- CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education and enterprise, announced today the introduction of two new 14" Chromebooks for enterprise: the CTL Chromebook Plus Enterprise PX141G Series and the CTL Chromebook Enterprise PX141E Series. Featuring an included Chrome Enterprise Upgrade license, these new Chromebooks offer professionals the speed, power, and connectivity they need for daily on-the-go productivity. Easy ChromeOS device manageability combined with CTL's life cycle services reduces the burden on IT departments.

"With an included Chrome Enterprise Upgrade license, these Chromebooks can be deployed instantly to serve in any number of enterprise applications, such as retail, healthcare, and front-line workers, for example. As a leader in the ChromeOS space, we know our customers will appreciate the design, performance, and, in the Chromebook Plus model, the enhanced AI and cybersecurity capabilities of this next-generation device," said Jason Mendenhall, CEO of CTL.

AAEON Technology Inc. (stock code: 6579), a leading designer and manufacturer of industrial and embedded computers, today announced the release of the BOXER-8642AI, a fanless embedded AI computer featuring eight independent 10 Gbps USB ports, powered by either a 32 GB or 64 GB NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin module.
Built for the smart retail market, the BOXER-8642AI is able to support multiple Intel RealSense D405 3D cameras for high and wide bandwidth image processing to facilitate inferencing tasks conducive to applications such as AI-assisted self-checkout kiosks.

The BOXER-8642AI's design is suitable for reliable, around-the-clock operation in various retail environments, as indicated by its 12 V to 24 V power input range and -25°C and 55°C temperature tolerance. Moreover, AAEON claims the device's standout feature, its selection of 10 Gbps USB ports, have been tested to ensure they can withstand continuous on/off cycling while maintaining a drop-rate of less than 0.1%.

SiFive, Inc., the gold standard for RISC-V computing, today announced the availability of its state-of-the-art HiFive Premier P550 development board. An initial pre-release batch of 100 Yocto Linux-based boards, called the "Early Access Edition," is available for purchase through Arrow Electronics. A broader release with Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 pre-installed is scheduled for December, providing developers with an unparalleled out-of-box experience.

"Since announcing the HiFive Premier P550 boards in April, we've worked closely with Canonical to deliver a best-in-class hardware and software experience," said Martyn Stroeve, Head of the HiFive board program at SiFive. "We know many developers are eager to get their hands on this powerful new board, so we decided to release a limited Early Access Edition. At the same time, we are finalizing the software stack for the December release, which we believe will deliver powerful performance and usability for developers. We're excited to see the innovation and creativity that will come from this."

TrendForce's latest findings reveal that NAND Flash products have been impacted by weaker-than-expected seasonal demand in the second half of 2024, leading to a decline in wafer contract prices in Q3. This downward trend is projected to deepen, with prices expected to drop by more than 10% in Q4.

Enterprise SSDs are the only segment likely to see modest price growth—supported by stable order momentum—with contract prices forecast to rise by 0-5% in Q4. However, PC SSDs and UFS will see more cautious procurement strategies from buyers, as weaker-than-expected sales of end products drive buyers to adopt a conservative approach. As a result, TrendForce projects overall NAND Flash contract prices will decline by 3-8% in Q4.

MSI is thrilled to introduce the MS-C918 and MS-C918S, the latest additions to its Industrial Lite Box PC series, designed for non-critical, controlled environments. These ultraslim, palm-sized devices combine powerful performance, versatile connectivity, and cost-effectiveness, making them ideal for a range of industrial applications. The MS-C918/MS-C918S series is a palm-sized IPC featuring the Intel Alder Lake-N N100 Processor, tailored for ultra power solutions. The MSI MS-C918 and MS-C918S Industrial Lite Box PCs offer a compelling blend of compact size, versatile features, and tailored cooling options, making them the ideal choice for controlled environments where efficiency and affordability are key.

Silicon Motion Technology Corporation (NasdaqGS: SIMO) ("Silicon Motion," the "Company" or "we") today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. For the second quarter of 2024, net sales (GAAP) increased sequentially to $210.7 million from $189.3 million in the first quarter of 2024. Net income (GAAP) increased to $30.8 million, or $0.91 per diluted American Depositary Share of the Company ("ADS") (GAAP), from net income (GAAP) of $16.0 million, or $0.48 per diluted ADS (GAAP), in the first quarter of 2024.

