Editor Blogs

July 2020

Qualcomm's New Quick Charger Takes Phones to 50% in 5 Min

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

If 30 minutes for a 50% charge seems crazy fast, Qualcomm is getting ready to blow your mind. The company announced its new Quick Charge 5 technology, which supposedly leverages 100 w to fill a 4,500mAh battery to 50% in five minutes and 0-100% in 15 minutes. Phones utilizing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 and 865 Plus

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Date:

07/27/2020

The results of BadPower, according to Xuanwu Lab, a Chinese research unit.

Hacked Fast Charger Can Destroy Connected Devices

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

As if 2020 hasn’t thrown enough at us, Chinese researchers are now claiming they can hack into the firmware of fast chargers to melt your connected devices. Splendid. Xuanwu Lab, a Chinese research unit, announced a technique called BadPower (apt title) that alters the firmware of fast chargers to melt o

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Date:

07/20/2020

Grant Imahara, of "Mythbusters" Fame, Dead at 49

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

2020 has taken another dark turn as one of the most beloved celebrity engineers of all time has died suddenly at 49. In a statement Monday night, the Discovery Channel confirmed that Grant Imahara, who became a geek sensation on the show “Mythbusters,” passed away of a brain aneurysm. And th

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Date:

07/14/2020

ADI and Maxim to Merge in Deal Worth $21 billion

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

To quote The King, I’m all shook up. Fresh off Analog Devices’ acquisition of Linear Technology a scant three years ago, the Massachusetts-based semiconductor giant has announced a merger with Maxim. And just when you thought 2020 was fresh outta surprises… The deal ran approximately $21 billion (for a combine

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Date:

07/13/2020

Electric Fire Truck Could Revolutionize Emergency Vehicles

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

The world’s first all-electric fire truck is about to get an extended field test. Volvo Penta and its Austrian partner, Rosenbauer, are putting their electrified Concept Fire Truck (CFT) through the paces in preparation for real-world customer testing with fire departments in Berlin, Amsterdam and Du

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Date:

07/06/2020