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How to Set Up a Smartphone for Loved Ones Who Don’t Get Tech

How to Set Up a Smartphone for Loved Ones Who Don’t Get Tech

On an iPhone: Tap and hold on the home screen until the icons wiggle, then drag them around to rearrange or tap the X to uninstall them.

Add Shortcuts for Useful Tasks or Apps

One of the best things you can do is place shortcuts on the home screen to make it easier for them to call or message their closest contacts with a single tap.

On an Android phone: Tap and hold on the home screen and select Widgets, choose the Browse tab, then scroll down to Contacts, choose Direct dial, and select a contact. You can place the shortcut anywhere on the home screen, and they can call that person simply by tapping it. You can add Direct message shortcuts in the same way.

On an iPhone: Use the Shortcuts app. If you create a folder for the home screen, you can potentially add multiple shortcuts. You can tap the plus (+) icon at the top right to add a new shortcut, search for or scroll down to Phone or FaceTime, tap on it again, then tap Contact and pick the contact you want to add. Tap at the top and choose Rename to give the shortcut a name, choose the icon, and Add to Home Screen. You can also tap and hold on the home screen until the icons wiggle and tap Edit at the top left, then Add Widget, and choose Contacts, then select the contact you want to add, but this will require an extra tap when they want to call.

Call contact shortcut on Android

Screenshots: Simon Hill

Consider a Simple Launcher (Android Only)

With Android phones, you can change the “launcher,” which determines the look of the whole interface, including things like app icons and font size.

Samsung phones have an alternative launcher called Easy Mode built in. To toggle it on, go to Settings, Display, and choose Easy Mode. There are loads of alternative Android launchers that you can install, and several simplify the phone experience with big icons. Simple Launcher, Big Launcher, or Senior Home are all worth a look.

Increase the Font Size

To make the font more readable, you can increase its size. There are loads of other handy smartphone features for folks with vision loss.

On an Android phone: Go to Settings, Display and touch, and choose Display size and text, then drag the slider to adjust. You can also get there via Settings, Accessibility, then Display size and text.

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#Set #Smartphone #Loved #Dont #Tech

update, bringing a handful of new features to make everyday smartphone use a little more convenient. The update introduces a new Sports Widget for football fans, Bluetooth audio sharing, improved security alerts, and several quality-of-life additions across the system. The rollout is scheduled between June 1 and June 30 for eligible OPPO smartphones, such as the Find X9.

Live Sports Updates and Shared Audio

OPPO’s June ColorOS 16 Update Adds Dual Bluetooth Audio Sharing
	
OPPO has started rolling out its June 2026 ColorOS 16 update, bringing a handful of new features to make everyday smartphone use a little more convenient. The update introduces a new Sports Widget for football fans, Bluetooth audio sharing, improved security alerts, and several quality-of-life additions across the system. The rollout is scheduled between June 1 and June 30 for eligible OPPO smartphones, such as the Find X9.



Live Sports Updates and Shared Audio 







One of the biggest additions in this release is the new Sports Widget. Football fans can now follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates directly from their home screen without opening a dedicated app. ColorOS 16 also uses AI Suggestions to surface upcoming matches on the Home Screen and Shelf, making it easier to keep tabs on your favorite teams throughout the day.



Another useful addition is Audio Sharing, which allows a single OPPO phone to stream audio to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones simultaneously. Whether you’re watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can enjoy the same audio without relying on a speaker or wired splitter.



Security and Everyday Features Get Some Attention Too







The June update also introduces Accessibility Security Alerts. If an app from an unknown source receives Accessibility Service permissions, a permission commonly abused by malicious apps, ColorOS will immediately notify the user. This makes it easier to review or revoke suspicious permissions before they become a security risk.



OPPO has also refreshed the Weather app with Moon Rise and Moon Set timings, along with live Moon Phase information. While these additions may not appeal to everyone, they can be useful for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning activities around natural lighting conditions.



Outdoor Mode has also received a small but practical upgrade. Users can now pin up to four frequently used apps for quicker access, while navigation and location awareness have also been improved for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.



Gaming and Personalization Improvements







Beyond the headline features, OPPO has added a few smaller quality-of-life improvements across the system. Users can now record gameplay more easily, while a new App Suggestions feature in the app drawer recommends frequently used apps based on usage patterns. The idea is to reduce the time spent searching for apps and make everyday navigation feel a little more intuitive.



OPPO says the June ColorOS 16 update will continue rolling out to eligible devices throughout the month.

