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Words on the Bus campaign brings riders’ poetry, prose aboard the PVTA

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PVTA bus fares
PVTA riders disembark at Union Station in Springfield. (Don Treeger / The Republican, File) The Republican

SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority is inviting its riders to get creative with a new campaign.

Words on the Bus, open to all ages, invites PVTA riders to submit their written work — poetry, song lyrics or prose — to be featured on monitors aboard the bus.

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xAI hires former Morgan Stanley banker Anthony Armstrong as CFO

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Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, now has a new chief financial officer: Former Morgan Stanley banker Anthony Armstrong, the Financial Times reported, citing anonymous sources.

Armstrong, who previously advised Musk during the Twitter deal, will oversee the finances of both xAI and X, which were merged in April, the report said. The former banker has been working with xAI for several weeks and was only recently appointed as CFO, the FT added.

xAI has been without a CFO since its previous finance head, Mike Liberatore, left the company in July, and Armstrong’s appointment follows a slate of high-profile executive departures at both xAI and X.

xAI’s general counsel, Robert Keele, left the company in August after a little more than a year on the job. Raghu Rao, a senior lawyer, also departed around the same time, and Igor Babuschkin, one of xAI’s co-founders, in August said he was leaving the company to launch his own VC firm dedicated to AI safety research. Linda Yaccarino, former CEO of X, also resigned in July.

Armstrong will take over from X’s current CFO, Mahmoud Reza Banki, who is leaving the company, the FT reported.

xAI did not immediately return a request for comment.



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Save on AirPods, iPads, AirTags and more

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Amazon’s latest October Prime Day sale is upon us, and it’s brought a few good discounts on Apple devices along with it. If you’ve been waiting to pick up a new iPad, MacBook or set of AirPods, we’ve quickly rounded up the best Apple Prime Day deals we can find below. We’ll update this post as we find more price drops. Just keep in mind that Black Friday is around the corner, so there’s always a chance we see more deals over the next month or so. This latest “Prime Big Deal Days” sale officially runs October 7 and 8, and many (but not all) of the discounts exclusive to Amazon Prime subscribers.

Best Prime Day Apple deals

Apple AirPods 4 for $90 ($39 off): The entry-level AirPods get you tons of Apple-friendly features — from fast pairing with your iCloud devices to spatial audio to hands-free Siri — and their lightweight design should fit most ears more comfortably than previous models. They still aren’t the richest-sounding or longest-lasting pair, and they don’t support wireless charging, Find My tracking or built-in volume controls. They won’t block much outside noise either. But if you’re an iPhone owner who truly hates the feeling of earphones that jut into your ear canal, they’re a worthy value with this discount, which comes within a dollar of the lowest price we’ve seen. Engadget’s Billy Steele gave the AirPods 4 a review score of 88 last year.

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Apple

This version of the AirPods 4 adds active noise cancellation (ANC), a wireless charging case and Find My tracking support. They have the same open-style design, so the ANC isn’t as effective as what you’d get with a pair that fully seals off the ear canal, but it makes the earbuds more useful in noisy areas all the same. This pair earned a score of 86 in our review. We saw it fall as low as $119 back in July, but this deal virtually matches the lowest price we’ve tracked otherwise.

$140 at Amazon

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) for $430 ($119 off): The AirPods Max are bulkier and older than Sony’s WH-1000XM6 — the top pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones — plus they rely on a weird, flimsy case to preserve power, so we only recommend them to hardcore Apple fans. That said, they offer most of the conveniences of the in-ear AirPods, while their ANC and warm sound profile still rank among the better options on the market. This model is virtually the same as the pair we reviewed way back in 2020, only it has a USB-C port and supports lossless audio with a cable. This discount is $30 off the pair’s all-time low, but it’s the best price we’ve seen since July.

Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) for $449 ($150 off): We call the Air the best Apple tablet for most people in our guide to the best iPads. While it’s a good bit more expensive than the base model, it has a handful of subtle improvements that add up in day-to-day use. Its speakers are better. Its display is more color-rich, more glare-resistant and laminated, which means there’s no “gap” between the display and the actual glass. There’s a faster chip and more RAM for gaming or more involved tasks. It also works with the Apple Pencil Pro and comfier Magic Keyboard. This $150 discount matches the lowest price we’ve seen. Other sizes and storage configurations are also similarly discounted.

Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M3) for $649 ($150 off): The 13-inch iPad Air is exactly the same as the 11-inch model, only it has a larger and slightly brighter display. It should be nice if you’re willing to trade a little portability for more space for working or taking in movies. We gave this model a score of 89 in our review back in March.

Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off): The iPad mini is exactly what it sounds like: the smaller iPad. This latest iteration has an improved A17 Pro chip — which is enough to support Apple Intelligence — along with 128GB of storage in the base model and Apple Pencil Pro support. As always, you’d buy it if you want a display you can more easily hold with one hand. This is another deal we’ve seen several times, but it’s only $20 more than the lowest price we’ve tracked.

Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $65 ($34 off): With its enormous finding network and ultra-wideband tech for accurately locating nearby items, Apple’s AirTag is the top pick for iPhone users in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers. This deal comes within a dollar of the best price we’ve seen for a four-pack. Single AirTags are also on sale for $19. If you’re not in desperate need for these, though, note that we may see an updated model later this year.

Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off): The Pencil Pro is Apple’s premium stylus, offering pressure sensitivity, wireless charging, haptic feedback and unique gesture controls compared to the standard Pencil. It’s a dependably tool for sketching and note-taking; just note that it’s not compatible with the base iPad and most older models. This is another discount we’ve seen regularly over the past year, but it’s $30 off the pen’s list price.

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Apple

The MacBook Air tops our . The latest model isn’t a major overhaul, but it’s still exceptionally thin, lightweight and well-designed, and the M4 chip is more than powerful enough for everyday use. This deal ties the best price we’ve seen for the base model with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Other configs with more memory and storage are $200 off as well.

$799 at Amazon

Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M4) for $999 ($200 off): The 15-inch MacBook Air is essentially the same as the 13-inch version, only it has a roomier display, a more spacious trackpad and better speakers. This deal is slightly higher than the laptop’s all-time low, and it’s another discount we’ve seen plenty of times before, but it’s a decent drop from Apple’s usual list price. Again, other versions with more memory and storage are also on sale.

Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS) for $240 ($9 off): Apple only released its latest crop of Apple Watches a couple weeks ago, but Amazon is selling each with a modest discount. The Watch SE 3, for instance, is available for $240: That’s just $9 off its list price, but it’s something if you’re buying soon after launch anyway. As for the device itself, this third-gen version of the SE adds an always-on display, which makes it so you no longer have to wake the watch to check the time or your notifications. It now runs on the same S10 chip as its higher-end siblings, too, and it still covers the essential health and fitness features. If you’re in the market for your first smartwatch, or if you only want a watch for step counting, sleep tracking and notifications, it should be a strong value.

Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm, GPS) for $390 ($9 off): The Series 11 is the top overall pick in our guide to the best smartwatches. It’s not as compelling as the SE 3 from a value perspective, but it has a bigger, brighter and more scratch-resistant display, slightly longer battery life and support for more advanced health features like hypertension alerts and an ECG app. We gave it a score of 90 in our review. Just note that there’s no pressing need to upgrade if you’re happy with your current Apple Watch. This is a slight $9 discount, but we note it since the Series 11 has been on sale for less than a month, so any bit of savings are welcome.

Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS + Cellular) for $329 ($170 off): As a general rule, most people should buy the newest version of whatever Apple product they want. That said, the Series 11 is only a minor upgrade over the prior Series 10 — the glass is more scratch-resistant, the cellular model has 5G support, the battery is marginally bigger and that’s about it. If you’re mostly worried about saving cash, want LTE support and still need the more advanced health features the Apple Watch SE lacks, this is a worthwhile discount for a version of last year’s model with cellular support.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 (49mm) for $780 ($19 off): The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a much more niche device than the Series 11 or SE 3, aimed at serious athletes and adventurers more than the typical gymgoer. It is the biggest and most rugged Apple Watch, with the brightest display (up to 3,000 nits), longest battery life (up to 42 hours) and most advanced components. It also supports satellite communications. The watch normally retails for $799, so this isn’t a major discount, but since this is a brand-new device, any drop at all is worth noting for early adopters.

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What’s new in Android’s October 2025 Google System Updates

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The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.

The following first-party apps comprise the “Google System”:

A feature appearing in the changelog does not mean it’s widely available. Some capabilities take months to fully launch.


Google Play services v25.39 (2025-10-06)

Account Management

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  • [Phone] You can now use Quick Start with supervised accounts.
  • [Phone] You’ll now experience updated themes across user journeys related to supervision.
  • [Phone] With this update, the profile picture now has a new design.

