ZDNETIn October, after months of beta testing, Microsoft officially released its major 2024 update for Windows 11. Known as Windows 11 24H2, the latest version enhances the Copilot AI, improves File Explorer, promises faster performance and greater stability, and introduces other improvements.The update, which is rolling out to eligible Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2 users, may appear on your PC's Windows Update screen. If so, you can certainly install it from there. Otherwise, the new version is accessible on Microsoft's Download Windows 11 page, where you can grab it through the Installation Assistant, installation media, or as an ISO file. Before you dive into the 2024 update, know that you may run into some problems and conflicts. The new version has been plagued by bugs that could prevent you from using Windows reliably and effectively. Microsoft has documented many of the glitches, and Windows users have reported a lot more.In response, Microsoft hasput the update on hold for problematic PCsthat could encounter blue screens and other issues.Windows 11 24H2 bugs still causing troubleDespite the latest updates, several bugs persist. Here are the ones that could still cause issues for anyone running the 2024 version of Windows 11. 1. AutoCAD 2022 might not open On some PCs running Windows 11 24H2, Autodesk AutoCAD 2022 might not open. Users have reported error messages when trying to launch the application. In response, Microsoft has blocked the update for affected PCs and is currently working on a fix. Autodesk 2. Conflict with PCs with Citrix components In one glitch introduced with the January Patch Tuesday update, PCs with certain Citrix components may not be able to complete the installation of the January patches. Microsoft said it found this issue on devices with Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411, which was released in December. This issue affects organizations more than individual or home users. The company is working with Citrix to resolve the problem. In the meantime, Citrix offers a workaround for SRA users. Citrix 3. Conflict with Easy Anti-Cheat online gaming app A program known as Easy Anti-Cheat is automatically installed with some online games to prevent cheating. Windows 11 2024 doesn't play well with this software -- users can experience the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), at least in rare cases, according to Microsoft. Only devices with Intel's Alder Lake+ processors and vPro platform are affected. Microsoft is working with the developer of Easy Anti-Cheat to resolve the glitch. Until then, those who run this app on PCs with the affected Intel chip should be aware of the conflict. Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 4. Network connection issues Some people who've installed the Windows 11 2024 update report that their internet connections are now glitchy. As discovered by Windows Report, these users seem to be able to connect via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, but they don't receive a valid IP address and therefore can't get an internet or network connection. Neither updating drivers and firmware nor resetting the network connectivity resolves the problem. In certain cases, using a static IP address instead of a dynamic address resolves the issue. Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 5. Network sharing doesn't work In another network-related issue triggered by the 24H2 update on some PCs, either the computer or other devices fail to appear in the network list, according to Windows Latest. As a result, you're unable to share files and printers between different PCs. The problem could be related to Function Discovery Resource Publication (FDResPub), which lets Windows 11 remain visible on the network. As a workaround, some people have resolved the glitch by setting FDResPub to start manually instead of automatically. 6. Printer issues with ARM-based Copilot+ PCs Yet another issue that has been popping up affects people who own Copilot+ PCs. Based on several user reports spotted by Neowin, some users who upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 are unable to set up or use a printer. The glitch seems to be hitting those with printers made by HP, Canon, Brother, and other manufacturers. Microsoft has posted a support article highlighting the problem and offering some workarounds. But at this point, this bug remains unresolved. 7. Audio output glitch on some PCs PCs that contain Dirac Audio with a file named cridspapo.dll could bump into audio issues. Dirac Audio is a digital sound technology that improves audio clarity and precision. Some users with this configuration who ran the update say that the integrated speakers, Bluetooth speakers, and Bluetooth headsets have stopped working and that first-party and third-party applications no longer recognize these speakers or headsets. As with most of the bugs, Microsoft has paused the update for affected PCs. Once the manufacturer releases a fix, Microsoft promises to offer a new driver through the standard Windows Update process. Dirac 8. Outlook may not launch with Google Workspace Sync In some cases, Microsoft Outlook may fail to load if Google Workspace Sync is