Category: Technology

  • SPEXA 2026: Japan’s Largest Space Business Show Expands to Showcase Global Innovations and Strategic Partnerships

    SPEXA 2026: Japan’s Largest Space Business Show Expands to Showcase Global Innovations and Strategic Partnerships

     

     
    Tokyo, Japan | May 19 — The global space industry is preparing for its most significant gathering in Asia as SPEXA 2026 returns to Tokyo Big Sight from May 27 to 29, 2026. This year’s edition marks a dramatic expansion, growing to 1.5 times the size of the previous year to accommodate approximately 300 exhibitors. As Japan’s premier platform for the space sector, the event serves as a critical bridge between international pioneers and the sophisticated technology of the Japanese market. 
     
    The 2026 exhibition is distinguished by the participation of undisputed industry giants from around the world. International leaders such as Rocket Lab and Airbus will showcase their latest advancements alongside Japanese powerhouses including NEC and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. This concentration of industry leadership underscores SPEXA’s role as a vital hub where decision-makers from diverse sectors—ranging from electronics and energy to manufacturing and materials—converge to drive the future of the space economy. 
     
    A major highlight of this year’s show is the World Space Agency Pavilion, which brings together representative bodies from across the globe to foster international cooperation. This dedicated area features prominent global entities such as The European Space Agency (ESA) and Spain Space, allowing visitors to engage directly with governmental agencies to understand national space priorities and explore cross-border collaborative frameworks. By centralizing these organizations, SPEXA ensures that attendees can navigate the complex landscape of global space policy in a single location. 
     
    In addition to the agency-led initiatives, the event will shine a spotlight on the cutting edge of domestic innovation through The Space Strategy Fund (SSF) Selected Exhibitors area. This special feature showcases companies and projects specifically chosen under Japan’s strategic national funding initiatives, including breakthrough technologies in lunar infrastructure and robotics. Visitors can explore high-potential ventures that are currently shaping the next generation of space exploration under the guidance of national strategic priorities. 
     
    The SPEXA 2026 Conference program has been significantly enhanced, featuring over 40 sessions directly connected to the space business. This year’s lineup includes highly anticipated sessions such as “Disruptive Strategies: How Elon Musk Engineered the Largest IPO in History” and discussions on the emerging “Space Data Center” market. Led by distinguished experts from NASA, JAXA, former astronauts, and executives from firms like ispace, Axelspace, and Astroscale, the conference will cover critical themes including rocket development, satellite utilization, and the Post-ISS Era. To ensure a seamless experience, AI simultaneous interpretation is provided for Japanese sessions.  
     
    Beyond the formal sessions and exhibition booths, SPEXA 2026 is designed to facilitate meaningful business connections through structured networking opportunities. A dedicated International Visitor Lounge offers a professional environment for private consultations and collaborative work, while the Day 1 Networking Party provides an exclusive setting for building relationships with industry peers. These features are tailored to support international professionals seeking reliable Japanese subsystems, precision components, and long-term supply chain partners. 
     
    As the space sector continues its transition toward a robust commercial ecosystem, SPEXA 2026 provides the comprehensive view necessary to stay competitive. It is the essential venue for business leaders, investors, and engineers to evaluate emerging technologies and secure their place in the next decade of space industry growth. 
     
     
     

     

     

  • The Death of the Five-Year Plan in Legal Firms: New Research from The Positive Group Reveals AI has Ended Stable Planning Cycles in Big Law Firms

    The traditional multi-year strategic roadmap, long a staple of the legal industry’s C-suite, is rapidly losing its relevance. This is one of the key findings from new research released today by leadership consultancy The Positive Group, which reveals that the rapid adoption of AI has dismantled stable planning cycles, forcing the world’s leading law firms into a state of “perpetual pivot.”

     The study, titled The AI Leadership Challenge in Law, which was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Harvard Business School, RSGI, and Hubel Labs, is based on in-depth insights from 16 of the most influential figures in the global legal market. Participants included Managing Partners, Chief AI and Innovation Officers, and firm-wide decision-makers responsible for strategy, risk, and professional standards at firms including Orrick, Herbert Smith Freehills, Bird & Bird, Baker McKenzie, A&O Shearman, White & Case, Gilbert + Tobin, and Kramer Levin.

     The Acceleration Trap

    The findings paint a picture of a sector struggling to sync human cognition with technological velocity. For decades, law firms operated on predictable three-to-five-year cycles. Today, the research suggests that AI is not a discrete “transformation programme” with a finish line, but an atmospheric shift. One study contributor noted a staggering contraction in strategic timelines: “Our long-term plans were happening within about four months.”

