Computers

Solar-powered classrooms bridge educational gap in rural communities

Making education more accessible one classroom at a time

Photos from Dell

Published

November 27, 2019

Chay Lazaro

GadgetMatch is founded on the premise of making life better and easier through technology. For many of us who get caught up in emails and social media in our day to day, it’s easy to forget how technology changes lives.

It teaches new skills, builds self-confidence, and brings new job opportunities especially to rural communities; but that’s easier said than done. High costs and complex societal challenges hampers not just access to technology in developing countries, but human progress as well.

There are companies like Dell Technologies who make it a point to harness its resources and global reach to make technology more accessible. In areas where access to consistent energy and technology are scarce, Dell has partnered with Computer Aid International to create Solar Learning Labs.

These labs are solar-powered and created by converting old shipping containers. The classrooms are filled with Dell Wyse Thin Client workstations managed by an air-cooled PowerEdge server. Up to 20 students can use a classroom at a time.

Reusing and converting what is otherwise considered waste is inline with Dell’s use of circular economy concepts. Relying on solar panels to generate electricity makes the containers self-sufficient. They can also be placed even in the most remote locations because of their size. They help deliver sustainable and affordable connectivity to schools.

A commitment to advance education

EMEA Strategic Giving Manager Houcine Faik says Dell is committed to enabling and empowering communities with technology, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s core to its business.

The goal is to help increase the exposure of entire communities to digital skills, particularly in developing countries where many students and schools still struggle to access reliable technology, infrastructure, and electricity.

The initiative first kicked-off in Lagos, Nigeria in 2013. Since then, Dell has already funded 18 labs in six countries around the world including South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Mexico, and Colombia.

More than 10,000 students have benefited from the project during school hours. The labs are also open to other members of local communities even after school.

Faik tells Gadgetmatch that they chose South Africa to start expanding the program by leveraging a crowd-funded approach. The average number of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) jobs in South Africa increased by 26% over the last decade.

There is also a national commitment to improving ICT for education in schools, but a shortage of training capacity and equipment.

Expanding to more countries

For now, Dell is focusing their efforts in scaling the Solar Learning Labs in South Africa, and then Latin America. “Based on the success in these locations, we’ll then look to expand to other regions,” shares Faik. By enabling crowd-funding, Dell hopes to open up the opportunity to partner with others to make scaling the project easier.

While there are no plans of expanding to Asia just yet, Dell recently released its full 2030 Progress Made Real plan. This outlines the company’s goals of creating a lasting, measurable impact on people and the planet over the next decade.

One of Dell’s 2030 commitments is to advance the health, education, and economic opportunity of 1 billion people. Using the company’s expertise and technology, it can help 1,000 nonprofit partners digitally transform to better serve their communities.

With its 2030 vision now set, Dell hopes to create a total of 100 labs by 2030. If you are interested in helping fund a Solar Learning Lab, visit solarlearninglabs.org.

Computers

CIPTA debuts AI GPU server, edge workstation at CloudFest 2026

Malaysia-made AI infrastructure

Published

March 21, 2026

GadgetMatch

CIPTA Industrial Sdn Bhd steps onto the global stage with its European debut at CloudFest 2026. They introduced high-density AI infrastructure and edge-ready systems built for modern enterprise workloads.

Held at Europa-Park in Rust, Germany from March 23 to 26, the event marks the company’s first major international showcase under its own brand. Backed by InWin Development Inc., CIPTA positions itself as a new-generation EMS provider focused on AI, cloud, and enterprise systems.

At Booth R41, the company is highlighting two key platforms: the RG658 PRO GPU server developed with Phison, and the cubePRO edge workstation created in collaboration with Accordance.

Built for scalable AI workloads

Leading the showcase is the RG658 PRO, a high-density GPU server designed to handle large-scale AI training and inference without pushing costs out of reach for enterprises.

The system supports up to eight high-performance GPUs and integrates Phison’s Pascari aiDAPTIV alongside its PASCARI enterprise SSD lineup. This combination aims to improve data throughput, reduce latency, and streamline AI pipelines.

Thermal performance is a key focus. The RG658 PRO uses a dual-chamber design to separate heat zones, paired with up to 14 high-speed PWM fans for sustained cooling under heavy workloads. Power delivery is handled by a 3+1 redundant configuration of 80PLUS Titanium PSUs, scaling up to 9600W.

The result is a platform built to scale AI deployments on-site while maintaining efficiency and reliability.

Edge computing without downtime

Alongside its GPU server, CIPTA is introducing the cubePRO, a compact edge workstation designed for environments where uptime and data integrity are critical.

