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Microsoft has officially unveiled a redesigned icon pack for its core Office apps, which are found within the Microsoft 365 service. The 10 primary application marks now sport brighter colors, a more playful tone, and softer contours inspired by the company's Copilot emblem. This is the first large-scale update since 2018, and it will be available on web, desktop, and mobile platforms in the coming weeks. The 10 core apps include Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Defender, OneDrive, Designer, and Clipchamp. All 10 of these core applications now have redesigned icons following fluid forms and vibrant colors. On the surface, these are visual changes, yet the company frames them as a sign of context-aware tools that blend AI assistance with human intent.

Under the new look, the icons move away from blocky solidity and toward folded, curved forms that suggest motion and approachability. Designers simplified details to keep each mark clear at small sizes. For example, Word now shows three horizontal bars instead of four to improve legibility. The palettes are richer, featuring exaggerated analogous gradients designed to enhance contrast across various displays and support accessibility. Letter plates remain where brand recognition matters, but proportions, texture, and spacing were modernized, so the icons feel cohesive with Copilot and recent Microsoft products. For most people, the change will be a visual refresh, brighter, simpler tiles appearing across their devices, but Microsoft says the icons are intended to reflect a larger evolution in product making where interfaces and AI work together to help people reach their desired outcomes faster.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced expanded availability for its breakthrough 4000 Hz wireless HyperPolling technology. The Razer HyperPolling Wireless Dongle now powers select BlackWidow keyboards with true 4000 Hz wireless polling, delivering lightning-fast input and unmatched control for competitive play.

Previously introduced with the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, 4000 Hz HyperPolling is now available on:

• Razer BlackWidow V4 Tenkeyless HyperSpeed
• Razer BlackWidow V4 Low-profile HyperSpeed
• Razer BlackWidow V4 Low-profile Tenkeyless HyperSpeed

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Intel confirmed today which core microarchitectures will power its next-generation client and server processors, doubling down on previous rumors that "Coyote Cove" P-cores will power the "Nova Lake" family and "Panther Cove" P-cores will power the "Diamond Rapids" line. The details are outlined in Intel's latest ISA reference update and provide the clearest public signal yet about the company's roadmap through 2026. Nova Lake and Diamond Rapids are both slated for release next year, and the confirmation removes much of the guesswork about which P-core and E-core designs each family will use. On the client side, Nova Lake will pair Coyote Cove P-cores with "Arctic Wolf" E-cores and introduce an updated integrated graphics tile based on the Xe3 lineage.

Desktop Nova Lake-S parts are expected to scale to very high core counts, up to 52 cores, while HX mobile variants will focus on iGPU in power-optimized packages. Intel is also planning a platform update with an LGA 1954 socket, and the company suggests that it will deliver meaningful improvements in IPC and performance per watt compared to the previous Cougar Cove and Darkmont designs. For servers, Diamond Rapids will use Panther Cove P-cores, push core density aggressively, and is expected to arrive in the second half of 2026. These initial Panther Cove server chips will not include simultaneous multithreading, a decision Intel appears set to correct with the follow-up "Coral Rapids" family, which will reintroduce Hyper-Threading for datacenter workloads. There is also discussion of a Panther Cove-X variant designed for workstation users and a Wildcat Lake entry tier that will replace Twin Lake, utilizing Cougar Cove P-cores and Darkmont E-cores.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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We covered the issue of burning AMD Ryzen 9000 series CPU on ASRock motherboards many times. However, ASRock has been working to address this problem with [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] for its AMD 800-series motherboards. Now, the company is offering an extended warranty for its motherboards, but this is limited to Japan. ASRock board users in Japan who register through the ASRock Fan Club by the end of the year will receive a three-year warranty instead of the standard two years. This campaign runs until the end of the year and is exclusive to Japanese customers, leaving the rest of the world with the usual two-year warranty.

In the past, [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] unusual behaviors, such as CPU burn, to motherboard vendors and BIOS ODMs, suggesting that these vendors may use BIOS versions that don't fully comply with AMD's official specifications. AMD is reportedly collaborating with board partners to develop and optimize BIOS updates to address these issues, but the problem appears to persist. On the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], reports of more bricked AMD CPUs continue to accumulate. We are still awaiting ASRock's response and any new BIOS version that might prevent this issue from recurring. For users with already damaged processors, a BIOS update cannot reverse hardware failure or burn, but regularly updating your BIOS may reduce the likelihood of further incidents by enforcing safer defaults.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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The ExpressSlot Elite MB842M5P-B turns a PCIe 8x/16x expansion slot into a dual removable M.2 NVMe drive bays, allowing you to swap the M.2 NVMe SSDs without needing to open the computer case. The MB842M5P-B is designed to leverage the power of PCIe 5.0, offering blazing-fast 128 Gbps transfer speeds—double the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 (64 Gbps) and over 20x faster than SATA (6 Gbps). Engineered for PCIe 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0 x8/x16 slots, this high-speed NVMe solution ensures maximum flexibility across enterprise workstations, high-performance computing, AI training, and data-intensive applications. By utilizing direct PCIe connectivity, it eliminates bottlenecks, reduces cable clutter, and delivers ultra-low latency storage performance for next-generation workloads.

