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TSMC announces $100 billion investment in US chipmaking

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. – the world’s biggest chipmaker – will invest at least $100 billion to expand chip manufacturing in the US. During a press conference on Monday, President Donald Trump said the funding would go toward building two additional chip manufacturing facilities in Phoenix, Arizona.

The $100 billion investment builds upon the $65 billion TSMC has already committed to building three Arizona factories, as well as the $6.6 billion the Biden administration awarded to TSMC under the CHIPS Act. TSMC began producing 4-nanometer chips at its Arizona plant in January, but its future factories are expected to make chips using “2nm or even more advanced process technology” by the end of the decade, according to the company’s website.

Last year, TSMC pushed back the timeline for its second Arizona plant, saying it will open in 2027 or 2028 instead of 2026. 

“We are producing the most advanced chip made on US soil with the success of our first plant,” TSMC CEO C.C. Wei said during the press conference. “We’re going to create thousands of high-paying jobs… and produce many AI chips.” A recent report from The New York Times suggested that the Trump administration encouraged TSMC to take over Intel’s chipmaking factories.

Last week, Apple similarly revealed its plans to invest over $500 billion in the US over the next four years, during which it plans to hire 20,000 employees and construct a server factory in Texas. The timing isn’t a coincidence, as President Trump has said he will introduce tariffs on semiconductors and other goods as soon as April. On Tuesday, the US is also set to start imposing a 25 percent tariff on products from Mexico and Canada, along with an additional 10 percent tax on imports from China.

MWC hears two starkly divided views of AI’s impact

Two sharply different visions of AI were platformed on stage at the Mobile World Congress trade show on Monday. The true believer’s case for the technology’s potential — to merge with and transform human life for the better — was offered up by futurist and singularity priest Ray Kurzweil, who also has a research role […]

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WTMJ in Milwaukee to Launch Afternoon Lifestyle Show

WTMJ in Milwaukee is launching an afternoon magazine-style program called What's Brewing Wisconsin. The show will be hosted by Morning Blend veteran Tiffany Ogle (pictured left) while Stephanie Brown (right), most recently a community reporter for TMJ4 News, will be the new show's field correspondent and fill-in host. Ogle will also continue her co-hosting duties...

Cracker Barrel Shakes Up Agency Roster Amid Brand Refresh

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store named three new agencies of record on Monday: Blue Engine, Prophet, and Viral Nation. Communications firm Blue Engine will be Cracker Barrel's AOR for public relations, experiential marketing, and partnerships. Prophet will work on Cracker Barrel's brand marketing efforts, such as brand communication, restaurant redesigns, brand marketing campaigns, and a...

TSMC unveils $100 billion investment to boost chip manufacturing in the US

President Donald Trump announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is increasing its investment in the United States to $100 billion. This move expands on the company’s existing commitment, pushing its total investment in the country to $165 billion. The […]

The post TSMC unveils $100 billion investment to boost chip manufacturing in the US first appeared on Tech Startups.

The iPhone 15 Pro will get Visual Intelligence with iOS 18.4

What started as an Apple Intelligence feature exclusive to the Camera Control-endowed iPhone 16 line is coming to older iPhones, and soon. We already knew that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max would get Visual Intelligence at some point in the future, and thanks to 9to5Mac, we now know it's one of several options you can assign to the Action Button in the second iOS 18.4 beta. That likely means the feature could end up in the final release of the update.

Visual Intelligence lets you draw on AI models from Google and OpenAI to find information (and websites) about anything you point your iPhone's camera at. You can also use the feature to add information from a flyer to your calendar and oddly, identify dog breeds. Until recently, the feature had to be summoned with a long-press of Camera Control on an iPhone 16, but as of the release of the iPhone 16e, Apple made it possible to use an Action Button to pull it up, too. Considering the iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro chip offers enough RAM to enable other Apple Intelligence features, it makes sense that its ACtion Button shouldn't be left out of the fun.

iOS 18.4 is currently in beta and is expected to launch in early April. Alongside expanding the number of phones that can run Visual Intelligence, Apple is also using the update to launch a new recipe section in Apple News called Apple News+ Food. Previously, Bloomberg reported that iOS 18.4 was supposed to also mark the launch of Apple's upgraded Siri, which is supposed to have the ability to see and take action inside of apps, but that feature is now coming later.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-iphone-15-pro-will-get-visual-intelligence-with-ios-184-204658321.html?src=rss

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© Apple

A person using Visual Intelligence on an iPhone 16 to find out information about a restaurant.

