Apple Music: 3 Months Free for New Family Plan Subscribers Apple Music is currently offering a 3-month free trial of its Family Plan for new subscribers who redeem the offer on eligible devices. That’s roughly $51 in savings vs. the regular $16.99/month rate over three months. What the Family Plan includes Up to 6 family members using Family Sharing Each member gets a personalized Apple ID-linked library, so individual recommendations and saved music stay separate Cross-device support — works best on Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac), with apps available for Android, Windows, and web All music available in high-quality audio, personalized playlists, and live radio stations Key terms Offer for new subscribers redeeming on eligible devices Auto-renews at $16.99/mo until cancelled Requires Family Sharing Terms apply — see Apple Support…

Weekly Indie Games Roundup — Early Access, Demos & Upcoming Gems Some of the year's biggest blockbusters are dropping, but there's a lot to love from the indie scene right now. Below is a concise roundup of showcases, new releases, demos and upcoming titles worth checking out. Showcases & Streams Critical Reflex, Game Devs of Color, Six One Indie and Convergence all had showcases this week — packed with neat oddities and multiple demos worth watching. Indie Fan Fest (The Mix & Digital Bandidos) is scheduled next Wednesday — more showcases to watch. Capcom stream on September 24 and growing PlayStation event rumors ahead of Tokyo Game Show. New & Notable Releases Ratatan — Rhythm-roguelike spiritual successor to Patapon. Steam Early Access now; launch price $24.99 with a 10% discount…

Trump Executive Order: $100,000/year H‑1B Fee and “Gold Card” Program President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that introduces a $100,000 annual fee for employers sponsoring new H‑1B visa hires—payable for each beneficiary for up to six years. The White House says the fee targets alleged abuses of the H‑1B program that have suppressed wages. The order reportedly applies to new outside‑the‑U.S. applicants and allows case‑by‑case exemptions for national‑interest cases. Key details H‑1B fee: $100,000 per year, per new H‑1B hire, up to six years. Applies to: Reportedly new applicants (lottery winners) coming from abroad; not stated to apply to extensions/transfers. Gold Card: New expedited immigrant visa program requiring large donations: $1M individual or $2M corporate (as described by the administration). Exemptions: The rule allows case‑by‑case national‑interest exemptions. Who…

US & China Signal Progress Toward TikTok Deal; Details Still Unclear After a call between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, both sides signaled movement toward a TikTok deal — but major details remain fuzzy. Trump posted on Truth Social that the two had "made progress" on "approval of the TikTok Deal" and reportedly told reporters he "approved the TikTok deal." Chinese state media framed the call differently, saying Xi "respects the wishes of the company in question" and supports business negotiations consistent with market rules and Chinese law. "We thank President Xi Jinping and President Donald J. Trump for their efforts to preserve TikTok in the United States. ByteDance will work in accordance with applicable laws to ensure TikTok remains available to American users through TikTok U.S."…

iOS 26: Release, Compatibility & Key Features Apple released iOS 26 on September 15, 2025. The update brings a major visual redesign called "Liquid Glass," new features like Live Translate, polls in Messages, a revamped Phone and Camera app, screenshot search with AI help, and many lock-screen and productivity improvements. Is your iPhone compatible? Short answer: If your iPhone was announced in 2019 or later, it will likely support iOS 26. Important note: three 2018 models are not supported — iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. For the official compatibility list and device-by-device details, see Apple's support page: Apple — iPhone models compatible with iOS 26. Why you might wait (or not) If you want smaller, security-only fixes, Apple also offers iOS 18.7 as a conservative option. Upgrading…

iOS 26 — What’s New and How to Tweak Liquid Glass iOS 26 is officially available (released Sept 15, 2025). The headline change is the new "Liquid Glass" translucent UI that appears across the home/lock screens and in apps. Alongside the design refresh, Apple added numerous feature upgrades across Phone, Messages, Camera, Photos and AirPods. Quick highlights Liquid Glass translucent design (you can reduce transparency via Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Reduce Transparency, or reduce motion to tone down animations) Phone redesign with Hold Assist (notify you when an agent answers so you can leave the call on hold) Live Translation for Phone, FaceTime and Messages (on-device Apple Intelligence) Messages: filtering for unknown senders and polls in group chats Visual Intelligence: search what’s on your screen…

Microsoft raises Xbox prices in the US (effective Oct 3) Engadget reports Microsoft will raise Xbox console prices in the United States starting October 3. The site has reached out to Microsoft for comment. Microsoft has cited "changes in the macroeconomic environment" as the reason. New prices (US) Xbox Series S (512GB): $400 (up $20) Xbox Series S (1TB): $450 (up $20) Xbox Series X Digital: $600 (up $50) Xbox Series X: $650 (up $50) Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Special Edition: $800 (up $70) These increases follow a previous price bump earlier this year in May. The higher-end Series X prices now compare unfavorably to Sony's PS5 models in some cases. Why it matters Higher prices may push buyers toward streaming, waiting for sales, or choosing competing consoles. Microsoft…

Neuralink plans October US trial to translate thoughts into text — what to know Neuralink says it will begin a U.S. clinical trial in October to test an implanted brain-computer interface (BCI) that translates thoughts into text. The study is proceeding under an FDA investigational device exemption and aims to help people with severe speech impairments communicate by using signals from the speech cortex. Key details Target: People with paralysis or severe speech impairment. Goal: Translate imagined speech directly from the cortex to text or control virtual keyboards — faster than current approaches that use intermediate input. Regulatory path: FDA investigational device exemption for a clinical study. Quote Neuralink president DJ Seo: “If you're imagining saying something, we would be able to pick that up.” Why it matters Success could…

Microsoft raises Xbox prices in the US — effective Oct 3 Microsoft announced another round of Xbox price increases in the US, taking effect October 3. This follows an earlier price change in May. New retail prices are: Xbox Series S (512GB): $400 (up $20 from $380) Xbox Series S (1TB): $450 (up $20 from $430) Xbox Series X Digital: $600 (up $50 from $550) Xbox Series X (1TB): $650 (up $50 from $600) Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Special Edition: $800 (up $70 from $730) Those are notable hikes, especially on higher-end Series X models. By comparison, the Series X Digital now costs about $50 more than the PS5 Digital Edition, and the $800 2TB special edition is pricier than the $750 PS5 Pro while offering less competitive performance…

Microsoft raises Xbox prices in the US starting Oct 3 Microsoft will increase Xbox console prices in the United States starting October 3. The hikes affect multiple models and range from $20 up to $70. This follows an earlier price increase in May. New prices (US) Xbox Series S (512GB): $400 (up $20 from $380) — Find on Amazon Xbox Series S (1TB): $450 (up $20 from $430) — Find on Amazon Xbox Series X Digital: $600 (up $50 from $550) — Find on Amazon Xbox Series X: $650 (up $50 from $600) — Find on Amazon Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Special Edition: $800 (up $70 from $730) — Find on Amazon Source: original reporting by Engadget (no RSS link included). We'll update if Microsoft posts an official announcement.…