Amid the push for technology independence, Chinese companies are pushing out more products to satisfy the need for the rapidly soaring demand for domestic data processing silicon. Today, we have information that Chinese Loongson has launched a 3D5000 CPU with as many as 32 cores. Utilizing chiplet technology, the 3D5000 represents a combination of two 16-core 3C5000 processors based on LA464 cores, based on LoongArch ISA that follows the combination of RISC and MIPS ISA design principles. The new chip features 64 MB of L3 cache, supports eight-channel DDR4-3200 ECC memory achieving 50 GB/s, and has five HyperTransport (HT) 3.0 interfaces. The TDP configuration of the chip is officially 300 Watts; however, normal operation is usually at around 150 Watts, with LA464 cores running at 2 GHz.

Scaling of the new chip goes beyond the chiplet, and pours over into system, as 3D5000 supports 2P and 4P configurations, where a single motherboard can become a system of up to 128 cores. To connect them, Loongson uses a 7A2000 bridge chip that is reportedly 400% faster than the previous solution, although we have no information about the last chip bridge. Based on the LGA-4129 package, the chip size is 75.4x58.5×6.5 mm. Regarding performance, Loongson compares it to the average Arm chip that goes into smartphones and claims that its designs are up to four times faster. In SPEC2006, performance reaches 425 points, while maintaining a single TeraFLOP at dual-precision 64-bit format. On the other hand, the processor was built for security, as the chip has a custom hardware-baked security to prevent Spectre and Meltdown, has an on-package Trusted Platform Module (TPM), and has a secret China-made security algorithm with an embedded custom security module that does encryption and decryption at 5 Gbps.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking, and storage solutions innovator, today released the Half-width Rackmount QSW-M2106R-2S2T 10-port Layer 2 Web managed Switch. Supporting 2.5GbE, 10GbE and practical Layer 2 management functions, the QSW-M2106R-2S2T satisfies high-bandwidth requirements of servers and LAN infrastructure for SMBs. With its half-width design, the QSW-M2106R-2S2T is an ideal networking solution for server rooms in small businesses and organizations.

"Compared with the previous QSW-M2108R-2C, the QNAP QSW-M2106R-2S2T includes two 10GbE SFP+ and two 10GbE RJ45 ports," said Ricky Ho, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "the half-width rackmount design also allows IT administrator to make efficient space utilization of server racks and cabinets, fulfilling high-bandwidth applications at a cost-optimized price."

Kingston dominates the secure portable storage market with its IronKey brand of self-encrypting USB flash drives and portable SSDs. At the 2023 International CES, the company showed off its five top products from the IronKey brand. These include the IronKey Locker+ 50, the IronKey S1000, the IronKey Vault Privacy 50, the IronKey Keypad 200, and the IronKey Vault Privacy 80ES. The Locker+ 50 is an affordable secure encrypted flash drive with self-processing XTS-AES encryption and automatic cloud backup. It comes in capacities of up to 128 GB, and offers transfer rates of up to 145 MB/s reads with up to 115 MB/s writes, over 5 Gbps USB 3.1. The IronKey S1000 is a big step-up from the Locker+ 50, and features an on-device cryptochip for a self-contained root of trust, besides hardware-accelerated encryption without involving the host machine. It comes in capacities of up to 128 GB, and offers transfer rates of up to 230 MB/s reads, with up to 240 MB/s writes, leveraging 5 Gbps USB 3.1.

The Vault Privacy 50 series is usually what enterprises buy in bulk, with hardware-accelerated XTS-AES, and 256-bit AES. It can be had with USB type-A or type-C (Vault Privacy 50C), and comes in capacities of up to 128 GB, pushing data at up to 250 MB/s reads, with up to 180 MB/s writes. The Keypad 200 is one of the most recognizable of Kingston's IronKey products. It meets FIPS 140-3 Level 3 data-security standards, and a physical keypad that unlocks the device without having to use any software running on the host. It transfers at speeds of up to 145 MB/s reads with up to 115 MB/s writes. Lastly, there's the Vault Privacy 80ES, a 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 portable SSD that comes in capacities of up to 2 TB, a touchscreen-based on-device user-interface to lock/unlock without any software running on the host machine, and transfer rates of up to 250 MB/s.

CommScope, a global leader in home networks, today announced its entry into the Wi-Fi 7 retail market with the launch of the SURFboard G54 DOCSIS 3.1 quad-band Wi-Fi 7 cable modem. The flagship SURFboard G54 provides significant performance enhancements, including the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology, and supports multi-gigabit Internet plans. The SURFboard G54 is designed to include other advanced features, including DOCSIS 3.1, quad-band Wi-Fi 7 (BE17880, or the total speed the system can support), a 10 Gbps Ethernet port, and four 1 Gbps LAN ports.