Self-driving cars: Google and others map the road to automated vehicles

Google self driving autonomous car stock 1024

Google and a number of automakers are spearheading the movement to get automated vehicles on America’s roads. Self-driving cars are street legal in three states, and Google’s fleet has collectively logged over 300,000 miles of time on the road. However, there are several obstacles in the path of widespread adoption, with legal and moral opposition to the concept coming from all corners. Follow this StoryStream to track the technology’s progress as it transitions from experimental testing to consumer reality that could save thousands of lives.

Google Play is going to start highlighting apps with widgets

Google is making some changes to Google Play on Android devices to better highlight apps that include widgets, according to a blog post. The changes include a new search filter for widgets, widget badges on app detail pages, and a curated editorial page dedicated to widgets.

“Historically, one of the challenges with investing in widget development has been discoverability and user understanding,” product manager Yinka Taiwo-Peters says in the post. “You’ve asked for better ways for users to find and utilize your widgets, and we’re delivering.” Yinka Taiwo-Peters also acknowledges that “we understand that the effort required to build and maintain widgets needs to be justified by user adoption.”

With the search filter, users will be able to more easily search for apps with widgets. The badge “eliminates guesswork for users and highlights your widget offerings, encouraging them to explore and utilize this capability,” Taiwo-Peters says. And the curated editorial page will show off “collections of excellent widgets.”

The updated widget discoverability tools will be “coming soon,” Taiwo-Peters says.

Logitech’s best gaming mouse has fallen to its lowest price ever

A hand holding up the black Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 mouse.
The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is down to a new low, but only in black.

If you’re looking for a top-notch gaming mouse you can use for both work and play, Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight 2 is a great option that’s currently on sale for its best price to date. Right now, you can buy it at Walmart in select colors starting at $113.99 ($45 off) or at Best Buy starting at $114.99 ($44 off); it’s also on sale at Amazon starting at $119.99 (about $39 off).

The wireless gaming mouse is Logitech’s fastest, with a Hero 2 sensor that tracks at 500 inches per second (and up to 32,000 DPI) and a 4kHz polling rate. At just 60 grams (2.1 ounces), it’s also Logitech’s lightest, making it easy to move quickly and accurately. It also boasts an attractive matte plastic design, meaning it won’t look out of place at the office, even if it is perfectly suitable for tournament-level play. 

Despite the lightweight build, the Superlight 2 features clicky hybrid optical / mechanical switches and five programmable buttons, which can be customized via Logitech’s companion software. The mouse also offers up to 95 hours of battery life, boasts USB-C charging, and supports both the original Logitech Powerplay mousepad and the upcoming Powerplay 2, which can keep your mouse continuously charged at $20 less than the original pad.

Read our hands-on impressions.

Some more ways to save

  • Now until March 9th, Anker’s 2-in-1 USB-C to USB-C Cable is on sale for $17.99 ($8 off) at Amazon and directly from Anker (with promo code WS7DV2FVJTOY).  The four-foot cable comes with a pair of USB-C attachments, allowing you to charge two devices simultaneously. It also offers 140W of total output but can intelligently share power, automatically adjusting power distribution based on the connected gadget.
  • Apple will likely introduce a new iPad this week, but if you’re looking for something smaller, the latest iPad Mini is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage starting at $399 ($100 off), matching its best price to date. The 8.3-inch Mini is the smallest tablet in Apple’s lineup, rendering it the ideal form factor if you use your tablet to read a lot. Its A17 Pro chip isn’t as powerful as the processors in the M4-powered iPad Pro or M2-powered Air, but it’s faster than that of the base iPad; it also supports Apple Intelligence, unlike the entry-level tablet. Read our review.
  • Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo are selling Amazon’s latest Fire TV Cube for $109.99 ($30 off), which is one of its better prices to date. The third-gen Cube is Amazon’s highest-end streaming device, one that comes with Wi-Fi 6E support and an HDMI input for connecting both cable boxes and gaming consoles. It also offers support for 4K streaming in multiple HDR formats — including Dolby Vision — while continuing to double as an Alexa-powered smart speaker you can use to play music, control smart home devices, and carry out other tasks. Read our review.
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