Over the past few months there have been reports of issues with SanDisk portable SSDs and Western Digital released a firmware update in May that was meant to prevent the drives from "unexpectedly disconnect from a computer". However, it appears that this firmware update didn't solve the problem and Western Digital is now being taken to court over drives not just having disconnect issues, but also randomly failing. The court case is expected to become a class action suit, as the plaintiff claims that the issue of failing drives affect tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people in the USA.

The models included in the complaint includes the SanDisk Extreme Pro, Extreme Portable, Extreme Pro Portable and WD My Passport SSD. A further firmware update was released in July, which is said to have made the issues even worse, with data being lost on drives or being inaccessible to drive owners. In some cases the drives go into read only mode, but sometimes this means that the drives become inaccessible to the OS, which in turn also means dataloss to the user. Time will tell how this plays out, but it's not looking great for Western Digital, but it wouldn't be the first time a storage device maker has been taken to court over failing products.

Anker, the world's #1 mobile charging brand, today introduced its highly anticipated Anker Prime Series, setting a new standard for best-in-class charging solutions for every need. The new generation of high-speed, multi-port chargers were developed to leverage the full benefits of Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, including more efficient power transfer, compact design and active heat reduction and monitoring. The Anker Prime lineup features the 240-watt charger for high-performance laptops and the 250-watt power bank (also available in two lower watt models) with an optional 100-watt charging base. The compact charging base enables users to wirelessly charge their power bank, and also doubles as a standalone charger. In addition, the Anker Prime series includes a 100-watt charger and 67-watt charger, as well as a sleek and powerful 6-in-1 charging station, ideal for maintaining an uncluttered workspace.

"When you are on the road with a phone, a tablet, a smartwatch, headphones, and a laptop - how often have you had to make a choice about which product to keep powered on?" asks Steven Yang, CEO of Anker. "At Anker, we understand these dilemmas and are dedicated to providing solutions that empower our customers to stay connected without compromise. Our latest Anker Prime Series has taken a leap forward in delivering charging accessories that not only charge everything faster but also cater to the growing demands of today's diverse devices. With the Anker Prime Series, Anker continues its mission to charge everything, anywhere, faster and all at once; empowering users with unrivaled power, portability, and performance."

BenQ, the internationally renowned innovator of digital lifestyle devices, today premiered a new edition to its portable projector series. GV31 elevates home entertainment to new heights with Full HD 1080p ceiling projection and built-in Android TV with Netflix. "The brand-new GV31 gears you up to be moved in a new way," said Conway Lee, President of BenQ Corporation. "Combining unique ceiling projection capability, certified Android TV, and true enthusiast-level audiovisual performance, BenQ ceiling projectors revolutionise the way people enjoy their favourite content at home."

Distilling decades of DLP projection technology leadership, BenQ ceiling projectors provide guaranteed audiovisual quality with critically acclaimed CinematicColor expertise. Following on from the previous generation model, the GV30, the brand new GV31 is upgraded to Full HD 1080p resolution, with rotating angle projection design, autofocus, and an auto vertical keystone to unfurl breathtakingly immersive panoramas on the ceiling or other novel niches at home with maximum comfort.

Micron Technology, Inc., today announced the Crucial X9 Pro Portable SSD and Crucial X10 Pro Portable SSD, two new performance offerings in the Crucial Pro Series product portfolio, designed for content creators such as photographers, videographers, designers, or any performance-seeking consumer. Both drives utilize Micron TLC NAND and leverage a revolutionary single-ASIC portable storage architecture to enable a breakthrough, ultra-compact, lightweight form factor and allows Micron to ship the most capacity per square millimeter in the industry. With either the Crucial X9 Pro and X10 Pro, users can safely store, transport and backup important videos, photos, files and more on the go, without cloud or internet access at lightning-fast speeds.

"We recognize that fast, efficient workflow processes are essential to the success of videographers, photographers and other content creators," said Jonathan Weech, senior director of product marketing for Micron's Commercial Products Group. "We designed and built our two new portable SSDs, the Crucial X9 Pro and the Crucial X10 Pro, to specifically address these demanding workloads. With more photos and videos being taken than ever before, consumers are looking for ways to save, preserve and protect their digital lives reliably and quickly. These two new Crucial Pro Portable SSDs are a great choice for anyone who needs dependable, fast, high-capacity storage."

