The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
A non-programmer says he built stand-ins for three paid apps with a $20 Claude plan, and the apps keep working even if he cancels.
Read more: A writer used Claude to replace $400 a year in app subscriptionsA Yle investigation found WhatsApp recommends children's public channels to adult strangers, and some kids post their school hours, locations and phone numbers.
Read more: WhatsApp suggests children's channels to adult strangers, probe findsYouTube Music is testing animated play and pause buttons. It is a small visual tweak, and some people may never see it.
Read more: YouTube Music is testing buttons that move when you tap themA writer's Samsung phone lost about 30 points of battery overnight with wireless Android Auto. Turning off one startup setting cut the loss to about 4 points.
Read more: A hidden Android Auto setting was draining my phone overnightPeople report calls, texts and letters from 'D2 Management' demanding payment, and one BBB report calls the calls fake. Pay nothing until you see the debt in writing.
Read more: Got a call from D2 Management? Pay nothing until you see proofApple says faster battery drain after iOS 27.2 is normal and temporary, so there is no need to rush to a repair shop or replace your battery.
Read more: Battery draining fast after the iOS 27.2 update? Apple says that's normalAndroid Authority reports Google is quietly tying accounts together when they share a phone number. A quick settings check shows what is saved to yours.
Read more: Google may be linking your phone number across accountsteam.blue, a European owner of web hosting and software brands, is adding AI connectors. Small business customers should know what may change and what is unclear.
Read more: team.blue adds AI connectors to its web software brandsBouygues Telecom says it is the first French operator with its own channel on ChatGPT, a sign that customer service is moving into chatbots.
Read more: French phone company Bouygues now answers customers inside ChatGPTSamsung's $229 Galaxy Buds On sit outside the ear canal so you can hear your surroundings, and they come with hands-free voice, nod and shake controls.
Read more: Samsung's new open-ear earbuds let you hear your surroundingsA Realtor.com study found no clear gap in home price growth near new data centers, but power bills, water and noise remain open questions for neighbors.
Read more: A nearby data center may not lower your home's value, study findsWhatsApp is reportedly testing a feature that turns phone numbers, dates and addresses in chats into tappable shortcuts, but it has not confirmed a launch.
Read more: WhatsApp tests tappable phone numbers, dates and addresses in chatsMIT researchers say asking an AI about your health can reveal details about relatives, and that privacy rules are struggling to keep up.
Read more: When you tell an AI about your health, you may expose your familySamsung's Galaxy A58 tops out at the same charging speed as the phone it replaces, so anyone hoping for a faster refill will not get one.
Read more: Samsung's Galaxy A58 charges no faster than its predecessorFello AI published a guide to ChatGPT credits and their cost. If you pay for ChatGPT, knowing how credits work can keep you from overspending.
Read more: ChatGPT credits explained: what they cost and how they workAndroid Authority reports more people saying Google's Gemini assistant has gotten worse. Here is what that means if you use it on your phone or at work.
Read more: More Google Gemini users say the AI assistant is getting worseApple's Crash Detection can call emergency services after a severe crash on supported iPhones and Apple Watches. A Jalandhar accident has renewed attention on it.
Read more: Your iPhone can call for help after a severe car crash. Check it is onYouTube on Android is again showing "Server Error 400" after Google said it was fixed. Google now admits some people still have the problem.
Read more: YouTube's "Server Error 400" is back on Android, and Google admits itA couple was told they won $850,000 but must first pay about $2,500 in taxes with gift cards. They spotted the scam in time, and the script works on many people.
Read more: A fake $850,000 prize call shows how prize scams hook peopleWhatsApp is rolling out a feature that offers your newest photo or video when you open a chat. It saves a step, but it can surface things you did not plan to share.
Read more: WhatsApp will suggest your latest photo when you open a chatZomato's new Host Mode hides menu prices from guests, so whoever is paying can treat friends and family without anyone feeling awkward about cost.
Read more: Zomato adds a mode that hides food prices from your dinner guestsChatGPT now chooses which AI model fits your request on its own, so you skip the menu, but you may not see which model answered.
Read more: ChatGPT now picks the right AI brain for each job on its ownWhatsApp can now show whether you share groups with a stranger and which country their number is from, to help you spot a scam before replying.
Read more: WhatsApp now shows more about strangers who message youFake texts and emails claiming a Royal Mail delivery failed are on the rise as Christmas parcels start moving, and one wrong tap can expose your bank details.
Read more: Fake missed-parcel texts surge before Christmas, UK officials warn