     This acceleration is reshaping how the world’s largest law firms make decisions. Multi-year roadmaps are being discarded in favour of “rolling reassessments”. What was considered cutting-edge 18 months ago—or even last quarter—is already being revised as standard practice.

     However, employees are struggling to keep pace with this change – as one study participant leader reflected, “the propensity of tech change is almost unlimited… the propensity of humans to change is very limited.”

     Will Marien, Director at The Positive Group, said: “The legal sector is facing a cognitive gap that technology alone cannot bridge. We are seeing a fundamental misalignment between the ‘unlimited’ propensity of tech change and the very real, biological limits of human adaptation. For leaders at law firms, the challenge isn’t just selecting employees with the right LLM; it’s managing a workforce that is being asked to adapt to rapid change every few months, while meeting client demand and working within a billable hours system.”

     Rising risk of ‘automation bias’

    Crucially, the research highlights a dangerous trend: Accumulation. While technology moves at light speed, organisational structures are lagging. In most instances, AI is being bolted onto existing workflows rather than triggering a fundamental redesign of how work is organised.

     Lawyers are currently expected to master complex new tools and respond to shifting client expectations without any reduction in their existing caseloads. In an environment already defined by “peak workload” and billable-hour pressure, AI is frequently becoming an additional layer of complexity rather than a time-saving solution.

     The result is a looming behavioural risk. The Positive Group warns that when time is constrained and cognitive load is exceeded, professionals are more likely to accept AI-generated outputs without the necessary interrogation – an “automation bias” that could have significant implications for professional standards and risk management.

     The Perfection Paradox

    The study also identifies a growing cultural tension within law firms. The legal profession is built on a foundation of 100% precision and total reliability. However, AI operates on a probabilistic “80/20” basis. This creates a friction point where “imperfect” tools are often rejected by cynical associates rather than being improved through iterative use.

     As one study participant bluntly put it: “If we wait for perfection, we’re toast. Yet, moving too fast risks the very reputation for accuracy that these global brands are built upon.”

     Will Marien added: “Leadership in the age of AI requires a shift from ‘command and control’ to ‘psychological agility.’ Without clear leadership framing, this tension between the need for speed and the requirement for precision leads to total disengagement. If firms don’t address the human element of this transition, they will find themselves with incredibly sophisticated tools that no one actually trusts or uses effectively. The end of stable planning cycles means leaders must now prioritise building resilient, adaptive cultures over rigid strategic milestones.”

     The research concludes that the law firms which thrive in this new era will be those that move beyond seeing AI as an IT project and instead treat it as a fundamental challenge to human performance and organisational design.

  • Dust raises USD40M to make AI multiplayer inside the enterprise

    Series B round with Abstract and Sequoia to scale its multiplayer AI platform for human-agent collaboration. The company now serves more than 3,000 organizations, with 51,000 monthly active users, zero churn in 2025, and 300,000 agents deployed across the platform.

    San Francisco, CA – May 19; Most companies have adopted AI, but they haven’t become meaningfully more intelligent as organizations. One person prompts an assistant, gets an answer, and the context disappears into a private chat window. The result is real productivity at the individual level, with very little compounding across teams. Dust, the multiplayer agentic AI system, was built to change that by making AI collaborative, shared, and operational across an entire company.

    The company today announced a $40 million Series B with Abstract and Sequoia, with participation from Snowflake Ventures and Datadog. With this round, Dust has raised over $60 million in total funding. 

    Why this matters now

    Most organizations are stuck in what Dust calls single-player AI. Every employee has their own assistant with its own context and its own outputs. A sales rep researches an account, then the solutions engineer starts from scratch the next day. Marketing drafts a one-pager, then enablement recreates a battlecard with different inputs. The effort repeats, knowledge fragments, and gains don’t compound.

    Dust argues that most AI tools used by enterprises reinforce this pattern. Foundation model workspaces and copilots are powerful, but they’re primarily designed around one individual’s workflows and context. Enterprise search tools retrieve information, but don’t take action. The outcome is more activity and more AI usage at the individual user-level, but not an intentionally designed system that compounds AI into shared leverage.

    “This is a century-defining transformation, and we’re only in year three,” said Gabriel Hubert, Co-Founder and CEO of Dust. “What will transform the way we work isn’t the next best model or assistant. It’s going to be a completely new type of system that gives humans and agents shared, governed access to the same information and capabilities so that they become true collaborators, working with the same context, notifications, artifacts, and goals to compound organizational impact. This is what we call multiplayer AI, and this is what we’re building at Dust.”

