Every day we wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and get ready for work. Following are a handful of stories from around the tech world condensed to fit into one single cup of coffee. These are the things you need to know before you step foot out of your door (or in front of a webcam) and into the real world this morning.
So sit back, grab a cup, and start your morning off right with a few “Quick Bytes” from Innovation & Tech Today.
Some CES 2022 Exhibitors Bailing Amid Covid-19 Fears
The Consumer Electronics Show is slated to come back to life next week, but a growing number of exhibitors are pulling out as the Covid-19 concerns come back to life. Among the companies withdrawing from in-person events are Microsoft, Twitter, Meta (Facebook), Amazon, Pinterest, and a number of others. Most will still be involved on the virtual end of the event but plans to be on-location continue to be put on hold by major stakeholders. Many media outlets have made the same move.
13 New Battery Gigafactories Planned in US by 2025
The US Department of Energy has laid out a list of all the planned battery manufacturing facilities between now and 2025. With the production of electric cars ramping up in the US, so too is the need for batteries to power those cars. The plans include factories by Ford (x3), General Motors (x4), SK Innovation (x2), Stellantis (x2), Toyota, and Volkswagen.
Can You Get a Loan Backed by your NFTs? Maybe, Soon.
A recent Bloomberg piece revealed an interesting nugget from Kraken CEO Jesse Powell. He announced the company is working on a new marketplace that will allow NFT owners to leverage the equity of their NFTs. The launch could happen as soon as February, and marks a serious shift in the growth of NFTs as an item of actual value. They reported it would provide custody services, but should also appeal to individuals looking to do more than simply collect NFTs.
Motorola to Take Another Shot at Another Foldable Razr
Despite it’s failure to grab a significant market share in past efforts, Motorola is giving the foldable Razr a third generation. The report, which was mostly translated from Chinese, did boast a better processor, improved interface and a facelift. Little more is known, but Lenovo is handling Motorola’s smart phone business currently. They also added the new phone could be launched in China. Motorola did not comment on the report.
