Jun 14
Creating dozens of unique, secure passwords is a necessary part of life, but you probably can’t remember them all. That’s where password managers come in.
Jun 14
It looks like OnePlus smartphones will lose one of the features that distinguished them from other Android handsets, pushing them even closer to Oppo models.
Jun 14
You Can Finally Get Amazon Packages Delivered By Drone, But There's A Catch
Posted in: Today's ChiliAmazon has been working on drone-based package deliveries for years, and it’s now finally one step closer to making the aerial service a reality.
Jun 13
Try, if you can, to put aside all the off-screen Lightyear nonsense. What is this movie? How does it fit in with Toy Story? None of that matters. The first three frames of the latest Pixar animation film clear all that up simply and succinctly. In 1995, a boy named Andy got a Buzz Lightyear toy. It was from his…
Jun 13
People with a severe form of baldness will now have a significant treatment option available. On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration approved baricitinib for treating alopecia areata. The drug, taken as a pill, is the first of its kind intended to treat the autoimmune disorder, though it’s already commonly used…
Jun 13
The $7,500 federal EV tax credit has been used for several years to entice consumers to make greener car purchasing decisions, but it has expired for some automakers — and they feel the government needs to remove limits on that incentive. Reuters has learned the CEOs of Ford, GM, Stellantis and Toyota sent a letter to congressional leadership asking them to eliminate the sales-based tax credit cap. The move would help counter economic factors and supply shortages that have raised the costs of producing EVs, according to the companies.
The credit currently applies to the first 200,000 cars sold by any given brand. GM and Tesla have already reached the 200,000-unit mark, while both Ford and Toyota could hit the cap this year. This doesn’t affect state-level discounts. The companies hope Congress will replace the unit-based cap with a sunset date that would end the credit once the EV marketplace is “more mature.”
It’s not certain that enough politicians will warm up to the idea. Senator Joe Manchin, for instance, recently questioned the need for extended credits when EV demand regularly outstrips supply. And when the current Senate frequently shoots down bills without clear bipartisan support, any attempt to legislate the credit could fall apart.
The companies have strong motivations to act now, though. Republicans may regain control of one or both sides of Congress during this fall’s midterm elections, and car industry execs are concerned the shift in power could kill chances of extending tax credits. Former President Trump tried to axe the credit in his proposed 2020 budget, and had the support of Republicans — the chances aren’t high that the GOP will back an extension.
The customer tax breaks might not be as necessary as they once were, mind you. GM plans to sell a Chevy Equinox EV around $30,000, while Tesla has long-term plans for a $25,000 car. Although these models are years away and won’t compete with the lowest-priced conventional cars, they hint at a future where EVs are genuinely affordable without government subsidies.
Jun 13
SpaceX Sails Through Federal Environmental Review, Inches Closer to Starship Launch
Posted in: Today's Chili
On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed its environmental assessment of SpaceX’s proposed site expansion in Boca Chica, Texas, after months of delay.
Jun 13
While Google’s multiple antitrust cases continue to drag on here in the U.S., it looks like the search giant’s starting to make a few concessions across the pond. Reuters reports that Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has made an offer to European Union regulators in response to an ongoing investigation into the tech…
Jun 13
The One Punch Man film based on the hugely successful manga series and beloved anime has found a director who’s no stranger to hugely successful franchises himself: Justin Lin, who made Fast & Furious parts three, four, five, six, and nine, as well as Star Trek Beyond.
Jun 13
Comedian John Oliver decided to wade into the antitrust battleground this week, and he didn’t hold back any punches.
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