installed. This particular Google Workspace Sync tool lets you manage your Google Workspace emails, calendar events, contacts, notes, and tasks directly in Outlook. The specific error that pops up says: "Cannot Start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot Open the Outlook Window. The set of folders cannot be opened. An unexpected error has occurred. MAPI was unable to load the information service..." Microsoft has blocked the update for users with older versions of Google Workspace Sync and recommends that you install the latest version. Microsoft 9. Problems with integrated cameras Some PCs with integrated cameras may run into trouble if you try to use the Windows camera app, the Windows Hello facial recognition, or another device that taps into the camera. Microsoft has blocked the 2024 update for affected computers and is still working on a fix for this glitch. Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 10. Compatibility problems with Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers Certain versions of drivers for Intel Smart Sound Technology (Intel SST) on PCs with Windows 11 24H2 and Intel 11th Gen Core processors could trigger blue screens. Only PCs with Intel SST driver version 10.29.0.5152 or 10.30.0.5152 are affected. You can find the problematic driver under System Devices in Device Manager by looking for a file named IntcAudioBus.sys. Affected PCs have been blocked from receiving the 2024 update. If you haven't yet updated Windows 11, Microsoft recommends that you first install the latest version of the SST Audio Controller drivers by going through the Windows Update settings screen. MicrosoftThese are just some of the glitches plaguing Microsoft and its users with the Windows 11 2024 update. Microsoft has listed others on its Known Issues and Notifications page. You can also see a list of previous bugs that have been fixed at the page for Resolved issues in Windows 11, version 24H2. I initially installed the update on a test Windows 11 PC in 2024 and bumped into a few of the bugs described here, along with others. A calendar and contact syncing program I used, called Sync2Cloud, wouldn't run in Windows 11 24H2. Two driver updates from Intel kept failing when I tried to install them. Connecting to the PC using Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection didn't always work the first time around. Since installing the latest patches over the past couple of months, two of the problems I encountered previously seem to have been corrected. I'm still having trouble connecting through Remote Desktop Connection. However, the April Patch Tuesday update promises to fix that one. Some conflicts are expected when Microsoft rolls out a major new Windows update. Even with widescale beta testing, not every potential problem will be found. However, any significant issues are still frustrating for those of us who need to use Windows for work and other tasks. Plus, some of the bugs have been around since last October with no fixes in sight. The number of bugs in Windows 11 24H2 also seems greater than in past annual Windows updates. The ongoing spread of one bug after another and Microsoft's need to stall the update for many people both point to a problem with this latest version. With Windows 10 support due to expire in October, the onus is on Microsoft to make sure that Windows 11 is much more reliable and stable for the users who will have to update. FAQ Show more How many patches has Microsoft issued so far?To address the barrage of bugs, the company has rolled out several sets of patches so far -- one in late October, another in mid-November, a third on December 10 as part of the monthly Patch Tuesday, a fourth in early January, a fifth on January 14 for the month's Patch Tuesday, a sixth to resolve some of the bugs introduced by the Patch Tuesday update, a seventh for February's Patch Tuesday, and an eighth for March's Patch Tuesday.TheOctober updatefixed a few bugs but also created a couple of new ones. TheNovember updateresolved some, but certainly not all, of the outstanding glitches. The December update addressed one specific glitch with certain USB-connected scanners and other devices.An early January patch finallyfixed conflicts with the Ubisoft gamesStar Wars Outlaws, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Assassin's Creed Odyssey.But then came theJanuary 14 Patch Tuesday update. Instead of resolving some of the persistent issues, this one actually introduced a host of new bugs, creating conflicts with audio devices, Bluetooth connections, webcams, and more.However, there's been some light toward the end of the tunnel. On January 28, Microsoft released anoptional preview update for Windows 24H2that squashed a number of bugs. Several of the glitches were new ones added by the messy January 14 update. Others had been around since last year, some as old as October. The Patch Tuesday updates for February and March further addressed some of the persistent glitches.Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with ourTech Today newsletter.Security

In this article, I'll share my experience navigating the landscape of various agent frameworks through a practical comparison of several popular LLM agent tools.

