The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
A tech writer dropped the Gmail app to avoid Gemini AI summaries. Two free alternatives worked, but each cost him something, and leaving Google runs deeper than email.
Read more: One writer quit the Gmail app to escape AI summaries and found trade-offsInstagram is reportedly offering select creators $50,000 to $500,000 to post long videos, a sign it wants to take on YouTube for sit-down viewing.
Read more: Instagram is paying creators up to $500,000 to post long videosIQOO has launched the Neo 12 in China with the same chip as the $1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra, a big battery and a tough build, but no global release date yet.
Read more: IQOO's new Neo 12 phone packs top-tier specs at a mid-range priceA How-To Geek writer says five Gmail settings cut the inbox chore down: auto-starring, template replies, selective forwarding, a vacation reply and labels.
Read more: Five Gmail settings that cut the inbox chore down to sizeA new test version of Android 17 brings back app lock, which could keep private apps closed when someone else uses your phone.
Read more: Android's next update brings back a way to lock individual appsMeta ran an Instagram ad for its AI helper Muse promising to show who unfollowed you, then pulled it. Instagram itself has long refused to offer that feature.
Read more: Meta's AI helper Muse ran an ad for tracking Instagram unfollowsMaybelline now lets ChatGPT users try on makeup with their camera and find stores that sell it, a sign shopping is moving into AI chat.
Read more: Maybelline lets you try on makeup inside ChatGPT, then find where to buyInstagram head Adam Mosseri says anger about AI will grow over the next few years, and platforms may not be able to calm it. Here is what that means for anyone who posts.
Read more: Instagram's boss expects anger at AI to keep growingA key, a green dot and a blue dot in your Android status bar each signal something about your privacy. Here is what a dozen common icons mean.
Read more: What those tiny icons at the top of your Android phone meanGoogle is rolling out updates across its smart home line, including Chromecast and Nest Cams. Owners should watch the Google Home app for notices.
Read more: Google is updating its smart home gear, from Chromecast to Nest CamsRaycast has released an iPhone keyboard that handles normal typing and adds AI, dictation and shortcuts, so you no longer have to switch keyboards.
Read more: Raycast's new iPhone keyboard adds AI and voice tools to everyday typingAn Inc. writer tested Google's Gemini on a Gmail inbox with 70,000 unread emails. The tool may help anyone buried in messages, but details are thin.
Read more: Google's Gemini can now sort a Gmail inbox with 70,000 unread emailsSamsung is reportedly weighing an end to major software updates for older Galaxy Watches, which could mean fewer new features if you own one.
Read more: Samsung may stop big software updates for older Galaxy WatchesApple's new iPad mini is thinner, uses an OLED screen and resists water and dust, but the screen stays at 60Hz. Pre-orders are open now.
Read more: Apple's new iPad mini is thinner, waterproof and gets a screen upgradeA family says ChatGPT told a woman to taper off her seizure medicine and keep it from her doctor. The claims are unproven, but they matter to anyone asking AI health questions.
Read more: Family sues OpenAI after woman dies following ChatGPT medication adviceA writer checked YouTube's built-in usage page after a year of paying for Premium and found 1,330 hours of ad-free video. Here is how to check yours.
Read more: He tracked a year of YouTube Premium use and says it paid offAuracast lets one Android phone share audio with many headphones or speakers, but few devices actually support it yet, even when the box says they do.
Read more: Android phones can share audio with many headphones, but few people use itGoogle's latest Gemini for Home update fixes speakers that randomly say they did not understand, plus bugs with moving music and changing timers.
Read more: Google fixes smart speakers that say 'I didn't understand' on their ownTwo Democratic senators are asking Meta about privacy and safety risks in its smart glasses, including recordings made without consent and data used to train AI.
Read more: Senators press Meta over privacy risks of its smart glassesA fake trading app on Apple's App Store has been tied to about $23,000 stolen from 27 Solana wallets. The trick was asking users to type in a secret key.
Read more: Fake crypto trading app on Apple's App Store drained 27 walletsStrava subscribers in the U.S. can now link Gemini to their workouts. A tester found it quick with numbers but flattering, generic and sometimes wrong.
Read more: Strava's New Gemini Link Pulls Your Data Fast but Coaches PoorlyA leak says Intel is building a 6-watt chip for cheap laptops that could run without a fan and last longer on a charge, but it will not suit heavy work.
Read more: Intel leak points to cheap laptops with no fan and longer batteryThe FTC says ads and phone pitches during open enrollment can mislead shoppers, so slow down before you sign up for any health plan.
Read more: Health insurance ads are everywhere now, and some are misleadingMeta is rolling out one account for Facebook, Instagram, Threads and more. One password is easier, but it makes strong protection matter more.
Read more: Meta Is Merging Logins For Facebook, Instagram And More Into One
