A U.S. appeals court has overturned a staggering $2.18 billion patent infringement verdict against Intel Corporation, initially won by VLSI Technology, marking a pivotal shift in one of the most prominent patent law cases in U.S. history. The 2021 decision by a Texas jury, which found Intel guilty of infringing on a VLSI patent, was reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit due to insufficient evidence. Additionally, a new trial in Texas has been ordered to determine the appropriate amount Intel owes for infringing a second patent owned by VLSI. This patent-holding company, affiliated with Fortress Investment Group and recently involved in a majority share acquisition by Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Co from Japan's Softbank, has been in multiple legal confrontations with Intel over semiconductor technology patents, which VLSI acquired from NXP Semiconductors.

The legal disputes have seen varied outcomes; Intel deflected a claim for more than $3 billion in damages in a separate Waco jury trial in 2021. However, the same year, VLSI was awarded nearly $949 million from Intel in another patent case by a jury in Austin, Texas. The companies mutually agreed to dismiss another potential multi-billion-dollar lawsuit in Delaware. With Intel's stock experiencing a downturn (-6.05% in the past five days) following the latest court ruling and the scheduled 2024 trial in Northern California, the ongoing legal battles between the two tech entities continue to influence market dynamics and the semiconductor industry at large. Detaining if the patent infringement happened is still relatively complex, as VLSI needs a team of engineers to determine if Intel used any of its patents.

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(PR) EK Announces EK-Pro Line Now Has A Complete Product Portfolio
EK, the industry-leading premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is proud to announce a complete portfolio of the EK-Pro Line, with all the necessary components needed for full enterprise-grade custom liquid-cooling loops, ensuring optimal performance for System Integrators, Data Centers, AI/ML-focused companies, and workstations. Traditionally known for its focus on GPU and CPU water blocks, the EK-Pro Line has evolved to address the dynamic requirements of System Integrators and Data Centers. Building upon its commitment to innovation, EK is steadily introducing new product series.

This strategic evolution allows customers to acquire every essential component needed for a complete enterprise-grade custom liquid-cooling loop directly from EK's webshop. From monoblocks and fittings to tubes, manifolds/combo units, radiators, and more, all the necessary components are now available through a one-stop shop purchase. EK's progressive product-by-product approach has now come to fruition, providing enthusiasts, System Integrators, Data Centers, and AI/ML-focused companies with a convenient and streamlined solution for crafting their custom cooling setups. Tailor-made for HPC systems and high-compute density applications, the EK-Pro Line offers a comprehensive suite of liquid cooling solutions for their advanced computing needs.
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Set Your Calendars: Windows 12 is Coming in June 2024 with Arm Support and AI Features
Microsoft is preparing a big update for its Windows operating system. Currently at version 11, the company is gearing up for the launch of Windows 12, which is supposed to bring a monumental shift in the tectonic plates of the regular PC user experience. Enhanced by AI, the Windows 12 OS should utilize many features like generative AI, large language models, some GPT integration, and many other tools that could benefit AI, like photo editors. The confirmation for the Windows 12 launch coming in 2024 is sourced from the Taiwanese Commercial Times, which analyzed comments from Barry Lam, the founder and chairman of PC contract manufacturer Quanta, and Junsheng (Jason) Chen, the chairman and chief executive of Acer.

Both of them underscored the importance of AI and that AI PCs are coming with the next version of Windows. Supposedly, the launch date for Windows 12 is set for June 2024. In that timeframe, hardware vendors should roll out their SoCs embedding AI processing elements at every silicon block. Qualcomm is set to debut its Snapdragon Elite X SoCs in mid-2024, aligning with the alleged release schedule of Windows 12. With more players like NVIDIA, AMD, and others planning to utilize an Arm instruction set for their next-generation PC chips, we expect to see Windows 12 get full-fledged support for Arm ISA and treat it like a first-class citizen in the OS.

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GALAX GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Max 16 GB Unparalleled Max is the First Single-Slot RTX 40 Series GPU
NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 40 series lineup of graphics cards has been supporting massive cooler designs ranging from three to four slots in thickness, with gamers rarely even getting a standard two-slot solution available. However, GALAX recently announced a novel entry into this lineup: the RTX 4060 Ti Max 16 GB Unparalleled Max, a GPU noted for its unprecedented single-slot design and exceptionally thin 20 mm profile. This model, previously previewed on GALAX's China website, stands out with its unique vapor chamber cooling system paired with a copper heatsink, diverging from the typical multi-fan setups seen in the market. Measuring at 267x111x20 mm, the design is very friendly towards smaller cases with room for only a single slot cooler.

The RTX 4060 Ti Max is set to operate at a default clock speed of 2535 MHz, with a power target of 165 Watts, suggesting a solid performance base for all GPU-intensive sessions. Currently, GALAX has yet to indicate the availability of an 8 GB version or the inclusion of a non-Ti model with this cooler, as only a 16 GB version has been shown. Interestingly, GALAX has made overclocking the card possible; however, the voltage regulation module setup is 6+2 VRMs placed on a six-layer PCB, not providing an ideal overclocking setup. Additionally, while feasible, overclocking the GPU with such a tiny single-slot cooler should be approached cautiously.
More images, along with specification table (in Chinese), can be seen below.Read full story

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(PR) Kensington Docking Station Unlocks the Full Potential of Premium Laptops
Kensington, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals, today announced the launch of the SD5800T Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Quad Video Docking Station. The powerful plug-and-play docking station supports up to four 4K monitors, delivers data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, provides up to 100 W of power delivery, and features 16 connectivity ports enabling users to release the potential of their premium laptops.