For the second quarter of 2024, net income (non-GAAP) increased to $32.5 million, or $0.96 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), from net income (non-GAAP) of $21.6 million, or $0.64 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), in the first quarter of 2024.

All financial numbers are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education and enterprise, announced today the introduction of the new CTL Chromebook PX141E Series. This series equips educators, staff, and students with the powerful performance and connectivity they need for all-day productivity. Easy ChromeOS device manageability combined with CTL's lifecycle services reduces the burden on IT departments.

"We are excited to refresh our product line with the next-generation 14" Chromebook. As the new powerhouse performer in our Chromebook lineup, we know our education and enterprise customers will appreciate the upgraded power, Wi-Fi, memory, and storage to support all day teaching and learning, while new conveniences such as the webcam privacy shutter and additional USB-A port enhance useability," said Erik Stromquist, CEO of CTL.

MSI IPC is proud to announce the launch new industrial lite box product, the MS-C918. It is designed to meet the diverse needs of modern businesses with a focus on cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and portability. MS-C918 is meticulously designed for non-critical environments. This midterm longevity support is ideal for businesses that require robust and dependable computing solutions without the need for extended industrial-grade lifespans.

Providing a service life of around three years, making them suitable for applications that do not demand the extended durability of high-end industrial-grade products. This midterm support is perfect for businesses that anticipate regular updates or technology refresh cycles, ensuring that the devices remain relevant and efficient over their expected use period.

On June 4th, COMPUTEX 2024 was successfully held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. Mnemonic Electronic Co., Ltd., the Taiwanese subsidiary of Longsys, showcased industry-leading high-capacity SSDs under the theme "Embracing the Era of High-Capacity SSDs." The products on display included the Mnemonic MS90 8TB SATA SSD, FORESEE ORCA 4836 series enterprise NVMe SSDs, FORESEE XP2300 PCIe Gen 4 SSDs, and rich product lines comprising embedded storage, memory modules, memory cards, and more. The company offers reliable industrial-grade, automotive-grade, and enterprise-grade storage products, providing high-capacity solutions for global users.

High-Capacity SSDs
For SSDs, Mnemonic Electronic presented products in various form factors and interfaces, including PCIe M.2, PCIe BGA, SATA M.2, and SATA 2.5-inch. The Mnemonic MS90 8 TB SATA SSD supports the SATA interface with a speed of up to 6 Gb/s (Gen 3) and is backward compatible with Gen 1 and Gen 2. It also supports various SATA low-power states (Partial/Sleep/Device Sleep) and can be used for nearline HDD replacement, surveillance, and high-speed rail systems.

MSI, a world leader in AI PC and AIoT solutions, is going to participate in COMPUTEX 2024 from 6/4 to 6/7. With cutting-edge skills, MSI's AIoT team has been focusing on product development and hardware-software integration for AI applications in recent years, achieving great results on application development in various fields. MSI will create an exclusive exhibition area for Smart City to introduce AIoT application scenarios which have five topics including AI & Datacenter, Automation, Industrial Solutions, Commercial Solutions, and Automotive Solutions.

The most iconic products this year are diverse GPU platforms for AI markets and a new CXL (Compute Express Link) memory expansion server which was developed by the cooperation of key players in the CXL technology field, including AMD, Samsung, and Micron. Besides, the latest Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) powered by NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin is also one of the major highlights. For new energy vehicles, we will first disclose the complete AC/DC chargers coupled with MSI E-Connect dashboard (EMS) and AI-powered car recognition applications to show the one-stop service of HW/SW integration.

TrendForce's latest forecasts reveal contract prices for DRAM in the second quarter are expected to increase by 13-18%, while NAND Flash contract prices have been adjusted to a 15-20% Only eMMC/UFS will be seeing a smaller price increase of about 10%.

Before the 4/03 earthquake, TrendForce had initially predicted that DRAM contract prices would see a seasonal rise of 3-8% and NAND Flash 13-18%, significantly tapering from Q1 as seen from spot price indicators which showed weakening price momentum and reduced transaction volumes. This was primarily due to subdued demand outside of AI applications, particularly with no signs of recovery in demand for notebooks and smartphones. Inventory levels were gradually increasing, especially among PC OEMs. Additionally, with DRAM and NAND Flash prices having risen for 2-3 consecutive quarters, the willingness of buyers to accept further substantial price increases had diminished.

