The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Scammers are copying a Newfoundland craft council's look and tone to sell fake vendor tables. One shop owner lost several thousand dollars.
Read more: Scammers are posing as a craft fair to steal vendor fees and dataMany Android phones already have an app that can share your live location, so family can follow a trip on a map. Check who sees it and when it stops.
Read more: Share your live location from an Android phone in a few tapsCheap AI voice tools are being sold to criminals, and a call that sounds like your family may not be them. Here is what to know and what to watch for.
Read more: Scammers can now copy a loved one's voice for as little as $8AskAnyModel AI Pro is a lifetime plan that puts answers from several chatbots in one window. It is on sale for $29.97, but check the credit limits first.
Read more: One $30 tool shows answers from 50 AI chatbots side by sideA startup says its $499 glasses can turn words you only think about saying into text, with no camera. Shipping is US only and not guaranteed.
Read more: Smart glasses that turn silent speech into text cost $499A Tom's Guide writer built a 15-minute ChatGPT lesson for beginners, with tips on better questions, checking answers and what never to share.
Read more: A 15-minute ChatGPT lesson plan simple enough for your parentsDropbox says no setting sends your files to OpenAI on its own, after users worried an AI toggle was on and hidden. Here is what the company says and what to check.
Read more: Dropbox says it is not sharing your files with OpenAI by defaultA Fast Company piece says Apple's HomeView feature hints that Siri could one day replace many apps, which could change how you control your phone and home.
Read more: Apple's smart home app hints at a future where Siri replaces appsOpenAI says ChatGPT will prompt people to log off after long chats and push back more on big personal questions, a change that matters for families who lean on it.
Read more: ChatGPT will now nudge you to take a break from long chatsA federal judge told OpenAI to keep all ChatGPT chats, even deleted ones, so anything you type may now be stored while the court case continues.
Read more: Court orders OpenAI to keep all ChatGPT chats, even deleted onesRed Pocket, Boost, Tello and Ultra Mobile each sell phone service for about $10 a month, but data limits, short promos and prepaying change the real cost.
Read more: Four cell plans cost $10 a month, but each has a catchChatGPT's iPhone and Android apps now let you stay signed in to two accounts and switch between them, so you no longer have to log out and back in.
Read more: ChatGPT apps now let you switch between two accountsFrom Nov 2, Singapore police will phone people only from 6000-0999, a new number meant to make real police calls easier to tell apart from scammers.
Read more: Singapore police will now call from one number only: 6000-0999OpenAI plans to merge ChatGPT's Chat and Work modes, and a logo request could soon count against the same allowance as heavy coding work.
Read more: ChatGPT's chat and coding tools will soon share one usage limitCNET's review finds PrivadoVPN among the cheapest VPNs around and easy to use, but it has no outside security audits and slows internet speeds a lot.
Read more: PrivadoVPN is very cheap and easy to use, but has no outside auditsGoogle's Gemini Notebook now makes it easier to find and add textbooks, which could save students time, though the details are still thin.
Read more: Gemini Notebook now makes it easier to find and add textbooksChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Grok all had problems on Thursday. Service is back, but the day showed how much work depends on these tools.
Read more: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other AI chatbots went down togetherAmazon turned off Alexa voice commands for the cable port on four older Echo speakers. The port still works, but you now switch it on in the app.
Read more: Amazon turns off voice control for the cable port on older Echo speakersSilent scam calls often come from automated dialers, not a person who forgot to speak. Knowing why can help you avoid common traps.
Read more: Why Some Scam Calls Go Silent When You Pick UpWashington Post tests found chatbots pulling midterm voting answers from three obscure AI-built sites, so a quick check with your election office matters.
Read more: AI chatbots lean on three obscure, error-prone sites for voting answersA Northbrook, Illinois woman lost $92,240 after calling a number in a fake Geek Squad email. Police say the same week brought several similar phone and app scams.
Read more: Fake Geek Squad Email Costs Illinois Woman More Than $92,000Microsoft is testing a Windows 11 Search that lets you change settings and text from your phone right in the results. It is not yet for everyone.
Read more: Windows 11 Search is learning to do things, not just find themShort AirPods battery life is not always a sign of wear. A dirty case, a few habits and one hidden setting can matter, and most fixes are free.
Read more: Why your AirPods die fast and simple ways to make them lastIndia's Supreme Court is asking whether banks should repay 'digital arrest' scam victims, as losses pass ₹3,000 crore. Here is how the scam works and what to do.
Read more: India's top court asks if banks should repay 'digital arrest' scam victims