Harry PotterWBThe Harry Potter HBO series has been all over the place when it comes to casting choices from the decent Dumbledore pick, John Lithgow, to the baffling Snape pick, the too-handsome Paapa Essiedu. Now? Its about to cast an actor who is a slam-dunk for the role hes heading toward.That would be Nick Frost as the new Hagrid, the famed groundskeeper and key player in especially the early parts of the series. Frost is best-known for his roles in the Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg comedies Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The Worlds End. Even though that last one was over a decade ago now, Frost has been in loads of projects since then, including doing a lot of voicework for animated endeavors.Arriving as Hagrid would be his biggest role possibly ever, given the attention that this controversial, but no doubt widely-watched series will have on Max/HBO when it does arrive. Unlike Lithgow, potentially, if the show runs a decade Frost, currently 52, will not age out of it.NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 11: Nick Frost attends Build Series to discuss 'Fighting with My ... More Family' at Build Studio on February 11, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe original actor in the role of Hagrid for all the films was Robbie Coltrane, who sadly passed away in 2022, albeit no doubt he would not have returned, given that this looks to be a 100% new cast. But he did an excellent job and was a beloved part of those films. Well see if Frost can live up, as perfect as his casting may seem.The biggest question, of course, is who will play the central trio of Harry, Hermione and Ron, though like the original movies, the goal is to find unknown, young actors for those parts, so its not going to be anyone youve ever heard of. Its an immense amount of pressure, so hopefully they will be okay, whoever is cast. The other big part yet to be cast will be that of Voldemort, previously played by Ralph Fiennes, who has endorsed Cillian Murphy for the role, albeit there is nothing to indicate that is actually happening, or if hes interested in being locked into that part for the next decade of his career, recent Oscar-winner and all.I would not expect this show to release before 2027, nor do I expect it to take any less than seven seasons, maybe more, given how long the books get. This is an era where at best, it usually takes 1.5-2 years in between seasons of even not big shows, so this? I dont think its unreasonable to say well be seeing this air into the late 2030s if it doesnt end up cancelled. But I think WB is going to be pot-committed to this one no matter what.Follow me , and .Pick up my sci-fi novels the and

What just happened? At a time when the privacy of people's online browsing habits has never been more important, two companies focused on consumer protection are joining forces. Vivaldi and Proton have formed a partnership that brings Proton's VPN service directly into the Vivaldi browser. Vivaldi (download safely here) is a fast, ultra-customizable browser that prioritizes user privacy the antithesis of Chrome, arguably offering built-in ad-tracking protection, ad-blocking, and a dedicated privacy menu.ProtonVPN, meanwhile, is one of the top-rated virtual private networks available, promising not to log online activities or show ads. With the implementation, ProtonVPN's free VPN service is now accessible directly from Vivaldi's desktop browser.Accessing the VPN requires a Vivaldi or Proton account, which Vivaldi says is to avoid fraudulent usage of the services. As it is the free tier, speeds are classed as "medium," and users can pick from servers in five randomly selected countries. There are no bandwidth limits, either. The open-source service is encrypted using AES-256 or ChaCha20.There's also the option to pay for ProtonVPN Plus, which comes with faster speeds and access to over 11,000 servers in more than 110 countries.David Peterson, General Manager of ProtonVPN, said that the partnership will help internet users break free of US Big Tech's data collection practices with a European alternative Vivaldi is headquartered in Norway, while Proton AG has its HQ in Switzerland. // Related StoriesThere are other browsers that come with built-in VPNs, but they often have limitations. Edge has the Microsoft Edge Secure Network free VPN, though it is limited to 5GB per month and users cannot choose target countries or servers.Brave, another privacy-focused browser, also features an integrated VPN. And while it offers a no-logs service and hundreds of servers in over 40 regions, it costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year.A Vivaldi spokesperson told The Register that many browsers that offer free integrated VPNs don't deliver high-end security, performance or unblocking abilities, and are often simple proxies, giving users a new IP address while not encrypting their traffic.

