NewsBytes Briefing: Tesla hooking up Texas to mega-battery, and more
Battery backup is a necessity in Third World countries, where the power grid is unreliable. However, First World countries are trying to replicate the same conditions by embracing fickle wind and solar energy. Texas is a fine example of this phenomenon. Like a shrewd businessman, Elon Musk has offered the beleaguered state a mega battery backup to stabilize its crumbling wind-dependent power grid.
Ola's factory will produce an electric scooter every two seconds
By the time you finish reading the title, Ola will have produced two electric scooters at its EV plant in Tamil Nadu. That would've made a credible case to stop reading, but thankfully the plant won't be operational until later this year. Ola is serious about getting you behind on an electric scooter, because the factory will be the largest in the entire world.
Apple might manufacture iPhone 12 in India despite Wistron riots
Ola isn't the only one headed to Tamil Nadu. Apple has also chosen it as a manufacturing base for the iPhone 12. The company intends to move 10 percent of its production capacity out of China and into India. The only problem is that Apple has learned the hard way that treating Indian workers like Chinese slave laborers has unsavory consequences.
Xiaomi prefers tangible features over non-existent 5G
Moving away from China reminds us of someone else who's trying to distance itself from our belligerent neighbor. Well, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi seems to be channeling Confucian pragmatism by dropping 5G support from its entire Redmi Note 10 line-up. That also explains how it incorporates terrific specifications and an HDR capable AMOLED display at that low a price. That's Chinese practicality for you.
Apple releases iOS and macOS updates patching a WebKit vulnerability
Not long after homebrew outfit unc0ver exploited a hole in iOS to jailbreak iPhones and iPads, Apple has issued yet another patch to plug another undiscovered security flaw. This one allows malicious websites to take control of your iOS and macOS devices. However, installing the patch means that you won't be able to jailbreak your Apple phone or tablet. That's a terrible dilemma.
