MAXSUN has officially launched 12 new Z890 series motherboards, designed to support Intel's next-generation Core processors. These motherboards, crafted with cutting-edge technology, deliver exceptional performance for gaming, content creation, and high-end computing tasks. As a key Intel partner, MAXSUN has developed this line with the Z890 chipset, covering four main series: iCraft, Terminator, eSport, and Challenger, providing users with a diverse selection tailored to their needs.

The Z890 series offers a variety of form factors to accommodate different user preferences. Whether you're a hardcore gamer seeking top performance, a fan of clean white builds, or someone looking to build a compact mini PC, MAXSUN's Z890 motherboards deliver powerful solutions with both aesthetic appeal and technical prowess to meet various demands.

TrendForce's latest report reveals that shipments of near-eye displays are expected to increase year-by-year over the next few years following inventory clearance. It is anticipated that OLEDoS will dominate the high-end VR/MR market, with its technological share rising to 23% by 2030, while LCD will continue to occupy the mainstream market, holding a 63% share in near-eye displays.

TrendForce defines VR/MR devices as near-eye displays that achieve an immersive experience through a single display. Devices emphasizing transparency and the integration of virtual and real-world applications are classified as AR devices.

EMEET, a leader in innovative audio and video communication solutions, proudly announces the launch of two groundbreaking products: the EMEET SmartCam S800 and NOVA 4K. These new additions to the EMEET lineup cater to different user groups from budget-conscious consumers to high-end professionals.

SmartCam S800: Professional-Grade Excellence

Ultimate 4K Visual Experience
EMEET SmartCam S800, supporting 4K@30 FPS and 1080p@60 FPS, delivers ultra-clear, smooth video for various streaming scenarios. Perfect for gaming streams with fast-paced action, cooking tutorials where every detail matters, beauty tutorials requiring precise color accuracy, and professional conferences. Featuring a Sony sensor with a 1/2" capturing size, F/1.8 aperture, and f=4.71 mm focal length, the SmartCam S800 excels in low-light environments. HDR, enabled via EMEETLINK, retains bright and dark details, offering perfect images.

After many back and forths, it now appears that TSMC is finally getting ready to start construction of its fab in Dresden, Germany. Multiple news outlets are reporting that TSMC is getting ready to start production on its new fab within the next few weeks, which is ahead of the expected Q4 groundbreaking. That said, TSMC has yet to announce an official date for a groundbreaking ceremony or a date when construction will start, but according to media reports TSMC's Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei will be in Germany at the end of August to sign documents with the German government and during this trip, the groundbreaking ceremony is expected to take place.

Assuming everything goes according to plan, the Dresden fab is expected to start production sometime in late 2027, but it's far from a cutting edge fab, as it'll mainly be supplying the European automotive industry with components. The new fab should start its life with two different process technologies, namely a 28 or 22 nm planar CMOS node as well as a 16 or 12 nm FinFET node. The Dresden fab is said to have a production capacity of around 40,000 12-inch wafers monthly. The new fab is expected to be an investment in excess of €10 billion for TSMC, with the city of Dresden spending an additional €250 million for a special water supply system and enhancements to the power grid. Unlike similar projects, TSMC will not be the sole owner of the new fab, as Infineon, Robert Bosch and NXP are each taking a 10 percent stake in the fab.

Imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, today announced the demonstration of high quality 300 mm-Si-based quantum dot spin qubit processing with devices resulting in a statistically relevant, average charge noise of 0.6µeV/√ Hz at 1 Hz. In view of noise performance, the values obtained are the lowest charge noise values achieved on a 300 mm fab-compatible platform.

Such low noise values enable high-fidelity qubit control, as reducing the noise is critical for maintaining quantum coherence and high fidelity control. By demonstrating those values, repeatedly and reproducibly, on a 300 mm Si MOS quantum dot process, this work makes large-scale quantum computers based on Si quantum dots a realistic possibility.

MICLEDI Microdisplays today announced a first closing of its Series A funding round with participation from imec.xpand, PMV, imec, KBC and SFPIM demonstrating strong support for the company's value proposition and commercial and technological progress achieved in the seed round. Series A follows a significant seed round award and additional non-dilutive funding in the form of grants and other vehicles from VLAIO. This brings the company's total funding to date to nearly $30 million.

"The company's achievements during this seed round have been astounding," said Sean Lord, CEO of MICLEDI. "Our door is open to engagements with some of the world's largest and most innovative electronic product manufacturing companies, most of whom are working on their own internal development projects for augmented reality (AR) displays in such diverse use cases as smart-wearable devices and automotive HUDs. This level of total funding to date is almost unheard of for a four-year-old startup."

Chinese memory maker Yangtze Memory Technology Corp (YMTC) is allegedly preparing its next-generation Xtacking 4.0 3D NAND flash architecture for next-generation memory chips. According to the documentation obtained by Tom's Hardware, YMTC has developed two SKUs based on the upgraded Xtacking 4.0: X4-9060, a 128-layer three-bit-per-cell (TLC) 3D NAND, and the X4-9070, a 232-layer TLC 3D NAND. By using string stacking on both of these SKUs, YMTC plans to make the 3D NAND work by incorporating arrays with 64 and 116 active layers stacked on top of each other. This way, the export regulation rules from the US government are met, and the company can use the tools that are not under the sanction list.

While YMTC has yet to fully disclose the specific advantages of the Xtacking 4.0 technology, the industry anticipates significant enhancements in data transfer speeds and storage density. These improvements are expected to stem from increased plane counts for optimized parallel processing, refined bit/word line configurations to minimize latency, and the development of modified chip variants to boost production yields. When YMTC announced Xtacking 3.0, the company offered 128-layer TLC and 232-layer four-bit-per-cell (QLC) variants and was the first company to achieve 200+ layer count in the 3D NAND space. The Xtacking 3.0 architecture incorporates string stacking and hybrid bonding techniques and uses a mature process node for the chip's CMOS underlayer. We have to wait for the final Xtacking 4.0 details when YMTC's officially launches the SKUs.

