ASUS vs TCL

AMD FSR 4.1 Upscaling Coming to Xbox Series X|S

Microsoft and AMD have announced that AMD's FSR 4.1 machine-learning upscaling technology will be available on Xbox Series X|S consoles, with no specific release date given beyond "soon." Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet confirmed the plan in an announcement video, noting AMD's partnership of over two decades and the ongoing collaboration on Project Helix, the next-generation Xbox. FSR 4.1 renders games at lower resolutions and reconstructs them at higher ones using machine learning. The technology will also support Radeon RX 6000-series GPUs, certain Ryzen 9 laptops (including Gorgon Halo and Strix Halo), and handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally. Developers will need to patch their games to utilize FSR 4.1, so older titles won't upgrade automatically. Xbox Series X|S lack dedicated machine-learning hardware, so performance gains may not match Sony's PS5 Pro upscalers (PSSR and QSSR). The next-gen Xbox, Project Helix, is reportedly launching in late 2028 with a projected price of $1,200-$1,800.

• AMD FSR 4.1 upscaling technology announced for Xbox Series X|S consoles, with no release date. confirm: true
• Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet confirmed the plan in an announcement video.
• FSR 4.1 is a machine-learning-based temporal upscaler that reconstructs higher-resolution images from lower-resolution renders.

ASUS ProArt RTX Spark Windows PCs Available for Immediate Pre-Order Today, Delivering Integrated Ecosystem of AI Agents and Creative Apps

ASUS announces new ProArt RTX Spark Windows PCs available for pre-order, along with other recent press releases including ROG Rapture GT-BN98 router, Ascent GX10 64GB configuration, and Forbes World's Best Employers recognition.

ASUS Announces New 64GB Configuration of ASUS Ascent GX10

ASUS has announced a new 64GB configuration of its Ascent GX10 AI supercomputer, as featured in a press release on the ASUS Pressroom.

Sony Discontinues Final UHD Blu-ray Player

Sony has reportedly discontinued its final standalone UHD Blu-ray player, the UBP-X700/K (also known as UBP-X700K), with no successor planned. Shipments ended in Japan around October 22, 2026, and Sony's Japanese and U.S. websites list the model as out of stock, though third-party retailers still have limited inventory. Sony has not officially confirmed the exit, with its UK operation declining to comment. The move, first reported by Kunkoku.jp, follows the earlier discontinuation of the UBP-X800M2 and aligns with Sony's broader retreat from physical media, including ending Blu-ray recorder shipments and moving PlayStation games to digital-only by 2028. The PlayStation 5 remains Sony's only device capable of playing 4K Blu-ray discs. Panasonic is now the primary brand offering standalone UHD players, raising concerns about the format's long-term viability.

• Sony has discontinued its final standalone UHD Blu-ray player, the UBP-X700/K, with no successor planned.
• Shipments of the UBP-X700/K ended in Japan around October 22, 2026; Sony's Japanese and U.S. websites list it as out of stock.
• The discontinuation was first reported by Japanese website Kunkoku.jp; Sony has not officially confirmed it, and its UK operation declined to comment.

AI agents help users strip smart TV ads and bloatware

An emerging trend sees consumers using AI agents like Claude Code to 'vibe-code' their smart TVs, removing ads, bloatware, and tracking via scripts from GitHub projects like 'dumbtv' and 'cleanyourtv'. This movement threatens the smart TV advertising industry, which relies on automatic content recognition for targeted ads. Notably, 'cleanyourtv' can perform this without root access. Meanwhile, ChatGPT's ad formats are becoming more native and indistinguishable from regular responses, following Google and Bing patterns. AliExpress is expanding its YouTube affiliate partnership to the US, UK, Germany, and Brazil, enabling creator commissions. Other industry shifts include Alibaba surpassing Amazon as the top global advertiser, OpenAI's ad business booming, and Disney acquiring CharacterAI's software without its liabilities. While some users successfully de-bloat their TVs, others risk bricking devices, reflecting growing frustration with ads and surveillance.

• AI agents like Claude Code are used to remove ads and bloatware from smart TVs, with 'dumbtv' and 'cleanyourtv' on GitHub, and 'cleanyourtv' does not require root access.
• ChatGPT ads appear as regular text without explicit 'Sponsored' labels, becoming more native.
• AliExpress expands its YouTube affiliate partnership to the US, UK, Germany, and Brazil.

TCL Wins Over 30 Global Honors at IFA 2026

TCL, a global leader in consumer electronics, announced that it received more than 30 international awards at IFA 2026, including seven IFA Innovation Awards and five Global Product Technology Innovation Awards. The honors recognized TCL's advancements in display technology, AI, and smart living. Notable products include the TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED TV, which won 'Best in Show' from Tom's Guide, and the RayNeo GT Max AR Glasses, which received a Dolby Vision certification. TCL also published a white paper with TÜV Rheinland on SQD-Mini LED display standards and received the world's first SGS Natural Light Visual Comfort Certification. These achievements underscore TCL's commitment to innovation in next-generation technologies.

• TCL received over 30 awards at IFA 2026.
• Seven IFA Innovation Awards and five Global Product Technology Innovation Awards were among the honors.
• The TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED TV won 'Best in Show' from Tom's Guide.