The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Apple's September quarter revenue rose 12% to $114.48 billion, beating forecasts and signaling steady demand for iPhones and services.
Read more: Apple posts record fall quarter sales of $114.48 billionA writer at How-To Geek turned an old Pixel Watch into a small smart home remote for lights and scenes, a use for a gadget that may be sitting in a drawer.
Read more: An old Pixel Watch can double as a tiny smart home remoteAndroid Authority says an everyday phone habit causes more ER visits than texting and driving, though the details are in its original report.
Read more: One phone habit sends more people to the ER than texting and drivingScammers posing as Merseyside Police made calls that showed the force's real switchboard number. A familiar number on your screen is no proof of who is calling.
Read more: Scam callers fake police number to pose as officersBloomberg's Power On podcast asks whether Apple's new touchscreen MacBook Pro will eat into iPad sales, and what that means if you are choosing between the two.
Read more: Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro May Compete With Its Own iPadGoogle is rolling out new icons for Messages, Phone and Contacts on Android. The apps work the same, so a changed home screen is nothing to worry about.
Read more: Google is giving the Messages, Phone and Contacts icons a new lookA side-by-side test in one car found Android Auto gave Google Maps easier voice help, quicker route changes and EV charging plans that CarPlay lacked.
Read more: Google Maps works better in the car on Android Auto than on CarPlayNumbersGame's tool now reaches Stripe, Square and Ramp data, so accountants using Claude or ChatGPT can ask questions about payments and spending.
Read more: Accounting firms can now ask Claude or ChatGPT about Stripe, Square and Ramp dataT-Mobile's new $90 Fiber 5 Gig plan starts Nov. 3 with a 10-year price guarantee, but the guarantee leaves out taxes, fees and upgrades.
Read more: T-Mobile launches $90 home internet plan with a 10-year price lockA tech writer says six buried One UI settings made his Galaxy calmer and faster, and each one takes only a few taps to change.
Read more: Six Samsung Galaxy settings worth changing on your first dayA How-To Geek writer swaps five preinstalled Samsung apps for ones she already uses. Some come off in seconds, one needs a computer.
Read more: Five Samsung Galaxy apps you can swap for ones you already useBMW says its cars will get help with steering and speed on city streets from 2027, starting in Germany. Drivers still have to stay alert.
Read more: BMW plans city driving help for its cars starting in 2027AAWireless, known for Android Auto adapters, now sells a $50 magnetic car charger with a built-in fan meant to keep your phone cooler while it charges.
Read more: AAWireless launches a $50 car phone charger with a built-in fanFello AI published a guide comparing ChatGPT Plus and Pro, the two paid plans, to help you avoid paying for a tier you will not use.
Read more: ChatGPT Plus or Pro: How to Pick the Right Paid PlanAbrigo took its Sageworks loan software offline after suspicious activity. If your bank uses it, here is what is known and what to watch for.
Read more: Software used by 2,400 U.S. banks goes dark after suspicious activityWhatsApp is reportedly working on cover photos for every user, not just businesses. Here is what leaks say and what to check if it arrives.
Read more: WhatsApp may let everyone add a cover photo to their profileLawmakers are shrinking the insurance behind every rideshare trip, and robotaxis fall under the same rules. Businesses that book rides for staff may carry more risk.
Read more: If an employee's rideshare crashes, your business may be on the hookA chirp from your AirPods is often just low battery, but it can also be a routine check, a connection problem or a sign of damage. One setting silences the case.
Read more: Why your AirPods chirp, and how to make them stopOpenAI's new Locked Chats feature hides private ChatGPT conversations behind a four-digit PIN, but it is built for convenience, not true secrecy.
Read more: ChatGPT now lets you hide private chats behind a PINAn upcoming Gemini setting could let you choose Chat or Tasks as the screen the assistant opens to, which could save a tap or two each time.
Read more: Gemini may let you choose Chat or Tasks as your defaultSnap settled with two teens who said its design fed depression and eating disorders, so a trial that would have put its CEO on the stand will not happen.
Read more: Snap settles teen lawsuit over depression and eating disordersScam kits that copy whole websites now cost a few hundred dollars, and AI is making fakes harder to spot. Here are the checks experts still trust.
Read more: How to tell if a website or social account is a scamChatGPT had an outage, with many people unable to log in or use the app and Codex. Here is what is known, who is hit and what to watch for.
Read more: ChatGPT hit by outage: login, app and Codex not working for manyMore than half of US teens use AI for schoolwork, and a Fast Company story asks whether ChatGPT or Claude helps students cheat better.
Read more: Students and teachers are using AI at school, and cheating is the worry
