Denholm, who was also on the special committee that put the compensation proposal together, argued that Musk needs to be motivated by extraordinary challenges tied to extraordinary compensation. At the same time, she suggested he’s less interested in the additional wealth that the promised Tesla shares would represent, and more in the voting power.
“I think it’s a little bit weird talking about the dollars when it’s actually the voting influence,” said Denholm, whom The Times described as “occasionally appearing ill at ease” during the interview.
It might also seem counterintuitive to offer such a massive pay package when Tesla’s profits and vehicle sales are falling, but Denholm insisted that the plan is about “future performance.”
“It’s not about past performance,” she said. “He gets nothing if he doesn’t perform against the goals.”
A California bill that would require operating system and app store providers to verify users’ ages before they can download apps has cleared the Assembly 58-0, and will now move on to Gov. Gavin Newsom, reports. The Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043), introduced by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, does not require photo identification for verification, but puts the onus on the platforms to provide tools for parents to indicate the user’s age during a device’s setup, and use this information steer kids toward age-appropriate content and screen time.
It comes after and both adopted app store age verification laws earlier this year that have been criticized as posing potential privacy risks, and faced opposition from the likes of Google and Apple. The California bill has been received more positively by Big Tech, with Google, Meta and others putting out in support of it in the leadup to a Senate vote on Friday. Kareem Ghanem, Google’s Senior Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, called the bill “one of the most thoughtful approaches we’ve seen thus far to the challenges of keeping kids safe, recognizing that it’s a shared responsibility across the ecosystem.” Gov. Newsom now has until October 13 to sign or veto the bill, according to Politico.
If you’ve got some used smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, and more laying around collecting dust, Gadget Salvation will give you cash for it, and you can get an extra 10% with our exclusive coupon “GADGET10” at checkout (available until December 31, 2025).
Used gadgets are something that most of us have laying around the house. In some cases, an used phone is a good way to save money on a new one, especially as more and more Android brands have been elevating trade-in values. But for some devices, trade-ins aren’t worth it, or aren’t accepted in the first place.
Gadget Salvation is a company that will buy back your used tech and try to give it new life with the goal of extending the life of pre-owned devices and lessening e-waste. The idea is to give the user a no-hassle way of getting rid of used tech and getting some cash – via Venmo, PayPal, or even a check – in return, while then trying to recycle or resell that device.
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Unlike more limited trade-in programs, Gadget Salvation has a huge database of accepted devices, boasting over 4,000 accepted devices between smartphones, laptops, watches, tablets, and more.
Not everything will be worth a ton. Some devices won’t get any payback, but Gadget Salvation will still take those items and get them out of your hair at no cost to you. Just fill out the estimate, print the shipping label, and send it off. At the bare minimum, that also means your device ends up in a place where it can still do some good, rather than just ending up in a landfill. Gadget Salvation will make repairs to the device as needed before bringing it back to the resale market where someone can buy it for a fair price.
When you send in a device to Gadget Salvation, you’ll need to remove your password and/or reset your device and include the charging cable or power cable if you have it.
A memorial service has been scheduled for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed at a political event at a Utah university Wednesday afternoon.
Kirk’s non-profit organization, Turning Point USA, announced Saturday that a memorial for its founder is set to take place the morning of Sunday, Sept. 21, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Doors are set to open to attendees at 8 a.m., with the program beginning at 11 a.m.
“Charlie was a servant of the Lord, a devoted husband to Erika, a loving father to two beautiful children, and a leader of uncommon clarity and strength,” Turning Point USA wrote in an online tribute to Kirk.
Kirk was a conservative political provocateur with close ties to President Donald Trump. He died Sept. 10 after being shot once while answering audience questions at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem.
“Charlie died doing what he loved: fighting for truth, for faith, for family, and for America. His sacrifice will endure as a guiding light for generations,” the tribute reads.
For more information about Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA’s memorial event, visit fightforcharlie.com.
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These emails reportedly announce an immediate “strategic pivot,” with the company deciding to “accelerate the expansion and prioritization of our specialist AI tutors, while scaling back our focus on general AI tutor roles.”
“As part of this shift in focus, we no longer need most generalist AI tutor positions and your employment with xAI will conclude,” xAI reportedly wrote.
According to Business Insider, these cuts represent about one-third of xAI’s 1,500-person data annotation team — the team that works to label and prepare data used to train xAI’s chatbot Grok.