#OPPOs #June #ColorOS #Update #Adds #Dual #Bluetooth #Audio #SharingOppo

One of the biggest additions in this release is the new Sports Widget. Football fans can now follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates directly from their home screen without opening a dedicated app. ColorOS 16 also uses AI Suggestions to surface upcoming matches on the Home Screen and Shelf, making it easier to keep tabs on your favorite teams throughout the day.

Another useful addition is Audio Sharing, which allows a single OPPO phone to stream audio to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones simultaneously. Whether you’re watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can enjoy the same audio without relying on a speaker or wired splitter.

Security and Everyday Features Get Some Attention Too

New Security Alerts OPPO June ColorOS 16

The June update also introduces Accessibility Security Alerts. If an app from an unknown source receives Accessibility Service permissions, a permission commonly abused by malicious apps, ColorOS will immediately notify the user. This makes it easier to review or revoke suspicious permissions before they become a security risk.

OPPO has also refreshed the Weather app with Moon Rise and Moon Set timings, along with live Moon Phase information. While these additions may not appeal to everyone, they can be useful for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning activities around natural lighting conditions.

Outdoor Mode has also received a small but practical upgrade. Users can now pin up to four frequently used apps for quicker access, while navigation and location awareness have also been improved for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.

Gaming and Personalization Improvements

Outdoor Mode enhancements

Beyond the headline features, OPPO has added a few smaller quality-of-life improvements across the system. Users can now record gameplay more easily, while a new App Suggestions feature in the app drawer recommends frequently used apps based on usage patterns. The idea is to reduce the time spent searching for apps and make everyday navigation feel a little more intuitive.

OPPO says the June ColorOS 16 update will continue rolling out to eligible devices throughout the month.

#OPPOs #June #ColorOS #Update #Adds #Dual #Bluetooth #Audio #SharingOppo">OPPO’s June ColorOS 16 Update Adds Dual Bluetooth Audio Sharing
	
OPPO has started rolling out its June 2026 ColorOS 16 update, bringing a handful of new features to make everyday smartphone use a little more convenient. The update introduces a new Sports Widget for football fans, Bluetooth audio sharing, improved security alerts, and several quality-of-life additions across the system. The rollout is scheduled between June 1 and June 30 for eligible OPPO smartphones, such as the Find X9.



Live Sports Updates and Shared Audio 







One of the biggest additions in this release is the new Sports Widget. Football fans can now follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates directly from their home screen without opening a dedicated app. ColorOS 16 also uses AI Suggestions to surface upcoming matches on the Home Screen and Shelf, making it easier to keep tabs on your favorite teams throughout the day.



Another useful addition is Audio Sharing, which allows a single OPPO phone to stream audio to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones simultaneously. Whether you’re watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can enjoy the same audio without relying on a speaker or wired splitter.



Security and Everyday Features Get Some Attention Too







The June update also introduces Accessibility Security Alerts. If an app from an unknown source receives Accessibility Service permissions, a permission commonly abused by malicious apps, ColorOS will immediately notify the user. This makes it easier to review or revoke suspicious permissions before they become a security risk.



OPPO has also refreshed the Weather app with Moon Rise and Moon Set timings, along with live Moon Phase information. While these additions may not appeal to everyone, they can be useful for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning activities around natural lighting conditions.



Outdoor Mode has also received a small but practical upgrade. Users can now pin up to four frequently used apps for quicker access, while navigation and location awareness have also been improved for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.



Gaming and Personalization Improvements







Beyond the headline features, OPPO has added a few smaller quality-of-life improvements across the system. Users can now record gameplay more easily, while a new App Suggestions feature in the app drawer recommends frequently used apps based on usage patterns. The idea is to reduce the time spent searching for apps and make everyday navigation feel a little more intuitive.



OPPO says the June ColorOS 16 update will continue rolling out to eligible devices throughout the month.

#OPPOs #June #ColorOS #Update #Adds #Dual #Bluetooth #Audio #SharingOppo

, bringing a handful of new features to make everyday smartphone use a little more convenient. The update introduces a new Sports Widget for football fans, Bluetooth audio sharing, improved security alerts, and several quality-of-life additions across the system. The rollout is scheduled between June 1 and June 30 for eligible OPPO smartphones, such as the Find X9.

Live Sports Updates and Shared Audio

OPPO’s June ColorOS 16 Update Adds Dual Bluetooth Audio Sharing
	
OPPO has started rolling out its June 2026 ColorOS 16 update, bringing a handful of new features to make everyday smartphone use a little more convenient. The update introduces a new Sports Widget for football fans, Bluetooth audio sharing, improved security alerts, and several quality-of-life additions across the system. The rollout is scheduled between June 1 and June 30 for eligible OPPO smartphones, such as the Find X9.



