OpenAI’s Quiet Hardware Revolution: A Screenless AI Device May Arrive in 2026

 For years, OpenAI has lived almost entirely on screens—inside browsers, apps, and developer dashboards. That’s about to change.

Behind closed doors and guarded conversations at Davos, OpenAI has confirmed what the tech world has been whispering for months: the company is preparing to launch its first-ever AI device, with a tentative unveiling planned for the second half of 2026.

The confirmation came from Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, during discussions at Axios House. He didn’t show a prototype. He didn’t drop specs. But the message was clear—OpenAI no longer sees AI as just software. It wants AI to live with you.

Not a Phone. Not a Screen. Something Else.

This isn’t another smartphone, and it’s definitely not trying to replace one. In fact, the device is expected to move in the opposite direction—away from screens altogether.

That philosophy traces back to Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief whose company OpenAI acquired last year. Ive has described the project as a “peaceful” AI device—one designed to reduce digital noise rather than add to it. No endless scrolling. No app clutter. Just an intelligent presence that works quietly in the background.

A teaser video released by Ive’s design studio hinted at a 2026 debut, reinforcing the timeline now echoed by OpenAI leadership.

What Might It Look Like?

For now, OpenAI is keeping the form factor deliberately vague. Early reports suggest the company has been experimenting with small, screenless prototypes, possibly wearables. Think less “gadget” and more “companion.”

Whether it ends up as an earpiece, a pin, or something entirely new remains an open question. Lehane has only said that details will come “much later,” suggesting the company is still refining how humans should physically interact with advanced AI.

Why 2026 Matters

The timing isn’t accidental. The AI hardware market is finally starting to find its footing after a few high-profile missteps. Devices like Humane’s AI Pin struggled to resonate, but industry leaders believe the real wave is just beginning.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon recently revealed that around 10 million AI-powered smart glasses are already shipping annually—and that number could jump tenfold in the near future. From smart glasses and camera-equipped earbuds to AI-infused jewellery, the industry is searching for a post-smartphone interface.

OpenAI clearly wants to be at the center of that shift.

Partners, Chips, and the Bigger Vision

While it’s still unclear which chips will power OpenAI’s device, Qualcomm has confirmed ongoing collaboration with the company on hardware initiatives. That alone signals how seriously OpenAI is taking this transition.

More importantly, OpenAI sees devices not as side projects, but as a core pillar of its future. Software may remain its foundation, but hardware could become the bridge between powerful AI models and everyday human life.

A New Way to Meet AI

If OpenAI gets this right, its first device won’t just be another piece of consumer electronics. It could redefine how people meet AI—less typing, less tapping, more listening, speaking, and understanding.

In an industry obsessed with screens, OpenAI’s boldest move may be building something you barely notice at all.

And that might be exactly the point.

By- Nirosha Gupta

India’s AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence—But the Real Battle Is Human, Not Digital

 As India steps into 2026, one thing is clear: artificialintelligence has moved from boardroom buzzword to business backbone. Corporate India is spending with confidence, scaling budgets, and placing AI squarely at the centre of growth strategies. This is no longer about testing what’s possible—it’s about building what’s next. Yet behind the bullish outlook sits a quieter concern that refuses to be automated away: people.

Accenture’s latest Pulse of Change survey captures this contradiction perfectly. Almost nine in ten Indian C-suite leaders plan to raise AI investments in the coming year, signalling a belief that AI will unlock new revenue streams rather than merely optimise costs. Even amid geopolitical instability and economic headwinds, Indian enterprises are choosing to push forward, not pause.

Big Vision, Fragile Foundations

The ambition is undeniable. The readiness, less so.

Over a quarter of Indian executives admit that shortage of skilled AI talent is the biggest obstacle preventing them from extracting real value from their AI initiatives. What makes this especially striking is that this gap persists even as AI tools become easier to access and deploy.

Most organisations are still stuck in training-lite mode. Only 24% have made continuous AI learning part of everyday work, and fewer than one in ten are rethinking job roles for an AI-first future. The result is a pattern many enterprises know too well: successful pilots that never quite graduate into enterprise-wide impact.

No Fear of the Bubble Bursting

Unlike past tech cycles, Indian business leaders appear unfazed by talk of an AI bubble. Six out of ten CXOs say they would keep increasing AI spending even if the hype deflates, and half would continue hiring regardless.

The confidence runs deeper. 79% expect to grow their workforce in 2026, while 76% are betting on faster revenue growth, despite anticipating more disruption than this year. AI, in this context, is no longer a gamble—it’s seen as essential infrastructure, much like cloud or broadband once were.

AI Grows Up: From Trials to Transformation

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India’s AI journey is also maturing. About 41% of enterprises are already deploying AI agents across multiple functions, while 24% are redesigning entire processes with AI at the core. For senior leaders, AI is becoming part of daily work—nearly four in ten Indian C-suite executives now use generative AI tools regularly.

What’s surprising is the alignment between leadership and the workforce. Executives are confident their teams are AI-ready, and employees largely echo that sentiment. Nearly half already use AI to boost productivity, and a strong majority believe it can deliver meaningful business impact.

Why Skills Will Separate Leaders from Laggards

Indian leaders feel well-prepared to handle technological disruption, with AI and digital investments topping their priority list. Confidence dips, however, when it comes to environmental and geopolitical uncertainty—areas where adaptability, judgment, and leadership skills matter as much as algorithms.

As Saurabh Kumar Sahu, MD and Lead for India Business at Accenture, notes, the equation has changed. The challenge is no longer about access to cutting-edge AI—it’s about whether employees feel empowered, prepared, and included as work itself is redefined.

Heading into 2026, India’s AI narrative is shifting gears. The question is no longer who is adopting AI, but who can translate it into sustained value. Turning ambition into execution. Turning technology into outcomes. And above all, turning investment into skills. Those who get the human side right won’t just use AI—they’ll shape the future of India Inc.