Thanks to recent developments in the AI field, and following in the wake of the world's recovery from COVID-19, the transition of factories to partial or full automation proceeds with unstoppable momentum. And the best place to learn about the latest technologies that aim to make this transition as painless as possible is at Automate 2024. This is North America's largest robotics and automation event, and it will be held in Chicago, Illinois from May 6 to 9.

Automate attracts professionals from around the world, and Apacer is no exception. Apacer team will be on hand to discuss the latest technological developments created by our experienced R&D team. Many of these developments were specifically created to reduce the pain points commonly experienced by fully automated facilities. Take CoreSnapshot, for example. This backup and recovery technology can restore a crashed system to full operation in just a few seconds, reducing downtime and associated maintenance costs. Apacer recently updated CoreSnapshot, creating CoreRescue ASR and CoreRescue USR. The name of CoreRescue ASR refers to Auto Self Recovery. This technology will harness AI to learn the system booting process and analyze how long a boot should take. If this average boot time is significantly longer than usual, the system will trigger the self-recovery process and revert to an earlier, uncorrupted version of the drive's content. CoreRescue USR offers similar functionality, except the self-recovery process is triggered by connecting a small USB stick drive.

Radxa is a Chinese manufacturer of various Arm based devices and something of a minor competitor to the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The company has just launched its latest product which is called the ROCK 5 ITX. As the name implies, it's a Mini-ITX form factor motherboard, which in itself is rather unusual for Arm based hardware to start with. However, Radxa has designed the ROCK 5 ITX to be a NAS motherboard and this is the first time we've come across such a product, as most Arm based boards are either intended for hobby projects, software development or routers. This makes the ROCK 5 ITX quite unique, at least based on its form factor, as it'll be compatible with standard Mini-ITX chassis.

The SoC on the board is a Rockchip RK3588 which sports four Cortex-A76 cores at up to 2.4 GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8 GHz. This is not exactly cutting edge, but should be plenty fast enough for a SATA drive based NAS. The board offers four SATA 6 Gbps connectors via an ASMedia ASM1164 controller, each with an individual power connector next to it. However, Radxa seems to have chosen to use fan-header type power connectors, which means it'll be hard to get replacement power cables. The board also has a PCIe 3.0 x2 M.2 slot for an NVMe drive. The OS boots from eMMC and Radxa supports its own Roobi OS which is Debian Linux based.

Silicon Motion Technology Corporation (NasdaqGS: SIMO) ("Silicon Motion", the "Company" or "we") today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. For the first quarter of 2024, net sales (GAAP) decreased sequentially to $189.3 million from $202.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Net income (GAAP) decreased to $16.0 million, or $0.48 per diluted American Depositary Share of the Company ("ADS") (GAAP), from net income (GAAP) of $21.1 million, or $0.63 per diluted ADS (GAAP), in the fourth quarter of 2023.

For the first quarter of 2024, net income (non-GAAP) decreased to $21.6 million, or $0.64 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), from net income (non-GAAP) of $31.3 million, or $0.93 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), in the fourth quarter of 2023. All financial numbers are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

Today at Embedded World, SiFive, Inc., the pioneer and leader of RISC-V computing, unveiled its new state-of-the-art RISC-V development board, the HiFive Premier P550. The board will be available for large-scale deployment through Arrow Electronics so developers around the world can test and develop new RISC-V applications like machine vision, video analysis, AI PC and others, allowing them to use AI and other cutting-edge technologies across many different market segments.

With a quad-core SiFive Performance P550 processor, the HiFive Premier P550 is the highest performance RISC-V development board in the industry, and the latest in the popular HiFive family. Designed to meet the computing needs of modern workloads, the out-of-order P550 core delivers superior compute density and performance in an energy-efficient area footprint. Furthermore, the modular design of the HiFive Premier P550, which includes a replaceable system-on-module (SOM) board, gives developers the flexibility they need to tailor their designs.

