integrated Intel UHD Graphics featuring 16 execution units.

The fanless platform has an operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C and includes three M.2 expansion sockets for wireless connectivity, storage, AI accelerators, and other application-specific peripherals.

It provides local processing, AI acceleration, high-speed networking, and hardware security by utilizing the following features:

DDR5 memory support

Dual 2.5 GbE ports

TPM 2.0 hardware security

Triple-display support

Windows 11 IoT and Ubuntu Linux support

“Organizations developing industrial and infrastructure systems need more than processing performance. They need a platform they can standardize on for years,” said Robert Dunaway, Chief Revenue Officer, WINSYSTEMS. “The SBC35-474 delivers the rugged design, Intel performance, connectivity, long life-cycle support, and US-based manufacturing to help engineering teams innovate and accelerate deployment while helping project managers minimize program risk.”

The SBC35-474 is designed for industrial automation, machine control, machine vision, transportation systems, communications gateways, remote monitoring, and smart infrastructure applications.

The SBC35-474 is designed for organizations deploying mission-critical systems in harsh environments. Typical deployments include industrial automation and process control, machine vision, test and measurement equipment, transportation systems, communications infrastructure, energy management, security systems, remote monitoring, and other intelligent edge applications.

Whether deployed in factory automation, transportation, energy, or communications infrastructure, edge systems increasingly require a combination of local intelligence, rugged reliability, and long-term availability. The SBC35-474 is designed to provide that foundation across a wide range of industrial computing applications.

“Organizations developing industrial and infrastructure systems need more than processing performance. They need a platform they can standardize on for years,” said Robert Dunaway, Chief Revenue Officer, WINSYSTEMS. “The SBC35-474 delivers the rugged design, Intel performance, connectivity, long life-cycle support, and US-based manufacturing to help engineering teams innovate and accelerate deployment while helping project managers minimize program risk.”

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TECH

When the fake boss calls: a real-time warning system for fake videoconferences

Videoconferencing facilitates communication between different locations while still allowing people to look each other in the eye. However, more and more often we have to question whether the other person's eyes are real. This is because deepfake technologies are now capable of falsifying voices and images in real time more realistically than ever. In 2025, the CFO of a company in Singapore was ensnared by a deepfake Zoom call in which all the participants were AI-generated—including his boss. In the end, he got off lightly: The authorities were later able to recover the roughly 500,000 U.S. dollars he had transferred.

The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) in Singapore alone has recorded a massive increase in video fraud cases like this in the first quarter of 2026. The country saw over 1,200 cases in January alone. That number was 43 in the same month of the previous year. However, the problem is global. After analyzing over one billion cases worldwide, the 2026 Entrust Identity Fraud Report concludes: “Identity fraud is no longer a crime of opportunity. It has now become industrialized, globally organized and commercially optimized.” This is cause enough for Fraunhofer researchers such as Martin Steinebach to work intensively on this issue. Steinebach heads the Media Security and IT Forensics department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT in Darmstadt.

“Videoconferences represent a special challenge for deepfake detection,” says the expert. “Image and sound quality fluctuate with variations in the network. Because the data streams are compressed, those specific image artifacts often used by earlier detection methods to identify deepfakes are lost.” The challenge is further exacerbated by automatic blur filters, variations in lighting as well as noise and movement in the background. A detector cannot be allowed to produce false positives for these normal videoconferencing effects.

A local solution for real-time detection...In an ATHENE research project, Steinebach and his team of experts at Fraunhofer SIT and at the Fraunhofer Heilbronn Research and Innovation Center (HNFIZ) for Cybersecurity have developed a solution combining video and audio deepfake detection. The AI-based software is designed to continuously inform participants in security-critical video calls of the likelihood of a deepfake. The warning is visual: “If a meeting is currently raising many flags, the system indicates a probability that it is a deepfake,” the researcher says. “But then the person in the meeting still has to verify the other party's authenticity by asking specific questions or by calling back on a different channel.”

