Innholdsfortegnelse for #578 i Techlife News

Ford Motor Co. is recalling over 634,000 SUVs worldwide because a cracked fuel injector can spill fuel or leak vapors onto a hot engine and cause fires. The recall covers Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs from the 2020 through 2023 model years. All have 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engines. The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker said Thursday it’s not recommending that owners stop driving the vehicles or park them outdoors because fires are rare and generally don’t happen when the engines are off. But Ford said it has received 20 reports of fires, including three that ignited nearby structures. The company also said it has four claims of fires that were noticed less than five minutes after the engines were turned off. Ford also has four injury claims not involving burns, and 43 legal…

What is bigger: A ronna or a quetta? Scientists meeting outside of Paris — who have expanded the world’s measuring unit systems for the first time this century as the global population surges past 8 billion — have the answer. Rapid scientific advances and vast worldwide data storage on the web, in smartphones and in the cloud mean that the very terms used to measure things in weight and size need extending too. And one British scientist led the push to incorporate bold new, tongue-twisting prefixes on the gigantic and even the minuscule scale. “Most people are familiar with prefixes like milli-as in milligram. But these are prefixes for the biggest and smallest levels ever measured,” Dr Richard Brown, head of Metrology at the U.K.’s National Physical Laboratory who proposed…

On a recent evening in early November, shoppers at the Bryant Park holiday market in New York City were in the holiday spirit well before Black Friday. The scent of pine wafted from candle sellers’ booths, people snapped up gingerbread cookies and hot apple cider and ice skaters swirled figure eights around the rink in the center of the market. After two years of pandemic holidays when people spent more dollars online, shoppers are back in force in stores and at holiday markets. Small businesses say it is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, both emotionally and financially. “It’s definitely been busier than last year,” said Sallie Austin Gonzales, CEO of soap company SallyeAnder based in Beacon, New York. This is her second year at the Bryant Park market…

Lawyers for FTX disclosed that a “substantial amount” of assets has been stolen from the accounts of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange, diminishing the odds that its millions of investors will get their money back. The admission came during FTX’s first court appearance since the company filed for bankruptcy protection on November 11. Such hearings typically happen days after a filing, but this one was delayed because FTX’s collapse came suddenly and management kept few if any records. “This company was run by inexperienced, unsophisticated and potentially personally compromised individuals,” said James Bromley, a partner with Sullivan & Cromwell, the law firm hired by FTX’s debt holders to navigate the company through bankruptcy. “It is one of the most abrupt and difficult company collapses in the history of corporate America.” FTX,…

Tennessee officials announced plans to invest $3.2 billion to develop a cathode materials plant for electric vehicle batteries. The manufacturing facility will be built in Clarksville and create more than 850 jobs, according to a memorandum of understanding signed by the state of Tennessee and South Korea-based LG Chem. “LG Chem’s decision to invest $3.2 billion in Clarksville is a testament to Tennessee’s unmatched business climate, skilled workforce and position as a leader in the automotive industry,” Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement. Officials say the facility will help support the electric vehicle battery value-chain across the United States. Construction will begin next year, with the goal to start mass production in 2025. Once operational, the goal is to produce 120,000 tons of cathode battery materials annually — or…

Intel’s announcement earlier this year of a $20 billion manufacturing operation bringing thousands of jobs to rural Ohio was greeted as an economic boon. But behind that enthusiasm lurked a pressing question. “Where are we putting everybody?” asked Melissa Humbert-Washington, vice president of programs and services at Homes for Families, which helps low-wage workers find housing in a region already suffering a major shortage. Intel says its initial two computer chip factories will employ 3,000 people when the operation is up and running in 2025. The project is also expected to employ 7,000 construction workers. And none of that includes the hundreds of additional jobs as Intel suppliers move in, along with the expected boom in the service sector. Such housing challenges are playing out across the country as companies…

Seven months after first arriving in theaters, “Top Gun: Maverick,” the year’s top film, will finally land on a streaming service. Paramount Pictures announced this week that “Top Gun: Maverick,” having made more than $1.48 billion worldwide at the box office, will debut Dec. 22 on Paramount+. In an age where studios have increasingly pushed to shorten the span between theatrical and streaming, Paramount kept the Tom Cruisestarring “Top Gun” sequel going in theaters and, more recently on video-on-demand, for an uncommonly long and extremely lucrative run. After being held for more than two years during the pandemic, “Top Gun: Maverick” was released in late May. It proved a juggernaut as the No. 1 film in North America for three straight weeks and even returned to the top spot over…