When contacted for confirmation, xAI pointed to a statement on X (the Musk-owned social network that it acquired earlier this year) declaring that the company “will immediately surge our Specialist AI tutor team by 10x.”
“We are hiring across domains like STEM, finance, medicine, safety, and many more,” the company said.
xAI has laid off at least 500 workers from its data annotation team, the company’s largest, according to Business Insider. The annotation team is in charge of categorizing and contextualizing raw data used to train Grok so that it can understand the world better. Business Insider says the laid off employees were informed via email on the evening of September 12, Friday, that it was going to downsize its team of general AI tutors. They were reportedly told that they would be paid their salaries until the end of their contracts on November 30, but their access to xAI’s systems had been cut off after they received the notice.
When Reuters asked the company for a comment, it referred to a post on X wherein it posted a call for specialist AI tutors instead. xAI said that it will “immediately surge [its] Specialist AI tutor team by 10x” and that it’s hiring across STEM fields. As specialist tutors, the new hires will be “enhancing [the company’s] AI technologies through high-quality inputs, labels and annotations using specialized software.” They’ll gather data and provide their own, not only in text format, but also through audio recordings and video sessions.
As Reuters has noted, the layoffs come after several high-profile departures from xAI, including the company’s chief financial officer Mike Liberatore. The company launched Grok 4 in July, calling it the “smartest AI in the world.” Elon Musk claimed during the model’s reveal that if you make Grok 4 take the SATs and the GREs, it would get near perfect results every time and can answer questions it’s never seen before. He also proclaimed that Grok is going to invent new tech maybe later this year, and that he would be shocked if it doesn’t happen next year.
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a new design trend spreading throughout the entire smartphone industry. No, it’s not titanium — not anymore, at least — and premium flagships are still mostly arriving on store shelves in their usual drab colors. No, it’s the camera bar, a fresh method of styling the prerequisite lens bump you’ll find on every flagship smartphone, and in this case, it’s Google that can claim the credit for influencing its rivals.
The camera bar concept doesn’t necessarily begin with the Pixel 6 series, but that’s certainly the device that popularized it. While you can absolutely look back on phones like the Nexus 6P as precursors to Google’s modern design language, I think it’s undeniable that Google set out on its own path with its first Tensor-powered phone. And over the last five generations, Google has largely stuck to the groundwork it initially set back in 2021. Sure, the camera bar gained a lens flare-resistant cover on the Pixel 7, separated from the rest of the frame on the Pixel 9, and fully receded into the chassis on the Pixel 9a, but largely speaking, Google’s devices are some of the most easily recognizable out in the wild thanks to this design trend.
Of course, it’s not just form over function. Google’s camera bar has helped keep its Pixels from the scourge of desk-wobble enveloping the rest of the industry. Excluding the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and its direct successor, every camera bar-equipped Pixel has been capable of resting on a table without rocking back and forth uncontrollable every time it’s poked or prodded. That might sound like a low bar to clear, but Samsung, Apple, and plenty of other manufacturers haven’t seemed to care much.
Or, at least, they didn’t. The smartphone tides are turning once again, and it looks like the next hottest design trend is, well, camera bars. This week, Apple announced its latest series of iPhones, and while the base model looks nearly indistinguishable from its predecessor, the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone Air take new swings at the company’s usual look and feel. The iPhone Air, in particular, seems to harken back to the Nexus 6P, what with its single camera lens and rounded, top-mounted bump, while the iPhone 17 Pro seems to combine the Pixel’s camera bar with the tri-lens layout from older Apple releases.
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Apple’s not alone, though. The latest Galaxy S26 Edge leaks seem to point towards a redesign for Samsung’s next-gen iPhone Air rival, combining that ultra-thin design with an iPhone 17 Pro-esque camera bar. The rest of the S26 series seems to be keeping its vertical-aligned camera systems, even adopting the raised module seen on this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7. Considering Samsung’s love of a unified design language across all of its devices, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Galaxy S27 series follows the Edge design as closely as possible.
Even smaller players are getting in on the fun. This morning, Sony announced its latest Xperia device, its first in ages to rock a new design. Surprise, surprise — it’s sporting a camera bar too.