The analysis can run locally on a high-performance laptop without requiring the transfer of image or audio data to an external server. It is thus compliant with data protection requirements and is suitable for companies conducting confidential meetings, such as with executive boards, finance departments or external partners. “A computer with a modern graphics card and twelve gigabytes of graphics memory is sufficient for the local real-time analysis in our solution,” says Steinebach.

This solution should also prove interesting to videoconferencing systems providers who could integrate it as a plugin or as an embedded security feature in systems such as Teams, Zoom or comparable enterprise solutions. Another possibility would be a central corporate infrastructure with a secure server area that analyzes especially important meetings. The exact form depends on the use case, the available resources and the data protection requirements.

Researchers at Fraunhofer SIT first create deepfakes themselves to train the system. Shown here is an example comparison between the detection of the authentic researcher on the left and a version in which the face has been replaced with that of Tom Cruise-image above (© Fraunhofer SIT)

AI beats signal processing...“One observation we made right at the start was that traditional signal processing methods quickly reach their limits in real-time detection today. Machine learning was significantly faster and more efficient,” Steinebach reports. He feeds the self-learning system with real and manipulated audio and video data to enable it to independently recognize differences. In the audio domain, the team drew on resources including publicly available datasets containing roughly 19,000 real recordings and about 160,000 spoofed, i.e., manipulated recordings.

What is critical here is that the training data should replicate a realistic videoconferencing environment as closely as possible. Typical effects that occur in videoconferences, such as compression, fluctuating quality and blur filters, must therefore also be simulated. The AI term for this is augmentation, explains Steinebach: “We apply interference to the data such as occurs in the real world and train the system to deal with it.” Because this is a specialized model designed for a clearly defined task, the training is significantly less expansive than in large language models. “It was especially interesting that it was almost more time-consuming and difficult to create deepfakes than to detect them in a real-time system like this.”

Outlook: practical testing of technology and processes...The Fraunhofer SIT demonstrator is currently still in the proof-of-concept phase. In the next step, the researchers plan to collaborate with companies and videoconferencing system providers to reliably integrate this technology in real-world infrastructures with appropriate data protection and user-friendliness. Legal questions also have to be clarified, such as whether meeting participants should be required to consent to the analysis or how the terms of use for a videoconferencing system would reflect this function.

Martin Steinebach has mixed feelings about the future development of deepfakes. On the one hand, there is a risk that even security-critical processes such as video identification by banks could soon be falsified using deepfakes. On the other hand, the risk can be mitigated by cryptographic security, additional authentication and technical detection systems. However, it remains important to combine technology with clear processes. For example, if a bank transfer is suddenly requested during a videoconference, a second, independent communication channel should be used for verification.

© Fraunhofer SIT (sit.fraunhofer.de)

TECH

Qualcomm to raise prices starting in September, and MediaTek is loving it...

Qualcomm has confirmed that all its products, including the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, will become more expensive starting next month. This hike opens a window of opportunity for MediaTek, which—according to supply chain rumors—could sell the Dimensity 9600 Pro to manufacturers for significantly less money...

Qualcomm confirmed that, effective September 1st, all its products will undergo a "double-digit" price increase, citing rising costs from its suppliers. The hike also applies to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, the flagship chipset the company is preparing to launch later this quarter. It is worth noting that this chip was already expected to be the most expensive ever for the mobile market due to its complexity and the fact that it is one of the first chips to utilize TSMC’s 2-nanometer N2P manufacturing process.

The latest confirmation of the price hike did not come as a standalone announcement but was instead part of Qualcomm's third fiscal quarter earnings report, released yesterday after market close. The company reported revenue of $9.9 billion—surpassing market estimates of $9.67 billion but still falling short of the $10.37 billion recorded in the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings per share stood at $2.21, slightly below the estimated $2.23.

The smartphone (handset) chip segment generated $5.1 billion—a 20% year-over-year decline—which the company attributes to softening demand in the Chinese market. In contrast, the automotive segment continues to grow strongly, bringing in $1.59 billion (up 61% from a year ago) and marking the 23rd consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in this area. For the fourth quarter, Qualcomm anticipates total revenue between $9.70 billion and $10.50 billion.

