Author: The Tech Guy
Yamaha has launched the WXA-70A streaming amplifier and WXC-70A streaming pre-amplifier as its newest hi-fi separates. Both units share an ESS SABRE ES9039Q2M digital-to-analogue converter, a chip more commonly found in higher-priced separates, alongside Yamaha’s proprietary D.O.P.G. circuit design that isolates delicate analogue signals from digital noise. That same DAC works alongside Yamaha’s ASRC clock-rebuilding technology to reduce jitter before the audio signal reaches the converter, preserving timing accuracy across sources ranging from wireless streaming to TV audio. The WXA-70A pairs that digital architecture with Class D amplification from ICEPower’s newest 125ASX2 generation, and the amplifier outputs 70 watts per…
Earlier this month, my laptop crashed during a Windows update. The reason wasn’t down to a bad patch or some driver conflict; it was because my system drive was dangerously low on space at the wrong time. I had to move about 35GB of files just to get some breathing room again. That’s not the kind of scare you shrug off, and it’s part of the reason I’ve wasted money on cleanup tools before instead of using what’s already sitting on my PC for free. So once things settled, I started hunting for whatever else might be hiding on that…
Did you know that adding an old PS4 can give your old TV or monitor a new life with smart capabilities? You don’t need to buy finicky streaming sticks or add a dedicated Blu-ray player because the PS4 does it all. My PS4 was collecting dust in the cupboard when I decided to convert it into a do-all media center to handle games, movies, and music. The process was easier than expected and only took a few minutes to get going. Here’s how to turn your old PS4 into a media center for for free. Cleaning Start with the basics…
Toy and game giant Hasbro is notifying employees that their personal information may have been compromised in a data breach. The notifications sent to affected individuals contain little detail, but they indicate that the exposed information, which varies by individual, may include names, email addresses, postal addresses, phone numbers, national ID numbers, and financial information. The information comes from notification letters that Hasbro submitted to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. It’s unclear how many individuals are affected in total, but it’s likely hundreds or a few thousand. The Massachusetts notification says 436 residents are impacted and the company has roughly…
In 2022 the US was adding roughly 45–50% of the world’s new compute and China 30–35%. Export controls plus a huge US buildout flipped that: today about 70% of new AI data-center watts are going into America and China is under 10%. US AI chips are 2.3 to 2.7 times better at compute per watt than China chips. China to stay in that low-single-digit to low-teens share of incremental new compute through most of the next couple of years. By 2028, China will have 30 GW or less of AI compute in total. A lot of what they have now…
Google Health 5.07 is rolling out with a number of changes to how the app records and displays your workout and health data. Trail and incline runs will now count toward your Running Distance totals, manually logged workouts can include more information, and Google has fixed an issue that could cause Health Connect to disconnect for some Android users. The update is rolling out on Android and iOS starting today and should reach more devices over the next week. It follows version 5.05, which added two-way Apple Health syncing and Smart Health Links, and version 5.06, which gave users the…
At Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, fresh off Samsung’s reveal of its 2027 Odyssey OLED lineup, I sat down with two of the people shaping the company’s monitor and TV strategy: Jeremy Demont, Product Management Director for TV, Sound and Monitor at Samsung UK & Ireland, and Pepe Distra, Head of Monitor for Samsung’s European visual display organisation.We chatted about everything from the prevalence of 1000Hz and higher refresh rate screens to 6K gaming, the brand’s ongoing commitment to glasses-free 3D and how important strong partnerships with eSports professionals and studios are to getting the best out of screens. (Image credit:…
Nearly 130 organizations spanning cybersecurity, cloud computing, finance and other industries have signed an open letter calling for a coordinated, global surge in cyber defense as AI makes attacks more widespread and sophisticated. Signatories include Anthropic, Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Check Point, Cloudflare, CrowdStrike, IBM, Oracle and OpenAI, which is leading the effort. The letter warns that AI-enabled attacks will become significantly more capable in the coming months, putting hospitals, water treatment plants and internet infrastructure at increasing risk. However, the same AI advances are giving defenders new ways to fix security weaknesses, and acting quickly could make a lasting difference.…
From left to right: NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump on Aug. 28, 2026, for their service during the Artemis II mission. The Congressional Space Medal of Honor was authorized by Congress in 1969 to recognize an astronaut who in the performance of duties has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally brave and meritorious efforts, and contributions to the welfare of the nation and humanity. There now are 34 recipients of the award since the…
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 FE earlier this week – the phone is set to go on sale on Friday next week (September 4). Unfortunately, the new model costs more than its predecessor despite bringing a rather short list of upgrades. The obvious comparison is to the Galaxy S26+ – it’s the better phone and it’s cheaper too, if you are looking at 256GB models. It’s powered by the newer Exynos 2600 (vs. 2500), its 6.7” OLED display is a 1440p+ LTPO panel, unlike the regular 1080p+ panel on the S26 FE. The USB-C port has video out…