    What Dust is building

    Dust is the multiplayer AI system for human-agent collaboration. It gives business teams a platform to build, deploy, and manage AI agents that collaborate across an organization, connected to company knowledge, integrated with the tools teams already use, and governed with enterprise-grade controls.

    At the center of Dust is a collaborative surface where people and agents work together across shared context, tools, conversations, tasks, and goals. Agents can analyze, transform, and generate files — including documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and interactive data visualizations — and take action across connected systems through Dust’s context layer, which combines semantic search across company knowledge with integrations to more than 100 data sources and business tools. Built-in memory and feedback loops help agents improve over time by learning from team preferences, usage patterns, and feedback, while proactively recommending improvements.

    Dust is designed for enterprise deployment, with granular permissions, cost and usage monitoring, audit trails, and agent analytics. The platform is SOC 2 Type II certified, GDPR compliant, supports EU and US data residency, and does not train models on customer data, as contractually guaranteed by major model providers.

    Dust runs primarily on its own product and is defining an emerging identity inside high-growth companies: AI Operators. These are the people closest to the work, inside functions like Ops, Support, Marketing, and Sales, who build and run AI systems for their teams, rewiring how work gets done from inside the business.

    Traction and customer outcomes

    Dust is used by more than 3,000 organizations globally, from high-growth AI-native companies to established enterprises. Monthly active adoption is consistently above 90%, with weekly active usage above 70% across customers, signaling that Dust has become embedded in how teams work. More than 300,000 agents have been deployed across the platform. In 2025, Dust saw significant customer expansion and acquisition, reaching 240% NRR with zero churn.

    “Dust quickly became the platform our team runs on,” said Stevie Case, CRO at Vanta. “900 people across sales, customer success, and revenue operations save thousands of hours a week on tasks like business review prep, outbound prospecting, and forecasting. They saved this time not because it was mandated, but because the agents were built by the people closest to the work. Dust enabled the whole team to collaborate in building agents that deliver measurable value, realizing the compounding effect I’ve been waiting for AI to achieve.”

    At Clay, Dust serves as foundational knowledge infrastructure for the rapidly growing GTM team, enabling the team to grow 4x without a proportional increase in enablement headcount. Profound uses Dust as the source of truth for customer intelligence and post-sales, compressing new hire ramp time from months to days. At Persona, teams across 11 departments have deployed over 300 Dust agents to condense cross-functional workflows like sales RFPs from days to minutes. Doctolib has made Dust central to its company-wide AI strategy, giving 3,000 employees smoother access to corporate information and enabling the decommissioning of legacy intranet tools. 

    The origin 

    Dust was founded by Gabriel Hubert and Stanislas Polu, who have been building together since meeting at Stanford in 2007. They previously co-founded TOTEMS, a data analytics company acquired by Stripe in 2014, and spent five years at Stripe scaling products and teams. Polu later joined OpenAI as a research engineer on Greg Brockman’s team, co-authoring papers on AI reasoning with Ilya Sutskever. Hubert became Chief Product Officer at Alan.

    In September 2022, Polu left OpenAI with a conviction that became Dust’s founding thesis: the models were already powerful enough to be economically transformative, but were under-deployed because the product layer was missing. Dust incorporated in February 2023 to build that horizontal layer on top of frontier models and company knowledge, with a model-agnostic approach that avoids vendor lock-in.

    “We’re in the early innings of a massive shift in how organizations use AI,” said Konstantine Buhler, Partner at Sequoia. “Most enterprise AI today is single-player: one person, one prompt, no compounding. Dust is building the multiplayer system, where agents and humans share context and work together across the entire company. Zero churn and 70% weekly active usage tell you this isn’t experimental anymore. This is how enterprises will actually operate.”

    “Most AI platforms are stuck in single-player mode: one person, one chatbot, one task,” said Ramtin Naimi, General Partner at Abstract. “Dust is multiplayer. AI Operators inside companies like Datadog and 1Password don’t just use Dust; they build agents that collaborate across teams, learn from every interaction, and rewire how the entire company works. That’s a new operating model and category. That’s why we participated in this round.”

    What’s next

    Dust plans to use this round to push three frontiers at once: agents that learn and improve automatically as they’re used, collaboration primitives that make humans and agents equal co-contributors with bidirectional access to  shared projects, tools, and context, and infrastructure that makes governance and orchestration predictable at enterprise scale. The bet is that the next phase of enterprise AI won’t be won by who has the best single assistant. It’ll be won by who turns AI into shared, compounding capability across the entire org.

     

  • Epson urges households to move beyond cartridges and laser printing with new EcoTank range

    SYDNEY, May 18— Epson is encouraging Australian households and home office users to rethink how they print, with the launch of its latest EcoTank models — the ET-1910, ET-2910 and ET-2911 — designed to replace traditional cartridge and laser printers with a more cost-effective, convenient and sustainable solution.

