Aug 13, 2026 Hon Hai Beats Profit Estimates Hon Hai's second-quarter net profit surged 35 percent to a record NT$59.98 billion, beating estimates as AI server demand drove growth. The company expects strong AI server shipments, including Nvidia Vera Rubin-based systems, while expanding global capacity. Taipei Times

Sponsor Reimagined EOS/ESD Symposium 2026 Experience the enhanced EOS/ESD Symposium with expanded learning, collaboration, and industry connections. Join experts exploring challenges and solutions in EOS/ESD control. September 28-30. EOS/ESD Association

Meta Cuts Server Count 25% by Reusing Old Memory: Can Anyone Else Do It? Meta is deploying CXL-based memory expansion across millions of servers, repurposing retired DDR4 modules to cut server counts and costs. DDR5 prices are accelerating adoption, while vertical integration streamlines qualification and deployment. EE Times

Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid Whitepaper shows formic-acid-assisted, flux-free soldering enables reliable, nearly void-free joints for power semiconductors. The technology improves thermal performance and lifespan, offering strong potential for electromobility, renewable energy, and high-frequency electronics. Technical Paper

Global tax reform is the key to a fair AI economy AI is concentrating profits among major tech firms while spreading social and environmental costs. The article calls for stronger corporate and digital taxes and global reforms to ensure AI wealth benefits the public and curbs inequality. Taipei Times

Sponsor Gripping Systems from micro assembly to heavy lifting The first industrial-suited grippers from SCHUNK were a milestone. Since then we have brought countless newly and further developments to market. SCHUNK

The "Godmother of AI" says the biggest AI risk in schools isn't cheating – it's students losing the desire to learn Fei-Fei Li warns AI could erode students' motivation and agency, not just enable cheating. She rejects blanket bans, urging responsible use that helps struggling learners while preserving critical thinking, independence and problem-solving skills. TechSpot

Problems with Reflow Oven Profiles What are the proper attachment methods when using thermocouples to record temperatures when conducting reflow profiles? Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ Flux-Free, Reliable, Efficient: Soldering with Formic Acid ■ Redesigning Material Logistics for High-Mix EMS Production ■ Unlocking Academic-Industry Synergy: A Collaborative Model for Hands-On Electronics Manufacturing Education ■ Viscosity Does Not Equal Rheology: What Solder Paste Measurements Really Tell You ■ Salvaging Electronic Components: A Reliable Method for Reducing Electronic Waste and Ensuring Economic Reuse ■ Digital Warehouse Automation in High-Mix PCB Assembly ■ Evaluation of Techniques for Intentional Contamination of PWB Substrates for Quantitative Cleanliness Analyses ■ Scaling SMT Traceability ■ The Drawbacks of Internal Recycling Systems for Solder Dross ■ Engineering ESD-Safe PCB Assembly for High-Reliability IoT and Industrial Electronics MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Introducing our new Board to Board Connectors These new Board to Board Connectors feature pitch sizes from 0.50 mm to 1.00 mm with multi-pitch and custom pitch designs available. Designed for long-life applications and robust handling. Advanced Interconnections Corp

Building Supply Chain Resilience: Selecting Reliable Capacitor Suppliers Electronics companies are prioritizing supply chain stability alongside performance, cost, compatibility. Capacitor suppliers must ensure reliable delivery, diversified sourcing, and stronger risk management as manufacturers strengthen resilience and protect production. EE Times

AI's costly build-out complicates the Fed's inflation fight AI's deflationary promise remains elusive as adoption lags and massive infrastructure investments drive up costs. Companies face organizational hurdles, while economists say productivity gains may take years to emerge and vary across industries. CNBC

Microstructure and Reliability of Low AG/Bi Solder Alloys The goal of this study was to provide a screening experiment for three alloys Bi-containing, Low (or no) Ag as alternatives to SAC305. Technical Paper

Sponsor The perfect protection for your electronics Rehm's ProtectoXP and ProtectoXC systems offer flexible, high-quality coating solutions that shield electronics from moisture, corrosion, and other environmental damage. Rehm Thermal Systems

India's Smartphone Shipments Fall 11.1% in Q2 2026 Amid Deepening Memory Chip Shortage India's smartphone shipments fell 11.1% YoY to 33.2 million in Q2 as memory costs drove record prices and squeezed affordability. Apple and Samsung held firm, while Chinese brands declined. H2 faces pressure as discounts fade and demand weakens. IDC

Chinese tech giant Tencent sees spending surge, defends potential 'superior' AI returns Tencent raised Q2 capital spending 65% as it expands AI infrastructure. Executives expect stronger long-term returns from proprietary models, while AI boosted cloud and advertising growth. Revenue rose 11%, despite mounting competition and concerns over spending. CNBC

Pad Crater Initiation in Shock Using Acoustic Emission Detection Dye stain and cross section failure analysis techniques were used to identify pad crater damage and showed good agreement with the acoustic events. Technical Paper

Sponsor Your Domestic PCB Solution Summit helps you avoid long lead times and added costs—protecting your supply chain without compromise, while delivering the speed and quality you count on. Summit Interconnect

Google's new AI boss inherits a race to catch OpenAI and Anthropic Koray Kavukcuoglu takes over DeepMind as Google seeks to close its AI performance gap with OpenAI and Anthropic. He will prioritize frontier models, coding capabilities, faster releases and stronger developer tools to regain competitiveness. CNBC

A Google Maps User Accidentally Discovered A Giant Meteorite Crater No One Knew Existed A Canadian amateur astronomer spotted a mysterious circular formation on Google Maps while planning a camping trip. Scientists later confirmed the Uhaachatik Crater, a 15.5-mile-wide meteorite impact structure formed about 390 million years ago. BGR

Sponsor Corrosion, UV Protection for Power Transmission Moisture, corrosive gas, oxidation & UV blocking prop-erties. FLUOROSEAL® confor-mal coating for electrical contacts & ceramic insulator protection. AI Technology, Inc.

Apple is working on a way to authenticate that a photo came from an iPhone camera Apple is developing "Apple Reference Image," a feature in iOS 27 that could authenticate photos using unique iPhone camera sensor data. The privacy-focused system uses Private Cloud Compute to verify provenance without exposing users' raw images to Apple. 9 To 5 Mac

Improving Reliability Through HALT and HASS Testing Halt and Hass technology uses accelerated stresses to expose product flaws early in the design and manufacturing stage, improving product reliability. Technical Paper

Elon Musk says every future Tesla will have Starlink, starting with the Cybercab Tesla has integrated Starlink hardware into its Cybercab robotaxi, embedding a V5 satellite dish in the roof for reliable connectivity. The system will support navigation, customer service, and entertainment where cellular coverage remains unreliable or unavailable. TechSpot

EVs dominate China's car market: 5 takeaways from the country's latest auto sales data Geely's Xingyuan electric hatchback led China’s best-selling cars, moving nearly 197,500 units through July. Tesla's Model Y followed, while BYD placed three models in the top 10. New energy vehicles captured 65.1% of July passenger-car sales. CNBC

Sponsor EZ-FLO High Precision Dispense Tips Each needle is machined from solid stainless steel as opposed to rolled tubing. The resulting smoother internal profile enhances material flow and consistency. Learn more. DL Technology

Why Are So Many US States Trying To Ban Data Centers? U.S. communities are pushing back on data center projects as utility costs, environmental concerns and grid strain mount. Fifteen states seek moratoriums, while 150+ local jurisdictions impose restrictions, defying AI-driven demand. BGR