Tag Archives: semiconductor

The best Black Friday PC building tools — save money on the tech to fix your tech

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Building a PC is a great experience. We sit there with a spreadsheet and multiple browser tabs, poring over the best CPUs, the best GPUs, PC cases, RAM deals, and many more components. The package arrives, and we are excitedly tearing into the boxes, putting the parts on the table, and we are ready to build! We reach into the toolkit and dig out the rusty old screwdriver we used to open a paint can back in 2014. We then spill standoffs and screws over the floor, ready for an unsuspecting foot at 2am! But wait, it doesn’t have to be like this! I’ve done this, made the mistakes, and now I share my knowledge and that of the Tom’s Hardware staff so you don’t have to. Best of all, these products are all on offer for Black Friday. I’ve broken the tools down into categories, and you can use the navigation link to go directly to the deals that you want. So, tool up, and let battle commence! Strebito 64-piece electronics toolkit for $8 Save $20 on Hoto’s latest electric PixelDrive screwdriver, now $59 Blow away all the dust and grime with the Wolfbox MF100 high-powered air duster Save 32% Hoto 24 in 1 Multi Bit Mini Screwdriver Set: was $19 now $13 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ Sleek, compact and with 24 double-ended bits crammed inside, the Hoto 23-in-1 precision screwdriver should be in your PC building toolkit. Save 21% Strebito 142-Piece Electronics Precision Screwdriver Set: was $28 now $22 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ Torx, Slot, Phillips, Pozi, Hex and many other obscure bits are included in this great set. Spudgers, picks, cleaning cloths, brushes and tweezers are all wrapped up on a travel case ready for the next fix. Save 33% Strebito 64 Piece Electronics Toolkit: was $12 now $8 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ This small kit has all the tools to get you started with your first / next PC build. You get a precision screwdriver with 48 different bits (slot, Phillips, Pozidrive, Petalobe, Tork, Stand-off driver, Gamebit (for Nintendo consoles), Torx / Torx security and many others. You also get spudgers and pry tools, tweezers, brush, and a magnetizer / demagnetizer for your screwdriver bits. Save 33% ($3. 01) Tom’s Hardware Premium Subcription: was $9 now $5. 99 at TH Premium Read moreRead less▼ Don’t miss out on this Tom’s Hardware Premium Black Friday offer with 50% off the yearly subscription, or pay only $5. 99 (33% off) for a month of access. Get deeper news analysis, deep dives into specialist topics in the semiconductor industry, as well as access to Bench, the largest benchmarking database around. Save 30% GURADESIGN 4-Piece 12″ Long Screwdriver Set Slotted and Phillips, Long & Short Magnetic Screwdriver Set: was $10 now $7 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ Because we always need more screwdrivers, especially long ones with magnetic ends. Save 50% BOENFU Flush Cutters: was $10 now $5 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ Trim, cut and rip plastic and soft metal from places where it shouldn’t be. Then use these cutters to trim electronic components or for other craft projects. Save 30% Sharden 49-in-1 Precision Screwdriver Set: was $10 now $7 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ All the bits that you will ever need to keep your tech running smoothly, and you get a great case to keep them all in. Save 25% ($20) Hoto PixelDrive Electric Screwdriver: was $79 now $59 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ The latest Hoto electric screwdriver is mere months old, and it now has a healthy 25% off the MSRP, assuming you’re an Amazon Prime Member. Save 20% HOTO NEX O1 PRO 3. 6V Screwdriver Set: was $49 now $39 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ HOTO’s wireless screwdriver has three torque settings, charges over USB-C, and looks surprisingly good. This kit comes with a sturdy box and all the bits you will need to keep your PC running. Save 43% Hoto 25-in-1 Mini Electric Screwdriver: was $49 now $28 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ A go-to screwdriver set for the office, workshop and your go-bag. With all the bits you will need to fix a multitude of problems. Save 33% ($26) Fanttik T1 Max Soldering Iron Kit: was $79 now $53 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ A great kit to start your soldering journey. The cordless design makes it easy to use, with no trailing wires. The kit includes everything you need to start soldering, making it the ideal soldering gift. Components and Consumables Save 36% Arctic MX-6 Kit: was $14 now $9 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ This kit contains 4G of Arctic MX-6 thermal paste and six MX Cleaner wipes to remove old thermal paste from components. Thermalright TF9 2. 