The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
A new podcast episode looks at why some phones never reach North America, and what shoppers have left now that OnePlus is gone from the market.
Read more: Podcast asks why some phones never reach North AmericaEau Claire police saw a spike in fake law enforcement calls on Tuesday, November 3, claiming people missed jury duty. Here is how to spot it and hang up.
Read more: Fake police calls claim you missed jury duty and demand paymentA How-To Geek writer says Samsung's One UI 9 looks more like an iPhone. If phones feel alike, features and price may matter more than brand when you buy.
Read more: Samsung's newest phone software looks more like an iPhoneOpenAI has hired Uber's Jill Hazelbaker to run corporate affairs, a sign the AI maker is putting more weight on how it deals with the public and officials.
Read more: OpenAI hires Uber's Jill Hazelbaker to lead corporate affairsMaybelline now lets shoppers preview lipstick, eye and brow shades on their own face inside ChatGPT, then find where to buy them.
Read more: Maybelline lets you try on makeup inside ChatGPT using your cameraMeta says advertisers who followed its AI assistant's tips got about 5% more conversions and spent 9% more, and some outlets say Google Search could lose out.
Read more: Meta's AI ad helper links to 9% higher ad spending, Google may feel itAn Android Police writer swapped six paid apps for free, open source ones. Here is what he picked and what to know before trying them.
Read more: Free Android apps that can replace paid subscriptionsAndroid quietly sorts your apps into tiers that limit background battery use. A hidden menu lets you change where each app sits, which can fix drain or late alerts.
Read more: Android ranks your apps by battery use, and you can change the rankingApple's iOS 27.3 lets app makers plug Siri AI into their apps, so you can ask Siri to get things done inside them. It starts as a developer preview.
Read more: Apple lets Siri AI work inside the other apps on your iPhoneApple says iOS 27.3 brings new StandBy features, first seen on the iPhone Duo, to iPhone 11 and newer. The update is due to reach the public in December.
Read more: Apple's bedside clock mode is getting new features on older iPhonesApple is adding four more languages to its smarter Siri in iOS 27.3, bringing the total to 10. The update is in beta now and is due for everyone next month.
Read more: Apple's new Siri adds four more languages in the next iPhone updateApple's first test version of iOS 27.3 adds Reachability to the iPhone Duo, a sideways screen shift for people who find the wide display hard to use with one hand.
Read more: iPhone Duo gets a one-handed mode in the new iOS 27.3 test versionApple Intelligence is now live on iPhones in China, with Alibaba's Qwen handling the jobs ChatGPT does elsewhere. Here is who gets it and who does not.
Read more: iPhones in China get Apple's AI features, powered by Alibaba's QwenMastercard says holiday stress, not just weak passwords, makes shoppers easier targets for scammers. A few calm seconds before you click can protect your money.
Read more: Holiday stress makes people easier targets for online scamsApple's iOS 27.3 beta lets Siri handle chores in Music, Messages, Photos, Safari, Files and more, so you can do small tasks by voice.
Read more: Siri in iOS 27.3 beta can now do far more inside Apple appsScammers posing as police in Merseyside faked the force's real phone number to ask for money, so a trusted number on your screen is no proof.
Read more: Scammers fake a real police phone number to ask for moneyYango Ride now works inside ChatGPT, so riders in more than 25 countries can check fares, routes and pickup times in one chat before booking.
Read more: You can now plan a Yango ride inside a ChatGPT conversationCall transcription turns phone and video calls into searchable text, which can replace note-taking and give teams a record for training and compliance.
Read more: Call transcription turns phone calls into searchable written textApple's redesigned Health app arrives with iOS 27.3 next month, adding a Health Age score and fitness checks you can do at home with your iPhone camera.
Read more: Apple's rebuilt Health app is coming to iPhones next monthOpenAI says ChatGPT now runs one search for every five on Google, which could mean more ads in chatbot answers and fewer visitors to business websites.
Read more: OpenAI says ChatGPT now handles one search for every five on GoogleApple's first iOS 27.3 and macOS 27.3 betas bring side tabs, dark mode for sites that lack it, and Siri that can tidy your tabs. Most people get it in December.
Read more: Apple's Safari beta adds tabs down the side and dark mode for any siteA new battery costing $10 to $80 and a few simple habits could help an older Android phone last longer, as phone prices climb.
Read more: Make your old Android phone last longer without buying a new onePhoto Map for Android plots your pictures on a world map, down to the street, and keeps the data on your phone. The free version has limits.
Read more: An Android app puts all your photos on one map of where you've beenOpenAI is partnering with Cathedral, the startup that got into Anthropic's systems, to test its own defenses. AI firms hold vast data, so their security touches users.
Read more: OpenAI hires the startup that broke into Anthropic's systems
