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Technology News

  • SMIC warns memory-chip shortage could curb orders for laptops, consumer electronics and cars
    November 19, 2025, 5:46 AM EST. During a recent earnings call, Zhao Haijun, CEO of SMIC, warned that fears of a memory-chip shortage are prompting customers to hold back orders for other chips. SMIC, China's largest contract chipmaker, says the trend could hit laptops, consumer electronics and automotive applications next year as manufacturers shift capacity toward high-margin AI components. Analysts say bottlenecks stem from chipmakers prioritizing HBM memory used in AI servers, with suppliers like SK Hynix and Micron. The shortage could squeeze cheaper chips for PCs, smartphones and vehicles, raising prices as supply tightens. Samsung has already raised prices for select memory chips. TrendForce notes a robust upward cycle in memory pricing, warning the impact could broaden beyond premium segments, with China feeling the pinch due to reliance on low-cost devices. Demand is expected to rise sharply by 2026.
  • The Great Flip: Accelerated Computing Redefines Scientific Systems
    November 19, 2025, 5:42 AM EST. Once dominated by CPU-only vibes, scientific computing has undergone a dramatic shift: GPUs and accelerated computing have moved upstream, turning HPC into AI-ready infrastructure. The emblematic JUPITER system at Forschungszentrum Jülich demonstrates this shift, delivering remarkable efficiency (63.3 gigaflops per watt) and potent AI performance (116 AI exaflops, up from 92). Across TOP100, CPU-only share collapsed below 15%, with 88 systems accelerated and 80% powered by NVIDIA GPUs. The broader TOP500 now shows 78% using NVIDIA technology, including 218 GPU-accelerated systems. This era hinges on AI FLOPS as the new yardstick, enabled by architectures like NVIDIA Hopper, Blackwell, and the CUDA-X platform, delivering scalable, energy-efficient science from climate modeling to quantum simulation.
  • AI Is the New Blank Screen: Therapists, Transference, and the Illusory Listener
    November 19, 2025, 5:38 AM EST. This piece traces why clients fall for AI chatbots as perfect listeners, echoing centuries of psychotherapy. It frames the AI relationship through transference-the Freudian pull to cast a trusted figure as the ideal partner. From Winnicott's good-enough mother to today's research (Bateman & Fonagy, 2006; Luyten et al., 2024; Heien, 2024), therapy teaches us to balance fantasy with reality. The article argues that AI can mirror the therapist's early function-patient, attentive, reflective-yet warns that the lack of human limits demands deliberate intervention. It calls clinicians to acknowledge and negotiate this dream hostage negotiation rather than treat AI as a final answer.
  • PlayStation Black Friday 2025: Up to 60% Off Consoles, $100 PS5, 33% PS Plus
    November 19, 2025, 5:36 AM EST. PlayStation has announced its Black Friday 2025 sale, running November 21-29, with discounts across consoles, games, and accessories. Highlights include up to 60% off consoles and titles, $100 off PS5 consoles (including the PS5 Pro), and $100 off PSVR2. PS Plus memberships are discounted by up to 33% for new players and for upgrades. Other deals include $20 off PS Portal, $30 off DualSense Edge, and $20 off standard DualSense controllers and Pulse headsets. Most offers arrive via PlayStation Direct, and will also appear at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy in the US. A new PS5 Fortnite Flowering Chaos Bundle is available starting at $399.99 (825GB digital) and $449.99 (1TB disc).
  • PlayStation 5 Black Friday Deals: Sony Discounts PS5, PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro by $100
    November 19, 2025, 5:34 AM EST. Sony unveils Black Friday discounts on the PS5 lineup starting November 21, slashing $100 off each model. The PS5 Digital Edition drops to $399, the PS5 to $449, and the PS5 Pro to $649. Deals are live at Sony and retailers like Amazon and Walmart. The PS5 Pro gains upgraded specs, enhanced ray tracing and cooler design for demanding titles, while the standard PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition differ by the disc drive. All models support 4K, 3D audio, and PlayStation Plus online multiplayer. Accessories on sale include the DualSense controller at $60, DualSense Edge at $170, and the PlayStation Portal streaming device at $180.