Developer Services

  • [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Account Management and Security & Privacy related processes in their apps.

Safety & Emergency

  • [Phone] With this update, Sensitive Content Warnings feature in Google Messages can now detect explicit nude media in shared videos.
  • [Phone] You’ll get an improved experience with Driving Do Not Disturb mode.

Google Play Store v48.3 (2025-10-06)

  • [Auto, PC, Phone, TV, Wear] You’ll now get updated icons in some Google Play Protect notifications.

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Powerball: See the winning numbers in Monday’s $207 million drawing

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It’s time to grab your tickets and check to see if you’re a big winner! The Powerball lottery jackpot continues to rise after two lucky winners in Texas and another from Missouri won $1.8 billion in the September 6 drawing. Is this your lucky night?

Here are Monday’s winning lottery numbers:

28-29-32-66-67, Powerball: 3, Power Play: 2X

Double Play Winning Numbers

9-21-37-40-52, Powerball: 5

The estimated Powerball jackpot is $207 million. The lump sum payment before taxes would be about $96.9 million.

The Double Play is a feature that gives players in select locations another chance to match their Powerball numbers in a separate drawing. The Double Play drawing is held following the regular drawing and has a top cash prize of $10 million.

Powerball is held in 45 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The Double Play add-on feature is available for purchase in 13 lottery jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania and Michigan.

A $2 ticket gives you a one in 292.2 million chance at joining the hall of Powerball jackpot champions.

The drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. Eastern, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The deadline to purchase tickets is 9:45 p.m.

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Patricia Routledge, star of BBC’s ‘Keeping Up Appearances,’ dies at 96 : NPR

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Patricia Routledge, known for playing Hyacinth Bucket on the 1990s British television show Keeping Up Appearances, has died at age 96.



JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

Now, a remembrance for a British actress best known for onscreen snobbery.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Dame Patricia Routledge died last week. In the 1990s, she starred in the BBC TV show “Keeping Up Appearances.”

SUMMERS: It’s a sitcom about a middle-class woman named Hyacinth who is hellbent on trying to convince people she’s upper-crust. She’s always embellishing parts of her life, including the pronunciation of her last name.

KELLY: Which was spelled B-U-C-K-E-T. So, OK, she’s Hyacinth Bucket. But of course, that was far too pedestrian for Hyacinth. As she made clear throughout the show’s entire run, B-U-C-K-E-T is pronounced bouquet. In Routledge’s hands, a woman who could have been insufferable was instead beloved and responsible for many laughs around the world.

SUMMERS: Routledge got her start in theater at the Liverpool Playhouse. She performed in London’s West End and later on Broadway, winning an Olivier Award and a Tony. She was also a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and audiences got to see her on the big screen in “To Sir, With Love,” starring Sidney Poitier.

KELLY: In the latter part of her career, as she rose to global TV prominence, Routledge alternated between stage and screen. In 2017, Queen Elizabeth II made her a dame commander in honor of her services to theater and charity.

SUMMERS: Patricia Routledge died at her home in Chichester, England, on Friday at the age of 96.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

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Deloitte goes all in on AI — despite having to issue a hefty refund for use of AI

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Deloitte is rolling out Claude to its nearly 500,000 employees after issuing a refund for a report that contained AI hallucinations.



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Spotify, Canva and other apps can now connect to ChatGPT

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You’ll soon be able to interact with some of your favorite apps, including Spotify and Canva, right inside of ChatGPT. OpenAI announced the integration, which is enabled by the company’s new Apps SDK, during its DevDay presentation. As of today, ChatGPT can connect to a handful of apps, with more to come over time and OpenAI working on submission guidelines that will allow developers to monetize their work.

As a ChatGPT user, you can any access available third-party app by referencing it in your conversations with the chatbot. In the case of Spotify, for example, you can write “Spotify, make a playlist for my party this Friday.” The first time you mention an app in this way, you’ll be prompted to connect your account to ChatGPT. When working with Spotify, ChatGPT can make recommendations based on a mood, theme or a topic. The interface will eventually lead you to Spotify itself, where you can listen to what ChatGPT has created.

“It’s early days, so while we might not be able to deliver on every request just yet, we’ll continue to build, refine, and improve the experience over the coming weeks and months,” Spotify says of the integration.

