The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Uber's delivery arm grew faster in the third quarter while ride-hailing slowed, and one analyst says the ride slowdown is not a big worry.
Read more: Uber's food and package delivery speeds up as ride growth coolsA reader poll found the premium Gemini plan beat the cheaper Google AI Plus. Before paying for either, check which features you would really use.
Read more: More people pay for premium Gemini than Google expectedFree phone settings, one text to 7726 and a few habits can cut daily junk calls and texts, and lower the risk of losing money to a scam.
Read more: How to cut spam texts and robocalls using free settings on your phoneOpenAI has added GIF creation to ChatGPT, so you can ask for a short looping clip in plain words. It could help anyone who sends memes or runs social posts.
Read more: ChatGPT can now make GIFs, the short looping clips, from your promptsA leak says Samsung's Galaxy A38 could carry a 6,000mAh battery, bigger than the $1,400 Galaxy S26 Ultra's, at a much lower price.
Read more: Samsung's Next Midrange Phone May Out-Battery Its $1,400 FlagshipDreamHost says an attacker spent about two months inside its File Manager tool and took website login details. Customers should check their sites and email.
Read more: DreamHost says hackers stole website login details for two monthsAmazon's new Merchant Workspace lets outside stores link up so Alexa for Shopping can show their products, and shoppers get sent to those stores to buy.
Read more: Amazon lets outside stores show up when you shop with AlexaA writer who makes jewelry built a metal-look Pixel Watch band from beads for about $21 to $23, while Google's own metal bands cost $150 to $200.
Read more: She built a Pixel Watch metal band at home for under $25Motorola is reviving its One phone line, and a first look at the hardware is out. Prices and dates are not, so shoppers have a reason to wait.
Read more: Motorola is bringing back its Moto One phone lineInstagram is adding a format called Features that allows videos up to 90 minutes, a direct move against YouTube that could change how businesses reach customers.
Read more: Instagram wants you to watch 90-minute videos, like YouTubeThe Enough Phone has a 5.3-inch screen and is on Kickstarter for $499. Buyers can pick regular Android or a stripped-down system with no social media.
Read more: A New 5.3-Inch Android Phone Aims to Bring Small Phones BackA tech writer says three built-in Gmail tools, Priority Inbox, filters and a Gemini link, cleaned up his inbox, and you can try them free in minutes.
Read more: A writer's Gmail setup keeps his inbox tidy with built-in toolsPangram, known for spotting AI-written text, now offers a free-to-try-style check for AI photos and videos on the web, in a Chrome add-on and through its API.
Read more: Pangram now offers a tool to spot AI-made photos and videosApple's macOS 27.3 beta puts iPhone-style live updates in the Mac menu bar, so you can control music or watch a timer without opening an app.
Read more: Older Macs get iPhone-style live updates in the menu barSouth Dakota's attorney general has joined a bipartisan push for Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill that could change how apps treat children.
Read more: South Dakota's attorney general urges Congress to pass kids online safety billCNET Labs found extra mesh units added only a small signal boost over one Wi-Fi 7 router, so many homes may not need to spend hundreds more.
Read more: One Good Wi-Fi Router May Be Enough for Most Homes, Tests ShowBinance says the largest theft on record began with a fake software installer and a fake job test. The same tricks can hit any work computer.
Read more: Biggest theft ever began with a fake software installer on a MacTwelve South's $80 AirFly View plugs into a seatback jack so Bluetooth headphones work on older planes, but cheaper models do much the same job.
Read more: A $80 gadget lets any headphones work with plane seatback screensApple's new Watch features can transcribe nearby conversations. They are in early testing now, and people near a wearer cannot opt out.
Read more: Apple tests Apple Watch features that listen to conversationsThe titanium Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $699, $300 above aluminum, and the extra money buys a nicer finish and tougher glass, not new features.
Read more: Titanium Apple Watch costs $300 more than aluminum. Is it worth it?Apple's new Siri Recaps on Apple Watch turn the day's spoken details into notes. A TechCrunch tester found it useful, and a bit unsettling.
Read more: Apple Watch can now summarize your day's conversations, and it worksNetflix has launched AI Discover, a new tab that suggests shows and movies based on your mood, the time you have and who is watching with you.
Read more: Netflix adds a new way to find a show: tell it your moodUber says outside AI agents arranged just four rides last quarter, a sign that asking a bot to book your trip is still rare.
Read more: Uber says AI helpers booked just 4 rides last quarterAfter three months with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, one reviewer says the cameras still fall short, and leaks suggest the Fold 9 will not change that.
Read more: Galaxy Z Fold 8 cameras still disappoint, and Fold 9 may not improve them