It’s impossible not to draw a direct lineage between these devices and the Pixel’s influence, small (though growing!) its sales numbers may be. While I’m sure some Pixel die-hards see the encroachment of Samsung and Apple as a ripoff of Google’s once-unique design language, I, for one, welcome the competition to the world of camera bars. Frankly, as someone who typically opts to use my phone without a case, trying to use any non-Pixel flagship over the last five years on a desk has outright sucked. That might sound like a niche complaint, but when I’m working, I don’t always want to pick up my phone to check a notification or to quickly respond to a text, and I know I’m not alone there.
As a quick aside, this experience is made all the more frustrating whenever I’m using an S Pen-capable device. Samsung, writing on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is miserable — if you’re going to adopt a camera bar, bring it to the phone that could benefit the most from it, don’t make the camera bump even larger.
So close, Apple. So close.
Now, all told, I certainly wouldn’t say Google’s been beat at its own game. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air both retain lens bumps, despite their new design; while I haven’t held them in person, I don’t see how Apple won’t feature some level of desk-wobble here. Of course, the iPhone Air practically has its entire phone shoved into its camera bump — including its sole speaker — so perhaps it was unavoidable on that particular phone. We have yet to see the Galaxy S26 Edge outside of some early renders, but it appears to follow suit as well, with its dual lenses protruding from the back. Credit where credit’s due, Sony’s new mid-ranger absolutely got this right.
After taking 2025 to focus on Tensor and Qi2, Google’s likely due for a design refresh with the Pixel 11. Not only am I hoping the camera bar sticks around for a sixth generation, but I’m hoping those lenses continue to stay within the bounds of its surrounding case. You’ve been nailing this look since 2021, Google, and your style still stands out among a sea of quasi-clones. Don’t let the competition steer you wrong.
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The winning tickets were sold at the Roslindale Food Mart on Washington Street and McSheffrey’s of the South End convenience store (with Mobil gas) on Main Street in Woburn.
Mass Cash drawings happen twice daily, at 2 p.m. and at 9 p.m. It costs just $1 to play.
Overall, at least 625 prizes worth $600 or more were won or claimed in Massachusetts on Monday, including 6 in Springfield, 22 in Worcester and 14 in Boston.
The Massachusetts State Lottery releases a full list of winning tickets every day. The list only includes winning tickets worth more than $600.
The two largest lottery prizes won so far in 2025 were each worth $15 million. One of the prizes was from a winning “Diamond Deluxe” scratch ticket sold in Holyoke, and the other was from a “300X” scratch ticket sold on Cape Cod.
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The all-electric Ram 1500 REV pickup truck is dead. Long live the extended-range Ram 1500 REV (once called the Ramcharger).
Stellantis, the parent company of Ram, said Friday that it will no longer develop a battery-electric full-size pickup. The company cited low demand for full-size battery-electric trucks as the primary reason, according to a statement sent to TechCrunch and posted on its website.
“As demand for full-size battery-electric trucks slows in North America, Stellantis is reassessing its product strategy and will discontinue development of a full-size BEV pickup,” the company’s statement reads. “As part of this, Ram is renaming its REEV-powered pickup to Ram 1500 REV (formerly Ramcharger). This vehicle will set a new benchmark in the half-ton segment, offering exceptional range, towing capability and payload performance.”
If the name swap is confusing, it’s because it is. But here is what’s worth knowing. Stellantis canceled plans to develop a battery electric pickup and will instead pursue an extended-range truck that gets an estimated 690 miles of range through a novel — but not unheard of — approach of combining a battery with a gas generator.
The Ram 1500 all-electric pickup was part of parent company Stellantis’ U.S. product offensive to sell more than 25 all-new BEVs by the end of the decade. But its future has been in question for months now.
After a splashy reveal at CES 2023, and other showcases in the months that followed, Stellantis wavered on its EV truck plans. Stellantis initially said it would begin producing the vehicle in 2024. That date soon slipped to 2025.
By the end of 2024, Stellantis delayed plans to develop the broad-shouldered pickup loaded with tech, a longer cabin with third-row jump seats, and two massive and industry-busting battery pack options. At the time, Stellantis said it would push its launch into 2026.
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A Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the automaker still plans to begin production of the extended-range Ram 1500 in 2026.
Meta Connect, the company’s annual event dedicated to all things AR, VR, AI and the metaverse is just days away. And once again, it seems like it will be a big year for smart glasses and AI.
