The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Gainesville, Texas police say scammers are calling while pretending to be the police chief. A real name makes the call sound believable, so know what to do.
Read more: Scammers are posing as a Texas police chief on phone callsMonaco police say scammers are calling residents with the force's real number on the screen, so a familiar caller ID no longer proves who is on the line.
Read more: Scammers are faking Monaco police phone calls using the real numberInc. argues that the habits that helped Netflix overtake Blockbuster may not be the ones that carry it forward, a lesson for any business that is doing well.
Read more: Netflix beat Blockbuster, and now it has to change againA router can't beat your internet plan, so a budget model under $100 will likely do the job for most homes. Here is when a pricier one is worth it.
Read more: A $500 router won't make your home internet any fasterThe Atlanta consulate says scammers are spoofing its real phone number to scare ethnic Koreans into moving their money. Caller ID alone proves nothing.
Read more: Scammers fake consulate calls to drain victims' bank accountsA SaaStr writer says a two-day software outage was forgivable, but a vendor that never offered a roughly $330 credit lost trust that could cost far more later.
Read more: A two-day outage was forgivable. The missing refund was not.Apple's Passwords app can flag saved logins that appear in leaked data. Here is what the alert means and how to fix the logins it points to.
Read more: Your iPhone can warn you when a saved password has leakedMaya has joined a Philippine Justice Department group built to trace scam money and freeze fraud accounts. Users of payment apps should know the tools they already have.
Read more: Philippine Payment App Maya Joins Government Push to Freeze Scam AccountsEngadget says a touchscreen is a minor perk on a laptop. Tablets cost less, and a touchless laptop may give you more for the money.
Read more: A touchscreen laptop rarely beats a tablet on touch aloneSecurity researchers broke into brand-new iPhones within days, and AI tools are helping. Here is what that means for anyone who owns a phone.
Read more: Jailbreaking phones is making a comeback, and AI is speeding it upA survey of Apple IT admins finds most use AI to write work that reaches live systems, but 69% cannot undo a bad settings change within an hour.
Read more: Companies use AI to write IT code fast, but can't undo mistakes fastSecurity firm CTM360 tracked more than 1,000 fake gift card incidents. The prizes never arrive, but a phone number and PIN can lead to charges on your bill.
Read more: Fake free gift cards from big brands never pay out, report findsWhatsApp is reportedly testing a setting that lets you choose who sees your phone number, which could matter if customers reach you through the app.
Read more: WhatsApp tests a setting to hide your phone number from othersAfter 30 days on a Samsung Galaxy phone, one reviewer picked Gemini over Grok and Claude because it works with the apps he already uses.
Read more: After a month on Android, one AI assistant beat Grok and ClaudeMost phones from the last few years can take sharp, bright night photos. A pro photographer says a few simple habits matter more than a pricey upgrade.
Read more: How to Take Better Night Photos With the Phone You Already HaveThree Android apps add app sorting, Samsung-style tweaks and a useful camera cutout to Pixel phones, but they ask for broad permissions and two have paid tiers.
Read more: Three free-to-try apps fix what Google Pixel phones leave outA security researcher says every Mac since 2022 runs background tools that map your contacts, family and routines, stored in readable files on the machine.
Read more: Your Mac quietly builds a map of you, your family and your friendsA tech writer says Gmail's own snooze, archive and label tools are enough to keep an inbox nearly empty, with no extra app or settings change.
Read more: How one writer keeps his Gmail inbox empty with three built-in toolsApple's new M6 Mac mini and iMac are both fast for daily use. A Tom's Guide review says the choice comes down to power, ports and whether you already own a screen.
Read more: Apple's new Mac mini and iMac: which desktop fits your home or officeA few minutes of prep at home can keep directions and music working on a road trip when signal is weak and there is no charger in the car.
Read more: Download maps and music before a road trip to save your phoneSamsung Galaxy phones have four easy-to-miss settings that hide private photos, protect your alarm, silence calls with a hand wave and open two apps at once.
Read more: Four small Samsung Galaxy tricks worth turning on todayPurge, a free open source Mac app with no ads, shows what fills your drive and clears out hidden clutter, including Apple Intelligence models that can top 10 GB.
Read more: A free Mac app clears gigabytes of hidden junk without a subscriptionA review of the AirPods 5 praises the sound blocking but warns that Android phone owners lose some features. A workaround may help.
Read more: AirPods 5 sound great, but Android phone owners give up some featuresGalaxy owners who installed One UI 9 report dropped Wi-Fi, weak mobile data and, for a few, lost Wi-Fi calling or SIM detection. Samsung has not responded.
Read more: Samsung's big Galaxy update is knocking phones offline
