AMD has finally confirmed that this week it will be acquiring FPGA maker Xilinx for $35 billion. Xilinx makes FPGA or Field Programmable Gate Array chips. Rumor had it that AMD was buying Xilinx for $30 billion.

FPGA chips can be reconfigured for a wide variety of specialized tasks. These chips are in high demand within the automotive industry, cellular base stations, and other vertical markets. They are programmed to carry out specific tasks.

To analysts, the move means that AMD is boosting its Artificial Intelligence capability to keep up with competitor Nvidia in working with Machine Learning as well as Inference.

According to Semico Research, Xilinx’ Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence capabilities will be a boost for AMD as it moves into AI and ML.

AMD will be in a position to diversify and penetrate new markets that they are yet to get into and which would require massive investments. These are markets like Telcom, Industrial, and Automotive.

Both AMD and Xilinks had invested heavily in their data centers, and the new acquisition means that AMD is in a better position to compete with Nvidia.

Better Leadership

The deal reflects the steady growth of AMD stock from $2 five years ago to $78.88. The company is worth $100 billion.

In going for an all-stock deal, the company has avoided taking on debt which can potentially harm the company.

AMDA is following the example of Intel which acquired Altera in 2015 for $16.7 billion. Altera was the top competitor for Xilinx before the acquisition; which did not turn out well for Intel, due to leadership issues.

The coming together of Xilinx and AMDA is a unification of two companies that can easily complement each other’s strong points.
The deal is the fruition of years of talks between the two companies. The Xilinx leader will remain on board after the merger.

From the humble printing press to 3D printers – this is an industry that has experienced big change. Even in a digital world, printing isn’t dead either. According to Quocirca’s Global Print 2025 study, 64% of businesses said they believe printing will remain important to their daily business even by 2025. So here’s what we can look forward to in the future.

It will become more environmentally friendly

Millions of trees are used for paper and millions of cartridges are sent to landfill each year – but that trend is being reversed. We can anticipate that printing will become much more environmentally friendly in the future to ensure it keeps up with the times. Whether that is only using recycled cartridges and paper or buying high-capacity XL ink cartridges which can last longer efficiency and green concerns will be at the forefront. 

Eco modes will be common in every model and will offer ever-greater eco-friendly performance.

The composition of ink has even been reconsidered to help it last as long as possible too. New formulae have been created to help reduce the ink drying up in the cartridge and it getting wasted.

3D printing will become more advanced

Printing has traditionally been a 2D affair – on paper, card, fabric and plastic. However, in recent times 3D printing has come into the mainstream spotlight. These use materials in place of ink or toner and formulate solid products.

The technology is now even being used to create organs.

• Researchers at the University of Minnesota created a 3D printed prototype bionic eye and in the UK scientists have used stem cells to 3D print human corneas. 
• The Netherlands have printed a tooth which can kill bacteria.
• Switzerland has been successful in creating a 3D printed silicone heart. 

This is where there is room to grow, however. 3D printed organs will transform medicine and enhance people’s lives. Currently, the silicone heart can only beat up to 3,000 times (the average heart beats 80 times a minute, meaning the 3D printed organ will only last 37.5 minutes). While this is a short time, it’s progress. A foundation has now been set and the future will probably see fully-functioning organs coming off the printer.

Printing will become easier

Printing has already been made pretty easy. Once upon a time, it was impossible to print a document without your computer being tethered to it by a cable. Now printers have wi-fi capabilities meaning you can click print on your laptop, computer, mobile phone or tablet – regardless of whether you’re connected with a wire or not. Some printers even have the ability to print when you’re not near it. In fact, you could be out shopping and want to send something to the printer for when you get home via a designated email belonging to your printer. In the future, we may see this become the norm on all printers, making the whole process of printing quicker and easier – and taking the current cutting edge functions to the mainstream.

AI could be an everyday appearance

Artificial intelligence (AI) can play a huge part in the printing industry. In an office setting, for example, it could help to enhance security – with printed materials being scanned to auto approve entry to buildings or access to a printer restricted to employees with the correct permissions.

An ‘intelligent’ printer can also provide forecasts on when you can expect to run out of ink or toner, or when you may need the printer servicing – and your printer could even order more for you. 

Printing has already transformed and evolved so much and as technology also grows, we can expect printing to continue. From the humble printing press to being able to create a heart – printing is not dead yet.  

Even if you have some knowledge about computers and technology in general, wireless routers can still be a mystery. OK, we all know what Wi-Fi means, but in most cases, other terms like Parental controls, Guest networks, UPnP, and similar are unknown for most of us. Well, we are here to help and make some things clearer for those buying a new wireless router.

This article will guide you through the necessary things you need to pay attention to when buying a new wireless router. In the end, you should be able to choose the best one, which will provide an excellent Internet experience.

Wireless Range

When it comes to wireless routers, we can say that they have different signal ranges. When the signal is strong and you are in the covered area, you will be able to enjoy the best browsing speeds. On the other hand, if the signal is weak because you are not in the optimal range, you can expect slow speeds, problems when connecting to the wireless network, and so on.

This can be pretty annoying. Having problems with the signal strength because of short-range can be prevented if you do some measuring first. In order to determine the preferred signal range, it is best to position yourself at the center of the place you are going to use the router in and measure the distance to the furthest position you are going to need a signal.

Generally speaking, this is the required signal range, but the signal range mentioned on the router is not always correct. For that reason, it is always better to get a router with a higher signal range. 20-40% more is usually enough.

Internet Usage

Depending on the internet activity, your router will be more or less stressed. To be more precise, it is not the same whether you are playing Fortnite online or just reading through some recipes or checking your Facebook account. During your research for the best router, one of the terms you will hear quite often is “band”.

There are single and dual-band routers, and since we are looking for the best router, we should opt for the dual one. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the single band router won’t work well; it’s just that dual-band routers are better when it comes to online gaming, streaming movies, listening to your favorite songs using Spotify, and so on.

Additional Features

Just like with smartphones, the price of the router increases with some additional features. The thing is that maybe you will easily find a way to use a specific feature in a more affordable wireless router. Still, on the other hand, if you pay for a high-priced router and you don’t really need that feature, you are practically wasting money. This is why you need to think about what you really need from your wireless router.

Do you need to set up a guest network or control the time your kids spend online? If yes, then it is good to pay for these features since they are easily accessible when you log in to the wireless router. However, if you are just interested in Netflix and Facebook, you will be more than satisfied with a cheaper router without these features.

Budget

It would be nice to get all the features we need, but in most cases, our budget is the biggest obstacle here. A pretty good wireless router can cost around $150, and in most cases, even more. Since we know how many devices depend on our internet connection, we can say that the router is a pretty important device in any household. However, you shouldn’t think that a more expensive router will make your Internet speed faster. Therefore, just stay with the features you need the most and don’t go crazy.

Quick Summary – How To Choose The Best Wireless Router

• Measure the distance for the best signal range and increase it by 20 to 40%
• Depending on your internet usage, choose a single band or dual-band router.
• Find the router that has all the features you really need
• Choose a router that fits your budget but doesn’t be afraid to spend some extra cash for something you are going to use for a long time in the future.

As you can see, it is not that difficult to find the best wireless router for you. However, before purchase, we strongly recommend you check some customer reviews. By doing this, you can easily see whether there are some specific problems with the router you are planning to buy. Good luck!