The reaction to this announcement was somewhat guarded, especially given the ongoing supply crunch for memory chips. It was alongside these results that CEO Cristiano Amon reaffirmed the price hike taking effect on September 1st, framing it as part of Qualcomm's broader effort to expand margins. However, the most telling statement came when Amon acknowledged that current market dynamics are making low- and mid-range smartphones less competitive due to pricing.

This statement was accompanied by another revealing that even in the premium segment—where Qualcomm has historically dominated—customers are opting for cheaper choices within that same tier, including chips from previous generations. It is this admission from Qualcomm's CEO himself that makes the threat posed by MediaTek particularly credible, especially as market preference shifts toward the more affordable end of the high-end spectrum.

Worst possible timing...The timing of Qualcomm's price hike could not be more inconvenient for smartphone manufacturers, who have been grappling with steadily rising costs for RAM and NAND storage for over a year. Now, TSMC's 2-nanometer wafers are also set to cost significantly more than previous generations. Consequently, Qualcomm's announced price increase will compound a bill that was already ballooning due to costs from other areas.

According to supply chain estimates, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could cost manufacturers over $300 per unit—a figure that, on its own, could account for roughly one-third of a high-end smartphone's total production cost. This is where MediaTek may find an opportunity. According to the Taiwanese business newspaper *Commercial Times*, the Dimensity 9600 Pro—a direct rival to the Qualcomm chip, both manufactured using TSMC’s 2-nanometer process—will sell for approximately $216 per unit; this represents a difference of about 28% compared to the price tag of over $300 commanded by Qualcomm. It is worth noting, however, that this information has not yet been officially confirmed by either company.

This price disparity is nothing new in the relationship between the two brands. The current Dimensity 9500, for instance, costs between $180 and $200 per unit, compared to the roughly $280 charged for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. In other words, even if these projected figures prove accurate, MediaTek’s strategy of positioning its flagship chips at a noticeably lower price point than Qualcomm’s is hardly a novelty.

What this could mean for 2026/2027 smartphones...With Qualcomm's price hikes already confirmed and a cheaper rival waiting in the wings, smartphone manufacturers now face a tougher choice than in previous years. Major market players are expected to stick with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro for their priciest "Ultra" models, despite the higher cost.

However, smaller brands—or models positioned just below the absolute flagship tier—now have a stronger financial incentive to lean toward the Dimensity 9600 Pro or even Samsung's upcoming Exynos 2700, which will benefit from Samsung Foundry's second-generation 2-nanometer process. This could translate into faster adoption of non-Qualcomm chipsets in mid-range and "near-flagship" smartphones over the coming months.

On a technical level, the Dimensity 9600 Pro is expected to replicate the 2+3+3 CPU architecture anticipated for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, combining ARM C2-Ultra and C2-Pro cores with the ARM Magni GPU and LPDDR6 memory support. In contrast, the standard Dimensity 9600 is expected to retain LPDDR5X memory to keep costs down. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro relies on fully Qualcomm-designed Oryon cores, with a stated focus on AI-driven upscaling and frame generation capabilities.

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NOKIA

Nokia prepares an unexpected comeback with a phone that bets on something many smartphones have forgotten

While the market battles over who offers the most cameras, larger screens, and artificial intelligence features, a new Nokia device heads in the exact opposite direction. The model—not yet officially announced—focuses on durability, extreme battery life, and practical functionality to win over an audience that values ​​reliability over technological excess. And one specific feature could make it far more useful than it appears at first glance.

Recent reports indicate that HMD Global, the company behind Nokia-branded phones, is preparing to launch the Nokia 300 4G Power Bank. This device revives the philosophy of the manufacturer's classic phones, known for their durability and long-lasting batteries.

Rather than competing directly with premium smartphones, the device is designed as a practical alternative for those needing a reliable phone for travel, outdoor activities, or fieldwork—or simply as a backup device for emergencies.

This strategy aligns with a trend that has been gaining momentum in recent years. In a market dominated by sophisticated—yet expensive and fragile—phones, there is growing interest in basic models capable of handling essential tasks without requiring constant recharging.

Price is another highlight. According to reports, the Nokia 300 4G Power Bank will initially launch in the Asian market at around $32, making it a highly affordable option for consumers who prioritize functionality.