By Advik Gupta

Iron Mountain Starts Building 85MW AI-Focused Hyperscale Data Center in Mumbai

Iron Mountain has taken a decisive step in strengthening India’s AI and cloud infrastructure by beginning construction on a large-scale hyperscale data center campus in Mumbai. Built specifically for the demands of the AI era, the new facility will deliver a substantial 85 MW of IT load, catering to power-hungry, compute-intensive workloads. The campus is expected to go live in 2027.

This upcoming Mumbai site isn’t just about raw capacity—it’s about readiness. Drawing on Iron Mountain’s global experience in building carrier-neutral and sustainability-focused data centers, the campus is being designed from the ground up to handle extreme power densities and advanced cooling requirements. That makes it a natural fit for hyperscalers, AI platforms, and enterprises running next-generation workloads.

A strong emphasis has also been placed on reliability and governance. The facility is being engineered for industries with strict regulatory requirements, ensuring continuous uptime while meeting global compliance benchmarks such as HIPAA, FISMA, and ISO standards. For customers operating in finance, healthcare, or government-linked sectors, this translates into a highly secure and regulation-ready environment.

Sustainability is another key pillar of the project. Through Iron Mountain’s Green Power Pass, customers will be able to match their energy usage entirely with renewable sources—helping them move closer to their ESG goals without added operational burden.

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Speaking on the development, Rajesh Tapadia, CEO of Iron Mountain Data Centers India, described the Mumbai campus as a clear signal of the company’s long-term vision for the region. He highlighted that the project is designed to deliver the scale, rapid deployment, and sustainable performance that global hyperscalers expect—while also forming a backbone for India’s growing AI ecosystem.

The Mumbai hyperscale campus is part of Iron Mountain’s broader expansion strategy across the country. The company already operates data centers in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Noida, with additional locations planned in Chennai and Noida. Once fully built out, Iron Mountain’s India footprint is expected to reach 152 MW of potential capacity, positioning it strongly to meet the nation’s accelerating demand for AI, cloud, and digital services.

As India pushes forward in its ambition to become a global AI and data hub, projects like Iron Mountain’s Mumbai campus could play a pivotal role in shaping the country’s digital future.

  By Advik Gupta

Vertiv has identified artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, and advanced liquid cooling technologies

 Vertiv has identified artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, and advanced liquid cooling technologies as the primary forces redefining the design, deployment, and operation of next-generation data centers, according to its newly released Vertiv™ Frontiers report.

The report examines how accelerating AI adoption, combined with increasing compute density and rapid deployment requirements, is fundamentally transforming global data center infrastructure—trends that are becoming increasingly relevant for the UAE and wider Middle East, where large-scale digital transformation and AI investments are underway.

AI Workloads Driving Structural Change

Vertiv notes that AI and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads are placing unprecedented demands on power and thermal management systems. Traditional hybrid AC/DC power architectures are reaching their operational limits as rack densities increase, prompting a gradual shift toward higher-voltage DC power systems that offer improved efficiency, reduced conversion losses, and greater scalability.

“The data center industry is rapidly evolving to address the density and speed requirements of AI-driven facilities,” said Scott Armul, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Vertiv. He emphasized that advanced power architectures and liquid cooling solutions are becoming critical enablers of gigawatt-scale AI deployments.

"The data center industry is continuing to rapidly evolve how it designs, builds, operates and services data centers, in response to the density and speed of deployment demands of AI factories," said Vertiv chief product and technology officer, Scott Armul. "We see cross-technology forces, including extreme densification, driving transformative trends such as higher voltage DC power architectures and advanced liquid cooling that are important to deliver the gigawatt scaling that is critical for AI innovation. On-site energy generation and digital twin technology are also expected to help to advance the scale and speed of AI adoption." Global digital infrastructure leader Vertiv has released its latest Vertiv™ Frontiers report, detailing the technology trends and macro forces shaping the evolution of data centers, particularly in response to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI). The report highlights innovations in power, cooling, energy autonomy, and digital twin technology, which are enabling data centers to meet the demands of AI workloads.

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Scott Armul, Vertiv’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, noted that the industry is evolving rapidly to meet the “density and speed of deployment demands of AI factories.” He highlighted transformative trends including higher-voltage DC power architectures, advanced liquid cooling, on-site energy generation, and digital twin technology, all of which are critical for supporting gigawatt-scale AI deployments.

“The data centre industry is rapidly evolving how it designs, builds, operates and services facilities in response to the density and speed of deployment demands of AI,” Armul said.

“Extreme densification is driving transformative trends such as higher-voltage DC power architectures and advanced liquid cooling, which are critical to achieving the gigawatt-scale capacity needed for AI innovation.”

By Advik Gupta

TRAI’s 1600 Move: How India’s Financial Calls Are Getting a Safety Upgrade in 2026

If you’ve ever hesitated before answering a call claiming to be from your bank, you’re not alone. In a digital economy where financial fraud is evolving faster than ever, India’s telecom regulator is stepping in with a decisive fix — and it’s all about the numbers you see on your phone screen.

On November 19, 2025, the Telecom Regulatory Authority ofIndia (TRAI) issued a landmark Direction that will fundamentally change how banks and financial institutions reach customers over voice calls. Starting in 2026, entities across the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) ecosystem will be required to use a dedicated “1600” numbering series for all service and transactional calls.

Why 1600 Matters

The idea is simple but powerful: clarity equals trust. The 1600 series will act as a visual marker, helping citizens instantly identify legitimate calls from financial institutions — and, just as importantly, spot fraudulent ones. Once the new deadlines kick in, BFSI entities will no longer be allowed to make service or transactional calls from regular 10-digit mobile numbers — even if a customer has given consent.