In a nutshell: Generation Z, typically defined as those born between 1997 and 2012 (give or take), is a group struggling to find jobs. Statistics show that over 4 million people in this demographic are not in school, training, or work in the US. And while many blame laziness or selectiveness, some experts say the fault lies with universities that offer worthless degrees. It's estimated that more than 4.3 million young people in the US are classified as NEETs not in employment, education, or training. The UK is facing a similar situation, where 100,000 more Gen Zs found themselves in this category last year alone.Worldwide, about a fifth of people aged between 15 and 24 in 2023 are currently NEETs.In the UK, political commentator, broadcaster, and author Peter Hitchens said much of the blame should be placed on universities offering worthless degrees.Hitchens said that Gen Z would have been better off becoming apprentices to plumbers or electricians than doing these types of courses.To find which degrees are less likely to lead to good jobs, or any employment, Georgetown University analyzed wages for 137 college majors. It found that at the entry level, health majors earn $41,000 annually. At the other end of the scale, humanities and liberal arts majors earn $29,000 annually.Health-related degrees seem like an even better choice these days. Because of generative AI, computing and coding degrees aren't the guarantee of a lucrative career that they used to be, and it's expected that over a million new jobs will be created among home health aides, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners across the next decade. Nurse practitioner is the third-fastest-growing job in the US, with a median annual pay of over $126,260 in 2023. // Related StoriesSome of the degrees less likely to lead to a well-paid job include Ethnic and Gender Studies, Music/Performance Arts, Art History, Fashion Design, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Photography, Sociology, English Literature, Communications, History, Anthropology, Liberal Arts, and Culinary Arts.It's not just degrees with less obvious career paths that are having an impact on Gen Z's job prospects. AI is having a big effect, and the rising costs of everyday goods are pricing some young people out of work, leaving them unable to afford transport, commuting, or other essentials.There's the other argument, of course. Some claim many Gen Zers refuse to take jobs that they consider beneath them, or expect to walk straight into a well-paid position rather than working their way up from the bottom.Masthead: Yunus Tu

Nearly eight long years after it was first announced, Nintendo still isnt willing to put a release date on Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. The game made a big appearance at the March Nintendo Direct with a new trailer but, sadly, is still only slated for 202.With the Switch 2 Direct less than a week away, the biggest announcement that could come from this 30 minute showcase focused on upcoming Switch games was the release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. After it was first revealed in 2017, the game was reintroduced in 2024 after development had been restarted under the original developer Retro Studios. That last trailer established the game would be set in the Cosmic Year 20X9 in a Galactic Federation Research Facility before transitioning into gameplay of Samus blasting, scanning, and platforming through the facility. It ends with the appearance of a mysterious rival figure flanked by two floating Metroids.Recommended VideosUnfortunately for fans, the new big trailer for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond lacked that all-important release date.Please enable Javascript to view this contentWhat the trailer did reveal was Samus warping onto a juingle planet Viewros, which appears to be the main location we will be exploring. To find her way, Samus has to scan various objects but is quickly attacked by new native monsters. Samus will now acquire psychic abilities to help solve puzzles, but also influence the path of her attacks to curve attacks to hit multiple enemies. The trailer implies that this will be just one of many powers we will get access to.The trailer ends with a tease of a new, scarlet red suit for Samus. Sticking with a 2025 release window, it seems we will have to wait a little bit longer to get a firm release date for this upcoming Switch game.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsHow much does Garmin Connect+ cost?Can you still use all the features in Garmin Connect?Whats new in Garmin Connect+?Is Garmin Connect+ worth trying?Garmin has just announced Garmin Connect+, a new paid subscription for users who want to squeeze a little more out of their Garmin smartwatch experience. The premium tier adds new features and AI-powered insights, and its available as of today.While not unexpected, this decision might make some users worry about whether theyll still get the full scope of features that Garmin Connect used to provide. Below, Ill walk you through all the changes so you can make an informed decision as to whether you should subscribe to Garmin Connect+ or not.Recommended VideosNirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsGarmin Connect+, or Garmin Connect Plus, costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. Garmin offers a 30-day free trial that allows you to see whether the premium plan is worth paying for or not.RelatedIf you dont want to upgrade to Connect+, no worries the Connect plan will stay free. Garmin Connect+ is available as of March 27, 2025.