9g Thermal Paste: $6 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ Coming third in our best thermal paste guide, save 20% on the MSRP for this excellent thermal paste. In our review we noted that it has excellent thermal performance and great stability. This paste is easy to use and clean up when reapplication is required. KBPARTS 400-Piece Computer Screw Kit: $9 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ With ten different types of screws, stand-offs and gaskets, this kit has everything you need to secure your precious components inside your PC. Flashlights Save 45% Olight IMINI 2 Flashlight: was $20 now $11 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ This compact and easy to use flashlight provides 50 Lumens of light, without the need to fiddle around for a button. Just unclip, and your flashlight is ready to light your way. Save 23% Wuben E7 Rechargeable Mini Flashlight: was $30 now $23 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ With USB Type-C charging, six brightness modes, and a magnetic base, the Wuben E7 is a useful flashlight for makers and tinkerers who want extra light for their work, without compromising on quality. Cleaning Save 43% Wolfbox MF100 Electric Air Duster: was $109 now $62 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ This compact air duster can move air at up to 45 m/s with its 150, 000 RPM turbofan. A rechargeable battery gives up to 100 minutes of use time and supports USB Type-C charging. The MF100 includes five nozzles and two brush tools to help clean your PC equipment. Office Depot Electronics Duster x6: was $41 now $29 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ Designed for electronics, these six, 10oz bottle of compressed air will blow the dust, dead skin and last week’s sandwich from your keyboard and help prevent the inside of your PC case becoming a biohazard. Save 50% Electight 22-in-1 Multi-Function Cleaner Tool: was $12 now $6 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ This block of plastic hides a plethora of cleaning tools! First we have a soft brush to sweep away dust and sandwiches from your keyboard. Inside we have specialist cleaning tools for keycaps, switches, ports and even a SIM ejection tool. A bottle of Isopropyl alcohol is on hand to clean the grime from your computer, and the soft cloth backed case can wipe away the fingerprints and sneezes that cover your screen. This kit can clean you PC, laptop, smartphone and ear buds, because we all know how much wax ends up in your ear buds. Save 27% Tassmpitor Keyboard Cleaning Kit with Brush: was $15 now $11 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ This keyboard cleaning kit comes with an excellent array of tiny tools to help pick dirt, grime, and anything else you can think of. All of the tools are housed in a neat multi-tool arrangement and you get tools to remove dirt and detritus from every aspect of your digital devices. Key cap puller, brushes, lens cleaning, spray bottle for isopropyl alcohol, metal pins to remove ear wax from headphones and a sponge to keep grease marks off your screen. Sanigo Isopropyl Alcohol 99%: $7 at Amazon Read moreRead less▼ Buying in bulk and decanting into dollar store spray bottles is the smart way to get all the IPA that you need. Best gaming laptop deals Best monitor deals Best PC and laptop deals Best SSD deals Best CPU deals Gaming Chair Best hard drive deals Best PC case deals Best Dell and Alienware deals Best 3D printer deals Best PC peripherals deals Best motherboard deals Best CPU cooler deals Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom’s Hardware Newsletter Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors TOPICS.
https://www.tomshardware.com/gift-guides-seasonal-sales/the-best-black-friday-pc-building-tools-save-money-on-the-tech-to-fix-your-tech

