Internet of Things (IoT)

The Raspberry Pi 400 is a powerful single-board computer with a built-in keyboard. Now, Adafruit has developed a Cyberdeck for it that sits above the keyboard. The expansion should be one of the simplest ways to add a small display without hooking the Raspberry Pi 400 to an external monitor.

The UP Squared Pro is an x86-based single-board computer (SBC) that comes with Intel Apollo Lake processors. The SBC also three M.2 slots, up to 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of flash storage. The UP Squared Pro starts at US$169 and will begin shipping from next week.

A new case for the Raspberry Pi has been successfully funded on Kickstarter, and it comes with almost 200 RGB LEDs built-in. The LumiCube should be simple for Raspberry Pi beginners to realise and includes an IPS display, among other features.

OnLogic has announced the One Tough Pi, an industrial case that transforms the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 into a mini-PC. The One Tough Pi runs silently and brings dual Gigabit Ethernet to the single-board computer.

The Redmi Smart TV X50, X55 and X65 have been unleashed onto the Indian market. Their 4K LED panels are enhanced with MEMC, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision. The series also features dual 15W speakers, and will start at INR 32,999 (~US$455) on their March 26, 2021 release.

Google has released a revamped version of its Nest Hub. The device, while looking quite similar on the surface includes a number of enhancements including the ability to monitor sleep.

Russian PhD student Ildar Rakhmatulin devised a terrifying mosquito-killing solution that pairs a Raspberry Pi, a 1W laser, and an AI neural network capable of identifying and eliminating mosquitos.

The StereoPi v2 is the follow-up to the 2019 first-generation model, which brought stereoscopic photography to the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3. Similarly, the StereoPi v2 enables the functionality of the Compute Module 4. The StereoPi v2 also supports the CM4 Lite.

With the Jetson TX2 NX, NVIDIA has created a single-board computer that packs a Pascal GPU in a form factor of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module. The NVIDIA Jetson TX2 NX has 4 GB of RAM too, along with 16 GB of flash storage.

The first television sets with the new MediaTek SoC are expected to become available by the second quarter of this year. MediaTek already powers most smart speakers and smart home products unbeknownst to most users.

The new ThinkEdge mini PCs from Lenovo come with fanless cases that can still accommodate powerful Tiger Lake CPUs with vPro technology and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. Designed for embedded applications like ATMs for smart retail and medical devices, the ThinkEdge SE30 models can be equipped with Core i3-1115GRE or i5-1145GRE vPro CPUs, up to 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and 1 TB SSD NVMe storage. There also is the SE50 model that comes with a bigger case and supports up to an i7 CPU, 32 GB of RAM and 2 TB storage, plus more ports.

A new version of the TTGO T-Watch is here, and it comes with a microphone. The additional component allows Lilygo's smartwatch to be controlled by voice input, improving its versatility. The new version of the TTGO T-Watch retails for under US$30.00 on AliExpress.

Xiaomi has officially launched the Redmi Max 86” smart TV. The new television joins the massive 98-inch Redmi Max as part of the affordable range of giant TVs from the Xiaomi subsidiary. For 7,999 yuan (US$1,237) buyers get a 4K TV that is both gaming-friendly and elevator compatible. The Redmi Max 86 also has an HDMI 2.1 port and operates on MIUI for TV 3.0.

With the Cherry Pi PC, Shenzhen LC Technology has created a single-board computer that is compatible with the Raspberry Pi. However, the Allwinner H3-based board also looks an awful lot like the Orange Pi, another SBC based on the same ARM processor. The Cherry Pi sells for US$16.50 on AliExpress.

A new single-board computer is available from Avnet. Called the MaaXBoard Nano, the SBC relies on an i.MX processor and 1 GB of DDR4 RAM. The device also has a 40-pin GPIO, making it compatible with the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, and runs Android 9.0 Pie or Linux images.

The 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max is soon going to be joined by another monster television set from Xiaomi. The Chinese company has been teasing the fact on Weibo and asking followers what size the new Redmi Max TV could be. While some have their fingers crossed for 120 inches, it seems a smaller 86-inch set is more likely.

The Kiwikit expands the Raspberry Pi Pico with several ports and even a small display. The development board also has two LEDs, three buttons and breakouts for several GPIO pins, among other features.