Adoption Is Already Underway

This isn’t just a theoretical plan. TRAI’s sustained engagement with telecom service providers (TSPs) and financial regulators has already delivered results. Around 485 BFSI entities have migrated to the 1600 series, collectively subscribing to more than 2,800 numbers. With momentum building and fraud risks still high, the regulator believes the ecosystem is now ready for a full, time-bound rollout.

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Who Needs to Migrate — and By When

After consultations with BFSI regulators through the JointCommittee of Regulators (JCoR), TRAI has laid out a phase-wise migration schedule:

Commercial banks (public, private, and foreign): by January 1, 2026

Large NBFCs, payments banks & small finance banks: by February 1, 2026

Mutual funds & AMCs: by February 15, 2026

Central recordkeeping agencies (CRAs) & pension fund managers: by February 15, 2026

Qualified stockbrokers (QSBs): by March 15, 2026

Remaining NBFCs, co-operative banks, RRBs & smaller entities: by March 1, 2026

For the insurance sector, TRAI confirmed that timelines are still being finalised in coordination with IRDAI and will be announced separately. Meanwhile, other SEBI-registered intermediaries are free to adopt the 1600 series voluntarily after verification.

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A Small Change, Big Impact

In a country grappling with impersonation-based scams, the 1600 initiative could become one of the most practical consumer protection measures in recent years. For users, it promises fewer doubts and safer conversations. For the financial sector, it’s a clear signal: trust now begins with the number you dial from.

By Aaradhay Sharma

ASRock is taking a refreshingly grounded approach with its newly unveiled Rock Series lineup.

In a market crowded with flashy, over-engineered motherboards, ASRock is taking a refreshingly grounded approach with its newly unveiled Rock Series lineup. Designed with practicality at its core, the new range targets PC DIY builders who want modern features, clean design, and dependable performance—without paying a premium for bells and whistles they may never use.

The Rock Series rolls out as a complete ecosystem rather than a single flagship product. ASRock is offering both ATX and micro-ATX (mATX) options, including the B850 Rock WiFi 7 and B860 Rock WiFi 7 for full-sized builds, alongside the B850M Rock WiFi and B860M Rock WiFi for more compact setups. The idea is simple: give builders flexible choices while keeping the experience consistent across the lineup.

What stands out immediately is how much ASRock is making standard rather than optional. Every Rock Series motherboard ships with built-in Wi-Fi, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and PCIe 5.0 support, ensuring compatibility with next-generation graphics cards and ultra-fast M.2 SSDs right out of the box. There’s no need to hunt for add-on cards or worry about future upgrades—these boards are already prepared for what’s coming next.

For those opting for the ATX variants, ASRock ups the ante with Wi-Fi 7 support, delivering faster speeds, lower latency, and improved reliability for modern connected homes and gaming setups. It’s a smart move that quietly future-proofs high-performance builds without turning the motherboard into a luxury item.

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ASRock has also paid attention to the often-overlooked DIY experience. A pre-installed I/O shield comes standard across the entire Rock Series, shaving time and frustration off the build process—especially for first-time builders. Meanwhile, the AMD B850-based models feature an expanded 64MB BIOS ROM, ensuring long-term support for upcoming AM5 processors.

Visually, the Rock Series keeps things understated. The boards lean toward a clean, no-nonsense aesthetic that blends easily into gaming rigs, productivity systems, or minimalist builds alike. It’s clear ASRock is prioritizing longevity over trends.

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In essence, the Rock Series feels like ASRock’s answer to builders who want balance. Not extreme, not barebones—just solid, modern motherboards designed to do exactly what most users need, and do it well.

By – Aaradhay Sharma

TCS and AMD Join Forces to Take Enterprise AI from Experiments to Real-World Scale

 Artificial intelligence has moved past the hype phase for enterprises — the real challenge now is making it work at scale. In a move aimed squarely at that problem, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced a strategic partnership with AMD, one of the world’s leading semiconductor companies, to help organisations take AI out of the lab and into full-scale production.

The collaboration brings together two complementary strengths. TCS contributes its deep industry knowledge, global delivery network, and experience modernising complex IT environments, while AMD powers the alliance with its high-performance CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators. Together, the two companies want to help enterprises turn promising AI pilots into reliable, secure, and scalable business systems.

Turning AI ambition into industry solutions

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all platforms, the partnership will focus on industry-specific AI and generative AI solutions. In life sciences, this could mean faster drug discovery and research workflows. In manufacturing, AI-driven quality engineering and smarter production systems are on the roadmap. For banking and financial services, the emphasis will be on intelligent risk management and decision-making systems.

Beyond use cases, TCS and AMD are also working on the foundations — AI frameworks, accelerators, and deployment best practices designed to improve both training and inference performance. These solutions are being built for real-world enterprise environments, spanning hybrid cloud, edge computing, and cloud-to-edge architectures, with security and scalability baked in from the start.

Built for the AI era’s infrastructure demands

As enterprises rethink their IT stacks for AI workloads, infrastructure plays a critical role. TCS plans to deploy AMD Ryzen-based client systems to support modern digital workplaces, while AMD EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs will be used to refresh hybrid cloud and high-performance computing environments. AMD’s embedded computing portfolio — including adaptive SoCs and FPGAs — will also support industrial and edge AI deployments.

AMD Chair and CEO Dr Lisa Su noted that as AI adoption accelerates, enterprises need both advanced computing power and closer collaboration across the ecosystem. The partnership with TCS, she said, is designed to help customers convert AI innovation into tangible business outcomes.

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Investing in people, not just platforms

A key pillar of the alliance is talent. TCS will rapidly upskill and certify its workforce on AMD’s latest hardware and software platforms, while both companies jointly invest in building expertise around AI and high-performance computing.