     

    T-2910

    As cost-of-living pressures rise, many consumers continue to overlook the long-term cost of ownership associated with cartridge and laser printers, from frequent ink replacements to expensive toner and maintenance. Epson EcoTank printers are built to challenge this model, offering a smarter alternative that dramatically reduces printing costs over time.

     

    Traditional printing systems rely on small, expensive consumables, whether it’s ink cartridges that run out quickly or laser toner systems that come with high upfront and replacement costs.

    EcoTank changes this equation entirely.

    ET-1910

     

    The ET-1910, ET-2910 and ET-2911 feature Epson’s innovative refillable ink tank system, designed to deliver ultra low-cost printing without the hassle of cartridges or the complexity of laser technology. With high-capacity ink bottles included in the box, users can print for extended periods without needing to replace supplies.

    EcoTank is designed with one clear advantage – lower total cost of ownership over time. Users can save up to 90% on printing costs compared to cartridge-based printers¹, while avoiding the expensive toner replacements often associated with laser devices.

    Each EcoTank printer comes with enough ink to print thousands of pages, significantly reducing the need to purchase replacement supplies early on.

    This makes EcoTank particularly appealing for:

    •           Families with ongoing school printing needs

    •           Hybrid workers managing home office tasks

    •           Small businesses watching operational costs

    Beyond the cost benefits, EcoTank delivers a simpler, more user-friendly experience:

    •           No cartridges to replace

    •           Mess-free, easy-refill ink bottles

    •           Less frequent maintenance and interruptions

    T-2910

    ET-2911

     

    The ET-2910 and ET-2911 offer additional versatility with print, scan and copy functionality, along with wireless connectivity for seamless mobile and home network printing.

    Meanwhile, the ET-1910 provides a straightforward, reliable print-only solution for users who want maximum value with minimal complexity.

    Designed to meet the needs of today’s connected homes, the new EcoTank models combine:

    •           Compact, space-saving design

    •           Reliable everyday performance

    •           Simple setup and operation

     

    Whether printing school assignments, household documents or work materials, EcoTank gives users the confidence to print freely without worrying about running out of ink or overspending on replacements.

    “Many households are still stuck in the cycle of buying cartridges or dealing with the cost and complexity of laser printers,” said Phil Daidone, Senior Product Manager at Epson Australia. “With EcoTank, we’re giving customers a better alternative, one that eliminates that cycle entirely. The ET-1910, ET-2910 and ET-2911 are designed to make printing more affordable, more convenient and ultimately more sustainable over the long term.”

    In addition to saving money, moving away from cartridges and laser consumables supports a more sustainable approach to printing. EcoTank significantly reduces plastic waste and ongoing consumables, making it a more responsible choice for environmentally conscious consumers.

    The Epson EcoTank ET-1910, ET-2910 and ET-2911 are now available at www.epson.com.au and through retail stores nationwide.

    Epson EcoTank ET-1910

    Main function – printing
    Connectivity – Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Apple AirPrint

    Print speed – 11 pages per minute black² and white, 6 pages in colour²

    Number of printed pages out of the box – 3,600³ black / 6,500³ colour

    Epson EcoTank ET-2910 (white model) and ET-2911 (black model)

    Main functions – print, copy and scan

    Connectivity – Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Apple AirPrint

    Print speed – 11 pages per minute black² and white, 6 pages in colour²

    Number of printed pages out of the box – 3,600³ black / 6,500³ colour

     ¹Actual savings and costs will vary considerably based on print tasks, print volumes and usage conditions.

    Savings and cost per ISO page are based on the cost of replacement ink bottles and the cost of enough standard cartridges to achieve the total page yields of the bottles using the RRP (AUD) and yields for Epson standard-capacity ink cartridges for similarly featured Epson consumer inkjet printers as of May 2026.

    ²Black and colour print speeds are measured in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Actual print times will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity.

    ³Included ink bottle yields based on the ISO/IEC 24712 pattern with Epson’s methodology. Actual ink yields will vary considerably for reasons including images printed, print settings, temperature and humidity. Yields may be lower when printing infrequently or predominantly with one ink colour. All ink colours are used for printing and printer maintenance, and all colours must be available for printing so an additional black (K) bottle may be required to reach stated colour (C, M, Y) yields.

     

  • Yogi govt’s AI vision gains new momentum, Lucknow emerges as a growing hub of technology and innovation

    New Delhi, May 16: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly emerging as one of the country’s largest hubs for technology and AI innovation. In line with this vision, more than 50 IAS officers and senior administrators from across India participated in the ‘AI Transformation Conclave 2026’ held in Lucknow on Friday.

