The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Apple's HomePod mini 2 is on sale today for $149 in the U.S., which is $20 more than the old model cost after a June price rise.
Read more: Apple's new HomePod mini 2 speaker is in stores today at $149Google is reportedly testing one Family section on Pixel phones, which could make managing kids' phones and shared plans easier for Android households.
Read more: Google is testing a Family hub for Pixel phones, like the one on iPhoneA Galaxy AI switch that sounds like it keeps everything on your phone does not cover Bixby, and a test found spoken commands going to Samsung's servers.
Read more: Samsung's phone AI privacy switch doesn't cover Bixby voice commandsEngadget gives Lenovo's Googlebook 15 a 7.9 out of 10. The laptop is excellent, but the new Googlebook OS software still feels early.
Read more: Lenovo's first Googlebook laptop has great hardware but unfinished softwareA 32GB kit of DDR5 memory now costs about $500, up from $400. A Tom's Guide writer says AI spending is the cause and may be the thing that brings relief.
Read more: Computer memory prices keep climbing, and the AI boom may be whyA security blog says an Anthropic hack was used to spread hidden remote-control software to Claude developer laptops. It is one report, so details are thin.
Read more: Anthropic hack reportedly spread remote-control malwareAn Android Police writer says built-in Google and Samsung features now do the job of several apps and subscriptions he once paid for.
Read more: A writer says free Android and Gemini features replaced his paid appsElon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg now say 'super intelligence' on earnings calls, following Trump's order. Expect the new label in pitches, but check what a tool does.
Read more: Musk and Zuckerberg start saying 'super intelligence' instead of AIA writer at How-To Geek says an old computer under $100 can replace audiobook, streaming and photo subscriptions, and pay for itself in about two months.
Read more: A used computer under $100 can replace three paid subscriptionsScammers are posing as real charities to collect donations and personal details, and checking before you give is the best defense against them.
Read more: Scammers are posing as real charities to steal donationsO2, a UK mobile network, now blocks calls it suspects are scams before the phone rings. The free service is automatic and expects to stop over 3 million calls a week.
Read more: O2 now blocks suspected scam calls before your phone ringsA Galaxy Watch 8 owner stopped missing nights of sleep data by changing two buried settings, and a few quick checks on fit may help first.
Read more: How one owner fixed a Galaxy Watch 8 that kept losing sleep dataHark's free AI assistant now runs on Mac, and it can sign in to sites and buy things for you, so the permissions you set matter.
Read more: Hark's free AI helper for errands now runs on Mac computersA security expert says scammers are sending fake Google login emails through Google's own systems, so a real sender name no longer proves a message is safe.
Read more: Scammers are sending fake login emails through Google itselfAndroid Authority tested the seven most popular Android launchers and says one clearly beats the rest. Changing your home screen is free and reversible.
Read more: One Android home screen app beats six rivals in a hands-on testFast Company says Apple has brought touch input to Macs, and the column argues it was done in the gentlest way possible. Details are still thin.
Read more: Apple finally brings touch to Macs, in a low-key wayOne Android Police writer says four hidden Chrome tweaks cut lag and gave back battery on a Pixel 10 Pro. Here is what he changed and who should skip it.
Read more: Turning off a few hidden Chrome settings made my phone browser fasterWhatsApp is testing a way to write a message now and have it send later, which could help with birthday wishes and customer reminders.
Read more: WhatsApp is testing a way to send messages at a time you pickSamsung's next fitness band, the Galaxy Fit 4, may be close to launch, but early word says it may not differ much from the Fit 3.
Read more: Samsung's next fitness band, the Galaxy Fit 4, may be close to launchGoogle will put labeled ads inside its AI search answers in India and nine other countries, so shoppers and business owners should know what changes.
Read more: Google will start showing ads inside its AI search answers in IndiaA report on a year with a Galaxy Z Fold 8 or an Apple foldable says repairs, cases and protection plans can add a lot to the price you see in the store.
Read more: A folding phone can cost far more to own than its price tag showsA report says the Pixel 11 Pro's small light could use AI to show which alerts matter most, so you could spot urgent ones without picking up the phone.
Read more: Google's next Pixel phone may use its light bar to flag key alertsTwo $20 AI plans add up to $40 a month, and higher tiers and extra usage credits can push the bill well past that. Here is what to check.
Read more: AI Subscriptions Cost More Than the $20 Price Tag SuggestsHidden code in WhatsApp suggests UPI Lite could refill itself in India, so small payments may no longer stall on an empty wallet.
Read more: WhatsApp may soon top up your small payments wallet automatically