The Quartz64 is a new single-board computer (SBC) from Pine64. The Raspberry Pi alternative runs on a Rockchip RK3566 SoC and has a PCIe slot, among other features.

The Deauther Watch V3 is an intriguing smartwatch. Based on an ESP8266 board, the device can hack Wi-Fi networks and can even create fake ones. The Deauther Watch V3 also has a 1.3-inch OLED display and is orderable for US$65.00.

A new version of the MutantC has been unveiled, the third of its kind. The handheld computer is highly versatile and can run on several SBCs. The MutantC v3 contains numerous improvements on its predecessor, including a buzzer and a real-time clock.

The Wiretrustee carrier board utilises the power of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 as network-attached storage (NAS). The carrier board supports up to four HDDs or SSDs and features physical ports that the Compute Module 4 lacks.

Big memory producers are freeing up capacity for the upcoming DDR5 modules, but some smaller companies from Taiwan will continue to produce DDR3 chips. Unfortunately, these companies cannot really meet the sudden demand of DDR3 chips and prices are expected to spike by 50%.

The latest Helix and Karbon fanless mini PC models from OnLogic are designed for the IoT and industrial markets. Equipped with the more powerful Celeron and Pentium processors, the Helix series comes in a more compact case, but it also offers fewer expansion options. The Karbon models, on the other hand, offer a more robust connectivity and expansion package, yet they only feature the slower Atom CPUs.

Microsoft recently opened up a 90,000 square feet IDC (India Development Center) in Delhi. The new location is set to a hub for AI and cloud computing research and highlights the increasing relevance of India-based R&D efforts for Microsoft and other multinationals.

With the Inkplate 10, one can use an ESP32 e-Paper display without connecting it to a machine like the Raspberry Pi. The Inkplate 10 also has a peripheral mode for use with devices such as the Raspberry Pi, but its Wi-Fi connectivity makes it more versatile than many e-Paper displays. The Inkplate 10 also promises up to 37% faster refresh rates than typical e-Paper displays, among other improvements.

Pimoroni has announced multiple devices utilising the RP2040 microcontroller, following the Raspberry Pi Pico's announcement yesterday. A highlight of the bunch is the PicoSystem, which transforms the RP2040 into a handheld games console.

The BeagleV offers open-source RISC-V computing on freeRTOS and Linux distributions like Debian and Fedora. With a SiFive U74 processor and up to 8 GB of RAM, the BeagleV should be a powerful single-board computer. The BeagleV has a plethora of I/O, too.

The latest device from YARH.IO makes the Raspberry Pi even more portable. The appropriately-called YARH.IO Micro 2 has an IPS display, a keyboard and a replaceable battery. The YARH.IO Micro 2 can be purchased as a complete unit or built at home using a 3D printer and off-the-shelf parts.

The Over:Board is a carrier board for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 that turns the compact machine into a mini-ITX motherboard. The Over:Board features a host of I/O, including dual HDMI and USB 2.0 ports. There is a PCI-Express slot too, along with a CPU fan header.

Chinese electric automaker NIO announced that its latest electric vehicle ET7 will use NVIDIA Drive Orin SoC for AI-assisted driving. The ET7 will use Orin in a cluster of four to form the Adam supercomputer, which is capable of processing 8 GB of data from the vehicle's 33 sensors each second. The ET7 is certified to meet ISO 26262 ASIL-D safety standards and will ship in 2022.

Elon Musk has been sharing an interesting moment he claimed took place during the difficult production of the Tesla Model 3 electric car. According to the tech executive, he “reached out” to Apple’s Tim Cook with an eye on Tesla being acquired by the iPhone maker but couldn’t even land a meeting. Rumors of the Apple Car (iCar) launch have been flying around lately.

Although older rumors placed its launch around 2023, unnamed executives from Taiwan claim that their companies are getting ready to ramp up the production of various components for the upcoming electric vehicle by Apple. It also seems that the Cupertino-based giant is already testing the cars in California.

Multiple US government branches, including the Department of Commerce, and an unknown number of private sector players have been hit by a massive cyber attack. Experts still remain uncertain about the volume of sensitive information that's been secreted beyond borders by hackers with alleged ties to the Russian government.

