Latest news with #SantaClara
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
CHP issues endangered missing advisory for man last seen in Mountain View
(KRON) — The California Highway Patrol has issued an endangered missing advisory in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Alameda Counties for 40-year-old Hugo Garcia. The alert was activated on behalf of the Mountain View Police Department. CHP said Garcia was last spotted on Friday at 8 p.m. in the area of W. El Camino Real and S. Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View. He is believed to be traveling on foot. Garcia is described as 5-feet-5-inches tall, weighing 170 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his appearance, Garcia was wearing a gray Golden State Warriors t-shirt, beige pants, and brown shoes, said officials. Anyone with information on Hugo Garcia's whereabouts is urged to call 911. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Front-end Engineer Interview Preparation Course With AI 2025 Reviews - Interview Kickstart Trains AI-enabled Frontend Developers For FAANG Jobs
Santa Clara, May 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santa Clara, California - FAANG companies have fundamentally transformed their frontend engineering hiring practices over the past year, implementing increasingly sophisticated technical evaluations that emphasize system design thinking, advanced JavaScript proficiency, and real-world problem-solving capabilities beyond traditional coding challenges. This evolution is comprehensively addressed in Interview Kickstart's Frontend Engineering Interview Masterclass Course, a rigorous 15-week program where students dedicate 10-12 hours per week studying data structures and algorithms, system design, JavaScript language and libraries, and advanced frontend concepts essential for FAANG success. For more information about the course, visit: Major technology companies have shifted their frontend interview processes to prioritize candidates who can architect scalable user interfaces, optimize application performance at enterprise scale, and demonstrate a deep understanding of modern JavaScript frameworks and their underlying principles. Today's FAANG interviews probe candidates on micro-frontend architectures, state management at scale, browser performance optimization, and accessibility implementation, requiring preparation that goes far beyond basic coding competency. Technical interviews at these elite organizations now routinely include system design challenges specific to frontend development, asking candidates to architect solutions for applications serving millions of users. Hiring managers evaluate not just implementation skills but strategic thinking about component reusability, bundle optimization, caching strategies, and cross-browser compatibility, assessing candidates' readiness to contribute to complex production systems from day one. Interview Kickstart's comprehensive course addresses these evolving requirements through intensive study of both foundational and advanced concepts essential for FAANG frontend roles. The curriculum covers critical technical areas, including sophisticated data structures and algorithms applications in frontend contexts, system design principles for scalable user interfaces, and deep JavaScript expertise spanning language fundamentals through modern library implementations. A crucial component of the program is its specialized 3-week career coaching module featuring 3 live classes focused on the latest interview strategies specific to FAANG hiring patterns. During these sessions, Interview Kickstart's FAANG+ instructors—who serve as hiring managers and tech leads at these organizations—provide insider perspectives on evaluation criteria while helping participants build compelling resumes and optimize their LinkedIn profiles for maximum visibility to FAANG recruiters. The course's extensive 6-month support period includes 15 comprehensive mock interviews designed to replicate the specific technical challenges and evaluation formats used by FAANG companies. These structured simulations help candidates develop familiarity with the unique interview styles of different organizations while receiving detailed feedback from instructors who have conducted actual hiring interviews at these companies. Throughout this extended support period, participants benefit from personalized 1:1 mentoring sessions with FAANG+ instructors who provide targeted guidance based on their direct experience as hiring decision-makers. These individualized coaching sessions address specific technical knowledge gaps while helping candidates articulate their problem-solving approaches in ways that resonate with FAANG evaluation frameworks. "FAANG companies have elevated their frontend interview standards significantly, focusing on candidates who can think systematically about large-scale user interface challenges," explains an Interview Kickstart spokesperson. "Our curriculum prepares participants for these sophisticated assessments while providing insider knowledge about what these companies prioritize during their hiring processes." The program also incorporates the latest salary negotiation strategies specific to FAANG offers, recognizing that these companies often have unique compensation structures and negotiation approaches. This specialized guidance helps participants maximize their offer potential while understanding the various components of FAANG compensation packages. For frontend engineers targeting roles at the world's most competitive technology companies, Interview Kickstart's comprehensive course provides essential preparation for navigating the sophisticated hiring processes that now define FAANG recruitment standards. To learn more visit About Interview Kickstart Interview Kickstart, founded in 