The shortage of semiconductor microchips is expected to last well into next year. It's an issue that is having an effect on the delivery of electronics like smartphones and laptops.

The supply chain problems mean items coming from overseas are severely delayed, but some companies are deciding to change that path and build their products in America.

“We’re that quintessential downtown USA; that's what it looks like here,” said Cort Geis of his town of Taylor, Texas.

In every town’s story, there’s a moment that shapes what it becomes. Generations from now, people may look at what happens on land just outside of Taylor as that moment.

“This will be the single most consequential development for our local economy since the railroad was laid through here in the 1870s," said Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell.

Next year, Samsung will break ground on a facility that will make semiconductor microchips.

Samsung says it will create 2,000 jobs and be its largest-ever U.S. investment at $17 billion.

“At the time I got the call, I surely thought they meant 200 jobs and $17 million. That’d be more of what I’m accustomed to seeing as the mayor of the city of Taylor," Mayor Rydell said.

The facility is expected to change the direction of Taylor, but also this country— away from relying on those overseas to produce nearly all the microchips that have been in such short supply.

“With greater manufacturing capacity, we will be able to better serve the needs of our customers and contribute to the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain," Samsung Electronics Device Solutions Division Vice Chairman and CEO Kinam Kim said in a press release about the project.

“It’s pretty exciting. Taylor’s not really a place that’s on the map as far as most people are concerned," said Liz Avants, whose husband owns Waxplant, a record store and skate shop in Taylor.

Taylor isn’t a stranger to attention; it's been used in movies like Transformers and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

But people know what’s to come is different, for better or for worse.

"This is, yeah, beyond what we’ve seen before for sure as far as change," said Gayle Kahler, whose lived in Taylor since the 1980s. “I think the businesses are really excited about it. A lot of people who interact a little bit more with what’s going on in Taylor and other people are concerned it’s going to make more traffic. More difficult to do things and get around so we’ll see.”

For businesses like Geis’ music venue and bar, Black Sparrow Music Parlor, Samsung is a sign of hope.

“Smart growth, not a lot of you know commercialized, I don't want to say names, but we want the mom-and-pop aspect to be a big part of what Taylor is, and I think we can achieve that," Geis said.

It’s hard to sum up what Samsung's move could mean for this town, but at Texas Beer Company, the new brew on tap sends a pretty strong message.

“The idea of a Samsung beer, that we now lovingly call the Sammie," said Texas Beer Company CO-Founder JD Gins.

Many say the move of a Korean tech giant into a small Texas town shows just how much the world has changed, and how important it is the supply chains we all rely on change with it.

“As everybody in this country kind of got accustomed to supply chain always benefiting America, and if we want, if we see the challenges unfolding right now, if we want to manufacture, we want good jobs then we need them to be in this country," Gins said.

Samsung isn't the only major company shifting operations to the United States. In December, Toyota announced it is building a $1.3 billion plant to build lithium batteries near Greensboro, N.C. and will employ 1,750 people.

