The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Spotify is asking some Family and Duo plan members to verify their location within seven days, or they lose Premium and face a one-year block on other shared plans.
Read more: Spotify Family members may have 7 days to verify their locationCode in a test version of Android suggests Google is adding unread counts to Pixel app icons, so you could see how many messages wait without opening anything.
Read more: Google's Pixel phones may soon show numbers on app icon badgesApple is expected to announce its first touchscreen Mac next week. A writer expects a steep price, enough to double the memory or storage on the current model.
Read more: First touchscreen Mac expected next week, with a higher priceFirst State Bank in Streator says more customers are getting fake calls from people posing as the bank. Here is how to protect your account.
Read more: Local bank warns customers about fake calls pretending to be the bankUlta Beauty has launched a plugin that brings its product help into ChatGPT, so shoppers can ask for advice in a chat. Here is what to know about your data.
Read more: Ulta Beauty now lets shoppers get product help inside ChatGPTLittle Caesars customers can now order pizza by chatting with ChatGPT, but you have to link your Little Caesars account to ChatGPT first.
Read more: Little Caesars now lets you order pizza by chatting with ChatGPTGalaxy phones hide several free audio upgrades in Settings, from Dolby Atmos to a hearing-based sound profile. A few minutes of tuning can change how everything sounds.
Read more: Four Samsung Galaxy settings that can make your audio sound betterSpotify has hit SpotiFLAC, a tool that saved songs in CD-quality sound. Anyone who relies on unofficial downloaders should expect them to break.
Read more: Spotify cuts off a popular tool that saved songs in top qualityA test version of WhatsApp for Android hints at a way to silence unknown callers or ask why they are calling, which could cut spam calls.
Read more: WhatsApp may let you screen unknown callers before you answerOpenAI is rolling out Locked Chats, which hides private ChatGPT conversations behind a PIN or Face ID. It helps with nosy screens, but it is not full privacy.
Read more: ChatGPT now lets you lock private chats with a PIN or Face IDApple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, starts at $1,999. Gizmodo's reviewer says it beats rival foldables on the crease, but it is heavy and very costly.
Read more: Apple's first folding iPhone costs $1,999 and reviewers say it's worth the waitGoogle removed Assistant from Android in September 2026. Three Gemini settings can bring back short, fast answers and working timers, alarms and smart home controls.
Read more: How to make Gemini act like the old Google AssistantGoogle quietly added a year to the free period for Satellite SOS on the Pixel 9, so owners keep an emergency backup with no bill yet.
Read more: Google gives Pixel 9 owners a third free year of Satellite SOSThe Odin 3 Portal, an Android handheld built for gaming, goes on sale this week, and Android Authority says the price is better than expected.
Read more: A new Android gaming handheld, the Odin 3 Portal, goes on sale this weekSamsung's best-selling phone is getting stable One UI 9, built on Android 17, so many Galaxy owners should check for the update and back up first.
Read more: Samsung's biggest-selling phone starts getting its big software updateSome Samsung Galaxy Watch owners say they found red, burn-like marks on their wrists, and the cause is still unknown. Here is what to check on your own skin.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy Watch owners report red, burn-like marks on their wristsLocaleyes has launched Lens, a free tool that scores how easily customers can find a local business on Google, Maps, social media and AI assistants like ChatGPT.
Read more: Free tool shows local shops how they appear on Google and ChatGPTCurrent and former TikTok employees say the company profited from illegal child exploitation videos. TikTok disputes it. Parents should check settings now.
Read more: TikTok accused of profiting from child abuse videos, staff sayThe EU is investigating Booking.com over fake listings and phishing scams. Travelers should be wary of any message asking for extra payment.
Read more: EU opens investigation into Booking.com over travel scamsYouTube Music has a built-in equalizer that can fix thin, boomy or flat-sounding budget earbuds, and it is easy to miss because it sits deep in the settings.
Read more: A hidden YouTube Music setting can make cheap earbuds sound betterScammers are copying the Kelowna RCMP's real phone number so calls look genuine. Their goal is your passwords and banking details, which can cost you money.
Read more: Scammers fake the Kelowna RCMP's real phone number to steal loginsWhatsApp plans to open web links inside the app instead of Chrome or Safari, which raises a fair question about what an in-app browser can see.
Read more: WhatsApp is adding its own web browser inside the appA marketing chief asked ChatGPT about her company and found an outdated picture. Her fix lifted its mentions in AI answers, and the lesson applies to any business.
Read more: A marketing chief found ChatGPT describing her company badlyIn iOS 27, the Shortcuts app lets you describe a task in plain words and builds the automation for you, but only on newer devices.
Read more: iPhone Shortcuts Now Builds Automations From a Plain Sentence