Live Sports Updates and Shared Audio 







One of the biggest additions in this release is the new Sports Widget. Football fans can now follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates directly from their home screen without opening a dedicated app. ColorOS 16 also uses AI Suggestions to surface upcoming matches on the Home Screen and Shelf, making it easier to keep tabs on your favorite teams throughout the day.



Another useful addition is Audio Sharing, which allows a single OPPO phone to stream audio to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones simultaneously. Whether you’re watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can enjoy the same audio without relying on a speaker or wired splitter.



Security and Everyday Features Get Some Attention Too







The June update also introduces Accessibility Security Alerts. If an app from an unknown source receives Accessibility Service permissions, a permission commonly abused by malicious apps, ColorOS will immediately notify the user. This makes it easier to review or revoke suspicious permissions before they become a security risk.



OPPO has also refreshed the Weather app with Moon Rise and Moon Set timings, along with live Moon Phase information. While these additions may not appeal to everyone, they can be useful for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning activities around natural lighting conditions.



Outdoor Mode has also received a small but practical upgrade. Users can now pin up to four frequently used apps for quicker access, while navigation and location awareness have also been improved for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.



Gaming and Personalization Improvements







Beyond the headline features, OPPO has added a few smaller quality-of-life improvements across the system. Users can now record gameplay more easily, while a new App Suggestions feature in the app drawer recommends frequently used apps based on usage patterns. The idea is to reduce the time spent searching for apps and make everyday navigation feel a little more intuitive.



OPPO says the June ColorOS 16 update will continue rolling out to eligible devices throughout the month.

#OPPOs #June #ColorOS #Update #Adds #Dual #Bluetooth #Audio #SharingOppo

One of the biggest additions in this release is the new Sports Widget. Football fans can now follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates directly from their home screen without opening a dedicated app. ColorOS 16 also uses AI Suggestions to surface upcoming matches on the Home Screen and Shelf, making it easier to keep tabs on your favorite teams throughout the day.

Another useful addition is Audio Sharing, which allows a single OPPO phone to stream audio to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones simultaneously. Whether you’re watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can enjoy the same audio without relying on a speaker or wired splitter.

Security and Everyday Features Get Some Attention Too

New Security Alerts OPPO June ColorOS 16

The June update also introduces Accessibility Security Alerts. If an app from an unknown source receives Accessibility Service permissions, a permission commonly abused by malicious apps, ColorOS will immediately notify the user. This makes it easier to review or revoke suspicious permissions before they become a security risk.

OPPO has also refreshed the Weather app with Moon Rise and Moon Set timings, along with live Moon Phase information. While these additions may not appeal to everyone, they can be useful for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning activities around natural lighting conditions.

Outdoor Mode has also received a small but practical upgrade. Users can now pin up to four frequently used apps for quicker access, while navigation and location awareness have also been improved for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.

Gaming and Personalization Improvements

Outdoor Mode enhancements

Beyond the headline features, OPPO has added a few smaller quality-of-life improvements across the system. Users can now record gameplay more easily, while a new App Suggestions feature in the app drawer recommends frequently used apps based on usage patterns. The idea is to reduce the time spent searching for apps and make everyday navigation feel a little more intuitive.

OPPO says the June ColorOS 16 update will continue rolling out to eligible devices throughout the month.

#OPPOs #June #ColorOS #Update #Adds #Dual #Bluetooth #Audio #SharingOppo">OPPO’s June ColorOS 16 Update Adds Dual Bluetooth Audio Sharing

OPPO has started rolling out its June 2026 ColorOS 16 update, bringing a handful of new features to make everyday smartphone use a little more convenient. The update introduces a new Sports Widget for football fans, Bluetooth audio sharing, improved security alerts, and several quality-of-life additions across the system. The rollout is scheduled between June 1 and June 30 for eligible OPPO smartphones, such as the Find X9.

Live Sports Updates and Shared Audio

OPPO’s June ColorOS 16 Update Adds Dual Bluetooth Audio Sharing
	
OPPO has started rolling out its June 2026 ColorOS 16 update, bringing a handful of new features to make everyday smartphone use a little more convenient. The update introduces a new Sports Widget for football fans, Bluetooth audio sharing, improved security alerts, and several quality-of-life additions across the system. The rollout is scheduled between June 1 and June 30 for eligible OPPO smartphones, such as the Find X9.



