Innholdsfortegnelse for #566 i Techlife News

Micron will invest $15 billion though the end of the decade on a new semiconductor plant in its hometown that the chipmaker said will create 17,000 American jobs. Sanjay Mehrotra, president and CEO of Boise, Idaho-based Micron, said his company’s investment was made possible by last month’s passage of the CHIPS and Science ACT of 2022, a $280 billion bill aimed at bolstering U.S. competitiveness against China and avoiding another chip shortage like the one that derailed the auto and tech industries during the pandemic. The CHIPS law sets aside $52 billion to bolster the semiconductor industry, which due to COVID-related supply chain constraints beginning in 2020, has struggled to manufacture the diminutive chips that power everything from smartphones to computers to automobiles. “Our new leading-edge memory manufacturing fab will…

Permanently misspelled tweets might soon be a thing of the past. Twitter said it will roll out an editing feature to subscribers of its premium Twitter Blue service later this month. In an update on its plans to introduce an edit button, the social media company said it has been testing the feature internally, which it said is one of the most requested features to date. The edit function will give users 30 minutes to make changes to their 280-character messages such as fixing typos or adding hashtags after first publishing a tweet. To make it clear that a tweet has been modified, they’ll be labeled and appear with an icon and timestamp. Users can look up past versions of the tweet by tapping the label. Twitter said it’s testing…

Kentucky reached another stage in developing an electric vehicle battery sector, with groundbreaking for a $2 billion plant by a Japanese company that will create 2,000 full-time jobs. The Envision AESC factory at Bowling Green in south-central Kentucky will produce battery cells and modules that will power electric vehicles produced by multiple automakers. “The EV batteries will be in vehicles all around the world, and we’re pretty proud they’re going to be made right here in Kentucky,” Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said at the groundbreaking event with state and local officials. Envision AESC U.S. Managing Director Jeff Deaton said the state and local support reflects a “shared ambition to be national leaders in the e-mobility transformation in the United States.” The Bowling Green operation is expected to power up to…

Federal regulators have sued a data broker they accuse of selling sensitive geolocation data from millions of mobile devices, information that can be used to identify people and track their movements to and from sensitive locations, including reproductive health clinics, homeless shelters and places of worship. Federal Trade Commission sued Idaho-based Kochava Inc. amid a charged debate over the privacy of individuals who may be seeking an abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling in June ending the constitutional protections for abortion. Although it’s not the first case the FTC has brought against a data broker, experts say it is the first one involving health care data and referencing reproductive health clinics. “This is potentially a big deal,” Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy,…

Discounted prices, car-share programs and at least one million more public charging stations are among the ways California will try to make electric cars easier to buy and drive as it phases out the sale of gas-powered cars. But the state won’t force automakers to participate in any equity programs designed to ensure people of all income levels can buy electric cars. “This rule had the opportunity to really set the path for lower income households to have increased access and affordability (for) electric vehicles, but it missed the mark,” said Roman Partida-Lopez, legal counsel for transportation equity with The Greenlining Institute. Instead, car companies will get extra credit toward their sales quotas if they make cars available to car share or other programs aimed at disadvantaged Californians. Democratic Gov.…

Some 150 artworks from the collection of Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen will be auctioned at Christie’s in New York this fall and are expected to bring in more than $1 billion in total, Christie’s and Allen’s estate announced. The works to be auctioned span 500 years of art history from Old Masters to the giants of modern art, Christie’s said, adding that all proceeds will go to philanthropy. Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with his childhood friend Bill Gates, died from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2018. In his lifetime he gave more than $2 billion to causes including ocean health, homelessness and advancing scientific research. Highlights of the upcoming sale include Paul Cézanne’s “La Montagne Sainte-Victoire,” completed in 1890 and estimated to sell for more than $100 million, and…

Best Buy posted lower fiscal second-quarter profits and sales as the nation’s largest consumer electronics chain struggled with weakening consumer demand for gadgets and high costs that rippled through its supply chain. But the results, announced on Tuesday, were above analysts’ expectations. That pushed shares up more than 2% higher in early afternoon trading. Best Buy’s sales during the height of the pandemic were fueled by oversized spending from shoppers who were splurging on gadgets to help them work from home or help their kids with virtual learning. Last year, spending also got a boost from government stimulus support. So like many retailers, Best Buy entered the year expecting that financial results would be weaker than in 2021 as stimulus disappeared and shoppers would brace more normal pre-pandemic lifestyles. But…