Traditional M.2 SSD installation requires mounting the drive onto the motherboard or a riser card, secured with a small screw—often a cumbersome and time-consuming process. The MB842M5P-B simplifies this by utilizing the PCIe expansion slot, making M.2 SSD installation and removal quick and hassle-free with its removable drive tray design.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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An MSI representative, without taking names, confirmed that the company's AMD 800-series chipset motherboards will "be ready for future CPUs," in response to a question on whether they support "Zen 6." This would be the first near-confirmation from a motherboard manufacturer that AMD is readying its Ryzen "Olympic Ridge" desktop processor for Socket AM5. This would make "Zen 6" the third microarchitecture for the socket, in line with how AMD released three microarchitectures for its previous Socket AM4.

"Olympic Ridge" will be a chiplet-based processor much like all AMD Ryzen desktop chips going back to the Ryzen 3000 series. These are expected to feature "Zen 6" cores in CPU complex dies (CCDs) built on the 2 nm TSMC N2 process, with AMD expected to increase CPU core counts per CCD for the first time in all these generations. The chip is also expected to introduce a new client I/O die (cIOD) very likely built on the 4 nm TSMC N4P node, which will come with significantly lower TDP than the current one built on 6 nm, and come with a revamped set of DDR5 memory controllers that supports higher speeds. All this said, AMD is rumored to be working on an even newer desktop socket, [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], with a pin count in the range of 2,100 pins. It's likely that "Zen 7" will be designed for this socket.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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Microsoft is rolling out a noticeable update to Dark Mode in Windows 11 with the latest Insider Preview pushed to the Dev Channel. Build 26220.6772 applies dark theming to a range of File Explorer interactions that have long stuck out as bright exceptions: dialogs that appear when copying, moving, and deleting files now match the system theme, context menus honor dark mode, progress bars and file-selection windows adopt the darker palette, and replacement or confirmation prompts are no longer glaringly light. Microsoft also made some subtle layout and behavior adjustments to menus, so the experience reads as a unified whole rather than a patchwork of old and new interfaces.

Taken together, these changes address a persistent complaint that has followed Windows for nearly a decade: the operating system's dark theme has repeatedly been undercut by legacy UI elements that did not receive the same styling attention. Windows still contains legacy components. For example, certain Properties windows, the Run dialog, and parts of Control Panel may remain in light mode until Microsoft either modernizes or replaces their underlying code. By releasing the change to Dev Channel insiders first, Microsoft is inviting power users and testers to exercise everyday workflows and report edge cases, so the company can refine behaviors before considering Beta and Stable rollouts. That said, this does not complete the work. Achieving true visual cohesion will require continued attention to legacy paths and a steady stream of smaller updates.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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Razer, the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers, in collaboration with The Pokémon Company International, unveils the latest additions to the Razer | Pokémon Collection: the Razer Cobra - Gengar Edition and Razer Gigantus V2 - XXL - Gengar Edition, available to Trainers across the United States, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Following the strong demand for the recently launched Razer Kraken Kitty V2 - Gengar Edition, these new releases mark the next chapter in the Razer | Pokémon Collection, expanding the lineup with fresh gear inspired by fan-favorite Pokémon Gengar. The collection continues to blend the iconic Pokémon brand with Razer's high-performance engineering, delivering peripherals that celebrate bold design, playful personality, and competitive precision.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Prepare for high-tension gameplay in Embark Studios' multiplayer extraction adventure game, ARC Raiders. Craft, repair, and upgrade your gear in the safety of your own workshop, before venturing topside to scavenge the remnants of a devastated but beautiful world. Shape your legacy as you scavenge loot from the lethal surface, in parties of up to three, or as a solo Raider, navigating the constant threat of ARC's machines and the unpredictable choices of fellow survivors.