The system supports up to four PCIe slots for GPU configurations, making it suitable for AI workloads at the edge. It also features high-capacity multi-SSD setups and optimized airflow for continuous 24/7 operation.

Through its partnership with Accordance, the cubePRO integrates the Disk Array ARAID M500 solution, enabling high-availability storage and data protection. This ensures uninterrupted performance for use cases such as industrial systems, remote nodes, and enterprise branch deployments.

The focus here is clear: bring AI processing closer to where data is generated, without sacrificing reliability.

Strengthening Malaysia’s role in AI infrastructure

CIPTA’s debut also reflects a broader shift in global supply chains. Operating from Malaysia, the company offers end-to-end services—from concept to production—along with flexible manufacturing cycles and cost-efficient operations tailored for Southeast Asia and international markets.

With access to InWin’s server chassis ecosystem and infrastructure solutions, CIPTA combines global platform capabilities with localized integration. The goal is to help enterprises deploy AI and cloud infrastructure faster while diversifying their supply chain footprint.

As demand for AI systems continues to grow, CIPTA is positioning Malaysia as a key hub for scalable, production-ready infrastructure.

Visitors can find CIPTA at Booth R41 during CloudFest 2026 in Europa-Park, Rust, Germany.

Computers

AMD expands Ryzen AI Embedded P100 series lineup

Scalable, efficient AI compute for industrial, edge solutions

Published

March 12, 2026

GadgetMatch

AMD has recently announced the expansion of its AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P100 Series processor lineup.

This enables scalable and power-efficient AI compute tailor-built for industrial and AI edge systems. Scenarios include factory automation, physical AI in mobile robotics, and other AI-driven edge applications.

With eight to 12 high-performance Zen 5 cores, AMD ROCm support, and up to 80 total system TOPS, the new x86 embedded APUs deliver up to:

2x more CPU core counts
8x higher GPU compute
36% higher system TOPS

This way, developers and system designers get an expanded and scalable portfolio of power-efficient edge computing solutions. These processors support real-time AI from vision to control and reasoning, as well as offer advanced graphics capabilities.

On a single chip, clients get up to 80 TOPS physical AI acceleration, AMD RDNA 3.5 graphics for real-time visualization, and an NPU based on the AMD XDNA 2 architecture.

Moreover, the processors can withstand industrial temperature ranges (-40° C to 105° C) and can support continuous 24/7 operations for up to 10-year life cycles. That’s along with low-latency and power-efficient AI inference.

Real-life applications include intelligent factories, autonomous robots, and medical imaging devices. For instance, the processors can deliver CPU performance required for real-time inspection and process optimization.

For mobile robots, meanwhile, processors can manage navigation, motion, control, and route planning while the GPU processes multi-camera feeds for spatial awareness.

Furthermore, for 3D health imaging, the processors can enable the powering of 3D imaging for ultrasounds, endoscopes, tissue classification, and tumor detection at the edge. This is done with models like U-Net, nnU-Net, and MONAI.

The processors then accelerate image-to-report workflows with MedSigLIP and support clinical reasoning and Q&A with Med-PaLM 2.

Computers

GIGABYTE collaborates with Capcom for RE Requiem custom PC

Giveaway runs until March 31

Published

March 9, 2026

GadgetMatch

GIGABYTE and Capcom have collaborated for a limited time Resident Evil Requiem-inspired custom PC giveaway.

The setup is inspired by the title, which recently released, and includes an exclusive monitor game bundle to bring players closer to the experience.

Headlining the collaboration is the Umbrella Corporation — Level 3 Access custom rig giveaway. It is one of a kind, fully-built desktop featuring a Z890M AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE motherboard and RTX 5080 AERO OC SFF graphics.

Of course, it draws inspiration from the visual identity and atmosphere of Resident Evil Requiem. It also features a GIGABYTE C102 GLASS ICE chassis design and custom GIGABYTE MO27Q28G gaming monitor to complete the setup.

The giveaway runs from March 2 to March 31 via the official campaign website. Fans can enter for a chance to win the custom rig, with no purchase necessary. The only caveat is that they have to be a United States or Canada resident.

Such experience is designed to invite players and PC enthusiasts alike to engage with the collaboration while highlighting GIGABYTE’s premium hardware craftmanship and attention to detail.

In addition to the giveaway, GIGABYTE is also offering a Resident Evil Requiem game bundle with select gaming monitors. Included are AORUS brand monitors, ranging from 27 to 55 inches in size.

This bundle is available until March 31. Customers who purchase eligible models can redeem a digital game code through GIGABYTE’s official redemption platform.

The featured monitor is the MO27Q28G, which has fourth generation WOLED panel with 280Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time. It is an ideal monitor to experience the spine-chilling terror and death-defying action of the title.