Spouses share a lot, but no matter your relationship status, your credit score belongs to you and you alone. Even if you’re 100% supported financially by your spouse or partner, establishing and building your own credit score is essential. It can benefit you both as you navigate financial decisions together. But should you divorce or your spouse pass away, having good or excellent credit can help you as you begin to make financial decisions on your own. Besides, maintaining some money independence can keep you both on equal footing in your relationship. “A household’s financial dependence on one income earner can foster unhealthy relationship control dynamics,” said Katherine Fox, a certified financial planner, founder and advisor at Sunnybranch Wealth in Portland, Oregon, in an email. “Stay-at-home spouses who take steps…

The Federal Reserve issued its latest interest rate hike in early November. It marks the sixth increase this year and has pushed new auto loan finance rates to their highest since 2019. Rates for used cars have also hit their highest since 2010. This will affect car shoppers this holiday season and into 2023 as they must contend with fewer low annual percentage rate incentives and more expensive car loans overall. According to sales data in October, the average interest rate was about 6.3% for new cars and 9.6% for used vehicles. “High APRs coupled with 72- or 84-month loans result in a person paying roughly a 20% premium over MSRP over the life of the loan,” said Ivan Drury. On a $40,000 vehicle, with the current average APR of…

Police beat workers protesting conditions at the world’s biggest factory for the Apple iPhone, whose latest model is delayed because anti-COVID measures crimp China’s manufacturing of affordable high technology for the world. Foxconn, a contract assembler that makes the global smartphone industry possible, didn’t have enough workers to make the new iPhone 14. Around China, laborers are housed in “closed loops” of dorms isolated from the general population, making it harder to recruit the workers. China has waged the future of the world’s largest economy on contract manufacturing like Foxconn’s. It’s also betting on its ability to control COVID with some of the world’s strictest anti-virus controls. Those two wagers came into violent conflict Tuesday night in the in the central city of Zhengzhou. To lure workers for the iPhone…

The nation’s major shipping companies are in the best shape to get holiday shoppers’ packages delivered on time since the start of the pandemic, suggesting a return to normalcy. Carriers like the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and United Parcel Service project to have enough capacity after struggling under the holiday crush for the past two years, when many people hunkered down at home and turned to online shopping. The system is already being put to the test ahead of big shopping days on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when retailers entice shoppers with bargains. Amazon held a second Prime Day in October to jumpstart early holiday sales, but some shoppers are still holding out for deals in the coming days. Brie Carere, chief customer care officer at FedEx, told she’s…

As millions of people travel the interstates this Thanksgiving, many will encounter patches of traffic at a standstill for no apparent reason — no construction or accident. Researchers say the problem is you. Human drivers just don’t do a good job of navigating dense traffic conditions, but an experiment using artificial intelligence in Nashville last week means help could be on the way. In the experiment, specially equipped cars were able to ease rush hour congestion on Interstate-24, researcher Daniel Work said. In addition to lessening driver frustration, Work said less stop-and-go driving means fuel savings and, by extension, less pollution. The professor of civil and environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University is one of a group of engineers and mathematicians from universities around the U.S. who have been studying the…

A federal judge has ordered Amazon to stop retaliating against employees engaged in workplace activism, issuing a mixed ruling that also hands a loss to the federal labor agency that sued the company earlier this year. The ruling came in a court case brought by the National Labor Relations Board, which sued Amazon in March seeking the reinstatement of a fired employee who was involved in organizing a company warehouse on Staten Island, New York. In its lawsuit, the agency argued Amazon’s termination of the former employee, Gerald Bryson, was unlawful and would have a chilling effect on organizing. It said that not reinstating Bryson to his role would make workers think the agency would not be able to protect their labor rights under federal law. U.S. District Judge Diane…

Early in the pandemic, many travelers experienced headaches while trying to rebook air travel purchased through third parties such as Orbitz and Kayak. Overloaded customer service centers and constantly changing airline policies resulted in a big mess at these agencies, prompting many travelers to book directly through the airline to avoid future issues. Yet as the dust settles on the pandemic and travel begins to return to normal, air passengers are experiencing a different reality: Booking directly through airlines involves navigating a maze of fees, add-on offers and confusing seat selection choices. The resulting price at checkout is often higher — much higher — than the advertised price. The issue has become so problematic that even President Biden has joined the fray. “You should know the full cost of your…

