Technology
The government shutdown is delaying new gadgets
Tech products that are packaged and ready for sale aren’t launching in the US as planned right now, thanks to the government shutdown.
Earlier this month, Leica delayed its M EV1 camera due to holdups on approval from the partially shuttered Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The WiiM Sound audiophile speaker, currently shipping in international markets, has been delayed in the US for the same reason. Razer also delayed the US availability of its Raiju V3 Pro wireless controller, saying that it’s waiting on clearance. Numerous other devices might be in the same boat, and the longer the shutdown stretches, the worse the backlog will get.
Any product that emits radio frequencies cannot be sold in the US until the FCC provides clearance, ensuring the emissions fall within approved frequencies and don’t cause interference with other devices. Typically, this is a routine process. But because it’s not considered an essential function of the agency, as the government shutdown enters its 27th day, manufacturers are facing a growing backlog with no end in sight, says Harold Feld, SVP at Public Knowledge. “You can’t get them off the boats until they have their certification,” Feld tells The Verge.
Government shutdowns have impacted FCC approval in past years, but even if the shutdown ends soon, the application queue likely won’t be cleared as quickly as companies hope. “The FCC has lost a large number of engineers as a result of retirement,” Feld says. While he believes it mostly avoided the purge that befell some other agencies under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, he says it’s still dealing with an aging, dwindling workforce of people to test the devices it approves.
More disruptive yet is how the FCC under the Trump administration is reshaping its rules, which could lead to unexpected product delays and confusion. On September 8th, the agency decertified numerous Chinese testing labs that companies used to verify that their products’ radio frequency emissions met FCC standards. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr boasted that these “Bad Labs” were decertified as a step in “restoring trust in the Commission’s equipment authorization process, and combatting foreign adversary threats.” But it means companies need to add one more step to their process: “You have to go and find another lab that has still got its certification in order to certify your product,” says Feld.
Finding a different lab to get FCC clearance may still be only a short-term fix, because the agency will meet on October 28th, per the FCC’s agenda, to discuss further modifying which labs are authorized and which present what it dubs national security threats. Feld expects that the agency may further screen out more labs and change rules, both of which could spell unexpected hurdles in product release timelines, including longer waits for regulatory clearances.
“The fact that the rules, to a certain degree, are in flux, makes it harder for companies to project going forward what they’re going to need to do,” Feld says.
Before the shutdown, companies gearing up for a big holiday-timed product launch sought FCC certification months in advance. However, more companies may feel the need to adopt proactive plans to factor in the possible delays in dealing with the FCC. That likely presents a big adjustment for many companies, as they may need to lock in final manufacturing samples earlier in the product development process.
We reached out to the FCC asking whether the government shutdown was to blame for impacting its ability to provide clearances for tech products. It auto-responded with an email saying that it can’t answer emails because of the government shutdown.
Technology
You can now try the Xbox Full Screen Experience on any PC, laptop, or tablet
Microsoft is bringing the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), which adds a console-like UI while navigating through your game library on a PC with a controller, to laptops, desktops, and tablets. FSE launched with the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, and it has so far only been available on PC handhelds.
The expansion to laptops, desktops, and tablets is available as part of new Windows Insider Preview Builds on the Dev and Beta channels and for people in the Xbox Insider Program. To turn on FSE on your PC, “hover over the Task View icon on your taskbar and choose Xbox full screen experience,” Microsoft says. “You can also open Xbox full screen experience in Game Bar > Settings or by pressing Win + F11 to toggle the experience.”
However, even if you’re a Windows Insider, you may not have the access to FSE right away, as Microsoft says the feature is “gradually rolling out” with the new Windows Insider builds. It also requires that you have the Xbox app from the Microsoft store.
Technology
Neighbors outraged as LA airport becomes ground zero for AI-driven flying taxis
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Archer Aviation, a leading developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, just made one of its boldest moves yet. The company agreed to acquire Hawthorne Airport for $126 million in cash.
According to Archer’s latest shareholder letter, the deal includes the remaining 30 years on the airport’s master lease and an exclusive option to take a controlling stake in the on-site fixed-base operator, subject to city approval.
This historic 80-acre site includes about 190,000 square feet of terminals, office space and hangars. Its location near LAX and major Los Angeles destinations makes it a prime spot for an air taxi network that aims to change how people move in crowded cities.
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Archer’s development plans for Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles. (Archer Aviation)
Why Hawthorne Airport matters for the new air taxi network
Archer Aviation plans to use the airport as the main operational hub for its LA air taxi network. The company also plans to prepare the site to support transportation during the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This includes managing everything from takeoff scheduling to ground operations. In its shareholder letter, Archer frames Hawthorne as a “plug-and-play” anchor hub for its LA28 Olympic plans, saying it expects to ramp up aircraft testing, storage, maintenance and charging on-site as it prepares for commercial service.
The airport will also become a testbed for next-generation AI-powered aviation systems. These tools will help Archer develop smarter air traffic management, faster turnaround times and safer operations in crowded airspace.
Archer outlines a two-phase plan in the letter: Phase 1 focuses on redeveloping up to 200,000 square feet of hangars and locking in control of the FBO, while Phase 2 layers in AI air traffic and ground management, smart sensor-embedded runways and a more digital, streamlined passenger experience.
United Airlines CFO Michael Leskinen praised the move and said, “Archer’s trajectory validates our conviction that eVTOLs are part of the next generation of air traffic technology that will fundamentally reshape aviation. Their vision for an AI-enabled operations platform isn’t just about eVTOLs, it’s also about leveraging cutting-edge technology to better enable moving people safely and efficiently in our most congested airspaces. Through United’s investment arm, United Airlines Ventures, we’re investing in companies like Archer that pioneer technologies that will define and support aviation infrastructure for decades to come.”