Rugged construction and a massive battery are its key selling points; the new device features a robust design built to withstand daily use in demanding conditions.

Its body features a non-slip finish and IP65 certification, offering protection against dust and resistance to water jets—features rarely found in phones of this category.

On the front, the device sports a 2.4-inch QVGA screen. This compact panel reduces power consumption while keeping navigation simple for calls, text messages, and other basic functions. But the real highlight lies under the hood.

The Nokia 300 4G Power Bank packs an impressive 3,700 mAh battery—a remarkably high capacity for a standard feature phone.

According to leaked specifications, this battery offers up to 45 days of standby time, around 26 hours of continuous talk time, or extended music playback without needing a recharge.

Additionally, the device supports 18W fast charging, significantly cutting down the time required to fully recharge.

The phone can also double as a portable charger...The new model's most intriguing feature is the very one that gives it its name.

Beyond powering the phone itself for weeks, its battery can also be used to charge other devices.

A physical button on the side activates the reverse charging function, allowing the device to act as a compact portable power bank.

The output power reaches 5W. While not enough to quickly recharge a modern smartphone, it is perfectly suited for emergencies, providing power to accessories like wireless earbuds, smartwatches, and other low-power devices.

To facilitate this, the package includes a 4-in-1 USB cable compatible with various connector types.

Modern connectivity proves that basic phones remain relevant...Despite its minimalist design, the device incorporates up-to-date features.

These include 4G connectivity for high-definition voice calls, an FM radio that works without headphones, a microSD card slot supporting up to 32 GB, and a 0.3-megapixel rear camera for casual snapshots.

The operating system prioritizes simplicity, focusing on essential calling and SMS messaging functions, without resource-heavy apps or features that would compromise battery life.

The model is expected to be available in black, green, and gold. If the launch is confirmed, the Nokia 300 4G Power Bank will reinforce a strategy HMD Global has been adopting: keeping the tradition of rugged phones alive while offering practical solutions for consumers who do not need a full-fledged smartphone but refuse to compromise on reliability, long battery life, and the durability to handle any situation.

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SAMSUNG

Galaxy Z Fold 8: Flex Titanium technology to minimize the foldable screen crease, alongside a high price tag

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 features advancements in Flex Titanium technology designed to minimize the crease on the foldable screen; however, the appearance of a crease after use is natural due to mechanical fatigue. While the crease affects aesthetics and the visual experience, the device's performance remains unaffected. The global launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 highlights its high price point—justified by innovative features and a premium design—appealing to consumers seeking cutting-edge technology.

Have you heard about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the promise of a nearly crease-free screen? Well, the reality might differ slightly from expectations after a few days of use. Let’s take a look at what happened and whether this actually impacts the device's performance.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 arrived with a bold promise: Flex Titanium technology would reduce the screen crease. This innovation is significant because creases are the biggest issue with foldable models. They appear where the screen folds, affecting the user experience. The concept behind Flex Titanium is to create a more durable and flexible layer capable of withstanding folding without leaving visible marks. This aims to provide a smoother screen, making the device feel like a standard smartphone when unfolded.

This technology was developed to enhance screen durability and quality. Beyond scratch protection, Flex Titanium offers a better tactile feel. Users hope for a nearly imperceptible crease—a major step forward for foldable smartphones. However, experts and consumers are still evaluating whether this promise holds true in practice.

With the introduction of Flex Titanium, Samsung is attempting to solve a long-standing issue, making the foldable screen more appealing. This results in a smartphone with an elegant design and superior usability. Even if the crease doesn't vanish entirely, the goal is for it to be significantly smaller and less intrusive than in previous versions. This could heavily influence the decision-making process for anyone considering buying a foldable smartphone today. 

Initial comparison with other foldables...When comparing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 to other foldable smartphones, Samsung sought improvements in screen quality and durability. Previous models featured more visible creases, which drew complaints from users. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 aims to demonstrate progress by reducing the prominence of the fold mark.

Other foldable devices also attempt to minimize the crease, though each employs different technologies. Some brands invest in firmer layers, while others focus on flexible materials capable of withstanding wear and tear. However, no solution completely eliminates the crease; they merely minimize it.

