Saturday, July 11, 2026

Advanced Energy (AEIS) Introduces 800 V DC Converters for AI Data Centers

Advanced Energy Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: AEIS) has introduced the ADH series of DC-DC converters specifically designed for next-generation 800 V DC AI data center power architectures. These converters convert 800 V DC input into 50 V DC output, achieving a peak power efficiency of 98.2% at multi-MHz switching frequencies. The series is housed in a standard half-brick package, capable of delivering up to 8 kW of peak power and 6 kW of full-load power while maintaining a peak power density exceeding 2,700 W/In3. Designed for optimal thermal management, the converters utilize liquid-cooled baseplates and enable modular parallel connections for scalable power solutions.

FTAI Aviation (FTAI) Partners with AEI for Boeing 737-800 Freighter Solutions

FTAI Aviation Ltd. has partnered with Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) to offer a cost-effective solution for Boeing 737-800 freighters, announced on July 7. This collaboration aims to deliver customized aircraft at scale while optimizing operating expenses. FTAI will utilize its specialized CFM56 engine platform to provide engines tailored for cargo operations, extending their lifecycle. The partnership combines FTAI's engine maintenance capabilities with AEI's expertise in cargo conversion, ensuring airlines access reliable freighter capacity backed by AEI's extensive history of Supplemental Type Certificates.

OpenAI bets on families as ChatGPT goes deeper into households

OpenAI is shifting its strategy by hiring a product manager in San Francisco to create family-oriented experiences for its ChatGPT product. This move comes as the user demographic is changing, with 31% of global users now aged 35 and older, up from 26% a year prior. The hiring reflects a broader recognition of the need for AI products tailored for families, especially as nearly one in four U.S. smartphone users who are parents reported using ChatGPT in Q2 2026. This transition also raises new safety challenges, prompting OpenAI to introduce various protective measures for younger users.

While Musk's Neuralink drills into skulls, China's BrainCo bets the future of brain tech is wearable

China's BrainCo is positioning itself at the forefront of wearable brain-computer interfaces (BCI), contrasting with invasive methods like those of Elon Musk's Neuralink. Founded in 2015, BrainCo focuses on non-invasive solutions, such as its FDA-approved bionic hands that interpret neural signals to assist amputees. The company has secured 2 billion yuan ($280 million) in funding and aims to expand its applications from rehabilitation to broader consumer markets, reflecting a strategic push supported by the Chinese government’s Five-Year Plan for neurotechnology development.

Big bank profit engines expected to roar into earnings as Main Street keeps spending

As JPMorgan Chase prepares for earnings season, analysts forecast that the bank, along with its major competitors, will report one of their strongest quarters ever, driven by robust consumer spending and healthy loan growth. Jamie Dimon's retention award has surged to over $280 million, reflecting the bank's strong performance. Investors are cautiously optimistic, with expectations for second quarter profits to rise from the previous year. Major banks are also announcing stock buybacks and dividends following successful Federal Reserve stress tests, while consumer card spending saw a notable increase of 6.3% year-over-year in June.

The perfect kit for all your tiny repairs

The iFixit Megalodon Driver Kit has emerged as a practical solution for home repairs, offering a compact selection of bits, adapters, and drivers tailored for everyday tasks. Priced affordably, this toolkit is ideal for those who need reliable tools for small fixes without the bulk of a full gadget repair set. Alongside this, the new Nothing Earbuds 3A, priced at $99, introduce an innovative Audio Snapshot feature that allows users to record snippets of audio directly from the earbuds, enhancing their functionality for podcast listeners and music enthusiasts alike.

Berkshire Hathaway gains ground, but still trails the S&P 500 as '26 enters second half

As of July 2026, Berkshire Hathaway's B shares are down 1.8% year-to-date, significantly trailing the S&P 500, which has gained 10.7% during the same period. Despite a strong June that reduced its deficit to the benchmark by 3%, Berkshire's performance in the second quarter was lackluster, with a gain of just over 3% compared to the S&P's robust 16% increase. This follows a challenging 2025, where Berkshire underperformed the S&P by 5.5 percentage points, excluding dividends.

A tiny GLP-1 implant is the latest bet to help patients maintain their weight loss

Vivani Medical is in the early stages of developing a tiny implant that delivers semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, aimed at helping patients maintain weight loss. This experimental device, known as NPM-139, could serve as a maintenance treatment, allowing patients to switch from injections or pills to an implant administered just twice a year. However, the implant must pass several clinical trials and regulatory hurdles before it can reach the market, and some doctors express skepticism regarding its effectiveness and patient acceptance.

