Gadgets 3 December 2025 - 30 December 2025

Apple discontinued about 25 devices in 2025, including the iPhone SE and iPhone Plus models, marking a shift to a slimmer lineup. Millions of Google Play users may qualify for cash from a $700 million settlement over purchases made between 2016 and 2023. PSN and Fortnite faced Christmas Day server strain but remained mostly online after rapid engineering response. S&P Dow Jones Indices says AI and private markets are transforming index construction and competition.

Vince Zampella, co-creator of Call of Duty, died at 55 in a car crash Sunday on Angeles Crest Highway, Los Angeles County, according to reports. The Air Force will shut down NIPRGPT by Dec. 31, replacing it with GenAI.mil across the Department of Defense. Google plans to expand green card sponsorship for eligible employees in 2026. Apple and Alphabet stocks surged as both companies advance AI integration.

Best Buy cut the price of the Galaxy Watch Ultra Titanium White by 50%, now selling for $325. Ars Technica tested AI coding agents on a Minesweeper clone, finding Claude Code built the game faster than OpenAI Codex, with better user experience.

President Trump will allow Nvidia to sell H200 AI chips to approved customers in China, with the U.S. taking a 25% cut of sales. The deal excludes Nvidia’s Blackwell and Rubin platforms and is pending final rules from the Commerce Department. Chinese President Xi Jinping was notified and responded positively, according to Trump. Similar arrangements may extend to AMD and Intel.

The 40mm Apple Watch SE 3 remains under $200 on Amazon, nearly $50 off its usual price, almost a week after Black Friday. ARISS is running an SSTV event via the RS-38S satellite through December 13, transmitting images on 437.825 MHz. Alaska will gain two new undersea fiber-optic cables linking Juneau, Cordova, and Seward by fall 2027.