A nearly human-sized robot grabs a dish out of a crowded sink with its gripper arms and neatly adds it to the dishwasher. It then sets the table, placing a flower into a vase, and pours a glass of red wine.The robot, Samsung's Bot Handy, is the company's vision for "a better new normal," as more people work, cook, eat and drown in dishes at home than ever during the global pandemic. As seen in a video shown at the all virtual 2021 Consumer Electronics Show on Monday, Bot Handy is, well, handy around the house; not only to pick up some unfinished chores but to remind you of upcoming meetings and to stretch your legs if you've been sitting for too long.It's only in development for now — no pricing or release date has been announced — but Samsung said it's part of a greater effort to make technology to simplify your life at home. "The technologies in your home need to work harder to help you adjust to this new normal," the company said in its session description on the CES website.Companies big and small showed off their new innovations at the closely watched tech trade show, which kicked off on Monday, many with features tied to life during the pandemic. There's MaskFone, a face covering marketed as having a built-in N95 filter, earbuds and microphone to make calls, and a wearable for the ears called Cove that claims its gentle vibrations regulate anxiety and stress.For the kitchen, manufacturer Kohler showed off voice control features for its sinks and other fixtures, so homeowners can turn on faucets without ever touching them. UK startup Handsteco touted sinks with built-in artificial intelligence to guide people through hygiene techniques in hospitals, offices and public spaces.The pandemic tech theme took a step outside the home, too. Riding on the growth of online deliveries, lock manufacturer Yale announced it's now shipping its smart delivery box to keep packages safe from porch pirates when they arrive. A delivery person places a package in the storage box, which automatically locks, and homeowners receive a notification.Video: COVID-19 etiquette robot reminds shoppers to social distance and wear a maskWhile some of these products, like Bot Handy, may seem a bit gimmicky, ABI Research analyst Jonathan Collins said there's definitely money to be made from items that help automate household tasks. The market research firm found the smart home market in 2020 grew 6.7% over 2019 to $88 billion. However, that's $11 billion below pre-pandemic expectations.Even products that weren't specifically pandemic-related may still tap into the way we live now. Flashy new TVs, a mainstay of CES events, seemed all the more fitting this year as we're stuck at home, glued to the TV and ever-more conscious of our surroundings. LG, for example, drummed up excitement over its new 55-inch transparent TV, the latest company to show screens you can see through when off.Meanwhile, a Panasonic hair dryer that you don't need to move — a built-in oscillator does all the work for you — also generated some buzz, at a time when many people have not gotten a proper haircut or blowout in too long.People watch CES events to get a sense of where technology is going in the years ahead, but this year's event is arguably about the industry catching up to the ways the pandemic reshaped our lives in the past year.With vaccines on the horizon, it's unclear how much longer we'll be largely stuck at home, but these tech companies seem to be betting that even if the pandemic ends, our habits won't entirely change.

TVs today are beyond impressive: they offer exquisite clarity, smart design and incredible sound quality. That being said, there are a few differentiating features that take a TV from being great to next-level, but those features aren't always easy to understand. That's where the Good Housekeeping Institute's roundup of best television brands comes in. When deciding on our list, they looked at a variety of criteria to assess the brand's overall picture and audio quality, viewing angle, ease of interface and more. They also factored in feedback from their test panel to evaluate what's most important to consumers.

Before you dive into their picks, remember these tips below when picking out your television.

How to buy the best TV for you:

• Resolution: This is the number of pixels on the screen. More pixels mean more details. Anything above 4K is aptly referred to as Ultra HD. With Ultra HD sets, you also get High Dynamic Range (HDR), which allows for better contrast with a wider array of colors. That's why you shouldn't buy a TV with less than 4K resolution.
• Screen size: There used to be more concerned about size as it related to viewing distance, but you can sit twice as close to a 4K UHD TV thanks to better resolution, so pick the largest size that will fit in your space (and budget).
• Smart TVs: Today, most TVs are smart, meaning they are Wi-Fi connected and have built-in apps like Netflix and YouTube. Many TV brands offer their own unique platform, while some work with third parties like Roku to develop the interface. When shopping, if you like the TV but not the smart interface, you can always augment it with a relatively inexpensive media box.
• OLED vs. LED vs. LCD: TVs typically come in three varieties: OLED, LED or LCD. OLED allows for smooth and colorful images with great contrast. In an OLED, each individual pixel self-illuminates, so you can control images at a pixel level. LED and backlit LCDs on the other hand can be cheaper, but require an external source of light which increases the components (meaning there's a higher chance of the TV breaking down or needing repair). There's also something called a QLED, which is just an LED with a brighter screen. OLED TVs are the top choice, but they don't come cheap. If you cannot get an OLED, your next best bet would be an LED TV, followed by an LCD.
• General buying tips: Avoid buying a TV with less than a 120 HZ refresh rate to make sure your image stays sharp. Also, check that the TV has enough HDMI ports for your needs – likely four! And plan to buy a good quality sound bar up front as TV sound quality hasn't kept up with picture.

And now, based upon the last 10 years of testing in this category and researching the current assortment of TVs available by varied manufacturers, here are the best television brands:

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