It is worth noting that the crease does not affect screen functionality, though it may be visually bothersome to some users. Consequently, comparisons between foldable devices always weigh the balance between flexibility and screen appearance.

Thus, when choosing a model, one must consider what matters most: a more discreet fold or the device's resilience against daily use. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 promises to strike a good balance, but only time and actual usage will reveal its true performance.

Observations on the crease after a week of use...After using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for a week, many users noticed the appearance of a screen crease. Despite the promise of Flex Titanium technology, the crease does not vanish entirely. With daily use, the folding area begins to show signs of wear and visible marks.

This crease—the mark left by the screen folding—can be annoying to users who pay close attention to their smartphones. However, it does not impact screen functionality. The texture may feel different to the touch, particularly in that specific area.

Beyond the crease itself, factors such as the pressure applied when closing the device and handling habits also influence the appearance of these marks. Over time, the crease tends to become more visible, raising questions about the foldable screen's durability.

It is important to remember that this is a common characteristic of foldable phones. The technology is still evolving, and a completely crease-resistant screen may take more time to reach the market. 

Cause of the crease: mechanical fatigue...The appearance of the crease on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is linked to mechanical fatigue. This occurs when a material is repeatedly folded, causing small cracks or deformations. In the case of the foldable screen, this effect happens precisely at the fold line.

When you open and close the phone repeatedly, the accumulated pressure causes the material to lose its elasticity. Over time, the screen begins to show visual signs of the folding action—manifesting as the visible crease. This process is common in devices with flexible moving parts.

This mechanical fatigue doesn't mean the device will stop working, but it does indicate that the screen might lose some of its original appearance. That is why Samsung invests in special materials, such as Flex Titanium, to try to minimize this wear and tear.

It is natural for a foldable screen to have a creased area, as that is where repeated use causes this fatigue. With careful handling, it is possible to slow the progression of this issue, though it cannot be entirely avoided for now.

Impact on performance and user experience...The crease on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 screen can affect the user experience, but it does not impair the device's performance. The fold is visible, especially when light hits the screen directly. This can be distracting for those using the phone to watch videos or play games.

To the touch, the crease area may feel slightly different—something some users notice when sliding their finger across it. However, screen sensitivity remains fully functional, with no freezing or glitches.

For daily use, the crease generally doesn't cause serious problems. Most apps work normally, without interfering with navigation or core functions.

Even so, the presence of the crease might give some users the impression that the device is cheap. Samsung is working to improve the appearance and make the screen more uniform over time.

It is worth noting that this is common with foldable screens, and the experience can vary depending on how the user handles the device and the intensity of its use.

Global launch and expected price...Samsung has announced the global launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The device arrives to continue the brand's line of premium foldable smartphones. With an innovative design, it promises to appeal to those seeking cutting-edge technology and versatility.

The expected launch price is high, reflecting the technological advancements and the cost of the materials used. This is common with foldable phones, which are still a novelty in the market.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is already available for pre-order in several countries, with an official in-store release date coming soon. Availability is expected to expand in the coming weeks, reaching different regions around the world. Despite the high price, the model offers advanced features and large screens, justifying the investment for those seeking innovation and a comprehensive device.

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TECH

Microsoft vows to optimize Windows 11 performance for 8GB PCs

Like it or not, the AI-driven memory crunch is not only driving up prices on consumer electronics, even including Apple's budget-focused MacBook Neo, it's also resulting in models shipping with lower specs in key areas, particularly memory and storage. Enter the era of 8GB of RAM. Having just 8GB of RAM can be frustrating on a Windows 11 PC, and if there is a silver lining, it's that Microsoft is aware of this and making efforts to have its OS run more efficiently.

Microsoft's Windows and Devices president, Pavan Davuluri, outlined four key focus areas for the rest of the year. Right at the top of that list is an explicit commitment to shrink the operating system's memory footprint on machines with 8GB of RAM. These efforts build upon steps Microsoft has already taken to improve performance in Windows 11.

"We’re going to take everything we’ve learned since March and keep listening and closing the loop on your feedback. The signal from you is clear: keep going. We intend to," Davuluri says.