Last week the European Union agreed on the provisional adoption of a new regulation that "strengthens sustainability rules for batteries and waste batteries. The regulation will regulate the entire life cycle of batteries - from production to reuse and recycling - and ensure that they are safe, sustainable and competitive." More specific terms include: "by 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement. This is an important provision for consumers." Although gaming handhelds are not referred to in specifics within the European Council's (very general) press material, Overkill (a site specializing in Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch and adjacent platforms) sought to investigate this matter further.

The publication was able to get in direct contact with an unnamed source at the European Union, who confirmed that: "the batteries of gaming handhelds are covered by the batteries and waste batteries regulation." The article proposes that future battery requirements will likely not affect current generation products—a Steam Deck successor and Nintendo's hypothetical Switch 2 are perhaps the prime candidates for internal design revisions according to EU legislation set for 2027. Overkill anticipates that portable gaming device manufacturers are going to question some of the new rules—similar to how smartphone makers have appealed against certain decisions. A compromise could be agreed upon, with slightly refashioned handhelds not conforming 100% to the new standards.

KYY, a leading manufacturer at the forefront of external display monitor technology, proudly unveils two exceptional triple display monitors, the X90A and X90, offering users enhanced visual experiences for work and entertainment.

Impressive Specifications and Enhanced Viewing
Both the X90A and X90 models feature impressive specifications, including a 14-inch 1080p FHD IPS display, a 60 Hz refresh rate, a 1:1000 contrast ratio, a 72% NTSC color gamut, a 16.7 million color count, and a 300 nits brightness. These features combine to deliver stunning image quality, vibrant colors, and sharp details, providing users with an immersive and enjoyable viewing experience.

Jackery, a global leader in innovative portable power and green outdoor energy solutions, managed to captivate audiences at Intersolar Europe 2023 in Munich and Outdoor Retailer 2023 in Salt Lake City with its latest breakthrough in next-generation solar generators. In the past weeks, people had the opportunity to experience the cutting-edge technology packed into the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus—a true game-changer in the field of high-performance energy storage solutions for outdoor adventures and off-grid living.

As an industry frontrunner, Jackery continues to redefine the boundaries of portable power with a relentless commitment to reliability, performance, and functionality. The Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus epitomizes the brand's unwavering dedication to technological innovation and design philosophy centered around functionality, versatility, and performance. It represents the latest addition to Jackery's signature solar generator lineup, which has already garnered a loyal following among van lifers, off-grid households, and emergency responders worldwide.

ASUS today announced the TUF Gaming AS1000, a portable high-performance M.2 NVMe 1 TB SSD with innovative cooling features to ensure ultrafast data transfers. TUF Gaming AS1000 uses a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x1 connection and is compatible with PCs, laptops, and the latest gaming consoles. This SSD has been subjected to stringent durability testing to ensure stored data is well-protected from everyday spills and knocks. Plus, bundled NTI Backup Now EZ software (valued at up to US$35.99) allows for easy data backup and recovery.

Military-grade toughness
The TUF Gaming AS1000 has been subjected to a rigorous battery of durability tests, including the U.S-military-grade MIL-STD-810H drop test and IP68 water-and-dust-resistance tests. Devices were dropped from various heights, submerged in water, and exposed to dust and dirt to ensure toughness, making the TUF Gaming AS1000 more than capable of withstanding accidental bumps, knocks, and spills.

Apple today unveiled Apple Vision Pro, a revolutionary spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world, while allowing users to stay present and connected to others. Vision Pro creates an infinite canvas for apps that scales beyond the boundaries of a traditional display and introduces a fully three-dimensional user interface controlled by the most natural and intuitive inputs possible—a user's eyes, hands, and voice. Featuring visionOS, the world's first spatial operating system, Vision Pro lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space. The breakthrough design of Vision Pro features an ultra-high-resolution display system that packs 23 million pixels across two displays, and custom Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design to ensure every experience feels like it's taking place in front of the user's eyes in real time.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing, and iPhone introduced us to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing. Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before—with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations. It unlocks incredible experiences for our users and exciting new opportunities for our developers."

