Microsoft reveals new Xbox | Chef will be acquired for $220M

Artificial fan noise at NFL games | Tech stocks sink again | Seattle startup launches ‘TalkSocket’ ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: Become a GeekWire member: [Support independent journalism and join today!]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES Microsoft reveals new Xbox: After images of the new console leaked late Monday, Microsoft confirmed that [it will sell the Xbox Series S for $299]( its smallest Xbox ever, [described as]( an “all-digital next-gen console.” A higher-powered Xbox Series X will reportedly sell for $499. Both consoles are expected to debut Nov. 10 and will compete against Sony’s new PlayStation 5 this holiday season. Chef acquisition: The Seattle automation tech company [will be sold to publicly-traded Progress in a $220 million cash deal](. It’s a major turn of events for Chef, a mainstay of the Pacific Northwest tech community for more than a decade. The acquisition “will provide the scale to further drive Chef’s platform forward and deliver additional value to our customers,” said Chef CEO Barry Crist in a statement. Chef has raised more than $100 million in its lifetime and currently employs 270 people. While some Chef leaders will transition to Progress, Crist tells GeekWire that he and other top executives are slated to leave the company following the deal. Are you ready for some — fan-less — football? The NFL’s 32 teams [will be using artificial crowd noise]( supplied by the league, and pumped through stadium sound systems to replicate a bit of what happens during games and to make the entire experience sound a bit better for television. The season kicks off Thursday, while the Seahawks debut Sunday at Atlanta. Meet the ‘TalkSocket’: A Seattle startup is partnering with PopSockets to turn the popular smartphone grip into a miniature Amazon Alexa device. The “TalkSocket” debuted on Kickstarter on Tuesday for a $49 pledge. [Here’s how it works](. Apple event: The $2 trillion company will hold [a virtual press event]( on Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. PT, but its Watch, not the new iPhone 12, [will reportedly be the focus](. Back to school: Good luck to all the parents out there as kids head back to the virtual classrooms this week. In case you missed it, Seattle tech entrepreneur, hacker, and parent Adam Doppelt [wrote a guest commentary]( for GeekWire about how he experienced the first day of school last week with ”a strange brew of empathy and frustration.” Tech stocks sink again: Shares of Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook [were down again in Tuesday trading]( continuing a dip over the past week for tech stocks following a surge since March amid the pandemic. Thanks for reading, and see all of our latest headlines below. -- GeekWire editor Todd Bishop,todd@geekwire.com, and GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Become a member, support independent journalism!]( GeekWire members support independent journalism at a time when trusted storytelling and community engagement is more important than ever. [Join today!Â]( LATEST HEADLINES [Sea-Tac Airport rolls out self-driving floor cleaners, restroom stall lights and more pandemic safety tech]( [Seattle startup’s ‘TalkSocket’ combines Alexa and PopSockets, launches on Kickstarter for $49]( [Can the Seahawks win without the 12th Man’s roar? With no stadium crowd, NFL to use pumped-in noise]( [Chef to be acquired for $220M by Progress in ‘next chapter’ for Seattle automation tech company]( [Xbox leaks: Microsoft will reportedly sell new console at $299 and $499]( SPONSORED: GEEK HOME OF THE DAY [West Seattle Contemporary]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [Avvo: Director of Sales Acquisition]( - [Libro.fm: Senior iOS Developer]( - [INRIX: Senior Software Development Engineer]( - [Icertis: Senior Software Engineer]( - [Libro.fm: Senior Android Developer]( - [INRIX: Backend Developer/Analyst]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2020 GeekWire LLC, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted to receive emails from GeekWire LLC.  Our mailing address is: GeekWire LLC 123 NW 36th St, Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98107  [change email frequency or address]( | [unsubscribe](