TCS CEO and Managing Director K Krithivasan described the partnership as a significant step toward enterprise-scale AI adoption, focused on co-creating industry-ready GenAI solutions and shaping the future of intelligent, AI-driven workplaces.

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At a time when many organisations are stuck between AI ambition and execution, the TCS–AMD partnership signals a clear shift: from experimentation to enterprise impact.

By Advik Gupta

25 Years of Wikipedia: The Human Experiment That Built the Internet’s Memory

On January 15, 2026, Wikipedia crossed a milestone few digital platforms ever reach — 25 years of existence. What began in 2001 as an ambitious experiment to let strangers write an encyclopedia together has grown into one of the most trusted pillars of the modern internet. To mark the occasion, the Wikimedia Foundation has launched “Wikipedia 25,” a year-long global celebration built around a powerful idea: Knowledge is Human.

Unlike flashy tech anniversaries driven by product launches or hardware reveals, Wikipedia’s celebration puts people front and centre — the millions of volunteers who have quietly shaped the world’s largest open knowledge project.

A Global Birthday, Celebrated Online

The anniversary kicked off with a massive virtual event livestreamed across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, blending games, storytelling, and surprise guest appearances. Instead of focusing on algorithms or growth charts, the event highlighted the human side of Wikipedia — editors, contributors, and readers from every corner of the globe.

Adding depth to the celebration is a newly released video docuseries that profiles eight volunteer editors. Among them is Dr. Netha Hussain, an Indian medical doctor who contributes health-related content, and a California-based weather expert who ensures climate and forecasting articles stay accurate and accessible.

New Ways to Celebrate 25 Years of Knowledge

Wikipedia is also rolling out a series of interactive features throughout 2026. Users can sign a digital birthday card on social media — an attempt to create the longest birthday message ever written online. In February, the site will introduce “Birthday Mode,” complete with Baby Globe, a cheerful mascot inspired by volunteer sketches.

There’s also a digital “25 Years of Wikipedia” time capsule, letting users explore defining moments from the platform’s history — from early edits to major global milestones.

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Wikipedia in the Age of AI

At 25, Wikipedia isn’t just surviving the AI era — it’s shaping it. With over 65 million articles in 300+ languages and nearly 15 billion monthly views, Wikipedia has become a critical source of human-verified knowledge for search engines, voice assistants, and generative AI systems.

To ensure sustainability, the Wikimedia Foundation has announced new commercial partnerships through Wikimedia Enterprise. Companies like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Mistral AI now pay for high-volume, structured access to Wikipedia’s data — helping fund the platform while keeping content free for everyone else.

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Reflecting on the journey, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said, “In 2001, Wikipedia started as a dream to share knowledge with everyone, everywhere. No one knew if it would work. Today, it has become the backbone of knowledge on the internet.”

As celebrations continue worldwide through 2026, Wikipedia’s message is clear: in a digital world increasingly shaped by machines, human-curated knowledge still matters more than ever.

By Aaradhay Sharma

Fast Frames, Rich Colours: BenQ’s EW270Q Aims to Redefine the All-Round Gaming Monitor

BenQ has quietly dropped a new contender into India’s crowded monitor market — and it’s one that aims to please both gamers and everyday power users. The newly launched BenQ EW270Q is a 27-inch QHD display that brings together a buttery-smooth 200Hz refresh rate, rich colour reproduction, and surprisingly capable built-in audio, all without demanding a high-end graphics card to shine.

At first glance, the EW270Q ticks all the right boxes for modern setups. The 27-inch IPS panel runs at a crisp 2560×1440 (QHD) resolution, striking a sweet spot between Full HD and 4K. For gamers, the headline feature is the 200Hz refresh rate, paired with a 1ms GtG response time, ensuring fast-paced action feels fluid and responsive — whether you’re grinding competitive shooters or exploring open-world titles.

Visual quality is where BenQ leans into its display expertise. The EW270Q covers 90% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, delivering punchy colours that work just as well for content creation, streaming, or casual photo work. Adding to this is BenQ’s proprietary HDRi technology, which uses a built-in sensor to intelligently adjust brightness, contrast, and colour tones based on the ambient lighting in your room. The result? A more comfortable, balanced viewing experience without constantly tweaking settings.

Gaming-focused features haven’t been overlooked. Support for AMD FreeSync Premium helps eliminate screen tearing and stuttering, while dedicated tools like Game Color Mode and Light Tuner give players better visibility in dark scenes — a small but meaningful advantage during intense gameplay.

Interestingly, audio is another area where the EW270Q stands out. Unlike many monitors that treat speakers as an afterthought, BenQ includes dual 5W treVolo-tuned speakers. With six selectable audio modes, the sound is loud, clear, and immersive enough for casual gaming, movies, or even video calls — no external speakers required.

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Connectivity is equally practical. The monitor features HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, and a USB-C port with 65W Power Delivery, allowing users to connect and charge compatible laptops with a single cable — a big plus for hybrid work and clean desk setups.

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Priced at around ₹17,990, the BenQ EW270Q positions itself as a compelling all-rounder: fast enough for serious gaming, polished enough for productivity, and affordable enough to appeal to a wide audience. For users looking to upgrade without overspending, this might just be one of BenQ’s most balanced displays yet.

By Aaradhay Sharma

Inside the RAM Crisis: Why Memory Chips Are Now More Valuable Than the PCs They Live In

If you thought graphics cards were once the hottest loot in tech thefts, 2026 has a new villain of the moment — RAM. In a bizarre yet telling incident reported on a Korean public forum, a thief broke into an office, shattered the tempered glass of a desktop PC, and walked away with just one thing: the memory modules. The computer itself? Left untouched.

Welcome to the era where RAM sticks can be worth more than the PC they’re installed in.