    During the conclave, a high-level capacity-building workshop on the theme ‘The AI-Powered Public Administrator: Competencies for a New Era of Governance’ was conducted by Dr. Subi Chaturvedi, founder of NIHIT and Sherpa of Working Group-7 of the India-US CEO Forum.

    Dr. Subi Chaturvedi said, “Uttar Pradesh, especially Lucknow, is emerging as the most suitable center for AI innovation in India. Earlier known for its culture and heritage, the city is now building a new identity as a hub of innovation under the current government’s leadership.”

    She added, “With companies like InMobi launching deep-tech operations in the state, a new ecosystem of governance, research, talent, digital infrastructure, and entrepreneurship is taking shape in Uttar Pradesh.”
    The conclave also featured extensive discussions on the Uttar Pradesh government’s ambitious AI policy and technology vision.

    Recently, the country’s first AI City was approved in Lucknow’s Vrindavan Yojana at a cost of ₹368 crore, while a special budget allocation of ₹225 crore has been made for the UP AI Mission.

    On this occasion, Manoj Kumar Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the State Transformation Commission, stated that Uttar Pradesh is moving towards becoming a national model for AI transformation in government functioning, which will further accelerate the state’s goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy. 

    Principal Secretary of the IT and Electronics Department, Alok Kumar, said, “The government is fully committed to building robust infrastructure for emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and deep-tech innovations.” 
    Special provisions for the UP AI Mission, AI City, and other emerging technologies have been included in the recent budget.

    The conclave also witnessed detailed discussions on the role of AI in the AI ecosystem, cybersecurity, digital governance, MSMEs, startups, and citizen-centric services. 

    Referring to the ‘MANAV’ framework presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr. Chaturvedi emphasized ethical, accountable, accessible, and human-centric AI. She said, “Inclusive growth and a trustworthy technological future can only be achieved through safe and human-friendly AI.”

    The NIHIT platform is an important initiative operating under the India-US CEO Forum, supported by InMobi, Mastercard, and Tata Sons. It functions as a knowledge-sharing platform aimed at strengthening innovation, startups, MSMEs, cybersecurity, and global supply chains between India and the United States. 

  • HCLTech collaborates with Red Hat to deliver enterprise-grade AI infrastructure solutions

     

    Collaboration additive to HCLTech’s AI Factory ecosystem

    NEW YORK and NOIDA, India, May 15 — HCLTech, a leading global technology company, announced a strategic collaboration with Red Hat to deliver enterprise-grade AI infrastructure for organizations accelerating their AI adoption journeys. This collaboration strengthens HCLTech’s AI Factory solution ecosystem, which brings together global technology leaders to provide best-in-class AI Infrastructure solutions to its clients.

    The HCLTech AI Factory with Red Hat, built on Red Hat AI Enterprise, provides an integrated foundation for running AI workloads consistently across on-premises, cloud and edge environments. The solutions are designed to improve infrastructure efficiency and reduce inference costs through model optimization, distributed serving and unified operations, while offering an enterprise-grade data foundation with governance and lineage to support reliable AI operations at scale.

    “Enterprises are moving beyond experimentation to operationalizing AI across their core businesses,” said Rampal Singh, Senior Vice President and Global Business Head – Hybrid Cloud Business Unit at HCLTech. “The HCLTech AI Factory with Red Hat is designed to help organizations industrialize AI, bringing together the right foundational building blocks to translate AI investments into measurable business outcomes.”

    “The launch of HCLTech AI Factory, powered by Red Hat AI Enterprise, is a significant milestone in bringing enterprise-grade AI to our customers,” said Ryan King, Vice President, AI and Infrastructure Partners at Red Hat. “By building on the trusted foundation of Red Hat AI Enterprise and our full portfolio of enterprise-grade, AI-optimized open source software, HCLTech is providing organizations with a unified, scalable platform to deploy and manage their critical AI workloads consistently, from the core data center to the edge. This collaboration helps enterprises industrialize AI, translating their investments into real business value.”

     

  • Noble Audio Unveils FoKus Apollo Pro Ahead of CanJam Singapore 2026

    New flagship wireless headphone features upgraded hybrid driver technology, refined acoustic tuning and premium design enhancements

    May 14, 2026 — Noble Audio has announced the launch of the FoKus Apollo Pro, the latest flagship addition to its FoKus Apollo wireless headphone lineup, ahead of its official debut at CanJam Singapore 2026 scheduled for May 16–17.