"Creating our first spatial computer required invention across nearly every facet of the system," said Mike Rockwell, Apple's vice president of the Technology Development Group. "Through a tight integration of hardware and software, we designed a standalone spatial computer in a compact wearable form factor that is the most advanced personal electronics device ever."

TP Vision, the company responsible for the design, manufacturing, sales and marketing of Philips branded TVs and audio products has announced that it will partner with sister TPV Group company AOC to launch a range of AOC branded sound products targeted at typically younger audiences. The activity will initially focus on the rapidly growing portable audio segment with the introduction of three portable speakers each offering a particularly, wide and authentic stereo sound from a single unit. The activity will also focus on the theme of music and dance 'on-the-go' to reach younger audiences.

AOC is a leader in display technology and is already one of the world's most successful monitor brands AOC has already enjoyed huge success selling products into the gaming sector thanks to the popularity for the company's range of AOC Agon dedicated gaming displays - currently enjoying the global No 1 position for gaming monitors. The new AOC range will initially focus on three portable speakers - the compact AOC Speaker O1, the larger version AOC Speaker O2 and AOC Speaker O3 party model - each has been able to call upon the existing TP Vision teams' proven expertise in design, sound quality, product engineering and manufacturing, with all combining to allow a rapid development process.

ASUS today announced ZenScreen MB16QHG, a 16-inch portable monitor that offers supersmooth visuals for work and play. The WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS panel features 120 Hz SmoothMotion technology for fluid and responsive visuals. In addition, high-dynamic-range (HDR) technology with DisplayHDR 400 compliance and a 100% DCI-P3 gamut result in imagery with exceptional contrast and color.

ZenScreen MB16QHG includes numerous features to provide users with versatile viewing positions, one of which is a foldable kickstand that securely props the monitor at any angle. The ASUS DisplayWidget Center allows the monitor to sense its orientation and automatically switches the display between landscape and portrait modes. USB-C ports on both sides allow users the flexibility to place the monitor close to either side of a laptop for an almost-seamless extended-screen experience. In addition, an HDMI port ensures broad compatibility with various devices, including laptops, PCs, and gaming consoles.

AOKZOE is trying to drum up interest for its latest handheld gaming console - the A1 Pro - with a countdown to a type of early bird sale starting tomorrow. Early adopters will be offered a special starter price of just $799 for the baseline version, and that cost of entry will climb to $999 later on at retail. AOKZOE boasts that the A1 Pro is the first handheld gaming device to pack an AMD 7 7840U APU - a customized version of this SoC (AMD Z1 processor series) is set to debut as part of the ASUS ROG Ally handheld system. The current AOKZOE A1 model is powered by an older AMD Ryzen 7 6800U APU, which sat at the heart of various laptops and mobile gaming devices in 2022. This year's A1 Pro models are powerful enough to take on Valve's Steam Deck (and the previously mentioned ROG Ally) thanks to impressive internal specifications - AOKZOE reckons that the Pro upgrade offer a 20% performance leap over previous gen devices (6800U).

The Zen 4-based Ryzen 7 7840U APU, part of the "Phoenix" range of mobile processors, is available in all configurations of the A1 Pro - the base model gets 32 GB of memory and 512 GB of storage, and the headliner has 64 GB of memory and 2 TB of storage. AOKZOE states that the A1 Pro utilizes the LPDDR5-6400 RAM and PCIe 3.0 x4 standards - their handheld system is also capable of running M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 drives. The A1 Pro features an 8-inch FHD (1920 x 1200) IPS display - its nearest rivals have smaller 7-inch screens. Hardcore game controller enthusiasts will be happy to discover that hall effect sensor technology has been integrated into the new handheld's pair of analog sticks.

Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment have announced via Twitter that their smash hit survival adventure game - A Plague Tale: Requiem - is now officially verified on Steam Deck. Valve has bestowed a verified badge upon the critically acclaimed sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence (2019), and the official Twitter for the series posted about that confirmation yesterday, along with a witty tagline: "They say "keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer", so make sure to bring the rats with you wherever you go!"