TrendForce projects a strong 13-18% increase in Q2 NAND Flash contract prices, with enterprise SSDs expected to rise highest. Despite Kioxia and WDC boosting their production capacity utilization rates from Q1 this year, other suppliers have kept their production strategies conservative. The slight dip in Q2 NAND Flash purchasing—compared to Q1—does not detract from the overall market's momentum, which continues to be influenced by decreasing supplier inventories and the impact of production cuts.

eMMC demand is predominantly driven by Chinese smartphone brands, leading to a substantial boost in shipments from Chinese module makers as some suppliers have reduced their supply. Buyers are increasingly adopting solutions from module makers to meet production needs, enhancing the technological advancement of Chinese module factories and their outreach to premier clients. This trend is likely to increase the penetration of eMMC products among smartphone customers, with a projected 10-15% rise in eMMC contract prices in Q2 due to a sharp rebound in NAND Flash wafer prices.

MeLE, designers of mini PCs, and industrial PCs, unveiled the Fanless Stick PC PCG02 Pro. Measuring 146 mm x 61 mm x 20 mm (LxWxH), this thing is about the size of two smartphones duct-taped together, but weighing as much as one (since there's no battery inside). Under the hood is an Intel N100 "Alder Lake-N" processor, which features one "Gracemont" E-core cluster for a 4-core/4-thread CPU, and an Intel Xe LP-based iGPU with 24 execution units. The N100 in the MeLE PCG02 Pro is wired to 8 GB or 16 GB of LPDDR4X-4266 memory. Storage is in the form of 128 GB or 256 GB of eMMC. The device comes with Windows 11 Home single language pre-installed.

The Fanless Stick PC PCG02 Pro comes with an impressive set of connectivity for its size. Networking options include Wi-Fi 5 ac + Bluetooth 5.1, and a 1 GbE wired Ethernet. Display outputs include two HDMI 2.1, which can power a pair of 4K Ultra HD displays at 60 Hz, each. USB connectivity includes two USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) type-A ports; and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) type-C. There is a second type-C port used for power input through any USB PD 3.0 source that can deliver 25 W. A power adapter is included. Depending on the memory- and storage size opted for, the Fanless Stick PC PCG02 Pro is priced between USD $270 to $290. It can power a range of applications between home-entertainment (it's completely fanless), through digital signage, or even most office applications.

HIMSS is one of the most prestigious trade shows focusing on the latest tech developments as they relate to the healthcare and medical industries. And this year, Apacer returns to HIMSS with even more exciting products and technologies to share with healthcare customers. Apacer's brand-new combination of CoreSnapshot and CoreRescue Auto Self Recovery (ASR) and Self Recovery through USB Drive (USR) is part of a collaboration with the well-known healthcare equipment provider Onyx. CoreSnapshot, which is already very popular with buyers, is a quick and easy drive backup technology that helps keep drives up and running even in the event of a cyberattack.

Now it's joined by CoreRescue ASR and CoreRescue USR, which can internally automate the backup and recovery process based on an analysis of how the system normally functions. Healthcare professionals know that if just one device malfunctions before a surgery, it can lead to rescheduling nightmares and lost income. CoreRescue ASR and CoreRescue USR will keep devices up and running when they need to be. Apacer and Onyx will work together to present a demonstration of CoreRescue USR which will be held during the trade show, so if you're attending HIMSS, you definitely can't afford to miss it!

CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education, announced today the introduction of the new CTL Chromebook NL73 Series. The new Chromebook, incorporating the Intel Processor N100 and Intel Processor N200, enables IT professionals to equip schools with the cloud-computing performance they need today and with the sustainability required for tomorrow.

"Since Chromebooks were widely deployed during the pandemic to remote students, new applications have come into use, requiring more processing power and cybersecurity measures than ever before," noted Erik Stromquist, CEO of CTL. "Chromebook users will need to level up their technology in 2024. Our new NL73 Series delivers not only the power to meet these new requirements but also CTL's flexible configuration options, purchase options, and whole lifecycle management services for the ultimate in sustainability."

More than mere modes of transportation, today's software-defined vehicles are a result of the ongoing transformation of the automobile from a product that is mainly hardware-based to a software-centric device on wheels. Premium vehicles today can have up to 150 million lines of software code, distributed among hundreds of electronic control units (ECUs), sensors, cameras, Lidar and more.

It is critical for automotive OEMs to ensure the quality and reliability of these software-intensive systems. Automotive SPICE (Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination) is an industry-standard guideline for evaluating the automotive embedded software development process. This ISO/IEC 15504 standard proves the software and development capabilities of automotive suppliers and manufacturers meet OEM requirements and incorporate best practices throughout the automotive software development cycle.

