GoKawiil
Tech News
Samsung has released its first USB4 external drive, the Portable SSD P9, available in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB capacities with rated sequential speeds up to 4,000 MB/s read and 3,800 MB/s write. The 2TB model tested costs $649, with the 1TB starting at $339 and the 8TB model priced at $2,879.
CNET reports that heating food in cheap plastic or styrofoam takeout containers can release microplastics into food, with risk increasing at microwave temperatures. A chef cited in the report says most restaurants avoid microwave-safe containers because they cost more, and recommends glass, ceramic, porcelain, aluminum or paper-based alternatives instead.
A new web app called editsqlite allows users to open SQLite databases, SQL dumps from MySQL, Postgres or SQLite, and CSV files directly in the browser without uploading them to a server. Users can edit data in a spreadsheet-like grid or via a built-in SQL console, then export a freshly rebuilt file in several formats. The tool processes files entirely client-side and never writes to the original file.
External USB drives connected to a PlayStation 5 can archive PS4 and PS5 game installs, store screenshots and video clips, and transfer media to a computer, though not all functions work simultaneously on one drive. Game archiving requires a USB 5 Gbps (USB 3.0) drive between 250GB and 8TB, formatted specifically as USB Extended Storage, which erases existing data and can't be used with a hub. Screenshots and clips instead require a standard exFAT or FAT32 formatted drive, meaning separate drives are needed for games versus media.
Developer S-Game published official PC system requirements for Phantom Blade Zero ahead of launch. The game needs 145GB of free SSD space once installed, but preloading before launch temporarily requires 300GB due to unlock-process temp files. Both minimum (GTX 1660/RX 5500 XT) and recommended (RTX 3060 Ti/RX 6700 XT) specs rely on unspecified upscaling to hit their listed resolutions and framerates.
Amazon is selling Apple's 16.2-inch MacBook Pro configured with an M5 Max chip, 36GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for $3,499, a $900 reduction from its original price. This marks the lowest price yet recorded for this particular configuration.
The Lexar ES3 512GB Portable SSD is being sold at a reduced price, marked down 27% from its usual cost. The drive uses USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity and offers read speeds of up to 1050MB/s in a slim portable form factor.
Fly.io has introduced the Sprites Block Device (SBD), a new filesystem replacing the modified JuiceFS system it built at launch for its Sprites product. The original setup used a rewritten SQLite metadata backend kept durable with Litestream, storing a single 100GB disk image mounted as a loop device backed by object storage. SBD keeps the same core design—object storage as the root of a Sprite's disk so it can sleep and wake across servers—but replaces the custom tooling with a simpler, more reliable implementation.
Insta360 has released a new wireless microphone line called Mic, featuring customizable e-ink displays and, for the first time in its mic lineup, microSD card expansion. The Mic lacks the Mic Pro's three-capsule directional array but shares its receiver, NPU noise reduction, and direct camera connectivity with devices like the Luna Ultra, Luna Pro, X6 and GO Ultra. Pricing starts at $80 standalone, with bundles at $140 and $250, each undercutting equivalent Mic Pro packages.
HPE, IBM, and Quantum, the companies behind the LTO Program, have published a roadmap extending tape storage through LTO-14, with native cartridge capacity eventually reaching 365TB. The current LTO-10 generation already holds up to 40TB per cartridge using an extended-length design, up from 18TB in LTO-9, achieved partly through a new barium ferrite recording layer and far more data tracks.
Western Digital measured that an 8-second AI-generated video clip delivered to users as a 3.97MB file actually produces over 500MB of backend data, including logs, cached context, renders, backups, and safety records. A WD-sponsored IDC survey of 763 IT decision-makers found nearly 95% reported generative AI increasing their data volumes over the past year, with about 61% seeing growth of 25% or more.
Code found within Google's apps points to an in-development feature called 'Connected accounts,' which would let users share Google One storage and AI benefits with other accounts without setting up a formal family group. The feature appears to still be under development and has not been officially announced by Google.