A Crime That Explains the Crisis

The stolen hardware consisted of four 32GB Micron RAM modules — small, light, easy to pocket, and shockingly valuable. With memory prices soaring, replacing them now costs far more than when the system was insured. The company’s insurer, according to the victim, is struggling to compensate because today’s RAM prices are wildly higher than even a few months ago.

From a criminal’s point of view, it was a smart move. Full PCs are bulky, traceable, and difficult to resell. RAM, on the other hand, is discreet, universally compatible, and fetches premium prices on the secondary market. Forum commenters noted that the thief clearly knew exactly what they were looking for — and why.

Why RAM Prices Have Gone Off the Rails

This isn’t your usual boom-and-bust semiconductor cycle. The current RAM shortage is being driven by a structural shift in the memory industry, largely powered by AI.

The explosive growth of AI models has created an insatiable demand for High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM), a specialized form of DRAM essential for AI accelerators in data centers. To chase higher margins, memory giants like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have redirected massive portions of their production capacity away from consumer DDR4 and DDR5 RAM and toward HBM.

At the same time, manufacturers are being cautious. After burning their fingers during the 2022–2023 downturn, they’re reluctant to expand standard DRAM capacity too quickly. Add to that the fact that pandemic-era inventory buffers have completely dried up — and you have a perfect storm.

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Consumers Feel the Heat

For everyday users, the impact is brutal. Consumer RAM prices have quadrupled in some markets, outpacing price hikes seen in CPUs, GPUs, or storage. High-capacity modules — including 128GB and 256GB sticks — are now selling for thousands of dollars.

This price shock has even changed how people think about PCsecurity. Some users are ditching glass side panels for solid metal cases, while others are physically locking down systems to prevent internal component theft.

What Happens Next?

Industry analysts warn that relief won’t come soon. With AI demand still accelerating, the RAM crunch could stretch into 2027 or even 2028. Until then, memory will remain expensive, scarce — and, apparently, tempting enough to steal.

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In 2026, RAM isn’t just a component anymore. It’s currency.

By Aaradhay Sharma

boAt Reinvents the TWS Game with Nirvana Crown: India’s First Truly Interactive Earbuds Case

boAt has never really played it safe, but with the NirvanaCrown, the brand has gone all in on experimentation — and it shows. Launched in January 2026, these new flagship true wireless earbuds don’t just aim to sound good; they’re trying to change how you interact with your earbuds altogether. And honestly, they kind of succeed.

The star of the show is the charging case — because yes, this time the case actually matters. At the centre of it all is boAt’s design-patented Sonic A.R.C. (Advanced Rotational Crown) system. Instead of being a passive box that just charges your earbuds, the Nirvana Crown’s case becomes a mini control hub. A smooth, rotatable dial with satisfying haptic feedback lets you tweak volume, play or pause music, and handle calls — all without pulling out your phone. It’s simple, intuitive, and strangely fun to use, especially when your phone is buried in a bag or pocket.

Visually, the case doesn’t disappoint either. A circular LED ring wraps around it, giving the Nirvana Crown a premium, almost futuristic vibe. But this isn’t just eye candy. The LEDs provide real-time feedback for actions, battery levels, and charging status. There’s even a built-in lock to prevent accidental rotations, and a neat little bonus: the case can double as a remote camera shutter for your phone — perfect for group photos or solo shots.

Thankfully, boAt hasn’t let the flashy design overshadow the basics. On the audio side, the Nirvana Crown packs up to 50dB Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation, which does a solid job of muting traffic, chatter, and everyday noise. Add real-time Spatial Audio into the mix, and the sound feels noticeably wider and more immersive — the kind that makes music and movies feel more cinematic than you’d expect at this price.

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Call quality is equally impressive. With six microphones backed by AI-powered ENx technology, your voice stays clear while background noise fades into the background — even in chaotic environments.

Where the experience really shines is customization. Through the boAt Hearables App v2.0, users get deep control over almost everything: EQ settings, ANC modes, LED colours and patterns, haptic strength, control mapping for both the earbuds and the rotating crown, battery tracking, and even OTA updates. The app itself is clean, colourful, and easy to navigate, making personalization feel fun rather than overwhelming.

Battery life is another strong point. The Nirvana Crown delivers up to 40 hours of total playback with ANC turned off, and 25 hours with ANC on. Short on time? boAt’s ASAP Charge gives you around three hours of playback from just ten minutes of charging. Gamers will appreciate BEAST™ Mode for ultra-low latency audio, while the IPX4 rating means workouts, sweat, and light rain won’t be an issue. Support for Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and both Google and Apple voice assistants rounds out the feature list nicely.

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The boAt Nirvana Crown comes in Blazing Red, Gunmetal Gray, and Sapphire Blue, and launches at a special introductory price of ₹2,499 for the first seven days, after which it will retail at ₹2,799. It’s available on Amazon, Flipkart, boat-lifestyle.com, and select offline stores across India.

In a market flooded with look-alike earbuds, the Nirvana Crown genuinely feels different. boAt isn’t just selling another TWS here — it’s making a bold attempt to rethink what earbuds can do, especially at this price point. And for once, the risk feels completely worth it.

By – Aaradhay Sharma

Lyne Originals' New Wave of Affordable Tech: Power Banks, Speakers, and Earbuds That Actually Deliver

Hey tech fans! If you're like me, you're always on the hunt for gadgets that perform like pros but don't empty your wallet. In a crowded market full of overhyped devices, Lyne Originals is refreshing things with a fresh lineup of six products focused on real-world reliability. As a homegrown brand specializing in smart accessories and audio, they're doubling down on value—think long battery life, crisp sound, and fast charging at prices that won't make you wince. I recently dove into their latest launch, and let's just say, it's a solid win for everyday users in India.

Drawing from insights shared by Mr. Kavya Vij, Chief Product Officer at Lyne Originals, this collection is shaped by actual user needs: from gaming sessions and streaming binges to work calls and travel woes. No unnecessary bells and whistles—just dependable tech that's accessible without the premium markup. Let's break down the new arrivals, shall we?

