Jensen Huang Shows Up, Davuluri Takes the Mic: Microsoft Bets Agentic AI on the Windows Search Bar
Microsoft held its Windows and Surface event in San Francisco on October 7, with Satya Nadella and Pavan Davuluri on stage—and Jensen Huang in attendance. The headline move is pushing Copilot deeper into the search bar and local files, rolling out this fall.
Out of Battery? Ring's New Smart Lock Comes With a Hand-Crank Dial
Ring founder Jamie Siminoff believes dead-battery anxiety is the key reason smart locks haven't gone mainstream. The new Smart Lock features a built-in hand-crank generator—just turn the handle for emergency access. It's slated to launch in early 2027 at $249.
OpenAI Releases 722 Math Manuscripts, Single-Prompt Problem Solving Sparks Verification Controversy
OpenAI has publicly released 722 manuscripts on GitHub, claiming progress on 372 hard math problems. Most results came from a single prompt handed to a single AI agent, but the model itself remains unreleased, and specific prompts and compute times were not disclosed.
Type to Build a Game: Google Launches Experimental Platform Playground, But Your Google One Tier Decides What You Get
Google has launched Playground, an AI-powered game creation platform that lets you generate 2D or 3D games with just a few prompts—no coding, no drawing required. For now, though, it's limited to users in the US who are 18 or older, and access is tiered based on your Google One membership level.
After Skydance's $76B Merger, HBO Max and Paramount+ Set to Combine Into One Streaming Service
Skydance has announced that its three streaming platforms—HBO Max, Paramount+, and Discovery+—will gradually merge into one. The news comes alongside the completion of the $110 billion Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, though the name and pricing of the new service have yet to be determined.
$11 Billion Merger Sealed: Paramount and Warner Bros. Officially Fold into Skydance
After nearly a year of negotiations and regulatory review, the $11 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is officially complete. The new company will be named Skydance — and it comes with $80 billion in debt attached.
Trump Launches "Super Intelligence Force," Taps Intel Chief to Steer AI Policy
Trump announced on Truth Social the formation of a task force called the Super Intelligence Force, led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, tasked with delivering an AI risk assessment report within 120 days — and the whole thing reportedly started with a renaming poll.
PS2 Original Security Chip SPC970 Fully Cracked, 25-Year-Sealed Code Exposed for the First Time
Developer DiscoStarslayer and collaborator Libby found an EEPROM write exploit, spending four years to finally read out the original PS2's MechaCon security chip firmware. 22 image files have now been uploaded to GitHub.
iPhone 18 Pro Max Hit by SOS Signal Bug — Apple Confirms AT&T Users Need Update or Replacement
Apple has confirmed that some iPhone 18 Pro Max units on AT&T's network are losing signal and showing "SOS" instead. An iOS 27.0.1 patch is out now, but devices already affected will need a hardware swap.
Lyft Pays $272 Million to Settle, But Uber Still Stuck in California Lawsuit
In California's worker classification lawsuit against Uber and Lyft, Lyft has settled first for $272.5 million, with over $237 million earmarked to compensate drivers. Uber's case remains unresolved.
Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Officially Named Skydance, Ellison Announces Personally
The $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. merger has officially been named Skydance, with CEO David Ellison announcing the news himself in the very first post on his newly created X account. The deal is expected to close by the end of this month.
Galaxy Buds On Clip-On Earbuds Launch in Korea October 27, Global Timing Unconfirmed
Samsung unveils black Galaxy Buds On open-ear clip earbuds, priced at 299,000 KRW in Korea, launching October 27. TwinBoost, touch controls, and Galaxy device compatibility are highlights, with other markets still pending.
NYC Rolls Out America's First "Click-to-Cancel" Rule, Violators Face Minimum $525 Fine
Starting October 1, New York City is implementing the nation's first city-level "click-to-cancel" law, requiring businesses to make canceling subscriptions as easy as signing up — or face civil penalties and mandatory refunds.
Ditching Master & Dynamic, Neurable Goes Solo on Its Latest Brain-Reading Headphones
Neurable has launched its first independently designed brain-sensing headphones, the Neurable One, priced at $499. The headphones feature built-in EEG tracking for focus and brain age, paired with 40mm beryllium drivers and six-microphone noise cancellation.
$699 Gets You an OLED Screen—HP's OmniBook 5 Pushes Budget Laptop Specs to a New Level
HP has launched the new OmniBook 5, starting at $699 with a 2.5K OLED touchscreen and 180-degree flip design. The company claims up to 42 hours of battery life on a single charge, with availability in the US this month.
A24 Crosses the SCP Community's Red Line, Neon Steps In with Open-License Promise for Horror Anthology
A24 sparked controversy after announcing an SCP Foundation adaptation without community consent. Neon, the studio behind "Parasite" and "Anora," has since stepped in with plans for a similar project, promising to follow CC BY-SA licensing for a horror anthology film set for 2027.
Mario Kart Tour Officially Shuts Down, and This Time Nintendo Isn't Leaving an Offline Version
After seven years online, mobile game Mario Kart Tour officially took its servers offline in September. The app still opens, but all that's left to see is your old player data—joining the ranks of shut-down titles like Miitomo and Dragalia Lost.
Amazon's New Fire TV Stick 4K Touts Faster Boot Times, Slimmer Body, While New Remote Goes by Feel
Amazon has launched its next-gen Fire TV Stick 4K, claiming boot and launch speeds 20% to 40% faster than similarly priced competitors. It's priced at $60, dropping to $30 during Prime Big Deal Days.
Xbox Launches Mythic Achievements, Finally Scratching That Decade-Long Platinum Trophy Itch
Xbox has unveiled a new system called Mythic Achievements, awarded to players who fully complete a game's original achievement list. The system retroactively applies all the way back to Xbox 360-era titles, though it's currently only available to Xbox Insider testers.
QALO Launches SL-1 Smart Band, No Monthly Fees and Syncs with Smart Ring
QALO, known for its silicone accessories, is entering the screen-free wearable market with its new SL-1 Smart Band, priced at $199.95. The company emphasizes no subscription fees and full compatibility with its smart ring through a shared app account.
Instagram's Campus Program Adds New Feature: Verified-Students-Only Stories and Club Channels
Instagram is expanding its School Partnership Program, letting partner schools set up clubs and channels to post exclusive content that only UNiDAYS-verified students can view. The feature is rolling out now.
$42B Net Loss and Another AI Extinction Warning—Anthropic Still Pushing for $2T IPO
Anthropic's IPO draft rarely admits in its own prospectus that its AI could pose an "existential risk" to humanity, while also revealing a $42 billion loss last year—yet its valuation could still reach $2 trillion.
Florida AG Files Emergency Injunction Against OpenAI, Demanding Halt to New Model Training and Block on Minor Users
Florida Attorney General Uthmeier filed an emergency motion on Monday asking the court to bar OpenAI from training new models without independent safety oversight and to cut off minors' access to ChatGPT, in a case stemming from a criminal investigation earlier this year into the FSU shooting.
TikTok Pays $100M to Settle Lawsuit—All It Buys Is a 2-Hour Daily Cap for Minors
TikTok has settled a social media addiction lawsuit with the state of Alabama, agreeing to pay at least $100 million and rolling out measures targeting underage users—including a two-hour daily usage cap and a ban on beauty filters. Failure to follow through could mean an additional $300 million fine.