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Tech News
Autodesk is offering a limited-time 40% discount on its Media and Entertainment Collection, a software bundle that includes Maya, 3ds Max, Arnold and MotionBuilder. The collection comes in four variants tailored to modeling, motion capture, animation, and rendering workflows, all priced identically with the same discount applied.
Corsair has released the TC80 Gaming Chair, a $200 seating option built for PC gamers that it says has passed over 30 durability and safety tests meeting BIFMA X5.1 and EN 1335 office chair standards. Testing included dropping heavy loads onto the seat, repeated weight cycles on the seat and armrests, and swivel tests with over 100kg applied at varying heights.
Apple unveiled the AirPods 5, an update to 2024's AirPods 4, featuring a redesigned acoustic architecture and adaptive active noise cancellation that Apple claims reduces noise 50 percent better than before. A higher-end model adds stem-based volume controls, up to five hours of ANC playback, and a wireless charging case compatible with Qi and Apple Watch chargers. The base model costs $129 while the wireless-charging version is $149—$30 cheaper than its predecessor—with both available for preorder now and shipping September 18th.
Lyft has launched Waymo robotaxi access in Nashville, marking the first city where Waymo vehicles appear on both the Lyft and Waymo apps simultaneously. Riders requesting Standard, Priority Pickup, Wait & Save or Extra Comfort trips may be matched with a driverless Waymo car, provided both pickup and drop-off fall within a designated central Nashville zone covering areas like Downtown, East Nashville and Midtown.
A new open-source tool called Tithon decouples Jupyter kernel execution from the client, running the kernel and streaming its output through a host-side daemon instead of the editor process. This means closing VSCode, losing SSH, or shutting a laptop no longer kills a long-running notebook session, and reconnecting restores the full output history rather than a blank slate. It also stores notebooks as compact .py files with real image outputs instead of bloated .ipynb JSON, making them easier for AI agents to read.
Apple is reportedly expanding its trade-in program so that devices with minor cosmetic flaws, such as small screen cracks, qualify for the same value as pristine units. The change is expected to go live across Apple's entire product line as soon as the online store reopens after today's iPhone event. It comes as new iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to carry roughly $100 price increases.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, featuring a main camera with dynamic aperture control, a new A20 Pro chip built on 2nm technology, and an enlarged vapor chamber for cooling. Pricing starts at $1,199 for the 18 Pro and $1,299 for the Pro Max, both up $100 from last year, with preorders starting September 12 and availability September 18.
Microsoft has signed an agreement with the American Federation of Teachers and its New York affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers, laying out ten enforceable privacy and safety commitments for AI use in schools. The rules bar Microsoft from training models on student or teacher data, limit data collection, ban AI companions, and require human oversight for high-stakes decisions. Districts can add these terms to contracts starting in November without renegotiating existing agreements.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf told The Athletic he's a self-described conspiracy theorist who believes a hidden civilization exists beneath Earth's crust, accessible only through Antarctica. He credited quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a longtime conspiracy proponent, as an inspiration, and questioned why tourists can't freely visit Antarctica or why world leaders supposedly hold secret gatherings there. A University of Florida microbiologist quoted in the piece dismissed the claims, noting Antarctic tourism is common and no such secret leader meetings occur.
Analog Devices has agreed to acquire Alif Semiconductor in an all-cash deal valued at $1.35 billion. The acquisition is aimed at broadening ADI's reach into fast-growing markets, including data-center infrastructure and defense applications.
As generative AI adoption among small businesses surges—58% now use it, up from 23% in 2023—industry leaders including Michele Jawando of Omidyar Network say access to AI tools is no longer a differentiator. Speaking at a tech discussion, Jawando, Allison Scott of Kapor Foundation, and Katy Knight of Siegel Family Endowment argued that founders must focus on owning proprietary data and intellectual property built through AI rather than simply consuming the technology.
Instacart has rolled out Clementine, a built-in AI assistant now live across North America on its Marketplace app that helps users plan meals and shop within budget. It can suggest recipes based on natural-language requests, check ingredient availability at a chosen store, filter for dietary preferences, restock pantry staples from past orders, and convert handwritten grocery lists into cart-ready items.