    Positioned as a premium evolution of the original FoKus Apollo, the limited-run Apollo Pro introduces upgraded acoustic tuning, refined materials, enhanced portability and Noble’s next-generation hybrid wireless architecture combining dynamic and planar magnetic driver technologies.

    The FoKus Apollo Pro will be available globally beginning May 16 through Noble Audio’s official website and selected retailers worldwide. The headphone is priced at $699 USD, £649 and €749.

    Noble Audio Unveils FoKus Apollo Pro Ahead of CanJam Singapore 2026

     

    Hybrid Driver System Gets an Upgrade

    At the core of the Apollo Pro is Noble’s signature hybrid driver configuration that pairs a dynamic driver with a planar magnetic driver. The setup is designed to deliver powerful low-end response alongside the clarity, speed and detail associated with planar magnetic technology.

    Noble said the Apollo Pro also features updated acoustic tuning aimed at improving overall tonal balance, presentation and musical engagement across both portable and home listening environments.

    Premium Materials and Refined Design

    The new model introduces several design and material upgrades intended to elevate both aesthetics and comfort.

    Updated fabric finishes, revised gunmetal accents, upgraded fabric cabling and redesigned ear pads contribute to a more premium appearance while also improving long-term wearability. Noble has also introduced more compact packaging to improve portability without compromising the product’s premium presentation.

    The Apollo Pro additionally features new voice prompt functionality, replacing traditional alert tones with spoken confirmations for functions such as ANC activation and onboard control changes.

    Built on Qualcomm Wireless Platform

    The FoKus Apollo Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s QCC3084 chipset and supports the Noble FoKus companion app, allowing users to customize EQ settings, manage playback controls and adjust additional headphone functions directly through the app.

    Public Debut at CanJam Singapore 2026

    Noble Audio will officially showcase the FoKus Apollo Pro for the first time at CanJam Singapore 2026, one of Asia’s largest headphone and personal audio events.

    The company said the Apollo Pro builds upon the original FoKus Apollo, which had already gained recognition within the audiophile market for its unique wireless hybrid driver design.

    Key Features

    • Hybrid dynamic driver + planar magnetic driver configuration
    • Updated acoustic tuning
    • Qualcomm QCC3084 chipset
    • Noble FoKus app support
    • Premium upgraded fabric and material finishes
    • Revised ear pad materials for enhanced comfort
    • More compact and portable packaging
    • Upgraded fabric cable
    • Voice prompt functionality
    • Official debut at CanJam Singapore 2026

    Specifications

    • Driver Configuration: 1 Dynamic Driver + 1 Planar Magnetic Driver
    • Chipset: Qualcomm QCC3084
    • App Support: Noble FoKus App
  • CyberPower expands rack power portfolio with PDU models for modern IT infrastructure

    SYDNEY, May 14 – Global power protection specialist CyberPower Systems has enhanced its Power Distribution Units (PDUs) range in Australia with new models designed to meet growing demand for reliable, high‑density rack power distribution in today’s data‑driven environments.

    CyberPower expands rack power portfolio with PDU models for modern IT infrastructure

    The new PDU41004, PDU41005, PDU44004 and PDU44005 models extend CyberPower’s rack power portfolio providing practical, scalable solutions for IT managers, systems integrators, managed service providers and data centre operators looking for dependable and cost‑effective rack power that integrates seamlessly alongside CyberPower UPS infrastructure.

    CyberPower expands rack power portfolio with PDU models for modern IT infrastructure

    CyberPower PDUs are designed for today’s high‑density, high‑demand environments. As server racks become more densely populated and edge computing deployments expand, modern IT environments need dependable, space‑efficient power delivery that minimises complexity. The new PDU models address this directly, offering reliable rack power for comms rooms, network cabinets and data‑centre racks.

    CyberPower expands rack power portfolio with PDU models for modern IT infrastructure

    CyberPower Systems Oceania GM ANZ Robert Hartvigsen said, “Our new PDU models deliver dependable, consistent rack power that just works. They are engineered for simplicity, reliability and seamless integration with UPS systems, giving IT teams confidence in their rack infrastructure.”

    CyberPower expands rack power portfolio with PDU models for modern IT infrastructure

     The four new PDU models provide a trusted solution for growing equipment density, pairing compact design with single‑phase input support and durable metal construction.

    For scalable operations, new 32‑amp variants offer higher load capacities across wider network deployments.

    CyberPower expands rack power portfolio with PDU models for modern IT infrastructure

     Key features and advantages
    The PDU41004, PDU41005, PDU44004 and PDU44005 are suited for professional rack installations from SMB through to enterprise systems.