As the journey to the multi-gigabit network of the future continues, consumers can be ready to support next generation, higher speed internet plans with the SURFboard G54. Coupling the latest DOCSIS 3.1 technology with new Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, the SURFboard G54 provides multi-gigabit speeds (dependent upon service provider plan) throughout the home. In addition, a 10 Gbps Ethernet port ensures the home network can support additional Gigabit services directly to the Ethernet connection.

ASUS today announced Mini PC PL64, an industrial mini PC featuring a fanless design and powered by up to a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 (15 W) processor. Each PL64 unit has been subjected to a battery of reliability tests, and the fanless design ensures optimal performance even in ambient temperatures of up to 50°C. This mini PC features dual LAN ports, including 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, dual COM ports, five USB ports, along with triple 4K display support at 60 Hz.

Mini PC PL64 employs a new, almost-silent fanless design that minimizes dust ingress into the chassis to prolong product life. The fanless design and 15-watt CPU support make PL64 ideal for industrial applications where reliability, durability, and low noise are paramount. The cooling system in PL64 efficiently dissipates heat, enabling this mini PC to be deployed in hot environments reaching 50°C.

Lattice Semiconductor, the low power programmable leader, today unveiled Lattice Avant, a new FPGA platform purpose-built to bring the company's power efficient architecture, small size, and performance leadership to mid-range FPGAs. Lattice Avant offers best-in-class power efficiency, advanced connectivity, and optimized compute that enable Lattice to address an expanded set of customer applications across the Communications, Computing, Industrial, and Automotive markets.

"With Lattice Avant, we extend our low power leadership position in the FPGA industry and are poised to continue our rapid pace of innovation, while also doubling the addressable market for our product portfolio," said Jim Anderson, President and CEO, Lattice Semiconductor. "We created Avant to address our customers' need for compelling mid-range FPGA solutions, and we're excited to help them accelerate their designs with new levels of power efficiency and performance."

MediaTek today launched the Dimensity 9200, its latest 5G chipset powering the next era of flagship smartphones. Boasting extreme performance and intelligent power efficiency, the new SoC brings immersive all-day gaming experiences, ultra-sharp image capturing and support for both mmWave 5G and sub-6 GHz connectivity to consumers around the globe.

"MediaTek's Dimensity 9200 combines ultimate performance with significant power savings, extending battery life and keeping smartphones cool," said JC Hsu, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of MediaTek's wireless communications business unit at MediaTek. "With notably brighter image capturing and improved gaming speeds, along with the latest display enhancements, the Dimensity 9200 will bring new possibilities for next-gen smartphones that come in a variety of stylish and foldable form factors."

Cougar today introduced the Envision, a high-resolution game capture and streaming box. The Envision supports display passthrough of resolutions as high as 4K at 60 Hz, or 1440p at 144 Hz; which recording video at resolutions of up to 4K @ 30 FPS, or 1440p @ 60 FPS. An interesting feature here is support for AMD FreeSync, so your HDMI 2.0 passthrough can retain support for the technology. Besides the passthrough, the box connects to your PC over a 5 Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 1 connection, with a type-C connector out of the box (which is how it sends video back to software for recording or streaming). Most popular streaming software are supported. The company didn't reveal pricing.

ASUS today announced the availability of new Intel Z790 motherboards, including the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex, TUF Gaming Z790-PLUS WiFi and ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi - all of which provide DDR5 memory module support and PCIe 5.0 slots for video cards and storage.ASUS Z790 motherboards offer tremendous value to anyone assembling an Intel 13th Gen machine that includes AEMP II, AI Overclocking, AI Cooling II, PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, Thunderbolt 4, WiFi 6E, Quick Charge 4+ technology and comprehensive connectivity. Overall, new ASUS Z790 motherboards are ideal solutions for any user who wants to build a next-gen machine or upgrade their existing system.

First up is the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex. The ultimate option for memory overclocking enthusiasts, this motherboard boasts a cutting-edge feature set. Then, for creative professionals of all kinds, ASUS offers the ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi. This motherboard offers premium connectivity and bespoke style, and it's fully ready for next-gen graphics cards and ultra-fast PCIe 5.0 storage. Finally, ASUS is bolstering its TUF Gaming lineup with the TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi, which brings DDR5 support to the family.