2014, is a trusted upskilling platform designed to help tech professionals secure roles at FAANG and other leading tech companies. With over 20,000 success stories, it has become a go-to resource for career advancement in the tech industry. The platform offers a flexible learning experience with live classes and over 100,000 hours of on-demand video lessons. This ensures learners have the tools they need to dive deep into technical concepts and refine their skills on their schedule. Additionally, 1:1 coaching sessions provide personalized support in areas like resume building and LinkedIn optimization, enhancing each learner's professional profile. ### For more information about Interview Kickstart, contact the company here:Interview KickstartBurhanuddin Pithawala+1 (209) 899-1463aiml@ Patrick Henry Dr Bldg 25, Santa Clara, CA 95054, United States CONTACT: Burhanuddin Pithawala
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Front-end Engineer Interview Preparation Course With AI 2025 Reviews - Interview Kickstart Trains AI-enabled Frontend Developers For FAANG Jobs
Santa Clara, May 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santa Clara, California - FAANG companies have fundamentally transformed their frontend engineering hiring practices over the past year, implementing increasingly sophisticated technical evaluations that emphasize system design thinking, advanced JavaScript proficiency, and real-world problem-solving capabilities beyond traditional coding challenges. This evolution is comprehensively addressed in Interview Kickstart's Frontend Engineering Interview Masterclass Course, a rigorous 15-week program where students dedicate 10-12 hours per week studying data structures and algorithms, system design, JavaScript language and libraries, and advanced frontend concepts essential for FAANG success. For more information about the course, visit: Major technology companies have shifted their frontend interview processes to prioritize candidates who can architect scalable user interfaces, optimize application performance at enterprise scale, and demonstrate a deep understanding of modern JavaScript frameworks and their underlying principles. Today's FAANG interviews probe candidates on micro-frontend architectures, state management at scale, browser performance optimization, and accessibility implementation, requiring preparation that goes far beyond basic coding competency. Technical interviews at these elite organizations now routinely include system design challenges specific to frontend development, asking candidates to architect solutions for applications serving millions of users. Hiring managers evaluate not just implementation skills but strategic thinking about component reusability, bundle optimization, caching strategies, and cross-browser compatibility, assessing candidates' readiness to contribute to complex production systems from day one. Interview Kickstart's comprehensive course addresses these evolving requirements through intensive study of both foundational and advanced concepts essential for FAANG frontend roles. The curriculum covers critical technical areas, including sophisticated data structures and algorithms applications in frontend contexts, system design principles for scalable user interfaces, and deep JavaScript expertise spanning language fundamentals through modern library implementations. A crucial component of the program is its specialized 3-week career coaching module featuring 3 live classes focused on the latest interview strategies specific to FAANG hiring patterns. During these sessions, Interview Kickstart's FAANG+ instructors—who serve as hiring managers and tech leads at these organizations—provide insider perspectives on evaluation criteria while helping participants build compelling resumes and optimize their LinkedIn profiles for maximum visibility to FAANG recruiters. The course's extensive 6-month support period includes 15 comprehensive mock interviews designed to replicate the specific technical challenges and evaluation formats used by FAANG companies. These structured simulations help candidates develop familiarity with the unique interview styles of different organizations while receiving detailed feedback from instructors who have conducted actual hiring interviews at these companies. Throughout this extended support period, participants benefit from personalized 1:1 mentoring sessions with FAANG+ instructors who provide targeted guidance based on their direct experience as hiring decision-makers. These individualized coaching sessions address specific technical knowledge gaps while helping candidates articulate their problem-solving approaches in ways that resonate with FAANG evaluation frameworks. "FAANG companies have elevated their frontend interview standards significantly, focusing on candidates who can think systematically about large-scale user interface challenges," explains an Interview Kickstart spokesperson. "Our curriculum prepares participants for these sophisticated assessments while providing insider knowledge about what these companies prioritize during their hiring processes." The program also incorporates the latest salary negotiation strategies specific to FAANG offers, recognizing that these companies often have unique compensation structures and negotiation approaches. This specialized guidance helps participants maximize their offer potential while understanding the various components of FAANG compensation packages. For frontend engineers targeting roles at the world's most competitive technology companies, Interview Kickstart's comprehensive course provides essential preparation for navigating the sophisticated hiring processes that now define FAANG recruitment standards. To learn more visit About Interview Kickstart Interview Kickstart, founded in 2014, is a trusted