Timef 09/25/2025

From dating apps and AI-powered matchmaking to full-on digital companionship, artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a third party in our most personal relationships. But is it truly helping us find deeper connection — or just reshaping romance into an algorithmic illusion?

The settlement is one of the largest in the history of the Federal Trade Commission, which sued Amazon two years ago.

Jon McNeill (DVx Ventures), Aileen Lee (Cowboy Ventures), and Steve Jang (Kindred Ventures) share what AI founders need to know now: from defensibility to term sheets. TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 takes place October 27–29 in San Francisco. Register before tomorrow ends to save up to $668.

Doorstep integrates into existing delivery apps and then, using phone sensors, tracks when a driver has entered a building, gone up an elevator, and made it to the desired doorstep.  

Apple has responded to claims of easily scratched iPhone 17 models, saying it's not as bad as you think.

Crunchyroll Manga launches Oct. 9 with titles from VIZ, Square Enix, Yen Press, and more, offering offline reading, curated lists, and a cleaner way to stay caught up.

Craig Robinson, Simu Liu, and Cristin Milioti lend their voices to "In Your Dreams," from Netflix and director Alex Woo. Watch the trailer.

Teen Accounts first rolled out to Instagram a year ago after Meta and other popular social networks were grilled by U.S. lawmakers for not doing enough to protect teens on their services.

Hinge is a dating app owned by Match Group. Here's how it works.

Nothing's budget brand CMF is spinning off into its own company.

The AI platform Clarifai has launched a new reasoning engine that it claims will make running AI models twice as fast and 40% less expensive.

James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" gets an explosive new trailer. The film hits theaters December 19.

The billionaire’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has secured a deal with the government that will allow federal agencies to use the chatbot Grok for a small fee.

Ticktock! Less than 2 days remain to secure savings of up to $668 on your TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 pass. This offer ends tomorrow, September 26, at 11:59 p.m. PT. If you haven’t registered yet, now’s the moment.

Databricks is on the hook to pay at least $100 million to OpenAI in this deal, even if customer usage falls short. It's a bet, but one that Databricks has already hedged.

Five common overpayment scams use fake checks and third-party payment requests to steal money from unsuspecting victims across various scenarios.

Apple is blaming the EU's enforcement of the DMA for delaying the launch of some features in the EU, saying the rules are "leading to a worse experience" for Apple customers in the bloc by exposing them to new risks and reducing choices.

Ghost of Yotei, the PS5 sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, delivers thrilling combat, gorgeous open worlds, and a heartfelt story.

The OnePlus 15 is officially real, and it's got a swanky new Snapdragon chip inside of it.

Starpath is changing the space-rated solar panel industry in its quest to build off-world colonies.

If you're trying to decide between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop, some recent changes have shaken up how these two platforms compare.

We explore what makes a great mockumentary and why we are all so obsessed with this format.

Forget the wads of paper maps—AllTrails keeps everything you need to plan your outdoor trip on your phone.

Drivers who listen to TuneIn will now receive real-time alerts, including extreme weather warnings and other emergencies. 

Spotify is launching a music spam filter, labeling AI tracks, and clarifying its rules around AI voice clones.

Anya Lacey speaks with Mashable about her seemingly contradictory desires to be a traditional housewife and on OnlyFans.

As of Sept. 23, the Pokémon TCG White Flare Booster Bundle is $46.94 at TCGplayer, $7.05 less than Amazons price.

Xiaomi's new 15T Pro is a good, fairly affordable everyday phone. But it has strong competition, including from its own company.

Not everyone likes Apple’s springy, jiggly, see-through Liquid Glass interface. If you’re not a fan, tweaking these settings will make your iPhone, iPad, or Mac a lot less bubbly.

Jimmy Kimmel's return monologue has broken a record on his YouTube channel.

Google's tool greatly simplifies photo editing; just tell your phone what changes you want in the photo, and it'll execute them. It also hints at the coming leap in how we interact with computers.

For the first time, US residents can now invest in memecoins through traditional brokerages. Trading will only get stranger from here.

From lava worlds to gas giants, NASA says the variety of these worlds is staggering—and that signs of a further 8,000 distant planets are awaiting confirmation.

As of Sept. 23, the Pokémon TCG Black Bolt Booster Bundle is $50 at TCGplayer, $5.94 less than Amazons price.

Answers to each clue for the September 25, 2025 edition of NYT's The Mini crossword puzzle.

Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile is a very silly deep dive on a very serious issue. In the current media landscape, it’s a wonder it even got made.

WIRED spoke with more than 200 federal workers in dozens of agencies to learn what happened as the Department of Government Efficiency tore through their offices.

Find the best deal on sleep earbuds. Save 14% on the Ozlo Sleepbuds at Amazon.

Find the best TV deal at Amazon. Save 22% on the Samsung 75-Inch Class Neo QLED at Amazon.

Stephen Colbert has reacted to Jimmy Kimmel's viral return monologue following his suspension.

Find the best gaming laptop deal. Save 11% on the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 at Amazon.

Get the best Apple AirTag deal. Save 24% on the Apple AirTag four-pack at Amazon.

Amazon Prime Day is back on October 7, but we've already found good deals on WIRED-approved gear.

A new Senate report claims DOGE put every American's Social Security number at risk—and that officials at federal agencies essentially obstructed an investigation, all but denying DOGE even exists.

Rumor guide for the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Ultra

Get 2TB of secure lifetime cloud storage with Drime for just $149.99 (reg. $299) and enjoy encrypted vaults, collaboration tools, and smart file sharing forever.

What's new to streaming for the week of Sept. 26 on Netflix, Apple TV+, and Hulu.

Jimmy Kimmel has responded to President Donald Trump's comments about the late night host's return to air after ABC's suspension.

Nothing is making its affordable devices brand CMF into a separate entity with headquarters in India.

While the industry's biggest players cement ever-tighter partnerships, Google is hellbent on capturing the next generation of AI companies before they become too big to court.

Yang Song, who previously led the strategic explorations team at OpenAI, is the new ‘research principal’ of Meta Superintelligence Labs.

How to watch Asia Cup for free. Live stream Pakistan vs. Bangladesh in the 2025 Asia Cup Super Four for free from anywhere in the world.

See the moon phase expected for September 25, 2025 as well as when the next full moon is expected.

Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the puzzle.

The New York Times' latest game, Pips, brings domino fun to your desktop. How to play Pips as well as hints in case you get stuck.

Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.

The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1558 on September 25 as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

Hints and answers to today's Hurdle all in one place.

The Silicon Valley chipmaker has held talks with Apple about bolstering its finances as it looks to turn around its ailing business.

Mental health and legal experts say campuses should deploy AI chatbots with caution.

The accelerator has introduced a new application track called Early Decision, designed for students who want to start companies but don’t want to drop out.

X sued the Indian government in March over content takedown orders issued through its centralized portal.

In a new, scathing Financial Times op-ed, the former Sequoia Capital honcho compares the White House to Tony Soprano's pork store, calling its new H-1B visa plan another "brutish extortion scheme."

Medical device funding is hitting levels we haven’t seen since 2021, with investors pouring billions into diagnostics and imaging companies. While innovation has raced ahead, a fundamental problem still hasn’t changed: Critical medical hardware like MRI machines cost millions of dollars and is limited to large hospitals. So how do you take one of the […]

Get lifetime access to Imagiyo AI Image Generator for just $39.97 and create unlimited, high-quality, commercial-ready images from simple text prompts.

OtterBox has launched the Symmetry Series Clear Encore, a new glittery orange phone case inspired by Taylor Swift's album "The Life of a Showgirl."

Ticketmaster and Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said that concert tickets are too cheap, actually.

Apple’s iOS 26.1 beta hints at broader smartwatch compatibility with third-party watches and fitness trackers.

LinkedIn is expanding its AI training to member profiles in the EU

Are you proud of your Kindle library and want to share the wealth of reading? Here's how to share Kindle books within your household.

Qualcomm just announced the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme, anticipated sequels to its game-changing PC chips.

Netflix's "Haunted Hotel" crosses over with "KPop Demon Hunters" in this cursed music video.

A new call recording app is gaining traction for offering to pay users for voice data from calls, which is sold to AI companies.

The exemption would allow the Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company to commercially deploy its custom-built robotaxis, which lack traditional controls like pedals and a steering wheel.

The DHS posted an ICE raid video set to the Pokémon show intro. Quiet at first, the Pokémon Company is now distancing itself from the video.

Logitech's newest wireless keyboard only needs the power of the sun to work, and only needs your gumption to keep working.

Lithium Americas asked for a small change to the loan repayment period, which spurred the latest Trump administration request for equity.

Lithium Americas asked for a small change to the loan repayment period, which spurred the latest Trump administration request for equity.

Lithium Americas asked for a small change to the loan repayment period, which spurred the latest Trump administration request for equity.

You can get an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti for $379 at Walmart.

The decision to let users hide end screens is a welcome addition to the platform, especially since they can end up covering the last bit of a video and make it hard to see what's happening in some cases.

Instagram is redesigning its app to emphasize Reels, DMs, and personalized recommendations.

The trailer for "V/H/S/HALLOWEEN," the latest in Shudder's horror anthology series, has dropped.

Star Jessica Chastain responded to Apple's decision to postpone her upcoming show about stopping online extremists.

A fresh $100 million and an interesting partnership with AMD has slightly bumped Cohere's valuation up.

A single AI model trained to control numerous robotic bodies can operate unfamiliar hardware and adapt eerily well to serious injuries.

Microsoft is integrating OpenAI rival Anthropic's AI into Copilot, marking another step towards the disentangling of Microsoft and OpenAI.

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, GTM pros Max Altschuler, Alison Wagonfeld, and Marc Manara take the Builders Stage to show founders how to build a go-to-market engine that doesn’t just support the product, but also scales with it.

Whether your giftee loves bird watching, bird feeding, or just putting a bird on it, these gifts are sure to be a hit.

A couple of months ago, the founders behind YC-backed social app Candle were in “pivot hell,” cycling through more than a dozen ideas after joining Y Combinator’s Fall 2024 batch, while the clock on their seed money ticked down. Alex Ruber, previously an engineer at Apple, and Parth Chopra, formerly an engineer at Asana and […]

Local TV stations owned by Nexstar and Sinclair are not airing "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Here's how to stream the show.

The Robeta Ananya luxury camper van features a full living room, ceiling bed, washer-dryer, and complete kitchen starting at $295,000 for the limited Founders' Edition.

The Ellison family is cornering the market on attention and data the same way the Vanderbilts did railroads and the Rockefellers did oil.

Apple's new cases for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air are 10% off on Amazon as of Sept. 24.

A Google executive reconfirmed that a merging of ChromeOS and Android is coming at some point in the near future.

As of Sept. 24, get an 85-inch Hisense U7 4K TV for $148.01 off at Amazon.

As of Sept. 24, the Nothing Ear (Open) headphones are on sale for $99 at Amazon, down from $159.99.

Google's new conversational voice search tool, Search Live, has officially launched in the U.S.

The Mashable 101: The creators shaping the internet in 2025

The Monster S220 Bluetooth soundbar is on sale for under $50 at Amazon as of Sept. 24. That's a savings of 40%.

As Instagram celebrates the 3 billion milestone, it also plans to roll out features that help users control what content is algorithmically recommended to them.

The Roborock F25 Ultra Steam Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner is on sale at Amazon for $599.99, down from the list price of $799.99. That's a 25% discount.

Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn and Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan compel Match and Tinder's CEO to act against romance scams.

How to Watch PlayStation's State of Play event, where we expect updates on 'Saros' and 'Marvel: Tokon: Fighting Souls'.

This news comes just a few weeks after Oracle allegedly inked a $300 billion compute deal with OpenAI that surprised the market.

Tips and tricks for customizing your iPhone with iOS 26's Liquid Glass.

The TCL NXTPAPER 14 tablet is on sale for $369.99 at Amazon. That's $100 in savings and includes a stylus and case.

As of Sept. 24, save $44 on the Asus Dual Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 OC Edition.

Demand for AI chips is booming—and so is the need for software to run them. Chris Lattner’s startup Modular just raised $250 million to build the best developer tools for AI hardware.

As of Sept. 24, you can get the LG 39-inch Ultragear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor for $896.99 at Amazon, down from $1,599.99.

Until Oct. 2, a $150 Delta gift card comes with a free $10 Starbucks gift card and a $300 Delta gift card comes with a free year of Paramount+.

iOS 26 could be draining your iPhone's battery, but changing this one setting could solve your low-battery problems.

Two configurations of the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M3, WiFi) are on sale for record-low prices at Woot as of Sept. 24.

Target Circle members can save $15 when they spend $50 on household essentials like paper towels, cleaning supplies, and more.

Supergiant's first sequel is every bit a fun as the first, but 'Hades II' also left me yearning for a new world from the studio.

As of Sept. 24, get the M4 Mac mini for $100 off at Amazon.

The Jackery HomePower 3000 portable power station with two 200W solar panels is on sale at Amazon for $1,599, down from the list price of $2,999. That's a 47% discount.

As of Sept. 24, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) (Renewed Premium) are on sale for $139.99 at Amazon, down from $209.99.

The AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening October 27–29 in San Francisco, is officially locked and loaded, featuring the powerhouses shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Explore the full agenda and grab your pass with savings of up to $668.