US CHIPS Act: What Is It, and Will It Make Devices Cheaper?

July 29, 2022

Did You Know?

Only two U.S. states have elevation points below sea level, California (lowest elevation, -279 feet/-86 meters) and Louisiana (lowest elevation, -8 feet/-2.4 meters).

Happy Friday! The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 just passed the U.S. Congress, which aims to address the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage and boost chip production in the United States. Go read our CHIPS Act explainer for everything you should know.

Congress isn’t the only group that has been busy lately. Microsoft has started testing several more design changes in Windows 11, which might be ready in time for this year’s big 22H2 update.

– Corbin

Following months of debate, the CHIPS and Science Act was passed by the United States Congress on Thursday. But what is it, and what impact will it have on our electronics? Read More »

Listening to bird calls is a great, relaxing way to enjoy nature. If your curiosity gets the best of you, hearing the calls may not be enough. We’ll show you how to identify the birds making those sweet sounds. Read More »

Planning on picking up a Meta Quest 2 before the price increases on Monday? Don’t forget to grab some accessories to go with it! Your VR experience can be greatly improved by picking up a few items—like this strap from VidPPluing.

The Meta Quest 2 can be a little uncomfortable with just the standard strap, so a full head strap like this can be helpful for longer play sessions, as it spreads out the headset’s weight more evenly. It’s also durable and comfortable, making this is $30 well spent.

Linux Mint 21, codenamed “Vanessa,” is a major update coming to Mint users in summer 2022. The first beta release was on July 14, 2022. Here’s a rundown of what’s new in this version—the changes, improvements, and new features. Read More »

Dual-booting is one way to install multiple operating systems on the same computer. Unfortunately, Windows is making the practice more difficult than ever. Read More »

Cloud storage lets you keep all of your files in one place, and makes them accessible no matter what device you’re on without the need for a physical external hard drive. Here are our picks for the best services today. Read More »

Several states offer back-to-school tax holidays that cover everything from basic school supplies to computers and accessories. If your state participates, you could pick up a computer, printer, or even an iPad tax-free. Read More »

Comparisons between the Valve Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch are hard to avoid—but not always helpful. They’re very different devices with very different philosophies, and they’re both great. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know. Read More »

Starting with iOS 16, the iPhone home screen includes a small “Search” button located just above the dock. If you find the addition annoying, Apple makes it easy to remove the search button in Settings. Here’s how. Read More »

More than one million companies rely on the Microsoft 365 productivity suite, and if yours is one of them, this comprehensive guide is for you. Efficiency Best Practices for Microsoft 365 will help you get more done each day by teaching you how to better manage important files, analyze data, execute tasks with greater efficiency, make the most of calendar events, and more. Download your free copy and increase your productivity today.

Have you ever filled up your vehicle and then immediately saw a better price and a different gas station? With a few simple tips, you can make sure you’re getting the best price in your area. Read More »

How and when the police can access your doorbell and security cameras is a hot topic in the news and certainly one of great concern for people who value their privacy. What’s actually going on, and how worried should you be? Read More »

Software supply chain security has become topical in the wake of high profile dependency-based attacks. Producing an SBOM for your software artifacts can help you identify weaknesses and trim down the number of packages you rely on. Read More »

Teachers are an essential part of our communities, so why shouldn’t they have the best tech possible to make their jobs easier and more enjoyable? Whether you’re a teacher buying these items for yourself or a kind parent gifting them, these neat little gadgets make the best teachers even better at what they do. Read More »

Despite a few odd software choices, the OnePlus 10 Pro is an excellent phone. For a while, we all wondered if OnePlus would release another phone this year, but now we know the OnePlus 10T (5G) is officially on the way with a familiar design and powerful cameras. Read More »

Moving to “as code” for everything connected to your project helps you maintain consistency, track changes over time, and automate your processes. An effective implementation should let you ship reliable software more efficiently. Read More »

Between the increasing cost of gas and the wide variety of electric lawn mowers on the market now, you might be curious how much it costs to own and operate one compared to a gas model. Here’s what you need to know. Read More »

Windows can rotate your screen without any extra software. This is especially useful if you have a desktop monitor that rotates. Many PCs have hotkeys that can rotate your screen, too, and these are easy to press accidentally. Read More »

Microsoft is still making rapid changes to Windows 11 ahead of the anticipated 22H2 update later this year. Now a few more design updates have landed in preview builds. Read More »

Whether your job title has changed or you’d like to update your phone number, Microsoft Outlook makes it super easy to change your email signature’s contents. We’ll show you how to edit your signature in Outlook’s desktop, web, and mobile versions. Read More »

You can use data validation in Microsoft Excel to stop incorrect data entries. But there may be times when that validation doesn’t work as planned. To help, you can use the Circle Invalid Data feature. Read More »