Tech Week in Review: September 29 – October 5, 2025

Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap Up, your simplified rundown of the biggest tech and science headlines from September 29 through October 5, 2025. Between regulatory shifts, scientific breakthroughs, and global policy movements, this week was a pivotal one for the tech and science sectors. Here’s what mattered.

Major Highlights

1. Meta Connect 2025 Unveils Orion AR Glasses and Llama 5

Meta’s Connect 2025 event introduced the Orion AR glasses, ultralight spectacles with a 100-degree field-of-view that overlay AI-generated holograms onto the real world. Priced at $499 for early adopters, Orion integrates with Llama 5, a 3-trillion-parameter multimodal AI model excelling in real-time spatial reasoning. The event also showcased features like holographic collaborators in meetings and AI-curated fashion try-ons via Ray-Ban Meta upgrades. Partnerships with EssilorLuxottica aim for 100 million units by 2027, though privacy concerns regarding “always-on” neural data persist Future.

2. Amazon’s September 2025 Event: New Devices and Alexa+ Integration

Amazon’s major September 2025 event showcased a broad lineup of new hardware and features. Highlights include the debut of the Echo Dot Max with enhanced bass and a sleek design, alongside a compact, improved Echo Studio packed with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. The Kindle Scribe series now includes a first-ever color model, targeting both readers and note-takers. Additionally, Amazon introduced its first 4K video doorbells, featuring AI-driven Retinal Vision software, and a new Search Party feature to locate lost pets. Fire TV updates include new 2-Series, 4-Series, and Omni QLED models, with the Omni boasting a performance leap and new voice features. A budget-friendly Fire TV 4K Stick Select, priced under $40, also launched. On the home security front, two new Blink cameras were unveiled, along with the Blink Arc, a dual-lens 180-degree cam. Lastly, Amazon confirmed wider device integration for Alexa+, which remains in early access but is free for Prime members TechRadar.

Science & Tech Moves

3. NASA’s Asteroid 2025 SA3 Makes Close Approach

On September 30, 2025, NASA confirmed that asteroid 2025 SA3, approximately 54 feet (16.5 meters) in diameter about the size of a house is set to make a close approach to Earth. Traveling at a speed of 18,073 mph (29,080 km/h), this fast-moving space rock has drawn significant attention from astronomers and the public alike. While it is not expected to impact Earth, the asteroid’s close passage is being closely monitored by NASA and other space agencies as part of ongoing planetary defense efforts TechRadar.

4. MIT Scientists Unlock a New Level of Precision in Gene Editing

MIT researchers have dramatically lowered the error rate of prime editing, a technique with promise for correcting genetic mutations. This advancement could lead to more accurate and efficient gene therapies, offering new hope for treating genetic disorders SciTechDaily.

Tech & Science Events This Week

5. NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2025

On October 4–5, 2025, NASA hosted its International Space Apps Challenge, a global hackathon encouraging participants to transform NASA’s open data into actionable tools. The event featured 18 challenges across various themes, including solar weather, meteors, agriculture, and exoplanets. Collaborating with 14 space agencies, including the South African National Space Agency, the challenge aimed to inspire innovation and community-driven technological solutions Wikipedia.

Science & Tech Nuggets

6. Scientists Deliberately Add Defects to Graphene, Unlocking New Powers

Scientists have grown defective graphene using Azupyrene, making it more useful for sensors and semiconductors. The introduction of controlled defects enhances the material’s properties, opening new avenues for its application in various technologies SciTechDaily.

7. Astronomers Detect the Brightest Ever Fast Radio Burst

Astronomers have detected the brightest ever fast radio burst, a mysterious and powerful cosmic event. This discovery could provide new insights into the nature of these enigmatic phenomena and the extreme environments from which they originate ScienceDaily.

That’s a wrap for September 29 – October 5, 2025. From groundbreaking device launches to advancements in gene editing, this week underscored the accelerating pace of innovation and the pressing need for thoughtful regulation. Stay curious, stay critical and share this post if you found something useful.