News

• TP-Link TL-WR3602BE router supports file backups with USB 3.0 and works with external hard drives
• Supports phone tethering, hotspot mode, and USB modems to create networks anywhere you go
• External antennas improve signal stability in congested areas like airports, hotels, and conference centers

TP-Link has introduced a new travel-focused networking device designed around Wi-Fi 7 technology.

The TL-WR3602BE WiFi router is billed as a dual-band travel router with combined speeds reaching 3.6 Gbps, including 2882 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 688 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.

In principle, this bandwidth should be more than enough to support streaming, large file transfers, and cloud-based productivity tools.

TP-Link claims this portable WiFi router can even be converted to a power bank with its Type-C interface.

This device allows users to share and back up files on their private network because it supports external hard drives, which can be connected via its USB 3.0 port.

What makes this stand out from typical travel routers is its integration of WiFi 7 features like Multi-Link Operation and 4K-QAM, which aim to provide greater stability and efficiency even in crowded networks like hotels or conference centers.

Despite its high-end specs, this is still a travel device, built small enough to fit in a bag or even a pocket.

It is equipped with one 2.5 Gbps WAN port and one standard Gigabit LAN port, providing the kind of flexibility required for on-the-go networking setups.

It also supports USB tethering and 3G-4G USB external modems, hotspot, access point, range extender, and client, making it possible to create a network in places without conventional infrastructure.

A major selling point of this router is its support for OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, giving it the potential to function as a secure router even when connecting to public networks.

Some VPN providers like NordVPN and Surfshark are already integrated into the device’s interface, reducing the need for manual configuration.

The inclusion of a hardware switch to toggle features like VPN or guest access could prove practical for users who value quick access to privacy controls.

For small businesses, this could make the TL-WR3602BE a viable SMB router when mobility is essential.

Although the router supports seven operating modes and offers a user-friendly setup via mobile app or browser, it's still a niche product.

For all its features, it’s unlikely to replace a fixed-line connection or a full-featured office router, but should perform just fine for remote workers who need something between a phone hotspot and enterprise equipment.

This device is currently available on Amazon for $109.99 if you use the coupon code 30WIFI7 - but be warned, the code will expire on August 31, or whenever the product runs out of stock.

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• Qualcomm is building server racks and CPUs, eyeing AI inferencing clusters in hyperscale data center
• Qualcomm's promised CPU might arrive in 2028, well after rivals have scaled infrastructure
• But investors weren’t excited by Qualcomm’s data center plans, as share prices dipped on earnings release

Qualcomm may finally be ready to move beyond its mobile stronghold and take a real step into the data center market.

During its recent Q3 earnings call, the company confirmed it is in “advanced discussions” with a hyperscale customer regarding new silicon targeted at server infrastructure.

This could mark a significant shift for the firm, which has long teased ambitions to bring ARM-compatible processors into cloud computing spaces but never quite followed through at scale.

Qualcomm's CEO Cristiano Amon framed the moment as an opportunity created by the evolving nature of AI workloads, arguing cloud service providers are increasingly focused on efficiency metrics like tokens per watt and tokens per dollar, not just performance.

This, coupled with a broader industry move away from x86 CPUs toward custom ARM-based alternatives, might finally give Qualcomm the entry point it has been looking for.

However, the market is already crowded with established players who have been building dedicated AI infrastructure for years, and Qualcomm will need more than ambition to earn meaningful traction.

Amon explained the company is developing “a general purpose CPU” aimed squarely at hyperscalers.

“While we are in the early stages of this expansion, we are engaged with multiple potential customers and are currently in advanced discussions with a leading hyperscaler,” he said, “If successful, we expect revenues to begin in the fiscal 2028 timeframe."

Amon also mentioned other projects, including accelerator cards and even full server racks, additions which are intended to support AI inferencing clusters, signaling Qualcomm is aiming to become more than just a CPU vendor.

Still, questions remain about the timeline and competitiveness of such efforts.

While Qualcomm expects revenue from this move to begin around fiscal 2028, that delay might leave it trailing behind more entrenched rivals like Broadcom, whose own custom accelerator business appears to be scaling aggressively.

Despite the optimistic tone of the announcement, investor reaction was muted.

Qualcomm's stock briefly dipped following the earnings release, suggesting that the market remains cautious about the viability of its expansion plans.

The company’s PC business, while showing modest gains, remains small - its share of premium Windows laptops has reached only nine percent, and there’s little indication yet that it holds the fastest CPU in any major computing category.

Competition also looms back in Qualcomm’s core segment, and its rival, Samsung, has indicated it is preparing to bring its own advanced SoCs into flagship mobile devices by 2026.

This rivalry suggests Qualcomm might be trying to diversify out of necessity, rather than from a position of strength.

For now, Qualcomm’s leap into the workstation and datacenter space is still mostly theoretical.

Whether it can deliver a credible, high-performance CPU and become a serious player in AI infrastructure remains to be seen.

Via The Register

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This week, ChatGPT got an upgrade, and Tom Holland swung back into action as Spider-Man.