The 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max from Xiaomi has apparently taken China by storm. Xiaomi has revealed some statistics about the giant television, including that its monthly sales are 30 times higher than its rivals in the same-size segment. The Redmi Max 98 has been incredibly popular since launching at a bargain price of 19,999 yuan (US$3,061).

The Hackboard 2 is an Intel-based single-board computer that is also compatible with the Raspberry Pi. The machine runs Windows 10 or Ubuntu natively and retails for US$99. The Hackboard 2 features 4 GB up DDR4 RAM and 64 GB of eMMC flash storage too, along with plenty of I/O.

The innovative features coming with the 2021 Galaxy smartphones are supposed to make the upcoming devices the most desirable upgrades in quite a while. Some of these features include outstanding video capabilities, improved AI integration, ultra-wideband compatibility, and even S Pen support for devices other than the galaxy Note. Samsung also plans to introduce more affordable foldables.

Xiaomi has revealed its upcoming Mi EBook Reader Pro, which will be officially launched on Tuesday, December 15. A promo image of the device has been released that shows the electric paper book decked out in black with a touch button on the front. According to the marketing material, the Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader Pro will normally cost 1,299 yuan (US$198).

Consoles and COVID-19 have dominated the “where to buy…” Google search terms for 2020 in the United States. The PlayStation 5 was the most-hunted for product, beating out toilet paper. The Xbox Series X and the Nintendo Switch also made it into the top 10. Unfortunately, the PS5 is very much out of stock.

The Honor Router 3 offers good looks, fast connectivity and more versatility than many routers that internet companies provide. The Router 3 is not without its issues though, as we have discovered during our time with the device.

Launched earlier this year with a starting price tag of US$539, the AMD Athlon Silver 3050e-powered Lenovo ThinkCentre M75n Nano IoT ultra-slim desktop PC was designed to fit on the back of ThinkVision T/P series monitors and its price exceeded US$500. Fortunately, those interested can get it now for just US$179.

The NanoPi R4S is now orderable from FriendlyELEC. The single-board computer starts at US$45 and comes with a Rockchip RK3399 chipset. The device is available with 1 GB or 4 GB of RAM and an optional CNC metal case.

Apple is running a gift card giveaway Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Qualifying purchases will see the buyer rewarded with a card worth from US$25/£20/€25 up to US$150/£120/€150. The deal includes many major Apple products such as the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE, the iPad Pro, Beats headphones, and even the premium MacBook Pro 16.

The DevTerm Kit takes the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 and utilises it as a portable mini-PC. The DevTerm has a 6.8-inch IPS display, a battery module, a keyboard and an optional thermal printer.

ASUS has unveiled the Tinker Board 2 and Tinker Board 2S, its latest single-board computers (SBCs) designed to challenge the Raspberry Pi. The Tinker Board 2 and Tinker Board 2S have a Rockchip RK3399 chipset, up to 4 GB of dual-channel LPDDR4 RAM and plenty of connectivity. The Tinker Board 2S comes with 16 GB of eMMC storage too, though.

Bypassing Apple's onerous restrictions on game streaming apps on the iOS App Store, including individual game certification and approval, NVIDIA recently launched a beta version of its GeForce Now service as a web app for the Safari browser.

Unveiled yesterday, the Microsoft Pluton security processor is the result of a joint effort that has managed to bring together the Redmond giant and three major silicon partners, namely AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm. This chip-to-cloud technology will soon bring more security advancements to Windows PCs.

The latest Raspberry Pi SBCs can all be overclocked, but Hackaday has revealed that not all of them are created equal. It turns out that the Compute Module 4 and Pi 400 are more efficient than the regular Raspberry Pi 4, too.

AMD is already preparing to launch the Ryzen 5000 APU series, yet Gigabyte is a bit late to the party with some Ryzen 4000 PCs. Better late than never, as they say. The recent teaser from Gigabyte does not specify the exact processors, but we can expect up to a Ryzen 7 4800U. There will also be support for Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5 Gbps LAN connections.

The NanoPi R4S is the latest single-board computer (SBC) by FriendlyElec, and one that packs dual Gigabit Ethernet. The device also includes a Rockchip RK3399 chipset, up to 4 GB of RAM and two USB 3.0 Type-A ports - all on a 66 x 66 mm board.