Live Sports Updates and Shared Audio 







One of the biggest additions in this release is the new Sports Widget. Football fans can now follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates directly from their home screen without opening a dedicated app. ColorOS 16 also uses AI Suggestions to surface upcoming matches on the Home Screen and Shelf, making it easier to keep tabs on your favorite teams throughout the day.



Another useful addition is Audio Sharing, which allows a single OPPO phone to stream audio to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones simultaneously. Whether you’re watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can enjoy the same audio without relying on a speaker or wired splitter.



Security and Everyday Features Get Some Attention Too







The June update also introduces Accessibility Security Alerts. If an app from an unknown source receives Accessibility Service permissions, a permission commonly abused by malicious apps, ColorOS will immediately notify the user. This makes it easier to review or revoke suspicious permissions before they become a security risk.



OPPO has also refreshed the Weather app with Moon Rise and Moon Set timings, along with live Moon Phase information. While these additions may not appeal to everyone, they can be useful for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning activities around natural lighting conditions.



Outdoor Mode has also received a small but practical upgrade. Users can now pin up to four frequently used apps for quicker access, while navigation and location awareness have also been improved for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.



Gaming and Personalization Improvements







Beyond the headline features, OPPO has added a few smaller quality-of-life improvements across the system. Users can now record gameplay more easily, while a new App Suggestions feature in the app drawer recommends frequently used apps based on usage patterns. The idea is to reduce the time spent searching for apps and make everyday navigation feel a little more intuitive.



OPPO says the June ColorOS 16 update will continue rolling out to eligible devices throughout the month.

#OPPOs #June #ColorOS #Update #Adds #Dual #Bluetooth #Audio #SharingOppo

One of the biggest additions in this release is the new Sports Widget. Football fans can now follow live scores, match schedules, and tournament updates directly from their home screen without opening a dedicated app. ColorOS 16 also uses AI Suggestions to surface upcoming matches on the Home Screen and Shelf, making it easier to keep tabs on your favorite teams throughout the day.

Another useful addition is Audio Sharing, which allows a single OPPO phone to stream audio to two pairs of Bluetooth earphones simultaneously. Whether you’re watching a movie with a friend or listening to music together, both users can enjoy the same audio without relying on a speaker or wired splitter.

Security and Everyday Features Get Some Attention Too

New Security Alerts OPPO June ColorOS 16

The June update also introduces Accessibility Security Alerts. If an app from an unknown source receives Accessibility Service permissions, a permission commonly abused by malicious apps, ColorOS will immediately notify the user. This makes it easier to review or revoke suspicious permissions before they become a security risk.

OPPO has also refreshed the Weather app with Moon Rise and Moon Set timings, along with live Moon Phase information. While these additions may not appeal to everyone, they can be useful for outdoor enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone planning activities around natural lighting conditions.

Outdoor Mode has also received a small but practical upgrade. Users can now pin up to four frequently used apps for quicker access, while navigation and location awareness have also been improved for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.

Gaming and Personalization Improvements

Outdoor Mode enhancements

Beyond the headline features, OPPO has added a few smaller quality-of-life improvements across the system. Users can now record gameplay more easily, while a new App Suggestions feature in the app drawer recommends frequently used apps based on usage patterns. The idea is to reduce the time spent searching for apps and make everyday navigation feel a little more intuitive.

OPPO says the June ColorOS 16 update will continue rolling out to eligible devices throughout the month.

#OPPOs #June #ColorOS #Update #Adds #Dual #Bluetooth #Audio #SharingOppo
smaller than the width of a DNA strand, which measures about 2.5 nanometers across. The chip itself is about the size of a fingernail but holds almost 100 billion transistors, and the company expects it could enter markets as early as the next five years.

In a statement released today, IBM said the new chip features nearly twice the density of its 2-nanometer chip, released in 2021. According to an accompanying technical report, the chip also demonstrated up to 70% greater energy efficiency than its predecessor. In designing the chip, researchers developed an “entirely new transistor architecture” called nanostack, which “vertically stacks and staggers transistors” to enable IBM’s 0.7-nanometer chip technology, IBM explained.

