Engadget

Disney has demanded that Character.AI stop using its copyrighted characters. Axios reports that the entertainment juggernaut sent a cease and desist letter to Character.AI, claiming that it has chatbots based on its franchises, including Pixar films, Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Engadget : Business

Avalanche Studios is following in the footsteps of so many game developers this year. Today, the company posted a notice to its website announcing plans for a restructuring. Avalanche said it will close its studio in Liverpool, impacting all staff members in the city.

Engadget : Style

Apple isn't the only big tech company that's launching hardware this month. Amazon is having its fall hardware event on Tuesday, September 30 at 10AM ET in New York City, and — as it does most years — the company is expected to debut new devices across its myriad product categories. While the event will not be livestreamed, Engadget staff will be in attendance and liveblogging it in real-time.

Engadget : Politics, Technology

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a new requirement for all working adults in the country to carry a digital identification called the Brit Card. In practice, the Brit Card will be based on the One Login infrastructure already used by the UK government.

Engadget : Style

One of the surprise announcements during Sony's State of Play presentation today was the debut of a literary-themed game titled Chronoscript: The Endless End. It's an action-adventure game with a very cool hand-drawn art aesthetic.

Engadget

Just in time for all your Halloween gaming projects, Alan Wake 2 will be the free to play for members of the PS Plus program in October. The news was announced during Sony's State of Play presentation. 

Engadget : Business, Travel

Waymo has unveiled a new enterprise transportation program. The Waymo for Business service offers companies access to the brand's autonomous vehicles on a larger scale than individual one-off rides, with features such as establishing commuter programs, transporting riders to events and providing other forms of corporate travel. Waymo for Business is available in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix at launch.

Engadget : Business

Intel is selling off its majority share in chip-maker Altera as part of its new CEO's first steps toward stabilizing the company. The 51 percent stake sold today for $4.46 billion in a deal that is expected to close in the second half of this year.

Engadget

If you somehow haven't already heard, Switch 2 pre-orders remain indefinitely delayed in the U.S. While folks in the UK are able to pre-order the new console now (while stock lasts, of course), Americans will have to wait for their time to shine.

Engadget

Apple announces updates to its smartphone lineup every autumn, but the company often has a hard time keeping the details under wraps. Ahead of the official unveiling of the iPhone 17, we've already heard quite a few hints about what may be in store. Here's what we know and what we're expecting.