The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Google Messages on Android is adding an opt-in Enhanced Protection mode that uses AI to spot scam texts, though some features need newer phones.
Read more: Google Messages adds a stronger shield against scam textsEarly impressions say Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, wastes room on its 5.4-inch outer screen, while Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 does not.
Read more: Apple's first foldable iPhone wastes screen space on its small outer displayGoogle's Gemini chatbot can now read, create and update your saved notebooks during a chat, and the feature is on by default for most users worldwide.
Read more: Google's Gemini chatbot can now work with your saved notebooksA new app called Headroom lets the foldable iPhone Duo control a Mac remotely, with a layout that changes as the phone folds. It is free to try.
Read more: New app lets the foldable iPhone Duo control your Mac from anywhereApple's next Apple Watch update lets Siri remember past chats, use more of your info, and speak five more languages. MacRumors expects it next week.
Read more: Apple Watch's Siri is about to get a memory and more languagesChina's phone market hit a 14-year low in Q3, yet Apple climbed to second place. Rising prices may change when and how you buy your next phone.
Read more: Apple jumps to second place in China as phone sales hit a 14-year lowClaude Duet, a research preview agent from Anthropic's Claude team, can work in your accounts while you're away. It shows what it plans to do first.
Read more: Claude Duet, an AI that works while you're away, asks before it actsBuyerTwin now works inside ChatGPT so a whole team can draw on the same customer information. Details are thin, so check what data you share first.
Read more: BuyerTwin adds a ChatGPT plugin so teams share customer insightsAndroid's Quick Settings panel can hold tiles for QR scanning, focus time, privacy and smart home controls, and adding them takes only a few seconds.
Read more: Five hidden Android shortcuts that save you taps every dayQobuz, a Spotify rival, says it is dealing with a surge of AI-made songs, and the flood on streaming services may be sending listeners its way.
Read more: Music app Qobuz gains as AI-made songs flood rival streaming servicesTikTok's U.S. business is exploring a huge amount of computing power, which could mean more AI in the app and possibly new AI tools for businesses.
Read more: TikTok's U.S. arm is seeking huge amounts of computing powerInc. says a 10,000-fold test of the iPhone Duo is less interesting than how a phone that changes shape may change your daily routines.
Read more: Folding phones may change your daily habits more than you expectA new Wi-Fi 7 router can feel slower than the old one. How-To Geek lists six reasons, from missing bands to weak mesh setups and devices that cannot keep up.
Read more: Why your new Wi-Fi router may be slowing your internet downGoogle Health 5.11 lets supported Fitbit and Pixel watches log more than 100 kinds of workouts automatically, up from 10, with no button press needed.
Read more: Google's fitness watches now spot 100+ workouts on their ownMicrosoft will start using AI in Teams in early November 2026 to flag scam chats from outsiders, with no setup needed for businesses.
Read more: Microsoft Teams will use AI to spot scam messages from strangersAn email offering Knicks staff a championship ring reportedly was a phishing test, and clicking it led to mandatory cybersecurity training.
Read more: Knicks Staff Got a Fake Championship Ring Offer That Was a TestCoinbase now lets AI assistants like ChatGPT and Claude place real trades in your account. Here is how it works and how to limit the risk.
Read more: Coinbase lets ChatGPT and Claude place real trades in your accountOura has filed another lawsuit against a major smart ring rival, and the outcome could affect which rings you can buy and what they cost.
Read more: Oura files another lawsuit against a major smart ring rivalJacksonville police will post a scam warning every Saturday. Officers say scam calls come in daily, and fast reporting helps detectives catch the scammer.
Read more: Jacksonville Police Start Weekly Scam Warnings Every SaturdayAndroid users can now mark up ebooks in the Kindle app, a feature that began on Amazon's Alexa-powered tablets, so no extra device is needed.
Read more: Kindle app for Android now lets you mark up your books freelyA TikTok review brought a South Carolina home cook over 300 orders overnight. Her story shows what small sellers need in place before a rush.
Read more: A home cook's seafood went viral and 300 orders arrived overnightApple's lineup now runs from $699 to a $1,999 folding iPhone Duo. Wired's guide explains which model fits and how to buy without getting locked in.
Read more: Apple now sells seven iPhones, from $699 to a $1,999 folding modelRambler, a new Gboard voice typing mode on the Pixel 11, adds punctuation and tidies speech into clean text. One reviewer says it beats standard dictation.
Read more: Google's new Pixel 11 voice typing turns rambling into clean textSafety and import records suggest Samsung's next Ultra phone gets a roughly 14% bigger battery, its first real upgrade in years, but nothing is final.
Read more: Samsung's next Ultra phone may finally get a bigger battery