IBM Crosses One of Computing’s Biggest Barriers With World’s First Sub-1 Nanometer Chip
                In a major breakthrough, IBM revealed the world’s first semiconductor chip technology built on a sub-1 nanometer chipmaking process. For comparison, the process uses transistor features smaller than the width of a DNA strand, which measures about 2.5 nanometers across. The chip itself is about the size of a fingernail but holds almost 100 billion transistors, and the company expects it could enter markets as early as the next five years. In a statement released today, IBM said the new chip features nearly twice the density of its 2-nanometer chip, released in 2021. According to an accompanying technical report, the chip also demonstrated up to 70% greater energy efficiency than its predecessor. In designing the chip, researchers developed an “entirely new transistor architecture” called nanostack, which “vertically stacks and staggers transistors” to enable IBM’s 0.7-nanometer chip technology, IBM explained. A section of the chip seen with a transmission electron microscope. Credit: IBM “With our new nanostack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors,” Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, said in the statement. “We’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

 Smaller and smaller Semiconductor chips enable things like computers, home appliances, communications, and transportation devices. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore surmised that transistor capacities evolved at a predictable and consistent rate. Specifically, all things considered, the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip would double about every two years. For a while, the so-called Moore’s Law held rather well—until, that is, things hit a literal wall.

 “Moore’s Law was never meant to last forever,” according to a blog post by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. “Transistors can only get so small and, eventually, the more permanent laws of physics get in the way.” That is, as companies try to cram more transistors into smaller chips, new advances in transistor technology take longer than two years, so Moore’s Law has been over since at least 2016, Charles Leiserson, a computer scientist at MIT, said in the blog. Accordingly, the issue now is to consider how improvements in chip performance fit into a longer-term picture, Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said in an explainer.

 Reaching atomic levels In that sense, IBM’s latest chip represents an inventive approach for bypassing the limits of physical scaling. Specifically, two wafers with nanosheet-style transistors are glued together like a sandwich to vertically stack two layers of transistors, and related technical assessments suggested that the wafer stacking was flexible and scalable enough to support real computation, Huiming Bu, vice president of IBM’s silicon technology research team, said in a press briefing on the chip. Researcher holding IBM’s sub-1 nm node wafer. Credit: IBM That said, this chip isn’t quite ready for manufacturing just yet. The company’s goal is to enter production in the next five years, but there’s still work to be done. For instance, Bu pointed out that the team was still working on pathways to prevent thermal noise or integration into existing systems in the high-performance computing community. “From my perspective, I hope to see it be as successful as the 2-nanometer [chip] and become the industry platform,” Gambetta said during the briefing. “And as we see with AI and classical computing in general, we are only seeing more and more consumption.”      #IBM #Crosses #Computings #Biggest #Barriers #Worlds #Sub1 #Nanometer #ChipIBM,Semiconductors,transistors
A section of the chip seen with a transmission electron microscope. Credit: IBM

“With our new nanostack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors,” Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, said in the statement. “We’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

Smaller and smaller

Semiconductor chips enable things like computers, home appliances, communications, and transportation devices. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore surmised that transistor capacities evolved at a predictable and consistent rate. Specifically, all things considered, the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip would double about every two years. For a while, the so-called Moore’s Law held rather well—until, that is, things hit a literal wall.

“Moore’s Law was never meant to last forever,” according to a blog post by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. “Transistors can only get so small and, eventually, the more permanent laws of physics get in the way.”

That is, as companies try to cram more transistors into smaller chips, new advances in transistor technology take longer than two years, so Moore’s Law has been over since at least 2016, Charles Leiserson, a computer scientist at MIT, said in the blog. Accordingly, the issue now is to consider how improvements in chip performance fit into a longer-term picture, Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said in an explainer.

Reaching atomic levels

In that sense, IBM’s latest chip represents an inventive approach for bypassing the limits of physical scaling. Specifically, two wafers with nanosheet-style transistors are glued together like a sandwich to vertically stack two layers of transistors, and related technical assessments suggested that the wafer stacking was flexible and scalable enough to support real computation, Huiming Bu, vice president of IBM’s silicon technology research team, said in a press briefing on the chip.

Sub 1nm Node Wafer Ibm
Researcher holding IBM’s sub-1 nm node wafer. Credit: IBM

That said, this chip isn’t quite ready for manufacturing just yet. The company’s goal is to enter production in the next five years, but there’s still work to be done. For instance, Bu pointed out that the team was still working on pathways to prevent thermal noise or integration into existing systems in the high-performance computing community.

“From my perspective, I hope to see it be as successful as the 2-nanometer [chip] and become the industry platform,” Gambetta said during the briefing. “And as we see with AI and classical computing in general, we are only seeing more and more consumption.”