Meanwhile, Hawthorne Mayor Alex Vargas celebrated the deal on social media, writing “WELCOME ARCHER TO THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE!”
Archer plans to turn Hawthorne Airport into the main hub for its LA air taxi network. (Archer Aviation)
Neighbors outraged over ‘AI air taxi’ takeover
Not everyone is cheering Archer’s plan to turn Hawthorne into a flagship hub for AI-guided flying taxis. A local group called Hawthorne Quiet Skies, made up of residents living around the airport, says they were blindsided by the $126 million takeover and that no one from the company or city bothered to engage them before announcing a “test bed for AI-powered aviation technologies” over their homes.
Neighbors who live just across the street and within a couple of blocks of the runway describe Hawthorne as one of the most tightly packed airports in the country, with homes on three sides and years of complaints about deafening jet and helicopter noise. The city’s own 2021 noise study identified more than 160 homes and roughly 480 people already exposed to unhealthy noise levels, yet residents say there has been “zero progress” on mitigation even as the airport shifted from small private planes to commercial traffic and now an around-the-clock eVTOL hub.
The group is also raising alarms about Archer’s AI ambitions, pointing to academic research that current machine-learning systems in aviation still struggle to handle unusual conditions and lack formal safety guarantees.
They argue that whatever the promises of cleaner, futuristic air taxis, Hawthorne is being used as a live test site without clear safeguards, updated federal noise rules or any serious plan to compensate families if nonstop eVTOL traffic makes their homes too loud to live in.
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How Archer Aviation is funding growth and expanding its air taxi program
Alongside the airport news, Archer reported major financial momentum. The company raised an additional $650 million in equity, which boosted its total liquidity to more than $2 billion. The company’s Midnight aircraft also hit new flight milestones, including a 55-mile flight at over 126 mph and a climb to 10,000 feet.
Archer also expanded its global technology footprint. It completed the acquisition of Lilium’s patent portfolio, which pushes Archer’s total intellectual property to more than 1,000 global assets. Those patents cover ducted fans, high voltage systems, flight controls and other key technologies.
International expansion is underway, too. Archer began test and demo flights in the UAE and secured new partnerships with Korean Air and with Japan Airlines and Sumitomo’s JV in Osaka and Tokyo.
The airport will serve as a testbed for next generation AI aviation systems designed to manage busy airspace more safely. (Archer Aviation)
What this means for you
Archer’s airport deal suggests that air taxis are moving closer to everyday use. This shift could mean shorter trips across major cities at a fraction of today’s travel time. It could also bring quieter aircraft over neighborhoods compared to helicopters.
For Los Angeles residents, Hawthorne Airport may become a central point for fast point-to-point travel once certification moves forward. Visitors flying in for major events like the LA28 Olympics could see air taxis as a smooth alternative to gridlocked freeways.
Businesses may gain new options for rapid transport across the region. The move also signals more investment and jobs in advanced aviation, automation and clean electric travel.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Archer’s acquisition of Hawthorne Airport marks a major milestone in the race to build a real air taxi network, giving the company the aircraft, funding and prime location it needs to push the industry forward. Its focus on AI-driven operations shows how automated aviation may soon play a much bigger role in daily life, even as regulators are still working out how to safely integrate these aircraft into crowded cities. At the same time, the move is already sparking backlash from neighbors who worry about more noise, safety risks and being turned into a test site for AI-guided aircraft without a real say. If Archer can win over regulators, investors and the communities living just beyond the fence line, this step could make the future of urban flight feel much closer, for better or worse.
If air taxis become a real option in Los Angeles by 2028, would you try one for your daily commute or stick to the ground? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Technology
Grok’s Elon Musk worship is getting weird
It’s no secret that Elon Musk shapes the X social platform and X’s “maximally truth-seeking” Grok AI chatbot to his preferences. But it’s possible Musk may have needed a bit of an extra ego boost this week, because Grok’s worship of its creator seems, shall we say, more noticeable than usual.
As a number of people have pointed out on social media over the past day, Grok’s public-facing chatbot is currently prone to insisting on Musk’s prowess at absolutely anything, no matter how unlikely — or conversely, embarrassing — a given feat is.
If pressed, Grok will also contend Musk would be the best at eating poop or drinking urine, but it would prefer to focus on how good he is at making rockets, please. At least some of these posts have been deleted in the past hour; X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the phenomenon from The Verge.
This glazing appears to be exclusive to the X version of Grok; when I asked the private chatbot to compare Musk with James, it conceded, “LeBron James has a significantly better physique than Elon Musk.” The GitHub page for Grok’s system prompts indicates they were updated three days ago, with the additions including a prohibition on “snarky one-liners” and instructions not to base responses on “any beliefs stated in past Grok posts or by Elon Musk or xAI,” but there’s nothing that seems to clearly explain this new behavior — although system prompts are only one way to shape how AI systems work.
Either way, this is far from the weirdest Grok has gotten, and it’s less disruptive than the bot’s brief obsession with “white genocide” or its intense antisemitism — which, incidentally, is still flaring up in the form of Holocaust denial. Grok has previously searched for Musk’s opinion to formulate its own answers, so even the preoccupation with Musk isn’t new. But it reminds us all what a weirdly intimate connection Grok — a product that’s been rolled out across the US government, among other places — has with its owner, and how randomly that connection is prone to appear.
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