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe good news is that all existing features in Garmin Connect will stay free. This means that the features youre used to, including trackers for your health and fitness activities, will stay the same with no further changes.Garmin Connect+ was made as an addition to the existing app and doesnt replace it.Garmin teased a bunch of new features in the new paid subscription tier, although a lot of them are still pretty vague well have to test them ourselves.Heres all thats coming your way if you subscribe to Garmin Connect+.AI-powered insightsNo one is surprised to hear about more AI being added everywhere, so the fact that AI is a staple in Garmin Connect+ is not shocking at all. However, the exact nature of AI in Garmin is still a little unclear.The company refers to this as Active Intelligence, powered by AI. Active Intelligence will help your Garmin watch gather insights based on your health and activity data, and will then be able to give you more personal suggestions as a result. As customers use Germin Connect+ more, the insights will become more tailored to them and their goals, said Garmin in the press release.Its worth noting that the AI portion of Garmin Connect+ is currently in beta, but it seems to be available for testing to paid users.LiveTrack gets a boostLiveTrack makes up an important part of Garmin Connect, allowing you to keep your family members and friends notified when youre doing a workout, including a link to help them track your location. This includes a bunch of different workouts, such as runs, hikes, and bike rides, and relies on GPS, so it works even in remote areas.With Connect+, this key feature evolves in a way that makes it simpler to use. Youll be able to get Garmin to auto-generate LiveTrack links and send them out the moment you head out for a workout.You can also set up your own LiveTrack profile to share with others, which will make it easier for them to see all your activities in one place.New challenges and badgesWho doesnt love a boost to the aesthetic side of things? To that end, Garmin Connect+ lets you add new frames to your profile, but also earn badges for completing various challenges. Garmin teases that youll get a badge for completing the Running Climbs challenge, which includes recording a total of 500 meters of ascent throughout a month of running. Theres also the Power Cycling challenge, which will have you cycle as hard as you can youll need to log at least four hours of biking in power zone 3.Comprehensive look at your performanceGarmin Connect+ will whip up customizable graphs and charts for you, helping you keep track of your fitness and health data. Im assuming this will later on tie-in with the AI-powered part of the app, but this is just a guess right now.Over time, these performance charts should become a useful insight into your wellness journey.Extra training toolsWhile youre recording an indoor workout on your Garmin smartwatch, youll get access to real-time data on your phone all the while recording the workout. This includes things like heart rate and pace data, the number of reps youve completed, workout videos, and more.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsWithout having tested the feature, its hard to judge just how useful itll be in the long run. The good thing is that with a 30-day free trial, most users will be able to make that decision for themselves, risk-free.The additions provided in Garmin Connect+ may not be groundbreaking, but they target important areas of wellness. LiveTrack helps you stay safe and connected; AI-powered insights could prove to be useful over time; badges are fun and they help gamify the idea of working out, which can often help.With nothing to lose, I say go ahead and give it a try for 30 days and see whether its worth the $6.99/month price tag.Editors Recommendations

will they stick? Auto industry braces for chaos as Trump sets 25% tariff on all imports Expect new cars to cost thousands of dollars more as a result of the new tariffs. Jonathan M. Gitlin Mar 27, 2025 10:01 am | 33 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreYesterday afternoon, once the markets were closed and could no longer react immediately, US President Donald Trump announced that starting on April 2, all imported automobiles and many imported car parts will now be subject to an extra 25 percent tariff. Despite Trump's rhetoric during his election campaign and since taking office, tariffs are paid for by those importing the goods, not the exporters, so we can look forward to most new cars and trucksand their maintenance costsgetting a lot more expensive.During his first term in office, Trump started trade wars with key US trading partners like Canada, the European Union, and China. Upon his return in 2025, more trade wars have been the name of the game. A 25 percent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico was threatened and then implemented at the beginning of March, before being partially reversed just two days later. Additionally, a 10 percent tariff on Chinese exports was also levied.Less than two weeks later, a new 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports also joined the club.Imported cars are a national security threat, apparentlyIn his executive order announcing this latest upcharge on US consumers, Trump repeatedly refers to a report from 2019 from his then-commerce secretary, claiming that "automobiles and certain automobile parts are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States."Since that report, the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the global supply chain, and because only half of