upskilling platform designed to help tech professionals secure roles at FAANG and other leading tech companies. With over 20,000 success stories, it has become a go-to resource for career advancement in the tech industry. The platform offers a flexible learning experience with live classes and over 100,000 hours of on-demand video lessons. This ensures learners have the tools they need to dive deep into technical concepts and refine their skills on their schedule. Additionally, 1:1 coaching sessions provide personalized support in areas like resume building and LinkedIn optimization, enhancing each learner's professional profile. ### For more information about Interview Kickstart, contact the company here:Interview KickstartBurhanuddin Pithawala+1 (209) 899-1463aiml@ Patrick Henry Dr Bldg 25, Santa Clara, CA 95054, United States CONTACT: Burhanuddin PithawalaError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ambarella, Inc. Announces First Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Results
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBA), an edge AI semiconductor company, today announced first quarter fiscal 2026 financial results for the period ended April 30, 2025. Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was $85.9 million, up 57.6% from $54.5 million in the same period in fiscal 2025. Gross margin under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was 60.0%, compared with 60.9% for the same period in fiscal 2025. GAAP net loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was $24.3 million, or loss per diluted ordinary share of $0.58, compared with a GAAP net loss of $37.9 million, or loss per diluted ordinary share of $0.93, for the same period in fiscal 2025. Financial results on a non-GAAP basis for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 are as follows: Gross margin on a non-GAAP basis for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was 62.0%, compared with 63.4% for the same period in fiscal 2025. Non-GAAP net profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was $3.0 million, or earnings per diluted ordinary share of $0.07. This compares with non-GAAP net loss of $10.5 million, or loss per diluted ordinary share of $0.26, for the same period in fiscal 2025. Based on information available as of today, Ambarella is offering the following guidance for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, ending July 31, 2025: Revenue is expected to be between $86.0 million and $94.0 million. Gross margin on a non-GAAP basis is expected to be between 60.5% and 62.0%. Non-GAAP operating expenses are expected to be between $52.5 million and $55.5 million. Ambarella reports gross margin, net income (loss) and earnings (losses) per share in accordance with GAAP and, additionally, on a non-GAAP basis. Non-GAAP financial information excludes the impact of stock-based compensation and acquisition-related costs adjusted for the associated tax impact, which includes the effect of any benefits or shortfalls recognized. A reconciliation of the GAAP to non-GAAP gross margin, net income (loss) and earnings (losses) per share for the periods presented, as well as a description of the items excluded from the non-GAAP calculations, is included in the financial statements portion of this press release. Total cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities on hand at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was $259.4 million, compared with $250.3 million at the end of the prior quarter and $203.3 million at the end of the same quarter a year ago. 'As the established edge AI market leader, we achieved our fourth consecutive quarter of record AI revenue with results in the upper half of our Q1 revenue guidance range. We are increasing our fiscal 2026 revenue growth guidance to a range of 19% to 25%, or approximately $348 million at the mid-point, with the broader guidance range reflecting our consideration of the uncertain geopolitical environment,' said Fermi Wang, President & CEO. 'We continue to innovate at a rapid pace, and by leveraging our low power and scalable 3rd generation AI silicon and software architecture, our development of a new SoC is efficiently extending our reach into the edge AI infrastructure market.' Stock Repurchase During the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, Ambarella's Board of Directors approved an extension of the current share repurchase program for an additional twelve months ending June 30, 2026. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, the company repurchased a total of 24,152 shares for total consideration of approximately $1.0 million. As of today, there is approximately $48.0 million available for repurchase under the company's stock repurchase program. The repurchase program does not obligate the company to acquire any particular amount of ordinary shares, and it may be suspended at any time at the company's discretion. Quarterly Conference Call Ambarella plans to hold a conference call at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time / 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time today with Fermi Wang, President and Chief Executive Officer, and John Young, Chief Financial Officer, to discuss the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 results. A live and archived webcast of the call will be available on Ambarella's website at for up to 30 days after the call. About Ambarella Ambarella's products are used in a wide variety of edge AI and human vision applications, including video security, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), electronic mirror, drive recorder, driver/cabin monitoring, autonomous driving and robotics applications. Ambarella's low-power systems-on-chip (SoCs) provide powerful deep neural network processing to enable intelligent perception, fusion