Innholdsfortegnelse for #597 i Techlife News

You may have already seen them in restaurants: waist-high machines that can greet guests, lead them to their tables, deliver food and drinks and ferry dirty dishes to the kitchen. Some have cat-like faces and even purr when you scratch their heads. But are robot waiters the future? It’s a question the restaurant industry is increasingly trying to answer. Many think robot waiters are the solution to the industry’s labor shortages. Sales of them have been growing rapidly in recent years, with tens of thousands now gliding through dining rooms worldwide. “There’s no doubt in my mind that this is where the world is going,” said Dennis Reynolds, dean of the Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston. The school’s restaurant began using a robot in…

Delaying the start of Social Security benefits is a powerful way for retirees to cope with inflation, survive bad investment markets and reduce the risk they’ll run short of money. The advantages of waiting are so great that financial planners often recommend their clients tap other savings, such as retirement funds, to help them delay claiming. Employers could increase their workers’ financial security by offering a similar “bridge” strategy as part of 401(k)s and other workplace retirement plans, according to a study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. The bridge strategy would tap a worker’s retirement account to pay amounts roughly equal to the foregone Social Security checks. People can create such bridges on their own, of course. If Social Security projects your benefit at age 62…

Apple continues to be at the forefront of technological innovation. With advancements in technology such as augmented reality glasses, artificial intelligence, and advanced sensors, Apple is now well-positioned to take its tech to the next level in an ever-changing landscape. A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE There’s no denying that the world is changing at an ever-faster rate. In the past year alone, we’ve seen significant leaps in artificial intelligence and the rise of chatbots and tools that could transform how we work and play forever. But can Apple integrate all of these new technologies into a seamless user experience? The answer lies in interaction and cross-platform opportunities. Apple Interaction uses all the sensors and technologies available in Apple devices to create a truly personalized and automated experience. This includes not only 3D…

Two trailblazing ride-hailing services are heading toward uncharted territory as they seek regulatory approval to transport passengers around the clock throughout one of the most densely populated U.S. cities in vehicles that will have no one sitting in the driver’s seat. If Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, and Waymo, a spinoff from Google, reach their goal before year’s end, San Francisco would become the first U.S. city with two totally driverless services competing against Uber, Lyft and traditional taxis — all of which depend on people to control the automobiles. But Cruise and Waymo still must navigate around potential roadblocks, including complaints about their vehicles making unexpected, traffic-clogging stops that threaten to inconvenience other travelers and imperil public safety. Cruise already has been charging people for driverless rides in…

Tesla’s first-quarter vehicle sales rose 36% after the company cut prices twice in a bid to stimulate demand. The electric car, SUV and heavy truck maker said it delivered 422,875 vehicles worldwide from January to March, up from just over 310,000 a year ago. But the increase fell short of analyst estimates of 432,000 for the quarter, according to FactSet. The first quarter sales were a record for the company. Tesla cut prices in early March on its more expensive models, the S and X, by $5,000 to as much as $10,000. In January it slashed the sticker numbers on several versions of its EVs, making some eligible for a U.S. $7,500 federal tax credit. Some versions of the top-selling Model Y small SUV saw price trims of nearly 20%,…

Aaron Tveit has starred in some amazing Broadway shows, but some of the classics have eluded him. So he was delighted to speed his way through many of them in the second season of “Schmigadoon!” The Apple+ series that gently mocks Broadway musicals cast Tveit in a role that has snatches of “Pippin,”“Godspell,”“Hair” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” and put him again alongside a who’s-who of Broadway veterans. “It’s just a dream,” says the Tony Award winner. “It’s so much fun and we have a blast doing it. I’m very, very fortunate to have had this come my way when it did. And I just can’t believe we keep getting to do it.” “Schmigadoon!” returns this month, tackling the musicals of 1965-1979 with the same two main stars — Cecily Strong…

A growing number of governments have banned the popular video-sharing app TikTok from devices issued to staff as privacy and cybersecurity concerns rise. A handful have imposed nationwide bans on the app. TikTok, owned by Chinese technology company Bytedance, has long maintained that it doesn’t share data with the Chinese government. It says a project to store American user data in the U.S. will put it out of China’s reach and it disputes accusations that it collects any more user data than U.S. social media companies do. The arguments fell flat with U.S. lawmakers who grilled the company’s CEO last month, with some pushing for a total ban for American users amid reports that Washington wants to force ByteDance to sell off TikTok. Many governments remain cautious about the platform…

As fossil fuel emissions continue warming Earth’s atmosphere, the Biden administration is turning to hydrogen as an energy source for vehicles, manufacturing and generating electricity. It’s offering $8 billion to entice the nation’s industries, engineers and planners to figure out how to produce and deliver clean hydrogen. States and businesses are making final pitches Friday as they compete for a new program that will create regional networks, or “hubs,” of hydrogen producers, consumers and infrastructure. The aim is to accelerate the availability and use of the colorless, odorless gas that already powers some vehicles and trains. How can enough hydrogen be produced to meet demand — in ways that don’t worsen global warming? And how can it be moved efficiently to where users can get it? Such questions will be…

Furious at U.S. efforts that cut off access to technology to make advanced computer chips, China’s leaders appear to be struggling to figure out how to retaliate without hurting their own ambitions in telecoms, artificial intelligence and other industries. President Xi Jinping’s government sees the chips that are used in everything from phones to kitchen appliances to fighter jets as crucial assets in its strategic rivalry with Washington and efforts to gain wealth and global influence. Chips are the center of a “technology war,” a Chinese scientist wrote in an official journal in February. China has its own chip foundries, but they supply only low-end processors used in autos and appliances. The U.S. government, starting under then-President Donald Trump, is cutting off access to a growing array of tools to…