the cars and trucks sold in the US are made domestically, that means tariffs are even more justified, the order claims, existing free trade agreements be damned."This will continue to spur growth like you've never seen before," Trump said during a press conference.The vehicle tariff goes into effect on April 2, with the tariff on car parts"engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain parts, and electrical components"coming no later than May 3. There is a partial exemption for vehicles that conform to the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, but only for the percentage of US-made content (so a truck that had 45 percent US parts under USMCA would face a 25 percent tariff on 55 percent of its price).The tariffs are good news for Elon Musk, a key Trump ally who spent hundreds of millions of dollars helping his friend get elected. All of the vehicles Tesla currently sells in the US are made in either California or Texas, although yesterday, Trump denied that Musk had ever "asked me for a favor in business." The Ford Motor Company also has limited exposure, with only 20 percent of its US sales being built elsewhere and then imported.The rest of the industry will not be so lucky. Companies like Toyota and Hyundai have plants in the US, but they import hundreds of thousands of vehicles here each year, and both are looking at financial impacts of billions of dollars as a result. And despite the president's claims that this will help US consumers, that seems unlikely. For example, many of General Motors' and Stellantis' affordable models are built outside the US and shipped here.Analysts expect the price increases to show up in dealerships within a few weeks and said that consumers can expect to pay (as an example) an extra $5,000 on a $40,000 vehicle.Mostly, the reaction has been negative. Mostly.Despite the looming damage to the US auto industry, the tariffs have found at least one friend: the United Auto Workers."We applaud the Trump administration for stepping up to end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities for decades. Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with todays actions," said UAW President Shawn Fain.But the reaction has mostly been negative, and from all sides of the political spectrum."At a time when cost is the number one concern for American car buyers, US automakers are working to provide a range of affordable vehicles for consumers," said Jennifer Safavian, president and CEO of Autos Drive America. "The tariffs imposed today will make it more expensive to produce and sell cars in the United States, ultimately leading to higher prices, fewer options for consumers, and fewer manufacturing jobs in the US.""Whether vehicles are USMCA compliant or not, this is a double-edged sword that spells bad news for the price of cars for US consumers," said Will Roberts, head of automotive at Rho Motion. "Manufacturers are now choosing between facing a tariff to import or a significant cost increase to relocate and reorganize production, both of which will undoubtedly be inflationary.""Consumers will likely pay thousands more for a new car due to tariffs, which will also dent some of those sales," said Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. "Many families with aging cars will hope their cars can last a little longer or look to the used marketwhich is about to have its own price hikes as demand rises for used cars.""One of the few winners will be DCs restaurant industry, which is about to benefit from a hike in expense-account dinners paid for by lobbyists seeking tariff exemptions for their clients," Young said. "The fact that Trump waited until after markets closed on Wednesday to make the announcement shows that even he knows his tariffs will create more losers than winners. Consumers' and automakers' best hope now is that Trump will walk back the tariffs before they take effect on April 2."Indeed, the stock prices for most automakers have been sliding today as the markets react."By imposing nonstrategic auto tariffs, Donald Trump will increase car prices for Americans and hurt working families," said Katherine Garcia, Sierra Club Clean Transportation for All director. "In order for tariffs to help boost domestic manufacturing, they must be accompanied by innovative investment in the US automotive industry. The Trump administration has offered none of that. Instead, with this action alongside their attacks on clean vehicle standards, theyre making it harder for people to afford cars in general and even harder to buy clean vehicles that don't pollute."Jonathan M. GitlinAutomotive EditorJonathan M. GitlinAutomotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 33 Comments

Chips TSMCs $100 billion pledge wont resurrect US chipmaking, says Intels ex-CEO US must boost R&D to gain "semiconductor leadership." Financial Times Mar 27, 2025 9:16 am | 10 Signage for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is displayed inside the company's headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Credit: Ashley Pon/Bloomberg Signage for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is displayed inside the company's headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Credit: Ashley Pon/Bloomberg Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Companys pledge to spend an extra $100 billion on advanced manufacturing plants in the US will do little to help the country restore its global lead in chipmaking, according to Pat Gelsinger, who was forced out as chief executive of Intel late last year.His comments come less than a month after the White House hailed the investment from TSMC, the