This year, the event will take a slightly different format than in the past. Mark Zuckerberg is to kick things off with an evening keynote at 5PM PT on Wednesday, September 17. A developer keynote with other executives will take place the next morning on September 18, beginning at 10AM, with more talks and developer sessions to follow.
It’s not clear why Meta changed things up this year, but it is shaping up to be a particularly eventful year for Connect. We’re expecting two new models of smart glasses, including Meta’s first to have a display, as well as new Meta AI and metaverse updates. As usual, Engadget will be reporting live from Zuckerberg’s keynote at Meta HQ, but until then, here’s a closer look at what’s coming and what to keep an eye on.
New and updated smart glasses
The biggest news of the day will be Meta’s next-generation of smart glasses. The frames, often referred to by their reported internal name “,” will be the first consumer-ready glasses from Meta that have a display. We already know quite a bit about these thanks to more than a year of leaks.
While the frames are expected to have a small display on one side, they won’t offer the kind of immersive augmented reality experience we’ve seen on Meta’s . Instead the display will allow you to view things like notifications and photo previews. The glasses will also come with a dedicated wristband, similar to what the company showed off with Orion, that allows the wearer to control specific features through hand gestures.
The EMG wristband that’s part of the Orion prototype.
(Karissa Bell for Engadget)
The glasses, which may officially be called “Celeste,” are expected to go on sale later this year, will likely cost around $800. They could be sold with Prada branding, which would be in line with Meta’s longtime EssilorLuxottica partnership, CNBC. Given the much higher price tag — most of Meta’s Ray-Ban-branded glasses cost around $300 — it seems Meta is positioning this as a higher-end product that will have a more limited appeal. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has Hypernova will have a “negligible” share of the overall smart glasses market.
It also sounds like we could see a new version of Meta’s smart glasses without a display with an updated version of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. There could be two versions for sunglasses and clear frames, according to . The new glasses are reported to have improved cameras and battery life, and support new AI capabilities.
We could also see new third-party glasses integrations. As UploadVR recently early versions of the Connect schedule for developers seemingly confirms that Meta is getting ready to give developers access to its smart glasses. Up to now, the Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley glasses have mostly been limited to apps within Meta’s ecosystem (with a few exceptions like Spotify and Audible). Allowing more developers to start experimenting with the platform could bring even more functionality to the existing lineup of glasses.
Meta AI
As with other recent years, AI will be a major theme throughout. Meta AI has monthly users (something Zuckerberg will surely remind us of) and I’m expecting to see new features for Meta AI both on the company’s glasses and within its apps. Business Insider the company has been working on new lineup of non-English speaking “character-driven” bots for its apps. (Meta’s character-centric chatbots have also faced scrutiny, with the company recently blocking teens’ access to many user-generated characters amid growing safety concerns.)
Outside of Meta’s chatbots, I’m hoping Zuckerberg will talk more about his vision to create “superintelligence.” As I wrote in July, his that outlined his vision was confusing at best. The CEO has recently reorganized Meta’s AI teams around the idea, and has been on a very expensive to recruit executives and researchers for the effort.
At the same time, Zuckerberg could use Connect to shore up expectations around its Llama models. The company’s larger Llama 4 model has and reports suggest Meta’s engineers have been struggling to improve it. There are other signs that Zuckerberg may be from open-source AI.
What about the metaverse?
While the metaverse has taken somewhat of a backseat to AI in recent years, it wouldn’t be Connect without some VR-related news. In a recent Instagram post, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth teased “metaverse software” updates related to Horizon Worlds at Connect. The company recently offered to developers of its plan to bring AI-powered NPCs to the metaverse, and I expect we’ll hear more about how generative AI could help shape the metaverse.
And while there are no new Quest headsets expected, we could hear more about those third-party VR headsets that will run Meta’s VR software. Last year, the company announced that were working on Meta Horizon OS headsets. We haven’t heard too much about these devices since, but there was this year that suggested ASUS would be the first to launch, and that it would include face and eye tracking features.
Another intriguing possibility is an update on Meta’s holographic Codec avatars we got of last year. While Meta’s current lineup of VR headsets don’t have the necessary face and eye-tracking sensors to support the tech, UploadVR Meta could show off a more “rudimentary” version of the avatars that could run on the Quest 3 or even work in conjunction with video calls on WhatsApp and Messenger.
