The everyday tech stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Some new iPhone 18 Pro Max phones on AT&T lost cell service and got stuck in SOS mode. Updates won't fix those phones, but Apple will replace them free.
Read more: Some new iPhone 18 Pro Max phones on AT&T lose service, Apple replaces themPIRG, a US consumer advocacy group, released its 'Ringing in Our Fears 2026' report on October 20, 2026. The contents are not yet clear, so check it before acting.
Read more: PIRG Publishes Its 'Ringing in Our Fears 2026' Consumer ReportSamsung has begun sending its finished One UI 9 software to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 outside its home market, so owners should get ready to update.
Read more: Samsung begins rolling out One UI 9 to Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5A caller posing as a real sheriff's captain threatens arrest over missed jury duty and demands a fine. The Jones County Sheriff's Office says it is a scam.
Read more: Fake sheriff calls threaten arrest over missed jury duty unless you payAI-made political ads and fake messages are spreading before the Nov. 3 midterms. Here is how to check what you see and where to confirm voting details.
Read more: How to tell if a political ad or message is a deepfakeSome YouTube viewers say the dislike button has moved into a hidden menu on regular videos, though YouTube now says this is not a public test.
Read more: YouTube is testing ways to make the dislike button harder to findWalmart now sells one $120 yearly plan covering Walmart+ and Sam's Club Plus, which would cost $218 bought separately. Here is who gains.
Read more: Walmart now sells one $120 yearly plan for both Walmart and Sam's ClubThe head of Hugging Face says Netflix's film about the hack of his company leans on fear, a reminder to check the facts before you decide how worried to be.
Read more: Hugging Face's CEO says Netflix film on its hack was too doom-heavyWhatsApp is testing a button that lets you ask a friend for their location, so you can skip the typing. It showed up in a beta, and a launch looks months away.
Read more: WhatsApp is testing a button to ask a friend where they areVorssaint is a free Mac app with over 75 built-in tools. A Lifehacker writer used it to replace at least 10 single-purpose utilities, with some limits.
Read more: One free Mac app packs over 75 tools and can replace 10 or moreOpenAI's ChatGPT app now works with Apple CarPlay, so drivers can talk to it by voice without touching the phone. It needs iOS 26.4 or later.
Read more: ChatGPT now works by voice in your car through Apple CarPlayMiddlesex County, NJ warns that scammers use calls, texts, emails and AI-made video to go after money, personal data and property, and that anyone can be a target.
Read more: New Jersey county warns residents about deed fraud and AI voice scamsChatGPT's Chrome add-on can now work your browser tabs, download files and fill out forms for you, which could save time but needs a careful eye.
Read more: ChatGPT's Chrome add-on can now click around websites for youGoogle says Chrome's Enhanced Protection mode is ten times safer than the default, and it just added warnings for shady sites and a defense against copy-and-paste scams.
Read more: Google says Chrome's strongest safety setting blocks far more scamsHamilton police say fake bank callers are telling people their accounts are at risk, and older adults are the main target. Here is what to know.
Read more: Fake bank callers are targeting older adults, Hamilton police warnAudiophile.fm gathers lossless radio stations in one free app for iPhone and Android, with no account and no in-app ads. The developer is paying for it himself.
Read more: A free music app streams CD-quality radio with no ads or accountTelus now includes a Norton-powered scam blocker for calls, texts and email with its new mobility data plans, switched on from the My Telus app.
Read more: Telus and Norton team up to block scam calls, texts and emailsSome WhatsApp users now see a three-line icon in the chat list. Press reports say it only marks a chat with a poll, and it is not a warning.
Read more: A new three-line icon on WhatsApp chats means a poll is insideLeaked images of Samsung's next Galaxy S27 phones point to a missing model, but nothing is official yet, so buyers should wait for Samsung to confirm.
Read more: Leaked images show Samsung's next Galaxy S27 phones, minus one modelGoogle's new 3D emoji debuted on the Pixel 11, and one Pixel 6a owner says they now show up on his older phone too. The rollout looks very slow.
Read more: Google's new 3D emoji may be reaching older Pixel phonesA news alert says scammers can make a call look like it comes from a real number, so caller ID alone no longer proves who is calling you.
Read more: Scam callers can fake a real phone number on your caller IDDecorah Bank & Trust says scammers are calling customers while posing as bank staff, and some calls appear to come from the bank's real main number.
Read more: Decorah bank warns customers about an impersonation scamA new report says scam calls are falling, but the average victim now loses more, and many phone companies still lag on caller verification.
Read more: Fewer scam calls, but people who get scammed lose more moneySpotify now lets podcasters sell memberships with bonus episodes and perks, so your favorite show may soon ask for a monthly fee.
Read more: Spotify lets podcasters charge fans for bonus episodes and perks
