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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Team USA Sled Hockey will go for gold on Sunday in Canada in a game viewers can watch on NBC4 at 11 a.m.  “I feel pretty good, the US has been pretty dominant in the last few years all year round," Michael Fenster said. Fenster has been watching all of Team [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- During his State of the State Address this week, Governor Mike DeWine (R) celebrated a few of the aerospace and defense manufacturers making investments in Ohio. DeWine cited the recent arrival of military suppliers like the Sierra Nevada Corporation, which has opened two facilities in the Dayton area, and the drone [...]

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- High winds caused damage and travel delays Friday across central Ohio. Delaware County officials said there is significant roof damage to the Powell YMCA. Multiple semi-trucks also blew over due to the high wind, shutting down Interstate 71 southbound near U.S. 36/State Route 37 and US. 33 near State Route 161. [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- While having a job is a necessity or routine for many, for others, it may be their chance to be apart of something or experience independence for the first time. In light of March marking Development Disability Awareness Month, NBC4 explored the impact job placement can have on someone with disabilities. [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – One of the crew members killed when a refueling aircraft crashed while supporting military operations against Iran is from Columbus. Tyler Simmons of the Air Force was one of the six people who died Friday in Iraq aboard a KC-135, a crash that brought the total number of service members killed [...]

Solar activity was very low to low. Only low-level C-class activity
was observed from Regions 4384 and 4389. Slight growth was observed
in Regions 4384 and 4391. New Region 4392 was numbered. The rest of
the spot groups were either stable or in decay. No Earth-directed
CMEs were observed. Solar activity is expected to be at low levels,
with a slight chance for M-class (R1-R2/minor-moderate) flares,
t...

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Polaris Fashion Place confirmed several new stores and restaurants set to open at the mall this year, including Mediterranean fast-casual chain Cava. Mall officials said Friday the new additions will bring a mix of dining and retail concepts to the north Columbus shopping center throughout 2026. "We are thrilled to offer [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new documentary preserving the history of Ohio's first lesbian bar is making its long-awaited debut this weekend, with sold-out screenings already signaling strong community interest. "Free Beer Tomorrow," a 77-minute documentary about the legacy of Summit Station, is premiering Friday and Saturday at the Wexner Center for the Arts. Both [...]

The Diocese of Columbus has opened Ave Maria Academy, a new Catholic elementary school serving the St. Peter St. Joan of Arc parish, which will begin the 2026-2027 school year with a two-campus model and a Catholic classical education model.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Video surveillance and a witness statement helped police track down a man believed to be connected to a fatal west Columbus stabbing. On Thursday morning, a man accused of stabbing another man to death appeared before a Franklin County Municipal Court judge. James Jacobs, 63, is facing one count of murder [...]

The Indiana General Assembly has passed and Governor Mike Braun has signed a bill that adds protection for amateur radio operators who live in homeowner association (HOA) regulated housing developments.  

Official language of the House Bill 1152 can be found at IGA | House Bill 1152 - Homeowners association matters.  

Credit for adding the new language goes to Hunter Reed, KD9YLQ; Campbell Reed,...

WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) -- Whitehall residents have submitted a petition to recall Mayor Michael Bivens and two members of city council. According to social media posts, the recall petitions were submitted before 9 a.m. Wednesday. The petitions seek to remove Bivens and Councilmembers Lori Elmore and Amy Harcar from office, brought forth by a coalition [...]

The nomination period for the 2026 spring season Section Manager election cycle concluded on Friday, March 6. There will be no balloted elections because only one nominee per section was received at ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® Headquarters.   

Wisconsin will have a new Section Manager starting on July 1, 2026. Myron Oestreich, KB9STB, was declared elected as the sole nominee...

Dayton Hamvention® has announced its 2026 Awards.

Technical Achievement Award: Robert Famiglio, K3RF

Robert B. “Bob” Famiglio, K3RF, has spent almost 60 years in amateur radio, blending technical expertise, legal knowledge, and leadership in emergency communications. Licensed at age 13, Famiglio later earned a BSE in electrical engineering and a doctorate in law. For more than 40 years he has ser...

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Weinland Park home that was the site of a double murder that drew national attention has been listed for sale.  Spencer and Monique Tepe’s residence on the 1400 block of North Fourth Street was put on the market for $775,000 on Wednesday, according to Zillow. The 2,530-square-foot, three-floor home has [...]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ravi Bellamkonda is Ohio State's first foreign-born president and brings a DEI-positive record to the university that was the first in the state to eliminate DEI. Bellamkonda was unanimously appointed president on Thursday, leaving his role as provost and executive vice president after the abrupt resignation of his predecessor, Ted Carter, [...]