To catch up on all this and more from the world of tech and entertainment, scroll down for our weekly ICYMI round-up. There are some big stories you won't want to miss.

Once you're all up to speed, be sure to also read our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (August 8).

Filming is officially underway on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with people flocking to Glasgow to catch glimpses of the web-slinger in action.

We got a sneak peek at the new suit, which looks to pay homage to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's live-action iterations of the character.

We also saw that the flick will involve the first usage of practical webslinging in one of the webslinger's solo MCU movies.

Lastly, we might have gotten a tease of the principal villain of the movie: Mister Negative, as tanks driving through the set are emblazoned with a logo that resembles the Inner Demons logo associated with Negative’s forces.

• Read more: Everything we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Oh Samsung, you were doing so well! Having seemingly quashed the Evan Blass image leak in July, it looked as if all noted tipsters had been warned and deterred. But then, oopsie, a half-finished product listing with pricing and images goes live – on Samsung’s own Panama site.

Two colors are shown (white and a very dark gray), and the price, in Panama at least, is listed as $129. We’re trying very hard not to make a bad joke about the Panama Ear Canal, but at times like thes,e it really is best to laugh.

The Galaxy Buds 3 FE also appears to have silicone ear tips, but everything else is still guesswork since the product page doesn't include any actual specs or features, which is yet another indication that somebody hit the ‘publish’ button too early.

The Buds 3 FE are the follow-up to the original Buds FE or 'Fan Edition'. That's right, there's no Buds 2 FE, so we really thought Samsung was handling the launch of this potentially confusing iteration with delicacy and care…

• Read more: Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE accidentally went live

This week, Sonos announced that “later this year, we plan to raise prices” in response to US tariffs.

While the company no longer makes most of its products in China – which is currently facing a 30% tariff – it makes its tech in Vietnam and Malaysia, which are facing 20% and 19% tariffs, respectively (based on rates as of the time of writing on August 7).

Precisely how much of a cost increase the actual speakers will see is yet to be announced, and we don’t yet know exactly when the price hike will come either, but unless things change, it looks like a price hike is coming – so you might want to buy a Sonos speaker sooner rather than later.

• Read more: Get your Sonos speakers at current 'low' prices while you can

Audio Advice Live is a US-based consumer audio and video show held annually in Raleigh, North Carolina, and at this year’s event, which ran from August 1-3, 2025, we had the opportunity to check out Harman Kardon’s forthcoming Enchant series soundbars and wireless speakers.

The big news about the Enchant series is that it carries many of the same great features found in Sonos soundbars and speakers, including multi-room playback and app-based control. But the Enchant soundbars go beyond popular Sonos models, such as the Sonos Arc Ultra, in offering both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, along with an HDMI pass-through input for connecting an external device like an Xbox Series X or PS5 console.

Is the Enchant series primed to topple Sonos? We won’t know that until we get our hands on a system for review, but if Harman Kardon can nail the app part of the equation – a recent pain point for Sonos and its customer base – it could provide a compelling alternative to the Sonos multi-room ecosystem.

• Read more: Harman Kardon’s new Dolby Atmos soundbar is like a Sonos Arc Ultra

Since their launch, we, like many other testers, have been putting the new Samsung foldables through their paces. But some testers take things to an extreme when it comes to judging durability.

JerryRigEverything seriously put Samsung’s new foldable through its paces with a test that involved setting fire to the phone screens, bathing the gadget in dirt, and attempting to scratch every surface with a knife – before trying to snap the phone in half.

Somehow, the Z Flip 7 survived, but it just goes to show that foldables aren’t as flimsy as they once were.

• Read more: Watch the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 go through a torturous durability test

A Microsoft exec shared his vision of Windows in 2030, making the rather bold claim that we’ll not be using keyboards and mice to interact with our computers by then, but rather using our voice and AI. We’ve heard this before (remember when virtual assistants like Cortana [RIP] were going to do everything for us with simple voice commands?), and I’m not convinced.

I don’t want to be speaking to my computer when I’m alone, let alone in a busy place or office, and there’s a reason we still use keyboards, mice, and trackpads decades after these peripherals were created: they remain the fastest and most convenient way to interact with our computers for a lot of people.

• Read more: 'The computer will be able to see what we see, hear what we hear, and we can talk to it'

After hyping up its creation for the past couple of weeks, even saying it scared them, Sam Altman and OpenAI finally unveiled GPT-5 – the latest version of the digital brain which powers ChatGPT.

As expected, GPT-5 is said to be better than its predecessor, apparently being more reliable than before – being more honest with gaps in its knowledge rather than lying, or hallucinating, as it’s called for AI – and it’s also meant to be better at maths and coding, making it a more useful vibe coding partner.

Not everyone is happy, however. Many users have taken to social media to call the new bot “horrible” as ChatGPT now only gives shorter answers with less personality, and the prompt cap seems lower, too.

It might not do much to make affected users feel better about the situation, but OpenAI did at least warn of just this ahead of GPT-5’s launch: teasing “probable hiccups and capacity crunches,” as Sam Altman put it.

• Read more: 5 things you need to know about OpenAI’s ‘most useful’ model yet