and planning, and offer high-resolution video compression, advanced image and radar processing. For more information, please visit "Safe harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This press release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts and often can be identified by terms such as 'outlook,' 'projected,' 'intends,' 'will,' 'estimates,' 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'believes,' 'could,' 'should,' or similar expressions, including the guidance for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 ending July 31, 2025, and the comments of our CEO relating to our expectation of future revenue growth, the growth potential for our edge AI inference products, our ability to continue to innovate, and our ability to expand into edge infrastructure. The achievement or success of the matters covered by such forward-looking statements involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results could differ materially from those predicted or implied and reported results should not be considered as an indication of our future performance. The risks and uncertainties referred to above include, but are not limited to, global economic and political conditions; changes in government policies, including possible trade tariffs and restrictions; revenue being generated from new customers or design wins, neither of which is assured; the commercial success of our customers' products; our customers' ability to manage their inventory requirements; our growth strategy; our ability to anticipate future market demands and future needs of our customers, particularly for AI inference applications; our ability to introduce, and to generate revenue from, new and enhanced solutions; our ability to develop, and to generate revenue from, new advanced technologies, such as computer vision, AI functionality and advanced networks, including vision-language models and GenAI; our ability to retain and expand customer relationships and to achieve design wins; the expansion of our current markets and our ability to successfully enter new markets and applications, such as edge infrastructure; anticipated trends and challenges, including competition, in the markets in which we operate; risks associated with global health conditions and associated risk mitigation measures; our ability to effectively manage growth; our ability to retain key employees; and the potential for intellectual property disputes or other litigation. Further information on these and other factors that could affect our financial results is included in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for our 2025 fiscal year, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additional information will also set forth in the company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, annual reports on Form 10-K and other filings the company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, copies of which may be obtained by visiting the Investor Relations portion of our web site at or the SEC's web site at Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are based on information available to us on the date hereof. The results we report in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2025 could differ from the preliminary results announced in this press release. Ambarella assumes no obligation and does not intend to update the forward-looking statements made in this press release, except as required by law. Non-GAAP Financial Measures The company has provided in this release non-GAAP financial information, including non-GAAP gross margin, net income (loss), and earnings (losses) per share, as a supplement to the condensed consolidated financial statements, which are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing the company's financial results to assess operational performance and liquidity. The company believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods. Further, the company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors because they allow for greater transparency with respect to key financial metrics that the company uses in making operating decisions and because the company believes that investors and analysts use them to help assess the health of its business and for comparison to other companies. Non-GAAP results are presented for supplemental informational purposes only for understanding the company's operating results. The non-GAAP information should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. With respect to its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, the company has provided below reconciliations of its non-GAAP financial measures to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. With respect to the company's expectations for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, a reconciliation of non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating expenses guidance to the closest corresponding GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis due to the high variability and low visibility with respect to the charges excluded from these non-GAAP measures. We expect the variability of the above charges to have a significant, and potentially unpredictable, impact on our future GAAP financial results. AMBARELLA, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in thousands, except share and per share data) (unaudited) Three Months Ended April 30, 2025 2024 Revenue $ 85,872 $ 54,473 Cost of revenue 34,336 21,313 Gross profit 51,536 33,160 Operating expenses: Research and development 58,819 54,137 Selling, general and administrative 18,575 18,468 Total operating expenses 77,394 72,605 Loss from operations (25,858 ) (39,445 ) Other income, net 2,175 2,271 Loss before income taxes (23,683 ) (37,174 ) Provision for income taxes 645 758 Net loss $ (24,328 ) $ (37,932 ) Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders: Basic $ (0.58 ) $ (0.93 ) Diluted $ (0.58 ) $ (0.93 ) Weighted-average shares used to compute net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders: Basic 42,219,972 40,774,991 Diluted 42,219,972 40,774,991 The following tables present details of stock-based compensation and acquisition-related costs included in each functional line item in the condensed consolidated statements of operations above: Three Months Ended April 30, 2025 2024 (unaudited, in thousands) Stock-based compensation: Cost of revenue $ 951 $ 607 Research and development 17,585 17,621 Selling, general and administrative 7,594 7,808 Total stock-based compensation $ 26,130 $ 26,036 Three Months Ended April 30, 2025 2024 (unaudited, in thousands) Acquisition-related costs: Cost of revenue $ 757 $ 757 Research and development — — Selling, general and administrative 456 520 Total acquisition-related costs $ 1,213 $ 1,277 The difference between GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin was 2.0% and 2.5%, or $1.7 million and $1.4 million, for the three months ended April 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The differences were due to the effect of stock-based compensation and amortization of acquisition-related costs. AMBARELLA, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP DILUTED EARNINGS (LOSSES) PER SHARE (in thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended April 30, 2025 2024 (unaudited) GAAP net loss $ (24,328 ) $ (37,932 ) Non-GAAP adjustments: Stock-based compensation expense 26,130 26,036 Acquisition-related costs 1,213 1,277 Income tax effect 14 152 Non-GAAP net income (loss) $ 3,029 $ (10,467 ) GAAP - diluted weighted average shares 42,219,972 40,774,991 Non-GAAP - diluted weighted average shares 42,451,235 40,774,991 GAAP - diluted net loss per share $ (0.58 ) $ (0.93 ) Non-GAAP adjustments: Stock-based compensation expense 0.62 0.64 Acquisition-related costs 0.03 0.03 Income tax effect — — Effect of Non-GAAP - diluted weighted average shares — — Non-GAAP - diluted net income (loss) per share $ 0.07 $ (0.26 ) AMBARELLA, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited, in thousands) April 30, January 31, 2025 2025 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 141,285 $ 144,622 Marketable debt securities 118,102 105,643 Accounts receivable, net 30,235 29,767 Inventories 39,289 34,428 Restricted cash 441 7 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 6,197 6,084 Total current assets 335,549 320,551 Property and equipment, net 10,248 9,084 Intangible assets, net 44,895 47,279 Operating lease right-of-use assets, net 4,377 5,188 Goodwill 303,625 303,625 Other non-current assets 3,224 3,241 Total assets $ 701,918 $ 688,968 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable 35,290 21,775 Accrued and other current liabilities 73,479 80,781 Operating lease liabilities, current 2,335 2,829 Income taxes payable 1,633 1,383 Deferred revenue, current 12,114 14,226 Total current liabilities 124,851 120,994 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 2,056 2,436 Other long-term liabilities 2,295 4,126 Total liabilities 129,202 127,556 Shareholders' equity: Preference shares — — Ordinary shares 19 19 Additional paid-in capital 848,756 813,683 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 326 (233 ) Accumulated deficit (276,385 ) (252,057 ) Total shareholders' equity 572,716 561,412 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 701,918 $ 688,968 Contact: Louis Gerhardy408.636.2310lgerhardy@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Android Authority
a day ago
- Business
- Android Authority
I finally have tech geek paradise nearby, and I'm so excited
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority When it comes to buying the latest and greatest smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs, and more, Americans have a pretty limited set of options for shopping in a physical retail store. Over the past 15 years, the number of stores focused exclusively on electronics has dwindled. Even Best Buy, the largest physical electronics retailer in the US, is struggling. One retailer, though, is bucking the trend by not only surviving, but thriving. That retailer is Micro Center, a small-ish company that caters to hardcore tech geeks rather than the general tech consumer. When I lived in New Haven, Connecticut (where I spent most of my life), my nearest Micro Center was in Brooklyn, New York, which was quite the hike. However, it was always a worthwhile trip, for reasons I'll explain in a bit. When I moved to California's North Bay area in 2022, though, I was dismayed to find only one Micro Center in the entire state: the location in Tustin, more than eight hours away. Thankfully, the twenty-ninth Micro Center location just opened in Santa Clara, CA, a much more reasonable 90-minute drive from my house. On invitation from the company, I attended an early access opening of the store — and it was amazing. What is Micro Center? C. Scott Brown / Android Authority If you're a very old American, like me, you probably remember visiting a Radio Shack. In its heyday, it was one of the few places to get all manner of electronics and tech accessories, including hard-to-find items like uncommon batteries, unique adapters, and even soldering equipment. You probably also remember, though, that Radio Shack stores were cramped, disorganized, and staffed by unsupportive workers. Radio Shack went bankrupt in 2015. Decades before Radio Shack folded, a few guys who worked for the company saw its problems early and knew they could fix them. They left their Radio Shack jobs and started Micro Center, determined to create a welcoming space catered directly to tech-savvy consumers. Today, in 2025, Micro Center is one of the most respected