Wikipedia’s most-read, eSIMs for Gaza

Wikipedia’s most popular article is also its biggest threat

Photo illustration of the Wikipedia webpage on a laptop computer screen — Image: Gary Cameron (Reuters)

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The most popular topic on Wikipedia in 2023 could also be the website’s downfall: ChatGPT. English Wikipedia’s ChatGPT page garnered nearly 50 million total visitors so far this year as of Nov. 28, making it more popular than even Taylor Swift and Barbie, according to a report from Wikipedia’s nonprofit host, the Wikimedia Foundation.—Laura Bratton | Read More

Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are staying connected to the world via donated eSIMs

Image for article titled The week in tech and innovation: Wikipedia's most-read, eSIMs for Gaza — Photo: Mahmoud Illean (AP)

The next day, a global campaign sprung up to help connect the Palestinians in Gaza using electronic SIMs (eSIMs). From Egypt, to Lebanon, France, Belgium, the UK, and the US, thousands of Palestinians in the diaspora, along with friends and strangers, rushed to purchase eSIMs—the digital version of the physical SIM cards that store subscriber identity data on mobile phones—gifting them to people in Gaza.—Yasmin Shabana | Read More

The price tag on Tesla’s cheapest EV is going up in 2024

Tesla electric vehicles at a sales lot. — The US government is making it more expensive to buy a Tesla.

In the US, Tesla’s Model 3 still qualifies for the full $7,500 federal tax credit on electric vehicles—but not for long.

Cars that take delivery by Dec. 31 are eligible for the entire credit under president Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). After that, the tax credit “will reduce to $3,750 for Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive and Model 3 Long Range,” a banner on Tesla’s website warns.—Ananya Bhattacharya | Read More

Apple plans to move iPhone 16 battery production out of China and into India

Calling India to step up to the manufacturing plate.

Every time Apple has looked for an alternative to China for production, it has turned to India–this time, it’s for battery production.

Apple is encouraging suppliers to move toward India-made iPhone batteries for the upcoming iPhone 16 line as part of its broader effort to diversify supply chain, the Financial Times reported on Dec. 6, citing anonymous sources. The tech giant has reportedly given the mandate to Shenzhen-based Desay and Taiwanese battery supplier Simplo Technology.—Ananya Bhattacharya | Read More

Twitch can no longer afford to stay in South Korea

Where do Korean Twitch streamers go now?

Streaming site Twitch has hit its Korean community with a whirlwind of bad news.

Twitch will shut down in South Korea on Feb. 27 next year, CEO Dan Clancy wrote in a blog post on Tuesday (Dec. 5). “Ultimately, the cost to operate Twitch in Korea is prohibitively expensive,” he wrote, adding that network fees in the country are our “still 10 times more expensive than in most other countries.”—Ananya Bhattacharya | Read More

These are the 10 EVs eligible for instant tax rebates in the US in 2024

The rules surrounding EV tax rebate eligibility will change in the US in 2024. There are still a lot of unanswered questions about which cars will be eligible for the full $7,500 federal incentive. Unlike the current system, which requires you to take the discount from the purchase of the car as a reduction in your tax bill when you file taxes, the new system will allow dealers to take the full amount as an instant discount from your purchase price, and it’ll be applied to your taxes after the fact. The new system is a bit more stringent, however, requiring a lower MSRP cap and a battery built in the US to be eligible. So which cars fit the bill?—Bradley Brownell | Read More