The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
WhatsApp now lets chats erase themselves, but the only timer is seven days. For quicker privacy, that may fall short.
Read more: WhatsApp adds disappearing messages, but only after seven daysRivian bought Third Dimension, a small U.K. startup, to turn real driving video into 3D simulations for testing its driver-assist and robotaxi software.
Read more: Rivian buys a startup that turns real video into 3D worlds for self-driving testsGlobal PC shipments fell 21 percent in Q3 2026 as pricier parts pushed up laptop costs, and phones also hit a 14-year low. Here is what it means for buyers.
Read more: New computer sales fell 21 percent as memory prices climbedApple's first foldable iPhone launches October 23 without Reachability, a one-hand feature that is reportedly coming later this year in a software update.
Read more: Apple's foldable iPhone will add a one-hand feature after launchSamsung says a new foldable phone is coming soon, but it likely won't be sold in most countries, so check your market before you wait.
Read more: Samsung confirms its next foldable phone is coming sooninDrive, the ride app known for haggling over fares, plans to test Pony.ai robotaxis in Astana in 2027, a sign driverless rides are spreading beyond the US and China.
Read more: inDrive plans self-driving taxi tests in Kazakhstan in 2027Apple's Watch Ultra 4 lasted about three days in a Guardian test, but its biggest new features are not switched on yet, so last year's owners can wait.
Read more: Apple's priciest watch now lasts three days, but big features waitTwo Chicago residents say Coco and Serve delivery robots measured their faces without consent. Both companies deny it, and the cases could test how far robot cameras can go.
Read more: Delivery robots in Chicago accused of scanning faces without consentWhatsApp is testing a floating menu bar at the bottom of the screen, which could change how the buttons you tap every day look and feel.
Read more: WhatsApp is testing a new floating menu bar at the bottomScam callers are using the Gaines County Sheriff's Office real phone number to claim you missed jury duty, so a genuine-looking caller ID is not proof.
Read more: Scammers fake a Texas sheriff's office number to demand jury duty paymentsGoogle says it has not ruled out bringing a top Pixel Watch feature to the Fitbit Edge, so anyone eyeing the tracker may want to wait for news.
Read more: Google leaves door open to a Pixel Watch feature on Fitbit EdgeFast Company points to two free tools that shrink big videos and PDFs while your files stay in your hands, which helps when email rejects an attachment.
Read more: Two free tools shrink big files without sending them anywhereGoogle's $179 Fitbit Edge replaces the Charge 6 with a bigger screen and new health alerts, but it can no longer pay at a store checkout.
Read more: Google's new Fitbit Edge beats the Charge 6, but drops tap-to-payMacs running macOS 27 include a free AI chatbot that runs on the computer itself, with no subscription. Here is how to find it and what it can do.
Read more: Newer Macs include a free AI chatbot that works without the internetGoogle ended smart features on its first three Nest Thermostat generations in April 2025. A columnist says it shows how fragile a connected home can be.
Read more: Google ended smart features on old Nest thermostats, and the smart home dream took a hitApple TV is adding profiles on iPhone and iPad, plus optional sign language, in iOS 27.2. Families sharing one account get more control.
Read more: Apple TV adds separate profiles and sign language on iPhoneA Mississippi sheriff says scammers posing as "Pre-Trial Services" are calling inmates' families and charging fees for releases that never happen.
Read more: Scammers pose as jail staff to take money from inmates' familiesMicrosoft is rolling out Copilot Code, a tool that builds simple work apps from a plain-English description, so non-developers can make their own trackers and dashboards.
Read more: Microsoft starts letting workers build apps by describing themYouTube is redesigning its mobile homepage so you can sort videos by mood, and the change is starting to reach users in the US.
Read more: YouTube lets you build a separate feed for each viewing moodChatGPT's new Blocked Chats feature hides private conversations behind a PIN, but it is not full protection, and a forgotten PIN means lost chats.
Read more: ChatGPT now lets you lock private chats behind a PINGoogle has rolled out Gemini worldwide on Android Auto and Google built-in cars, and it can now use your email, photos and saved places if you allow it.
Read more: Gemini in your car can now use your email, photos and mapsAn Australian judge ordered Apple to let iPhones install apps from other app stores and websites from March 2027. Apple says it will appeal.
Read more: Australian court orders Apple to let iPhones use other app storesDocs Live, a talk-to-it feature in the Google Docs app on Android, is now open to Google Workspace accounts, so work users may already have it.
Read more: Google Docs on Android adds a talk-to-it feature for work accountsSamsung now sells certified refurbished Galaxy S24 and S25 phones on Amazon from $489, with a new battery and a one-year warranty.
Read more: Samsung now sells like-new refurbished Galaxy phones on Amazon