Gamers get the best ARC Raiders experience on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs with the performance multiplying DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, stunning ray-traced global illumination, and the best responsiveness with NVIDIA Reflex. Starting today, as part of our ARC Raiders GeForce RTX 50 Series Bundle, you'll receive a Deluxe Edition copy of the game, plus pre-order bonus cosmetics, with the purchase of qualifying GeForce RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, or 5070 desktops or graphics card, or laptops with a GeForce RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, or 5070 Laptop GPUs at participating retailers and etailers.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Microsoft has released its latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6772 (KB5065797) in the Dev Channel. While it introduces some new Copilot-powered features and updates to Windows Hello, it also rings a death sentence to bypassing Microsoft Online Account, which is now mandatory for everyone. Microsoft has doubled-down on making users sign in with their Microsoft Online Account, and local-only installations are no longer possible at the time of writing. Although new workarounds will likely emerge over time, Microsoft has successfully closed off the most accessible and widely known methods for avoiding Microsoft account creation in recent Windows 11 preview releases. Since these changes currently exist only in preview versions, several weeks will probably pass before they reach the stable, public releases of Windows 11. The latest Windows Blog confirms:

MicrosoftWe are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account in the Windows Setup experience (OOBE). While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use. Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure device is setup correctly.

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Industrial computing is rapidly evolving, with new demands for platforms that balance performance, energy efficiency, and long-term reliability. AMD is meeting this challenge with the introduction of Ryzen Embedded 9000 Series processors built for industrial PCs, automation systems, and machine vision applications. This new series delivers exceptional performance-per-watt, low latency, and the long-term stability required by industrial customers.

The versatility of Ryzen Embedded 9000 Series processors is evident across its target applications. For industrial PCs, it delivers a combination of performance, integrated graphics, and efficiency that are needed to power and sustain operation in harsh environments. In industrial control and automation, the processor provides the low-latency, high-throughput performance required for robotics, edge computing, and smart-factory operations. In machine vision, the combination of real-time AI inference and advanced video processing helps to ensure that tasks like defect detection, quality control, and test and measurement can be executed with exceptional precision and speed.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Point2 Technology, a leading provider of ultra-low-power, low-latency mixed-signal SoC solutions for scalable interconnects in AI data centers, will showcase its latest advancements in e-Tube RF rack-scale data transmission over plastic waveguides at the upcoming Open Compute Project (OCP) Global Summit, held October 13-16 at the San Jose Convention Center. As an active contributor to OCP's mission of open innovation, Point2 will present its vision for next-generation AI infrastructure through technical sessions and live demonstrations.

Point2's patented e-Tube RF platform delivers a compelling alternative to copper and optics, offering 10× cable reach of copper at a similar cost structure, while 3× lower cost and power, and 1000× lower latency than traditional optical interconnect. At the heart of Point2's showcase is its rapidly expanding e-Tube cable and connectorization ecosystem, developed in collaboration with Molex and Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT). This ecosystem enables seamless integration of e-Tube into standard data center architectures, accelerating deployment and scalability for hyperscale and enterprise AI clusters.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced its agreement to acquire Arduino, a premier open-source hardware and software company. The transaction accelerates Qualcomm Technologies' strategy to empower developers by facilitating access to its unmatched portfolio of edge technologies and products. This acquisition builds on the Company's recent integrations of Edge Impulse and Foundries.io, reinforcing its commitment to delivering a full-stack edge platform that spans hardware, software, and cloud services. The closing of this transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.

By combining Qualcomm Technologies' leading‑edge processing, graphics, computer vision, and AI with Arduino's simplicity, affordability, and community, the Company is poised to supercharge developer productivity across industries. Arduino will preserve its open approach and community spirit while unlocking a full‑stack platform for modern development—with Arduino UNO Q as the first step.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Applied Materials, Inc. today introduced new semiconductor manufacturing systems that boost the performance of advanced logic and memory chips foundational to AI computing. The new products target three critical areas in the race to deliver ever more powerful AI chips: leading-edge logic including Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors, high-performance DRAM including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and advanced packaging to create highly integrated systems-in-a-package that optimize chip performance, power consumption and cost.

"As chips become more complex, Applied is focused on driving materials engineering breakthroughs to provide the performance and power-efficiency improvements needed to scale AI," said Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. "We are collaborating earlier and deeper with our customers to co-develop solutions that accelerate chipmaker roadmaps and enable major device inflections in logic, memory and advanced packaging."[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the upcoming general availability of the IBM Spyre Accelerator, an AI accelerator enabling low-latency inferencing to support generative and agentic AI use cases while prioritizing the security and resilience of core workloads. Earlier this year, IBM announced the Spyre Accelerator would be available in IBM z17, LinuxONE 5, and Power11 systems. Spyre will be generally available on October 28 for IBM z17 and LinuxONE 5 systems, and in early December for Power11 servers.

Today's IT landscape is changing from traditional logic workflows to agentic AI inferencing. AI agents require low-latency inference and real-time system responsiveness. IBM recognized the need for mainframes and servers to run AI models along with the most demanding enterprise workloads without compromising on throughput. To address this demand, clients need AI inferencing hardware that supports generative and agentic AI while maintaining the security and resilience of core data, transactions, and applications. The accelerator is also built to enable clients to keep mission-critical data on-prem to mitigate risk while addressing operational and energy efficiency.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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