Monday’s Tech Roundup: Nothing Goes Budget, Google Democratizes AI Coding, TikTok’s Final Countdown, and OpenAI Enters Music

Tech startup Nothing confirms the October 29th launch of the Phone 3a Lite, bringing their acclaimed transparent design and minimalist aesthetic to a budget-friendly price point aimed at expanding their market reach. Google integrates "vibe coding" into AI Studio, enabling non-developers to create AI applications using natural language, though real-world deployment concerns and governance questions linger. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claims the TikTok deal will be finalized Thursday alongside a Trump-Xi meeting, though skeptics question whether this deadline will hold after repeated previous postponements. OpenAI joins the AI music generation race by working with Juilliard students on a new music tool, fueling debate about whether the company's sprawling product portfolio is strategically sound or dangerously unfocused.