OpenAI showed off other apps working inside of ChatGPT. For instance, an employee demoed Canva creating a few posters for a dog-walking business that they had talked to ChatGPT about starting. With today’s announcement, ChatGPT can connect to Canva, Coursera, Figma, Spotify and Zillow. In the coming weeks, DoorDash, OpenTable, Target and Uber will also work with the chatbot. And later this year, OpenAI says it will begin accepting app submissions for review and publication.



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Your guide to smarter running

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Welcome to The Sideload episode 7, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will is joined by Ryan Haines, Senior Writer at Android Authority and an avid running enthusiast to talk through every aspect of how modern technology collides with fitness. Even if you aren’t into running — or, perhaps, even if you deeply despise it — Ryan’s experience with apps like Strava, wearables from brands like Garmin, and open-ear earbuds designed with exercise in mind makes this a must-listen episode for anyone curious what fitness tech is like outside of the Google ecosystem.

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Timestamps

  • 00:00:00 – Intro
  • 00:07:10 – Garmin and other smartwatches
  • 00:26:14 – Strava and other applications
  • 00:38:12 – Running with earbuds
  • 00:44:28 – Training apps and other fitness topics
  • 01:03:25 – Wrap-up

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Drop us a line at gtips@9to5g.com, leave a comment on the post, or reach out to our producer.

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Large crowds violently confronted police in 3 Mass. street ‘takeovers’

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A cruiser was set on fire in Boston. Fireworks were fired at a police cruiser in Randolph. A Dodge Charger drove at an officer in Middleborough.

These incidents occurred over the weekend, part of what officials are calling large-scale “takeovers,” which are coordinated efforts to shut down streets with personal cars and barriers for “doughnuts” and street racing.

Officials have not connected all three events as being part of the same group as of Monday afternoon.

In Boston, two teenagers from Rhode Island were arraigned in connection with the street takeover that set a police cruiser on fire after being hit with fireworks from multiple angles.

Julian Bowers, 18, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, and William Cantwell, 19, of Warwick, Rhode Island, were among the 100-plus people who gathered Sunday morning around 2 a.m.

When police showed up to break up the crowd, their cruisers were hit with cones, poles and other objects besides fireworks.

When the cruiser caught fire, several people started jumping on the hood and prevented the officer inside from getting away from the crowd or being able to see, according to a prosecutor in court on Monday.

The officer escaped their cruiser after it began to fill with “sparks and smoke,” and other officers jumped in to help with tasers and “unholstered” guns, the prosecutor said.

Police saw Bowers throwing objects at the cruiser and arrested him after a foot chase; Cantwell was seen smashing an orange pole off the cruiser several times and then arrested, according to a police report filed in court.

A judge set bail at $500 for Bowers, who posted bail, and $1,000 for Cantwell, who went to Suffolk County Jail in lieu of bail.

The first reported street takeover of the weekend took place in Middleborough at about 11 p.m. on Saturday night, where about 50 vehicles and dozens of people got together in a commercial parking lot at Routes 105 and 28, according to Massachusetts State Police.

Several vehicles used stolen plates, and a Dodge Charger with Connecticut plates attempted to strike a police officer on scene, state police said.

Police later spotted the Dodge Charger on Interstate 495 and began to pursue the vehicle onto Interstate 195 west toward Rhode Island. Troopers ended the pursuit when it crossed state lines and assisting Rhode Island troopers lost sight of the vehicle during their response, police said.

“Each incident remains under investigation by the Department with primary jurisdiction,” Tim McGuirk, a state police spokesperson, said on Monday. “As public safety partners, we will continue to share information in the interest of the affected communities.”

Police in Randolph were also met with a rowdy crowd of more than 100 people who struck cruisers with fists and other objects before setting off fireworks at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning, officials said.

“This was carried out by individuals who were concealing their faces with masks and videotaping themselves,” police said. “These individuals continued and sat on the hoods of the cruiser and lit fireworks off, placing the officer inside in extreme danger.”

Boston officials were quick to denounce the takeover event on Sunday.

“The outside individuals who came into our city to cause disorder and brought dangerous behavior here will be prosecuted,” Mayor Michelle Wu said during a press conference at the Roslindale Parade. “We are asking public’s help for any information to be able to do that as quickly as possible.”

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said the takeover events are “dangerous, intolerable assaults on our police officers and our neighborhoods.”

“We and our law enforcement partners will do all we can to identify and hold accountable anyone involved. No one should think they can jeopardize public safety in such a brazen manner without consequences,” Hayden said.

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