#IBM #Crosses #Computings #Biggest #Barriers #Worlds #Sub1 #Nanometer #ChipIBM,Semiconductors,transistors">IBM Crosses One of Computing’s Biggest Barriers With World’s First Sub-1 Nanometer Chip
                In a major breakthrough, IBM revealed the world’s first semiconductor chip technology built on a sub-1 nanometer chipmaking process. For comparison, the process uses transistor features smaller than the width of a DNA strand, which measures about 2.5 nanometers across. The chip itself is about the size of a fingernail but holds almost 100 billion transistors, and the company expects it could enter markets as early as the next five years. In a statement released today, IBM said the new chip features nearly twice the density of its 2-nanometer chip, released in 2021. According to an accompanying technical report, the chip also demonstrated up to 70% greater energy efficiency than its predecessor. In designing the chip, researchers developed an “entirely new transistor architecture” called nanostack, which “vertically stacks and staggers transistors” to enable IBM’s 0.7-nanometer chip technology, IBM explained. A section of the chip seen with a transmission electron microscope. Credit: IBM “With our new nanostack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors,” Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, said in the statement. “We’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

 Smaller and smaller Semiconductor chips enable things like computers, home appliances, communications, and transportation devices. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore surmised that transistor capacities evolved at a predictable and consistent rate. Specifically, all things considered, the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip would double about every two years. For a while, the so-called Moore’s Law held rather well—until, that is, things hit a literal wall.

 “Moore’s Law was never meant to last forever,” according to a blog post by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. “Transistors can only get so small and, eventually, the more permanent laws of physics get in the way.” That is, as companies try to cram more transistors into smaller chips, new advances in transistor technology take longer than two years, so Moore’s Law has been over since at least 2016, Charles Leiserson, a computer scientist at MIT, said in the blog. Accordingly, the issue now is to consider how improvements in chip performance fit into a longer-term picture, Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said in an explainer.

 Reaching atomic levels In that sense, IBM’s latest chip represents an inventive approach for bypassing the limits of physical scaling. Specifically, two wafers with nanosheet-style transistors are glued together like a sandwich to vertically stack two layers of transistors, and related technical assessments suggested that the wafer stacking was flexible and scalable enough to support real computation, Huiming Bu, vice president of IBM’s silicon technology research team, said in a press briefing on the chip. Researcher holding IBM’s sub-1 nm node wafer. Credit: IBM That said, this chip isn’t quite ready for manufacturing just yet. The company’s goal is to enter production in the next five years, but there’s still work to be done. For instance, Bu pointed out that the team was still working on pathways to prevent thermal noise or integration into existing systems in the high-performance computing community. “From my perspective, I hope to see it be as successful as the 2-nanometer [chip] and become the industry platform,” Gambetta said during the briefing. “And as we see with AI and classical computing in general, we are only seeing more and more consumption.”      #IBM #Crosses #Computings #Biggest #Barriers #Worlds #Sub1 #Nanometer #ChipIBM,Semiconductors,transistors

than the width of a DNA strand, which measures about 2.5 nanometers across. The chip itself is about the size of a fingernail but holds almost 100 billion transistors, and the company expects it could enter markets as early as the next five years.

In a statement released today, IBM said the new chip features nearly twice the density of its 2-nanometer chip, released in 2021. According to an accompanying technical report, the chip also demonstrated up to 70% greater energy efficiency than its predecessor. In designing the chip, researchers developed an “entirely new transistor architecture” called nanostack, which “vertically stacks and staggers transistors” to enable IBM’s 0.7-nanometer chip technology, IBM explained.

IBM Crosses One of Computing’s Biggest Barriers With World’s First Sub-1 Nanometer Chip
                In a major breakthrough, IBM revealed the world’s first semiconductor chip technology built on a sub-1 nanometer chipmaking process. For comparison, the process uses transistor features smaller than the width of a DNA strand, which measures about 2.5 nanometers across. The chip itself is about the size of a fingernail but holds almost 100 billion transistors, and the company expects it could enter markets as early as the next five years. In a statement released today, IBM said the new chip features nearly twice the density of its 2-nanometer chip, released in 2021. According to an accompanying technical report, the chip also demonstrated up to 70% greater energy efficiency than its predecessor. In designing the chip, researchers developed an “entirely new transistor architecture” called nanostack, which “vertically stacks and staggers transistors” to enable IBM’s 0.7-nanometer chip technology, IBM explained. A section of the chip seen with a transmission electron microscope. Credit: IBM “With our new nanostack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors,” Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, said in the statement. “We’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

 Smaller and smaller Semiconductor chips enable things like computers, home appliances, communications, and transportation devices. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore surmised that transistor capacities evolved at a predictable and consistent rate. Specifically, all things considered, the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip would double about every two years. For a while, the so-called Moore’s Law held rather well—until, that is, things hit a literal wall.

