AI companion app maker Character.ai filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware, saying the platform had become too expensive to develop while facing litigation and regulatory pressure. CEO Colin Adams said a court-supervised sale offers the best chance to maximize value for stakeholders, and Disney has agreed to act as a stalking horse bidder, offering $20 million to license some of the company's intellectual property.
Comparison of Apple's iPhone Duo and Xiaomi's 18 Fold shows both have 7.6-inch inner and 5.4-inch outer screens at 120Hz, but Xiaomi claims 4,000-nit peak brightness versus Apple's 3,000 nits. Apple uses a titanium frame, Ceramic Shield glass and IP68 rating with a 2nm A20 Pro chip and 12GB RAM, while Xiaomi's aluminum-framed phone weighs less at 219g, lacks a listed IP rating, and runs a 3nm XRING O3 chip with 16GB RAM.
Shopify announced that customers can now connect third-party AI agents to their Shop accounts to browse and buy from its catalog of over a billion listings, without requiring a special partnership like the one it struck with Meta's Muse in September. Purchases go through the one-click Shop Pay checkout, with orders tracked in the Shop app, and buyers can set spending limits or shipping preferences but must approve each purchase.
Consus, a startup from Y Combinator's Fall 2024 batch, has launched an LLM routing service that directs AI requests through infrastructure compliant with ITAR and controlled unclassified information (CUI) rules. The company says it has completed a FedRAMP High equivalency audit covering 410 controls, the U.S. government's strictest cloud security baseline, and can integrate with existing tools like ChatGPT, Claude and open-source AI platforms. Founder Eric previously worked at SpaceX and Castelion in aerospace and defense roles.
Several foreign institutions, including the Universities of Southampton, Liverpool, Bristol, York and the University of New South Wales, are establishing physical campuses in India. This expansion comes as India's higher education market, already serving more than 43 million students, continues to grow, even as online and AI-driven learning make information more freely accessible worldwide.
Apple held an unstreamed 'Welcome Home' event on October 13 where it introduced seven new smart home products, headlined by its first smart panel, the $299 HomeView. The lineup also included a new HomePod mini, an updated Apple TV, and Home Collection devices made in partnership with LG and Schneider Electric.
Matt Kears and Josh Alcock, former construction worker and electrician, built Black Cactus Barbecue in London after Kears began smoking meat and selling it via WhatsApp during COVID lockdowns. The pair spent years running markets and food festivals on weekends while still working day jobs, using Kears' parents' bungalow as a prep kitchen before eventually quitting their trades to run the business full time. Their menu blends Texas barbecue smoking techniques with flavors drawn from different global cuisines.
UGREEN's Nexode 500W GaN charging station is currently selling for $189.99, down 24% from its $249.99 list price. The unit features six charging ports, with its highest-output USB-C port capable of delivering up to 240W.
Amazon is offering steep discounts on M5 Pro MacBook Pro configurations, including $600 off a 2TB 14-inch model and $500 off a 16-inch 24GB model. Both deals bring prices below Apple's pre-price-hike list prices from June. Other current deals include AirPods Pro 3 at $50 off, AirPods Max 2 at $120 off, the M6 Mac mini near $150 off, and a $199 clearance price on a Black Titanium Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Character.AI has filed for bankruptcy protection and is now seeking a buyer for the company. Disney has reportedly offered $20 million for rights to some of Character.AI's assets, coming weeks after Disney hired the startup's former CEO.
Apple has begun taking preorders for HomeView, a 7-inch smart display and speaker meant to serve as a shared hub for up to six household members. The device uses voice control via Siri to manage smart home gear like locks and blinds, can show up to nine camera feeds at once, and recognizes individual users via its built-in camera to show personalized profiles. With an iCloud+ subscription and a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad, it can also surface Messages, Calendar, Reminders, FaceTime, and Apple Music content.
Apple has released the HomePod Mini 2, replacing a model that had gone unchanged for six years. The new speaker runs on Apple's S10 chip, also used in the Apple Watch Series 10 and 11, and adds Siri AI support, surround sound pairing with Apple TV 4K, and an LED lighting feature tied to audio playback. It retains prior capabilities such as HomeKit hub functions, Sound Recognition alerts, and its compact design.
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