Power That Keeps You Going All Day: Startup-22 Power Bank

First on the list is the Startup-22 Power Bank, a beast for the perpetually on-the-go crowd. Packing a massive 20,000mAh capacity, it supports 65W fast charging with PD and QC protocols, meaning you can juice up your phone, tablet, and even a laptop simultaneously. The built-in LED display is a game-changer for tracking battery levels and charging status at a glance. Available in clean Black and White finishes, it's minimalist yet mighty.

Key Specs: 20,000mAh, 65W fast charging, multi-device support.

Why It Stands Out: Perfect for travelers or multitaskers who hate dead devices mid-day.

Price: Competitive, aligning with Lyne's value-first ethos.

If you've ever been stranded with a drained battery during a long flight, this could be your new travel essential.

Compact Sound with a Party Vibe: Startup-29 Bluetooth Speaker

Next up, the Startup-29 Bluetooth Speaker proves that good things come in small packages. With 20W output and a 52mm driver, it delivers surprisingly immersive audio for indoor jams. Bluetooth 5.3 ensures smooth connectivity, and it boasts up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge. The included wireless microphone turns it into a karaoke machine—ideal for casual get-togethers or solo sing-alongs. Choose from vibrant Blue, Orange, or Green to add some fun to your setup.

Key Specs: 20W output, 52mm driver, 10-hour battery, Bluetooth 5.3, wireless mic.

Why It Stands Out: Compact yet powerful, with a playful twist for entertainment.

Price: Affordable, making it a steal for budget-conscious audiophiles.

Compared to bulkier speakers, this one's portability is a huge plus for picnics or dorm rooms.

Wireless Audio for Every Lifestyle: Startup-15 TWS Earbuds and Neckbands

For true wireless enthusiasts, the Startup-15 TWS Earbuds are a standout. Featuring Bluetooth 6.0, ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) for clearer calls, and 13mm drivers, they offer up to 50 hours of total playback (including the charging case). The 49ms low-latency mode is a boon for gamers and streamers, minimizing lag. Type-C charging keeps things modern and efficient.

Key Specs: Bluetooth 6.0, ENC, 13mm drivers, 50-hour playback, 49ms latency.

Why It Stands Out: Versatile for calls, music, and gaming without breaking the bank.

Price: Value-packed, starting from accessible ranges.

Neckband lovers get three options to suit different needs:

Startup-17: Emphasizes all-day comfort with magnetic earbuds, 50 hours of playback, and balanced sound—great for extended wear.

Start-2: Tailored for gaming and entertainment, with responsive audio and voice assistant support for hands-free convenience.

Start-1: Focuses on ultra-low latency for immersive media sessions, like movies or podcasts.

Key Specs (Across Neckbands): Varying playback times (up to 50 hours), magnetic features, low-latency modes.

Why They Stand Out: Flexible choices for comfort, performance, or immersion.

Price: Starts at just ₹199 for the entry-level Start-1, making them insanely affordable.

These earbuds and neckbands feel like a step up from generic brands, offering features you'd expect in pricier options.

READ ALSO: Pebble Qore Emerges as a Screen-Free Wellness Wearable Leader in India

Pricing, Availability, and Final Thoughts

Lyne Originals has nailed the pricing game, with everything from ₹199 for basic neckbands to higher but still reasonable tiers for the power bank and speaker. All six products are available now through leading offline retail stores across India, emphasizing accessibility—no online-only hassles.

Overall, this launch isn't about chasing viral trends; it's about delivering tech that works reliably in daily life. If you're tired of overpriced gadgets that underperform, Lyne Originals' lineup is worth checking out. I've tested similar affordable audio gear before, and this feels like a genuine upgrade in value.

BY—Nirosha Gupta

India’s Cybersecurity Wake-Up Call: Why 2026 Is the Year Enterprises Must Rethink Defence

India’s digital economy is racing toward the $1 trillion mark, but cybercriminals are moving even faster. As businesses digitise at scale, attackers are no longer relying on brute force or random scams—they’re using AI, automation, and deep intelligence to strike with precision.

According to the India Cyber Threat Report 2026 by Seqrite, Indian organisations were hit with a staggering 265.52 million cyberattacks in the past year—that’s one new attack every 12 seconds. The message is clear: reactive security is broken. In 2026, survival depends on predictive, intelligence-driven defence.

Here are the five major cybersecurity trends reshaping how enterprises protect themselves.

1️⃣ AI-Powered Phishing Is Beating Humans and Machines

Phishing has evolved from obvious scam emails into highly personalised, AI-crafted messages that feel alarmingly real. These attacks mirror internal emails, reference real projects, and exploit job roles and live events.

Security experts at Barracuda Networks warn that such attacks routinely bypass traditional filters and awareness training. The new defence? Adaptive email security, real-time threat intelligence, and continuous risk scoring—not once-a-year training slides.

2️⃣ Ransomware Is No Longer a One-Time Attack

Today’s ransomware doesn’t just lock files—it moves in stages. Attackers steal data, encrypt systems, threaten public leaks, and often return for repeat extortion.

Threat data from Seqrite Labs shows ransomware activity at historic highs, with attackers deliberately targeting cloud workloads, identity systems, and backups. Enterprises are now prioritising immutable storage, network segmentation, and rapid recovery plans to stay operational.

3️⃣ Shadow AI Is the New Shadow IT—And Far More Dangerous

The rise of autonomous AI agents has quietly created a new risk: Shadow AI. These tools can copy themselves, evolve, and access sensitive data—often without leaving audit trails.

The result? Companies know data leaked, but can’t trace which AI did it or why. This “exposure without visibility” is becoming one of the most urgent enterprise risks of 2026.