SoftBank (SFTBY) Stock Slides 6.6% Amid Chip Sector Selloff

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TLDRs: SoftBank shares fall 6. 6% as Asian chip sector reacts to Nvidia’s modest US drop. SK Hynix, Samsung, and TSMC also see sharp declines following Nvidia market reaction. AI server demand and GPU orders remain strong despite short-term selloff pressures. ABF substrate capacity and advanced packaging could shape 2025 semiconductor growth. 💥 Find the Next KnockoutStock! Get live prices, charts, and KO Scores from KnockoutStocks. com, the data-driven platform ranking every stock by quality and breakout potential. SoftBank Group Corp. (SFTBY) shares slid 6. 6% on Friday amid a broader selloff in Asian semiconductor stocks. The decline comes after Nvidia, the US-based chipmaker, reported strong third-quarter earnings and a bullish outlook but still saw its shares drop 3% in overnight trading. The selloff rippled across the region, affecting both large and smaller chip manufacturers. SoftBank, which owns the British semiconductor designer Arm, was among the hardest hit, falling $4. 05 to close at $56. 93. Other major Asian chip players also experienced steep losses. SK Hynix dropped nearly 10%, Samsung Electronics lost over 5%, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) fell more than 4%, and Foxconn declined by 4%. Renesas Electronics, Tokyo Electron, and Lasertec also recorded notable declines. SoftBank Group Corp., SFTBY Nvidia’s Numbers Don’t Calm Markets Despite the drop in share prices, Nvidia’s quarterly results highlighted record growth in AI-related demand. The company reported Q3 data center revenue of $51. 2 billion, surpassing expectations. CEO Jensen Huang noted that “cloud GPUs are sold out” and highlighted AI chip orders totaling $500 billion for 2025-2026. The company shipped 13, 000 GPU samples in the quarter, including its new Blackwell DGX integrated AI server to OpenAI, while Oracle announced AI clusters scaling to over 131, 000 Blackwell GPUs. Industry benchmarks also favor Nvidia’s new hardware. The Blackwell GPU achieved a 2. 2x performance improvement over the previous Hopper generation in MLPerf machine learning tests. However, the market remains cautious, partly due to tight supply chains for ABF substrates and advanced packaging components required for AI hardware assembly. Supply Constraints and 2025 Outlook The selloff in SoftBank and other Asian chip stocks may partly reflect concerns over supply and packaging bottlenecks. ABF substrate capacity, the specialized layers used to route power and signals beneath chips, is projected to reach $11. 11 billion in 2025, growing at a 9. 4% CAGR. New entrants in China, such as Anhui Splendid Technology, Aoxin Semiconductor Technology, and Keruisi Semiconductor Technology, are challenging established leaders that currently hold 70% of the market. Advanced packaging and substrate supply timing could significantly influence the AI server surge expected in 2025. Analysts note that while the short-term market reaction is negative, long-term demand for AI infrastructure, including pretraining, post-training, and inference workloads, continues to grow. SoftBank and other suppliers with expansions already locked in could benefit from these trends. Investor Takeaways While SoftBank’s 6. 6% drop may appear concerning, the broader context suggests this is a market overreaction rather than a signal of declining demand. Nvidia’s AI-related guidance remains strong, and infrastructure investment for AI is expected to increase significantly over the next few years. For investors, current valuations in some Asian chip firms could offer a strategic entry point ahead of sustained 2025 growth. As AI continues to drive demand for high-performance chips, SoftBank’s Arm holdings and regional semiconductor suppliers remain central players in a market poised for expansion, despite short-term volatility.
https://coincentral.com/softbank-sftby-stock-slides-6-6-amid-chip-sector-selloff/

Taiwan set to avoid ‘punishing’ 300% tariffs on semiconductor exports, says report — new trade deal could spur $400 billion investment commitment from island nation

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Taiwan National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen said that the U. S. is not pushing through with its threat of a 300% tariff on chips, at least for those coming from the island. According to the Financial Times, Taiwan is currently finalizing a trade deal with the U. S. while awaiting the results of the U. S. Department of Commerce’s Section 232 investigation. At the moment, U. S. President Donald Trump has applied a 20% tariff on Taiwanese goods, except for semiconductor imports. “They understand that punishing Taiwan is not in their interests,” Wu told the Financial Times. He also said that the island will help the United States with the development of its semiconductor industry, especially with building science parks. “Of course, there’s the recipes of how to make the chips, but it’s also about the science park management, attracting companies, integrating academic research with industry,” he adds. “No other country has done what we have done.” Taiwan currently has three science parks and ten technology industrial parks that make it easier for companies to focus on innovation instead of red tape. These parks serve as nodes for the island’s high-tech industries, facilitating collaboration for firms within these zones. Aside from that, they also have a fixed lease rate, so companies do not have to worry about skyrocketing rental prices just to stay inside these zones. This model has enabled Taiwan to produce some of the most advanced tech institutions in the world, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the crowning jewel of the island’s silicon shield and headquartered in Hsinchu Science Park, being one excellent example. Aside from helping the U. S. revive its chipmaking industry, an unnamed U. S. government official suggested that the new trade agreement would also result in a US$400 billion investment commitment from Taiwan. This will be much easier for the island, as TSMC is already investing $165 billion in Arizona to build new fabs and even an R&D center. Other Taiwanese companies, like GlobalWafers, are also spending billions of dollars to expand their presence within the United States. This move might seem like an erosion of the island’s leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, but it’s also taking steps to develop a second “silicon shield.” Taiwan has allocated US$3 billion to turn it into an “AI island” while the government is also focusing on building up other industries, like drones, robotics, and medical technology. More importantly, it has restricted the export of TSMC’s most advanced process technologies to help keep it secure at least in the near future.
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/taiwan-set-to-avoid-punishing-300-percent-tariffs-on-semiconductor-exports-says-report-new-trade-deal-could-spur-usd400-billion-investment-commitment-from-island-nation