A Plague Tale: Requiem has been granted "Great on Deck" status, but early user feedback indicates that the survival horror game is still not fully optimized for Steam Deck's hardware - stuttering in-game performance and crashes are being reported by early adopters. Asobo's flagship title has been quite demanding on home console systems and PCs alike - so it is not surprising that Valve's handheld is struggling through the technical showcase. Many hope that the development team will get onto optimization work, pronto.

MediaWorkstation first announced the a-X2P mobile workstation back in 2020, turning heads with its impressive dual AMD EPYC "Rome" processors that packed in 128 "Zen 2" cores into a transportable package nearly small enough to take as carry-on luggage on a flight. The a-X2P chassis hosts an "EATX" server motherboard, seven full height expansion slots, five 5.25-inch bays, and a slot load optical drive within a 24-inch chassis that features an integrated LCD display and fold out mechanical keyboard. The a-X2P also supports connecting up to six total 24-inch displays, all mounted to the chassis and up to 4K resolution each, for a configuration which the company says is, "ideal for production, live broadcast, and monitoring." This incredible amount of expansion brings the weight of the a-X2P up to 55 lbs (~25 kg).

This most recent update to the a-X2P changes nothing about the exterior feature set, but instead brings the internals to the modern computing age with AMD's EPYC 9004 "Genoa" processors, with support for up to 3 TB of DDR5-4800 in a 12-channel configuration. MediaWorkstation does not specify which SKUs of EPYC they're employing, but the highest configuration of 192 total cores leaves little guesswork as AMD really only has the EPYC 9654(P) at the top of their lineup providing 96 cores at a whopping $11,805 each. An interesting note on the EPYC 9654 variants is that they officially support a cTDP down to 320 W, a bit off the advertised maximum allowed cTDP of 300 W in the a-X2P. MediaWorkstation also does not specify what kind of power supply they've sourced for this behemoth, but it's a safe bet that it'll be over 1.5 kW. Don't expect to power this monster with batteries for any usable amount of time.

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, today launched Pocket AI - the first ever ultra-portable GPU accelerator to offer exceptional power at a cost-effective price point. With hardware and software compatibility, Pocket AI is the perfect tool to boost performance and productivity. It provides plug-and-play scalability from development to deployment for AI developers, professional graphics users and embedded industrial applications.

Pocket AI is a simple, reliable route to impressive GPU acceleration at a fraction of the cost of a laptop with equivalent GPU power. Its many benefits include a perfect power/performance balance from the NVIDIA RTX A500 GPU; high functionality driven by NVIDIA CUDA X and accelerated libraries; quick, easy delivery/power via Thunderbolt 3 interface and USB PD; and compatibility supported by NVIDIA developer tools. For the ultimate portability, the Pocket AI is compact and lightweight - est. 106 x 72 x 25 mm and 250 grams.

Last weekend ASUS ROG started to tease a handheld gaming system, called the Ally. On April 1 the company uploaded an expensive looking trailer, that bordered on being a total spoof in the latter half. People were quick to dismiss the announcement as an April Fool's Day prank, but since then the company has continued to post preview material and has even highlighted a Best Buy interest page. The ROG Ally has been confirmed to be an entirely real bit of gaming hardware that runs via Windows 11. AMD has been revealed as collaborating with ASUS on a custom Ryzen APU for the handheld system, which is advertised as the "fastest AMD APU yet" in the reveal trailer. Exact specifications for this chipset have not been listed, so expect those details as part of a future announcement.

ASUS ROG looks to be pitching the Ally as potential alternative to the Steam Deck, but it is too early to speculate about its exact method of operation (always online, local vs. cloud, etc.). Games journalists and gaming communities have also compared the Ally to the AYANEO 2 and GPD WIN 4. ASUS has informed various web influencers that it is promising "competitive pricing" for the upcoming handheld gaming system. The ROG Ally features a Full HD display and a dual fan cooling system tuned to operate quietly via the ROG Intelligent System. A new version of Armoury Crate offers the user access to various games library sources (including Xbox Games Pass) and custom-mapping of control inputs. Extra graphical grunt can be provided by the external and proprietary ROG XG Mobile eGPU platform.