 “Moore’s Law was never meant to last forever,” according to a blog post by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. “Transistors can only get so small and, eventually, the more permanent laws of physics get in the way.” That is, as companies try to cram more transistors into smaller chips, new advances in transistor technology take longer than two years, so Moore’s Law has been over since at least 2016, Charles Leiserson, a computer scientist at MIT, said in the blog. Accordingly, the issue now is to consider how improvements in chip performance fit into a longer-term picture, Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said in an explainer.

 Reaching atomic levels In that sense, IBM’s latest chip represents an inventive approach for bypassing the limits of physical scaling. Specifically, two wafers with nanosheet-style transistors are glued together like a sandwich to vertically stack two layers of transistors, and related technical assessments suggested that the wafer stacking was flexible and scalable enough to support real computation, Huiming Bu, vice president of IBM’s silicon technology research team, said in a press briefing on the chip. Researcher holding IBM’s sub-1 nm node wafer. Credit: IBM That said, this chip isn’t quite ready for manufacturing just yet. The company’s goal is to enter production in the next five years, but there’s still work to be done. For instance, Bu pointed out that the team was still working on pathways to prevent thermal noise or integration into existing systems in the high-performance computing community. “From my perspective, I hope to see it be as successful as the 2-nanometer [chip] and become the industry platform,” Gambetta said during the briefing. “And as we see with AI and classical computing in general, we are only seeing more and more consumption.”      #IBM #Crosses #Computings #Biggest #Barriers #Worlds #Sub1 #Nanometer #ChipIBM,Semiconductors,transistors
A section of the chip seen with a transmission electron microscope. Credit: IBM

“With our new nanostack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors,” Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, said in the statement. “We’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

Smaller and smaller

Semiconductor chips enable things like computers, home appliances, communications, and transportation devices. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore surmised that transistor capacities evolved at a predictable and consistent rate. Specifically, all things considered, the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip would double about every two years. For a while, the so-called Moore’s Law held rather well—until, that is, things hit a literal wall.

“Moore’s Law was never meant to last forever,” according to a blog post by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. “Transistors can only get so small and, eventually, the more permanent laws of physics get in the way.”

That is, as companies try to cram more transistors into smaller chips, new advances in transistor technology take longer than two years, so Moore’s Law has been over since at least 2016, Charles Leiserson, a computer scientist at MIT, said in the blog. Accordingly, the issue now is to consider how improvements in chip performance fit into a longer-term picture, Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said in an explainer.

Reaching atomic levels

In that sense, IBM’s latest chip represents an inventive approach for bypassing the limits of physical scaling. Specifically, two wafers with nanosheet-style transistors are glued together like a sandwich to vertically stack two layers of transistors, and related technical assessments suggested that the wafer stacking was flexible and scalable enough to support real computation, Huiming Bu, vice president of IBM’s silicon technology research team, said in a press briefing on the chip.

Sub 1nm Node Wafer Ibm
Researcher holding IBM’s sub-1 nm node wafer. Credit: IBM

That said, this chip isn’t quite ready for manufacturing just yet. The company’s goal is to enter production in the next five years, but there’s still work to be done. For instance, Bu pointed out that the team was still working on pathways to prevent thermal noise or integration into existing systems in the high-performance computing community.

“From my perspective, I hope to see it be as successful as the 2-nanometer [chip] and become the industry platform,” Gambetta said during the briefing. “And as we see with AI and classical computing in general, we are only seeing more and more consumption.”

#IBM #Crosses #Computings #Biggest #Barriers #Worlds #Sub1 #Nanometer #ChipIBM,Semiconductors,transistors">IBM Crosses One of Computing’s Biggest Barriers With World’s First Sub-1 Nanometer Chip

In a major breakthrough, IBM revealed the world’s first semiconductor chip technology built on a sub-1 nanometer chipmaking process. For comparison, the process uses transistor features smaller than the width of a DNA strand, which measures about 2.5 nanometers across. The chip itself is about the size of a fingernail but holds almost 100 billion transistors, and the company expects it could enter markets as early as the next five years.

In a statement released today, IBM said the new chip features nearly twice the density of its 2-nanometer chip, released in 2021. According to an accompanying technical report, the chip also demonstrated up to 70% greater energy efficiency than its predecessor. In designing the chip, researchers developed an “entirely new transistor architecture” called nanostack, which “vertically stacks and staggers transistors” to enable IBM’s 0.7-nanometer chip technology, IBM explained.