Brilliant Photonics, Brutal Fundamentals: Why I Would Sell Out Of POET Technologies

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**Brilliant Photonics, Brutal Fundamentals: Why I Would Sell Out Of POET Technologies**
*By Luca Socci | 5.37K Followers*

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POET Technologies is a small-cap company designing photonic integrated packaging solutions for advanced semiconductor and AI data center applications. The company leverages its Optical Interposer™ platform to integrate electronic and photonic devices, targeting the growing demand for high-speed optical modules.

While some have compared POET to a nascent NVIDIA, it’s important to note that POET is an early-stage designer—not a manufacturer—and currently lacks major commercial agreements. Although POET aspires to become the “NVIDIA of optical engines,” significant progress and validation remain necessary before it can reach that status.

### A New NVIDIA?

Working across the AI supply chains, I have encountered many new companies that appear intriguing. After dealing with established industry players like Applied Materials (AMAT) and understanding their key role in semiconductor manufacturing, it’s crucial to maintain a grounded view on emerging players like POET.

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### About the Author

I’m a long-term investor focused on U.S. and European equities, emphasizing undervalued growth stocks and high-quality dividend growers. Through years of experience, I have learned that sustained profitability—evident through strong margins, stable and expanding free cash flow, and high returns on invested capital—is a more reliable driver of returns than valuation alone.

I manage one of my portfolios publicly on eToro, where I am a qualified Popular Investor, allowing others to copy my real-time investment decisions.

My background spans Economics, Classical Philology, Philosophy, and Theology—an interdisciplinary foundation that sharpens both my quantitative analysis and my ability to interpret market narratives through a broader, long-term lens.

I started investing when I became a father. By managing wisely what I receive and earn, I aim to provide for my children and myself—not so we have so much that we don’t need to do anything, but enough assets to be free to do what we want. The goal is not to free myself from work, but to have the freedom to work in the way and place where I can fully express myself.

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### Analyst’s Disclosure

I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of SES either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

### Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole.

Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker, US investment adviser, or investment bank. Our analysts are third-party authors, including both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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https://seekingalpha.com/article/4844009-brilliant-photonics-brutal-fundamentals-why-i-would-sell-out-of-poet-technologies?source=feed_all_articles

Fujitsu and Nvidia Expand Partnership to Accelerate AI Implementation

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Tokyo University of Technology unveiled its new supercomputer, named Seiran, on October 2nd, marking the start of full-scale operations. Equipped with the latest GPUs from U.S. chipmaker Nvidia, the system is designed specifically for generative AI and stands as the largest of its kind among Japan’s private universities.

In other news, Fujitsu and U.S. semiconductor giant Nvidia have announced plans to expand their collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence. Their joint efforts aim to accelerate the practical use of AI across various industries, driving innovation and efficiency.

A new form of cyberattack, known as “Clickfix,” is rapidly spreading by exploiting the familiar pop-up that asks users to confirm they are not robots. First detected in 2024, this attack has expanded quickly through 2025, prompting police in Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture to issue urgent warnings to the public.

Provably fair gaming has quickly become one of the most pivotal factors players look for when gaming on crypto-based platforms. This technology ensures transparency and trust, making it increasingly important in the digital gaming world.

OpenAI has unveiled its latest video generation AI, Sora2, capable of producing realistic footage in about three minutes. The system can create a wide range of content, including Japanese anime-style clips and composite videos featuring real individuals, opening new possibilities in video production.

A recent survey released by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance revealed that more than 60 percent of parents with young children expressed interest in using artificial intelligence to support childcare. This highlights the growing acceptance and potential of AI technologies in daily family life.

Meanwhile, with the rapid development of the cryptocurrency market, Wall Street tycoons are flocking to the space, increasing competition. As a result, retail investors are facing unprecedented pressure in this evolving financial landscape.
https://newsonjapan.com/article/147141.php