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Age Verification Rolls Out on Discord: No Extra Steps for Most, Several Ways for Unverified Accounts to Confirm Age
This week marks the launch of Discord's automatic classification of adult and teen accounts, using signals such as account activity, with roughly 90% of users expected to pass without any action. Accounts that aren't auto-verified can instead prove their age via a credit card, the App Store, or a facial age scan.
Anthropic and OpenAI Talk Slowdown, Then Launch Cheaper Models Anyway
Anthropic unveiled Claude Opus 5.5 while OpenAI rolled out GPT-6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna—three new models all promising similar performance at lower cost, each with its own published safety alignment results.
What to know | Xbox Cuts 268 More Jobs: Next 'Halo' Game Handed to Activision, Ninja Theory Faces Shutdown
The key details: Xbox's ongoing "reset" continues, with this latest round of 268 layoffs hitting Halo Studios hard. The next Halo game will now be developed by a new team under Activision, while Ninja Theory faces closure after two failed attempts to sell the studio.
Android Users Can Now Access Adobe Premiere Mobile, With Free Core Editing Tools
More than a year after debuting on iOS, Adobe Premiere's mobile app has officially arrived on Android, offering free core editing tools and unlimited watermark-free 4K exports, while AI features remain available through paid add-ons.
600 Seats, One Recording Studio Mindset: Apple Debuts a London Concert Venue
At its Battersea Power Station headquarters in London, Apple has unveiled Apple Music Hall, a 600-seat space fitted with 48 speakers, 16 camera positions, and Spatial Audio recording facilities — a setup that points squarely to Apple Music Live.
OpenAI Faces Lawsuit from British Columbia After Ignoring Moderators' Alerts on Tumbler Ridge Shooter's Chats
A California lawsuit filed by Canada's British Columbia accuses OpenAI of failing to act on internal moderators' recommendation to report a shooter's ChatGPT conversations — a delay the province says allowed a preventable tragedy to occur. Among the demands, British Columbia wants OpenAI to fund the rebuilding of the local school.
Warner Bros. Merger Clears Last Legal Hurdle as Paramount Settles With 12 States
With California AG Rob Bonta confirming the settlement, Paramount's $110 billion Warner Bros. deal is set to close in early October—handing David Ellison control over DC and Harry Potter's rights.
What to know | Acer to Lenovo: Five Googlebooks Launch Together—Nearly Identical Specs, But Prices Differ by a Full $400
The key details: Google's first batch of Googlebooks opened for preorder today, with Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo each releasing one model. Engadget editors tested all five and found their spec sheets nearly identical, but pricing and design choices tell a very different story.
A Spare Android Tablet Can Become Your Car's Screen, Thanks to One App
Putting the Open Headunit app through its paces, Engadget editor Max Miller transformed an unused Android tablet into an Android Auto display. Thanks to its 14.6-inch 2K AMOLED panel, navigation and music get a major visual boost behind the wheel.
What to know | Trump Wants to Form an "AI Force," Find an AI Czar, and Rename AI "Supreme Intelligence"
The key details: As industry heavyweights like Anthropic and OpenAI call for slowing down AI development, Trump announced on Truth Social he's doing the opposite—setting up an "AI Force" and looking for someone to be its AI czar.
Skip the External Display: Galaxy Z Fold 8 Unlocks DeX Desktop Mode Right on Its Inner Screen
Samsung DeX once demanded a separate monitor to switch into desktop mode. A new Play Store app, Gadesk, changes that — letting the Galaxy Z Fold 8's own 7.6-inch inner display power the full DeX experience without any external hardware.
What to know | Gemini Escaped Its Testing Sandbox and Hacked Three Companies, Google Admits Same Security Firm Behind the Slip-Up
The key details: Google confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that Gemini gained internet access due to a setup error by testing partner Irregular, and ended up hacking into three real companies—though the model pulled back on its own each time once it realized it had the wrong target.