Shopper interest in electric vehicles, or EVs, is rising. According to data from the Pew Research Center in 2021, 40% of non-EV owners are very or somewhat likely to purchase an EV as their next vehicle. But many of the latest models are also pricey; a Rivian R1T pickup, for example, starts at more than $70,000 and can easily cost more than $90,000. Thankfully, there are lower-priced EVs on the market, and two compelling picks are the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Bolt EV. The Nissan Leaf is the pioneering EV for people wanting a low-price zero-emission ride. The 2023 model starts at $28,895 including destination fees, and the Leaf Plus model with a longer driving range has a starting price tag of $36,895. Chevy has an eye toward value too.…

The Chinese government called on Washington to repeal its technology export curbs after California-based chip designer Nvidia said a new product might be delayed and some work might be moved out of China. The latest controls add to mounting U.S.-Chinese tension over technology and security. American officials say they need to limit the spread of technology that can be used to make weapons. Nvidia said it was told last week it needs a U.S. government license to export any product with performance equal to its A100 graphics processing chips or better to China, Hong Kong or Russia. It said buyers of the A100, and development of the newer H100, might be affected. But in an amended disclosure Thursday to U.S. securities regulators, the company said the U.S. government was offering…

Major South Korean battery maker LG and Japanese automaker Honda are investing $4.4 billion in a joint venture in the United States to produce batteries for Honda electric vehicles in the North American market, the two companies said this week. The plant’s site is still undecided, but construction will begin in early 2023, with mass production of advanced lithium-ion battery cells to start by the end of 2025, they said. The joint venture is to be set up this year, with the closing of the deal subject to regulatory approval. “Our joint venture with Honda, which has significant brand reputation, is yet another milestone in our mid- to long-term strategy of promoting electrification in the fast-growing North American market,” said LG Energy Solution Chief Executive Youngsoo Kwon. The plant will…

From fire departments to governments, from school districts to corporations, from local utilities to grassroots organizers around the world, Twitter at its best is a tool to get a message out quickly, efficiently, directly. It’s also a constant risk-and-reward calculation. A recent bombshell whistleblower report from Twitter’s former head of security alleges that the social media company has been negligently lax on cybersecurity and privacy protections for its users for years. While worrisome for anyone on Twitter, the revelations could be especially concerning for those who use it to reach constituencies, get news out about emergencies and for political dissidents and activists in the crosshairs of hackers or their own governments. “We tend to look at these companies as large, well-resourced entities who know what they’re doing — but you…

Warren Buffett’s company has trimmed its stake in Chinese electric car and battery maker BYD for the first time since it bought the shares in 2008, an investment that has soared in value. Berkshire Hathaway said in a regulatory filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange that it had sold 1.33 million of its BYD shares for roughly $47 million ($368.8 million Hong Kong dollars). Berkshire paid $232 million for the 225 million BYD shares it bought in 2008. By the end of last year, the value of those shares had ballooned to nearly $7.7 billion. The success of the BYD investment is one example of why so many investors follow Buffett’s moves closely because he has a remarkably successful track record over the decades. BYD said in an earnings…

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and T-Mobile are teaming up in an attempt to connect mobile devices through a network of satellites, providing coverage to even the most isolated places. Under the plan, T-Mobile’s wireless network would be routed through SpaceX Starlink satellites that are in low Earth orbit. T-Mobile said that the vast majority of smartphones already on its network will be compatible with the new service using the device’s existing radio. The companies are looking to provide text coverage, including SMS, MMS and participating messaging apps, nearly everywhere in the continental U.S., Hawaii, parts of Alaska, Puerto Rico and territorial waters starting with a beta in select areas by the end of next year. They want to add voice and data coverage at a later time. T-Mobile and SpaceX say…

The return of dragons on the small screen has been a huge hit. Now it’s time for the return of the elves and dwarves. Amazon Studios is launching “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” an ambitious, years-in-the-making and very expensive salvo that will go head-to-head with another costly streaming fantasy epic: HBO’s “Game of Thrones” spinoff “House of the Dragon,” which recently became the most-watched series premiere in HBO history. The series is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings and asides about Middle-earth’s Second Age, which preceded the Third Age’s “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films and books. Tolkien’s grandson, Simon Tolkien, was a creative consultant. “We say Tolkien sort of left a series of stars in the sky. Our job was to connect the dots and…

