AI, software, security and the apps you use every day, written for business owners and everyday people. New stories through the day, zero clickbait.
A Visa survey finds 54% of US adults have used AI for shopping, but only 23% would let it complete a payment. Here is what that means this holiday season.
Read more: More Americans use AI to shop for gifts, but few let it payGoogle-led researchers built an AI that watches you cook or build and speaks only when needed, but tests show today's models still struggle to time it right.
Read more: Google tests an AI helper that watches you work and speaks up only when neededA YouTube redesign removed filters and changed familiar habits, and one writer says finding favorite creators now takes more effort, though a workaround exists.
Read more: YouTube's new look makes it harder to find your favorite creatorsWhich? says fake NatWest emails and Barclays texts are trying to steal personal details, and Lloyds reports impersonation scams cost its customers 10% more.
Read more: Scammers are posing as NatWest and Barclays to steal your detailsA tech writer asked Google's Gemini Spark to clean up his messy Mac Downloads folder. It sorted files by topic, and he set it to repeat weekly.
Read more: Google's Gemini Spark tidied a messy Mac Downloads folder by itselfGoogle and Samsung promise seven years of updates, but a worn battery or cracked screen will likely end a phone's life before the software does.
Read more: Phone makers promise 7 years of updates, but the battery gives out firstIndia's EPFO plans to pay out inactive provident fund accounts holding up to ₹1,000 automatically, so small leftover balances need no claim.
Read more: India's retirement fund to auto-close tiny inactive accountsNew York paused new data center building for a year. Residents and lawmakers say it falls short, and many other states may soon face the same pressure.
Read more: New York paused new data centers. Locals say that is not enoughIn a walking test of about 8,000 steps, a $179 Fitbit Edge landed within 50 steps of a $399 Apple Watch Series 12. Step counting alone may not justify the price gap.
Read more: A $179 Fitbit nearly matches a $399 Apple Watch at counting stepsAMP, a company with eight people, writes detailed playbooks for its AI agents. The CEO says that approach saves hires and keeps the agents from acting on guesswork.
Read more: An 8-person startup writes step-by-step guides for its AI agentsA writer found that telling Google's Gemini chatbot his time and mood picked better shows than Netflix's own suggestions, though the tip comes with limits.
Read more: Using Gemini to pick what to watch beats scrolling Netflix for 30 minutesAn Android Authority reviewer says the Pixel 11 Pro's portrait mode with its 5x zoom lens is a blast to use, and shoppers may want to test it.
Read more: Google Pixel 11 Pro's zoom portrait mode wins a reviewer overTwo built-in iPhone settings can clear a full-storage warning while keeping your photos, videos, apps and app logins, though photos may need iCloud space.
Read more: Two iPhone settings free up storage without deleting photos or appsAndroid Authority ran the numbers and found that a repair costing hundreds can beat buying a new phone. Here is what to weigh before you decide.
Read more: Fixing a broken phone can cost less than buying a new onePark officials say hikers are using AI chatbots to plan trips and getting bad directions, bad maps and bad advice. Experts say to double-check before you go.
Read more: Hikers are trusting AI chatbots for trail advice and getting into troubleScammers are copying a Newfoundland craft council's look and tone to sell fake vendor tables. One shop owner lost several thousand dollars.
Read more: Scammers are posing as a craft fair to steal vendor fees and dataMany Android phones already have an app that can share your live location, so family can follow a trip on a map. Check who sees it and when it stops.
Read more: Share your live location from an Android phone in a few tapsCheap AI voice tools are being sold to criminals, and a call that sounds like your family may not be them. Here is what to know and what to watch for.
Read more: Scammers can now copy a loved one's voice for as little as $8A Brazilian court fined two law firms about $16,000 for hiding a command to AI in white text. Any business that lets AI read outside documents should take note.
Read more: Brazilian court fines two law firms for hiding commands to AI in a filingAskAnyModel AI Pro is a lifetime plan that puts answers from several chatbots in one window. It is on sale for $29.97, but check the credit limits first.
Read more: One $30 tool shows answers from 50 AI chatbots side by sideA startup says its $499 glasses can turn words you only think about saying into text, with no camera. Shipping is US only and not guaranteed.
Read more: Smart glasses that turn silent speech into text cost $499A swapped-out speed-tracking script on Polymarket's site moved some traders' funds to hackers. Polymarket is paying back $3.9 million in total.
Read more: Hackers drain about $2.7 million from Polymarket traders through a tampered website toolA Tom's Guide writer built a 15-minute ChatGPT lesson for beginners, with tips on better questions, checking answers and what never to share.
Read more: A 15-minute ChatGPT lesson plan simple enough for your parentsDropbox says no setting sends your files to OpenAI on its own, after users worried an AI toggle was on and hidden. Here is what the company says and what to check.
Read more: Dropbox says it is not sharing your files with OpenAI by default