Regarding PCs with just 8GB of RAM, that is one of the major areas of focus, though Davuluri did not specify exactly how Microsoft's engineers will go about making the OS snappier on systems with not a lot of memory. More broadly, he points to memory optimization on setups with 8GB of RAM and above, as Microsoft aims to reduce Windows 11's memory footprint "to deliver a fast and responsive Windows experience across the PCs customers use every day."

Why memory usage has become a priority for Windows...Optimizing memory usage became urgent as rivals like Apple launched optimized devices featuring 8 GB of RAM.

The Windows ecosystem responded with 8 GB versions of the Surface Laptop and other PCs. However, historical limitations regarding performance and browser tab management turned this configuration into more of a problem than a competitive advantage.

The role of WinUI 3 in system efficiency...Chris Anderson, a developer on Microsoft’s WinUI team, identified the WinUI 3 framework as a key area of ​​development.

The framework controls various visual and functional elements of Windows. Davuluri reinforced this assessment by detailing the work currently underway.

According to the executive, the company has been continuously improving Windows' memory efficiency. These efforts include using a more efficient memory allocator to reduce overhead in applications and components.

There is also ongoing tuning of WinUI 3 so that applications built on it consume less memory by default. Microsoft is also driving efficiency improvements in Chromium and WebView2 components where they appear within the operating system.

Windows chief Pavan Davuluri has posted an article on X today that outlines the journey Microsoft has taken so far to fix and improve Windows 11. Since March, the company has been laser focused on addressing Windows 11's biggest issues, delivering many new features and changes that are designed to improve the reputation and experiences around Windows.

While that work is still ongoing, Davuluri has now outlined four new areas of focus that Microsoft will be working on for Windows 11 between now and the end of the year:

Onboarding and setup. Delivering a faster and more efficient out-of-box experience.

Memory optimization for 8GB and above. Reducing Windows memory footprint to deliver a fast and responsive Windows experience across the PCs customers use every day.

Family. Providing a faster set up and making it easier for families to access useful parental controls.

Voice. Making voice more natural and fluid to interact across the apps you use every day.

Microsoft has confirmed that it's planning to improve Windows 11 so that it runs better on PCs with just 8GB of RAM. MacBook Neo took the world by storm earlier this year, and while Windows OEMs have since stepped up to offer better value for money, Windows itself is still quite heavy on these limited memory devices.

The company is now working to reduce Windows 11's memory footprint, ensuring that the OS feels fast and responsive even on 8GB RAM. It's yet to dive into how it's planning to make these changes, but it's likely related to how the company is moving more areas of the Windows UI to WinUI, which is lighter than WebView.

This memory push is part of a broader effort Microsoft kicked off earlier this year to address persistent user complaints about sluggishness and system bloat.

So far, the team has quietly tweaked launch speeds for tools like Start, File Explorer, Search, and the Snipping Tool. It's also cleaned up Search box results to remove promotional clutter and patched up Bluetooth and printer connection bugs.

Alongside the 8GB performance tuning, Microsoft plans to spend the coming months streamlining the initial PC setup process for a faster and more efficient out-of-box experience, simplifying family safety controls, and improving system-wide voice interaction.

"The last few months have energized us. Meeting Windows Insiders at our monthly meetups and hearing what you think has been one of the best parts. This is work our engineers love and we want you to feel it in the product. We know we have more to do, and we’re grateful to be on this journey with you," Davuluri adds in a blog post.

It remains to be seen how much performance Microsoft can squeeze out of Windows 11 on systems that skimp on RAM capacity, especially considering Microsoft has previously said 32GB is the "no worries" configuration for Windows gaming. However, in the current landscape where demand for AI is starving the consumer market of certain components, it's now more necessary than ever to focus on improving performance on lower-spec hardware.

mundophone

TECH

Cornell researchers teach ‘microwave brain’ a new language

A first-of-its-kind ‘microwave brain’ microchip capable of computing on ultrafast data and wireless signals while using less than 200 milliwatts (mW) of power has recently learned its very own language.