Read Also:Stolen PAN Numbers Fuel a New Wave of Financial Fraud AcrossIndia

4️⃣ Quantum Threats Are No Longer Theoretical

Cybersecurity leaders now call 2026 the post-quantum inflection point. With “harvest-now, decrypt-later” attacks already underway, encrypted data stolen today could be broken tomorrow.

Forward-thinking enterprises are shifting to crypto-agility, ensuring they can rapidly switch encryption standards when quantum-safe algorithms become mandatory.

5️⃣ Zero Trust Grows Smarter—and More Aggressive

Security has moved from static defence to continuous AI-driven testing. Zero Trust 2.0 now extends into applications and AI systems themselves, treating AI agents as identities that must be monitored, restricted, and sandboxed.

Read Also: CrowdStrike Acquires SGNL to Bring Real-Time IdentitySecurity Into the AI Era

At the same time, geopolitical tensions are driving “geopatriation”—the migration of sensitive workloads to sovereign and regional clouds to ensure data residency, compliance, and national security alignment.

By Aaradhay Sharma

WhatsApp May Soon Give Parents More Control—Without Reading Teen Chats

 WhatsApp could soon introduce a long-awaited feature aimed at helping parents keep minors safer online—without crossing the line into constant surveillance.

According to early reports, the Meta-owned messaging platform is developing “secondary accounts” designed specifically for teenagers and minors. These accounts would allow parents or guardians to link their own WhatsApp account and manage certain privacy and safety settings, while still respecting a young user’s personal space.

In simple terms, it’s about guidance, not spying.

What Are Secondary Accounts?

Secondary accounts are reportedly being built for underage users who already rely heavily on WhatsApp—for school groups, tuition classes, family chats, and staying connected with friends. Instead of banning or restricting access altogether, WhatsApp appears to be focusing on creating a safer, age-appropriate experience.

Each secondary account can be linked to a primary account, typically belonging to a parent or guardian, using a dedicated connection link.

What Parents Can—and Can’t—See

Once linked, parents would gain access to a set of privacy-focused controls, including:

Managing who can contact the minor

Limiting interactions with unknown users

Viewing basic activity updates

Crucially, WhatsApp is said to be drawing a clear boundary:

Parents won’t be able to read messages, listen to calls, or see call logs.

This balance is likely aimed at addressing growing concerns around teen safety online, while still preserving the trust and independence young users need.

READ ALSO: whose world-first ban for under-16s on social mediaplatforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came

Why This Matters Now

With governments worldwide tightening regulations around children’s online safety—and platforms like Meta facing increasing scrutiny—WhatsApp’s move feels both timely and strategic. Teenagers already use the app extensively, often without formal supervision. Rather than pushing them away, WhatsApp seems to be acknowledging reality and adapting responsibly.

Still a Work in Progress

The feature is reportedly still under development, and visibility may vary across regions and Android beta versions. Screenshots shared by trusted tracker WABetaInfo suggest the controls are real, but no official rollout timeline has been confirmed yet.

If launched, this could mark a significant shift in how messaging apps approach teen safety—offering protection without invading privacy.

—By Nirosha Gupta

Amazon Bets on Ambient AI Again — Meet Bee, the $50 Wearable That Listens, Learns, and Logs Your Life

By redefining what an AI wearable should be, Amazon is quietly making its way back into a market it once struggled to crack.

Amazon is stepping back into the wearable arena — this time with a very different philosophy. After acquiring AI wearable startup Bee in September 2025, the tech giant is backing a minimalist, always-listening device that promises to work in the background of your life, not compete for your attention.

Priced at just $50, Bee’s new AI wearable doesn’t flash notifications, vibrate constantly, or try to replace your smartphone. Instead, it listens — quietly.

A Wearable That Fades Into the Background

Bee’s device is designed as “ambient AI” hardware. It can be worn on the wrist or clipped to clothing, and it continuously records and transcribes daily activities. From casual conversations to work discussions, Bee turns real-life moments into automatic to-do lists, summaries, and personal insights — all without the user needing to tap a screen or say a wake word.

There’s no display. No camera. No endless prompts.

That’s intentional.

Unlike previous AI wearables that aimed to be the next smartphone — and failed — Bee positions itself as a digital memory and daily journal, quietly working in the background while you live your life.

Learning from Past AI Wearable Failures

The AI wearable market has had a rocky start. High-profile launches like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1 struggled with software bugs, short battery life, and limited real-world usefulness. Many users quickly realized their phones already did most of what these devices promised — and did it better.

Bee takes a different approach. It doesn’t try to compete with your phone. It complements it.

With a claimed battery life of up to one week, the device avoids one of the biggest pain points that plagued earlier AI gadgets.

Smarter, More Proactive — With Amazon Behind It

Since joining Amazon as a small, eight-person team, Bee has rapidly expanded its feature set. New updates include voice notes, allowing users to capture ideas with a single button press, and daily insights that reflect patterns in mood, energy levels, and even relationship dynamics.

The company is also making Bee more proactive. A new “actions” feature connects the assistant to your calendar and email, enabling it to draft emails, suggest meetings, or create calendar invites automatically.

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Co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo says the goal is simple: reduce friction between thought and action.

A Quiet Comeback

Amazon’s earlier attempts in wearables delivered mixed results. But with Bee, the company appears to have learned an important lesson — sometimes the best technology is the one that gets out of the way.

If Bee succeeds, it won’t be because it demands attention — but because it quietly earns trust, one day at a time.

BY- Nirosha Gupta

Meta Pushes Back as Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Triggers Mass Account Purge

 By the end of its first week, Australia’s landmark social media ban had already reshaped the digital lives of hundreds of thousands of teenagers. But as enforcement ramps up, Meta is warning that the law may be creating new risks rather than solving old ones.