worlds largest chip manufacturer, as an important milestone in efforts to bring production of the most advanced semiconductors back on to US soil.If you dont have R&D in the US, you will not have semiconductor leadership in the US, Gelsinger said. All of the R&D work of TSMC is in Taiwan, and they havent made any announcements to move that.The former Intel chief added, however, that President Donald Trumps tariff threats had at least been incrementally beneficial for the US by giving chip manufacturers like TSMC more incentive to locate their facilities in the country.The Trump administration has leaned heavily on TSMC amid doubts about Intels ability to regain the global manufacturing lead it lost to the Taiwanese company a decade ago.Gelsingers departure late last year was widely seen as a repudiation by the company of his complex turnaround plan, which included trying to rebuild Intels manufacturing base. His successor, Lip-Bu Tan, appointed earlier this month, has yet to set out his strategy.The former Intel chief executive would not comment on whether he had fallen out with Intels directors over strategy, but indicated he had lost their confidence less than four years into his five-year plan.I wasnt done with the five-plus years when the board made a directional change, he said.TSMC has said that the only development work it plans to carry out it in the US will be on the process technology it already has in production, and that its core research and development will remain in Taiwan.Unless youre designing the next-generation transistor technology in the US, you do not have leadership in the US, said Gelsinger.He was speaking in an interview this week after becoming a partner at Playground Global, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm that specializes in deep tech investments, including in fields like quantum computing and new chip making technologies.Despite losing out in the cutting-edge process technology used in chip manufacturing, Gelsinger said the US still had a global edge in many advanced technologies that are likely to determine future leadership in artificial intelligence.He also brushed off suggestions that Chinese AI company DeepSeek, which shocked US technology experts and investors with its low-cost technology earlier this year, had posed a serious challenge to American companies.DeepSeek was good engineering, it wasnt core innovations. It wasnt major breakthroughs, he said.Start-ups backed by Playground include xLight, whose advanced lasers could play a part in future generations of lithography needed to make chips. Other investments include PsiQuantum, the first quantum computing company that has embarked on building a large-scale quantum machine, and d-Matrix, one of a number of start-ups trying to leapfrog Nvidia in making the chips needed to run AI systems, a task known as inference.While at Intel, Gelsinger failed to make up ground against Nvidia in AI chips, though he said this week that new technologies were needed to bring AI into the mainstream.AI, as exciting as it is, is much too expensive, he said. We have to have dramatic reductions in the cost of inference for it to be truly deployed in every aspect of humanity. 2025 The Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be redistributed, copied, or modified in any way.Financial TimesFinancial Times 10 Comments

Green blotches show where auroras light up Neptunes skiesNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Heidi Hammel (AURA), Henrik Melin (Northumbria University), Leigh Fletcher (University of Leicester), Stefanie Milam (NASA-GSFC)For the first time, researchers have spotted infrared auroras swirling in Neptunes atmosphere, verifying decades of scientific speculation.When NASAs Voyager 2 mission flew by Neptune in 1989, it found tantalising hints of aurora activity in the ice giants clouds. However, scientists were unable to verify the phenomenon at the time, as existing instruments were too weak. Now, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has finally provided the power to detect them. AdvertisementThis was really a fulfillment of years worth of anticipation, says Heidi Hammel at the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington DC.Hammel and her colleagues used JWSTs NIRSpec, a powerful infrared imaging tool, to capture spectroscopic images of Neptune and analyse the different wavelengths of light emitted by the planet. In 2023, researchers used the instrument to detect infrared auroras on Uranus. This time, it found them on Neptune as well.The images also allowed Hammel and her team to begin constructing a map of Neptunes magnetic field. This is particularly exciting as the planet is known to have some of the most unusual magnetic poles in the solar system.Voyage across the galaxy and beyond with our space newsletter every month.Sign up to newsletterUnlike Earth, Jupiter or Saturn, Neptunes magnetic poles arent centered at its rotational poles. Instead, theyre offset by almost half the planets radius, says Hammel. As a result, its auroras appear as irregular blobs much closer to its equator, over roughly the region where South America sits on a globe model of Earth.In addition to detecting auroras, the JWST observations indicated that Neptunes ionosphere the layer of charged particles blanketing some planets is cooling down. It is now, on average, about 10 per cent colder than when Voyager 2 passed by 34 years ago. Similar changes have been detected on Uranus.While the authors of the new study arent sure why this cooling occurred, they hope their next JWST observation period, scheduled for 2026, will offer more clues.Topics: