AI Gets a Reality Check While Big Tech Doubles Down on Lock-In

DLSS 5 gets scaled back, Apple's HomePod Mini finally returns, and consolidation is reshaping tech, dating, and streaming all at once. • Apple’s HomePod Mini 2 is available to preorder Apple's HomePod Mini 2 is now available for preorder at $149, launching October 30th — the first update to the compact smart speaker in nearly six years. • DLSS 5 gets toned down for its Hogwarts Legacy debut next month Nvidia's DLSS 5 AI upscaling tech is launching in Hogwarts Legacy on November 5th with a significantly toned-down look after backlash over unrealistic face alterations, while a major performance update makes the system twice as fast on RTX 50-series GPUs. • Discovery Plus is getting more expensive Discovery Plus is raising subscription prices starting Tuesday, with the ad-supported plan jumping to $6.99/month and the ad-free tier climbing to $11.99/month. • Bumble agrees to a $1.3B acquisition deal as online dating faces a reset Bumble has agreed to a $1.3 billion acquisition by Ithaca Holdings, taking the dating app private after years of declining users and revenue since its $14 billion IPO valuation in 2021. • TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Day 1 TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 kicked off Day 1 at San Francisco's Moscone West, drawing 10,000+ attendees across six industry stages, 300+ exhibiting startups, and a high-stakes pitch competition with a $100,000 equity-free prize on the line. • SpaceXSI bundles X Premium, Grok and Cursor into one subscription SpaceX Super Intelligence is consolidating its suite of products into a single tiered subscription called 'The X Subscription,' bundling X Premium, Grok AI, and Cursor coding assistant into one plan. • Borrowing costs still too low to cool inflation, economists say in survey Economists warn that current borrowing costs remain insufficient to tame inflation, with business spending projected to grow at 12.6% annually this year before cooling to 6.2%. • DeLauter, Ramírez ignite offense as Guardians steal Game 1 on road vs. Rays The Cleveland Guardians grabbed an early series advantage by stealing Game 1 on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays, powered by standout offensive performances from DeLauter and Ramírez. • Fall Sports Stars: Who is the Kalamazoo area’s top underclassman football player? MLive is running a reader poll to crown the top underclassman football player in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area, with 15 candidates from the Classes of 2029 and 2030 up for consideration. • Fall Sports Stars: Who is the Kalamazoo area’s top underclassmen girls golfer? MLive is running a reader poll to crown the top underclassman girls golfer in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area, with 15 sophomore and freshman candidates nominated from across Southwest Michigan high schools. • AM Radio, Diddy Drama & Dolly’s Family Feud Unable to generate a meaningful summary — the article body contains only a broken link with no accessible content. • Don Toliver Details Personal Importance of Connecting With Drake