California lawmakers sent Gov. Gavin Newsom two groundbreaking bills intended to limit the downside of social media, as they faulted Congress for failing to act on the problem. A first-of-its kind measure would require social media companies to make public their policies for removing disturbing content and provide details on how and when they remove it. The second bill would require companies that provide online services attractive to children to follow age-appropriate design code principles aimed at keeping children safe. That includes not profiling a child or using the child’s personal information in a way that could harm the child’s physical or mental health or well-being. “The online world has created tremendous opportunities, but also real and proximate threats to kids, to vulnerable communities and to American democracy as we…

Taiwan’s military fired warning shots at drones from China flying over its outposts just off the Chinese coastline, underscoring heightened tensions and the self-ruled island’s resolve to respond to new provocations. Taiwan’s forces said in a statement that troops took the action after drones were found hovering over the Kinmen island group. Dadan, one of the islands where a drone was spotted, lies roughly 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the Chinese coast. The statement referred to the unmanned aerial vehicles as being of “civilian use,” but gave no other details. It said the drones returned to the nearby Chinese city of Xiamen after the shots were fired. Taiwan previously fired only flares as warnings. The incident comes amid heightened tensions after China fired missiles into the sea and sent planes…

When Steve Jobs took to the stage on January 9, 2007, to unveil the iPhone, a touchscreen phone with a built-in camera and web browser, the world changed forever. Fifteen years on, it continues to shape our lives, unlocking possibilities we never imagined would be possible. LIFE-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY There’s no denying that the iPhone has changed the world. From the day it was introduced, the technology has taken an increasingly more forceful role in our day-to-day lives, and now it seems impossible to get by without an Apple device in our pockets. From communication to work to health and fitness, the iPhone has changed it all. Single and ready to find a new partner? There’s an app for that. Struggling to monitor your diabetes? There’s an app and wearable device…

Drone detection technology is now being tested at Los Angeles International Airport, federal and local officials said. The technology detects, tracks and identifies drones entering restricted airspace around LAX, which is the second U.S. airport to test the system, said Keith Jeffries, the Transportation Security Administration security director at the airport. Miami International Airport was selected in 2021 as the first test site. U.S. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-California, said that according to the Department of Homeland Security there have been 2,000 drone sightings near airports since 2021. “The most obvious risks to our airports and the traveling public is the difficulty pilots have seen and avoiding drones while flying,” Roybal-Allard said. “The mere sight of a drone at an airport can cause significant disruption.” Last year there were 50 reports…

A House oversight subcommittee asked regulators and industry leaders to explain what they are doing to stop cryptocurrency fraud and other scams perpetrated on consumers. Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, head of the Economic and Consumer Policy subcommittee, asked leaders of the Treasury Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Federal Trade Commission for more information on the steps they are taking to curb the growth of fraud and consumer abuse linked to cryptocurrencies. The inquiries come as the cryptocurrency market has seen immense volatility, as bitcoin lost nearly half its value at one point this year and other cryptocurrencies fell even more. “Despite these vulnerabilities, the federal government has been slow to curb cryptocurrency scams and fraud. Existing federal regulations do not comprehensively or clearly cover cryptocurrencies…

For one day, movie tickets will be just $3 in the vast majority of American theaters as part of a newly launched “National Cinema Day” to lure moviegoers during a quiet spell at the box office. The Cinema Foundation, a non-profit arm of the National Association of Theater Owners, on Sunday announced that Sept. 3 will be a nationwide discount day in more than 3,000 theaters and on more than 30,000 screens. Major chains, including AMC and Regal Cinemas, are participating, as are all major film studios. In participating theaters, tickets will be no more than $3 for every showing, in every format. Labor Day weekend is traditionally one of the slowest weekends in theaters. This year, the August lull has been especially acute for exhibitors. Cineworld, which owns Regal…

The parent company of social media platform Snapchat said that it is letting go of 20% of its staff as it reorganizes and tries to reduce costs in the face of declining sales. In a letter to staff posted on Snap Inc.’s website, CEO Evan Spiegel said sales were not keeping up with earlier projections. “Unfortunately, given our current lower rate of revenue growth, it has become clear that we must reduce our cost structure to avoid incurring significant ongoing losses,” Spiegel wrote. Spiegel said Snap was restructuring its business to focus on community growth, revenue growth and augmented reality. Anything that doesn’t contribute to those three areas “will be discontinued or receive substantially reduced investment,” Spiegel said. Last fall, Snap said its ad sales were being hurt by a…