China's Orca world model matches specialized robotics systems without ever seeing a single action label

The Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI) has introduced Orca, a groundbreaking world model that matches the performance of specialized robotics systems across five tasks, despite being trained without any action labels. Orca employs a unique approach by modeling the next state of the world through an abstract internal representation, utilizing both 'unconscious learning' from unlabeled videos and 'conscious learning' from verbal instructions. This innovative training method, which incorporates 125,000 hours of video footage, allows Orca to excel in tasks such as robotic manipulation, where it demonstrated comparable performance to the specialized π0.5 system.

Apple @ Work: The M1 MacBook Air has the longest usable lifespan of any Apple laptop in history

The M1 MacBook Air, released in November 2020, has set a new standard for longevity among Apple laptops, remaining highly functional well into 2026. IT admin Bradley Chambers reports that he currently manages 30-40 of these devices, using them as loaners and spares. Unlike older models, the M1's fanless design prevents dust accumulation, and its robust keyboard ensures reliability. As Apple continues to provide macOS updates for these devices, they are still suitable for everyday tasks, challenging the traditional 3-4 year laptop lifecycle.

OpenAI admits it "didn't get everything quite right" with ChatGPT Work launch and scrambles to fix UX and costs

OpenAI has admitted to shortcomings in the launch of ChatGPT Work and GPT-5.6 Sol, responding to user complaints about quickly exhausted usage limits and a confusing desktop app redesign. Thibault Sottiaux stated, "We didn't get everything quite right," and outlined plans for a significant update next week to restore familiar sidebar features and improve usage metrics visibility. Users reported that the new model, despite claims of being 54% more token-efficient, consumed budgets more rapidly than its predecessor, GPT-5.5, prompting immediate adjustments to usage limits and settings.

Overhaul of public lands grazing regulations seeks to cut public involvement

The US Department of the Interior is proposing significant changes to grazing regulations that govern ranching on 155 million acres of public lands, primarily in the West. This marks the first overhaul since 1995 and aims to increase livestock grazing while reducing public involvement in the decision-making process. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to limit who can comment on grazing permits, effectively prioritizing ranchers' interests. Critics warn that these changes could exacerbate environmental damage caused by overgrazing, which has already degraded vast areas of public land.

Apple sues OpenAI for allegedly running a "coordinated campaign" to steal trade secrets through poached employees

Apple has initiated a federal lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging a systematic effort to steal trade secrets related to unreleased products by poaching its employees. The complaint claims that more than 400 former Apple employees are now at OpenAI, with the company allegedly encouraging them to take confidential files and specifications during their notice periods. Central to the lawsuit is Tang Tan, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer, who is accused of promoting the sharing of sensitive information. Apple is seeking a jury trial, an end to these practices, and the destruction of all proprietary materials obtained unlawfully.

FL Studio head Constantin Koehncke turns to Reddit for feedback and fun

Constantin Koehncke, CEO of Image Line since 2022, actively engages with FL Studio users on Reddit and forums, emphasizing the importance of user feedback. Under his leadership, FL Studio has introduced innovative AI features, such as stem separation and the Gopher chatbot, enhancing the digital audio workstation's capabilities. Koehncke's background includes a significant tenure at Native Instruments, where he focused on transitioning to digital services, and he remains committed to staying connected with the community that has supported FL Studio since its inception.

White House taps the guy who keeps crying ‘aliens’ to run UFO group

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has been appointed to head the UAP Science Advisory Council, a new initiative established by the White House in collaboration with the Pentagon, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the FBI. The council's mission is to provide scientific reports and advice to the UAP Governing Board to help clarify the nature of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). Despite his strong academic credentials, Loeb has attracted controversy for his claims regarding alien technology, including assertions about the interstellar object Oumuamua and small metallic spheres found in the ocean.

Burnout, frustration and heartbreak: Amazon layoffs take their toll in saturated job market

Amazon's mass layoffs, which began in January 2026 with around 16,000 employees, have left many former workers grappling with an increasingly saturated job market. The tech sector has experienced about 140,000 layoffs this year, with Amazon contributing significantly to this figure. Former employees, like Jake Linsley, have found themselves competing against thousands of others for fewer available positions, as companies like Meta and Cisco also reduce their workforces. The shift towards artificial intelligence has further complicated job prospects, as many roles have become obsolete amid ongoing restructuring efforts in the tech industry.

A Jupiter-size planet that escaped its star's death

WD 1856 b, a Jupiter-sized planet, is the only confirmed case of a planet surviving the death of a Sun-like star, orbiting a white dwarf approximately 75 light-years from Earth. Recent observations using the James Webb Space Telescope reveal that WD 1856 b emits about 25 times more energy than it receives from its cooling host star, indicating it retains significant internal heat. This gas giant orbits its white dwarf at just 0.02 AU, defying expectations that planets should migrate outward after their star's red giant phase. The findings have sparked excitement among astronomers, prompting further investigation into this unusual planetary system.