Providing a true plug-and-play experience with no drivers or downloads required, the SD5800T is one of the first Thunderbolt 4 docks capable of supporting Quad 4K displays, and is compatible with Windows and macOS, as well as Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, and USB-C devices. Ideal for graphic designers, video editors, and animators, the 16-in-1 design includes built-in UHS-II SD and Micro SD card readers for the efficient transfer of files at ultra-fast speeds.
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(PR) Phanteks Announces V9, Premium D-RGB Lighting Kit, and Stunning 5.5" Hi-Res Displays
Phanteks, a leading name in PC hardware innovation, introduces a range of innovative products; including the NV9 chassis, NV7 and NV9 DRGB upgrade lighting kits, a new 5.5" Universal Hi-Res Display, and the Shift XT 5.5" Hi-Res Display. These offering blend cutting-edge features, exceptional cooling, captivating design, and unique capabilities for PC builds.

NV9, a sleek chassis with near-seamless glass panels and ultra-fine mesh for clear views and optimal airflow. With the community's feedback, Phanteks accommodated for exceptional cooling; by supporting eleven 140 mm fans positions and triple 420 mm+280 mm radiators. It's motherboard-centric design supports versatile accessories like removable fan brackets and anti-sag graphics card assistance. With an integrated LED lighting cover for aesthetic appeal and cable concealment, paired seamlessly with a plug-and-play 2-channel DRGB controller for effortless lighting control.
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AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 23.12.1 WHQL Released
AMD today released the latest version of AMD Software Adrenalin Edition. Version 23.12.1 WHQL comes with optimization for "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora," and "The Finals." The AMD Software UI has undergone a redesign for its Home and Gaming tabs, which make it easier to enable HYPR-RX profiles on a global or per-game basis. With this release, AMD also introduced HYPR-RX Eco, a performance enhancement that prioritizes energy savings, and should benefit gaming notebooks.

The Radeon Software Adrenalin 23.12.1 WHQL drivers now extend FRTC, Radeon Super Resolution, Overlay, Record and Stream features to OpenGL applications. The drivers also finally re-enable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling, but for Radeon RX 7000 series GPUs only. The drivers also enable addtional Vulkan API extensions. Among the issues fixed with this release are high idle power in dual monitor setups with mixed resolutions and high refresh rates; intermittent stuttering seen in Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge), on a machine in which a secondary display is connected to a Radeon RX 7000 series GPU, on machines with Ryzen 7000 series processors.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 23.12.1 WHQL
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(PR) Kensington Docking Station Unlocks the Full Potential of Premium Laptops
Kensington, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals, today announced the launch of the SD5800T Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Quad Video Docking Station. The powerful plug-and-play docking station supports up to four 4K monitors, delivers data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, provides up to 100 W of power delivery, and features 16 connectivity ports enabling users to release the potential of their premium laptops.

Providing a true plug-and-play experience with no drivers or downloads required, the SD5800T is one of the first Thunderbolt 4 docks capable of supporting Quad 4K displays, and is compatible with Windows and macOS, as well as Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, and USB-C devices. Ideal for graphic designers, video editors, and animators, the 16-in-1 design includes built-in UHS-II SD and Micro SD card readers for the efficient transfer of files at ultra-fast speeds.
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(PR) NAND Flash Industry Revenue Grows 2.9% in 3Q23, Expected to Surge Over 20% in Q4
TrendForce reports a pivotal shift in the NAND Flash market for 3Q23, primarily driven by Samsung's strategic decision to reduce production. Initially, the market was clouded by uncertainty regarding end-user demand and fears of a subdued peak season, prompting buyers to adopt a conservative approach with low inventory and slow procurement. However, as market leaders like Samsung implemented substantial production cuts, buyers' attitudes shifted toward a more aggressive procurement strategy in anticipation of a market supply decrease. This led to a stabilization and even an uptick in NAND Flash contract prices by quarter-end, driving a 3% QoQ increase in bit shipments and culminating in a total revenue of US$9.229 billion, marking an approximate 2.9% increase.

The story unfolds with Kioxia and Micron—the only two to witness a dip in revenue rankings this quarter—while Samsung maintained its robust performance. Despite sluggish demand in the server sector, Samsung's fortunes rebounded thanks to a boost in consumer electronics, especially with high-capacity products in PCs and smartphones. Samsung emerged from a trough in Q3, with strategic inventory replenishments fueling further strategic stocking, and a shift in operational focus toward maximizing profit. This led to a minor 1-3% decrease in shipped bits, but a 1-3% increase in ASP, stabilizing Q3 NAND Flash revenue at US$2.9 billion.
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(PR) EarFun Announces the Free Pro 3 - The World's First Snapdragon Sound and Hi-Res ANC Earbuds
EarFun's development kitchen remains hot. Delivering their first IEM and portable USB-C DAC just this past month, the awarded audio brand will be releasing the next generational leap from their current lineup, the Free Pro 3.

Revolutionizing True Wireless Audio and Noise Cancelation
The new true wireless earbuds are the first pair of earbuds that combine Snapdragon Sound Certification, Hi-Res audio, Qualcomm's QCC3072 SoC, the latest v5.3 Bluetooth certification, Low-Energy Audio protocol, and aptX Adaptive technology. It will also feature EarFun's proprietary QuietSmart 2.0 technology for active noise cancellation up to 43dB, and 6-mic cVc call noise-reduction. It will boast a generous battery life of up to 33 hours, an IPX5 certification, wireless charging, and multipoint connectivity. The Free Pro 3 will make use of EarFun's customizable audio app for total user configuration.
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