TechCapsules

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 Pro will remain out of stock at major retailers and its online store, PS Direct, beyond the 2026 holiday season. A memo obtained by German outlet Playfront.de indicates the company cites “temporary market supply constraints and high demand” and warns the shortage will persist “through early 2027 at the earliest.” The scarcity coincides with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, which both Sony and Rockstar promote as best played on the Pro console. Fans have [...]

SoftBank Group Corp. has agreed to acquire the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) from Hyundai Motor Group, a move that has entered review by the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS). RAI, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was founded in 2022 after Hyundai’s purchase of Boston Dynamics and has received over $400 million in initial funding. The institute specializes in robot control, perception, manipulation, navigation, and AI, developing technologies such as the whole‑body learning framework used in Boston Dynamics’ [...]

Neuralink showcased a 23‑second video in which an unnamed clinical‑trial participant used the company’s N1 brain‑implant to convey the phrase “I love you.” The participant’s partner reacted visibly, and the clip was reshared by Elon Musk, amplifying its emotional impact. The demonstration follows a March presentation featuring Kenneth, a motor‑neuron disease patient who, after losing speech, communicated via the VOICE program in January. Neuralink’s trials involve 21 participants worldwide, aiming to decode neural signals into text or [...]

Patrick, an eCommerce Editor at Android Central, transitioned from a decade in independent bookstores and freelance writing to full‑time tech journalism in 2020. He joined Android Central in 2022 as Deals and Commerce Writer, now overseeing the site’s eCommerce coverage and major sale events. Patrick focuses on helping consumers avoid buyer’s remorse by simplifying complex tech purchases, such as carrier switches and smart TV buys. His work appears in major outlets including the Chicago Tribune, The Hill, [...]

Ripple integrated the XRP Ledger into Stripe’s agent payment system, enabling software to purchase services autonomously without human input. The update, released September 17, 2026, adds support for the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) and the Open Wallet Standard to Ripple’s XRPL AI Starter Kit. XRP Ledger 3.3.0’s Permission Delegation allows limited‑authority accounts to execute transactions under predefined limits, while the Open Wallet Standard provides a unified interface across blockchains. Stripe and Tempo co‑authored MPP, and Ripple also [...]

ESR has released a new line of protective accessories for Apple’s high‑end devices, including the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The flagship product is the Atelier Vegan Leather Magnetic Case, available in four colors, featuring a 180‑degree rotating Flex Stand, a zinc alloy hinge, and a 1,400‑gram MagSafe magnet. The case offers 3‑foot drop protection, anti‑stain vegan leather, and a camera‑protecting ring. Additional items include a matching Apple Watch band and AirPods [...]

Hacktron AI researchers used Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5 to chain two vulnerabilities during a 72‑hour bug‑bounty test on OpenAI’s public forum. They exploited a heap‑buffer overflow in the libheif library, which processes HEIC/HEIF images, to bypass single sign‑on checks and gain access to OpenAI employee accounts. The team then submitted a pull request to private code repositories before reporting the flaws. OpenAI patched the issues, and the researchers received a $6,500 bounty for their findings. [...]

Vantora, formerly UP.Labs, secured a $100 million investment from Silversmith Capital Partners and pivoted to building proprietary startups exclusively for its corporate clients. The firm now offers a “proprietary M&A pipeline,” allowing partners to absorb new ventures into their core businesses. This shift focuses Vantora on physical AI solutions for industries such as aviation, automotive, oil and gas, and logistics, exemplified by projects for Alaska Airlines, Porsche, and J.B. Hunt. The company’s first outside funding marks a significant milestone [...]