Global leader in embedded computing, Jetway, today introduced the JF35-ADN1, a 3.5" SubCompact single-board powered by the Intel Processor N97 CPU. A versatile board, the JF35-ADN1 is primarily targeted towards the industrial robotics sphere, with Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) being one application singled out as being particularly suitable. However, Jetway have stated that the board also contains the right combination of display capability and encrypted mobile networking capacity to power both machine vision and payment systems solutions.

The JF35-ADN1 boasts a range of high-speed interfaces for camera, sensor, and card reader connectivity, such as two RJ-45 ports for Intel I225-V running at 2.5GbE, as well as both USB Type-A and Type-C ports. Further, a total of eight USB 2.0 interfaces are evenly split between physical ports and internal connectors. It is worth noting that the JF35-ADN1's high-speed data acquisition for its intended deployment areas is enhanced by the board's support for up to 32 GB of DDR5 system memory via SODIMM. This connectivity, alongside the board's optional onboard TPM 2.0, make it a suitable candidate to develop payment system solutions.

AAEON's UP brand, renowned for producing sophisticated developer boards with industrial-grade specifications, has announced the release of the UP Xtreme 7100, an all-in-one robotics solution available as both a single-board and Mini PC. Both the UP Xtreme 7100 and its system-level counterpart, the UP Xtreme 7100 Edge, are available in SKUs powered by Intel Core i3-N305 or Intel Processor N97 CPUs, chosen due to their balance of low power consumption and high performance. The platform consequently provides the sensor data processing, integrated graphics, and resources required for path planning and control algorithms needed to bring AGV, AGV + AI, and AMR solutions to market.

Consistent with previous product lines from AAEON's UP Division, the UP Xtreme 7100 and UP Xtreme 7100 Edge are built on compact form factors in order to address space restraints. Consequently, the UP Xtreme 7100 board-level solution measures just 120.35 mm x 122.5 mm, while the edge system version comes in at 152 mm x 124 mm x 40 mm. Targeting areas in robotics such as AGV and AMR, the UP Xtreme 7100 and UP Xtreme 7100 Edge are equipped with a number of terminal blocks for serial communication, along with a 30-pin board-to-board connector that offers digital I/O, GPIO, and isolated RS-232/422/485 function. Further, CAN 2.0B, a DIP switch, and LED indicators are onboard to make the solution conducive to establishing communication with other devices on the CANBus network.

TrendForce predicts a significant rise in mobile DRAM and NAND Flash (eMMC/UFS) prices for the first quarter of 2024, with an expected seasonal increase of 18-23%. This surge could be further amplified in a market dominated by a few major players or if brand clients resort to panic buying under pressure.

Observations for 1Q24 indicate steady production planning by Chinese smartphone OEMs. A clear rise in memory prices is driving buyers to actively increase their purchasing efforts as they aim to establish secure and competitively priced inventory levels.

Silicon Motion Technology Corporation (NasdaqGS: SIMO) ("Silicon Motion", the "Company" or "we") today announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. For the third quarter of 2023, net sales (GAAP) increased sequentially to $172.3 million from $140.4 million in the second quarter of 2023. Net income (GAAP) decreased to $10.6 million, or $0.32 per diluted American Depositary Share of the Company ("ADS") (GAAP), from net income (GAAP) of $11.0 million, or $0.33 per diluted ADS (GAAP), in the second quarter of 2023.

For the third quarter of 2023, net income (non-GAAP) increased to $21.1 million, or $0.63 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), from net income (non-GAAP) of $12.6 million, or $0.38 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), in the second quarter of 2023.

Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, today announced sampling of new, higher performing JEDEC e-MMC Ver. 5.1-compliant embedded flash memory products for consumer applications. The new products integrate a newer version of the company's BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and a controller in a single package, reducing processor workload and improving ease of use. Both 64 and 128 gigabytes (GB) products will be available.

As the market continues to shift to UFS, there are cases where e-MMC may still be used. This includes consumer products with mid-range storage requirements such as tablets, personal computers, point of sale devices and other portable handheld devices, as well as smart TVs and smart NICs. Kioxia continues to reinforce its market-leading position by delivering a broad, high-performance product lineup and expanding the available options for these applications.