BALTIMORE, Ohio (WCMH) — One person is dead and another suffered serious injuries after a head-on collision Thursday night in Fairfield County. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Pleasantville Road, near State Route 158 in Greenfield Township at 9:09 p.m. It was determined that two vehicles heading [...]

NEW STRAITSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A central Ohio woman who says local police failed to properly investigate her sister’s homicide is proposing changes to Ohio law. Amy Jo Nelson was found dead in an apartment in New Straitsville, a Perry County village with a population of about 650, on Sept. 18, 2017. Her death was [...]

In this episode, Chris Cochrane dives into Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo – the cheapest Mac laptop ever made – and whether it spells trouble for Chromebook makers. He also covers Samsung’s CEO blaming AI for rising phone prices, Framework raising RAM prices for the third time in three months, Meta unveiling four custom AI chips, NVIDIA’s GTC 2026 conference preview, a billion-dollar bet against large language models, Microsoft’s game-changing Project Helix Xbox with native Steam support, Windows 11’s new Xbox Mode, and SpaceX gearing up for a critical Starship Flight 12 test.

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Apple MacBook Neo

The lead story covers Apple’s MacBook Neo. It launched at $599 and marks the cheapest Mac laptop ever made. The device runs on the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro. Cochrane notes a solid market for students, casual users, and anyone who needs a reliable home laptop. However, he advises photographers and videographers to invest in a MacBook Air or Pro instead. The real question remains whether this kills Chromebook sales in education.

Samsung CEO Blames AI for Price Hikes

Cochrane tackles Samsung’s Galaxy S26 price increases. CEO TM Roh blamed AI infrastructure demand for the hikes. Meanwhile, DDR4 DRAM prices surged sevenfold in a single year. Cochrane points out the irony. Samsung manufactures memory chips, shifted production toward AI data centers, and now cites that same shortage to justify higher consumer prices. He calls the situation “a little shady” but appreciates the transparency.

Framework RAM Prices Up Again

The RAM crisis extends beyond phones. Framework raised RAM prices for the third consecutive time in three months. Cochrane reinforces advice from a recent episode. He urges listeners to buy now before prices climb further. Analysts project peak prices by mid-2026. The shortage could last through late 2027.

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Meta Unveils Four Custom AI Chips

Cochrane reports on Meta’s four new MTIA chip generations. The company aims to reduce its dependence on NVIDIA by building custom silicon. The MTIA 300 is already in production. New generations will ship every six months through 2027. The chips are built on open-source RISC-V architecture and manufactured by TSMC.

NVIDIA GTC 2026 Preview

NVIDIA’s GTC conference starts Monday in San Jose. Jensen Huang promises “chips the world has never seen.” Rumored architectures include Rubin Ultra and Feynman. The keynote streams free at nvidia.com on Monday at 11am Pacific. Cochrane notes that while companies like Meta are building chips to escape NVIDIA, competition will eventually catch up.

Yann LeCun’s AMI Labs Raises $1.03 Billion

Former Meta AI chief Yann LeCun raised $1.03 billion for AMI Labs at a $3.5 billion valuation. It marks the largest European seed round in history for a company just four months old. LeCun is building “world models” that learn from physical reality rather than text. Backers include Jeff Bezos, NVIDIA, and Samsung. Cochrane notes both approaches to AI can coexist.

Microsoft Project Helix

Microsoft revealed Project Helix at GDC 2026. For the first time, an Xbox will natively support Steam and GOG. Cochrane sees it as both desperate and inevitable. The only reason to buy from the Xbox store would be exclusives. He notes this is a breath of fresh air after months of talk that the Xbox era was ending. Dev kits ship in 2027 with a consumer launch likely late 2027 or 2028.

Windows 11 Xbox Mode

Microsoft is rolling out Xbox Mode to all Windows 11 PCs in April. The full-screen controller-optimized interface works with Steam, Epic, and Battle.net. Cochrane sees it as the first half of Microsoft’s two-phase gaming strategy. Xbox Mode trains users now. Project Helix delivers dedicated hardware later. He asks whether Sony and Nintendo will follow in Xbox’s footsteps.

SpaceX Starship Flight 12

SpaceX announced stacking complete for the next Super Heavy booster at Starbase. Flight 12 targets April and debuts V3 hardware with Raptor 3 engines. Orbital refueling remains the critical unknown for NASA’s Artemis III moon landing. SpaceX has a track record of delivering eventually, just never on Elon’s original timeline.

 

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