    Core specifications include:

    • Rack‑mountable design optimised for space efficiency

    • Multiple IEC output sockets for server and network hardware

    • Robust metal housing for durability

    • Reliable single‑phase power distribution

    • Compatibility with the CyberPower UPS ecosystem

    • Support for higher‑capacity 32‑amp configurations for scaling environments

     

    Product features and highlights include:

    • Seamless pairing with CyberPower UPS solutions

    • Reliable distribution for business‑critical equipment

    • Compact and rugged rack design

    • Strong value without compromising quality

    • Ideal for comms cabinets, data centres and edge sites

    Customers across professional IT, MSP and enterprise environments are facing increasing rack equipment density and tighter turnaround expectations. These PDUs provide simple, dependable power distribution which is ideal when intelligent switching is unnecessary but quality and operational reliability are critical. Also, by aligning with CyberPower’s UPS range, the new models enable standardised, end‑to‑end rack power infrastructure, simplifying procurement and long‑term maintenance.

    For systems integrators and resellers, the family also broadens the ability to offer complete rack power packages under a single, trusted brand, strengthening CyberPower’s position in the power ecosystem.

    For CyberPower, the new models strengthen its reputation as a complete rack power infrastructure provider, not just a UPS vendor.

    In short, for customers, the new PDUs mean more consistent, reliable rack power distribution, simplified sourcing and deployment, scalable 32‑amp options for higher‑load environments and confidence in globally recognised power protection technology.

    Robert Hartvigsen concluded, “By combining trusted reliability with scalable design, our PDUs help partners and customers build better‑performing, more consistent infrastructure.”

    The new CyberPower PDU41004, PDU41005, PDU44004, and PDU44005 are available now through authorised CyberPower distributors and resellers.

  • AVer and Lightware Launch Global Collaboration to Enhance AI-Powered Video Experiences

    AVer and Lightware Launch Global Collaboration to Enhance AI-Powered Video Experiences

     

    Taipei, Taiwan – May 14: AVer Information Inc. , an award-winning provider of AI audio-video solutions, today announced a worldwide collaboration with Lightware Visual Engineering. This joint effort brings together AVer’s AI-powered camera technology and Lightware’s premier signal management solutions to address the growing demand for high-quality video in modern hybrid environments.

    By featuring AVer’s Pro AV and USB video conferencing lines alongside the Lightware Taurus UCX, Taurus TPX, Taurus TPN, and USB20 Extender Family, the two companies are providing a comprehensive visual and connectivity portfolio for global enterprise and education markets.

    Focusing on the User Experience

    This collaboration is centered on providing users with a streamlined approach to “Bring Your Own Meeting” (BYOM) setups. By utilizing AVer’s AI-driven imaging designed— for intelligent tracking and framing — together with Lightware’s signal delivery platforms, organizations can create professional grade meeting spaces that are easy to navigate and operate.

    “At AVer, we are constantly looking for ways to enhance how people connect through our AI audio-video solutions,” said David Kuo, President of AVer Information Inc. “Collaborating with Lightware allows us to showcase our professional cameras within a world-class connectivity environment. We are excited to define a new benchmark for the Pro AV community, illustrating how our combined portfolios advance modern collaboration.”

    “Lightware is excited to join forces with AVer to highlight the power of high-quality imaging combined with world-class signal management,” said Gergely Vida CEO at Lightware. “The combination of the Taurus product family and AVer’s camera solutions creates the ideal foundation for a professional meeting space.”

    See the Solutions in Action

    The highlight of this collaboration is the ability for partners and customers to see these solutions working side-by-side in real-world scenarios. AVer and Lightware are inviting the industry to explore these setups at dedicated training and experience hubs.

    • Düsseldorf: The Lightware Düsseldorf Training Center is now featuring AVer’s AI tracking cameras as part of its live demonstration environment.
    • Dubai & London: Additional showcases are coming soon to the Lightware Dubai and London Experience Centres, providing regional hubs for professionals to see these solutions paired together in person.

    A Shared Vision for the Future

    As leaders in their respective fields, AVer and Lightware are dedicated to enhancing the professional AV and video conferencing landscape. By aligning AVer’s AI-driven visual technology with Lightware’s world-class signal management, this collaboration offers a forward-thinking approach to modern, flexible workspaces. Together, the two companies are focused on making professional grade collaboration more accessible and effective for users worldwide.

  • Spendflo Launches Flo AI: An Autonomous Procurement Workforce for Mid-Market Companies

    Flo AI runs the full intake-to-pay lifecycle autonomously, giving lean procurement teams the capacity to operate as a much larger function without the headcount to match.