Developed by scientists at Cornell University, the chip can now utilize microwave token embeddings in order to encode messages into radio signals and compress data. These are similar to the tokens used in large language models.

The chip is the world’s first processor to compute on both ultrafast data signals and wireless communication signals by harnessing the physics of microwaves. It allows information to be processed almost immediately.

According to the researchers, this could reduce the amount of data satellites need to transmit, while enabling faster, more secure wireless communications. “You could have one microwave neural network send messages that only another of the same kind could understand,” Bal Govind, a PhD student at Cornell, stated.

Encoding radio signals...Govind who built the technology in the lab of Alyssa Apsel, PhD, an IBM professor of engineering in Cornell’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, proved that the chip can generate microwave token embeddings.

The concept is inspired by the tokens used in large language models. Instead of transmitting long streams of digital instructions, the system represents data as a small number of microwave pulse tokens that preserve the relationships between different pieces of data.

“I like to think of it as establishing a microwave lexicon,” Govind explained. Since the data remains in the microwave domain throughout processing, the approach eliminates several computational steps from traditional communication systems,

This lowers bandwidth requirements and energy use, and addresses two major limitations for satellites, drones as well as edge devices. “Instead of transmitting something like a line of computer code, those instructions could be represented by just a few microwave pulses that another microwave neural network could immediately interpret,” Govind added.

One year after unveiling a first-of-its-kind “microwave brain” microchip capable of computing on ultrafast data and wireless signals, researchers from the Cornell Duffield College of Engineering have shown how the chip can encode information into its own language.

The work builds on the world’s first integrated microwave neural network designed by Bal Govind, M.S. ’24, Ph.D. ’26, and experimentally demonstrated with Maxwell Anderson ’20, M.S. ’24. Together, they showed that the low-power chip could harness the physics of microwaves to emulate the pattern-finding abilities of the brain and perform computations almost instantaneously.

In a new study published July 29 in Nature Communications, the researchers found that the device can now use what they describe as microwave token embeddings – similar to the tokens used in large language models – to encode messages into radio signals and compress data, capabilities that could enable faster, more secure communications for satellites, drones and other technologies.

“I like to think of it as establishing a microwave lexicon,” said Govind, who led the study in the laboratory of senior author Alyssa Apsel, the IBM Professor of Engineering in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “You could have one microwave neural network send messages that only another of the same kind could understand.”

The chip’s nonlinear microwave physics can transform information – such as navigation commands for a drone or satellite – into distinctive microwave pulse “tokens” that preserve relationships between pieces of information. This requires far less bandwidth and energy than conventional communications systems that first convert analog radio signals into digital data before extracting useful information.

“We’re letting the physics do the work,” Govind said. “Instead of transmitting something like a line of computer code, those instructions could be represented by just a few microwave pulses that another microwave neural network could immediately interpret.”

Because every microwave neural network has its own physical characteristics and produces a large array of frequencies, it can be reconfigured for different sensing and computing tasks.

The researchers believe the technology could provide a new form of hardware-based cybersecurity. Decoding a transmission would require not only another microwave neural network, but also the correct sequence used to configure it, “almost like a public-private key scheme,” Govind said.

The researchers also found that feeding gigabit-per-second data streams into the chip causes it to naturally generate probabilistic bits, or “p-bits,” whose values depend on the incoming data rather than remaining fixed as zeros or ones. To demonstrate the capability, the researchers reconstructed a satellite image of a tropical storm system that preserved many of its key features while reducing the amount of transmitted data by about eightfold.

“Small satellites often can’t transmit massive image files back to Earth because of power limitations or bandwidth regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission,” Govind said. “They often have to transmit simple things like GPS coordinates that are going to lose a lot of the main features, and that’s something we think our chip can help with.”

The researchers have a patent pending and are participating in the Ignite Innovation Acceleration program through the Cornell Center for Technology Licensing, which is helping to advance the technology toward commercialization for low-power satellite communications and edge computing. The research is also supported through a long-standing collaboration with defense and information technology company L3Harris, and through a Kavli Institute at Cornell Engineering Graduate Fellowship.

by: Syl Kacapyr---Cornell Duffield College of Engineering