NETGEAR, Inc., the leading provider of award-winning connected products designed to simplify and improve people's lives, today launched a powerful addition to its unlocked 5G mobile hotspot lineup. At a time when access to fast, secure and reliable internet is more important than ever, the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Mobile Hotspot Router (MR6150) raises the mobile broadband experience to new heights by upping the maximum 5G speed that can be supported and adding 160 MHz capability to connect with the latest WiFi 6 client devices.

NETGEAR launched the world's first unlocked 5G hotspot in 2021 with the award-winning Nighthawk M5. Now the company is building on that achievement with the M6, which is 20 percent faster than the M5 at 2.5 Gbps over 5G and has the capacity to hit a maximum combined WiFi speed of up to 3.6 Gbps when connecting to 160 MHz WiFi 6 devices. Additionally, the M6 comes with a first of its kind new In-Home Performance Mode which boosts WiFi coverage up to 2,000 square-feet when the device is plugged in, and the battery is removed.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has announced a few changes to the various logos that are tied to the USB standard. This is said to be done to simplify the plethora of logos that are currently being used and to make it easier for consumers to know what they're buying. At the same time, the old SuperSpeed USB logo is being retired and the branding will not appear on new products at all. Instead, the logos that were developed for the USB4 standard and USB PD 3.1, will be adapted across the board. The new changes will come into effect this quarter and could appear on new products before the end of the year.

The new logos that will replace the SuperSpeed logo are pretty straightforward, with a 5 and 10 Gbps logo being added to the 20 and 40 Gbps logos that we've already seen. These logos will be used for packaging, on cable connectors and even on some devices. The new 5 and 10 Gbps logos can also be combined with the 60 W and 240 W charging logos when used with USB-C cables. All of this should make it easier as a consumer to know what kind of cable you're buying, but keep in mind that these logos only apply to certified products and not all USB cables are certified. Still, it's an improvement overall and should make life easier when shopping for cables, assuming the new logos are being used properly.

Today at the CEDIA Expo, NETGEAR, Inc., the leading provider of networking products for the AV industry, announced the launch of two new powerful access points (WAX628 and WAX638E) tailored specifically for the residential custom integration market. Sold exclusively through authorized integrators and custom installers these access points are bundled with four years of both NETGEAR Insight and the company's ProSupport services.

High quality wired and wireless networking products form the backbone of a smart home. Building upon an existing portfolio of products designed with residential projects and challenges in mind, NETGEAR developed its latest offerings to help integrators and installers continue to delight their residential clients. These new access points for the residential market include white-glove design and ProSupport services, as well as NETGEAR Insight - a comprehensive cloud-based management platform that enables installers to remotely manage their customer's network from a tablet, smart phone, or laptop.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro, a stylish gaming router that's ready to deliver ultrafast WiFi 6 and 10 Gbps Ethernet to every type of gamer.

The GT-AX11000 Pro is designed from the ground up to punch through increasingly congested wireless airwaves and maintain low-lag gaming experiences, wickedly fast download speeds and vast signal coverage. This coverage is expanded by leveraging ASUS RangeBoost Plus, and ASUS AiMesh compatibility allows users to combine AiMesh routers to create a whole-home mesh WiFi network—or instantly augment an existing one—in order to eliminate any dead spots. The second 5 GHz band includes new Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure 4 (U‑NII 4) support, which enables an extra high-speed 160 MHz channel for compatible client devices. The GT-AX11000 Pro is easy to manage via the free ASUS Router mobile app, which gives any level of user intuitive access to the router's arsenal of powerful features. There's also an easy-to-use web-based interface that additionally allows configuration of the new 10 Gbps LAN/WAN port.

EnGenius Technologies Inc., a worldwide manufacturer of future-proof enterprise networking solutions, today announced that their very first Wi-Fi 6E access point designed for the SMB market is shipping now—despite persistent supply chain shortages affecting industries worldwide. Powered by Qualcomm, the EnGenius Cloud ECW336 Wi-Fi 6E indoor ceiling mount tri-band access point has been developed for use in the recently unleashed 6 GHz spectrum. The ECW336 AP marks the company's first venture into 6E territory.

Experts predict that as many as 500 million Wi-Fi 6E compatible devices will spill onto the market in the next two years, enjoying massive, pristine Wi-Fi real estate. While the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands offer a total of 560 MHz of spectrum and 27 channels, 6 GHz alone offers 1200 MHz of spectrum and 59 channels. With its 6E capability, the ECW336 AP easily supports the ever-growing bandwidth demands of densely congested environments such as corporate workspaces, multi-family units, senior living, student housing, retail, medical centers, and resorts. Business professionals and consumers alike will experience much faster connection speeds without the lag, buffering, and endless download delays experienced within the saturated 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. The future of lightning fast, unimpeded Wi-Fi is finally here.