    San Francisco, CA – May 14: Spendflo has launched Flo AI, an autonomous procurement workforce designed for mid-market companies. Flo AI runs the complete procurement lifecycle: intake, approvals, vendor management, contract review, and accounts payable, as a single connected system. It does not assist procurement teams. It acts on their behalf.

    Most companies at this stage run procurement with a small team, often one to five people, managing a volume of requests, renewals, and vendor relationships that a larger operation would handle with a dedicated department. Flo AI was built for exactly this: giving lean procurement functions the capacity to operate at a speed and scale that was previously out of reach.

    Three agents. One connected system.

    Flo is made up of three purpose-built agents, each covering a distinct phase of the procurement lifecycle.

    • Flo Procure handles every purchase request from first submission to approved purchase order. It routes requests, checks budget and policy, collects vendor documentation, and drives approval workflows to completion. Requests no longer wait on a procurement manager to coordinate them through the process.
    • Flo Contracts reads, redlines, and tracks vendor agreements. It surfaces non-standard clauses, extracts key commercial terms, and flags upcoming renewals before they slip through. Every contract processed through Spendflo informs how Flo Contracts handles the next one.
    • Flo AP (Accounts Payable) matches incoming invoices against purchase orders and contracts, routes exceptions for human review, and processes payment. Because Flo AP shares context with Flo Procure and Flo Contracts, it verifies invoices against what was actually agreed at sourcing, not just what the vendor submitted.

    The three agents work as one system. Context carries forward at every stage. What Flo Procure learns about a vendor informs how Flo Contracts reads their agreement. What Flo Contracts extracts from the agreement informs how Flo AP handles the invoice. This continuity is what separates Flo from the point solutions most procurement teams are stitching together today.

    The problem Flo AI was built to solve

    Mid-market companies face a specific procurement challenge. They have outgrown informal processes but have not yet built the procurement infrastructure that larger organisations rely on. The gap is filled by small teams doing high volumes of manual work: chasing approvals, reconciling invoices, managing renewals, and fielding requests from across the business.

    The tools available to them have not kept up. Most procurement software was designed either for large enterprise deployments with dedicated implementation teams, or for early-stage companies with simpler needs. Point solutions for intake, contracts, and accounts payable exist in abundance. What has been missing is a system that connects them, one that carries the context of a purchase request all the way through to the payment that closes it.

    Flo was built on that full context from the ground up. Since founding, Spendflo has processed more than $3.2 billion in total spend across invoices, purchase orders, and contracts on its platform. That data informs how Flo categorises spend, identifies exceptions, and understands what efficient procurement looks like across different industries and company sizes.

    Siddharth Sridharan, CEO, Spendflo commented: “The companies we work with are not looking for more software to manage. They are looking for a procurement function that runs. Flo handles intake, approvals, contracts, and accounts payable. What remains for the procurement team is the work that actually requires their judgment: vendor strategy, commercial negotiation, and the decisions that move the business forward. We are starting to see a new kind of procurement professional emerge at these companies. Someone who thinks in systems, sets the strategy, and lets the agents execute. That is the direction this is heading.”

    The rise of the procurement engineer

    With this launch, Spendflo is introducing a new role it believes will define the next generation of procurement operations: the procurement engineer.

    The procurement engineer is not a coordinator. They do not spend their days chasing approvals, tracking down documents, or manually reconciling invoices. They configure and orchestrate an AI agent workforce to run procurement operations end to end. They design the workflows Flo executes. They own the vendor strategy Flo acts on. They set the policies Flo enforces. Their time goes to the work that requires human judgment: negotiations, vendor relationships, commercial strategy, and the systems thinking that makes procurement a lever for the business rather than a cost centre behind it.

    This is a structural shift in what procurement functions look like. Most procurement teams today are built around coordination and process management. People spend the majority of their time moving information between systems and stakeholders. As AI agents take over that operational layer, the procurement function reorganises around a smaller, more senior profile: one person with strong commercial instincts and deep systems thinking, running an agent workforce that executes on their behalf.

    The analogy is the GTM engineer, a role that emerged when revenue teams realised that configuring and orchestrating go-to-market tooling required a distinct skill set closer to systems design than sales execution. Procurement is undergoing the same shift. The procurement engineer is the person who makes Flo smarter and more precisely tuned to their organisation over time. They are not replaced by AI. They are the ones who run it.

    For mid-market companies, lean procurement is not a constraint. It is the operating model. One procurement engineer orchestrating an agent workforce will run procurement with more speed, more intelligence, and more commercial impact than a headcount-heavy team running manual processes.

    Availability

    Flo is available now. It is designed for mid-market companies between $50 million and $1 billion in revenue, and connects to existing ERP, finance, and contract infrastructure without requiring organisations to replace current systems.