This week’s stories are about tech, gadgets and AI, coming from Germany, India and the USA

Nvidia and Dell to supply supercomputer to U.S. Energy Dept

The U.S. Department of Energy announced its upcoming supercomputer, “Doudna,” set to launch in 2026, will be powered by technology from Nvidia and Dell. Named after Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna—renowned for her work on CRISPR gene editing—the machine will be located at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California.

I saw this story at Reuters and during an event attended by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, officials revealed that Doudna will incorporate Nvidia’s latest “Vera Rubin” processors in Dell’s liquid-cooled servers. The system will support the work of 11,000 scientists and aid research in fields such as chemistry, physics, and biology.

Wright emphasized the machine’s role in pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery. Doudna noted that her early CRISPR research was backed by the Department of Energy and highlighted how computing and biology are increasingly intertwined, according to the story.

Beyond research, the Energy Department’s supercomputers also play a critical role in maintaining the U.S. nuclear weapons program, noted the story.

At the event, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang described scientific supercomputers as essential tools for expanding knowledge, strengthening the nation’s scientific and technological leadership, and supporting national security.

Huang’s comments followed his recent praise of former President Donald Trump, contrasted with his criticism of U.S. restrictions on AI chip exports to China—measures that have cost Nvidia billions, as the story claimed.

Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO at Nvidia

iPhone shipments from India to U.S. surge 76% in April

Apple significantly increased its iPhone shipments from India to the United States in April, with volumes rising 76% year-over-year, according to new data from market research firm Canalys, now part of Omdia. The surge underscores Apple’s accelerating shift away from Chinese manufacturing, amid rising geopolitical tensions and renewed trade friction under the administration of former President Donald Trump.

I read this story at Cnbc and Omdia’s estimates show that roughly 3 million iPhones were shipped from India to the U.S. in April—up sharply from last year—while shipments from China plunged by the same percentage to just 900,000 units.

The figures reflect Apple’s growing reliance on Indian manufacturing, a strategy first ramped up during the COVID-19 pandemic in anticipation of supply chain disruptions and U.S. tariffs on Chinese-made goods, according to the story. “This latest trade war is exactly the type of disruption Apple has long been preparing for,” said Le Xuan Chiew, a research manager at Omdia. (By the way I have a story here about Apple’s move in Turkey)

India surpassed China in U.S.-bound iPhone shipments for the first time in March, just ahead of Trump’s implementation of new “reciprocal tariffs” on April 2, the story underlined. Let me note that analysts say the high shipment volumes that month were likely driven by Apple’s stockpiling efforts.

Still, analysts caution that India’s capacity to meet U.S. demand—estimated at around 20 million units per quarter—is limited. Omdia projects India will not be able to fully supply that demand until at least 2026.

However, the company’s pivot to India may not sit well with Washington or Beijing. Analysts warn that protectionist policies from both sides could complicate Apple’s strategy.

iPhone shipments from India to U.S. surge 76% in April (Photo: Apple)

Germany considers 10% tax on BigTech

Germany is weighing the introduction of a 10% tax on BigTech companies, a move that could escalate tensions with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The initiative was revealed by Germany’s new Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, in an interview with Stern magazine published last week.

I read this story at Reuters and the proposed tax would apply to revenues generated by digital service providers operating within Germany. While still in the early drafting stage, the legislation seeks to address what Weimer described as “cunning tax evasion” by large tech companies, according to the story.

“These corporations earn billions in Germany with exceptionally high profit margins. They benefit from our cultural and media landscape as well as public infrastructure—yet they pay minimal taxes, invest little, and contribute even less to society,” Weimer stated.

If enacted, Germany would join a growing list of nations—including the UK, France, India, Canada and Turkiye—that have imposed digital services levies on foreign tech firms.

Weimer also criticized the market dominance of major tech firms, warning of their growing influence over media and public discourse. “These platforms have built monopolistic structures that limit competition and concentrate media power dangerously,” he said.

Highlighting the broader implications, Weimer gave a provocative example: “If Google, under pressure from Donald Trump, suddenly renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, we can see how dangerous their control over global communication has become.”

Alphabet and Meta have yet to respond publicly to the proposal.

Germany considers 10% tax on BigTech