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett donated more than $750 million in Berkshire Hathaway stock to the four foundations run by his family, but unlike his annual gifts to charity each summer, the recipients didn’t include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Buffett has been making annual donations to the same five charities every year since 2006 when he unveiled a plan to give away his fortune over time, with the Gates Foundation receiving the biggest donations. Wednesday’s donations mark the first time the 92-year-old has made a second major gift within the same year. A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed Buffett gave 1.5 million Class B shares in the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate he leads to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for his first wife. He also gave…

New Mexico’s State Investment Council is pledging $100 million to a tech-focused nonprofit, the council’s biggest commitment on record to a single venture fund. The council gave unanimous approval of the investment Tuesday into America’s Frontier Fund, the Albuquerque Journal reported. America’s Frontier Fund, or AFF, is the “first investment platform committed to reinvigorating our nation’s innovation and manufacturing prowess in critical frontier technology sectors,” according to its website. It combines private and public resources. The technology sectors the fund sees as potentially transformative include microelectronics, artificial intelligence, and new energy. The money will come from the council’s private equity program, which channels funds from New Mexico’s Severance Tax Permanent Fund toward venture firms that support local startups. In a presentation to the council, Gilman Louie, AFF’s CEO, said the…

With Apple launching Emergency SOS via Satellite across its iPhone 14 range and unlocking incredible new possibilities thanks to cutting-edge technology, all eyes are on what’s next. Innovators such as SpaceX are taking connectivity to new heights, and in the decades to come, they could change how we keep in touch forever. INTRODUCING EMERGENCY SOS VIA SATELLITE Though it’s a feature that we hope few will ever have to use, Emergency SOS via satellite is a level up in the way we communicate and access emergency services. All phones in the iPhone 14 lineup, including the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, can connect directly to a satellite through a combination of custom-designed components and deeply integrated software as part of iOS 16,…

New York is taking a first-in-the-nation step to tap the brakes on the spread of cryptocurrency mining, under legislation that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed this week. The measure comes amid growing scrutiny of the cryptocurrency industry following this month’s collapse of the FTX exchange. But New York’s measure, which passed the state Legislature in June, is specifically concerned with the environmental aspects of crypto. “I will ensure that New York continues to be the center of financial innovation, while also taking important steps to prioritize the protection of our environment,” Hochul, a Democrat, said in a message explaining her approval. The new law sets a two-year moratorium on new and renewed air permits for fossil fuel power plants used for energy-intensive “proof-of-work” cryptocurrency mining — a term for the computational…

Tesla is recalling more than 300,000 vehicles in the U.S. because a software glitch can make taillights go off intermittently, increasing the risk of a collision. Tesla said in documents posted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the glitch may affect one or both taillights on certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Brake lamps, backup lamps and turn signal lamps are not affected by the software problem, the company said. The automaker said it is releasing an online software update that will fix the problem. The recall covers certain 2020 to 2023 Model Y SUVs and 2023 Model 3 sedans. That amounts to potentially 321,628 vehicles. Tesla became aware of the problem last month after receiving complaints, primarily from customers outside the U.S., that their vehicle…

The mass layoffs that began in Amazon’s corporate ranks last week will extend into next year, CEO Andy Jassy said. In a note sent to employees, Jassy said the company told workers in its devices and books divisions about layoffs. He said it also offered some other employees a voluntary buyout offer. “I’ve been in this role now for about a year and a half, and without a doubt, this is the most difficult decision we’ve made during that time (and, we’ve had to make some very tough calls over the past couple of years, particularly during the heart of the pandemic),” Jassy wrote in the memo. Seattle-based Amazon, which has been cutting costs in various areas of its business in the past few months, is undergoing an annual review…

Chaka Khan wants people to walk with her while she tells inspirational stories. Apple announced that the 10-time Grammy winner will take part in an audio experience called Time to Walk, a series designed to help people walk more often. In the 32-minute episode, Khan reflects on her upbringing in Chicago, how she found her better self in Europe, learning the music business and the importance of friendships during a walk through her neighborhood in Santa Monica, California. The episode features songs including Khan’s “Woman Like Me,” Joni Mitchell’s “California” and Mile Davis’“Tomaas.” “Don’t take everything so fricking seriously because it’s not,” Khan said during her episode. The singer is known for her array of hits including “I’m Every Woman,”“Ain’t Nobody” and “Through the Fire.” “Life is just living,” she…