Creative Technology today announced the release of Creative Live! Meet 4K, the latest conference webcam sporting an array of nifty features that sets the stage for a stunningly clear and seamless virtual conferencing experience. Equipped with an expansive wide-angle field of view, adjustable digital zoom, stunning 4K UHD resolution, and cutting‑edge Sony STARVIS IMX415 CMOS imaging sensor, this latest conference webcam serves as the ideal tool for hosting virtual meetings, guiding online classrooms, and even exploring creative endeavors.

With 4K UHD resolution, backed by the Sony STARVIS IMX415 CMOS Imaging Sensor, the Creative Live! Meet 4K transforms virtual interactions into vivid experiences, teeming with intricate details, vibrant colors, and outstanding clarity. To complement this visual prowess, the Creative Live! Meet 4K also boasts an expansive wide-angle field of view, spanning up to 115°, making it an exceptional choice for accommodating numerous participants in a boardroom setting or capturing a wide range of visual content, such as whiteboard presentations. Moreover, this latest conference webcam offers an impressive 7X digital zoom capability, enabling users to zero in on crucial details without compromising image quality.

Avicena, a privately held company headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, is demonstrating its LightBundle multi-Tbps chip-to-chip interconnect technology at the European Conference for Optical Communications (ECOC) 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland (https://www.ecocexhibition.com/). Avicena's microLED-based LightBundle architecture breaks new ground by unlocking the performance of processors, memory and sensors, removing key bandwidth and proximity constraints while simultaneously offering class leading energy efficiency.

"As generative AI continues to evolve, the role of high bandwidth-density, low-power and low latency interconnects between xPUs and HBM modules cannot be overstated", says Chris Pfistner, VP Sales & Marketing of Avicena. "Avicena's innovative LightBundle interconnects have the potential to fundamentally change the way processors connect to each other and to memory because their inherent parallelism is well-matched to the internal wide and slow bus architecture within ICs. With a roadmap to multi-terabit per second capacity and sub-pJ/bit efficiency these interconnects are poised to enable the next era of AI innovation, paving the way for even more capable models and a wide range of AI applications that will shape the future."

TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM), Robert Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY), and NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) today announced a plan to jointly invest in European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC) GmbH, in Dresden, Germany to provide advanced semiconductor manufacturing services. ESMC marks a significant step towards construction of a 300 mm fab to support the future capacity needs of the fast-growing automotive and industrial sectors, with the final investment decision pending confirmation of the level of public funding for this project. The project is planned under the framework of the European Chips Act.

The planned fab is expected to have a monthly production capacity of 40,000 300 mm (12-inch) wafers on TSMC's 28/22 nanometer planar CMOS and 16/12 nanometer FinFET process technology, further strengthening Europe's semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem with advanced FinFET transistor technology and creating about 2,000 direct high-tech professional jobs. ESMC aims to begin construction of the fab in the second half of 2024 with production targeted to begin by the end of 2027.

Dangbei, a global leader in the home projector market, today announces the launch of its new ultra-bright laser home projector with native Netflix, the Mars. Building on the popularity of the Emotn N1 projector, officially licensed by Netflix, the new model brings even more improvements to bring the cinema experience home. By incorporating laser technology into the Mars, it makes it the brightest and clearest Netflix viewing experience on the big screen.

Enabling users to watch the best movies on Netflix in 1080p Full HD, the Mars utilizes ALPD (Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) technology, which is commonly used in cinemas, offices and home entertainment systems. By incorporating ALPD technology, the Mars offers a remarkable 2100 ISO lumens of brightness, powered by an ultra-bright laser light source that can last up to 30,000 hours. Unlike RGB lasers that may produce a speckle effect, the Mars prioritizes the comfort of viewers and a speckle-free experience to take home entertainment and movie nights to another level.

Swave Photonics, the forerunner in the implementation of true holography for augmented reality, today announced the successful closure of its seed round expansion. This additional investment of €3M catapults Swave's total funds raised to €10M.

Reinvestment from present investors imec.xpand, a venture capital fund centered around nanotechnology innovation, Flanders Future Techfund (FFTF), a Belgian/Flemish public investment fund, and QBIC, a Belgian inter-university venture capital fund, underscores investor trust in Swave's technology. Joining these investors are new US-based investors Acequia Capital, a leading venture investment firm based in Seattle, WA, and Luminate NY, the world's only optics, photonics, and imaging accelerator, which is based in Rochester, NY. Their participation, even amidst a challenging fundraising landscape, amplifies the significance and potential of Swave's groundbreaking holographic and photonics solutions. This seed round positions Swave well to execute on its augmented reality roadmap and engage future customers, partners and investors interested in driving true holography for spatial computing.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (SSS) this week announced that it will ship a new line of LYTIA brand products, primarily 50-megapixel models, this fiscal year. LYTIA is the new product brand of image sensors for mobile devices developed by SSS. SSS has leveraged its imaging and sensing technologies to bring value to the market in a variety of ways and deliver a richer imaging experience to users. SSS is expanding its high-quality products under the LYTIA brand so that more users in the mobile market can benefit from its commitment to imaging as they use smartphones to capture images. The first step in this initiative is expanding the line of 50-megapixel products, as it is the most versatile resolution for use in current mobile applications.

More and more people today are using smartphones to enjoy imaging on a daily basis, and the way they use cameras are also diversifying with more and more smartphones coming with multiple built-in cameras. SSS plans to contribute to enhanced imaging experiences with LYTIA products that accommodate diverse shooting scenes and purposes.