Apple CEO Tim Cook has hinted at the company’s plans for its upcoming mixed-reality headset in a recent interview with GQ’s Zach Baron. In the interview, titled “Tim Cook Thinks Different,” Cook discusses various aspects of his career, personal life, and the future of Apple, including its potential entry into the AR/VR hardware space. Cook spoke about the potential for augmented reality to overlay the physical world with digital elements, enhancing communication, connection, and creativity. He suggested that measuring physical objects and placing digital art on walls are just the beginning of the possibilities of AR, indicating that Apple’s mixed-reality headset will offer something beyond what is currently available. The interview also saw Cook acknowledge his skepticism towards smart glasses, as he had previously stated that people would not want…

President Joe Biden said it remains to be seen if artificial intelligence is dangerous, but that he believes technology companies must ensure their products are safe before releasing them to the public. Biden met with his council of advisers on science and technology about the risks and opportunities that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence pose for individual users and national security. “AI can help deal with some very difficult challenges like disease and climate change, but it also has to address the potential risks to our society, to our economy, to our national security,” Biden told the group, which includes academics as well as executives from Microsoft and Google. Artificial intelligence burst to the forefront in the national and global conversation in recent months after the release of the popular…

General Motors rode strong first-quarter sales of the Chevrolet Bolt to bump crosstown rival Ford out of second place in the U.S. electric vehicle sales race. But GM’s EV sales of 20,670 were still far below those of industry leader Tesla, which delivered more than 161,000 vehicles in the U.S. from January to March, according to estimates from Motorintelligence.com. Ford sold only 10,866 EVs during the quarter, but the company said that’s largely because it had to stop making the top-selling Mustang Mach-E electric SUV while it retooled a factory in Mexico to increase production. Spokesman Said Deep said the company didn’t build Mach-Es for seven weeks during the quarter, cutting into sales. Also, Ford was forced to stop making the F-150 Lightning electric pickup in February after a battery…

Twitter has removed the verification check mark on the main account of The New York Times, one of CEO Elon Musk’s most despised news organizations. The removal comes as many of Twitter’s high-profile users are bracing for the loss of the blue check marks that helped verify their identity and distinguish them from impostors on the social media platform. Musk, who owns Twitter, set a deadline of Saturday for verified users to buy a premium Twitter subscription or lose the checks on their profiles. The Times said in a story Thursday that it would not pay Twitter for verification of its institutional accounts. Musk tweeted that the Times’ check mark would be removed. Later he posted disparaging remarks about the newspaper, which has aggressively reported on Twitter and on flaws…

As lawmakers debate whether to ban TikTok nationwide, its Chinese parent company has introduced a new app that’s already getting some traction. The app, called Lemon8, is likely to face some of the same scrutiny as TikTok, which has been dogged by claims the Chinese government could force its parent company ByteDance to hand over U.S. user data or push misinformation on the platform. TikTok maintains that hasn’t happened. And it’s attempting to convince lawmakers it can keep user data safe. Meanwhile, ByteDance is pressing ahead with its expansion plans. Here’s what you need to know about the company’s new app: WHAT IS LEMON8? Lemon8 is a photo-based app that resembles a mixture of Instagram and Pinterest, and is sprinkled with videos that look like the ones posted on TikTok.…

States are doling out more cash than ever to lure multibillion-dollar microchip, electric vehicle and battery factories, inspiring evermore competition as they dig deeper into their pockets to attract big employers and capitalize on a wave of huge new projects. Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas have made billion-dollar pledges for a microchip or EV plant, with more state-subsidized plant announcements by profitable automakers and semiconductor giants surely to come. States have long competed for big employers. But now they are floating more billion-dollar offers and offering record-high subsidies, lavishing companies with grants and low-interest loans, municipal road improvements, and breaks on taxes, real estate, power and water. “We’re in the second war of the states,” said John Boyd, a principal at the Florida-based Boyd Company,…

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, concerns about its potential risks to society have evolved from mere speculation to pressing reality. This sense of urgency has prompted Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and more than 1,000 other experts to sign an open letter, advocating for a six-month pause in the development of powerful AI systems to better manage and address these risks. The signatories of the open letter include prominent figures like Emad Mostaque, CEO of Stability AI, researchers from Alphabetowned DeepMind, and pioneering AI minds such as Yoshua Bengio and Stuart Russell. These experts have come together with the support of organizations like the Future of Life Institute, which receives funding from the Musk Foundation, Founders Pledge, and the Silicon…

It’s an exciting time to be in the market for an electric vehicle. There are more EV options than ever before, and your selection isn’t just limited to compact urban runabouts. The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E are two such electric SUVs that deliver plenty of range, comfort and utility without sacrificing the driving experience. The vehicle experts take a closer look at these two top-rated SUVs to see which is the better buy. PERFORMANCE An all-electric SUV was the last thing we would have expected to wear the galloping horse badge, but the Ford Mustang Mach-E definitely lives up to the Mustang name. Available with a single electric motor for rear-wheel drive or dual motors for all-wheel drive, the Mach-E starts with 266 horsepower and can…

With tax season in full swing, you may be consolidating the various charitable donation receipts, deductions and W-2 forms that you’ll submit to the Internal Revenue Service. But if you received any bank sign-up bonuses or earned interest on your bank balance, you may owe additional taxes you might not have planned for. Interest rates on bank accounts, such as high-yield savings accounts, were high in 2022 due to ongoing rate increases made by the Federal Reserve. Bank sign-up bonuses and promotions have also been high, often $100 or more. The IRS sees bonuses and interest as additional income, which means the government has to take its cut. WHAT’S THE TAX RATE FOR BANK INTEREST AND BONUSES? Interest from savings accounts is taxed at the same rate as your income,…