Australia’s world-first ban on social media use for under-16s is barely a month old, yet its impact is already striking. Meta revealed that it has blocked more than 544,000 underage accounts across its platforms in just the first week of enforcement — a move the company says shows compliance, but also highlights serious flaws in the policy.

The law, which came into force on December 10, requires major platforms such as Meta, TikTok and YouTube to prevent anyone under 16 from holding an account. Companies that fail to take what the legislation calls “reasonable steps” risk fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (around USD 33 million).

Half a million accounts, gone in days

According to Meta, the removals included 331,000 Instagram accounts, 173,000 Facebook profiles, and about 40,000 accounts on Threads. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company acted swiftly to meet its legal obligations — but cautioned that the sheer scale of removals exposes how difficult enforcement will be in practice.

Meta says it supports protecting young people online, but argues that an outright ban is a blunt instrument. “Blanket restrictions risk pushing teens away from safer, regulated platforms and into less visible parts of the internet,” the company said, where oversight is weaker and harms may be harder to detect.

A call for collaboration, not confrontation

In a direct appeal to Canberra, Meta urged the government to rethink its approach and work more closely with the tech industry. Instead of bans, the company wants incentives for platforms to raise standards around privacy-preserving age verification and age-appropriate online experiences.

One of Meta’s core arguments centres on enforcement. The company renewed its call for app stores — not individual platforms — to take responsibility for verifying users’ ages and securing parental consent before apps are downloaded. Without that, Meta warns, platforms are stuck in a “whack-a-mole” cycle, blocking teens on one service only for them to reappear on another, often with fewer safeguards.

Australia stands firm

The Australian government remains unmoved. Officials insist social media companies already collect extensive user data and should be capable of keeping children off their platforms. “They can and must use that information to comply with Australian law and ensure people under 16 are not on their platforms,” a government spokesperson said.

What about teens themselves?

Meta also points to concerns raised by parents and child-development experts, who fear the ban could isolate teenagers from supportive online communities, particularly those who rely on digital spaces for social connection or mental-health support. The company claims early signals suggest the policy may not be delivering its intended boost to youth safety and wellbeing.

As Australia presses ahead with its tough stance, the global tech industry is watching closely. Whether this bold experiment becomes a blueprint for child safety — or a cautionary tale about unintended consequences — is a question that may only be answered with time.

BY- Nirosha Gupta 

Breaking the Mold: AORUS Reinvents the RTX 5090 with a Compact Powerhouse Design

At CES 2026, GIGABYTE has pulled the curtain back on what may be one of its most ambitious graphics cards to date — the AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 INFINITY. Designed for enthusiasts who want uncompromised performance without oversized hardware, the new flagship blends a space-efficient form factor with an all-new cooling architecture aimed squarely at next-generation gaming and AI workloads.

Built on NVIDIA’s cutting-edge Blackwell architecture, the RTX 50 Series marks a major leap forward for both gamers and creators. With massive AI compute capability, support for DLSS 4, and enhanced NVIDIA Studio tools, the platform is engineered to deliver richer visuals, faster rendering, and smarter performance scaling. GIGABYTE’s AORUS team has taken that foundation and reshaped how a flagship GPU can look, feel, and perform.

Cooling Reimagined for Maximum Airflow

Thermal performance sits at the heart of the RTX 5090 INFINITY’s design philosophy. GIGABYTE introduces the WINDFORCE HYPERBURST Cooling System, paired with the brand’s first-ever separated PCB layout. This approach opens up clear airflow paths through both sides of the card, allowing heat to escape more efficiently than traditional designs.

A standout element is the Double Flow Through structure, which enables air to pass cleanly through the backplate without obstruction. When workloads intensify, a hidden Overdrive Fan at the center of the card activates automatically, injecting an extra surge of cooling air to stabilize temperatures and sustain peak performance — especially during AI-heavy gaming or creative tasks.

Read Also : GIGABYTE has expanded its premium gaming portfolio in India

Advanced Thermal Engineering

The cooling system integrates several refinements developed specifically for high-power GPUs:

Patented Hawk Fans, inspired by eagle wings, reduce turbulence while increasing air pressure and lowering acoustic output.

A direct-touch vapor chamber sits flush against the GPU die, ensuring rapid heat transfer.

Superconducting heat pipes and composite metal thermal grease work together to manage the card’s substantial power draw under sustained loads.

The result is a cooling solution designed not just to handle the RTX 5090’s performance ceiling, but to do so quietly and consistently.

Compact, Yet Premium

Despite its flagship status, the AORUS RTX 5090 INFINITY avoids the bulk typically associated with top-tier GPUs. Measuring 33 cm in length and 14.5 cm in height, the card is engineered to fit comfortably in a wider range of systems, including mATX and select ITX builds.

Read Also :GIGABYTE Pushes X3D Performance Further with AI-Driven TurboMode 2.0 at CES 2026 

Visually, the card carries a bold circular design language, accented by a die-cast metal frame, reinforced backplate, and GIGABYTE’s signature RGB Halo lighting, delivering both durability and visual flair.

Performance at the Core

Under the hood, the RTX 5090 INFINITY brings no compromises:

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 5090 (Blackwell architecture)

Memory: 32GB GDDR7 with a 512-bit memory interface

AI & Graphics: Fourth-generation Ray Tracing Cores and fifth-generation Tensor Cores

Display Support: Up to four displays, with resolutions reaching 8K (7680 × 4320)

Power Delivery: Single 16-pin PCIe power connector

A New Direction for Flagship GPUs

With the AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 INFINITY, GIGABYTE signals a shift in flagship GPU design — one that prioritizes airflow efficiency, structural innovation, and broader system compatibility without sacrificing raw power. It’s a statement piece for gamers and creators who want elite performance wrapped in a smarter, more refined form.

Author: Aaradhay Sharma