and lauded privately owned retailers in the US. Micro Center was started by former Radio Shack employees determined to make a store by tech nerds and for tech nerds. The secret sauce for Micro Center is made up of two pillars. The first, and most integral, is knowledgeable staff. If you're a frequent reader of sites like Android Authority and have ever visited a Best Buy, you likely have experienced that company's biggest problem, which is that you, the customer, know more about the tech than the employees. That's not likely to be the case at Micro Center. Just like you and me, the people on staff in all its stores know their stuff. If you've never experienced it, I can assure you that it's quite the thrill to ask a tech question during a purchase and have someone who actually knows what they're talking about answer. The second pillar of Micro Center's success is that it understands and respects its customers. Rather than trying to appeal directly to the general tech consumer, Micro Center prioritizes being unabashedly nerdy. Yes, the general tech consumer — people who don't live and breathe tech but still need to buy a phone, laptop, TV, etc. — are more than welcome in Micro Center stores. But people who are passionate about tech are what Micro Center focuses on, and everything it does — store layouts, product categories, service offerings, etc. — always keeps that consumer category in mind. In other words, it's a store created by tech nerds for tech nerds. It's like a store made specifically for me C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Since I work at Android Authority, you know I love smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and all the other things we regularly cover here. However, I'm into tech-related stuff that we rarely talk about. I built my own gaming PC, for example (4090 gang, represent). I also have a Plex server, am very into smart home tech, and dabble in flying drones. I'm also a content creator, so I have a growing collection of tools for that, including cameras, lights, microphones, and more. Micro Center carries products related to all of these categories — and much, much more. In addition to everything I've already mentioned, Micro Center also has TVs, computer monitors, laptops, 3D printers (and filament for those printers), repair tools, board games, mechanical keyboards — the list goes on and on. It is a paradise for anyone passionate about a tech-related hobby. Regarding common tech categories, Micro Center has a distinct advantage in that it usually has a broader selection than most other stores. Just look at the laptop section of the Santa Clara store above. That is way more selection than you'll see in any Best Buy, Costco, Target, etc. For the less common categories, Micro Center is likely one of the very few physical retail stores to carry them. For example, in the US, it's not easy to buy a Raspberry Pi without doing so online. However, Micro Center has them, along with tons of add-ons, kits, and STEM-related tools to use with one. Likewise, if your laptop battery dies and you need an immediate replacement, you'll probably need to order online and wait for it to be shipped. At Micro Center, though, there's a whole wall of batteries you can run in and grab and be back up and running in no time. Need the proper tools to do that repair? Micro Center has them, too. Don't want to do the repair yourself? The service center is the first thing you see when you walk into the store, and it has an open-air design, so you can see the technicians doing their jobs. All of this makes Micro Center convenient, but what really makes it a joyous experience is the physicality of it all. I love being able to touch tech before I buy it C. Scott Brown / Android Authority When I was doing my most recent gaming PC build, I knew I wanted a new case. I have limited space in my small house, though, so it needed to fit within precise dimensions. Of course, I also wanted it to look cool and provide the necessary features. During this process, I did all this research — and the final purchase — online, and the first time I actually saw the case in person was when it arrived at my home. This works, but is certainly far from ideal. At Micro Center, though, I could have seen and touched the case before purchasing it. What's more, I could have compared the case to my current one to see the difference in size while also comparing it to cases from other brands. Given that very few physical retailers sell PC cases, Micro Center is one of the only places I could have gone to experience this. Micro Center knows the value of being able to see and touch something before buying it. That's just one example, but there are literally dozens more. Where else can you go to clack on a dozen different keyboards from multiple manufacturers to figure out which one feels and sounds the best? Where else can you pick from over a thousand filament colors to get the precise look you want for your next 3D printing project? Where else can you compare 50 laptops to one another, touch twenty desk microphones, hold dozens of Android phones, and even sit in a racing sim rig to see what that feels like? You can do all of this and more at Micro Center. Ultimately, the only real problem I have with Micro Center is that it's not everywhere. The company has opened three stores in the past year, which is a lot, but it still seems like a tiny portion of Americans have one within a two-hour drive. After all, the company has been around for nearly 50 years, and this is only its twenty-ninth store! I can only hope that this new Santa Clara location bolsters the company's success, and it continues expanding to more areas. For myself, though, I'm already dreaming about my next tech purchase happening in person while I chat with a fellow tech geek about it. I've missed those days.
