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Apple and Samsung are in discussions with GSMA, the mobile standards organization, to introduce electronic SIM cards. The discussion between two companies are due to the GSMA's imminent declaration of a standardized embedded SIM card for consumer devices, of which Apple and Samsung are primary players. It has already been rumored since late 2010 of Apple creating its own SIM card line which started when Gigaom claimed the company was working with the digital security firm Gemalto. The rumors lead people to believe that the two companies would work on the custom built-in SIM.

Samsung has increased the capacity of its 850 Evo and 850 pro solid-state drives, making them capable of holding two terabytes of data. It is the most storage space offered through any of their drives being sold via retail. Previous models offered storage of 120GB, 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB.

In 2014, Microsoft pulled their support for Windows XP in which they will no longer issue security updates to fix issues with the software. Despite this, any company or agency that is still using Windows XP can pay Microsoft for continued updates. Notably, the United States Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command is still using Windows XP, though the agency is planning to upgrade its systems by July 12, 2016.

In June 2015, NASA announced that they have teamed up with Microsoft to develop a new project called Sidekick which will use commercial technology to empower astronauts on the International Space Station. The goal of Sidekick is to enable station crews with assistance whenever and wherever they need it. It will use Microsoft HoloLens to provide virtual aid to astronauts working off the Earth, for the Earth. This new capability has the potential to reduce crew training requirements and increase the efficiency at which astronauts can work in space.

Kingston Technology Co. has sold their Payton subsidiary to China’s Shenzhen Kaifa Technology Co. Ltd. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, and the deal still needs approvals from the Chinese government. Kaifa will assume one-hundred-percent equity stake in Payton. The deal will enable Payton to expand its horizons into wider areas for semiconductor packaging and testing as the computer industry continues to evolve.

More and more consumers are moving towards PCIe technology as server virtualization, virtual desktop infrastructure, in-memory computing applications, and the need for real-time analytics increases. Over 7,000 customers have already received more than a quarter million PCIe application accelerators from just SanDisk.

Advanced Micro Devices is looking into data centers and high-performance PCs for long-term profitability. AMD is putting a good chunk of their chips on the table based on the theory that there will be a big spending spree in the near future for data center operators who will be demanding powerful new computer chips. “We see strong long-term growth opportunities across a diverse set of markets for the kind of high-performance compute and visualization capabilities only AMD can provide,” said AMD President and CEO Dr. Lisa Su.

On March 10, 2015, the information technology corporation Hewlett-Packard announced that they will be creating a group of servers specifically targeting a system for cloud providers. As a joint venture with the electronics contract company Foxconn, the two firms have been working together on creating cloud optimized servers in which they have dubbed Cloudline.

SanDisk unveiled their latest microSD card this past weekend, one that sees a vast increase in storage capacity.The new card can hold up to a record 200 gigabytes of storage – an increase of over fifty percent from their last model. It was just about this time last year when SanDisk came out with a 128 GB card, also a record at the time. This sort of storage capability comes from the demand of the way most people use their phones nowadays. Instagram, Twitter, and other social media outlets have changed the way pictures and videos are shared, and has caused the necessary increase in how much storage is needed. “Mobile devices are completely changing the game. Seven out of ten images captured by consumers are now from smartphones and tablets. Consumers view mobile-first devices as their primary means for image capture and sharing, and by 2019, smartphones and tablets will account for nine out of ten images captured,” said Christopher Chute, Vice President of Worldwide Digital Imaging Practice at IDC.

Project Ara’s use of Lattice Semiconductor components allows its users to customize their smartphones on an integrated circuit level, making for unique smartphone experiences for each individual user. Lattice Semiconductor’s FPGAs help the engineers behind Google’s Project Ara deliver that sort of desired uniqueness. This project empowers its users to have a say in how the device is made, what it does, and how it looks. Never before could you make a choice about your phone’s exact functions and use it to tell a story specifically written by you.