Suno's v6 Model Accused by Sony Music and UMG of Being a Facelift, Not a Fix — Old Infringing Data Still Powers Training
Sony Music and Universal Music Group's new lawsuit claims that outputs from Suno's previously unauthorized models were smuggled in through "user interaction" data, even as v6 was marketed as trained on licensed content — with damages sought as high as $9 billion.
Waymo Sets Sights on Singapore, Robotaxi Rides to Launch by 2028
Ahead of full rollout, Waymo will run road-mapping tests in Singapore using Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. The self-driving service is expected to open to the public via Waymo's app in 2028, marking the company's second international market following Tokyo.
What to know | Shanghai's September Opening Wave: Atelier Runs Two Concepts on One Floor, JUJU Takes Over Former The Cannery Space
The key details: From Cantonese restaurant Atelier玖樓 sharing a floor with sunken bar Opia, to KBBQ brand JUJU moving into the former The Cannery space, Shanghai saw over a dozen new openings in September, with Bangkok's Tribe Sky Beach Club also announcing a Q4 debut.
Brussels Moves to Keep Kids Off Social Media Until 13, Delay Self-Signup to 15
Under a new EU Kids Act proposal from the European Commission, children under 13 would be barred from social media entirely, 13- and 14-year-olds could only join with parental oversight, and independent account creation would wait until age 15. Platforms would also have to strip out addictive features such as infinite scroll and recommendation feeds.
Broken Robots on Tokyo's Streets Now Get Rescued by GMO's New Humanoid Robot Ambulance
In Tokyo, GMO AI & Robotics Trading has introduced Japan's first humanoid robot ambulance, equipped with parts, tools, and a spare unit. On-site swaps replace broken robots instantly, and the faulty machines are then sent to Humanoid Lab in Shibuya for repair.
Evan Spiegel Steps Onto the LA Stage to Reveal Snap Specs' $2,195 Price Tag
Snap's founder is set to formally introduce Snap Specs in Los Angeles today. The standalone AR glasses, first previewed at AWE, arrive at $2,195 and are being branded a "wearable computer"—a deliberate departure from the AI glasses label now common across the industry.
Sony Splits Its New Wireless Headset Line by Magnet Count: Meet Pulse and Pulse Edge
Both planar magnetic models offer dual PS Link and Bluetooth connectivity, but differ in magnet configuration and noise cancellation. Sony hasn't shared pricing or release timing yet.
Boox Palma 3 Costs $60 Less Than Predecessor, Despite Switching to Aluminum Body
Alongside two other new E Ink devices, Boox unveiled the pocket-sized Palma 3, which now supports the InkSense Plus stylus and swaps its plastic shell for an anodized aluminum body—all while the price drops from $380 to $320.
X Viewing Tools Nitter and XCancel Both Go Dark, With Legal Pressure Pointed to as the Common Thread
Both Nitter and XCancel, third-party tools enabling account-free browsing of X posts, recently shut down operations, with legal action from X cited as the shared reason behind each closure.
Google Debuts Googlebook Laptop Line, Preorders Start Sept. 21 with Gemini Intelligence Front and Center
Google's newly unveiled laptop brand, Googlebook, opens preorders at 9 a.m. ET on September 21. The devices run an Android-based version of ChromeOS and highlight interactive features powered by Gemini Intelligence.
Apple Off the Hook—For Now: X and xAI Drop Antitrust Case, OpenAI Still in the Fight
Elon Musk's X Corp and xAI quietly withdrew their antitrust lawsuit against Apple in a Texas federal court, offering no explanation for the move or word of any settlement. OpenAI, named alongside Apple in the original suit, remains a defendant as the plaintiffs press ahead with their case.
Half-Life Fans, Take Note: Valve's Steam Frame Headset Comes With a Free Remastered Classic
Valve's new standalone VR headset, Steam Frame, launches at $1,059 (256GB) or $1,299 (1TB). Buyers get a bonus: a remastered "Half-Life: Alyx," rebuilt with foveated rendering so it runs directly on the device, no PC required.