IBM Crosses One of Computing’s Biggest Barriers With World’s First Sub-1 Nanometer Chip
                In a major breakthrough, IBM revealed the world’s first semiconductor chip technology built on a sub-1 nanometer chipmaking process. For comparison, the process uses transistor features smaller than the width of a DNA strand, which measures about 2.5 nanometers across. The chip itself is about the size of a fingernail but holds almost 100 billion transistors, and the company expects it could enter markets as early as the next five years. In a statement released today, IBM said the new chip features nearly twice the density of its 2-nanometer chip, released in 2021. According to an accompanying technical report, the chip also demonstrated up to 70% greater energy efficiency than its predecessor. In designing the chip, researchers developed an “entirely new transistor architecture” called nanostack, which “vertically stacks and staggers transistors” to enable IBM’s 0.7-nanometer chip technology, IBM explained. A section of the chip seen with a transmission electron microscope. Credit: IBM “With our new nanostack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors,” Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, said in the statement. “We’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

 Smaller and smaller Semiconductor chips enable things like computers, home appliances, communications, and transportation devices. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore surmised that transistor capacities evolved at a predictable and consistent rate. Specifically, all things considered, the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip would double about every two years. For a while, the so-called Moore’s Law held rather well—until, that is, things hit a literal wall.

 “Moore’s Law was never meant to last forever,” according to a blog post by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. “Transistors can only get so small and, eventually, the more permanent laws of physics get in the way.” That is, as companies try to cram more transistors into smaller chips, new advances in transistor technology take longer than two years, so Moore’s Law has been over since at least 2016, Charles Leiserson, a computer scientist at MIT, said in the blog. Accordingly, the issue now is to consider how improvements in chip performance fit into a longer-term picture, Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said in an explainer.

 Reaching atomic levels In that sense, IBM’s latest chip represents an inventive approach for bypassing the limits of physical scaling. Specifically, two wafers with nanosheet-style transistors are glued together like a sandwich to vertically stack two layers of transistors, and related technical assessments suggested that the wafer stacking was flexible and scalable enough to support real computation, Huiming Bu, vice president of IBM’s silicon technology research team, said in a press briefing on the chip. Researcher holding IBM’s sub-1 nm node wafer. Credit: IBM That said, this chip isn’t quite ready for manufacturing just yet. The company’s goal is to enter production in the next five years, but there’s still work to be done. For instance, Bu pointed out that the team was still working on pathways to prevent thermal noise or integration into existing systems in the high-performance computing community. “From my perspective, I hope to see it be as successful as the 2-nanometer [chip] and become the industry platform,” Gambetta said during the briefing. “And as we see with AI and classical computing in general, we are only seeing more and more consumption.”      #IBM #Crosses #Computings #Biggest #Barriers #Worlds #Sub1 #Nanometer #ChipIBM,Semiconductors,transistors
A section of the chip seen with a transmission electron microscope. Credit: IBM

“With our new nanostack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors,” Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research, said in the statement. “We’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

Smaller and smaller

Semiconductor chips enable things like computers, home appliances, communications, and transportation devices. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore surmised that transistor capacities evolved at a predictable and consistent rate. Specifically, all things considered, the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip would double about every two years. For a while, the so-called Moore’s Law held rather well—until, that is, things hit a literal wall.

“Moore’s Law was never meant to last forever,” according to a blog post by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. “Transistors can only get so small and, eventually, the more permanent laws of physics get in the way.”

That is, as companies try to cram more transistors into smaller chips, new advances in transistor technology take longer than two years, so Moore’s Law has been over since at least 2016, Charles Leiserson, a computer scientist at MIT, said in the blog. Accordingly, the issue now is to consider how improvements in chip performance fit into a longer-term picture, Willy Shih, an economist at Harvard Business School, said in an explainer.

Reaching atomic levels

In that sense, IBM’s latest chip represents an inventive approach for bypassing the limits of physical scaling. Specifically, two wafers with nanosheet-style transistors are glued together like a sandwich to vertically stack two layers of transistors, and related technical assessments suggested that the wafer stacking was flexible and scalable enough to support real computation, Huiming Bu, vice president of IBM’s silicon technology research team, said in a press briefing on the chip.

Sub 1nm Node Wafer Ibm
Researcher holding IBM’s sub-1 nm node wafer. Credit: IBM

That said, this chip isn’t quite ready for manufacturing just yet. The company’s goal is to enter production in the next five years, but there’s still work to be done. For instance, Bu pointed out that the team was still working on pathways to prevent thermal noise or integration into existing systems in the high-performance computing community.

“From my perspective, I hope to see it be as successful as the 2-nanometer [chip] and become the industry platform,” Gambetta said during the briefing. “And as we see with AI and classical computing in general, we are only seeing more and more consumption.”

#IBM #Crosses #Computings #Biggest #Barriers #Worlds #Sub1 #Nanometer #ChipIBM,Semiconductors,transistors

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